Well it happened! I'm done.

[DrDoctor]

Don,

   That IS a really nice car. Now the question—isn’t this the type of car that Richie’s dad (the late Tom Bosley) drove in the TV series Happy Days???

[Eneto-55]

4 hours ago, mmcdowel said:

I'm not rich by any means, but as I get older and less "bendy" I did find a really great general mechanic that I pay to come out and fix what needs fixing from time to time.  I still work on the car of course, but I find it money well spent to get a professional involved from time to time....simply because I don't feel like messing with it.  I don't feel like its subtracted from my enjoyment of the car one bit.......Hope you hang in there with your car!

(PS my brand new Buick left me beside the road the other day in 111F heat.  If my Dodge leaves me she at least has a good excuse being 68 years old and I respect that)

 

I've never had a new car, and the two we own now are 8 & 9 years old (my work vehicle, a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan, 124,000 miles, and my wife's car, a 2009 Dodge Journey, 81,000 miles).  My wife can drive a standard shift, but strongly prefers an automatic.  But driving in an automatic, I'm constantly listening, and noticing every little hesitation in shifting, or lurch, afraid that the transmission will give out on me, and leave us stranded.  I'm relieved every time I park it back in our garage.  As others have said, at least it is possible for the average guy to work on these cars.  (I'm just 62, so maybe I'll sing a different tune when I hit a couple of more decades...)

[DonaldSmith]

Yes, Howard Cunningham drove a DeSoto Suburban.  Last I heard, it's still around.  The top was painted with a dull finish, for cinematic purposes, and there were fluorescent lights inside, for inside shots.  

[dodgeguy]

COPD? From?

[HotRodTractor]

So - I am sure I am very much the young guy in this conversation - and even I get fed up from time to time. I just recently put a truck on the road (OT vehicle) that was sitting in my shop for 3 years because I didn't have the desire to mess with it. I stripped the transmission out of it, rebuilt it, and then it just sat there.... waiting on me.... I was fed up and too wrapped up in life to mess with it.

 

Step back. Take a deep breath. Find a local guy to fix it. Go for a short drive. Then decide if selling it is what you want. What should be a "simple" fix should be done to at least help you recoup your funds as best as possible - so it should be done either way. Just drive it again before you make that decision.

[Norm Knowles]

KNUCKLEHARLEY - Your comment about "hobby and contest" was not solicited or required.  Please note my original comment This will be solved in time.

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

COPD? From?

Breathing mold and mildew spores while replacing the roof and walls on my house.

[knuckleharley]

2 minutes ago, Norm Knowles said:

KNUCKLEHARLEY - Your comment about "hobby and contest" was not solicited or required.  Please note my original comment This will be solved in time.

If you don't want people to respond to your posts,don't write them.

Edited August 1, 2018 by knuckleharley

[Dale Gribble]

18 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

Both links you gave for your truck lead to a Amazon page with misc auto-related stuff for sale.

I've noticed that while typing . I think it's the way Adsense is set up on these pages . I typed something referencing eBay and it made a link automatically .... Really dumb .... 

 

*edit .... Case in point .... See above auto inserted link.... Annoying ... 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Dale Gribble

[Eneto-55]

16 minutes ago, Dale Gribble said:

I've noticed that while typing . I think it's the way Adsense is set up on these pages . I typed something referencing eBay and it made a link automatically .... Really dumb .... 

 

*edit .... Case in point .... See above auto inserted link.... Annoying ... 

I agree.  I even sometimes misspell words in order to stop it from doing that, or try to find a different word to express the same idea.

[MackTheFinger]

Sorry to read of someone giving up on one of their passions. I'm not too hung up on cars. I have a bunch and like them all but there's only a couple of them I wouldn't let go. 

 

Motorcycles are a different story. I have a bunch of those, too; and no intention of selling any. I'm building a Harley sidecar rig at the moment in anticipation of the day I'm not comfortable on two wheels. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

most folks that later attach the side car report that it is a hindrance in riding more so than an added safety...of course, those reporting may be the one always pushing the envelope...I do know that alignment is very critical in attaching the sidecar and may well be the reason for many negative reports.  work safe, sounds like an interesting project.   I sold my bikes a bit back but have a 1983 CB1000 Custom 10 speed still hidden in the barn.

[MackTheFinger]

I had a BMW sidecar rig a few years back and foolishly traded it off. It was well set up but they take some getting used to,  particularly for the person in the sidecar seeing those mailboxes coming at them. ? 

Those CB1000's are cool bikes!!

Edited August 1, 2018 by MackTheFinger

[pflaming]

Mack, you have one like this! 

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 minute ago, pflaming said:

Mack, you have one like this! 

 

is that your bike and man purse?  

[pflaming]

Yes, even the hair dryer!  

[knuckleharley]

10 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

most folks that later attach the side car report that it is a hindrance in riding more so than an added safety...of course, those reporting may be the one always pushing the envelope...I do know that alignment is very critical in attaching the sidecar and may well be the reason for many negative reports.  work safe, sounds like an interesting project.   I sold my bikes a bit back but have a 1983 CB1000 Custom 10 speed still hidden in the barn.

sidecars require a different rake on the front forks than bikes without them. Harley used to make (probably still do) adjustable rake front forks for use with sidecars. I'm guessing at this late date they are both hard to find and pricey for the older models.

[knuckleharley]

5 minutes ago, pflaming said:

Mack, you have one like this! 

HEY! It's got a springer! Now all it needs is a 3/4 inch rake,15 over forks,and drag bars with laid back dogbones.

 

Saw a modern bicycle just yesterday with a swing-arm suspension.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I see the spring, but with the fixed forks, solid mounting bottom and top..the spring looks to be decoration on the cake...

[Plymouthy Adams]

12 minutes ago, MackTheFinger said:

I had a BMW sidecar rig a few years back and foolishly traded it off. It was well set up but they take some getting used to,  particularly for the person in the sidecar seeing those mailboxes coming at them. ? 

Those CB1000's are cool bikes!!

 

BMW has always been at the top on sidecars.......I have had a few friends who owned BMWs but I got to admit I have never ridden one.  My loss I am sure...my son just bought the new Honda Fury...he also has a GSR I think it is, he wants us to take a tour when he gets home.  As for the CB1000 custom, kind words, thanks...it was given to me and just needs a bit of cosmetics and clean up...I understand a very limited production run in 1000cc's and 1983 only  but the actual number I could never seem to find.  

[pflaming]

So what were the four red buttons for, air bags? 

[MackTheFinger]

1 hour ago, knuckleharley said:

sidecars require a different rake on the front forks than bikes without them. Harley used to make (probably still do) adjustable rake front forks for use with sidecars. I'm guessing at this late date they are both hard to find and pricey for the older models.

 

You're right, adjustable Harley trees are out there and expensive although I think Taiwan Ted sells repops. Earle's type forks are the cat's meow for sidecar rigs. There's no front end dive with them so the weight distribution doesn't change. They were standard equipment on BMW's until 1970. There are a couple of people who build them to spec. When it gets to that point that's probably the way I'll go. The last BMW sidecar rig I had used telescopic forks and raked trees but still got a little squirrelly in a hard stop. It probably could have done better with heavier springs but I traded it off before getting into it too much.

[MackTheFinger]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

 

BMW has always been at the top on sidecars.......I have had a few friends who owned BMWs but I got to admit I have never ridden one.  My loss I am sure...my son just bought the new Honda Fury...he also has a GSR I think it is, he wants us to take a tour when he gets home.  As for the CB1000 custom, kind words, thanks...it was given to me and just needs a bit of cosmetics and clean up...I understand a very limited production run in 1000cc's and 1983 only  but the actual number I could never seem to find.  

 

I've owned several BMW's over the years. Great bikes! I really liked the Telelever/Paralever suspension on the later bikes. I think they quit producing those. 

 

There were very few of those 1000's. I'll have to ask one of the Honda restorers about them. That one's a keeper for sure!

 

Take that tour with your son. My son and I are planning a trip through the Southwest sometime in the next couple of years. He went on a couple of runs with me and my friends 15+ years ago, even a honeymoon run, That was before I got to what passes as respectable. Life's a weird trip.. ?

[PT81Jan]

5 hours ago, MackTheFinger said:

... I'm building a Harley sidecar rig at the moment in anticipation of the day I'm not comfortable on two wheels. 

 

So if you then will find out you feel uncomfortable on THREE wheels you always are able to use just TWO ?

 

5 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

most folks that later attach the side car report that it is a hindrance in riding more so than an added safety...of course, those reporting may be the one always pushing the envelope...I do know that alignment is very critical in attaching the sidecar and may well be the reason for many negative reports...

 

Yupp, completely other way of riding. Every guy I know who has ever ridden a sidecar motorcycle, had his moment ... including myself. The reason why I tried to ride on just 2 wheels until I was able to do safe ... not just by accident ... but theeennn it`s fun !!!!

 

4 hours ago, MackTheFinger said:

I had a BMW sidecar rig a few years back and foolishly traded it off. It was well set up but they take some getting used to,  particularly for the person in the sidecar seeing those mailboxes coming at them....

 

Hmm, lifting off the boat would probably not help that much ... just would hit the mailboxes in another height ... hahaha.

 

btw: 750 ccm BMW engine

 

To do a loop to the OP`s topic: Although I and my kids had a lot of fun to ride with the sidecar for many years, life situation changed. So I finally sold the bike, with a tear in one eye.

So I completely understand, if someone decides to say goodbye although it hurts.

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by PT81Jan

[knuckleharley]

4 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I see the spring, but with the fixed forks, solid mounting bottom and top..the spring looks to be decoration on the cake...

That MIGHT be a rocker down by the fender brace. Can't see it well,so it's hard for me to tell.

 

Even if there is a rocker it is more for style that function. 50's and earlier street bicycles were mostly for kids,and there wasn't even weight there to need suspension.

 

The one I saw yesterday with the swing arm was one of those  short modern bikes made for stunts.