JoeCool Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 We all have old cars obviously, but what other old stuff do you have and work on rather than buying new? Besides the old Datsun I have a 2006 Ford Taurus with 135,000 miles, no major repairs, just maintenance. It is the nice family car. The wife drives it most of the time. A 2000 Saturn SL1 with 150.000, this thing is a piece of shit as have been other GM products I have owned. But I only gave $1000 for it last spring. This one is my daughter's car, it only needs to last until college, or roughly four more years. I also have an early 90's Rally push mower I keep repairing, nothing major, just minor things here and there. I just had my 19th anniversary with my wife. Plan on staying with it "till death do we part." This is the toughest one! And I just recently got this vacuum from my mother in law. She said "here, you like to fix things, fix it you can keep it, I bought a new one. It is a late 80's Kenmore (by Electrolux) Whispertone 300. That's name is the worst lie I ever heard, it is LOUD! It terrifies the cats. When I got it the "power nozzle" that vacuums the carpets motor went off and on as I moved it. Turned out the ground wire inside was literally hanging on by a thread. Spliced that with a crimped butt connector and electrical tape and good to go! While I had it torn apart I fixed the rigging job a "repairman" at the vacuum repair shop had done on the safety cutoff switch and re-routed the wires over and under things like they were supposed to go and cleaned years of dirt outThis vacuum cleaner sucks like no other vac I ever used! Damn thing sucked up half the drape in the living room before I could stop it! It cleans good too, actually got the matted down carpet in the hallway to stand up again. Not bad, especially for the price...FREE. She has had it since it was new. I think the wife and I have had at least 10 vacuums since we got married. We usually buy a new one every 2-3 years. Newer vacuums are cheaply made junk.At least the cheaper (under $100) ones are. In summary on this topic all I can say is they really don't make things like they used to. 1 Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 We all have old cars obviously, but what other old stuff do you have and work on rather than buying new? Besides the old Datsun I have a 2006 Ford Taurus with 135,000 miles, no major repairs, just maintenance. It is the nice family car. The wife drives it most of the time. A 2000 Saturn SL1 with 150.000, this thing is a piece of shit as have been other GM products I have owned. But I only gave $1000 for it last spring. This one is my daughter's car, it only needs to last until college, or roughly four more years. I also have an early 90's Rally push mower I keep repairing, nothing major, just minor things here and there. I just had my 19th anniversary with my wife. Plan on staying with it "till death do we part." This is the toughest one! And I just recently got this vacuum from my mother in law. She said "here, you like to fix things, fix it you can keep it, I bought a new one. It is a late 80's Kenmore (by Electrolux) Whispertone 300. That's name is the worst lie I ever heard, it is LOUD! It terrifies the cats. When I got it the "power nozzle" that vacuums the carpets motor went off and on as I moved it. Turned out the ground wire inside was literally hanging on by a thread. Spliced that with a crimped butt connector and electrical tape and good to go! While I had it torn apart I fixed the rigging job a "repairman" at the vacuum repair shop had done on the safety cutoff switch and re-routed the wires over and under things like they were supposed to go and cleaned years of dirt outThis vacuum cleaner sucks like no other vac I ever used! Damn thing sucked up half the drape in the living room before I could stop it! It cleans good too, actually got the matted down carpet in the hallway to stand up again. Not bad, especially for the price...FREE. She has had it since it was new. I think the wife and I have had at least 10 vacuums since we got married. We usually buy a new one every 2-3 years. Newer vacuums are cheaply made junk.At least the cheaper (under $100) ones are. In summary on this topic all I can say is they really don't make things like they used to. I have the same model! Just keep the disposable bags replaced and no problem! 1 Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 My Rockwell Delta table saw from the 60's. I'll keep that thing till I pass it on. Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 I have this huge pain in the ass I've been working on since 2001...my wife. Bullshit aside, I'll keep fixing my old Delta scrollsaw as long as I can. My 7 in 1 BBQ smoker is held together by the hi temp paint, got it for a wedding gift, it's seasoned like a bastard. Quote Link to comment
Kirden Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 My oldest possesion besides my Datsuns is my 1982 Minolta X-700, which is my favorite camera. Its a manual focus SLR that uses 35mm film. I got a decent deal on the full set of artistic filters and two lenses, as well as the camera, for a wopping $60 about eight years ago. Since then I've gotten rid of all of my newer cameras and only have the Minolta. I dust it off about twice a year and make sure the detachable flash works and all the contacts are clean. Sadly I don't dabble in photography anymore, but I'll never get rid of my Minolta, even though 35mm is basicly extinct :P 1 Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 My oldest possesion besides my Datsuns is my 1982 Minolta X-700, which is my favorite camera. Its a manual focus SLR that uses 35mm film. I got a decent deal on the full set of artistic filters and two lenses, as well as the camera, for a wopping $60 about eight years ago. Since then I've gotten rid of all of my newer cameras and only have the Minolta. I dust it off about twice a year and make sure the detachable flash works and all the contacts are clean. Sadly I don't dabble in photography anymore, but I'll never get rid of my Minolta, even though 35mm is basicly extinct :P I have an original Minolta SR7 which I bought in Japan in 1964, an original 58mm standard lens [not the 56mm usualy in the export versions] and an aftermarket 105mm Zoom lens set that I would never want topart with! Now if I can find and manufacturer who still produces 35mm film [thank you FUJI] in reasonable SAE film speeds I will keep happy! I filmed my nephew's wedding in Tokyo and most of the other attendees were not awawe that I was filming the proceedings since I was using SAE 4000 rated Fuji film stock in the available lighting! 35mm sure beats the current digital replacements, you can always digitze the results but keep the real high resolution negatives as backup for when the new generation sites decides that they are not making enough money to support the "resolution" of the more profitable replacement "digital" . Who is going to obsolete the current generation of digital formats and chip formats in order to emulate Apple who totally abandons late formats everytime they "improve" their next generation "afterbirths". Do anyone here still thinks they can go on line with an Apple2? That's what your kids were exposed to in Kindergarten! Let's not talk about the "Lisa"! I know a programmer who bought probably the last [or maybe] 5 Lisas built. He thinks they were a great machines but unfortunately can't use them. 1 Quote Link to comment
Chuck Most Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 This... It sat outside in the elements for 20 years before I got it... and about as long before the last guy got it. Damnest thing is it basically needed little more than a tune-up to run well enough to work- though it'll still need a bit more work to run well. The first few days were spent replacing hoses, and even then, whenever you'd pull a lever, another hose or coupler would burst. Probably spent just as much on hydraulic fluid as lines and hoses. It's going to need tires- those dry-rotted rayon hulks won't last long. The left front tire came apart on its "maiden voyage". Dug an old truck tire out of the shed and slapped it on, so that was at least a cheap fix. For all the jobs it's done I've saved a ton- for the use I've gotten out of it I'd be in the hole renting one, much less buying something a bit more up-to-date. I think it's pretty well sorted out at this point, but even then I know it's going to need more work down the road, as any 66-year-old machine will. 3 Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted February 7, 2015 Report Share Posted February 7, 2015 My 1967RL411 ! I bought it new and have been defending it against the idiots who don't or can't learn how to paralel park ever since! 1 Quote Link to comment
Chuck Most Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Hopefully this won't join the RTI backhoe in being much of a money pit... '66 MM G1000. The engine was overhauled, and then it was stored outside for about 20 years. Managed to get it running with nothing more than fresh fuel. Still needs an oil pressure sending unit line replaced, and I want to rip off that shit aftermarket cab and find some decent factory fenders for it. So far the only big expenditure has been the rear tires (used) and tubes (new). I'm hoping it'll stay that way. 2 Quote Link to comment
cr83 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Hopefully this won't join the RTI backhoe in being much of a money pit... '66 MM G1000. The engine was overhauled, and then it was stored outside for about 20 years. Managed to get it running with nothing more than fresh fuel. Still needs an oil pressure sending unit line replaced, and I want to rip off that shit aftermarket cab and find some decent factory fenders for it. So far the only big expenditure has been the rear tires (used) and tubes (new). I'm hoping it'll stay that way. I've seen lots of mm's at farm auctions, maybe you could find some fenders there, great old tractors Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 I want an old tractor bad, but I don't have the property to justify one...yet. I have lot's of other old stuff though. Besides the Datsuns my stable has: 1956 Chevy 210 wagon - hope to get it running again this summer. 1967 Toyota Stout - in storge currently 1972 Jeep CJ5 - temporarily retired until I have a shop to tear it down in. 1977 Yamaha GX650 I actually just picked up an old orchard heater for camping, super simple and runs on old oil and diesel. Looks like this at night. Not to mention some old chainsaws and whatnot. 2 Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Too many old things.....too many.... 1 Quote Link to comment
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