The Pigeon on Old Cars

Hopefully my friend Denver Braa is reading this (yes, that's his real name).

I finally got my Beast back; a 1971 Dodge Polara to be exact.  It's been in the shop since July 3rd, mere days before I left on my month-long Paris/California trip. 

You can see the car in the background here.

In short, the beast blew two heads (sounds risque) and the engine flooded with a disturbing mixture of oil, gas and antifreeze.  The mechanics were surprised I was able to drive it from work to the shop, or roughly 12 miles.

Anyways, in the last two months the Beast cranked through three used replacement engines, shipped in at considerable expense from a junkyard in Nebraska.  Every one of those used engines looked like someone had buried them in damp, salted earth since 1982, which arguably led to their demise.  The only choice I had left was to fork over a few more clams for a completely rebuilt, zero-mile engine.

And man, what at engine it is!  When I started her up this afternoon she sounded like an angry panther in heat.  When I pulled out of the parking lot I was merely hanging on for the ride.

At this point, I'm sure one of you is wondering why I sunk a low four figures into a 37-year old car?  Let me explain:

First, I simply love the car--it was built back when they'd start with a hunk of steel and carve the car out, in a magical land called "Detroit."  It's big, it's loud, it smells funny, and it drinks gas like a Russian drunk in a vodka factory, but when you put it next to some plastic foreign car... I'll put it this way; several years ago a young attractive woman came up to my car outside a restaurant and said, "your car is... beautiful!" 

I've had people offer me cash for it, in person and through notes on the windshield.  People point and crane necks as I drive by.  I've come out of stores and seen people walking around it while stroking the paint like a sensual lover.  At my last base, if we went into town for lunch my airmen would fight on who got to ride in the car with me.  What makes such affection totally bizarre is that I've done no cosmetic work on it whatsoever.  Aside from the engine, it's a raw 37-year old pile of metal, which I bought at my last base so I could have a cheap ride.  Sad thing is, now I'm attached to it, warts, dents, gas mileage and all.  I even plan on giving it to my son when he turns 16 (although he hopes I've done a little cosmetic work by then).

Second, it's paid for.  In fact, all the maintence costs over the past 5 years I've owned it don't come close to the cost of a new car.  You see, I don't like debt; I especially don't like other people making money off my debt, and I REALLY hate making down payments on debt (I've never made a down payment on anything, not even my house). Thus I pay off car loans as fast as possible and drive the car into the ground.  To wit, since 1994 I've only owned three cars, and I'd only of owned two if I didn't need my own beater to get to work (we were a single-car family from 1994 to 2003).  I don't understand why people take on continuous debt just to have a shiny new ride.  The Beast?  Paid in cash, and not a single car payment since.  That's my kind of ownership.

In short, my 1971 Dodge for the most part has been a reliable and testosterone-fulfilling ride, and I didn't have to break the bank to get it (take that, Lexus drivers).  No if only I could solve the beast's considerable thirst problem...

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Comments

[David]

"...if only I could solve the beast's considerable thirst problem..."

I'm sure you've tried all the usual techniques--hard-riding tires, all synthetic lubes, changing out the ignition for electronic, harnessin' a horse to it... *heh*

I really resonate with your "pay cash for your ride" philosphy. We don't buy cars we can't BUY, either. Have done so only once since my first car (bought for $265 cash in 1966), and should not have done so then. Worked out OK (drove that one to 275,000 miles), but still, should have just paid for the thing instead of using actual $$ for other things (that we didn't really need after all).

[Rosemary]

If I didn't know a head is a gasket, I may have thought it 'risque' lol. 1971? Oh man! Awesome. I was looking for a 1950's car, but I don't know which one it is. It was one that my Great Aunt used to own.

I agree with you about debt. That is why I didn't get caught in that trap with the housing. I am, however, peeved that everyone is keeping the prices articially higher than they should be for houses. How is that fair for those of us who are responsible??? Ugh. Have a great week!

[The Mad Pigeon]

David - The one thing I haven't tried yet is converting it from a carb to a fuel injector. Word on the street is that'll add MPG but reduce the car's value, at least from the standpoint of old car aficionados.

[john foster]

any pics of this beauty?

[The Mad Pigeon]

Indeed!

http://themadpigeon.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/pidge_1.jpg