There are some models of cars and equipment,that to put it simply,were just right(had the right synergy of parts, features, utility,size and what have you.What would you like to see produced again?
My vote goes for the original Ford Falcon,53 Plymouth sedan,700 McCullougch chainsaw,D8H Caterpillar,977L Caterpillar front end loader just to name a few.
What would you like to see again(with the perquisite updates of course-modern stuff is better of course,but some of the oldies filled the bill nicely)-Kevin
I am respectfully going to disagree about the original Falcon.
I owned a 1960 Falcon, which was purchased–used–in 1976, with very low odometer mileage and excellent maintenance by the previous owner.
While the car looked very good–with no visible rust and with the original upholstery in very good condition–the engine was…absolutely gutless. Yes, it rode decently, and it handled as well as could be expected for a car of that era, but the acceleration so much to be desired that it was almost as much of a hazard on merging ramps as a VW Beetle… The brakes were also…not great.
And, who can forget Ford’s cost-cutting design strategy of eliminating the floor of the trunk, and using the top of the fuel tank as the trunk floor?
All-in-all, I think that the original Plymouth Valiant was a much better car…mechanically.
The Falcon certainly looked better than the Valiant, but the Valiant was a much better car for the money.
The handle screws in to pump pressure, unscrews to release pressure, pump the handle up and down to lift, and height of lifting arm is adjustable, I might just buy this!
Well the Mustang had the same fuel tank feature and it didn’t seem to hurt the popularity,I liked them because they were cheap and economical(couldn’t stand the looks of a Valiant) as for performance,you couldn’t expect much out of 144 cid,single barrel 60’s era six cylinder{they got better as time went by,even including V8s for awhile,shame about the Corvairs,just when they were coming into their own,we got a Vega and a Pinto-Kevin
The Douglas DC-3. First flight almost 70 years ago, and there are still some out there carrying paying passengers on a daily basis. I’d say that’s one heck of a run.
'nuff said.
I tend to agree with the DC-3 suggestion as it’s an amazing and beautiful aircraft.
A DC-3 passing through here about 6 or 7 years ago was offering rides at the municipal airport but the local paper, as per the usual, printed nothing about this until after the fact so only a very limited number of people even knew about it.
While out mowing one weekend I heard an aircraft rumble that sounded out of the norm and a full 5 minutes later what goes directly over? A B-17 at about a 1000 foot altitude on a heading towards Kansas City.
Another weekend a long drone led to a B-25 Mitchell passing over and heading west…
Definitely don’t get thrills like that very often… 
Those old Radial engines,sure sing a song,dont they? It reminds me of childhood,before the turbojet,propjet and fanjet took over-Kevin
For cars, some of the most beautiful ever made are being produced new, but with modern technology. An English company makes brand new Jaguar E-types. They also restore old E-types.
New Porsche 356 cars can be had from a company in California (the company name escapes me, but they’re on the internet). Morgan cars look just like restorations of 1930’s cars… but they’re brand new and mechanically modern. You can even buy a brand new Morgan 3-wheeler if you’re so inclined. AC Cobras can be bought brand new again… from Carroll Shelby!
The problem isn’t that gorgeous old designs aren’t produced anymore… the problem is that I can afford them!
For aircraft, IMHO the most gorgeous aircraft ever designed by a longshot is the SR-71 Blackbird. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can touch the soul like an SR-71. Those of us who have been privileged enough to watch them land and take off will have their image embedded in our souls for the rest of eternity.
For durability, it’s definitely the DC3. They’re in daily use around the world with untold millions of hours on them. That is well known in the aircraft community as the absolute pinnacle of durable aircraft design.
My own “baby”, the B52, ain’t doing too bad either. The first B52 took to the air in April, 1952, with a fore-aft pilot-copilot arrangement. General Curtis Lemay, considered the “father of SAC”, insisted the design be changed to accommodate side-by-side seating for the pilot and copilot (called the Aircraft Commander [AC] and Co-Commander). Today, 62 years later, there are still two B52 “Wings” in service. It has been said that when they’re retired they’ll have served actively for 75 years. God, I love that plane. Damned thing almost got me killed in December '72, but it I know it wasn’t personal. I’d give anything to climb up into one just one more time before I cash out.
The Chevrolet small block V-8 seems to have had the qualities you mentioned, @Kevin. A small block crate engine could be recognized by mechanics from dealership pros to back yard DIYers with a quick glance from any angle. And from 150 hp school bus models to 350 hp Corvette models they performed outstandingly.
I can’t think of any older car I’d find mechanically acceptable, so I’ll completely ignore that and go for beauty. I’d take any of a number of Italian roadsters of the fifties and early sixties. So many were impossibly gorgeous. I also love the 1960s Alfa Giulia coupes. Such perfect proportions. Not quite beautiful, but entirely original, I’d have a Lancia Stratos. And a coffin-nose Cord, still cool and futuristic eighty years later. Need something more practical here. A first generation Range Rover. No SUV has ever looked better (excluding the practical, but drab interior.) When I was a kid a favorite was the oddball Volvo 1800ES. It still looks cool. From Japan I’ll take the original Lexus SC coupe, with one of the loveliest snouts ever. Also a great interior that made me realize how bad most German and American interiors of the time were. Also a first-generation RX7. Not as popular (or durable) as old Z cars, but pretty and original. And I’ll finish with one of the most arresting American cars ever, the early sixties Continental. Wish my grandfather had hung onto his. Even as a kid I could tell that car was far more special than the later model he traded it in for. Made you feel like the President being driven around in one.
One piece of equipment that I liked was the original LawnBoy 21" mower manufactured around 1955. The deck was magnesium. The engine was a 2 stroke design that was very easy to rebuild. The mower was quite maneuverable and very easy to push.
My brother in law piloted a B52 back during the Vietnam War. He is now in his 80’s. That has to make the plane one of the most fascinating of all times as far as adaptability and longevity are concerned. Cars just don’t have the right environment and cars of old are so inferior IMO, I can’t think of a one. Of course they all bring memories back and on looks alone, maybe. But one trip on the highway surrounded by modern cars would put in the their rightful place; museums. Now, old sailboats is another thing. A friend has a 40 year old Albacore class boat that runs circles around similar sized modern boats. Why ? Because wind and water doesn’t change and single hull construction wooden boats were and are lighter for the money. So, like the b52, it’s the working environment they are in that makes some things fine memorable performers, even today.
Sincere thanks to your BIL. Do you know if he participated in the bombing of Hanoi in December '72? If he did, it’s very possible that we’ve crossed paths.
There’s an antique store in Maine with a booth manned by a former BUFF pilot. I stopped there once and he and I talked at some length. We figured out that it was highly likely that he and I had crossed paths on Guam. Over 50% of the BUFFs used in Operation Linebacker II were from Guam, and that’s where we both were.
We had a couple Falcons. A 1960 and I think a 62. I agree, they really were dead with the 6 cyl and two speed trans. Just a basic car but reasonably comfortable. Problem was the engines were only good for about 60K and then they’d overheat and were shot.
I guess my favorite design though is the 61 Merc. Pretty hard to beat that one. Good looks, smooth ride, plenty of power, and comfortable. Maybe the 57 Ford or the 59 Chevy too.
I don’t know anything about planes but those old wooden Chris Craft boats are a thing of beauty. I think they were 1948 or something with the I believe a Chrysler engine in them. I’d love to have one but wouldn’t want to restore one.
A family friend has the 1964 Falcon wagon that has been in his family since new, refuses to put any non-factory parts on it. His has the 260V8 so it’s not as underpowered as some were.
man you all brought up some good stuff ,had a lawnboy 2 stroke once,(best lawn mower,I ever had)-Kevin
I bought a set of 3/8 inch drive Craftsman sockets, a ratchet head, a couple of extensions and some screwdrivers with money that we got as a wedding present in 1975. I still use them often, replacing things I wear out from time to time. Getting married and buying those tools, two things I did in 1975 that still make me happy today.
We still have the same electric mixer, too; a JCPenney in harvest gold. Some stuff is so good you don’t even notice it.
We have a stapler made by Apsco in Sweden which dates from 1970. It still performs flawlessly, and has a smooth cast aluminum body that fits into your hand for stapling when you’re holding the paper. We’ve worn out two other staplers since, all made in China and with sharpo edges and often sticking staples.
Our last gas mower was a 1986 rear bagging 21 inch Lawnboy with the 2 cycle engine. It never needed a tuneup and went through 3 spark plugs from 1986 to 2008 when I stared working on a remote project and my wife wanted something lighter that did not require pulling a starter… The new electric mower, a Nuton, does not cut nearly as well, and certainly won’t last as long.
We got $70 for the 22 year old Lawnboy and it’s probably still running.
In my toolbox, the oldest and best tools have “Made in USA”, or “Made in West Germany” on them. Many are Black and Decker, Stanley and other good makes. My older saws are all Swedish.
The Ludwig drumset (actually WFL from the fifties) that I bought in junior high is still the best. Since I got it, it has gone from “used” to “old” to “classic” to “vintage”, but then, so have I.
Bring back telephones that you could actually have a meaningful conversation on.
Bring back cooking everything in bacon grease.
Bring back the drive-in theater. Some of my best memories are set there.
Bring back instant photography.
Bring back government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Bring back the MB W126 diesel, oh wait we still have those!