Geeks, Computers and Cars?

bray asks: "Its come to my attention over the years that my fellow geeks all seem to share the same habits I do. Lots of caffine, little sleep, long nights of tweaking my PC, etc. But what I really want to know is how many of my fellow Slashdot readers are also classic car buffs? I've noticed that quite a few of my friends have brought some old beast back to life and are driving it around. I own a 1962 Thunderbird and recently aquired a 1955 Thunderbird. So how about it? How many Slashdotters out there have bought a classic back to life? "

Comments

Here's something

[jfunk]

Actually, my father was always the one who into cars. He used to do the drag racing thing and car hotrodding when he was young.

Then recently, I was reading Popular Science and saw a car I really want. I showed my dad, and he was impressed.

It's a very geek car. It's extremely configurable so should appeal to those, like me, who use Linux for that reason. It's not terribly expensive. It's aesthetically pleasing. It's actually an unlikely hybrid of many cars. A 20's roadster with a future "space" look. It's small and big at the same time. It's smaller than a minivan, shorter than a station wagon, larger than a compact. It's quite funky looking.

Most importantly, I can fit stuff in it, because I happen to be a musician. Great for lugging computers around, too.

Check it out at www.chryslercars.com.

Oh boy

[jfunk]

Old stuff... Where to begin :-)*

I too, collect old computers. I have actually put old character cell terminals into use. Tomorrow I should get a brand new 13w3 cable so I can get my new-to-me Sun 3/80 up and running as an X-terminal. Add to that all of the old TRS-80s, C64s, etc. that I don't actually use, but I have. I can't bring myself to throw them out. I seems such a waste.

I also have a collection of old video game consoles. Coleco, Intellivision, 2600, 7800, etc.

Old music gear, too. I have a late 60's Ampeg B-15N which is always what I play bass through. It's funny because the younger kids look at it and say, "what a piece of crap." While the older guys (especially sound guys) make large offers on it (no sale, don't bother trying) and fawn over it. I played one time and went over to the sound guy who had never done sound for us before to tell him, "Ok, no DI (bass goes directly to board, amp is only used for monitor). That amp will either be miked or, if you prefer, run into the board *after* the amp (got a nice output jack on the back, great for recording)." He said, "An amp like that? There's no way I'm letting you go DI."

Yes, Virginia, there are geeks in the music world, and they are just as nostalgic.

I've noticed the same thing

[drix]

My poison currently is a `73 Chevy C10 Stepside. Just got it back from the paintshop two days ago. We're putting in a 400hp V8, four barrel carb, electronic ignition, power steering, oak & stainless steel decking kit, reupholstered seats, aluminum header, got - everything. It's really facinating to see how computers have become the cars of yesterday. Think about it - everyone in the 60s and 70s grew up working on cars. Everyone I know today has grown up working on computers. 30 years ago, if your car broke down, you fixed it. By yourself. Today, when my computer crashes, I fix it. By myself. What's more interesting, it's next to impossible to fix a car today. There's way too many electronic parts involved. Short of a simple mechanical problem, you have to take your car to the shop to fix *anything* wrong with it. I think the same thing will happen with computers - in 30 years no one will have a damn clue what is going on with them, they'll be so complicated. And pervasive. If your toaster or wall crashed tomorrow, would you know how to fix it? No.
--
"Some people say that I proved if you get a C average, you can end up being successful in life."

Classic Mustang drooler here

[./]

Ack! In Columbus OH (USA) there's a dealership with only classic mustangs. Talk about a room full of 30 year old chrome!

Here's my dream car.

And here's a car I had the good fortune to own for about three weeks. And then sold it. ... don't ask

Arg, Toyota Supra.....

[./]

What a kick ass car. I would LOVE to own/drive a Supra Turbo. DAMN.

I had an encounter w/ one back when I had a 96 Mustang GT (1st year for new engine, 'nuff said). I got passed doing 100 mph on an onramp. I was doing 100, he just came from behind and KICKED MY ASS. (We were playing around before; I do not drive 100mph for my own benefit). In my heart of hearts, I have to believe it had major mods internally, because of the small and tasteful (!!!) TRD sticker, 18" chrome wheels, shiny exhaust, etc.

I just sighed and remembered when a Miata tried to cut me off earlier that day. Ha ha ha!

Gimme a beater any day

[h2odragon]

My first car was a '77 Olds Cutlass, no rear bumper when I bought it, a rust bucket that you'd have had to see to beleive. Wound up bolting a 2x6 on as a bumper after the cops threatened to impound it. The rear axle was held in place with bailing wire; the little bracket on the spring that was supposed to have a hole that the axle fit into had a slot, so the wire kept the slop down.

It was so rusted out that I lost a spare tire out the side of the trunk one day, taking a curve a bit hard. We bungeed the trunk lid down, punched holes in the top, and called it a "speed sensitive spoiler".

It had a Rocket 350 engine in it, we only ever lost one stoplight drag race, to a Porsche, IIRC. The car became unstable over 90MPH or so but it never took long to get there. It was a bit loud as the exhaust system ended just after the Y joint. No need for neon to make the underside of the car glow at night.

It had a little plastic skull for a hood ornament, half inch steel mesh for a front grille, and little stick figure people, dogs, mailboxes, baby carriges, etc painted on the doors. When it pulled out of a parking space it left it's mark: an outline of little rust chips and the occasional small suspension part. Never did leak any oil.

To meet it was to fear it, to pass it was near impossible, non-vital repairs were unthinkable. Who needs the front brakes when the rear still work?

I miss that car.

HP and Mhz....

[technos]

I've owned quite a few 'classic' cars: 68 Mercedes 280SE/8, 1976 Ford LTD, 1979 Camaro Berlinetta, etc. I think it comes down to the 'tweak' issue. Geeks like to tweak. 1970 Nova == tweakable. 1990 Mercury Sable == tweak_it_and_it_dies. If I wanted to, I could walk out to my Camaro and adjust a few hundred run-time parameters easily, from raw timing to how far the reverse position on my Hurst is from the tuning knob on the radio. About the only thing I can adjust on my 1992 Topaz is the radio station presets.

On a related subject. I've noticed that geeks often go for the '400hp rustbucket' over the less involved 'visually stunning stock'. In my case I can attribute it to my horrible lack of skill in body work. (I can rebuild a FMX, yet Bondo eludes me). I'm sure that isn't the case for all of us. What's the deal?

Solution: move out of Silicon Valley/Prison NOW.

[Wakko Warner]

I don't work 80 hours a week (I work 40), I'm paid fairly well, I anticipate being able to afford my own house with its very own driveway once I'm out of college, and my life generally tends to suck a whole lot less than it sounds like yours does. Why on earth do people torture themselves by getting jobs in Silicon Valley, where the poverty line is $65K a year, the traffic is horrible, and property values per square foot of land are the highest on the planet? It sure as hell can't be for the job benefits -- working 80 hours a week, even for dubiously valuable stock options, doesn't sound like my idea of fun. Is crack cocaine cheap there or something? Because I'd need some sort of psychotropic substance to alter my reality enough that I'd consider living and working in Sunnyvale worthwhile.

Sorry, but I fully anticipate having my own, nice car(s) in a couple of years and not having to worry about making the month's rent.

- A.P.
--

"One World, one Web, one Program" - Microsoft promotional ad

If it works don't brake it.

[bluGill]

I still drive the same vechial I had in high school, and my goal is to show up at my 50th reunion in my daily driver, the same S10 I drove in high school.

I can afford a new car, I seriously considered one, but have you been to a new car lot lately? JUNK us all I can find, and if I'm gonna drive old junk it may as well be what I got. I need clearence. I need 4wd, with lockers, and the 200:1 gear ratio because I do get into situations that I need those. (Its always fun to pass a stuck 4wd in my 2wd, but the lack of traction means I have to both plan a head, and be lucky. Helps that few people know how ot drive 4wds though) And you should see the look salemen get when I tell them flat out I refuse to even look at an automatic transmission. If I didn't have better things to do I'd spend more time going dealer to dealer.

Although I've been considereing buying my friend's 74 corvette. I figgure that it would only cost twice my income to drive it to work every day. (although 1000 horsepower is nice to have on call all the time) 1-2 mpg, $7.50-8 a gallon (anything less then the highest grade 109 octane gas will knock the engine to pieces quickly(, 25 miles to work. Or, better add in someplace to stop half way to work cause some days traffic is bad enough that I'd not make it on a tank, it is a given that I store fuel at work)

VOLVO!

[snack]

I personaly drive a '89 Volvo 240 with 156,000 miles on it. Nothing added on except for the nice Aiwa stereo and speakers. I don't really care much for Horse Power it's got 114. Thats enough for me. The thing that matters is that 4 cars back can feel my music. :)


-Tim

If you don't hack cars, you're not a real technoid

[dublin]

There seems to be too much of a bias toward folks that only sling code on slashdot. At the risk of ticking some folks off, I'm going to claim that you can't really claim to be a master of technology unless you play with all of them you can get your hands on - that includes elctronic/computer hardware, complex mechanical systems like cars, control systems, robotics, etc.

I hacked on cars before I hacked on computers - somewhere, I've got a notebook with dozens of quite completely thought-out dream cars and the modifications that would get me from stock to awesome. Cars are expensive, but they're a heck of a lot more fun than fast CPUs - I'd much rather run with 1-2 year old computer technology and drive a Ferrari than throw all that money (more, really, since the Ferrari has been paid for for 8 years now) at the latest quad K8 and VooJoo 2000 3DFx++ graphics card.

I've had a number of really fun cars, and that does not necessarily correlate to expensive - it's quite possible to come up with a really good hacking platform at a very reasonable cost. Although it's fun just to build a car to build a car, consider some form of amateur racing like brackets at the dragstrip or SCCA Solo II autocross - these are really fun, and relatively affordable events, and you'll be surprised how many guys and girls like you are out there. A short list of the contents of my garage over the years:

1972 Buick GS 455 - First car, bad example of the breed, but got me hooked - my *Mom* left twin stripes in the Safeway parking lot with it! There's an old racing saying that you can win with cubic inches or cubic dollars - this car took the cheap but effective route.

1975 Ford Torino GT - Much more reliable, but the 351 Windsor was uninspiring. Still it beat the crud that Detroit was selling new at the time.

1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme - Itty Bitty 260 V8, but the highway gearing meant I could lock the auto tranny in first gear and leave it there for an entire autocross course. This was the first car that went beyond "keep it alive" spending and actually benefited from significnat improvements, mostly in the handling department, since I was in college: Bilsteins, Delrin bushings, Pontiac Grand Am suspension parts, BF Goodrich T/A's and later Goodyear Eagle GTs. This car is responsible for the shelf full of trophies in my garage - it ruled F-stock autocrossing until well after the new 1982 Z-28's and Trans Ams were common.

1974 Fiat X-1/9 Really, really fun car. Sometimes called a Ferrari trainer, and there's a bit of truth to that (my current 308GT4 even shares a number of parts with the X-1/9!) These can be had cheap, and offer a lot of hacking potential. Mine became severely modified, with 7x14 wheels (enormous on that car!), T/A's, stroker crank, cam, big-valve heads, ANSA exhaust, and a pair of Weber downdraft carbs. Best power/weight ratio of any car I've ever owned, and has a number of really serious design features: mid engine, four wheel disks, relatively light weight, removable top (yeah!), etc. Plus, girls think they're cute, especially with 240 HP.

1985 Chrysler Conquest (Mistubishi Starion) - Really killer car, but mangled by dealer and Chrysler refused to fix it until the warranty finally ran out. Don't expect me to buy another Chrysler - they can give 20 year warranties, because they simply refuse to fix things. nice car, though, but be wary of used ones.

1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II - Heck, there's hardly anything left to hack on one of these gems. These 2nd generation RX-7s can be had quite reasonably still - the rotor motors are just tough as nails, and if you do trash one, you can rebuild it on your kitchen table. I love RX-7s, and their fundamental toughness makes them a much better risk than other Japanese sports cars, many of which make Ferraris look cheap in comparison over the long haul. I'd still have this car if I hadn't traded it for the dream car:

1975 Ferrari Dino 308gt4 - Only one listed here I still have (would *you* sell your Ferrari?) It's true: there's just nothing else in the same league as a Ferrari. I've driven (seriously, not looky-loo with a salesman) Porsches, Corvettes, Lotii (Loutuses?), etc., but nothing even approaches the fun of a Ferrari. The gt4 is an especially nice driver, and it's a 2+2, so I can even squeeze the kids in the back in a pinch. This was my daily driver from 1988 to 1994, and it's slated to return to duty by Christmas. My wife let me have it because she decided she'd rather not hear me talk about wanting one for the rest of my life (besides, she loves it too!) These are actually fairly easy to work on, since they have minimal electronics, and a lot of good used Ferraris are still less than many new cars. A good 308 can be had for around $20-25K if you shop carefully. The bottom end of the motor is absolutely bulletproof, and if you make REAL sure you never break a cam belt, the top end will serve you well, too. I like the older carbureted cars - avoid the early fuel injected models. Maintenance is not cheap, but a lot less than many of my friends pay for maintenance on their Boxsters, M3s, and Z3s, and I can actually do a lot of the work on mine, which they can't. If you buy a Ferrari, find a good machanic and get the car checked out first to avoid making a very expensive mistake.

1991 Alfa Romeo 164S - Traded this in a couple of years ago. Big mistake. This car is awesome - it's actualy *more fun* to drive than the Ferrari, but is a big four-door luxury car with lots of room. Absolutely the most stable car I've ever driven at speed. Suffers from the usual Italian car foibles (electrics are truly weird, but seem to work much better than most Italian cars), but is worth it. Go for the "S" model, which is not just badge-engineered - it actually shares surprisingly few parts with the garden variety 164s.

I will offer one caveat: you'll notice many of these cars are Italian. Italian cars are a sickness from which many never recover. After driving Italian cars anything Japanese will seem cheap and flimsy (OK, except the NSX, which is really just a Honda Ferrari Dino), anything German will seem heavy, sterile, and without character, and anything American will seem crude and awkward. They can be a pain in the butt, but they have *brio*, and they make really cool mechanical symphony noises that I promise you are more moving than anything your graphics card can do...

Try hacking cars, why don't you?