Old v New?

[Lucky13]

Is it just me? I know that I pretty much (99.9%) like everything that's older, rather than new! Sure, things might wink be better today, health, safety thingmajigs and stuff like that, but as it may be, life was simpler but harder before, people cared more about their next door neighbour etc., kids had more respect and so on... Anyway...

This is more design etc., quality...

You all know that I do love my steam locomotives, 1st generation diesels and some 2nd ones as well, they may not have treehugger's or a flower kisser's best friend, but talk about a living and breathing thing!
Them old diesels, watching an old Alco starting up, times it would make an old steamer jealous, but d*mn they look(ed) good and sounded just as great!
Cars, just gonna mention one make that really brings it home with me, Cadillac! It's a good thing that cars are as safe as they are today, among other things, but do they have to be so effing ugly? Sure, they're not them gas/petrol monsters that they used to be, but nowadays you run the risk of tripping over one of them Cadillacs, because you can't see it, while with the old ones, you changed zip code driving around it!
Aircraft? Don't get me started! So many times more expensive, equal amount of times shorter lifespan among other things and again ugly!
Motorcycles, BSA Rocket Gold Star, Indian Chief, Triumph Bonneville etc., if they were as bad as they were, why is it that the big ones try to copy their style then?

I could go on, are designers, engineers today, staring too much into the future instead for a bit of both? As I said, some things are better today, but it doesn't always mean that they all are...quality used to mean that things lasted more then three full tanks or that the seem exactly match, how the door sounds when you close it...

Ok, just in case that you wonder, Monday Blues are kicking in, bored and it's just mince on the sillybox...

What's you lot views?

 

[bobbysocks]

i am with ya. i love the older stuff....ok, with maybe the exception of younger women...haha. it may be that most of that stuff brings back fond memories of youthful days....or the simplicity where you could actually work on and fix things of that day. there are very few things coming out today that "WOW" me...there are a few gadgets...hand held electronics...cameras and the like i do enjoy. but i could live without them...

 

[meatloaf109]

Ben Franklin said, "Many a fine tune was played on an old violin."

 

[N4521U]

I thought we were gonna talk about wives.

I'll go to my room now.

 

[Readie]

I like both.
Old cars / bikes/ planes / houses, art deco etc are great and I love them. But, new ideas technology is really good too.
Cheers
John

 

[michaelmaltby]

This is kind of a weird link, but bare with me Lucky, you'll like it. Think of the Merlins:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwKyXCy2LTc!

MM

 

[Readie]

Think of the Merlins..

MM

Ah but, god's wonderful Rolls Royce Merlin is timeless and cannot be 'old' as its immortal 8)

Up there, where the air is clear, she thunders still....

 

[Lucky13]

True! There are certain things, that are, shall we say......timeless!

 

[GrauGeist]

Nothing beats the sound of a 1937 Cord Speedster as it's supercharger is kicking in!

I like the old and appreciate the new and don't mind the fusion of both where applicable.

Matter of fact, it is now possible to purchase a brand new 1940 Ford sedan
Return of a Legend - 1940 Ford Coupe Body Shell Now Available - Press Release

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nostalgia, that is what most old things have. You see something in a junk or antique shop and it brings back instant memories. Some of the older things were built to last whereas today though the quality may be as good or if not better, in most cases, if it break, it's trow away.

Older things are more exciting, the quality of workmanship, individual style, sound and even smell. Yes mate I love the sound of a gas guzzler though sadly the smell is not the same with green fuels and carbon emission restrictions, the purr of a Merlin with that high octan fuel and oh yes, and the buzz sound of an Indian Chief at the TT races, magic.

Someone also mentioned Art Deco, you're talking grace, elegance and style, elements that are quite often lacking in this modern society we have created.

 

[Lucky13]

Nostalgia, doesn't that have to with one remember old days, when you were young? What do you call it, if it was before you were born?
Most stuff that I like, love, is stuff before 1969 when I was born....

 

[muscogeemike]

I pretty much agree. As much as I love TV and computers I think they will lead to the ruin of socialization as we have know it.

I didn't own a car until I was 25 yrs old, my first bike was a BSA 500cc single lunger. This was long before elect. Starters and the torque from that monster could break your leg!

I always envied a friend who rode a Norton 750 Commando, silver and black - that was a bike!

As to cars, does anyone remember the Studebaker Avanti! Years ahead of its time.

Just had to take my boat to the shop, GPS not working - remember the days before Bass boats, electronics, trolling motors?

 

[Wildcat]

Nostalgia, that is what most old things have. You see something in a junk or antique shop and it brings back instant memories. Some of the older things were built to last whereas today though the quality may be as good or if not better, in most cases, if it break, it's trow away.

Older things are more exciting, the quality of workmanship, individual style, sound and even smell. .

Agreed. Can you imagine walking into an antique shop in 30-40 years time and seeing iPads and iPhones in the cabinets, sure as sh*t wouldn't interest me.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Got to go a long way back to see things that were around before my time Old Jan. We had come out of two world wars in a relatively short space of time, so much of what was around in the house or yard was from the early 1900. Advancements as they were then were mainly in the military line or associated with it. Cars for those who could afford them were 1920-30 models, same with bikes. Damn me, I remember bailers and thrashers during hay making still being drawn by horse and steam traction engines working the fields and of course, beer was still delivered by horse and dray.

As for older stuff, that I would say boils down to curiosity, what was it for, how was it used, where was it made. When you see something like an old steam pumping station, or say the water driven water pump, the Laxey Wheel in the Isle of Man, one just marvels at the enormity of the thing and the ingenuity in its build. So we can now add 'amazement' to the list.

 

[Airframes]

Ah! Nostalgia ain't what it used to be !!

 

[Torch]

Nostalgia probably,think alot of it is character. All the new stuff is efficient almost look alike products. They may be cool but I'll do a triple take on an old Vincent compared to my BMW K1600GTL. I almost look at the older things as art compared to computer generated newer "appliances"

 

[bobbysocks]

I always envied a friend who rode a Norton 750 Commando, silver and black - that was a bike!

As to cars, does anyone remember the Studebaker Avanti! Years ahead of its time.

i remember the avanti and know a guy who has one. they were still made ( 300 a year ) for awhile in a factory in ohio by hand. an old customer of mine was an AMC dealer ( formerly rambler ) and a car collector. he had that avanti sitting in his garage...lovely car.

the norton commando was my dream bike when i was young. i would oogle the ads in the magazines and say "someday i will own one'.....still saying it. closest i got was a 76 bonneville oil in frame that was in a basket and i need to get back to work on.....too many projects and not enough time.

 

[dobbie]

I sure miss a lot about the old days too. Used to be that you could tell the different car makes from miles away...now you almost have to sit on the hood in order to tell them apart. Used to be a big thing for us budding gearheads to go past the new car lots, waiting to see the new models in the showroom. What I dont miss about the old stuff is changing points, plugs and condenser every 12K, rebuilding carbureters-especially the Rochester Quadrajets! Transmission fluid every 25K, drum brakes and the like.

I refuse to get into the plastic firearms...give me wood and steel please. The only exception to that is my hunting rifle which has a carbon fiber stock. I works when its wet, doesnt warp, and the bedding block intregal to the stock makes repeatable zero if you use a torgue wrench to reassemble, even though to me, its butt ugly. My friends keep trying to get me to buy a Glock-I tell them I have more than enough tupperware in the cabinets!

There is something about an old turntable and reel to reel tapes that still draws me to it. CDs and DVDs are nice and very durable, but it doesnt really do it for me.

 

[GrauGeist]

Years ago, in Southern California, I was carving up a canyon road on my Katana 1100...diving into the turns and having a blast. While the E-ticket ride was going on, I heard a noise increasing from behind and I checked my mirror and bearing down on my 6 was an old bike of some sort (not much time to stare in the mirror while the road is demanding attention).

So I opened my monster up and got into it and no sooner than I had, this old bike thunders past me like I was on a moped which was no easy feat, since the Katanas pretty much owned the road at the time.

I get the the top of the canyon right behind that bike and he pulls over to the turn-out, so I pulled in also and met the rider and he showed me his machine, which turns out to be a vintage Norton Commando. I have to say I have alot of respect for that beast.

 

[Torch]

LOL.samething happened to me heading up to MT.Evans from Evergreen, though I was in a groove in the twisties until a guy blew by me hanging off the bars,knew it was a Brit twin but I could not catch him nor ever saw him again..