21st Century Buggy Whips

Matthew said:
Yeah, I can still see that - but I think it's getting to be a lost art. With computers taking over so much of the operations and the way some newer cars are designed, there don't seem to be that many parts as much as there are modules. You can fix a part, but you have to replace a module.
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It's pretty much a lost art already. Technicians, aka parts cannon module replacers, have taken over and replaced mechanics. I was told to replace my entire motorhome to the tune of $50,000 to fix a $40 leaking propane fill valve. I think NO frigging way.
The TV industry went modular in the 80-90's. A $0.05 cent part suddenly cost $150. My dad made an absolute killing repairing modules and reselling them for 2/3 the price of new ones. His average repair overhead was something like half an hour of labor and under $10 in parts. A customer had a $700 beyond repair TV that they insisted on throwing out and replacing with a new one. I fixed it for less than 15 cents and it was still working 15 years later when I gave it away.
 
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
 
Ron Levy said:
We all know how 19th century buggy whips were rendered obsolete by 20th century automobiles and disappeared from the marketplace. I was at the gas station this morning, and saw a technician working on the two pay phones outside the station. It occurred to me that I haven't used a pay phone in years, and there aren't that many of them around any more. So, what 20th century devices have been or are being relegated to the rubbish heap of history by 21st century technology? Off the top of my head, I'd start with:
  • Carbon paper (by copiers)
  • Pay phones (by cell phones)
  • Typewriters (by computers)
  • Road maps? (by GPS's)
Any other ideas?
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a "Party Line" on your home phone.. listen for the ring sequence to know it was a call for you and not for your neighbor.
 
Kelvin said:
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
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Dealer service writer tired to tell me that I needed the spark plugs changed, the transmission flushed and the radiator flushed at the 30K mile tune up.

Wrong Answer Moose Breath... I need a new service manager or call your supervisor.
Spark plugs.. 100K mile change
Tranny.. same thing.. the tranny case is sealed.. not even a dip stick or filler tube.
Radiator.. same thing 100K miles.. oh.. and don't you be putting any water in that radiator or you will be buying a new engine.. and no standard antifreeze either.. this needs the "pink stuff".

And make sure the oil is 0-20W.
 
Kelvin said:
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
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The first, last, and only car I had with points was a '69 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 with a 472 big block. Never changed the points in it, though, I got rid of the thing before it was a problem.

That said, I've changed the plugs in about every car I've owned, and still try to make a point of changing them every 30,000 miles or so as a rule (non-platinums). Try changing plugs in a Jag V12. If you've ever thought that changing plugs was not fun, try this and you'll suddenly be certain of it.
 
vontresc said:
don't count ol big blue. The Mainframe is still around, and I think it will stay for quite some time yet. With the newer Z/OS you can run Linux natively on an LPAR. Besides the Mainframe still works extremely well for manipulating large volumes of data.
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By "mainframe" I was thinking of the 360/370 room full of computer. If you're not buying the demise of the traditional mainframe computer how about I substitute Magnetic Core Memory.
 
Bob Noel said:
Note that Polariod (or someone) may start producing instant cameras again.
and also the film for the old Polariod cameras.
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I predict that the next instant camera design will incorporate a solid state imager and a miniature photo printer.
 
Middle Markers
LOMs.
NDB approaches.
MLS.

Car Phones.
 
Keith Lane said:
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Oil can spouts. How's that for obscure.
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Hah! I've still got some cans of oil around. Aircraft engine oil no less!
 
The narrow pop can top/opening. Can't think of any major manufacturer that uses them anymore...All the wide mouth now.

250mL_Diet_Year_Graffiti.JPG
 
Kelvin said:
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
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Points? Probably about 25 years. And I don't miss it, either. GM cars weren't terrible since you could use an allen wrench to adjust the dwell angle. But Fords weren't fun at all, especially our Mustang with a dual point distributor. That was a pain in the butt.

Last set of plugs I did was in my beater pickup a couple of years ago.


Trapper John
 
Sears and Roebuck catalog. Still remember thumbing through it regularly as a kid while dreaming.

Add the JC Penny catalog to the list.

Both replaced by internet searches and company websites.
 
smigaldi said:
My current car has no spark plugs in it, can't change those.
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But you can replace the glow plugs, no? Or is it like my Dodge that had an induction air heater and didn't have glow plugs?

I changed the glow plugs in my GMC pickup with a 6.5 TD once. Didn't make a lick of difference, so it probably only matters if it's actually failed.
 
I just recently changed the distributor cap and plugs/wires in chris' old pickup
 
Kelvin said:
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
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About 5 years ago on a neighbors old Mercedes. Had to set the gap with a matchbook cover because I couldn't find my feeler gauge.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Try changing plugs in a Jag V12. If you've ever thought that changing plugs was not fun, try this and you'll suddenly be certain of it.
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Been there, done that. 1/2 way done and you feel like you've been changing plugs forever.

How about balancing the three SU carbs on a 6 cylinder E-type engine, by ear?
 
NC Pilot said:
Been there, done that. 1/2 way done and you feel like you've been changing plugs forever.
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Yeah, when I was good I could do it in 2 hours. I'd doubt if I could do it in under 4 now.

How about balancing the three SU carbs on a 6 cylinder E-type engine, by ear?
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Done that, done the 4 Strombergs on a V12 E-type, and done the 6 Webbers that someone thought would be a good idea on another V12. I'll admit to not being good at any of it - I'm much better with fuel injection, and ended up leaving it to others at the shop who were better at it than me. :)
 
wsuffa said:
Paper road maps.
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I've got a set for the states I might drive my Jeep in tucked in the driver door pocket. Now, they're about as old as the Jeep. :D

fgcason said:
A customer had a $700 beyond repair TV that they insisted on throwing out and replacing with a new one. I fixed it for less than 15 cents and it was still working 15 years later when I gave it away.
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I've got an oscilloscope that a neighbor threw away that I fixed simply by resetting the circuit breaker in the back. :D:D

Kelvin said:
When is the last time anyone changed the points and plugs in anything you drive?
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That would be over 25 years ago before I sold my last car that had points. A 1974 Subaru that I got rid of when I lived in Colorado. Plugs? Probably over 10 years ago the last time I changed them myself in our 1981 Buick Skylark (before giving it to my brother-in-law and telling him that the only condition of the gift was that I did not want to see the car again).

gismo said:
By "mainframe" I was thinking of the 360/370 room full of computer. If you're not buying the demise of the traditional mainframe computer how about I substitute Magnetic Core Memory.
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Ah, yes. System 360 and System 370. Haven't played with one of those in over 30 years. :D And they left us alone in the machine room with that 370 so we could run tests. Can't remember how many FEET of manuals I dug through to clear an error message it came up with (not related to what we were doing, but it wouldn't do what I wanted until I made it happy). And the IBM rep tried to tell us how the displays worked (wrong description) and was shocked when I told him how they really worked, simply by analyzing the RF emissions from them. That was fun.
 
I still see those at airline gate counters...I have no idea where they find the printer ribbon for them these days. My first printer was an Okidata 90. Has to stop using it when I could no longer find refills, re-inking was a hugh mess to deal with.


AdamZ said:
Great Thread!

-Dot Matrix Printers
-DF Steering
-Secretarial short hand or steno
-soon News Papers by the internet
-Day planners/Filofax by Computer and cell phone calendars
-tube socks by ankle socks
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NC Pilot said:
How about balancing the three SU carbs on a 6 cylinder E-type engine, by ear?
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Now that's gotta be hard. I did it on two SU downdraft carbs on two different MG's I had. A 61 MGA and a 67 MGB. That wasn't too bad. Gotta put the oil in the little "dampers". Both bought after MG was gone. Of course prior to my insanity with aviation.
 
Pull tabs on soda/beer cans (although not in China apparently) and,

Stepping on pull tabs at the beach, cutting your foot and getting a nasty infection.

Progress is good.
 
Metal playground equipment (I still remember utilizing the slide in the middle of summer... ow.)
 
I know it's not a 20th century invention, but libraries are being wiped out by the internet. Good luck convincing college students today to do research from a book. Even in my own classes professors had to put a limit of two internet based sources for papers.
 
wbarnhill said:
I know it's not a 20th century invention, but libraries are being wiped out by the internet. Good luck convincing college students today to do research from a book. Even in my own classes professors had to put a limit of two internet based sources for papers.
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*sits back and waits for Scott to opine* :yikes::D
 
wooden playground equipment that actually challenged kids instead of keeping them safe. My son was very disappointed when they upgrade the local park playground and shrank the equipment by 50% and made it plastic. He said it was boring.
 
jtheune said:
wooden playground equipment that actually challenged kids instead of keeping them safe. My son was very disappointed when they upgrade the local park playground and shrank the equipment by 50% and made it plastic. He said it was boring.
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Some of our quality of life has certainly been reduced in the name of safety and the lack of people to take personal responsibility for their actions. This is just one example. Life becomes boring when you are not challenged.
 
wsuffa said:
Diving boards at swimming pools.
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Heck, diving at ANY pool. Soon nobody will know how to.

I swim at the Y. I was a competitive swimmer, I know how to dive without killing myself. There are plaques all around the pool saying "No Diving." I hate hopping in, so I went ahead and dove in, racing dive into 4feet, I've done them off starting blocks into 3ft water, no issues.

Got myself a scolding for it. :frown2:
 
wbarnhill said:
I know it's not a 20th century invention, but libraries are being wiped out by the internet. Good luck convincing college students today to do research from a book. Even in my own classes professors had to put a limit of two internet based sources for papers.
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That's no joke. Kids think Wikipedia is a credible reference. Try explaining "primary source" to them.
 
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