Koolwheelz at Mopar Maritime Annual Car Show 2016

[airdave]

at6 Just yanking your chain.

Definitely not my favorite cars by a long shot.
But I am fully aware that there are many fans of the Kcars
and there are as many lovers as haters.

The price was exactly why they sold so well.
You get a dressed up Kcar...luxury model 600 or New Yorker...for less than most other mid size cars at that time.
Absolutely no style...but a cheap car with AC and Power Locks. woohoo

I'm an ex-Auto Mechanic, so I tended to see the worst in cars.
Most cars in the shop were there because they needed fixing.
And there was always a Kcar on the lot.
Usually they were in for engine related issues.
Chassis and Suspension not really a big issue on those cars.

But another big problem of the 80s was the metal shortages and quality issues.
Panels were thinner, metal was of very poor quality.
Just ask Honda.
Rust problems were worse than the 70s,
a lot more plastic was being used,
Paint quality was zero,
fit and finish and overall build quality was at an all time low.

And lets not forget the engine and performance issues
caused by pollution control devices that did very little to help the environment,
but did a great job of ruining performance and sending cars into the repair shops.

[whulsey]

Agree with Dave on those. Worked as a mechanic for mid70's to early 90's at least part-time. The best I can say for a lot of what was build then was you were always sure of having work.

[Vermin_King]

But this reminds me of so many Star Trek fans out there who probably got a chuckle out of the Wrath of Khan, with Ricardo Montelbahn cruising around in the USS Reliant.

Is that considered subtle product placement in film?

[ViperPilot]

Which came first... The Wrath of Khan or K-Cars?

K-Cars - 1981

Khan - 1982

"...he tasks me, and I shall have him."

Alan

[airdave]

Originally Posted by Vermin_King

But this reminds me of so many Star Trek fans out there who probably got a chuckle out of the Wrath of Khan, with Ricardo Montelbahn cruising around in the USS Reliant.

Is that considered subtle product placement in film?

Star Trek TOS and Next Gen both paid homage to Navys and Sailing Ships and the original Explorers.
Kind of why the Enterprise was named so.
There was an HMS Reliant at one point, I believe, in the British Royal Navy.
So, I will bet the influence was that...and not those boxy Chryslers!

...
Wrath of Khan was released in 1982...but already written in 1979.

[milenio3]

Nice collection of Koolwheelz!

And many more ideas for your collection, Dave!

[JohnM]

Or maybe it was named after Del Boy Trotter's 1967 Reliant Regal ?

[Doubting Thomas]

Dave,

Since you are a mechanic (Ret.) this story might give you a smile. 2 weeks a go I signed up for the MM tutorial, it was Sunday.
Monday morning thought I get to the office and print out your Scooby van on the HP color printer and get started later that evening.

Went out to the car...right front tire was flat. No problem get the jack out and change to the "donut" wheel and get to work. Got the car up, and as I grab the wheel after loosening the lugs I felt a stab in my palm just below the thumb.

I didn't realize that I'd worn the tire to the steel belt and some were poking through.
The wire made me slip and the wire ripped the skin a little bit. I finished changing the tire after puttin' a band-aid on an got to work. Didn't get to print out the Scooby Van till almost a week later. Last weekend spent an hour at the tire store with my brother to get them to mount a new tire for my 04' Honda civic. There's more adventures in car repairs with my dad & family but they will keep for later.

[airdave]

When was your last Tetanus shot?
Thats where I would be...getting a Tetanus shot.
Thats a very unsafe way to get cut.

[Doubting Thomas]

Dave, thanks for your concern. It stung for a few days initially but it’s healing up after two weeks. It is slightly sore when holding on to the steering wheel but no infections thank goodness.


My mom was an LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) so there is always a concern when breaking the skin, especially when working on cars with all the oil, dust, fluids, gasoline, etc.

I’m the youngest of four in our family and our dad felt we all should know about fixing our cars, at least how to change oil filters and tires. Lucky that my oldest brother was helping out so it wasn’t so bad. We’ve done lots of work on the six different cars we have had in our family. Brake pad replacements, tire rotations, changing the engine cylinder head gaskets, spark plugs, alternator change outs, fan belt replacements, carburetor cleanings, and basic oil changes. Cuts and scrapes happen when maintaining cars. My dad and oldest brother did a whole engine change out after our 1959 Buick Electra had a broken fuel line and caught fire. That’s another whole story in itself.

The worst thing for the two of us is when the nuts and bolts really get stuck. Sometimes the breaker bar tool just doesn’t give the needed leverage. So, my brother brought home a 2” steel conduit pipe by about 6’ long he found being tossed out at work. The pipe works great when you need to get lug nuts off when the tire stores use the pneumatic air wrench on them. It’s a bit harder when the car is on the standard jack-stands in the driveway when doing some of the other stuff. A squirt of WD-40 oil and then using what I call the “Bazooka” pipe, the nuts and bolts then yield with the wrench or socket with ease.


Jeff