old/classic car - mod cons...
Discussion
I suspect that one of the issues or possibly an advantage (depending on viewpoint!) of a classic car is the lack of modern gadgets which can go wrong but I'd imagine that for many it's these same conveniences that are enough to dissuade potential owners.
I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
DodgyGeezer said:
I suspect that one of the issues or possibly an advantage (depending on viewpoint!) of a classic car is the lack of modern gadgets which can go wrong but I'd imagine that for many it's these same conveniences that are enough to dissuade potential owners.
I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
So as a start, it depends on what sort of classic car you have and want to add mod cons to, It would make more sense in an old tourer than an old Lotus 7 for example.I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
I'd probably say that most of the things in your list have no real driving reason to be added to an old car, certainly not remote boot release, windscreen wiper control, ! But I guess if that's your thing!
AC is an interesting one as with a closed top car not having AC for the UK isn't too bad, but if you want to go to a hot place it would probably stop you from doing it. In the world of old 911s there is a company that makes electric AC for them so that's very doable.
An interesting topic and the one for me would be AC for internationa ltouring.
ABS I think would be quite difficult, especially for modern systems as its all linked in to the various car systems plus it has a multitude of sensors for wheel speed, steering angle, acceleration, yaw etc and has an ecu, the systems are tuned for the car they are delivered with so could be unpredictable in something different, even if you can actually get them fitted. Might be easier with an older version.
Stuff like wheel size, tyre width, body rigidity, suspension type, vehicle weight, weight distribution and likely a load of other stuff would need taking into consideration.
Stuff like wheel size, tyre width, body rigidity, suspension type, vehicle weight, weight distribution and likely a load of other stuff would need taking into consideration.
"But dwarling, I simply couldn't consider a consider a car that doesn't have Apple CarPlay or Android whatever".
So many things, even those on the list above, just aren't needed l in our standard British weather for 49 weeks of the year.
Do you choose a sofa by whether it has heated /cooling seats?
Does your domestic partner have to have cruise control, or a soft close boot lid? Or will a volume control be enough?
i am ancient, so my extras list was informed by the experience of driving hundreds of thousands of miles in 1980s and 1990s cars.
I think I would limit my list to brakes that actually work, power steering if the car is too heavy without it, and a working heater.
And a radio.
But then my favourite car to drive is my 1990s TVR.
No ABS, no spurious nanny devices, no airbags etc.
Just power steering, a roof that comes off, and servo brakes.
And balance, handling and poise that makes it fun to drive.
So many things, even those on the list above, just aren't needed l in our standard British weather for 49 weeks of the year.
Do you choose a sofa by whether it has heated /cooling seats?
Does your domestic partner have to have cruise control, or a soft close boot lid? Or will a volume control be enough?
i am ancient, so my extras list was informed by the experience of driving hundreds of thousands of miles in 1980s and 1990s cars.
I think I would limit my list to brakes that actually work, power steering if the car is too heavy without it, and a working heater.
And a radio.
But then my favourite car to drive is my 1990s TVR.
No ABS, no spurious nanny devices, no airbags etc.
Just power steering, a roof that comes off, and servo brakes.
And balance, handling and poise that makes it fun to drive.
My 986 Boxster is, admittedly, a 'modern classic' and does have a lot of these things.
In fact, it's mildly frustrating that it has heated seats when the family Civic doesn't!
After over 3 years of ownership, I finally decided to try out the CD player. And now the front panel has fallen off and I can't get it back on properly. I'm taking this as my cue to finally buy one of those Blaupunkt bluetooth head units. But driving around without any stereo has been fine.
I'm happy to adjust to what the classic has so that it's a novelty when you use it.
In fact, it's mildly frustrating that it has heated seats when the family Civic doesn't!
After over 3 years of ownership, I finally decided to try out the CD player. And now the front panel has fallen off and I can't get it back on properly. I'm taking this as my cue to finally buy one of those Blaupunkt bluetooth head units. But driving around without any stereo has been fine.
I'm happy to adjust to what the classic has so that it's a novelty when you use it.
DodgyGeezer said:
I suspect that one of the issues or possibly an advantage (depending on viewpoint!) of a classic car is the lack of modern gadgets which can go wrong but I'd imagine that for many it's these same conveniences that are enough to dissuade potential owners.
I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
Not many of those to be honest. I guess that anything can be done given enough £££ chucked at a project but on a practical, and not open wallet, level how easy/complex/expensive would it be to add various goodies?
Electric seats I can take 'em of leave 'em, that said memory seats are a Godsend when SWMBO is significantly shorter
Heated seats I suspect could be done at the same time as electric ones
Air-con is, IMO, getting to being a must these days
Remote boot-release/self-closing is another comfort thing
Car security is I suspect one of those things that could cost - but needn't do so
ABS is something that I'd imagine would be open wallet time
But then you get to things like windscreen-wiper control moved from the dashboard to steering column, ditto windscreen washers or headlamp operation - I'd imagine possible, but at what cost?
As an awful lot of the wish stuff is electrical I'd imagine it's not necessarily that complex/expensive, but then I'm a clutz and garages (seem to) love punters like me
What other mod-cons would you try and fit or would you miss?
ABS can be worked around by just fitting some really good brakes. The better the brakes the faster the car goes anyway so this has always been a win win and simple upgrade.
Aircon. Can be useful in summer but very beneficial in winter. Again, been available for years as a retrofit.
The one modern thing that I would add and which I think is a genuinely useful bit of modern tech for classics is the heated windscreen. These can now be got from Pilkington for loads of classics and do away with that age old misting up hassle.
Electrifying the passenger window is very useful for Continental use.
Upgrading the front and rear lights is essential as far as I'm concerned for modern road use. Especially with so many modern cars having automated dip systems that don't pick up the rear lights of a classic.
Electronic ignition is another good advance. It means you can tune the engine better and generally protect it more easily.
Scrimpton said:
x5tuu said:
CarPlay - its an absolute must IMO, makes any journey more pleasant, easier and safer with proper AV integration
Yep. I've got the PCCM unit in my 996 and it would be perfectly pleasant to daily. Smartphone mirroring is as much of a "Nice to have" as aircon in my mind.It depends what type of classic you want.
I had a 1976 Ford Gran Torino station wagon a while ago. Starsky and Hutch car - but the estate version.
It had 5 electric windows - even the window in the tailgate was electrically operated.
Remotely adjustable wing mirrors.
Electric driver's seat.
Ice cold aircon.
Tinted windows.
All as standard.
The only thing not original was the engine. Supposedly 350bhp instead of the original 150bhp.
It was fast in a straight line, would stop on a dime,a bit wobbly in the corners, but a hoot to drive. OK, it was a bit thirsty, a pig to park(almost 20ft long) and the ice cold aircon was either on or off - no climate control.
In hindsight I regret selling it.
I had a 1976 Ford Gran Torino station wagon a while ago. Starsky and Hutch car - but the estate version.
It had 5 electric windows - even the window in the tailgate was electrically operated.
Remotely adjustable wing mirrors.
Electric driver's seat.
Ice cold aircon.
Tinted windows.
All as standard.
The only thing not original was the engine. Supposedly 350bhp instead of the original 150bhp.
It was fast in a straight line, would stop on a dime,a bit wobbly in the corners, but a hoot to drive. OK, it was a bit thirsty, a pig to park(almost 20ft long) and the ice cold aircon was either on or off - no climate control.
In hindsight I regret selling it.
Depends what you call a classic
My father liked 1930s to 1960s cars
I still like the cars that I liked in my 20s - '90s cars, which are now 24 - 34 years old
Many had AC although that's not critical to me, some had ABS but I try to avoid them
When I speak to owners of modern cars they keep telling me about the tech I'm missing out on
I'm not sure what Tech that is, I have a radio, four speakers and a phone for satnav
What else do I need ?
I keep hearing about carplay, I don't have an Apple phone and I don't want one
I don't have any music on my phone either
So the answer to the OP is get a '90s car - They're for driving, that's the point of a car and they do it well, they don't need updating
My father liked 1930s to 1960s cars
I still like the cars that I liked in my 20s - '90s cars, which are now 24 - 34 years old
Many had AC although that's not critical to me, some had ABS but I try to avoid them
When I speak to owners of modern cars they keep telling me about the tech I'm missing out on
I'm not sure what Tech that is, I have a radio, four speakers and a phone for satnav
What else do I need ?
I keep hearing about carplay, I don't have an Apple phone and I don't want one
I don't have any music on my phone either
So the answer to the OP is get a '90s car - They're for driving, that's the point of a car and they do it well, they don't need updating
SAAB 9-5 electric seats have the modules all built in. You only need a 12v supply & you get 3 position memory, heated, ventilated if they have the option etc.
There's quite a few companies who do AC retrofit systems now - it's not that complicated when you simply fit a 2nd vent under the dashboard. Most complicated part is a custom bracket to hold a compressor.
There's quite a few companies who do AC retrofit systems now - it's not that complicated when you simply fit a 2nd vent under the dashboard. Most complicated part is a custom bracket to hold a compressor.
I guess it depends on what you regard as a classic and they type of cars you like. The big 1980s barges such as the Mercedes W126 Jaguar XJ40 and BMW E32 have most of those features from new. My XJ40 even has electrically operated head restraints and the newest ones are over 30 years old now.
I have a 356 with no mod cons. Partly in consequence, I've just had a quote to install the following in another classic Porsche I am considering:
Electric aircon (this is the big ticket item, needs an uprated alternator)
LED lights
Offside door mirror (it's a left-hooker)
Underseal
Sensibly-sized steering wheel
A proper USB power outlet (see below)
It already has Motec, otherwise I would add electronic ignition and (optionally) modern fuelling as must-haves if you want to use the car.
I'm not so fussed about Carplay etc; I have a folding phone which works very nicely as a satnav screen, so the only real need is a half-decent stereo with Bluetooth and a USB power port.
The other thing I have found useful is a battery cut-off switch; without that you need some kind of trickle charger connection - I'd be uncomfortable using the cigar lighter socket on most classics and would go for a hard-wired point.
Electric aircon (this is the big ticket item, needs an uprated alternator)
LED lights
Offside door mirror (it's a left-hooker)
Underseal
Sensibly-sized steering wheel
A proper USB power outlet (see below)
It already has Motec, otherwise I would add electronic ignition and (optionally) modern fuelling as must-haves if you want to use the car.
I'm not so fussed about Carplay etc; I have a folding phone which works very nicely as a satnav screen, so the only real need is a half-decent stereo with Bluetooth and a USB power port.
The other thing I have found useful is a battery cut-off switch; without that you need some kind of trickle charger connection - I'd be uncomfortable using the cigar lighter socket on most classics and would go for a hard-wired point.
DonkeyApple said:
ABS can be worked around by just fitting some really good brakes. The better the brakes the faster the car goes anyway so this has always been a win win and simple upgrade.
Bigger brakes isn't the same as ABS. Good brakes are typically more about repeated use in spirited driving than one emergency stop. Fitting excellent brakes to an older car on its period rubber, is probably more likely to need ABS than leaving things alone!
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