To treat a car like a horse

Hello guys. As i've been working cleaning cars, I had a thought yesterday about myself treating cars like horses. Well they are good forms of reliable personal transport and if we look after them, they look after them. Never forget that. I'll expand further.

Before cars, horses were a dominant part of transport carrying goods and people before the 1890s i'm guessing. I'm no horse expert but my grandpa would know much more and has the experience on what horses are like. I can remember him telling me that riding a horse is like riding a Rolls-Royce. In other words, riding on a horse is smooth riding. That's all I can say.

After the 1890s, coach builders came up with ideas to invent horseless carriages in which over the years became cars. As far as I know, they were prone to breaking down but things have changed, car companies have put in their huge efforts to make their cars bulletproof and last the distance. In the time of the 80s when economies around the world suffered, in particular the small cars, they thrived as they offer space, fuel economy, an engaging driving experience and at a good affordable price.

Now, back to my job. My job has been interesting but in a good way. I came across different cars, cars that are barely dirty to the ones that are really are dirty. Although I want to wish owners of the cars i've washed to take better care of their cars, I do like my job because I get to have a chance to embrace a clean car. I wash cars that have been serviced and repaired. What happened last week in a trial as me and my colleagues were happy, i'm very much working there.

But as a car washer, it would be time for owners to embrace the beauty of their clean cars. We all should consider caring for cars like horses because let's face it. Their expensive investments to have. If we don't look after them, cars will develop many problems. We should all try and keep our cars clean but most importantly, try to put in an effort to book your car in for a service.

That is all from me. Hope you have a  good day. Thanks again!

Damn cars

Hello again. I'm not sure about you if you're truly into cars but you may or may not know that no cars are the same. And it will be interesting if you start your career as a mechanic but just bear in mind all the different cars mechanics deal with. For any mechanically basic car, it's no big drama even a popular 80s car could be fixed by a leisure car enthusiast. A learning novice could achieve a good repair for the likes of changing the oil, replacing spark plugs, light bulbs, windscreen wipers, brake pads, replenishing wiper washer water and washing a car. If you like working on cars, isn't it great to do so.

If you look at modern cars, things as you may know are completely different to go about maintaining them. Cars nowadays are becoming more aerodynamic, more economical, more powerful and packed more with electronics. And what can annoy novice mechanics are pretty much everything in the name of automotive maintenance. At times, mechanics may swear just because they get frustrated getting some tasks done and i'm not making it up. It can happen.

So, i'll take my car as an example. My car is a 2006 Holden Astra and as as per modern car, it's part mechanical and part electronic. There was a time I need to have the high beam lights investigated but there's one problem. Access is rather limited all because there are so many paddings crammed underneath the bonnet. My car also uses Euro blades, a type of wiper blades that are just one strip and can be clipped on. The timing belt would be very hard to access especially for major services when for every 60,000 kilometres, the belt needs replacing and it would be an expensive job. Of course, I don't mean to say these things in a nasty way but this is what modern cars nowadays are like.

Other cars which are a pain to get by and i'll give out some examples are Peugeots, Mercedes-Benzes and hybrid cars. I was considering buying a Peugeot 306 but words from a mechanic I used to know tell that they're tricky to fix when a problem comes up. With many components arranged differently, these cars would be labour consuming and costing money. With a used Mercedes-Benz, what I found out from a Youtube uploader and mechanic Scotty Kilmer, there is a reason why Merc fanatics trade in their 3 year old cars. Because there may be chances of glitches or worse, an electronic meltdown in a used Mercedes-Benz and think about the money and expertise used if a problem comes up.

Scotty also came across in another Youtube video a broken down old Toyota Prius. He pointed out the problems hybrid cars may face later in life such as a dead hybrid battery, hybrid computer system meltdown and the whole removal of the petrol engine-electric motor combination which in total would mean a great sum of money to fix it up. If you like to know a bit more on Scotty Kilmer, do a search on Youtube and you should find a channel under his name.

So, do you get the ideas now? Cars are becoming more difficult to fix and maintain so these repairing tasks are being reserved for mechanics. We all have to live with budgeting for when we next get our modern cars serviced and all I can say is damn cars.

And by the way, I came across the term damn cars as one of my cousins who had a problem with his car said that. This sends a simple yet strong statement.

I hope to be back again soon!

It's never to late to stop learning

Hello guys. Me again. I'm just here to give you another strategy in which to get mechanical know how, you may need to learn the new skills. And it's never too late to stop learning. You can always go to any training school that covers pre-vocational automotive studies and that way, you'll get the chance to get your hands dirty and understand how cars work and how problems can be dealt with mechanical wise.

A while ago, I had a thought on returning back to study and do something completely different. I went to a tertiary institution called TAFE (Training and Further Education) when I did Certificate II in Multimedia, two certificates in Hospitality (Cert. II involving Front of House and Cert. III involving Kitchen operations) and Certificate IV in Screen and Media. Even though I haven't found much use for them apart from the Hospitality certificates when I used to work at a pub-style restaurant. These aside, I wanted to study Certificate II in Pre-vocational Automotive Studies and use the skills to get the idea on fixing up old cars. But the trouble is i'll be working 5 days a week starting tomorrow as of Sunday and I mightn't have a chance to get back to study.

Yes, i'll be back to work and if you're keen, the job for me is a car detailing job which after a trial could lead me to an apprenticeship. So I mightn't be able to return to study which is a bit disappointing but on the plus side, i'll be working and that's more important.

You can always go back to study just to learn new skills whether it's for better employment opportunities or just another hobby you want to take up. If you're committed, find a course you want to do and go for it. Go to any institutions and ask or get a course book for next year. Then, get the contact details of any teacher in charge of a course and let them know you're interested.

We'll take the Automotive Study course i've mentioned and expand on what's to be expected when you study this course. Here it goes.

In the course, you'll expect to study

• Safe working practices
• Using and maintaining measuring equipment
• Using and maintaining workplace tools and equipment
• Job seeking skills (mightn't be relevant unless you want to work as a mechanic)
• Carrying out industry research
• Removing and replacing an engine and transaxle assembly
• Dismantling and assembling a four stroke engine
• Removing and assembling an engine cylinder head
• Dismantling and assembling a carburettor
• Dismantling and assembling a fuel pump
• Dismantling and assembling a manual trasnmission
• Removing and replacing brake assemblies
• Removing and replacing wheel and tyre assemblies
• Removing and replacing a radiator
• Operating electrical test equipment
• Removing and refitting batteries
• Recharging batteries
• Participating in basic vehicle servicing operations

This course can be done through Federation Training in which I sourced the course from. Still interested, go ahead. Do what you please. Thanks again for your time and hopefully, i'll be back.

What's safe from the crusher and what's not?

Hello again. I've been saying things in regards to saving cars built in the 1980s since October just to reflect on the passion all in this blog. For those who have just got onto this blog, let me rephrase what this blog is all about.

This blog Save The 80s Cars is dedicated to getting people to consider cars built in the 1980s to keep them going and to acknowledge them as game changers in their era. In the 80s, we were getting over our second oil crisis and our economy went into a recession. But car manufacturers have started building smaller economical cars because not only they served their function but they're cheap to buy.

But now, we see these cars sitting in paddocks, wreckers yards and metal recycling depots rusting away never to be driven again. So far, there are many car lovers around the world who dedicate themselves to restoring run down cars to their former glory. What they've achieved is the things they do can be done so why can't we fix up the 80s cars?

I have asked a few people whether 80s cars should be kept as classics and I received mixed answers. Although a few said it isn't possible, the people who said these cars should be kept as classics agree and one said if we don't, we would never see those cars ever again. But that's the wrap up so we shall move on.

What I have is a list of cars after some quick research which are plentiful and have good resale values. With these cars, they may still be in good condition and hopefully looked after. And doing so will make any car work in tip top condition and keep going in the long run.

The list of cars are the following.

BMW

3 Series

Ford

F-150

Falcon

Fairlane

Fairmont

Holden

Commodore

Calais

Statesman De Ville

Statesman Caprice

Brock Edition

Gemini

Honda

Civic (First generation)

CR-X

Jaguar

XJ6

XJS

Jeep

CJ7

Grand Wagoneer

Land Rover

1100

Range Rover

Rover

Mazda 

RX-7

Mercedes Benz

Just about all cars available in the 1980s era. (Too many to list)

Mitsubishi

Pajero

Starion

Porsche

All cars available in the 1980s era.

Rolls Royce

All cars available in the 1980s era.

Suzuki

Mighty Boy

Sierra

Toyota

Celica

Corolla Twin Cam

Hilux

Land Cruiser

MR2

Volkswagen

Caravelle

Transporter

Volvo

240

262

But what cars aren't safe from the crusher? Let me put it this way. Other cars popular in the 1980s such as Ford Lasers, Mazda 323s, Nissan Pulsars, Bluebirds, Toyota Camries, Coronas and Corollas plus many other passenger cars with 4 cylinder engines.

We don't have to be saddened but with some mechanical know-how, they could be fixed up to be good as new.

Well I hope you like it and as for me, i'm done for the time. Thanks guys!

Time for compassion

Hello again. You may know that as of 2014, within the 30 year bracket, some cars built from 1980 to 1984 are over 30 years old and in theory, any car that's over 30 years old would be classed as a classic. And we're not far to the year 2015 when also half of the 80s decade will be in the 30 year bracket.

There has been a trend for restorations of older cars which brought values up and more cars rescued from the crusher. They've been loved again after all the efforts by their enthusiasts and we see them more in various motoring events being admired by show goers. From as far as when vintage cars were built to the cars built in the 70s, they've been collected from barn or paddock finds, restoration to show and shine status.

80s cars should be next in the trend. As a matter of fact, enthusiasts may have start collecting them to fix them up to be good as new or if in good condition, keep them until their values start to climb. But there are people who did perform engine swaps. That is swapping a stock engine of an older car with a more powerful engine but that ruins the originality and that makes me ashamed. I've been told that engine swapping is a complex task and if not done properly could end in trouble. So why take a chance? I'm no rev head so I don't get it. I'd rather keep an old engine working.

But what also bothers me are people buying dirt cheap defunct cars and keep them for spare parts out in paddocks but at times, they're left out to rust. It may end up ruining chances of restoration but if you find a car that is repairable, that's great. Car enthusiasts took to Youtube to upload videos of old car wrecks saying they needed rescuing but mind you, some comments have stated that they're feelings of sadness and anger of cars being wasted away. And some say that this trend should be a crime. I don't think it's on.

Here's an interesting video I came across and I hope you find this interesting.

The good news is that we could still treasure some 80s cars again.

Thanks again guys!

2010s. The decade of appliances on wheels

Hello guys. I have something to tell you. You may not know this but as I was young, I thought that the newer the cars are, the better there are. At the moment, it can be the case because they get more powerful, more economical, safer and rake in more technology. But then, there are a few problems with new cars. They become more computerised, bigger and heavier.

I'll expand more on how weight affects any car. Weight can affect a car's acceleration, cornering, fuel efficiency and wear levels. The engine must work harder to keep up with traffic as the driver should push the accelerator harder ending up with more fuel used up. And of course, as cars get heavier, the effect of gravity takes its toll on moving components. Think about the heavy body on suspension components and include the tyres. And also, brake power may be used even more to slow down. There isn't much rocket science but this is how things work via my educated guess.

Now. The whole idea of cars becoming bigger is to create a bit more room for occupants and crumple zones but it's very much driven by competition. Let's face it, anytime car makers design cars to be a bit bigger, more manufacturers will follow the trend and vice versa.

At the moment, we are in the 2010s. We would expect something new and crash hot don't we? We see manufacturers coming up with many technological advances such as auto-stop systems, stop-start fuel saving technology which is the one when you stop, the engine shuts off until you let go off the brakes when the engines starts up, automated manual gearboxes which are automatics, electric this and that and do I need to carry on? And many new cars get bigger and heavier.

So are new cars desirable? It depends on what kind of person you are. I'm getting into older cars as the new cars aren't always appealing to me mainly because in my opinion, they don't give you as much passion as older cars. Cars in the 1980s could be fun to drive but more fun to work on. That's what I believe. I came across a Car Survey page on a 1985 Nissan Pulsar and with a very good insight, I get a better picture on what it's like to live with. It's stated that despite the heavy pedal feelings and steering, it is fun to drive. And here's the link.

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/nissan/pulsar/1985/#r129775

Another issue with new cars is when it breaks down, it will be harder to rectify than you think. Nowadays, they have computer systems and some come with space saver wheels for when you have punctured one of your tyres. I admit though that finding a good car to replace my 8 year old car in the future could be tough. My current car has a full size spare wheel and I don't see why car manufacturers are ditching them for space savers when they're not as good. Any software malfunction from a glitch to a gremlin wouldn't be good and would cost you money. You would need to complete a course on automotive electrics to tackle these problems yourself as far as my opinion goes.

But the worst offenders of passionate cars in the 2010s are SUVs. Ranging from city sized to large, they may offer you more room and are more safer, they're just plain heavy and are pointless. I am against SUVs but as long as they're driven off road, they're alright. They're also more expensive to buy than regular family cars depending on the sizes. It annoys me that the exposure SUVs get in advertising is evident they're after money which brings me why the news are there for. To sell as much of them as possible just to make more money.

I can remember that when Jeremy Clarkson said what he doesn't like about Korean and Malaysian car makers are they don't make a good car but just want to make money. I feel that more cars are there to boost profits but come on. More manufacturers could might as well go backwards on what we desire in a car. They're becoming more boring as far as I can see. I used to get hooked on my friend's early model Holden Barina GS until it was crashed. It was an early 90s model.

So to conclude, new cars are becoming more like appliances on wheels. Why spend a lot of money on them or let alone keep trading in for a new one? It's good i'll be getting into older cars.

Thanks for viewing!

Cash for Clunkers? Forget it

Hello again. I have thought up today that as I was watching on Youtube scrap cars needing to be saved, there was a video compiling a mixture of 80s and 90s cars abandoned in a paddock in South Carolina, America, second one is a car salesman offering dirt cheap cars saved from junkyards but the most important video to make this page is the issue of the Cash for Clunkers scheme initiated by the Obama government. Old clunkers get destroyed rather than sold for spare parts.

The whole idea for the Cash for Clunkers scheme is to get rid of old 'gas guzzlers' and clunkers off the roads in America in an attempt to increase the average miles per gallon for new cars but there are a few problems. There wouldn't be many more choices for any buyer after an older cheap car once more of them end up destroyed and recycled. There would be less spare parts available and older cars would become more rare and hard to find and for anyone looking for a car to refurbish, the Cash for Clunkers scheme would make things hard.

Meanwhile in Australia, there was consideration for our own Cash for Clunkers aimed to taking off cars older than 10 years by former prime minister Julia Gillard. But that didn't pass so luckily, we wouldn't be much problems caused by the scheme. Cars are expensive forms of personal transportation and getting rid of older cars considering they're cheaper would be worse off for buyers with little money. I used to own a 1992 Nissan Pintara hatchback as my first car. Yes, it had a few problems and even some near catastrophic problems but once fixed up, it didn't give out problems ever since.

But if the scheme is passed, any 80s cars would be destined for extinction.

So about the third Youtube video, I want to show you this.

Without the Cash for Clunkers, our economy can still benefit from auto parts stores, car wreckers, paint stores and mechanics. After all, we spend money to keep things going. Why take a chance?

Thanks again!

Another words of advice for keen novices

Hello guys. Today, I feel like giving out a few words of advice and these are to seek mechanical experience and have a helping hand by your side. These are the main things to bear in mind for today. And these definitely apply to me especially that I haven't had much experience in repairing cars but i'm willing to give it a go step by step to build up my confidence.

My only experiences in fixing cars is limited to performing minor services. That is changing the oil, replacing spark plugs, replacing air and oil filters, topping up the radiator water, windscreen washer and checking if a car is working as it should. I have also carried out small services to our family's lawn mower. I also wash cars, vacuum clean their interiors and sometimes cut and polish cars. I learnt as I go in the process of automotive care. But soon, I would really like to take it to the next level and tackle the mechanical side but even though I have good knowledge on the specifications of many cars, my knowledge on fixing the mechanisms is limited.

So, this follows you to the first word of advice. Seeking mechanical experience. If you can do minor services, you have a bit of confidence and trust in yourself. The next thing to learn is to identify the various parts and think about how you'll go by rectifying any issues. Mechanical work is quite complex as there are over a thousand components in a car to bear in mind but in my opinion, if you can tackle the problems, you'll earn confidence in yourself. So to find someone who is mechanically minded, talk to some people who fix cars for their passion and maybe if you or someone has time, arrange for a mechanical session. You could even get hands on experience and that I find is very important because you have someone by your side who will show you how things are done and what you need to rectify.

For me, finding someone who's passionate about fixing cars can be tricky but I do know when I was at high school, I did a lesson on inspecting small engines with a person who has mechanical experience and know-how. But who knows? I would eventually find someone.

Second word of advice is don't always go alone when fixing and/or restoring cars. As I read a Wikipedia article of car restoration, it said restoring vehicles can take a few years. This hobby would require plenty of labour and mechanical know-how and going alone would be daunting and too time consuming. I personally would not want to do big tasks on my own and for someone willing to give me a helping hand would make my tasks better and more easier to do. There are repairs that would require two people such as lifting engines out, lifting gearboxes and differentials or just complex dis-assemblies and vice versa. Having someone who has plenty of experience in restoring cars would be beneficial for any daunting tasks such as panel beating and patch welding to get around any issues that may come up.

I have came across someone who restores cars as his passionate hobby. It happened as he was my new work colleague at the time I worked at Vin Rowe Farm Machinery and as I talked about fixing up old cars, he told me he does fix up old cars and gradually, we took the topic even further. And i'm hoping to take it further too as his experience says, there are plenty of qualities that would make him tackle any job.

One thing i'll add is you earn confidence. If any repair task you did is done correctly, it feels good plus you learn skills so you can get a better understanding where nuts, bolts and other pieces should go and how individual systems work and how they can be rectified if one of them has any issues.

Well that's it for me for today and hope you have a good Melbourne Cup Day holiday if you're in Australia. And hopefully if you're inspired to fix up old cars, maybe built in the 1980s, you can always try to pursue that passion. Thanks guys!

Another look at memory lane. With the ones built in Australia

Just me again. My most recent page about the gallery of cars had went off with a bang so i'll do that again but with a twist. 80s cars that used to be built here in Australia.

You may think that there mightn't be many cars built other than the big Fords and Holdens but because of the state of the economy at the time, car buyers have resorted to smaller 4 cylinder small to medium cars. It's true that all industries needs to adapt to any changes like for example oil shortages that have happened twice in the 1970s. It has been a good move but without these cars, the Australian car manufacturing industry would have been doomed.

So now, i'll show you the cars that have just saved our manufacturing industry from the ruins of bankruptcy.

Holden VK Commodore

Nissan 910 Bluebird

Toyota T140 Corona

Mitsubishi TM Magna

Holden JB Camira

Holden RB Gemini

Ford XF Falcon

Ford KA Laser

Ford KB Meteor

Like the Australian car industry, these cars would be a thing of the past. But they won't have to be as long as we preserve them and fix them to make these cars good as new.

That's all. Take care!

A look at memory lane

Hello guys. I hope you have a happy new November. Just keeping up the 80s car spirit, I decided to have a gallery of some cars to serve as memories. I am becoming more and more passionate about these kind of cars just when I keep looking at one.

I found these pictures on the internet to put in my computer just for my screensaver i've set up. I'll show you these car pictures now.

Peugeot 505

 Holden TE Gemini

 BMW E30 3 Series

Holden TF Gemini

Alfa Romeo GTV6

Volvo 740 Turbo

Peugeot 205 GTI

Nissan N12 Pulsar

Mitsubishi Lancer 1800 GSR

Toyota KE70 Corolla

At the time those pictures were taken, they look good. I do appreciate clean spick and span cars because they show their natural characters. They're all unique in so many ways but one thing in common is they defined their decade.

That does it for me and I hope you enjoy it. All the best.

What are we waiting for?

Okay. There's been a build up of momentum as people like you taking your time to look at this blog and I appreciate it. Let's keep this up. If I could get more exposure, it would be brilliant so if you want, help spread this topic around because if more people look at it, hopefully we'll make progress.

On the car preservation front, there have been some cars built in the 1980s that are becoming collector's items as they become valuable worth from $3,000 to $10,000. Rest assured they'll be safe from hoons and better still, the crusher.

If you think about it, hoons buy cheap powerful cars and thrash them to the max. They target big Fords (Falcons, Fairlanes, Fairmonts and Falcon utes) and Holdens (Commodores, Calais, Statesmans/Caprices and utes) or anything that's rear wheel drive. Thrashing as a no brainer puts strain on a lot of working components and gradually destroy a car. It's absurd for anyone who loves their cars but thrashes them but there are those kind of people who would be willing enough to nurture them. Cars are expensive pieces of machinery to get to places but if looked after, they would serve you well with less repair bills to worry about.

Now, about the crusher bit. I used the pun 'safe from the crusher' to say that any valuable car in good condition is too great to die. When cars are driven to the ground, they're recycled (parts stripped, body crushed, shredded and recycled into new steel) but that creates this problem. One car crushed would be gone forever but even when the defunct car may be in a sound restorable condition, that would be so sad. I am determined to have more cars saved and restored rather than just rust away and not be repairable.

Inspiration

Any person interested in car restoration may develop interests from car shows, TV shows and magazines. Take the Motorclassica for example. It's run by the RACV in the Old Exhbition Building in Melbourne every October and when I went there one time with my dad, I found it quite interesting with all the old cars on display in showroom condition. Their owners have dedicated their livelihood to their old classics. TV shows have been interesting in which in my point of view, I got so inspired. Take shows such as Classic Car Rescue and For The Love Of Cars as tow examples. They collect old barn finds and fix them up and I like the ideas. However, just a note to consider that car restorations take skills and know how and if done properly, it would be rewarding. Community TV channel C31 have their own show Classic Restos showing well, classics.

Finding the right car for your project

With the way I see it, there aren't many old cars around on the roads especially 80s cars. And because they don't have much resale value, they mightn't be worth selling and they retire into the wreckers yards. But with my confidence, I feel they don't always have to retire but be rejuvenated to keep them running. I'm talking about 80s cars. They've been engineered to be reliable so why are we ignoring them? I don't know. If you're seriously committed, look around for any cars that are in sound repairable condition and also, they're dirt cheap as opposed to older barn find cars. And they're getting harder to find. You can also buy old cars still in okay condition for under $1,000 and any problems can be fixed if someone has the know how.

Finding the right parts

So, if you have found an old banger, you would need to find the right parts. That's when you need to look around in various car wreckers, websites and automotive parts supply stores such as Supercheap Auto, Repco, Bursons and Autobarn. The most important thing and it's a good idea is to do research. What I also find really useful is Rare Spares. They provide parts for anyone restoring their old classics and it would be easier to find the right special parts so you may be interested.

Keeping an 80s car

There's one problem with keeping old cars. They cost money. Depending on the age and collective status, parts would be more expensive to keep it going. And insurance can be costly as well. But with 80s cars, my theory is they wouldn't be as expensive and when I did a comprehensive car insurance quote on an old 80s car, it would cost around $24 a month. But still, it would be interesting. It is best and for any car to be kept in garages in our homes. That way, they protect any car from the extremes of weather and also protect them from possible vandals.

So guys. What are you waiting for?

Inspiring 80s cars (my opinion)

Just felt like posting something more interesting but all to do with 80s cars. In my life, I have only driven my family's past 1988 Nissan Pintara. That is a car i've driven built in the 80s era but anythings else, I haven't. That is my small confession. The reason i'm wanting to post this topic is to tell you how inspiring these cars are. I have been a regular Gran Turismo player mainly because of the variety of cars to take for a spin and buying some 80s cars have opened up my expectations on the way they go. One golden rule i'll stick to is not have driving aids on as I rely on the car's handling characteristics. But first, i'll talk about the Nissan Pintara.

R31 Nissan Pintara

Okay here it goes. This is a R31 model Nissan Pintara built from 1986 to 1989. They have a simple honest 2.0 litre electronic fuel injected straight 4 engine, a choice of a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic combined with rear wheel drive. As far as I know in terms of models, the Executive and GLI are the base models, the GX being the mid-spec and the GXE as the top-of-the-range model. They're nice cars to drive with plenty of power, comfortable driving, they're economical and last but not least, it's been proven durable to a test of time. And I enjoyed driving it as well.

Our past Nissan Pintara used to be a GX model so that had power steering, power mirrors, tachometer and a digital clock. It was also equipped with a manual gearbox and was a sedan. The colour of the car was cream until a major repair when it was painted teal green. It was a good memory to have and I should never forget.

We'll now look at in my opinions the cars in Gran Turismo 5 and 6 that defined the 1980s era.

1983 Mitsubishi Lancer EX 1800 GSR IC Turbo

1.8L straight 4 Turbo

Power: 114 kW @ 6000 RPM

Torque: 206 Nm @ 3500 RPM

Drivetrain: Front engined rear wheel drive

I had a go on this car when I first done so playing Gran Tursimo 4 when it debuted. It's a ripper of a small sedan especially if it's turbocharged. It's got good pickup and it handles nicely when driven properly. When you push through corners, it may tend to understeer but that car lets you know you're going too fast around a corner. However, this car has got a tight turning circle so it can zip through tight corners more easily. This car is also featured all through to the sixth installment of the Gran Turismo series.

1983 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-Apex (AE86)

1.6L straight 4 Naturally aspirated

Power: 92 kW @ 6500 RPM

Torque: 137 Nm @ 5000 RPM

Drivetrain: Front engined rear wheel drive

In Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, I noticed an interesting body shape design similar to this but isn't this model. It was a Sprinter Trueno with the foldable headlights. This however is a Corolla Levin GT Apex. It's light, powerful and nimble and provides a great exhaust note. It's a great handler and once driven properly, it flows through the bends without noticing any oversteer. It's quite easy to drive this thing without much trouble. Even though this model is phased out, Toyota re-introduced a new rear wheel drive sports car, the 86 (called that in Australia) and it has had postive reviews and supply couldn't keep up with demand. This is how great this car is.

1983 Honda Civic 1.5 3door 25i

1.5L straight 4 Naturally aspirated

Power: 71 kW @ 6000 RPM

Torque: 118 Nm @ 4000 RPM

Drivetrain: Front engined front wheel drive

These kinds of Hondas are what defined their image. Japanese, reliable, good quality and fun to drive and this is one of them. I do like this Honda Civic as it's light and nimble and according to the information, it resembles a link between a sexy coupe and a practical hatchback all wrapped in one. Also, Honda at the time have a range of body styles to cater for different kinds of people. If they want a normal Civic, they could have a 4 door sedan. If they need a Civic with families in mind, there's a wagon version called the Shuttle. But if they're single, a couple or want a car for pleasure, there's this hatchback. To be honest, I really like these cars better than the new Civics today because I feel that Honda have gone backwards with making fun and reliable cars which has been missed. Why?

1987 Buick GNX 

3.8L V6 Turbocharged

Power: 200 kW @ 4500 RPM

Torque: 471 Nm @ 3000 RPM

Drivetrain: Front engined rear wheel drive

When I got this car as I was playing Gran Turismo 6, it's an interesting car. In an American muscle car, it's got power and torque but it handles the bends nicely and come to think about it, I would like it better than older muscle cars such as Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Mustangs and Dodge Challengers. With Buick's turbocharged V6, it may not sound like a V8 but it sounds decent. It's a good engine too and the wide ratio gearbox to match the engine's large amount of torque making it a cruiser and a grand tourer in one. These cars are not too unforgiving in terms of handling but in fact, they drive nicely.

1983 Honda City Turbo II

1.2L straight 4 Turbocharged

Power: 78 kW @ 5500 RPM

Torque: 147 Nm @ 3000 RPM

Drivetrain: Front engined front wheel drive

Another hot car from Honda is the turbocharged sports model of the City. When I drove it in the game, I realised it's such a cracker in terms of performance in a small city car. I really do like this car. Being a small light car, it can handle tight corners and with the small but turbocharged engine, it is great to have the extra power. I raced it particularly in the Sunday Cup races and it is competitive even towards more modern cars who have advances in engine performances. But who needs new cars to compete when there's this car?

1987 Lotus Esprit HC

2.2L straight 4 Turbocharged

Power: 157 kW @ 6000 RPM

Torque: 284 Nm @ 4500 RPM

Drivetrain: Mid engined rear wheel drive

This is what I like to call a poor man's Ferrari. But it's no Italian supercar. It's a Lotus. It's an awesome car to drive if driven carefully as it handles brilliantly with rapid acceleration. I do like mid engined sports cars but not the seriously powerful big engined cars like Ferarris, Lamborghinis and Paganis. You can still have fun with these kinds of cars with smaller engines as you feel the sensation of driving pleasure. I'm no V8 fan but I still like the idea of engines with fewer cylinders because after all, these sports cars are designed to be light and fun to drive.

We have learnt more things about 80s cars in what they're like to drive. I took the time to do so and I hope you enjoyed it. All the best!

Why like the cars of today?

Hello guys. Since I was young, i've been pretty much fond of different cars. I thought the newer the car, the better. It can the the case but now, I believe its becoming less of the case in many ways. Compared to cars from the 80s, the new equivalent cars are bigger, heavier and may end up using more fuel.

Yes, you heard me. As cars become roomier and safer, they add weight which affects, fuel consumption, acceleration, wear and tear of components and driveability missed from cars built in the 1980s. Plus, car manufacturers stuff new cars with as much technology to make it safer and more convenient with all the gadgets and gizmos not only adding weight but cost.

But another bugbear would be the reliability and overall durability of new cars when bad stories have been said. Particularly with Volkswagen's Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), this is new technology in future automatic cars which makes the cars more responsive and use less fuel but however, there are bad stories of malfunctions which costs owners a great deal of money and the agony of going through dealerships to have it sorted out. As far as I can see in terms of recalls over mechanical and safety issues, I am not aware of any issues with 80s cars in terms of reliability but hell they're strong in the long run.

Modern cars are computerised and yet again, another pain in the proverbials if anything goes wrong from a slightest glitch to a major breakdown. No ordinary mechanic would have a hope in trying to solve these complex issues unless he or she is trained with computerised systems in mind. But still, they're expensive problems requiring a lot of labour to do so. And some frustration that goes with it.

Now let's talk about modern cars reaching classic status. They're loaded with technology to make the cars safer, use less fuel, make us comfortable and stress less. Think about restoring these cars if you don't know how to reprogram the technology. I'll give you an example. Hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius are mainly computerised not as mechanical. It would be interesting for someone to have a go.

I stand by the preservation of the 80s cars. I've heard from one Autobarn worker as I asked him about Holden Geminis in terms of keeping them on roads and he stood by his opinions that they're fun cars to work on and they're willing to keep going. That's the magic of these cars. As these cars reach their useful life, they could provide spare parts possibly making any restoration more easier. Plus the majority of spare parts are available in automotive stores so why can't we love them cars again?

They're becoming dirt cheap to buy and they're pretty easy to fix for a typical average mechanic. Why not?

I'm starting to get tired of new cars as they've become less desirable apart from the Toyota 86 coupe. In general, the other new cars are becoming more like appliances on wheels and that's a bit disappointing.

Well that's it for me. I'll be back.

A Youtube video's contribution to saving 80s cars

Hello again. While i'm there, I just thought I might show you a video from Youtube all about saving cars from the 1980s.

I came across this video as I was scouring through these videos and this particular one according to the uploader mentioned these cars as cars making history and they should be saved. Yet, more people around the world on my same path.

As of the 29th October, 97,115 have viewed and a majority of viewers like this video. What more can I say?

The internet can be good in ways of getting publicity. We make blogs, upload videos on Youtube and post things on Facebook and have it shared around.

And finally, I do see some 80s cars rotting away or in just junkyards being stripped apart. And the uploader behind this video has seen these kind of cars not used again. We don't have to see them in junkyards if you're a mechanic because they can be fixed. After all, 80s cars were well engineered and it may as well need a simple mechanical repair. It depends though.

Enjoy!

What you may need to have for keen novices

Hello. Since I thought about cars built in the 1980s, I felt that one day, I could save one car and fix it to its former glory. I am embracing my automotive boyhood again with cars and it is growing so I got to go out and do this. But i'm not a real mechanic but my passion is bigger than that but I do know some basics such as screwing and unscrewing, cleaning and detailing, doing some basic servicing and inspecting. Those skills are important but with a tad more experience, I could harness these skills to good use.

I have talked about fixing up cars in my previous workplace with interest. I used to work in the parts department at a farm machinery shop for those who are curious. As I talked, my former work colleagues took interest and there's one who fixes cars as a hobby. No, maybe two. Fixing up cars is a hobby as well and in my opinion, fixing 80s cars would be beneficial than gaming. If you think about it, video game consoles and computers can cost around $500 and the games aren't what you call cheap. But when compared to buying old cars, it can vary. Earlier cars are harder to find at a cheap price but 80s cars would be a good deal. There would be more around sitting in yards rotting away unless they get picked up and fixed. Well that's what I gather.

But now, here are some things you may need to have for starters.

Tools

 Tools are very important when a time comes to fix a broken appliance. Maybe a car. When I got
this for Christmas one time ago, I really enjoyed this gift. I found it very handy. A set of tools are good and more of them would be better to cover a variety of repair tasks. You can never get rid of them as it's best to keep them just in case there are things to fix.







Repair books (eg. car body)

This is a good book to have for people who have little experience in body repairs kind of like me. I've been given this book as a gift as part of my farewell at my recent workplace. These books give you plenty of details to cover many jobs such as panel beating, painting, rust repairs, rattle and squeak repairs and general restoration.













Repair books (car)

And last but not least, restoring cars requires automotive knowledge. I find these kind of repair books very useful as cars vary and you can buy them at car parts supply shops. They give you plenty of information including the tools required for repairs and detailed step by step instructions including some illustrations.








And by the way, these are what i've got apart from the Subaru repair book. That's all what I have to offer at this stage. Thanks for looking.

Introduction to cars of the 1980s

Welcome to my new blog all to the dedication to cars built in the 1980s. A thought came in my mind as I question myself whether these cars should be saved and kept as classic cars. The year now is 2014 and it will be 34 years since the first cars of the 80s left the production line. These kind of cars are the next game changers in the automotive history in many ways. They're

• More reliable
• More economical on fuel
• More safer
• More technically advanced
• More modern in appearance

After two oil crises in the 1970s, the automotive industry recovered. When old gas guzzlers are declining, more economical mobiles flourish and look at small cars for instance. The 80s are a big decade for trendy smaller cars. Think about Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas and Mazda 323s as examples. These game changers made us think that we can still drive cars throughout the future with fuel bills to bear in mind as these cars are more economical.

Not only cars at the time are more economical, they're more reliable. You may come across old modern-ish cars that keep on going despite some cosmetic flaws. Have a look at Volvos and Japanese cars. My family used to own a 1988 Nissan Pintara as I was growing up and it lived for 20 years until the harmonic balancer in the engine cracked ending its useful life. Yes you heard me. It's dead. Still, it comes to show how mechanically marvelous these 80s cars in terms of durability in the long run.

Well that's what I can see and what i've heard.

Now, we don't see much of these cars on the roads today. They may all be worn out, sent to various wreckers yards across the world rusting away, getting crushed and recycled into new steel. But just as bad as seeing sound 80s cars rotting away, they're falling victims towards P platers who have little money to spend on a car just to go from A to B. For those who have high incomes, the cars can be souped up and modified spoiling their originality. And then, driving them to their deaths. This I find is a sad reality because once they become defunct, they'll be gone forever.

And about treasuring these kind of cars, I even asked quite a few people to see whether 80s cars should be kept as classics and interestingly, the cars people say should be kept that way and safe from any crusher. Many people agreed that more 80s cars should be saved because otherwise, they disappear never to be seen again.

However, there could be an opportunity to save these treasures from the 1980s and let them live on.

Let's save them!