Elio Electronics?

[WilliamH]

I'm a bit confused. Isn't "cost" = money?

Our friends down South have more time to fix things, but time = money too.

Obviously I was not clear.
I didn't feel it was worth the cost to replace the blower motor.
For parts and labor it would have been $500 in a truck worth $1500 to $2000.
(Because of the way it's designed, it's a miserable job to replace the blower motor.)
And it wouldn't have been worth it to the dealer to fix it.
But, with a different cost of labor the repair makes sense.
Cost is relative to the laborers value and the value of what is being fixed.
In south Texas and northern Mexico, a V8, 4x4 pickup truck is worth a lot more than it will bring in the north east.

 

[pistonboy]

Did you miss the part of my post about the extremely rare, proprietary Buick computer system that can still be readily repaired today? That's 3/5 of the way to your 50 year mark...

As always, it will be the mechanical systems that will need most of the work.

Electronics, especially integrated circuits (computers) tend to work indefinitely. No moving parts. I have a 35 year old computer, my first, bought in 1979 that still works just fine today.

I also have a 65 year old television that still works fine. Remember the TV Lucille Ball had in I Love Lucy? Yep, that one. Needed all the capacitors replaced, but those will always be available.

The fact is any car, truck, tractor, motorcycle, or other mobile contraption that has an enthusiast community will be repairable nearly indefinitely.

I did not miss the part of your post about the extremely rare, proprietary Buick computer system that can still be readily repaired today. I know what you mean. There is a place in Massachusetts that can provide just about any part needed to keep my three Corvairs running, but they are the only place. If not for this one company owned and operated by enthusiasts, I would have a difficult time getting parts. The same is true to for my 1970 Opel GT. A place in California provides some, but not all the parts. These are the type of enthusiasts you are talking about, but there is only one of these stores for each type of car. If these stores closed, I would have a difficult time with my Corvairs, and an impossible time with my Opel GT.

 

[electroken]

Actually since the Elio is considered to be a motorcycle DLRs are required. All street motorcycles since the early '70s are required to have "always on" headlights. I hope Elio can use LEDs or reduced power low beams for DLRs.

Ah... I forgot about the motorcycle classification. EM can save more money - no headlight switch!

 

[NSTG8R]

I did not miss the part of your post about the extremely rare, proprietary Buick computer system that can still be readily repaired today. I know what you mean. There is a place in Massachusetts that can provide just about any part needed to keep my three Corvairs running, but they are the only place. If not for this one company owned and operated by enthusiasts, I would have a difficult time getting parts. The same is true to for my 1970 Opel GT. A place in California provides some, but not all the parts. These are the type of enthusiasts you are talking about, but there is only one of these stores for each type of car. If these stores closed, I would have a difficult time with my Corvairs, and an impossible time with my Opel GT.

One of these days, Pistonboy, you MUST start a thread showing off your stable of classic small cars. I would've given my left one for a '70 Opel GT back when I was in high school, and my dad had a 2nd gen. Corvair. The Corvair was one of the reasons I got a thing for air-cooled cars.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

If these stores closed, I would have a difficult time with my Corvairs, and an impossible time with my Opel GT.

They will never be impossible to repair, only more expensive. Every part of an Opel GT can be reproduced, if you are willing to spend the time/money.

 

[booboo]

Been looking for the classic car that had side pipes coming out of the front guard panel, fender, the panel over front tires and below the hood. Any Idea's ? I thought it was an Opel.

 

[Coss]

Been looking for the classic car that had side pipes coming out of the front guard panel, fender, the panel over front tires and below the hood. Any Idea's ? I thought it was an Opel.

That kind of sounds like the MG-TD

 

[WilliamH]

Boattail Auburn Speedster maybe?

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I saw CANbus and read it as cannibus....

Different type of emissions I guess.

(would be REALLY popular in Denver and Portland, OR)

 

[Coss]

I saw CANbus and read it as cannibus....

Different type of emissions I guess.

(would be REALLY popular in Denver and Portland, OR)

Don't forget Seattle and WA state. There are 15 more states that will be following soon.