Betcha didn't see this coming...

reply to post by MrWendal

Manual, 4-speed. If you find a 5-speed, let me know.

You have a PM.

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck


LOL I assumed it was an automatic and found 4, one in MO, MA, MT and MN.

Let me see if the results change for manual trannys... I really dont think the tranny makes much of a difference though, except maybe in how it fits when accounting for the air compressor, but that is just a guess.

Very well thought out thread, I like your thinking.
BTW, make your own brackets and just fit any old radiator. They do the same job, no matter what the shape.
Which is another conspiracy on its own: Why are all parts not universal. Seriously, if a certain design was established, the overall design of the vehicle would remain unchanged if they had to stick to the universal one.


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We found a radiator for Redneck, but they won't ship it.

Anyone in the Rolla, MO area by chance?

Originally posted by Monkeygod333
Very well thought out thread, I like your thinking.
BTW, make your own brackets and just fit any old radiator. They do the same job, no matter what the shape.
Which is another conspiracy on its own: Why are all parts not universal. Seriously, if a certain design was established, the overall design of the vehicle would remain unchanged if they had to stick to the universal one.

 

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When it comes to radiators it is really all about size and fit. There are very few design differences, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Foreign models (namely BMW's) compared to American cars. Other than that, it is really all about the fit. If the new radiator is too wide, it can easily interfere with the radiator fan or the AC compressor or even cause a hose to kink.

Originally posted by TheRedneck
reply to post by Ixtab

No, getting a new one is impossible. Spectra was making them, but stopped a few months ago. I can find them online, but after ordering I get an apologetic email back saying they don't have any in stock and have no ETA on when new ones will be available. After about ten such emails from different places, I started calling instead.

One place has them listed as out of stock - coming soon. When I call, they say they will get some from "Asia", but have no date. We have been waiting for a month now and still the same old story.

Feel free to prove me wrong: 1980 Chevrolet LUV mini-pickup truck, base body style, 1.8L 4-cylinder engine.

TheRedneck

I bet you could find one of those in Mexico, they still have plenty of junk yards around, as for getting it back into the states, i don't have an idea if it is possible

Radiator Is this the radiator you are looking for? Just trying to help. $240 doesn't seem too bad if it will work.

Hhmm, interesting topic, OP. I never gave this much thought but I see parallel here.

Remember Cash For Clunkers a few years ago? Yeah...

Secondly, I know you all are bombarded with those send us your old gold, even broken gold commercials? In turn they give you "top dollars" for it.

Interesting.

Nice catch on this conspiracy op, i too was wondering where all this was heading with the "cash for clunkers program", and walla, we now know. I too am finding older parts now have to be ordered through the dealer, at excessively high prices. It has gotten so bad now, that any part needing to be replaced has to be charged with a core charge.

Again nice hypothesis, that makes sound sense to me

op, your post has some serious merit. if some entity wanted to create a situation to pull as much gold as possible out of the public, this is exactly how to do it. it has just been in the recent era that gold is being touted so highly. think about tv shows about gold mining- gold rush/bering sea gold. everywhere you go there is another small store that opens up to buy your gold. commercialize it. advertise for it. and then buy it. yes, gold is expensive and that creates a market. but unlike many other commodities, one never sees this gold. its being kept. its not money. it can't be used as chit. we assume its there somewhere, acting as some type of physical thing you can touch and hold and look at. but its not. some entity is gathering and collecting all the available gold in existence. iras and bonds backed by gold? really? no one ever sees it. how weird would it be if this was some grand scheme of a campaign to extract as much available gold from the world under the guise of something else?

reply to post by TheRedneck


Awesome, I have been thinking of something that ties into this as well....

Remember the cash for clunkers program not too long ago?? This was gov funded...to help cull the "inefficient" cars from the lots, to make room for the more efficient cars the manufacturing giants got bailout money for...

Having said that I know someone who has sucessfully hybridized thier own vehicle using nothing but water. I trust him as hes a life long friend and lying to me would be pointless as I would eventually find out..

Anyway after telling me how he hybridized his vehicle with water I wanted to try this myself as I trusted him enough to give it a shot knowing it would work.

One problem...the conversion ONLY works with older vehicles specificlaly those pre-computerized. I have heard a lot about the conspiracy to keep water fuel tech out of the reach of people who could rid their dependency on gas. This is what made instantly think of the cash for clunkers program they had and how they were specifically targetting certain types of vehicles...

Anyway interesting thread thanks for the additional insight.

I also think its strange that no one really makes a real minitruck anymore. I have a Mitsubishi Mighty Max that I love but has a ton of miles on it. I have always thought there should still be small affordable trucks that get good gas mileage available. The smaller trucks now, are just so much bulkier and the fuel ecoinomy is really close to what it should be.

on a side note Chevy Luv's are awesome. I have been looking for a decent one for a while(or a datsun 620, ford courier, toyota stout, or subaru 360.lol).

Haha that picture is ridiculous.
You couldn't drive it anywhere around these parts!

I have a 88 Dodge Ram 50 that has 326,000 miles on it, bought it when it had 30,000. When I got it I was getting 14 miles to the gal, changed the cam one step up from stock and the gas milage jumped to 24, now why couldn't the factory do that? It was still passing NY state emissions. Guess they wanted us to use more gas and support the gas industry. I had to finally pull it of the road started burning some oil, turns out ring's were gummed up. So I rebuilt it and haven't had the time to finish the rest of it to get it back on the road. But it is getting tougher to find parts for it.

I've concluded the same myself, but with absolutely everything. For example, computers, every few months there's a new model and a little bit more RAM/HDD added. They're not really built to last. I really can't conceive there's some random people out there creating all that spyware/adware from their independent homes. Sometimes I think it's Microsoft itself creating those malicious files or one of their buddies in the business. Then back to the new cars, they're so weak. I mean the fiberglass body compared to the good ol' steel frames and I'm not even going to get into the black-boxes installed in the new models. It just makes absolute sense if you think about, "How can I get these sheep to give me their money every quarterly year?" Nobody seems to build anything right. Look at the streets you drive on. All those potholes and what not, yet the Pyramids still stand! Some even still stand under water!(japan)

reply to post by TheRedneck


Have you tried craigs list? Private owners may have one sitting around they are trying to get rid of. It's were I go anyway.

Another place to check is LMC Trucks. They specialize in parts for old Chevys. They may have it. Some parts are good some are crap. We just redid the interior of an 84 Silverado and got almost everything we needed from them.

No offense OP, but actually a lot of people have seen this coming for years. I remember about 15 years or so ago now, many of my friends who were into auto restoration and hotrods were warning people about many of the government sponsored old auto crushing programs, and many have been fighting the battle against it....I am glad you finally made it on the boat.

source

Issues That Affect Our Hobby: Scrappage In recent years, state and federal officials have attempted to implement emissions reduction programs that target older vehicles. Most scrappage programs allow "smokestack" industries to avoid reducing their own emissions by buying pollution credits generated through destroying these vehicles. These programs accelerate the normal retirement of vehicles through the purchase of older cars, which are then typically crushed into blocks of scrap metal. Hobbyists suffer from the indiscriminate destruction of older cars, trucks, and parts, which anyone undergoing a restoration project can attest to. America safeguards its artistic and architectural heritage against indiscriminate destruction, and our automotive and industrial heritage deserves the same protection.

While some legislation designed to spur sales of new and used automobiles is positive, such as vouchers towards the purchase of a new or used car or tax credits to help upgrade, repair, or maintain older vehicles, scrappage provisions are not. Scrappage programs focus on vehicle age rather than actual emissions produced. This approach is based on the erroneous assumption that all "old cars are dirty cars." However, the true culprits are "gross polluters"-vehicles of any model year that are poorly maintained. Scrappage programs ignore better options like vehicle maintenance, repair, and upgrade programs that maximize the emissions systems of existing vehicles. In the past year, scrappage initiatives have been defeated California, North Carolina, and Washington.

Enthusiasts played a vital role in altering federal scrappage legislation in 2009 when an amendment was worked into the "Cash for Clunkers" program to spare vehicles 25-years and older from the scrappage heap and expand parts recycling opportunities. Cash for Clunkers operated through voluntary consumer participation, allowing car owners to receive a voucher to help buy a new car in exchange for scrapping a less fuel-efficient vehicle. Vehicle hobbyists eased the program's effects by convincing lawmakers to include a requirement that the trade-in vehicle be a model year 1984 or newer vehicle. This provision helped safeguard older vehicles, which are irreplaceable to hobbyists as a source of restoration parts.

Edit* Also if you're still looking for parts for that 80 chevy luv, you should try Snyder's just in case. They have 1000s of old vehicles and stored parts. If anyone in this whole region of texas has it or can get it it's them. Don't know if it's to far away fro you or if they have it, but worth a check. snyder's auto salvage

Reply to post by DIRTYDONKEY

I have noticed that as of late. I use to own 3 Ford Escorts, a 87 station wagon, a 86 pony, and a 89 LX. I do not see any 80's model escorts anywhere on the road. They use to be popular. And I noticed lots of 80's cars are gone. Cars should last more than 30 years, if treated proper.


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reply to post by DoNotForgetMe


Yeah but at the same time, I cant imagine anybody is really out looking to do a full restoration on an 87 ford escort. I agree with what the OP is saying, but at the same time a lot of vehicles just aren't near as popular as others. I think Chevy Luvs are awesome, but most people who like Chevy trucks tend to prefer the more popular models. For example: all full sze trucks from the 30's to the late 80s. For those years and body styles, almost every part imaginable is being re manufactured almost to the extent of the consumer having the ability to build a new truck through a catalog. Its really nothing new. There will always be parts available for cars that have a large enough following for a company to make money by reproducing them.. and the less popular models will be tossed away.