P.S: Did I mention Alfa Romeo ? :
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the heini is a little vein
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this is more like it.
BRAVO and thanks.
OK, here’s a good comparison for discussion.
Beetle
vs.
New Beetle
Though the old and new are just as much different as the old and new Mini, I’d argue that the New Beetle maybe more successfully inherited the spirit of the old, plus added another dimension of personality. I’d even say that the New Beetle is more true to the spirit that people remembered or thought of when considering the old, than the old actual was. Fun, quirky, cute, etc. When in fact the old was more crappy and cheap in reality, but fun, quirky, cute in memory.
Thoughts?
R
PS. I should note I’m a bit biased. I had a New Beetle in University when they first came out. Loved the car.Considering that was 12 years ago and it’s virtually unchanged, I’d say it even has some “classic” design status though of course nothing close to the original.
I wonder how many “new” beetles will still be on the road in say 20 to 30 years, ghod knows there are millions of the old ones still huffing along.
A lot, I’d guess. The fact that the design is unchanged for so long and still looks “new” (compare to most other 1998 cars), that they are relatively well made (usual VW problems aside), and that most owners probably have a personal relationship of sorts with the car because of the personality of it - they are probably well taken care of. Doesn’t hurt most are driven by nice young and old ladies 
I’ve only seen a few New Beetle rustbuckets. Compared to even the amount of 1998 BMWs and Benzes I’ve seen that are crap, I think that’s pretty significant. Let alone to cars in it’s price range such as Hondas, etc.
R
PS. My mom also has a New Beetle about 6 years old. Convertible Turbo. Orange. I think she has only 20,000 km on it! She’s looking for a new car though, but I’m trying to suggest for her to keep it. She wants a TT. Ha!
I wonder how many “new” beetles will still be on the road in say 20 to 30 years, ghod knows there are millions of the old ones still huffing along.
I would think that holds true with just about anything built after 1990, don’t you. All of those plastic parts sure aren’t going to have the shelf life that old iron has. Steel and cast zinc may corrode, but at least is doen’t crumble to dust like engineering plastics do. Can you imagine trying to find one of these to keep your “old” Volvo on the street in 2056?
There are two guys that restore and/or build hot rods for a living in the industrial park where my shop is located. Last week they rolled an essentially derelict '63 Ford Galaxy off of a trailer. Dexter told me that he paid $1,100 for it, just to get the stainless side trim strips off of it … the reproduction parts are double that amount. That “they” even make re-pop trim strips for a 47 year old vehicle is pretty amazing unto itself.
Gearheads are an odd lot so I suspect that today’s are going to have their favorites as well, but they’ll have to be incredibly resourceful to find parts for them in 40 years.
By then it will be nanobot rapid prototyping, just need a 3 d scan and your wayback machine.
By then it will be nanobot rapid prototyping, just need a 3 d scan and your wayback machine.
yeah, I s’pose so … if you can find something to scan to begin with.
ebay 
I wonder why it is that driving has become such a chore. Is it because the car has been around for so long, virtually unchanged that we (collectively as a culture) are tired of it and ready to move on? Do we drive more often now, getting tired of it as individuals?
It’s a chore because it isn’t fun anymore… which, I suppose, comes in part from maturing as a person.
"I’ll > never > grow up! > _ Peter Pan
Which is a segue to yo and pook’s project and one that I’d like to pursue.
Given my earlier comment re: regulations regarding emissions, bumper requirements, fuel-mileage, etc. I took the opportunity to grill my “shop” neighbors regarding a project car… in particular the engine/drive-train. Since these guys build custom cars for a living I figured they’d have the inside skinny on the “cans and can’ts” of it in California.
I’d like to build something along the lines of an old Miller (open wheel, open cockpit) and I’d like to power it with an old 1600cc cross-flow, in-line 4 (a twin-cam Lotus if I can find one), or barring that, a “hot” OHV version as used in Formula Ford. No electronic ignition, etc., just basic normally aspirated engine, connected to the rear wheels, through a 4-speed manual transmission, in a 1,000-1,200 chassis. Great engine noises (especially if a DOHC can be found), great power-to-weight,and pure grins.
But here is what I learned; unless a “similar previously registered vehicle, of pre-1969 vintage” can be obtained to start from, it would not be legal to register for street-use in the State of California. Put another way, if I bought a 1967 Ford Pinto (in order to get the drive-train for this project) and fabricate a one-off chassis, it could not be registered in because in California, it is the vehicle, not the engine that is registered.
Dex is in the process of chopping and slamming a '51 Lincoln, it will have a late model 350 Chevrolet and Corvette drive train (including independent rear suspension) under it. No smog certificate will be required because it is a 1951 Lincoln…
Make no sense to me… but sure takes the fun out of “motoring”.
What you need is something with a frame rail structure, so get in the way back machine and snoop for a 30’early 50’s ride. Remember a lot of euro trash even in the 60’s had separate frames, heck all lotus’s up until the 90’s did. As for a engine, just because a motor came from the factory with fuel injection and every tech gizmo, that don’t mean it wont run if given spark, fuel and air.
ohhhh, I know… … [insert whiney-face emoticon] I’m just lamenting not being able to build anything we want due to legislative BS. … .
I just have an urge for something with points, plugs and a condenser. A couple of dual-throat Webers would be nice too. … . you know, with main jets and stuff to tinker with. And maybe a dry-sump oil system? 
Seems to me a race rigged (ie dry sump) fiat 124 or alfa would be the ticket. The 124/131 motors were damn solid if you just changed the oil or used mobile 1 in them.