The complexity of Cars.

[mraitch]

So, I was trying to adjust the door pull on my new 1970. Couldn't see an easy way, so I took the whole thing out. And, just that whole mechanism is really complex. Probably 30-40 distinct parts just to open the ?? door, from inside and out.

Just got to thinking how really complex all cars are. And that in reality the engine is quite simple. It's all the rest of the car is more complex.

FWIW

[C.Costine]

So, I was trying to adjust the door pull on my new 1970. Couldn't see an easy way, so I took the whole thing out. And, just that whole mechanism is really complex. Probably 30-40 distinct parts just to open the ?? door, from inside and out.

Just got to thinking how really complex all cars are. And that in reality the engine is quite simple. It's all the rest of the car is more complex.

FWIW

Yes, most things are very complex but if you go back to the early days you can see the step by step year by year simple improvements.

[redroadster]

Yeah its engineering...
Some big factories take 3 yrs to build , and 5-6 yrs to plan
Most flagship cars like. The Roadster , Z, 3000 GT, eclipse, rx7,supra , many subaru' s even were big $$ loosers for the company . even though generaly they were trouble free or good cars
Since 90 there's ABS, SRS, SWS, VVT , ecu Evap, ECUs with fuzzy logic , gateway ECUs, pretension seat belts, imoblizer systems, chip keys ,HID headlites, all wheel drive viscouse coupling ,incar. Built in telephone and indash internet (S430 lexus)
Ecu control exhaust & aero, 4wheel steering (vr4 3000gt) engine balance shafts, twin turbo intercoolers, dampener clutched torque conv. Knock,crank, cam, outside temp, bumper radar ft. &rear , auto park steering sensors ,pulse generators
Fingerprint id starting ....thats enough

[Toptech360]

Modern engines are no longer simple either....but otherwise yes I agree with your sentiments. I love the primitive design of old cars.

[theunz]

As one who first started driving in the late 60's simplicity is I what know, and what endears my roadster to me. Even something as convoluted as the door latch mechanism is still simple to figure out compared to electronics when they fail.

[mraitch]

It oft occurs to me, that the simplicity (?) will keep these cars on the road, way past modern ones. Look at all the old bentleys (centennial this year) that are still running, even RACING. Sure, expensive to maintain, perhaps, but simple in the fulfillment of their design and materials. Steel, wood, leather, simple electrics. I doubt that ANY modern Bentley will be around in 50 years, or fewer. It's hard enough to find technology to read older electronics, 8" disks, even probably 3 1/2 - so the simplicity of our little cars, unless rust takes its due, are likely to stay around for at least the centennial of the roadster - 2065 - I won't be there of course - but WOW - I would LOVE to be there to present Eliza. Hopefully someone else will take her on once I have joined the immortal 'bereft of life' Norwegian Blue.

[Gregs672000]

I hear you all on this, having just rebuilt my engine. It's a very simple engine, but it is becoming harder and harder to find machine shops. For the Roadster I have taken advantage of newer technology over the years, mainly a wideband O2 sensor and megajolt for ignition. I really like and need the megajolt to run this engine, but as I was hooking up my old Toshiba laptop running a very old version of Windows to read and adjust the timing map, I realized that if this computer ever dies on me I may have trouble finding another. And if the MJ craps out or wiring goes bad, it won't be a "side of the road" fix. Fortunately they built it off a of very well established and a proven reliable Ford system. I know what it's like trying to set up carb jetting without the wideband, and I can't imagine breaking in and pushing a new high compression engine without being able to immediately read my A/F ratio.

I do enjoy the less maintenance of more modern cars though. Both our '98 BMW Z3 and the '06 Mazda 3 are very low maintenance, and I can still do many of the remove and replace of bad parts if needed. With the code readers today, you have a better idea of what to look for (usually). I have enjoyed watching TV shows that follow building a car from start to finish, and it's quite amazing.

[redroadster]

Modern engines are no longer simple either....but otherwise yes I agree with your sentiments. I love the primitive design of old cars.

The biggest downfall of easy to work on engines was the switch to front wheel drive, and the caged engine ,then the 40mph crash tests
And the discovery that if the engine filled up under hood it did much better in that crash.
I kinda got my spot wrenching because most older techs (35& up )wanted out of the FWD movement