I miss the old floor board high beam switch

[OUCaptain]

It's one thing I miss the most about my old '80 Ford truck. It had one of those indestructible button switches to flip high beams on and off. So much more pleasure was brought by reaching over there and stomping that sucker at the asshat coming over the hill pointing an artificial sun at your retinas. My jeep has never felt right without it.

 

[nakedfrog]

I bet you could install one
I've had a couple vehicles that featured them.

 

[OUCaptain]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
I bet you could install one
I've had a couple vehicles that featured them.

Oh believe me. The thought has crossed my mind.

 

[overst33r]

the hell is you guys tolkin' bout?

<<<< '87 baby

 

[Zenmervolt]

Reminds me of an older joke...

Q: Why don't rednecks like the new steering column high-beam switch?
A: Their foot keeps getting caught in the steering wheel.

ZV

 

[OUCaptain]

Hey wait!!! You callin me a rednek, city boy?

 

[LTC8K6]

Install a starter switch while you're at it...

 

[radioouman]

My Duster had one of those... I miss it too!

 

[mooseracing]

It was carried up into the late 90's, not really that old.

I like them but replacing the rotted harness gets old.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: mariok2006
the hell is you guys tolkin' bout?

<<<< '87 baby

<---- 86 and I know what he is talking about....the lights became epic beams!

 

[thedarkwolf]

What 90s cars still had them? Newest car I've had with one was my 81 dodge mirada. Miss them too.

 

[Throckmorton]

What is the purpose of that? So you can use the highbeam without taking your hands off the wheel?

 

[OUCaptain]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
What is the purpose of that? So you can use the highbeam without taking your hands off the wheel?

Thats my guess. Left over from the days of 10 ton land yaughts with no power steering.

 

[Iron Woode]

I have one on my 1979 Chrysler.

Indestructible? no way. I had a hard time replacing one way back in the late 80's on my 1968 Buick.

Did you know there was a Chrysler option for a radio tuner on the floor near the high beam switch?

I'll tell you what I miss:

- side vent windows

- dash mounted ignition switch

- solid steel cars

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I'll tell you what I miss:

- solid steel cars

Dude with the amount cars weigh now and people griping about that and gas mileage can you imagine what would happen if cars went back to no plastic again

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
What 90s cars still had them? Newest car I've had with one was my 81 dodge mirada. Miss them too.

That's what I'd like to know out of curiousity.

I know Chevy and Ford trucks had long ago done away with them by the 90's.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I have one on my 1979 Chrysler.

Indestructible? no way. I had a hard time replacing one way back in the late 80's on my 1968 Buick.

Did you know there was a Chrysler option for a radio tuner on the floor near the high beam switch?

I'll tell you what I miss:

- side vent windows

- dash mounted ignition switch

- solid steel cars

Add to that DRIP RAILS. That is one thing I hate about newer cars. I like to have the windows down. Even when it is hot I prefer to drive with the windows down and the wing window open to keep the noise level low. Without drip rails when ever there is even a light mist out then you get wet because the water drips right in the window and lands on your arm. It is annoying.

And before all the little kiddies who have no practical experience tell me I get worse gas mileage with the windows down I can simply tell you you are WRONG. A little knowledge is a bad thing and physics applied wrong results in incorrect answers. I have NEVER had a car that got better mileage with the windows up and the AC on. I have tested all of them over long distances at highway speeds and AC off windows down results in the highest mileage in every car I have ever tested it in.

 

[rh71]

reminds me of the 86 Cutlass Supreme of my dad's I drove around. I was like 17 or something and it was on its last legs... but no - they don't make em like that anymore.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
What 90s cars still had them? Newest car I've had with one was my 81 dodge mirada. Miss them too.

That's what I'd like to know out of curiousity.

I know Chevy and Ford trucks had long ago done away with them by the 90's.

I am not sure what he is thinking about because from my recollection once the multifunction switch started being used in the steering column in the late 70s early 80s the floor mounted switch basically disappeared by the mid 80s, in fact I cannot even think of an 80s car that had a floor mounted switch (but that doesn't mean they don't exist). Remember there is no "flash to pass" with a floor mounted switch. My 85 Mustang GT had the column mounted switch as did my moms 79 Ford Fairmont. Trucks were the last to have them as I remember.

 

[OUCaptain]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
What 90s cars still had them? Newest car I've had with one was my 81 dodge mirada. Miss them too.

That's what I'd like to know out of curiousity.

I know Chevy and Ford trucks had long ago done away with them by the 90's.

I am not sure what he is thinking about because from my recollection once the multifunction switch started being used in the steering column in the late 70s early 80s the floor mounted switch basically disappeared by the mid 80s, in fact I cannot even think of an 80s car that had a floor mounted switch (but that doesn't mean they don't exist). Remember there is no "flash to pass" with a floor mounted switch. My 85 Mustang GT had the column mounted switch as did my moms 79 Ford Fairmont. Trucks were the last to have them as I remember.

If I remember correctly, my buddies '90 f-150 had one. They stayed in the truck world much longer than passenger cars.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I'll tell you what I miss:

- solid steel cars

Dude with the amount cars weigh now and people griping about that and gas mileage can you imagine what would happen if cars went back to no plastic again

A Dodge Dart with a smallblock V8 weighed around 2800 lbs.

The 1968 Buick (GM A-body) I used to own weighed around 3400 lbs with a 350 V8.

Even my 1979 Chrysler weighs 3400 lbs with smallblock V8.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I'll tell you what I miss:

- solid steel cars

Dude with the amount cars weigh now and people griping about that and gas mileage can you imagine what would happen if cars went back to no plastic again

A Dodge Dart with a smallblock V8 weighed around 2800 lbs.

The 1968 Buick (GM A-body) I used to own weighed around 3400 lbs with a 350 V8.

Even my 1979 Chrysler weighs 3400 lbs with smallblock V8.

They weigh even less now with all the rust falling off.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I'll tell you what I miss:

- solid steel cars

Dude with the amount cars weigh now and people griping about that and gas mileage can you imagine what would happen if cars went back to no plastic again

A Dodge Dart with a smallblock V8 weighed around 2800 lbs.

The 1968 Buick (GM A-body) I used to own weighed around 3400 lbs with a 350 V8.

Even my 1979 Chrysler weighs 3400 lbs with smallblock V8.

My buddy and I were having this conversation on Sunday. His 2004 Cobra weighs 3800 lbs with his skinny ass in it. My Shelby weighs almost 900 lbs less with my fatass in it (Shelby is lighter than most Mustangs with no sound deadener and no options). My old Mustangs weigh in around 3000lbs with a V8. I can easily build a 66 Mustang with a fuel injected V8 and overdrive transmission to get 27+ mpg on the highway. My first 66 coupe got 24 mpg on the highway at 55 with no overdrive and a simple carburetor.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
I'll tell you what I miss:

- solid steel cars

Dude with the amount cars weigh now and people griping about that and gas mileage can you imagine what would happen if cars went back to no plastic again

A Dodge Dart with a smallblock V8 weighed around 2800 lbs.

The 1968 Buick (GM A-body) I used to own weighed around 3400 lbs with a 350 V8.

Even my 1979 Chrysler weighs 3400 lbs with smallblock V8.

My buddy and I were having this conversation on Sunday. His 2004 Cobra weighs 3800 lbs with his skinny ass in it. My Shelby weighs almost 900 lbs less with my fatass in it (Shelby is lighter than most Mustangs with no sound deadener and no options). My old Mustangs weigh in around 3000lbs with a V8. I can easily build a 66 Mustang with a fuel injected V8 and overdrive transmission to get 27+ mpg on the highway. My first 66 coupe got 24 mpg on the highway at 55 with no overdrive and a simple carburetor.

the pre-68 Mustangs were pretty light and nimble cars.

Mopar Action built a 340 Duster with Holley's Projection system way back and it was quite impressive. Fuel economy was far better and idling was vastly improved. Emissions were also better.

Heck my old Volare' station wagon with the slant 6 got pretty darn good mileage.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
What is the purpose of that? So you can use the highbeam without taking your hands off the wheel?

Thats my guess. Left over from the days of 10 ton land yaughts with no power steering.

Most of those land yachts weighed less then modern cars do. Hell, the early I6 Mustangs weighed in at under 2,600 pounds. IIRC even the big blocks were only pushing about 3,000 lbs.

As far as the redneck joke, nah. I'm a redneck myself, at least, according to the city folk I live around now. Personally, I prefer to call myself a "hick".

ZV