How To Drive Your Old Car

You know how to drive, right? Grab the wheel, turn left to go left, push on the pedal on the right to make the car go, push on the one on the left to make it stop, grab that lever and change gears—it’s all the same. Or is it?

I was talking with my buddy Nick Seybold the other day and he said that he thought it might be a good idea to write an article offering some tips on how enthusiasts can better enjoy their old vehicles. Like you, I figured that most folks who own old cars are pretty decent drivers who know all the quirks and idiosyncrasies of their machines, but Nick’s experience suggests that there is room for improvement. Nick’s family, as you know if you’re a regular reader, is one of the country’s more noteworthy car restorers, specializing in 1940 and 1941 Buicks. Nick has probably driven more old cars than most of us, and he’s certainly repaired more old cars than any of us. So when he said he often replaces the clutches on these old cars due to “operator error,” we agreed that it could be a great topic for an editorial.

THE CLUTCH

When these old cars were built, driving conditions were much different than they are today. It was rare to be able to cruise at much more than 30 or 40 MPH for any extended period of time, so most cars were geared for easy around-town driving and relatively low speeds. Engine technology of the time is another factor—to help get those heavy cars rolling, the engines needed a lot of torque. Of course, they didn’t have useful torque-building things like high compression and computer-designed camshafts. What they did have was leverage, so most old car engines use extremely long strokes to make torque at very low engine speeds.

When you combine tall gears with high torque/low RPM engines, you get smoked clutches when drivers think they’re driving a typical modern car. What Nick suggests to anyone who drives an old car is letting the clutch out just off idle and adding throttle as necessary. The low-end torque and gears should be sufficient to get you rolling, and once the clutch is fully engaged, then you can add more throttle. This is in contrast to modern cars where the usual technique is to wind up the engine and gradually release the clutch, letting the weight of the car pull the engine down instead of engaging the clutch and letting the engine pull the weight of the car up to speed. Spend as little time as possible using the clutch and try to eliminate slipping the clutch which only accelerates wear on these ancient parts. Let the clutch grab, put the engine’s torque work for you, then add throttle.

Or you can keep paying Nick to replace your clutch—he can always use the cash.

BRAKES

Like the clutch, the brakes in our old cars were designed to accommodate very different situations than they face today. Even at their best, old car brakes are only marginal for modern traffic conditions and if you try to use them like a modern braking system, you’ll find yourself in deep trouble very quickly. Nick points out the obvious: leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you (I know, there’s always that jerk who jumps in your “safety zone” thinking it’s an unused patch of highway, but do the best you can) and plan your stops. If you’re coming up to an intersection, even if you have a green light, assume that it’ll be red when you get there. If there’s a bus up ahead, expect it to stop. If traffic is slowing down, slow down twice as fast.

Nick is quick to point out that well-maintained brakes on any old car should be sufficient for at least one decent panic stop and that most hydraulic systems are capable of locking the tires up. But they’ll only do it once, and only if they’re not overheated. Brake maintenance is so often overlooked that in the Seybold shop, they make a point to check every car’s braking system whether it’s there for brake repairs or not. It’s important.

Maintenance is simple. Check the entire system for leaks (if it’s hydraulic) or damaged parts. Make sure the brake shoes have enough material on them, and be sure it is the correct material. A lot of modern materials, while great for modern cars, will wreck the stopping ability of an old braking system. Sometimes technology isn’t your friend. On hydraulic systems, bleed the brakes regularly, especially if the car is stored for any extended period of time. Water and air can destroy the brake system from the inside out and the first time you notice a problem, it’s already too late.

ENGINE

When these old engines were built, there was no way of maintaining the incredibly tight tolerances modern engines use. That wasn’t a flaw or a shortcoming, and the engines were designed to compensate for that. In addition, modern oils are vastly superior, yet are designed for a completely different set of operating conditions. Nick recommends thicker oils for old engines, especially those that are still running on original bearings and seals. If you’re running 10W30 and wonder about low oil pressure, try some 20W50 to compensate for wear and make the engine last a while longer.

CARBURETORS

If you ask someone to rebuild your carburetor and you expect to bolt it on right out of the box and have it work perfectly, Nick wants the rebuilder’s name. In the real world, it just doesn’t work that way. All carburetors need adjustment and tuning once they’re rebuilt and installed on an engine. Every engine is different, even in two seemingly identical vehicles. So why would you assume that a “best guess” setting on a carburetor would be ideal for your unique car? Fortunately, tuning old carburetors is a fairly easy task (they were designed to be adjusted), and most shop manuals cover the procedure in detail.

STEERING

Manual steering can work quite well. Like all the other parts of your old car, it was designed to be functional as-is, and if it is in serviceable condition, there’s no reason why it should be difficult to operate. Nick suggests keeping the front tires inflated to 36-38 PSI to make it easier to turn the wheels at low speeds and reduce friction. He also recommends getting the car rolling as you turn the wheel as opposed to trying to crank it at a dead stop. You’ll be surprised by how much easier it is to turn a rolling tire, even if it is just barely rolling.

Another side benefit to not cranking on your manual steering is preserving your original or restored steering wheel. Nick has the ability to recast the plastic steering wheels in the 1940-41 Buicks, and it isn’t cheap. Cranking on it while the car is stopped is a sure-fire way to crack it. He also advises caution when it is freezing outside—plastic is notorious for being brittle at cold temperatures, especially these old plastic and hard rubber wheels with imperfect ancient technology behind them.

And one other thing: don’t use the steering wheel to heave yourself into the car.

SAFETY

A recent collision involving a 1929 Duesenberg J dual cowl phaeton that left two children orphaned shouldn’t be the wake-up call that we need to be safe in our old cars. And old cars aren’t the problem—the drivers around us who don’t understand the limitations of old cars are the dangerous ones. It’s not their fault, they really don’t know any better. But if you’re aware, there are things you can do to improve your safety on the road.

Nick’s first point is that the brake lights on old cars are often tiny and located low and out of the normal field of vision. Add some 6-volt electrical systems and 20 candlepower bulbs, and you have a car that is nearly invisible in the dark until it’s too late. Short of modifying your car, the best you can do is be aware, slow down and do all you can to stay out of traffic’s way. If possible, stay off main highways and stick to less densely traveled surface streets, and drive during off-peak hours. Minimize your night driving and always keep an eye on your rear-view mirror.

The best protection you can have is being alert—you can’t drive an old car and talk on a cell phone, apply make-up or read the newspaper. Why would you even try?

Big thanks to Nick Seybold for the tips and inspiration for this month's editorial. He's been a great resource and a great friend on my project. Guys like Nick and his family are part of why old cars are such a great hobby. Besides, who would I turn to when I can't figure out how to put something back together again if Nick weren't around to answer my questions? Thanks, Nick!

See you next month!

(And thanks to all of you dropping your change in the tip cup and shopping at Eastwood! It definitely makes a difference. In fact, I just got my first check from Eastwood. Though it probably wouldn't even buy me a tank of gas in the Buick, every little bit helps. Thank you!)

E-mail me at toolman8@sbcglobal.net

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Last modified on 08/15/2005

Thanks, Fidget!