Re: Survival rates of pre-war cars

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2011/1/11 18:11:09

Cars used to have a MUCH shorter life. Some years back a noted custom car designer from the classic era, was invited to a car show featuring his designs. He remarked that they never expected the cars to last 50 years or more. If they thought about it at all they would have figured ten years, tops. Most buyers of custom body cars replaced them every year or 2.

Typical life of a twenties or thirties car, seven or eight years and 60,000 to 80,000 miles. If a car lasted 100,000 miles it was a miracle.

I have some old garage trade magazines from 1937 and 38. They are filled with ads for patent valve stem seals, and special piston rings that will stop oil burning without reboring the cylinders, and piston skirt expanders to stop piston slap. Articles on engine repair take it for granted that every car will need an engine overhaul after 20,000 to 30,000 miles. Tune up every 5000 to 10000 including a carburetor overhaul. Life of fuel pump, starter, generator, 10,000 to 20,000 miles. Tires 5000 miles.

Even 50 years ago there were 10 times as many garages around as there are today even though there were only half as many cars. Cars of the fifties and sixties required that much more service and repair compared to today's and even then, they were much more reliable than prewar cars. Even so they were far inferior to anything made today in terms of trouble free driving.

Today those garages are all donut shops, pet grooming parlors or convenience stores.