As with many other earlier items, which were very substantially built, heavy, and used metal parts, over time the metal has been gradually thinned down and/or eventually replaced by plastic.

The earlier items were made to last, their new incarnations are apparently meant to quickly wear out/quit functioning, and can’t be easily or cheaply repaired, forcing you to buy the new–and usually very expensive–version.

I remember when passing the year 2000 seemed like such a huge milestone…like we were living in the future or something.

That was a quarter of a century ago now.

It used to feel like 20 years was an impossibly long time. Now it’s like “I’ve only got 20 years to get this done? I’d better get on the stick.”

Since the first generation Mustangs were based on the Falcon, the front ends were set up for the weight of a small six, and dropping the weight of a 289 HiPo V-8 on the front end gave it the handling of a Hippo.

Now, I own a four door F-150, and a hatchback Focus. The Police Package option on a Ford is the P71 package. Volvo designed the Focus for Ford, and that little critter is convinced that it is a P71. It wants to go fast!

https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck?si=5EKVIKzMNzLaq4Wr

I was once an EMT back when that was a new thing. Folks didn’t wear seat belts then, and I helped scrape some out of their steel and chrome coffins. Nowadays, a belted occupant often walks away. The passenger compartment is undamaged. It’s a heck of a thing to see.

Not sure she appreciated the lesson. 🙂

Old cars reminded me of this old car song. Don Walser: Hot Rod Mercury. The father of an Algebra I student of mine did the photography for one of Don Walser’s albums. Coincidentally, from that same year I also knew a teacher who was from La Mesa, Don Walser’s downtown. Which has somewhat smaller odds than knowing someone from Houston or Dallas.