Don't Give Up the Car (or Truck)

It breaks my heart to see automotive scrapping rates climbing.  This topic is of particular interest to me, as I develop a kind of emotional attachment to my vehicles. Maybe this is why I still own two pickup trucks from the 1980's, one of which before it came to me had definitely been put through the war.  This will be the truck I focus on, and I think you might get my point after reading it's story.

I purchased my 1988 Dodge Dakota over five years ago for $300.00, put a set of tires on it and have been driving it without issue ever since. Now as time and mileage has passed, the clutch is getting weak and I have quite a project ahead of me to replace it.  Taking into account that it has 190,000 miles on it and has spent every one of those miles in Michigan chances are the bolts, wiring, etc is going to give me a heck of a time.  After five years most of you would be thinking "300 bucks for a truck that lasted five years? He got his money out of it and will make most of it back when he takes it to the scrap yard." However, I am pulling the engine out of the truck to replace the clutch and will "freshen it up" while I have it out, making the truck as reliable a daily driver as most modern vehicles on the road. As a matter of fact the truck gets 23 MPG on the highway, so it's going to save me money...eventually.

My point is that these older vehicles are easier to maintain and when taken care of just as reliable as newer vehicles.  It was painful during the "Cash For Clunkers" campaign to watch good running vehicles that a person of lesser means could have benefited from, destroyed. I understand that only the engines were disabled leading to many valuable parts being spared to keep other peoples older vehicles on the road, but the good running vehicles could have made all the difference to a person getting back on their feet and needing reliable transportation.

Down south, where snow and salt do not have the opportunity to wreak havoc on automobiles, the life expectancy of a vehicle is significantly longer than in northern states. There are a great number of classic cars sitting in salvage yards, ripe for picking and restoration. However, according to my sources that live in the south (my Uncle) these vehicles are being crushed for their scrap metal.  I understand that we can't save them all, but next time your thinking of trading that "clunker" into the local scrap yard, think about how someone might love that vehicle just as you had when you first got it.  You could also hand it down the generations, or just hang onto it, it's always great to have a spare car around. You'll never know when you may need it. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was a naval hero in the Battle of Lake Erie during the U.S. war with England in 1812. The flag he flew from his flagship said "Don't Give Up the Ship" maybe we could put that to use on our older vehicles...just a thought.

I'm all for new cars and trucks, they are bristling with amazing technology, but lets protect our automotive history as well. Save our relics!