One of my readers bolled me over with his E-mail! He wasn't looking for advice, as I had first thought, he was looking for kudos (praise)!

He writes: I guess you wanted me to give you a run down on the 76 van since I've put it into Simi-retirement. I still use it to work and back. Well, as far as I can figure the truck has had seven clutches, four that I have put in since I've had it, and the first 160 thousand miles I guess my father had to put in at least three. As far as total mileage, I think we lost track since my niece had the truck in Denver while the speedometer cable was disconnected. Maybe one day I'll ask her to give us a guesstamate as to how long or how many miles she put on it.

My father really did take good care of it, but after a 170 thousand miles the engine had a few loose pieces in her, like rings, tappets, pistons, etc., so in 1989 I put about 1300 dollars in it to tighten it up. But it still was an old engine with tight parts, and it still starts right up. Granted it leaks and burns oil a bit. I haven't been able to smog it for the last five years so it's registered in a neighboring county. Shhhhhh!

Anyway, as the years have gone by, other things have cropped up. For example, a fuel line collapsed one time and I thought the engine timing went out, cause it was full of gas and it wouldn't start. Another time the clutch assembly, at the floorboard, went out and I had to seek out a welder to fix it up. Now the linkage, by the transmission, is worn out and I've got it tied together with heavy gauge, wire hanger. Every couple of months it wears out and I've got to replace it. The emergency brake is broke (gears worn, wont stay down); it's just another brake peddle. The driver side door doesn't have a latch, so I use budgie cord attached to the seat to keep the door shut. My seat belt has long ago failed to keep me in on those sharp right turns. The side sliding door shut one day a couple of years ago and it has never opened up since. Oh, I almost forgot! The gas pedal linkage is shot also -- got that jimmiriged too. I must have put in at least four or five U-joints in it since we've had it. Our mechanic said one of them was original equipment. That was 60,000 miles ago.

Other than those few minor inconveniences, its a pretty good drive!

EDITOR'S NOTE:
This is an amazing anecdote! The American experience with import cars is that we, like lambs being led to the slaughter, came to accept the concept of "throw away vehicles". At 100,000 miles they self destruct and are ready for that huge salvage yard in the sky!