I'd love to try an Eagle Talon TSI. Turbocharged, 5 speed, all wheel drive. They were the scourge of the IMSA Radial Sedan series. They were forced to run lower boost and narrower tires. Not even 1st gen M3's could keep up!
What did I say to my wife yesterday? We need less stuff in our house.
What did I do today? Bought another camera.
Do I need another camera? No, we have a house full of them, from those hundred-year-old folding models with the cloth bellows to today’s high-tech digital workhorses.
So why did I buy another camera? To experience a legendary piece of equipment that at one point sat totally beyond my means.
I have always shot Canon cameras because that’s what my dad has always used. Like father, like son, right?
In 1971, Canon launched its first real professional model. It was simply called the F-1, and this all-manual brick of a camera was designed to go anywhere under any conditions, literally from the Olympics to the battlefield.
Canon rated the camera’s shutter for 100,000 cycles and said that you could use it in conditions south of 0 degrees. Another promise to pro photographers: It would stay in production unchanged for 10 years, so no worries about gear going out of date. And what did Canon do after those 10 years? It released a similar yet totally updated F-1 that, again, would remain in production for a decade.
This model carried an appropriate cost, too. In 1973, a new Honda Civic stickered around $2000. At the same time, you could buy a Canon F-1 with a short lens for about $600–that’s more than $3600 in today’s dollars. Even when I started shooting in the ’80s, such gear fell well beyond my budget.
Fast-forward to today, and film photography is hip again. We even have a custom film lab not 5 minutes from my house, and we don’t even live in a real city (sorry not sorry).
Lately, I have been thinking about getting back into film. I have all of these old cameras–including the Canon A-1 that got me through school–so why not experience them once again?
I admit, digital makes too much sense. You take the photo and then immediately upload it for the world to see. No wait, no expense.
But it’s not quite the same. Maybe it’s the difference between clicking an icon to play an audio file versus firing up the turntable.
I recently wondered, how much would it cost to go back in time and experience Canon’s legend? How do those 10,000 parts come together to produce that satisfying click?
Well, as my eBay history shows, you can now buy an F-1 for $217.44 with free shipping. It’s not a perfect example–the seller, one of the biggest names in used gear, labels its condition as Bargain: “70 to 79 percent of original condition and priced to sell.”
That’s fine. I like things that have a story to tell. Again, it’s all about the experience.
Why today’s interest in older cars–older as in from the ’80s and ’90s? The experience. Maybe you wanted one back in the day and couldn’t afford it, or perhaps you’d like to see what it’s like to turn back the clock a bit.
Fortunately, those days gave us some of the coolest cars. We were there, and I have been lucky to own some of the day’s greatest hits–machines sporting model designations like Si, SE-R and GTI.
Are those cars fast by today’s standards? No, not really. A new minivan is likely quicker. Anything EV would destroy them.
But those older cars have an appeal that goes beyond numbers. They’re simple, fun and light on their feet as they’re not weighted down with too much extra gear. Thin roof pillars and low beltlines deliver airy cockpits. Looking back, even something that seemed mundane at the time, like a flip-up-headlight Accord, now has a retro coolness thanks to the same traits.
And I totally get it. Everything sitting in our garage can be tied together with a simple theme: cars I couldn’t have back in the day.
My advice for those disenchanted by the rising prices in that segment: You’ll find something–maybe not your unicorn, but something that you’ll be proud to own and show. Or maybe it will be something from the bargain bin that has a few stories to tell. Ping me online and we can go shopping together.
Don’t worry, though, I’m not there bidding against you. I’ve ticked most of the boxes off my list–although, thinking back, I never did get my dream car from my school days, Mazda’s then-new 323 GTX. It offered all-wheel drive, turbo power and all the rally cred. At the time, though, I could only afford a pair of Chuck Taylors and, eventually, a used Accord.
[Mazda 323 GTX | Vintage Views]
Not sure if I’ll fire up the time machine and search for that little Mazda. I think that ship has sailed, as today’s examples carry prices well outside my comfort zone for an impulse purchase. But, someday, it might be fulfilling to just experience one.
I'd love to try an Eagle Talon TSI. Turbocharged, 5 speed, all wheel drive. They were the scourge of the IMSA Radial Sedan series. They were forced to run lower boost and narrower tires. Not even 1st gen M3's could keep up!
Since you touched on it; the picture below is from a glass plate negative, taken by my Great Grandfather, Clatonia Doritcos, he was the town photographer in Newton NJ. The young lady on the left is his daughter (my Grandmother) Josephine Dorticos. We have no idea who the guy is. Digital is not film...............I total get why you'd want to get back into it.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
There is a GTX for sale on the interwebs right now that even includes a handful of spare transmissions...
You're well aware of my feelings with regards to 90s Mazda hatches, I'll take the more mundane BG chassis 323, swap in a BP, add a BP26 manifold and mild boost. Now if only I was still able to get some of those Jim Pierce front controll arms and subframes...
Id still love a structurally and mechanically sound NX2000 or Volvo 240, but I'd need to clear the deck of other projects first. We'll likely be onto reminiscing about post Y2K cars by the time that happens.
So on the topics of wants; the 356 is now out, I've pretty much given up on 911s as well. As I've posted elsewhere I may go with a 914 or 912E.
In the meantime I consoled myself with a one of Mongoose's new retro BMX bikes, because at $450 how could I say no.
As for cars I'm thinking a late 80s or early 90s car may be the way to go for cheapskates like me. There is still stuff available for 10K-ish.
I'm still pretty young, so it's hard to say which cars from my youth I want the most, but I can reflect on shooting with film.
A month or two ago I took the plunge into film photography and bought a Pentax K1000. Probably one of the best decisions I've made in a while.
Took a family vacation to Los Angeles a few weeks ago, and although I have plenty of digital pics on my phone, having physical photographs to show my kid when she gets older is something special.
I love film. Even black and white.
My dad stated they visited the graveyards every Sunday after Catholic Mass. So much they took pics. Figure in the 1940's?
No nostalgia for film here -- glad to be rid of it.
I do love my FD though! They were new right when I graduated from college and started shopping for my first car, but I couldn't afford one and thought 2-seaters were "too impractical" at that point anyway.
Why do we buy them? Pop up headlights is part of it. :)
My son shoots with a Red. I have no capability to relate to a $60,000 camera.
But he also shoots with an old school Polaroid.
He can edit audio on the highest end equipment, but still spins vinyl.
Isn't this a great time we are living in??
I just want Godzilla. Is that too much to ask?
All the cars I'd like to buy now are WAY too expensive, like a Mk4 Supra Turbo 6MT, or an NSX, or a 928 GTS MT, etc, etc...
In 1995, I had the chance to buy a 71 Challenger RT ragtop. All original, B1 blue, no rust, 383 w/ pistol grip. I remember it being a PIA to shift! But I just bought my first house and couldn't swing another loan. Guy wanted 16.5k...
Problem as I see it is that you need to take 10 shots to get a good one, and 100 to get a great one. That costs more than I'm willing to spend (Although I recently paid about $300 to repair my Minolta SRT102.)
The other downside is you don't know if you got the picture you wanted until a week later.
IMO this differs from vinyl or an old car, where the experience is immediate
twentyover said:The other downside is you don't know if you got the picture you wanted until a week later.
You can get the results faster if you do your own developing, but that's a whole 'nother hobby.
Small update:
Like two weeks ago, I went to a photo gear swap meet hosted by the camera shop in Orlando. It was mostly older people selling to younger people--lots of film cameras plus some darkroom gear. Felt nostalgic to pick up some metal film developing reels.
I was just looking, though. :)
David S. Wallens said:I was just looking, though. :)
Yeah like the same way our dogs are looking when we are cooking.
In reply to Colin Wood :
although I have plenty of digital pics on my phone, having physical photographs to show my kid when she gets older is something special.
You're doing a great thing there. I've always loved looking through my parents' bins and albums full of physical family photos with them.
Heck, even though I haven't used a film camera since high school, I still send my favorite digital photos off for printing from time to time and put them in an album I got at Goodwill. Flipping through that album and passing it around at a gathering just makes reliving the good times easier than trying to pick through photos on a phone.
In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :
That's the sauce, and it has a much stronger transmission and center differential.
My dad passed a coupe years ago and I now have close to 14,000 slides to go through. They go back to the late 40s. It is a complete family history and a history of my dad. His last roll of slide film was shot about 6 months before he passed. He kept perfect records. Each slide has the date and who/where it was taken. I am now digitizing them and getting prints made of some for the rest of the family. We are so lucky he did this and did it with a non digital medium.
Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:
Not the first 323 GTX that someone has sent my way after reading that column. Honestly, I don't have the hots for one as much as I did back then. We'll see what the future brings.
Hey David:
Cars and cameras, oh my. I've had some very cool cars way back in time - first new car was a '66 GT 350, bought in November '66 and got an incredible deal. I've had three Lotus, fifteen Alfas, the list goes on. There are several cars I wish I had back - especially the GT 350 I rallied and the Lotus 11 I raced, but these days I find the old cars I'd like to have were ones I completely ignored back then. Two examples - Volvo 123 GT and Studebaker Lark Wagonaire. The Volvo is so understated that it's cool, and the Stude has a roof that rolls forward - how cool is that! I do still lust after a Lotus Elan +2 that I saw at the factory when I picked up my '68 Europa. I've never owned a VW, but I think a Squareback would be really fun to have - a mini-Nomad. Dreams.
Cameras - I started shooting professionally with a Pentax Spotmatic. I upgraded to a Canon F1 when I realized that Canon supported its shooters at F1 races with loaner lenses. That was all it took to get me to upgrade, although I kept the Takumar 400 mm lens to use with my F1. I grew further into film photography when I bought a Bronica, then another one. Actually won awards with my medium format photos. Then I got hired to drive and write about other people's really cool cars, and I had to go digital - still with Canon, a 5D MK II. My film cameras just sat and sat until one of the most respected used camera dealers came up to a hotel near me and bought all my film cameras and lenses except one - my Rolleiflex. I think I need to get some medium format film, clean that camera, and shoot with it again. The 5D is a great camera and it does the job I need it to do, but I don't feel like I'm creating with it. But the Rolleiflex - that's a real camera, just like the Volvo, Studebaker, and Elan +2 are real cars.
Ciao, my Friend.
Mike Hemsley
I think for me it's the analog aspect since today's cars are so bogged down with safety stuff and electronic features. As crazy as it seems, I miss the Geo Metro hatch I had with no power steering and a 1 liter 3 cylinder. Thing weighed 1800 lbs soaking weight.
Probably 15 years ago at this point but I had a chance to buy a 84 MR2 for $1500 bucks. I ultimately passed on it. Doh.
jerel77494 said:I'd love to try an Eagle Talon TSI. Turbocharged, 5 speed, all wheel drive. They were the scourge of the IMSA Radial Sedan series. They were forced to run lower boost and narrower tires. Not even 1st gen M3's could keep up!
They're a lot of fun. I'd own another one.
This decision was pretty easy for me, I got into 15-20 year old cars 15-20 years ago, and never looked back. Between the NB and Mk4, could have pretty much enjoyed them for free at this point, stupid market making those things expensive now.
I'm only griping because I wouldn't mind a little variety, but I'm in the same boat as a fan of 80's / 90's Japanese cars, pretty much all of it is overpriced now. My first Supra cost me $1000... and was CLEAN. That same car would be $5k minimum now.
Mndsm said:jerel77494 said:I'd love to try an Eagle Talon TSI. Turbocharged, 5 speed, all wheel drive. They were the scourge of the IMSA Radial Sedan series. They were forced to run lower boost and narrower tires. Not even 1st gen M3's could keep up!
They're a lot of fun. I'd own another one.
I saw one competing today at Super Lab Battle at COTA, can't remember the last time I saw one on the street.
I found my "want" from HS a few years back....right around the same time another article on Grassroots was featured - 1989 Toyota Supra Turbo. I must admit it was a bit disappointing when I first got it (someone said something about not meeting your heros?) but making incremental "updates" for the past couple of years has made it an interesting drive. My wife, who wasn't thrilled about it, now prefers to ride in it when it's just the two of us.
Great story David - thanks for sharing.
It's great to see reliving our old history and the youth today wanting to learn things "non digital".
Even our digital camera's now don't get attention because our phones take great pictures.
Going back for the car I couldn't afford - there were so many. I miss my 75 Camaro 350 4 speed and my 69 Impala 2 dr 327 from high school. I always wanted a big block 68 or 69 Impala with hideaway headlights. Also when the GMC Syclone came out, I could have worked overtime for the payment but the insurance was out of reach for someone young with speeding tickets.
In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :
To just what interweb (website) are you referring?
I lived with a 323 gtx long enough that I know I don't want to go back to that abusive codependent relationship. I mean yeah it *was* fun, yaknow, the good times....but then there were the not-good times..
Jay_W said:I lived with a 323 gtx long enough that I know I don't want to go back to that abusive codependent relationship. I mean yeah it *was* fun, yaknow, the good times....but then there were the not-good times..
Sounds a lot like my C4 ZR-1 experience.
Cameras - eventually got out of film some years ago along with those cameras, although I still have one - a Calypso underwater camera made for Cousteau - after a year or two they sold the rights to Nikon and it came out as the Nikonos - the second (or first, depending on whether you view them as the same camera) underwater 35 mm camera that didn't need a separate housing. Still have a few early digital cameras, since replaced.
Cars - missed out on some I really wanted. Had a shot at a Maserati Ghibli coupe with the 4.9 but made the 'sensible' (in retrospect foolish) decision to sell the car I had first (Jensen Interceptor convert) and missed out on it Hate to think what it is worth today. Lucked out and came across a Lamborghini Islero S shortly afterward and bought it so the car Gods were watching over me.
Always pondered owning a classic Aston, had to walk away from a race prepared early AC Cobra for $30K - wonder what that would bring today? Everything I like enough to own seems to be too rare to find, although I have had a few of the rare ones (Swallow Doretti - one of 276, TVR Grantura Mk 3 (92 made) , the Islero (100 made), Jensen CV8 (500 made).
Guess I needed a farm with lots of dry barns and a giant bankroll to get all the cars I wanted at one time or other.
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