It still runs

[DanielC]

My Datsun 521 has been sitting in the Garage, as a long term project for quite a while now. It has been sitting without a battery, because the battery it would not hold a charge, and I turned it in, with some other batteries, and other scrap metal for recycling, and more importantly, cash.

 

I think I moved it into its present location in December of 2008. and it has been sitting there ever since.

 

I do work on a boat my church owns, and the person in charge of the budget for the church boat decided it was time to put a new battery in the church boat, and gave me the old battery from the church boat.

 

So, I put the old church boat battery in the Datsun, poured a little gas down the carburettor, and after a few miss fires, and choking the Datsun, it fired, and ran.

 

Clutch worked good, but the brake pedal went to the floor, without resistance.

 

But it runs!

[datzenmike]

I wonder if one of to-days cars could do that in 40+ years?

[Pumpkn210]

I wonder if one of to-days cars could do that in 40+ years?

Prolly if it was inside.

[DanielC]

Todays cars have a sealed fuel system, so at least you do not have to worry about the gas in the float bowl evaporating, and leaving who knows what down at the bottom of the bowl, covering the jets.

 

All the electronics should last a long time, without current going through them. It is possible a relay contact points could oxidize, but they are pretty well sealed.