other Old Car + Even Older Camera = New Pictures

[Beach_Bum]

Maude got some new additions (H&R sport springs and BBS RM) so I took her out for some photos. For now, I'm happy with the drop. I re-installed all of the rubber spring pads, but I may take the fronts out in the future to get slightly lower. The struts are relatively new thanks to the previous owner, so they stayed. I might go to Bilstein HDs after I've taken care of some other areas on the car.

 

For those interested: I shot these with my Crown Graphic 4x5 on Ektar 100 film.

 

 

 

 

Behind the scenes iPhone shot:

 

[brandon5069]

Love the camera and the car looks great!

 

I find it amazing the amount of dynamic range you have with film and nothing beats that grain.

[M3M3M3]

nice!

where were those taken?

[Beach_Bum]

Love the camera and the car looks great!

 

I find it amazing the amount of dynamic range you have with film and nothing beats that grain.

 

Agreed, I love film. The only time I shoot digital is when I need a quick turn-around.

 

nice!

where were those taken?

 

Thanks! Atlantic Blvd. intracoastal overpass in Jacksonville, FL

[TR]

Very nice.  So many Pros have gone digital I assumed that "film" was now a thing of the past.

[Beach_Bum]

Very nice.  So many Pros have gone digital I assumed that "film" was now a thing of the past.

Happy to say it's still hanging in there!

[MrForce]

The resolution and depth of color are amazing!

[Koblenz]

Beach,  really nice looking car and pic.  Maybe one day the group can meet up and do a photo shoot.

[jrhone]

Very nice.  So many Pros have gone digital I assumed that "film" was now a thing of the past.

 

Pros have gone digital because its cheaper and easier...plus most magazines REFUSE to accept film....I shot for major national publications and I shot 6x7 film...HUGE negatives and they were refused..."We dont want the film...Just upload the digital files to our server...Thanks!"

[zinz]

Mama don't take my Kodachrome awaaaay...

Beautiful shots, no doubt. My brother shoots large format and I'm always blown away with his images. Keep up the good work!!

You say you might go Bilstein HDs, but you're riding pretty low. Bilstein Sports will likely serve you better. My '71 is pretty low and changing to Billy Sports made a very noticeable difference in ride quality.

[c.d.iesel]

yiKES!  waters rising !!! time to motor outta there

 

 

1971 Pentax Spotmatic F   still in use here

just an analog guy livin in a digital world.

[jgerock]

Old pics scanned are tough...even using 400-600 dpi.

 

Scanned at work from Polaroid One-step camera picture

 

True story..my dad had an old 35mm film camera (Pentax I think) stored in our old house in a dresser drawer.  He forgot about the exposed film left in the camera for about 15 years. He got it developed at our local Dart Drug store and the pictures were of my sister and I as kids in our backyard.  The edges were black and the images of us were not in full color but they were nice enough to keep.

[Beach_Bum]

Pros have gone digital because its cheaper and easier...plus most magazines REFUSE to accept film....I shot for major national publications and I shot 6x7 film...HUGE negatives and they were refused..."We dont want the film...Just upload the digital files to our server...Thanks!"

 

Truth. These days, in the world of "professional photography," I think film is mostly used for personal work, and by fine art photographers. I've seen a bit of a film resurgence in the younger generation lately as well.

 

Mama don't take my Kodachrome awaaaay...

Beautiful shots, no doubt. My brother shoots large format and I'm always blown away with his images. Keep up the good work!!

You say you might go Bilstein HDs, but you're riding pretty low. Bilstein Sports will likely serve you better. My '71 is pretty low and changing to Billy Sports made a very noticeable difference in ride quality.

 

Never got around to shooting Kodachrome I wish I'd had.

 

I read that the Sports were pretty harsh compared to the HDs. For now I was hoping to keep a semi-comfortable ride. What are your thoughts on ride quality with the Sports?

 

yiKES!  waters rising !!! time to motor outta there

 

 

1971 Pentax Spotmatic F   still in use here

just an analog guy livin in a digital world.

 

Nice! Glad to see some fellow film shooters on the forum.

 

Old pics scanned are tough...even using 400-600 dpi.

 

Scanned at work from Polaroid One-step camera picture

True story..my dad had an old 35mm film camera (Pentax I think) stored in our old house in a dresser drawer.  He forgot about the exposed film left in the camera for about 15 years. He got it developed at our local Dart Drug store and the pictures were of my sister and I as kids in our backyard.  The edges were black and the images of us were not in full color but they were nice enough to keep.

 

That's awesome! I found a roll a couple years ago that had been misplaced for about 5-6 years. Turns out it had pictures from my wife and I's first date. We had a good laugh over those.

[zinz]

When I bought my car in March, it had old, KYB Gas-A-Just shocks in the back but the strut inserts had been re-built by Bilstein for the lowered springs.  The rear of the car rode very harsh. In researching here and elsewhere, I found that the two Bilsteins are designed for specific applications.  The Sports are valved for very short springs, while the HDs are valved for standard-to-moderately cut springs. 

 

If I remember correctly, the thought was, if you put the HDs on a very short spring, the shock will be compressed too much and not operate within the valving. Premature wear will result.  At the same time, if you put Sports on a tall spring, it will be stretched out, also beyond it's designed operating parameters.

 

As for my car?  I put the Sports on the rear of the car and I knew I had done the right thing.  I was zipping through choppy corners that had previously sent the rear of the car skittering like a crab.  The ride was BETTER, because the shocks were now operating within their design window.

 

Understand, my car is running on stock springs which were cut by the previous owner. The ride is FIRM, but not choppy.  Do I want a proper set of lowering springs?? Yes.  Would they perhaps help the ride?  Probably.

 

I re-searched the Forums and found a recent set of posts that talk about HDs and Sports being valved the same, but the shaft lengths are different.  But there are older posts that say the opposite.  Perhaps someone else will chime in here and set the record straight.  As for me, my lowered car rides great on Sports.

[zinz]

I just spent 5 minutes on a Google search and found 1/2 dozen posts from several other forums stating that Bilsteins have the same internal valving and the Sports are just shorter.

 

The great and powerful interweb has spoken...