# What is the "soul" or "heart" of a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644 "2020-05-12T15:13:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644/21 "2020-05-13T03:50:01Z")
I remember an ad with the headline “We’ll Restore Your Car To Its Former Ugliness”. Photo: bright lime-green Gremlin. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644/22 "2020-05-13T16:17:20Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > **Beck** , I actually owned a Gremlin. You aren’t missing anything. > > Trust me. I disagree. One of my buddies had a black and white Gremlin X with a 401 and sidepipes. Driving in that was always an adventure! Nothing like driving down the road semi-sideways , tires screaming at 60 mph, when he walked on it… 😃 Now, if someone is willing to drop off the aforementioned Javelin off at my place I’d be happy to give it a home in my garage. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644/23 "2020-05-13T17:44:33Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The black-hearted demonic presence in my first car (a Chevy Vega\*) was somewhere in the engine compartment, though lesser evil spirits lurked in the prematurely rusting body. > > \*Like Dave Barry, I used to have to start it by opening the hood and connecting two contacts with a screwdriver. The Vega was a GM innovation. It came pre-rusted from the factory at no extra charge. I believe the pre-rusting package was noted on the window sticker. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644/24 "2020-05-13T17:48:43Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > I disagree. One of my buddies had a black and white Gremlin X with a 401 and sidepipes. Driving in that was always an adventure! Nothing like driving down the road semi-sideways , tires screaming at 60 mph, when he walked on it… 😃 > > Now, if someone is willing to drop off the aforementioned Javelin off at my place I’d be happy to give it a home in my garage. My older brother had an AMC Pacer that he really liked. Ugly car contest winner. This is the same man who sold his 1970 Buick GS for $50 because it broke down on the freeway and he was sick of it. So, no accounting for taste. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644/25 "2020-05-15T14:27:22Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I’m a body in white engineer; the body is definitely the heart, emotionally. I suppose the fuel pump is the heart, functionally. I had that conversation with my dad in about 1975 or so (while he was trying to help me fix a wonky\* fuel pump). I asked if the fuel pump was analagous to the heart. He said it was more like the mouth and the oil pump was the heart. \*(the fuel pump was fine; but the camshaft that operated it was worn out. He eventually solved that issue for good by mounting an inexpensive electric fuel pump on the engine) ETA: Dammit! Ninja’d! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-soul-or-heart-of-a-car/853644.md?page=1)