driving your hot rod to work in the morning

just a few thoughts from today:

it’s funny how on a normal day of work, you pull yourself out of bed, slide some cloths on and drag yourself to the truck for a long day at the shop... until you get the day when you plan on driving your hot rod to work. your pride and joy, all the blood sweat and tears for the last few years, now rolling on four tires..it seems to me there isn’t an alarm clock in the world that will wake you up with that kind of excitement... its 5:15 a.m. and I’m jumping out of bed, throwing cloths on, not really caring what they are... making my way to the garage to get the doors open and roll it out into the dark.. pumping the gas a few times and letting it fly...anxiously waiting for it to warm up a little before you go ripping down the road... flipping on the headlights that are as dim as the candle on the kitchen table... a 30 mile drive to work is the best part of that particular day. flying down the back roads, carefully watching the yellow lines because that’s about all you can see. seeing all the reflections in the flat glass windshield, watching oncoming cars hit the brakes because they cannot believe your driving a car like that before sun rise... taking in the smell of the exhaust and listening to the supercharger wine... pulling to the top of a hill, seeing the sun just start to come up as you head down the other side.. I make the right hand turn back the long lane to the shop, driving slow just trying to soak up every second I can before I have to shit her down and let it rest for several hours... backing it in to the gravel spot and watching all the guys, standing outside smoking, come walking over to see what you drove in..... it’s just about the best way to start the day. it seems like no matter what stress and headaches you have at work... driving the hot rod in the morning makes it all seem to disappear...spending the next 8 or so hours watching the clock before you get to fire it up and take the scenic route home... its a good day in america, enjoying an old school hot rod.

 

Sounds good! I only live 200 yards from work, so seldom drive to work. Almost make me want to commute!

 

I cant agree any more than that,I use to leave yucpia cal and drive to anahiem 63 mile in heave traffic that would piss me off,but driving the 32 3w I didn't have a ceare in the would.

 

Grass is always greener.

I drive 62 miles one way to work.

 

how about spending the next 8 or so hours not getting anything done because you are constantly checking to see if your car is still where you parked, that no one has stolen it.

(i guess that's only if you live in a shit hole between chicago and gary indiana.

 

I've done that occasionally. If I want to make it to Friday nite cruise early enough to find a parking spot. It feels great to drive it. I usually get a thumbs-up a wave or a honk. But mostly it's sleepy drivers who are texting, they don't even notice a cool old car. Most of them will cut me off because they think an old car is going slow. My morning commute is usually stressful enough without taking the hotrod.

 

That part about the reflections in the flat windows is so true, especially when it is dark, and lots of lights shining around you. Getting ready to head out in a bit for a 200+ mile jaunt.

 

I used to drive mine to work every day.Only 3 or 4 miles each way but it was my daily.Had to borrow a car for a couple of weeks when I chopped it.Didn't know how lucky I was til I gave a ride home to a coworker and he said Man are you lucky to drive a hotrod to work every day.

 

I drive my 63 D100 custom with open lake pipes everyday as I have for 3 years.......I still dont have heat or AC but it makes me smile every morning.!

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I think that no matter what you build, if you get to drive it to work, its worth it. I built a custom bike, rode it every day, rain or shine, and still had a smile on my face. I also think you don't get as much done at work, because you are dreaming about the ride home.

 

O yea driving the 405 parking lot in my custom always make's me happy!!! and I don't worry about the other dumbass drivers. my car was made for driving

 

Very well said and that hits the nail on the head. Anticipation to reality,oh what a great day!

 

i drove mine to day because the owner of our company wanted to look it over. he is a great guy and loves hot rods. he doesnt know much about them as far as years and whats what.. but he loves hot rods, really a big fan of traditional period correct rods.. so i wanted to kinda show mine off a lil... im working on him to get a membership to the HAMB and i got him to look at a model a sedan thats been chopped for his new project. spreading the hot rod itch

 

I drove my 50 chevy in to work today, its a great experiance! I just hate all the other rat racers on my rear, in a huge hurry in their new cars. I try to take it all in and take my time, but people these days are just in too big of a hurry. I do my best to get out of the way of the people in a bug hurry, but i know i slow down a couple of them. I wish there were more back roads on my commute.

 

One morning I drove my convertible to work. I enjoyed the drive so much, I didn't stop when I got there. I just kept going. I was almost all the way to Louisiana before I decided to turn around and come home the following day.

 

Sold my old ride 2 summers ago but used to drive it to work 2-3 days a week in the summer. I live less than 4 miles from work so I had to come up with a real round about way to go so the ride was longer. )

 

That's why I hate working in the city!

 

you need better headlites

 

so true. this is one of very few kinds of things that makes me a "morning person", otherwise no way, don't want to get up.

 

na... it wouldnt be the same with good ones... i take my time. they didnt have better ones in 1930 so i dont need em now. they are bright enough to see fine at a slower enjoyable pace

 

Well put. I drive mine once or twice a week. The coolest car at the new Chevy dealer is an old Ford!

 

I used to drive my 27 to work alot, almost every day, but this year we have had so many heavy rains every afternoon that I can't. Saturday night I gave it a much needed bath and thought I would give it a try Sunday as the predictions were that the rain was going to hold off until later that day.

Sunday morning I got up, uncorked the headers, and drove it to work. The people heading to Church must have wondered who this heathen was making all that noise. The weather was really dry all day but when I looked out the window at quitting time, 5 pm, it was getting REALLY black outside. So I jumped in and tried to beat the rain home.

I was moving along pretty good (at one point about 80) and suddenly a few drops of rain hit me in the head. I turned to go south to try to beat it, but when I got within a couple of miles of my shop it came down in buckets ! I caught on traffic light that lasts 4 minutes, so for that whole time I had to sit there getting drenched. When the light changed the rain was like bullets hitting me in the face.

When I got it into the shop a quick cleanup with a microfiber and I was back to normal.........well the car was, I was still soaking wet, but I sure did enjoy the ride anyway. When fall comes and we get into a more dry season I plan on using it for work more often. It makes going to work a whole lot less painful.

Don

 

I try to drive mine at least once a week. Yesterday I drove a 33 chevy and today a 57 chevy. I am having a good week....

 

I drive em as much as I can, drove the caddy today, about 25 mile commute. I am used to it but there are plenty of other drivers that cant figure out how my POS is going 65MPH with traffic.

 

Drove mine to school to use as a set up for a class I teach. Kids loved it. I had little ones oohing and aahing the following day. The 26 mile, early morning drive was more peaceful and easier in a 31 sedan.

 

I decided to drive mine to work on Fridays this summer and might just keep it up the rest of the year. I have a short commute, just ten miles, but it's always a good time when you drive your hot rod.

 

If I didn't work, my car wouldn't get too many miles on it. If it isn't raining I'm driving it. I put 2,000 miles on it last year just driving a few miles a day to work and a couple shows.

 

trust me i drive the wheels off mine! every chance i can.. about 3000 miles this summer ... im kinda wondering how my old supercharger is gonna hold up to all the run time, after all it is from 1937 and not rebuilt.

 

I love to hear about guys driving their cars and not just backing them out of the garage just to pull them back in again. I love driving the '54 to work (25 miles) Some of the guys at work ask, "doesn't that smell get to you?" The only responce I give is "Yes, in a good way!" The smile does not leave my face on the day I drive the hot rod.

 

Well said. Love those morning drives, grooves in the road on bias plys is like a splash of cold water in the face, Definitly an attention getter. The glass reflections are awesome too. Of course for me it's daylight already





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