Nice picture ... It was taken by Bart Bennett in 1955 just before the family moved to Idaho from California.
I’ll go first. Bought a basket case 34 ford pickup. I spent 2-3 months getting it roughly together. Running a flathead with original drivetrain. My son came over with his girlfriend. She asked if it ran. I said yes but the brakes need work yet. She jumped in the seat of this loud obnoxious truck with a big smile on her face. Wow I was impressed. We drove the truck about a mile down a country road until I hit the brakes to make a turn. No brakes. I looked at her and she had wide open eyes and a big old grin. I later told my son that she was a keeper. They’ve been together now for 12 yrs. Next…. I spent a lot of money on my 50 Chevy pickup. And even more in labor. Being very proud of it I finally came to the day when I could take it on the road. I drove it for ten miles and everything was perfect until I entered a state road. I increased my speed to about 60 mph with on coming cars in the other lane and just like that all I could see was red. You can guess what happened. I was lucky and was able to slow down and move to the side of the road.
Oh man, there was one time where I thought about buying a '50 Chevy from a friend. Drove it from near the Balboa Park station in the city to San Mateo on all of the slow side streets because the brakes barely worked and the floor was barely holding on. Friend said to drive it around for a day and decide if I wanted to buy it. I took it back the same day.
Good stuff, J. I bought a 1937 Chevy coupe that had sat in a barn since the early '60s. Couldn't believe I had a '37 Chevy coupe. Yes! Of course, I had big plans for it. But then I realized that I could take the 235 6-cylinder engine I rebuilt for my '53 Chevy pickup and put it in the coupe. In fairly short order, I could be driving and enjoying the thing in basically stock configuration until I did more with it. Yes! The swap went fairly smoothly. Just had to use the later clutch and have the local welding shop modify my original clutch fork and it fell together. Rebuilt the carburetor, put some big tires on the back and reinstalled the radiator and grille shell with a makeshift insert... and we were ready for a test drive! No brakes. No BRAKES?!? No brakes. LOL That's okay, we lived on a big farm and I had plenty of room with only a slight chance of maybe running into a barn. Besides, those cars have 4.11 gearing and they slow down pretty quick when you let off the gas. LOL Gotta tell you... it was a blast. This was a 200 acre farm. Our driveway came in from the front road, went by the house, a hundred yards to the barns out back and then split and went both ways around the barns. It came together again behind the barns and continued on to the road at the back of the property which was about a quarter mile through the field of soybeans. You ever see the movie with Pat Boone called April Love? After he hot rodded his uncle's old coupe and he's got it sideways and ringing the **** out of it on the dirt horse track? That was me. At least in my mind. LOL I was definitely doing some old time drifting. Didn't hit a single barn. And the car was running awesome and shifting like ****er. It had a pretty decent original mohair interior and I could smell it. Old wood graining on the dash and garnish moldings. The sound of an unmuffled 6-cylinder. A nice warm sunny day. I pulled out onto the front lawn and Sandy took a picture from upstairs in the house. I remember thinking that it wouldn't take a whole lot more work to have 'er on the road. I remember thinking that between this car and my '29 roadster project, I could be happy for life. Wouldn't really need a '32 ford. Unfortunately, it wasn't very long after that, we had some financial issues and I decided in the spirit of being responsible to put all my cars and parts up for sale. The coupe and the roadster sold first, of course. Looking back, I guess I should've and probably could've found a way to keep them. ****. I wanna go back. Oh well. Got a few fun test drives in.
That seems like a smart way to do it. When I bought my Corvair, I just drove it 830 miles home. I was lucky, or the universe protects the foolish.
Back in the 70's I was building my T bucket in McGregor Tx and had just got the engine running in the ch***is and everything hooked up. I'm not sure if I had brakes hooked up or not at the time. With a gallon gas can with a hose running into it strapped to the frame and a 2x10 for a seat my buddy and I decided to test drive it in the parking lot of the industrial office across the street. We drove down open megaphone headers and all and did a few loops out in the big empty parking lot and drove back and very carefully coasted back in the garage. After the T was running, driving and licensed My young sister inlaw and her cousin talked my wife into sneaking it out one day when I was at work and she ran out of gas about a quarter mile from home and one of the local cops came along and took her to the house to get a gas jug and to the gas station and back to the car, That was her first test drive experience in it that I know of even though local folks narked her out a number of times when they saw her driving it in town.
don't know if it really counts as a TEST DRIVE, but, when my pop and I were working on the 'grandpa car'... we got the wiring done, had some exhaust pipes welded up and installed (junkyard specials - we cut what we needed off, stuck the bits together and my dad 'knew a guy' - installed by us in my driveway) and all 4 wheels on the ground. Somehow (I'm probably blocking out the details) while the engine was running while we were standing next to the open engine compartment - the ****** went into reverse (old power glide with a cobbled together linkage installed by - you guessed it - GRANDPA, we've since uncobbled and corrected). And AWAY it went into the street, doing some gentle donuts. I was able to time it juuust right and open the door, step on the brakes and put it in park before anything untoward happened. so the first test drive was 'fully automated driving' followed by pulling back into the driveway while we laughed at each other. we double checked the gear selector EVERY TIME afterwards, even after our adjustments.
Not really a test drive but definitely an E ticket ride. Years ago I bought a 1940 Ford 1 1/2 ton flatbed dump about 50 miles down the I-10 from me. Showed up with a rental trailer, drove the truck on, tied it down, and I was on my way. I merged onto the eastbound I-10 and started to accelerate onto the slow lane. Next thing I know the trailer fishtails and I do a one eighty and end up on the right shoulder. Luckily no other cars were involved. I proceeded to drive the wrong way off the freeway via the nearest on ramp. After I was off the freeway I pulled over, cleaned out my shorts, changed a flat on the trailer, and proceeded to limp home on surface streets. Lesson to be learned always have enough tongue weight.
Back in the early 80's I traded a 33 ford coupe for a 40 Ford sedan, no test drive, worked out great, traded the 40 for a really nice 50 Chevy 5 window PU, no test drive, worked out great. Fast forward to 2019, found a really nice 40 coupe in CA., bought it over the phone and with a friends inspection, was everything they said it was, worked out great. 4 weeks ago I was offered a trade, my will never get finished 32 sedan project for a running, driving 32 Ford PU. Did the deal and I drive the pu every day, worked out great. I may have been lucky? I never test drive a new car or truck I've ordered when they arrive at the dealer. May be I should, took 16 months to get everything working on my 2022 Silverado, they just finished Wed.
In 1967 I bought a 1947 Mercury which I still have. The seller drove it over to my house, because I was 17, no insurance, no drivers license. I HAD to go for a drive, of course. Got 2 miles from home, flat tire, no spare, panic cuz you know what will happen if I dont get this car home before my daddy finds out!
As a teen,I had a buddy who got used VW,it would not stay in gear, Talked me into helping him out. I had never worked on a VW,but WTH,,, So we buy a set of gastkets an synchronizers. Got a new Motors book to tell us. Got it all back together,but had one speed forward ,and a lot of gears backward<<<I had fliped the ringgear/just like the photo in the motors booked showed<The pic. had been printed backward. Wounder how many did the same mistake.....
Ha! Ring gear stories... My bud Ramsay and I built a neat channeled '30 'A' coupe in '57, we were 15. Ramsay's Dad had installed a '39 flattie in the ch***is back in '48, then swapped Ramsay for the stock 'A' ch***is, to restore his back to stock. We got the car together, channeled it 6" over the frame, dropped axle & juice brakes. The rear end was leaking out of the banjo/bells, so Ramsay tore it apart to replace the side gaskets. When he put it back together, he filled the rear with 90w gear oil, then fired it up, put it in reverse, revved it up and popped the clutch. Forward it went, about 3 feet, then punched the left front frame horn right through his Mom's BRAND NEW electric stove, just delivered by SEARS! His mother was a Castillion Spanish beauty, with a temper you didn't want to test.
Why are we all so arrogant to think we can drive a car without brakes?! A good number of years ago I got tired of my latemodel truck and thought I really wanted a ‘63 c10. I found one, 6-cylinder and 3 on the column. It kinda ran, but not great. I don’t remember the exact sequence of events, but the condo I lived in at the time had a big area out front that was nearly a paved circle track. It was an excellent little spot right at the end of my driveway for testing. Whatever the cir***stances were, I decided it would be a good idea to take this truck for a spin…even though it had no brakes. I made a couple loops and figured I needed to get it back in the garage for more work. I didn’t think I was carrying much speed and that it would slow down enough to come to a rest in my driveway. I was wrong…I made it into the garage, smashed it into my drill press, the drill press knocked a big *** hole in the drywall, and might have moved the whole wall a little. But the only damage the truck sustained was a dent in the hood. I was terrified that I had destroyed the aluminum grill but it went un****hed. Eventually I sold the truck and moved out of that condo, but the drill press is still as good as ever. A few years prior to that when I was in college my girlfriend needed a car, wanted something old, and we found a ‘66 Fairlane 4-door straight out of dragnet. The 4-wheel drums were ok until they weren’t. One day she got home with it and I think ran it into a Coke machine at her apartment complex. So we ordered a disc brake kit…but the best place to do the work and where all my tools were was at my folks place over an hour away. The brakes would work well enough to stop it if you pumped them but it wouldn’t hold. So I made the trek, pumping the brakes like crazy and leaving a ton of space in front of me. Then would set the parking brake if I had to sit at a light. Made it home and got the brakes fixed but that was pretty stupid.
I live near Chicago. My avatar was for sale in Denver. It was a new, low mileage build made with quality parts. I bought a one way airline ticket to Denver. Seller picked me up at the airport. We went for a check ride, so he could show me how to work everything. The car turned 4,000 miles on that ride. I got in and drove it to Illinois. Nice test ride. It turned past to 5,000 miles before I got home the next day. Nothing like a thousand mile test ride, the first day of ownership.
Test driving while sitting on a milk crate has built-in safety measures. It should be mandatory when test driving. The harder you press the gas pedal, the less you can press the gas pedal. Lucky you have a steering wheel to hold on to or you would end up in the rear seat area. The harder you press the brake pedal, the harder you will press the brake pedal. Again, lucky the steering wheel is there to stop your face pushing against the windshield.
Got my 36 Buick 413 wedge fenderless chopped coupe running..sitting on a milk crate , take it for a drive around block,,,no windshield , tags , insurance...nothin...get pulled over and the copper tells me take that home now and i dont wanna see you again......and he didnt...
. First pic the build , 2nd pic running , last pic .... Goodguys P.A. with friends..... That 413 ran great...................................... .
I was married two years just moved to Bismarck from western part of the state and bought a house. Told the wife I needed a truck for around the house she said ok but no more then 400 bucks looked through the finder and found a 57 ford short bed for 500 we went and looked at it . The truck was candy blue with silver hood and roof, chrome steel slots and a 239 yblock in it rusted to **** but I had to have it. Took it for a drive wandered all over the road and I had to hold the drivers door closed got him down to 400. Over the next five years or so I worked on it in my small garage fixed the rust painted it and put a 292 yblock in it. She's gone but the truck is still with me now 30 years.
I went to HS with a guy who drove a '52 Chevy coupe back and forth... with an aluminum tube folding lawn chair for a seat...
Not a test drive and not me but a buddy parked his OT Toyota at LAX when he went on a business trip. When he got back to his car the front seats were gone. He used his suit case to sit on and proceeded to drive the 60 plus miles home from LAX in rush hour traffic. He said it was the longest 2 plus hour drive ever.
I've had a few test drives that were vehicles I'd already purchased or made an agreement to purchase. Flew to Texas a couple times, California a couple and Seattle to purchase said vehicles. A 1968 Chevy C10, 1964 F100, 1953 F100, 1957 Ford Wagon... They all made the drive back to Nebraska! The '57 Wagon had a pinion support bearing that was toast and leaked bad out of the pinion seal, but I just kept it full of grease.
Here's a test drive story that involves a buyer driving mine. I always tell em "I'll drive it 1st, you drive it back, ok?" Some question that. Without a big littany here I explain that they can look at things like gauges and such without the worry of driving an unfamiliar car and also see how to drive said car. I dunno, makes sense to me. So this ol fart comes to drive my Clipper a few years back. He seemed miffed about my way but harsh reality, **** off, it's still my car, my rules. The car had tires a bit taller so the speedometer was off, and as usually observed off more the faster you go. We take off about 6 or 7 miles out, then switch. 1st whiskey tango foxtrot moment, he's winding out each gear far too much to suit me. "You don't have to do that Earl, it's a 356 Packard, not a small block Chevy." He didn't like that either but complied. So we're rolling along and in O/D a big Clipper driving feel belies the speed you're going. "Back it down a bit please." "Why, this damn thing is slow." " YOU'RE GOING 70 ****IN 5 MPH! BACK IT DOWN!" The speed limit was 55 where were, he was doing almost 70 by the speedometer. He finally settled in somewhat and followed my lead, had a wonderful drive much further than we went out. Everything worked except the left turn cancel, no apologies, great car. So we get back and he says, "I'm not gonna buy it, it's not Buick." Yeah right, it's a Packard. Did you think it would turn into a Buick? WTF dude?" "I was hoping it would be just like a Buick." "Well I'm sorry that it's much better but hey, you do you. About all I can thank you for is wasting my time." Had another licknob tell me the 34 3W felt like it was falling apart. "**** off George, play that game on someone who doesn't know better." I literally crossed my arms behind the wheel and drove over 1/4 mile and it didn't wander, shimmy, clunk, nothing. I stabbed the brakes and it stopped like it was on rails. "Yeah george, I hope we ****in survive the ride back." "Ok, ok, forget what I said." When he drove it he said the steering was loose. "No, it isn't, the play in the wheel is necessary for drivabilty reasons. Spec is 1 to 1 1/4" at the wheel and look, we're there." It drove great and he knew it, just trying to convince me it wasn't what I said it was. He ended up buying it but I nearly told him to **** off for reasons beyond the topic. Every now and then you get em, knuckle draggin mumble ****s who think you just fell off a turnip truck. Sadly I'm finding they're in the really senior age demographic lately. I say sadly because my initial instinct is respect for those 15-20yrs my senior and trust me I give a lot of quarter 1st, but I still love selling cars n parts in spite of that ****. Stories like these don't deter.
about 1978 or 9 I had just come back from working in Dutch Harbor with a small wad of cash in my pocket. searched the little Nickel and Auto Trader want ads for something to drive found a mid sixties Riviera about an hour from home called and arranged a viewing set out with my brother in his car to go take a look, along the way we p***ed several used car lots and something caught my eye in one of them we were running ahead of schedule so we pulled in to take a closer look. it was a seafoam green 1962 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Sedan and it was in near perfect condition, paint, upholstery and freshly steam cleaned engine compartment I thought this might be the one and asked for a test drive the lot guy handed me the key and my brother and I drove off around town it was nice and smooth, wonder bar radio found an oldies station and the four door hard top with all the windows down was so nice in the summer sun I wanted to see what it was like at freeway speeds so got on the nearest on ramp traffic was light, almost empty, there was a long straight flat section about three miles long with no cars ahead I slowly pushed down on the gas and the barrel speedometer rolled showing a long green line the line got longer and changed to orange.. then red, we were flying the speedometer topped out at 120 and it still had more smooth and secure? flying down the road in the summer sun but that was enough for me, brought it back down to the legal speed and went back to the lot. handed the guy the $500.00 bucks and drove it home. that was my first taste of Oldsmobile a taste that has stayed with me for quite a while now.
In my 20s, I was always buying old Mopars for parting out, selling, or using as beaters. I bought and sold a lot of cars. I had a car trailer, and usually hauled them home, but usually I had a helper with me. If we when to get a car, the goal was to always see if I could get it running, and at least run it around a block to get an idea of what parts might be good. There were more then a few times, my helped would drive the truck and trailer home while I drove what ever I bought home. I have lots of "test drive" stories. Once I bought a pair of 1965 Plymouth Barracudas. One was a factory V8 4 speed car that was from down south someplace, and the other was a parts car, slant 6 3 speed manual, rusty car. Both cars were located about 7 miles from my home, but there were all seldom used back roads between the cars and home. I was told neither car ran, the guy had to move them from where they were, had ***les for both, and $500 bought both cars. I bought them sight unseen. The plan was to get the V8 4 speed car out 1st, then the next week get the slant 6 car. Had my helper with me, and when we saw both cars we were both pretty excited. We messed around and got the V8 car to run. The master was actually full, and the stomp test (where you grab the steering wheel with both hands, put both feet on the brake pedal, and push as hard as you can at least 3-4 times about a minute apart, most brake problems show up quickly) on the brake pedal showed a very solid brakes. The car moved around the side yard it was parked in, and it stopped nicely. I actually did the stomp test a few different times, no drips, no leaks, no soft pedal, I was driving this one home for sure! I left the place the cars were at, (the truck and trailer following), and drove 1 /4 mile up the road to the 1st stop sign. Everything was great, the car actually stopped pretty straight. made the right turn, and just had to to a burn out and power shift into 2nd. That light car with the V8 was really fun. A mile or so down the road, to the next stop sign, the car stopped great. In another mile, there was one more stop sign, at the only intersection where we might encounter traffic. There it was a left turn (1/2 way home), another mile a right turn, another mile another right turn onto the gravel road where I lived. Home was 3/4 mile up that road on the left side. The 3rd stop sign proved to be the problem. The brakes started to apply, but then the pedal just went to the floor. no amount of pumping made any difference, the car had no brakes and I was rolling along pretty fast. Fast downshifting slowed me down, but the sign was fast approaching. It became very obvious I was not going to be stopping at that sign, in fact I was going to be rolling through it at more then 10 mph, and of course there was a car coming from my right, and of course, he had the right of way. Somehow I managed to make that left turn and fall in behind him (not very far behind him either). At that point, the rest of the ride home was very slow. I was able to pull into my driveway and shut the key off to stop the car. I fully expected that I blew a brake line, but the master was still full, it just completely failed. No drips, no leaks, but no pedal, it just went to the floor like the master was empty. That car put a lot of doubts about the reliability of my brake pedal stomp test, but it was the only car it ever failed that completely. I sold the V8 Barracuda 5 years later to some one that wanted it a lot more then I did. I also got the slant 6 car running and drove it for a year then sold it as well. That little V8, 4 speed 65 Barracuda was a lot of fun.
The Jalopy Journal
