Hot Rods Do you avoid the rain?

Do you avoid the rain? I've always intended to drive in the rain and not worry. Now after realizing how much work is involved to fix rust and the crazy cost of paint per gallon I'm thinking I may try to avoid the rain.

 

Nope. Avoiding rain is for the new balance khaki cargo shorts crowd.

 

Are you afraid of melting? Seriously, cars have windshield wipers for a reason.

 

I live just outside of Seattle, have shaved drip rails, wipers that work and just about year round daily drive my 56 and will continue to do so after it is "done".
About the only thing I do to prepare for the eventual 9 months of ****ty weather is swap out the better wire wheels for a less better set. Eventually the winter wheels will get powder coated yellow so I won't have to worry about them.
If you are afraid to get your car wet and keep it locked up more than you drive it maybe you should p*** it along to someone who will use it as it was intended.

 

Ha trying to avoid the rain down under is nearly impossible. Away on a 5 day rod run at present.3 1/2 days of continuous rain. The car we are in has been in my family 56 years. It’s been garaged all the time, been very wet at times, cared for and dried out, still looks great. Don’t get paranoid, look back on making good memories. The next custodian will always thank you for saving it. No that’s not our car. !!!

 

I avoid the salt but rain is just water, you wash it dont you?

 

Not real pretty however mist still enters above windshield. They store behind rear seat

 

It rains and sometimes you get caught.

 

Yep, I will not take car out if forecast is rain, what is fun about driving a hotrod in the rain. My car has seen rain but its not as enjoyable as a nice sunny day. Glen

 

I tried my best to avoid the rain when I rode my motorcycles for 35 years, you do get caught in it occasionally , I had a HighBoy roadster for 8 years, and avoided rain but I live in Wisconsin, a beautiful state, It RAINS here. I've had convertibles through the years and not 1 time did I put the top down when it was raining. LOL. I do several cruise and car shows/events and rain happens, not a die-hard, I do not leave and drive in rain, to sit in rain all day, then drive home in rain. I had enough of that silliness when chasing race cars for years, before cell phones, raining at home, call track, race is on, drive 1/2 way stop call it's on, get there, it's raining, then sit there an hour or two, then it's called, we all Wanted to race so we put up with it. Years ago when I first came back to Hot Rods, the car hobby, we were going to Back to the 50's, watch the news, big weather front, rain coming, I call our leader of our "gang", he states, rain or shine show, so I go, a fun weekend, drive in rain, stand around 2 days in rain, drive back home on Sunday half way home rain finally stopped. what a waste of time and $. Our leader was a real die-hard guy, a good guy, friends for years, we made a deal, I was informed when, where, time to meet and leave, Do Not wait for me, If I'm not there. Drive your car ! what's the point of having it, Enjoy the Hobby !

 

I wouldn't say I avoid the rain so much as I don't enjoy driving my truck in it. The wipers kind of ****, it's one of those "I'll make them work better someday " projects. I also like to keep it clean so driving in rain doesn't help with that.
However I don't cringe if I'm caught out it in it or it has to sit outside in the rain.

 

I live in a country where you cant avoid the rain!. Car getting wet is not an issue. Its how long it stays wet afterwards that causes problems. Wipe it down before you put it away and make sure you have good air circulation so it can dry. An occasional walk around with WD40 to seal off bolt heads, hinges, joints etc also helps.

 

You don't have to wash it if you don't drive it...... (yes, I'm being sarcastic).

 

I try my best to avoid rain but definitely NOT because I am worried about rust or paint cost! Your car is not going to rust if you get caught in the rain unless the roads were covered in salt dust from the last winter storm.

I avoid rain as best I can because I don't have the time to detail the engine compartment or give the car a proper cleaning after a rain. I have limited time to even drive any of my cars, so it is going to be on nice days.

Rain-X works GREAT! I use it on both my transport trucks & rarely turn on the wipers. Several of my cars don't have wipers

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Yes.



I've had my 64 for 40 years. Its a beater. Doesn't have a top. Back in 2008, Mike and Todd and I went to the KKOA show in Salina. We entered the car in the show so we didnt have to park far away. This was when it was at Thomas Park. We park way in the back and we can see some clouds building. At some point my wife calls my cell, You better get outta there, big storm brewing heading that way. We jump in the car and head back to my place about 20 miles due east. About 3 miles from the house it just lets go. Buckets. We power on and make it to the barn where luckily i had left the big door open. We pull in and are standing at the door laughing. Lightning strikes the silo about 20 yards away. Damn that was loud.

 

Every time we go to Back to the 50’s we hit rain .Taking the ‘55 Tbird with a convertible top ,it always leaks .I use rainX b4 we go and a towel on each of out seats to take care of drips. It doesn’t really leak if just sitting at the show. It is just the way it is .

 

I avoid the rain if I can, but I don't let it stop me if leaving for a weekend trip and it is raining when I leave. Car/truck will wash...

 

I'll drive in it with the shoebox if needed, but do I avoid it? I do. Wipers ****, and I try to keep my car clean as possible so the next wash isn't a pita. And I'm talking about a hard all day rain. A light rain that's intermittent doesn't bother me. But a heavy rain? Yeah, I avoid it if possible.

 

As a teen in Sr High School 1960-61-62 ,getting wet was just part of Miami Fla.,, I drove my 28A Bobtailed roadster with no top { I did have a raincoat n old hat. A few days have gone by, I don't like getting wet anymore { plus years back,I did add a folding top,it's a little help,but still going to get a little wet. My other high school car,for bad days,had roll-up -windows n a top. My day'ly drivers have been station wagons< lot of old used wagons{ I'm on my 18th wagon now..
For weekend car shows,if forcast is over 25% rain, I'll stay home;
IF it rains anyway,I have a full car cover with bungy hooks. I keep behind my seat. Trick is to remember to dry out car cover after getting home !!! if used....

 

I live in New Mexico......and it is so dry here I move my cars outside and put the tops down to make it rain....

 

That is funny, Hitchhiker.

Ben

 

Avoid the rain? I live in PennsylRAINia. The cars would never leave the garage if I was afraid of rain.

 

Why stop there? There are people that preach about not even washing a cl***ic car with water as they think it's detrimental to the life span of the car. They use waterless products only and avoid water like it will give the car an incurable disease.

It's a car. It's meant to be used and enjoyed. Unless it's a 1 of 1 worth millions, drive it, use it, and enjoy it. Life is short. I know these cars are precious to us, but they're cars. Let the next guy or future you worry about the next round of rust repair.

I've got caught in big rain storms going for ice cream nearby, and I've forgotten my cowl vent open when we were out for dinner and a near monsoon p***ed through while on 10-day trip 1,000 miles from home. I guess it did have an effect on my truck, half my paint is missing! All being a pansy about weather will do is make you worry more and enjoy your property less.

Then again, I live in Alberta and I'm building a roadster.

 

Yup! BTTF, 2024.....got caught in a downpour with my T. Sitting at the light at Larpentaur, waiting to left-turn onto Snelling, heading for dinner. That open-engined T started to misfire because of the amount of water hitting the distributor. Walked into the restaurant with my entire left side just SOAKED. Making memories all the way.

Roger

 

I avoid the rain mainly because of other drivers. I live not far from a fire station, as soon as it starts raining, the fire trucks are off and running, seems they go back out about as soon as they get back and keep going out till it quits raining and starts to dry out.
My wipers also ****, they are vacuum operated but run pretty good, its the arms that ****. There is very little tension on the gl*** due to the design, and the blades are made from some sort of plastic/rubber that drys out as soon as you put the on. At highway speeds, the flat windshield doesn't help with rain blowing off.

 

I like to avoid rain, but I don't make it a way of life.

Ever since I got the old corvette, I do try to plan trips with rain in mind, since the top doesn't seal very well. Not worried about the rust (corvette joke), however. Or even keeping it clean/detailed.

 

I will always check the forecast before I hop into one of the old cars. If heavy rain is pretty much certain, I avoid it. If its a chance of a quick shower, then I'll probably go. If I'm out and get caught by it, that just part of living in the PNW.

 

he wants to know
do you ever drive in the rain