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Featured Hot Rods Do you avoid the rain?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by old_chevy, Mar 27, 2026 at 12:50 AM.

  1. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 22,869

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

  2. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 6,226

    ironandsteele
    Member

    I drive everything I have in the rain, it makes no difference to me. If you're in the PNW and you like to drive your stuff, it's something you just have to get ok with. The fair-weather guys make me chuckle. Why are you worried about keeping it nice for the next guy? Enjoy your car, you aren't going to ruin it in your lifetime by letting some water hit it.

    coupe.jpg






     
  3. 05snopro440
    Joined: Mar 15, 2011
    Posts: 3,223

    05snopro440
    Member

    Bingo!
     
  4. hrm2k
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 5,552

    hrm2k
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    To me, there is a very big difference driving in the rain and leaving it out in the rain. My 64 Caddy stays in the garage so it doesn't rust. But driving it in the rain is no big deal
    I drove my old coupe from Baltimore to Beaver Springs PA ( about 150 miles each way )in the rain for the showdown drags. no windows, no defrost, no heat.....it was a ****load of fun
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2026 at 3:21 PM
  5. RmK57
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 3,224

    RmK57
    Member

    Detroit Locker, drag radials and not enough vacuum to even think about using wipers. It’s a “fair” weather car pretty much.
     
  6. 05snopro440
    Joined: Mar 15, 2011
    Posts: 3,223

    05snopro440
    Member

    Those are all good reasons to avoid the rain.
     
  7. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 65,288

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The rain doesn't avoid me so I don't avoid the rain. HRP

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. 05snopro440
    Joined: Mar 15, 2011
    Posts: 3,223

    05snopro440
    Member

    Also I'm curious, what does the cost of paint have to do with rain?

    Rust repair I understand.
     
  9. proartguy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 842

    proartguy
    Member
    from Sparks, NV

    Yes. It is easy to do as it doesn’t rain much here.
     
  10. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,913

    goldmountain

    With a 7" top chop, and a single 6" wiper blade, rain is a bit of concern, but when I'm out there in the rain I keep on going.
     
    chryslerfan55, hrm2k and wicarnut like this.
  11. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 9,942

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    I don't leave the house in my hotrods if it's raining or supposed to rain. If I get caught in it that's just life, but I don't intentionally go out in the rain in my old hotrods.
     
  12. downlojoe33
    Joined: Jul 25, 2013
    Posts: 1,006

    downlojoe33
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I won’t intentionally leave in one of my old cars if it’s raining. But as others have said, if I get caught in it, that’s life. You just clean them up. Now when the Ranchero gets finished, it’s all patina, and my daily, so I won’t be so particular.
     
  13. deucemac
    Joined: Aug 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,656

    deucemac
    Member

    Somewhere, I have a cartoon I cut out of an old Rod&Custom. It shows a ******* roadster being driven in a torrential downpour. The driver is gritting his teeth and saying "I haven't had this much fun since my hernia operation". That kind of sums it all up for me.
     
  14. 05snopro440
    Joined: Mar 15, 2011
    Posts: 3,223

    05snopro440
    Member

    I'd rather be in a downpour in a ******* roadster than be having the best day ever at work. It's all about perspective.
     
  15. partsdawg
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,996

    partsdawg
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Minnesota

    All our cars were originally driven in all type of weather when new then used and eventually a beater or junker.
    I get the idea that after someone gets done building a car there can be some angst but...
    I have a good friend who has five '32=34 hot rodded Ford coupes and roadsters he never drives. 3 miles of gravel to get to a tar road. Won't drive them for fear of rock chips. His cars...his choice.
     
  16. winduptoy
    Joined: Feb 19, 2013
    Posts: 4,278

    winduptoy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  17. lostn51
    Joined: Jan 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,721

    lostn51
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Tennessee

    I do with my woodie but whenever I get to really driving to and from events in her then I’ll probably get stuck in a shower here and there
     
  18. I know people that have a rain vehicle and a sunshine vehicle.
     
  19. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 6,230

    gene-koning
    Member

    My Plymouth coupe sits outside in the weather. It has functioning 2 speed windshield wipers and a great defroster that clears the windshield well. It can sit at home in the rain, or I can drive it in the rain, I don't see much difference between the two. The coupe has sat outside all of its life. After I built it in 2011 it has sat outside every year except for over one winter, it has not melted yet.

    My 49 Dodge pickup gets parked the the garage most nights, but it too has functioning 2 speed wipers and a functioning heater/defroster. I'm not afraid of it being in the rain either.
     
  20. George
    Joined: Jan 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,047

    George
    Member

    Drove a '48 Plym 2 Dr. w/o wipers or hood for 15 years. No problems. Got caught in a heavy thunderstorm on I-10 in Ala. The Rain-X worked great. Modern cars were pulling over, I didn't even slow down.
     
  21. warbird1
    Joined: Jan 3, 2015
    Posts: 1,393

    warbird1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I've gotten caught in the rain a few times in the '40 and just kept going, but I have found it gets pretty squirrely on wet pavement. Lots of torque and skinny bias ply tires.

    The ******* roadster? Nope!
     
  22. wicarnut
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 9,381

    wicarnut
    Member

    Subject-Getting caught in the rain, I went to the Louisville NSRA event around 2000 I had my fenderless HighBoy Roadster there, the top in my box trailer, this was Not a 6 hour drive car. So we all leave to go to a supper club on way back to motel. While eating , I hear the thunder and I see the lightening at the entrance and thought, ****ski, car is going to be wet. finish up dinner, leave, the sunset was beautiful. When I opened the door the water ran, 2 " of rain in car out on the ground. Wet ****, an understatement Back at the motel I got xtra towels tying to dry the seat, next day sat on towels and brought a change of clothes for a change after parking at showgrounds. Anybody that's been to Louisville knows what happened next , dried out pretty well, sitting in 100 degree Sunshine for 8 hours did wonders. At home it dripped out the frame for a few days. after market boxed 32 frame. Another time driving home from a local show, a pop up storm, it rained so hard I stopped under an overp***, engine ****ing water in air cleaner, running bad, no hood, side panels. I put 20K miles on this car in 8 years, it was trailered to all the Midwest big events many times and guess what comes out all those trailers at the motels, Roadsters, T- Buckets, the big dollar show cars. I'm a drive them guy, just not that car, 1-1/2 hour max, at 52 my Arthritis was already a problem for me[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2026 at 3:28 PM
  23. Hand operated wipers
    Water splashing up through the floor
    Water leaking around the gl***.
    Making sure my foot is in the spot where the cowl vent doesn’t drip water
    Rag defog

    love it
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2026 at 6:13 PM
  24. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 3,969

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    Only in the days of the dirt cars. We didn’t race in the rain, unlike road racing, where we race unless you can’t see your hand in front of your face…

    But street cars, yup!
     
  25. fastcar1953
    Joined: Oct 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,282

    fastcar1953
    Member

  26. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,934

    NoSurf
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    @highboy32 and I drove from Abilene KS to the Roundup in Austin TX in 2007. Rained the whole way. 9 hr trip took 13 hrs. Stock flatheads, 3 speeds and banjos. I had a hole in the driver's side cowl. I had to put my left foot over it when a semi would p*** me from the water spraying up from its tires.
    When we drove thru Dallas, there were all these cars pulled over on the side of the interstate. Huh, thats weird. We get down south a ways and stop to get gas. Lots of people asking questions. Did we see any of the tornados around Dallas?....

    upload_2026-3-27_18-2-12.jpeg
     
  27. CSPIDY
    Joined: Nov 15, 2020
    Posts: 1,089

    CSPIDY
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The sun does much more damage to a car than water ever will
     
  28. 57Fury440
    Joined: Nov 2, 2020
    Posts: 611

    57Fury440
    Member

    If it is raining I will use my daily driver. That being said, I have been caught in the rain many times. My wipers and defroster work and I have radial tires, so it is no big deal. Living on Long Island there is a lot of traffic at times and there are lots of people who should not drive in the rain that are on the road.
     
  29. LOU WELLS
    Joined: Jan 24, 2010
    Posts: 3,753

    LOU WELLS
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from IDAHO

    Unavoidable 325.png If You Want To Enjoy Driving Your Machine...
     
    wicarnut, chryslerfan55 and hrm2k like this.
  30. chevyfordman
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 1,530

    chevyfordman
    Member

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