Do you drive your old car daily?

If I have to leave the house, I prefer to drive the Merc Truck. I do own an 01 Chevy Silverado ck2500. It is there as an option, and I do consider it anytime the weather looks a bit dangerous. (Danger due to weather is judged on a scale of the other idiots ability to perform in those conditions, not my vehicles ability to perform in the weather condition) My truck has no wipers, leaks a bit from the windshield, doesn't stop on a dime (as most peoples newer cars might) (which is to compensate for the distances their' heads travel up their' a$$, when they sit behind their' wheels) These are the only downsides I see in driving my car daily.

To finish that statement, I would say that because I am a guy who likes to drive a 35+ year old car...
small hurdles like that won't get in my way of driving it most everyday. A few months after I bought the truck, I went out on the road to Vegas, stayed there a week, then on to Cali to cruise the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway for all you inquisitive 14 year olds) for another week. After 2 weeks on the road, I hammered it down and drove from Manhattan Beach, Cali. to just outside Austin, Tx. in 22 hours. 80+ mph most of the way w/ no A/C windows down. My eyeballs were Red and Calloused by the time I got home, but it was one of the best feelings in the world. This year, I think I'll head east for a couple of weeks.

So... after 5 pages of H.A.M.B.ers telling you how amazing it is to be part of this "test group" Are you finding that perhaps there may not be a downside? Regardless of the appointments and timelines that may be missed or shifted due to a slight mechanical "hic'up". It appears that those missed opportunities are all made up for, with the elevated level of resiliancy that comes with being the owner and opperator of a classic vehicle.

I hope (whether or not your blog is a success) that this experience will at least helps you to find and hone your own passion for classic cars.
Best of Luck...

 

Whoah, I had no idea that car was owned by a board member. It, err....dominates, any thread its on.

 

"So how much of a pain in the ass is it to drive you pre-64 car around daily?"

An interesting, but loaded, question. Trust me, it is all in your level of expectation. If you want heated leather seats, 4-wheel-disc brakes that stop on a dime, a factory stereo system with 16 speakers, airbags all over the place and absolutely no road (or engine) noise, you will probably find driving a pre-'64 car a PITA.

On the other hand, if a car with real STYLE and PERSONALITY is important, then these cars aren't the least bit of a PITA.

I have a '62 Catalina 4 door sedan that is a bone stock 90+ thousand mile beater that I drive everyday (including in the salty months). Admittedly, I drive the other running '62s I own in nice weather only.

"They stay driveable when they get driven." -Gotgas
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

Someone earlier in this thread also pointed out something that is key: if your older car breaks, YOU can fix it and that repair is LOT less than a car payment.

In fact, let me make a plug for a GREAT book: DRIVE IT FOREVER by Robert Sikorsky. You said you are 14. Buy and read that book....get a pre '64 car and ENJOY it, my man.

And if you get a Pontiac, keep in touch...I will be happy to help.

 

I drive mine when:
A. it's not a million degrees outside because it's a black car with no A/C
B. afford gas

I've broken down in it several times and while it's not a "daily driver" year round it has been driven to school (180 miles away) and then had the wheels driven off of it once there. I probably won't drive it after November because I'm not sure how well it wills start though... :\

 

I had to scrape the frost off the windshield of the 63 Nova this morning. The cold air makes 'er a little grumpy, but she never lets me down.

 

You call that Winter?????

 

Yea but its driven everyday, your in Jersey so you know how hard it is around here....like I said, not hamb friendly but I got my RPU and '34 5-window if anyone wants to compare rides (TRADITIONAL RIDES)...~E

 

I live in Michigan. I drive either my '48 Pontiac convert or the '51 Pontiac wagon every day as soon as the roads are bare and salt free untill snow flies. Then, I drive my winter beater, a 2000 Silverado pickup. Didn't start out as one, it's just gotten old on me, or old with me...

Oh, and they've never stranded me, although the wagon has recently developed some electrical gremlins, stemming from a bad ground somewhere in the lighting. The convert has 30K on this build, somewhere around 100K in the 34 years we've owned it, and the wagon we've put 10K on in 2 years.

 

I drive the F-1 every day. If I am not driving the truck I drive the 48 convertible. Both are modified, the F-1 has a 425 Caddy and the 48 Chevrolet has a 350 SBC. I do not have a newer car.

 

Hahahaha - alright then, but I normally just save ther roadster for the snow. And yes, I know - "Call that snow??!"....

 

I drive my '55 Chevy everyday, everywhere I can.

 

i dont own a car over 1973!!

 

I drive a '69 Chevy C-20 every day to school. Rain/shine/snow/texas heat, whatever. Not quite hamb friendly, but still old. Completely stock, rebuilt 292 L6, granny-low 4 speed, drums on all four corners, non-power steering/brakes, no a/c. I've got most of the bugs ironed out, but there is always some tinkering to be done. Fixed it up with my dad. Anytime I drive something new I have too keep messing with the radio because they are so boring to drive, everything is too easy and smooth.

 

I've been driving my Falcon to work everyday for the last 2 months.
Rebuild motor and trans and new rear spring! It's like a new car, haha.


Norton

 

I drive my '62 everyday to school and anywhere else I go. Me and my dad built this car and it runs most of the time I have only needed to take the bus three times so far this year.

 

My daily. About 30 miles round trip to work when I go to the office, about 30 miles one way to DFW Airport when I travel. Flathead 6 with dual intake, cast iron headers, HEI and 3 speed on the column.

Few things that I have to deal with that I didn't before. No A/C and we have our share of days over 100 in the Dallas area. While we have a short winter, no defroster is a pain. Keep a hand towel in the seat to keep the windshield cleaned off. Biggest problem is even though I have rebuilt the brake system and it stops great for a 48 Plymouth, it is not a 4 wheel disc anti-lock car. It is absolutely impossible to leave adequate stopping distance on 75 or the Tollway around here. As soon as there is a car length between your front bumper and the car in front of you some moron has to try and shoe-horn his Expedition in the hole.

 

Hahaha. So TRUE.

 

Iv'e always driven cars that were at least 30 years old from when I was a kid. My daily is a 1971 Holden (Aussie GM).
I once bought a "new" car, (1994), I drove it but it was like the automotive version of watching paint dry.
It made me sick looking at it. I bought some more old cars.
Now I'm all better.

 

I drive a 61 chevy shortbed with sbc and 4-speed daily year-round but i do take the wide whites and smoothie wheels for stock steelies for winter.

 

my daily

 

WHO DOESN'T?

If you don't drive it except for the occaisional showing off, then you are just a PRETENDER.

I drive mine all the time. Why else have it?

 

I started driving mine on March 9th. this year and haven't stopped. I got caught in a snow squall with it two weeks later. No roof insert or side glass but lots of fun. I drive it to work every day it isn't pouring rain, 25 miles one way to have lunch with the girlfriend, or just out to get groceries and run errands. I drive it so much I know I'm really going to miss it this winter.

 

My 56 2 door sedan was my daily driver for about 2 years--then the motor blew up--and the front floors fell out--and the old wiring burnt up--etc.
So --after building a 29 roadster and selling it--I'm building the 56 again--been in storage for a couple years---gonna be a daily driver again,only lots better shape.

 

I don't have a license, my car has two wheels, four brakes, one carburetor, no oil, 'patina', shitty chrome, bad tires... List goes on.

So my bike gets me everywhere right now. 4 miles to school, I go back in the dark and sometimes rain, twice a day. God, I need to get a bus pass. Though, I do have buns of steel now..

 

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my daily now, until i get my T running

 

was driven daily sold her a little while back

 

every day for the last 30k.
If you're interested, Email me and I'll send you the PDFs of the October, 07 story Hot Rod Magazine did on myself and my daily driver '63.

alagrasta@extron.com

 

I'm dailying my 64 camino warm 350 4spd burns oil and takes a ton of gas but pretty fun definatly worth it, i regularly kick it sideways going to or leaving work

once i get my new 301 done it'll be a second car because it aint gunna be very stop and go friendly


As for a 4wd camino a couple people local had em, all on chev truck frames

 

Well right now I drive my 64 long bed chevy pick-up with a 6 cyclinder and 3 on the tree. That's only because my 65 is being played with and is in the gargae right now but when its running I drive it all the time. No windheild wipers and all rain-x is all you need!! Sorry 65 isn't in your category

 

Only when it snows.