Customs Team Softy, or do I want to drive an old car?

I don't have anything newer than my 26 yr old pu
,with a hoist in the back to load my motorized wheelchair. If I drove any were or on long trips I drove the 32 roadster. Rain, hail, snow didn't stop us(wife & I) always thought we were indestructible while most folks thought we were nutz. We drove the roadster fitted with flowmasters no radio, no windows from Canada to Havasu & east coast to west coast & everywhere in between . :Last pic is LA roadster show * times Sorry Brian but I just couldn't help myself.

 

I believe the choices are all about what expectations and what desires we really have concerning our transportation and going places.
My wife and I both came from families where the automotive transportation was always older used cars. A three or four year old car was as new as I ever remember my parents ever having, and that 3-4 year old new purchase was with the family until it died, or was near dying until well after we kids were out of the house. After that those 3-4 year old cars were replaced when they were 7 or 8 years old for another 3-4 year old car. My dad was self employed and made a good living, but having a brand new car was not something he ever wanted, or bought. The car I bought through dad was newer then the car mom and dad had at the time, and it was 3 years old.
My wife's family was more financially strapped (7 kids will do that) so the vehicles they had were always older. A new vehicle was never a consideration.
My wife and I started our marriage off buy paying for our own wedding, and I was an auto mechanic. Having a new car was never a consideration. I trusted my abilities to maintain vehicles we could drive any where, at any time. A reliable car never had (and still doesn't have) anything to do with the age of the vehicle. If you don't understand that, I'm sorry for you. I can say we (not previous or other owners of those vehicles) have put over 100,000 miles on several 1960s through the 2000s model year cars and trucks in our life time. The farthest we have ever had to have anything towed was 4 miles from home one time (we almost made it home), and about a 1/2 mile from home a couple times, in all these years (that is not to say we haven't limped a few home). The last two were easier to just call AAA then to deal with what was going on while out in the sun and heat. Any time we have encountered a problem on the road, there was always someone show up that was willing to help out.

I build my stuff to drive. I know how I drive, I know how my wife drives. I know the ranges of my mechanical abilities, and I know the range of my physical abilities. I know what my vehicles are capable of, and we are willing to drive them in the range that is not going to cause more stress then the vehicle (and us) can handle. I'm pretty good at figuring out what might be wrong with what I build, should something happen. At the same time, I'm not leaving home if something on the ride is questionable. That requires a per-trip inspection, I do two of them. I get under the ride and inspect everything myself, then I take it to my buddy's shop for and oil change and his 2nd set of eyes inspection.

Driving this old stuff is an intentional driving experience. You have a starting point, you pick an ending point, you choose the roads you want to take in the vehicle you want to take you there. You choose how fast or slow you want to go, and what you might want to see along the way. You and I can leave from the same starting point and drive to the same destination. You travel your way, and I will travel my way, and if something terrible doesn't happen, we will both be happy. However, if we both travel my way, it will be more relaxing, and probably more fun. If something terrible happens along the way, we can hang around together and have someone to talk with while we patch it up to get to the next town, or wait for the tow truck together. Those minor breakdowns are where the best stories (and best friendships) come. from.

 

@gene-koning . Exactly!

 

I have to comment again, it looks like quite a few people that are commenting are retired. As someone who is still working I drive my cars as much as possible, my girl has a used car with over 200,000K for a back up to her Lark wagon. I don't have one (and won't), the panel is my newest running and goes everywhere to swaps and cruising (on the freeway around 70 mph, wind, rattles, squeaks and all). I did get a newer M/C to commute to work as traffic is gridlock and I'm afraid for my old cars safety, however I do drive them to work when I want to or it rains.

I just thought about it and my '60 Elco is the newest I own period. For now that's good enough.....who knows what the future holds.

 

1oldtimer I hate to disappoint you, but my wife worked for the gov & I was a stay at home dad, building houses & hotrods. WE planned our vacations to coincide with our trips as did a lot rodders. Yes, we also took trips after retirement. Ya just gotta plan ahead, many times by a year or so. Luv those elcos , had a 59 elco that I drove every place, even where off roaders went.

 

1oldtimer, you are correct. I am retired now, but I worked hard for 42 years to get there.

My 2st real job was at 15 1/2 (you could do that then). I worked 38 hours a week through high school, and then 50 hours a week at the job, and had a side hustle, working on extra automotive projects for others, to fund my automotive habits. I got married at 19, bought our 1st house at 19, had our 1st child when I was 21 and the second child when I was 24. I was an auto mechanic, my wife was a nurse. At 35 I opened my own welding shop. We had 3 cars between us most of our lives, one my wife drove, my hot rod, and a beater so I could get to and from work, (a lesson of broken hot rods I learned early). All were considered old and high mileage, at that time.

When our oldest child was around 10 we started doing 2 week vacations every year so the kids could see the country (all by car). Both kids started collecting things from each state they had been in. My son did state map magnetic pieces that fit on a USA map, but the rule was, they had to at least walk around in the state before they could collect that state's trinket (all bought with their own money they earned by doing chores around the house). By the time my youngest was a teenager, he has 26 map pieces. We did a lot of historic locations, and fun things too.

Don't believe for a minute that just because we are old and retired, we didn't go through the things you are going through. It was never easy. I built a business from scratch, was deep in debt, and we lived week to week (sometimes day to day). We worked our way out of debt and retired debt free, including no house mortgage. We busted our butts, and worked hard to make it all work out.
We still have old cars, our newest one is a 2004 with 150,000 miles, a 48 Plymouth with over 100,000 since it became a hot rod in 2012, and my 49 Dodge pickup that only has about 20,000 miles on it since becoming a hot rod in 2022 (both of which I did 90% of the work on myself).

My wife and I have chosen to slow down a bit and enjoy life. Hopefully, that day will come for you as well.

 

My favorite car has no power steering, brakes, seats, cruise control, radio, heater, a/c, hell it doesn't even have windows or a top and it's loud. I love that car, it's fun to drive!
Some folks like those luxuries, some folks need them. What ever blows your hair back, it's all good!