What do you think the ultimate daily driver would be?

EDIT: pics would be GREAT!!

I'm just thinking here, not trying to stir crap or be goofy.

Really, what would be the ultimate daily driver; inexpensive, not great on gas but not kill ya either. I'm not talking a 32 coupe or A roadster....something on the cheap that you could take the kid, wife, etc. Truck; elky, rancharo? Easy to find parts for.......VERY reliable, 64 and back even with modern power is ok

What are you ideas? Just thinking out loud here.....

 

yeah, just something DIFFERENT......something that can be bought in good to "restored" condition reasonably.....or something a tad bit more $$ but a good project....

 

1963 Wilcat...I can almost see it now

 

If I were after a CAR for a daily driver, following your 64 or older criteria:

64 Chevelle with a TPI 350 and a TH350 tranny. Lowered front and rear with a slight "rubber rake", probably a set of 16" wheels with modern rubber. Power brakes with discs up front, power steering, highway gears (2.73 or so) out back and a simple, one color paint job. A killer sound system would be a given!

For a daily driver/parts hauler in the 64 or older realm:

64 El Camino with a pretty much stock 396/402 big block Chevy, Quadrajet carb, HEI, dual exahust, TH400, 12 bolt rear with 3.00 to 3.55 gears, 15" rally wheels at all four corners with bargain radials, trailer hitch, Macco paint job and a decent stereo!

 

i miss my lil beater falcon, although zack drove it LOTS more than me, LOL.. $600 car, reliable, decent driver... and could have looked kinda cool

 

I drive my 63 Chevy Nova everyday. It is bone stock - 194 inline six, 2 spd powerglide. It does ok on gas, around 18 in the city and up to 22 on the highway.

It would be nice to add disc brakes. Overdrive tranny too.

 

yeah, the Falcon seems like the cool thing to do... even the Chevy II.

I always wanted an early 60s Chevy wagon... on air ride. A cool cruiser you can haul stuff with. Maybe swap in an LS1 and keep the hood closed. (I drive 40 miles each way to work...fuel economy is a must!)

 

I think a ranchero (falcon style, or any other) or an elcamino would be cool. Everyone needs a cool parts hauler. My daily is a 20yo 4x4 flareside ford, nice in the snow, good parts chaser, and just a tad cooler than most other daily crapboxes.

 

This will hopefully be my shooter car as soon as I get a decent motor in it.Right now the little 215 is pretty tired.Ultimate motor would probably be a new LS1,but I'll settle for freshening up the 215 for now.

Doc

 

My daily is a '63 Nova. It's compact and lite for an old car, and with a 283 transplanted in it, it gets decent milage but can still get up and go. What more could you ask for?

 

Here's my daily, it might be a tad new as it doesn't make the pre '64 date. It's a 1965 Buick Sport Wagon. It has a 300 baby nailhead with 2 speed auto trans, power windows, power steering, ac and thrid row seat for the kids.

The main reason I bought was A.It was waaaaaaay to freak'n clean to pass up. B. It's basically a Chevelle (as I am a Chevy guy) so this would make parts and upgrades much easier. So far I updated it to power disc brakes and put on a set of big after market sway bars. Man, the thing stops and handles sooooo much better. I currently have a small block chevy (I know, I know. Keep a Buick in the Buick. I was thinking about a 401 or 425 Nailhead, but for the price & performance the small block wins.) at the machine shop being puched out to a 383 and a 350 or 700r4 will be the new trans. I will also be upgrading the rear to a chevy 12 bolt posi. I want to make the drive train bullet proof and depenable so I can move onto my other projects.

Sean

 

41 willys coupe.

 

46 Ford P/U

350/350X9"

Front clip

Black, Black steelies, White-wall Bias plies.

Or a 52-57 Ford 2dr Hd Top.... Same color scheme/power.

Good lowering job-DONE.

 

this would be my daily...dreams dreams dreams....

 

I gotta carry a double bass and bass amp rig around, so a 59 Chevy 2 door wagon or panel like the Mothers one would do me just fine...

 

Barely making the '64 cutoff date, my '64er Chrysler will be my daily sometime this year.
Plenty of space, in the car and trunk.

Only the way I build the twincarbed solidcammed 440, which is awaiting startup in a couple of weeks, is not really built for 'economy' I'm afraid...

 

Mine may not be the ultimate but I certainly like it. It's a 55 Pontiac S/W that has been driven to Florida,Newfoundland and Illinois in the past 4 years. It has carried BBC long blocks, my 1969 T120 and sheets of drywall. Because Pontiac motor parts are scarce in Canada I put in a 400 SBC with a 700R4 behind it. With 323 gears,29 inch tall WW's on it I even get decent gas mileage.

 

That's easy......any 59 Chevy. I've got a stable of them: Elky, 2dr Biscayne, 4dr Bel-Air, and the sedan delivery.

-Guider

 

Well, my 37 Chevy truck was a pretty nice daily driver. And the 64 Riviera before that was also a great daily driver. I think any older car is fine for a daily driver, I just recently sold my 60 El Camino and need to finish up my 59 El Camino. it is real nice having a bed to haul junk in, but if you need more than two people, you can't use a truck type vehicle.

 

I'd love to get a 63 Rivi. I love that car. I could still haul the wife and kid around in it comfortably.

 

I actually drive only my old cars and my motorsickle as my daily drivers... Havent had a newer car for months now (well, my wife does.) I love it this way.

Even though i'm overall a Caddy guy, have to say that my favorite daily driver thus far has been my '62 Lincoln Convertible (still have it, but lagging on rebuilding the 430, so it now sits in the garage w/ the engine on the stand.) All stock except for some white walls, lowered a bit and a nice dual exhaust. It wins for my favorite daily because of major comfort and:

1) Its got the pinky turn with ease power steering and feather like power brakes. Handles like a land yacht should.
2) Its a big convertible sled, with plenty of room for the ladies.
3) I drove it daily when i lived in Hollywood, and speaking of ladies-- it somehow made me much more appealing to them...
4) Good power, with the right amount of rumble.
5) It's nice, but no too nice to be afraid to drive .

My '60 Cadillac convertible has all the above, but is too nice and has too few miles to be a daily driver-- which sadly makes it a pain at times. The '60 Caddy coupe has almost all of the above, but just isnt a convertible and still needs work. I drove it today though, and i'm liking it a lot...

Typing this makes me want to go for a drive...

-scott noteboom

 

215 is a very reliable engine. I don't care what anybody says about those little aluminum blocks but mine has served me well for years without a problem. It's always there to save me when my nissan breaks(which it does...alot). I'm building my new daily driver/hauler right now: 63 Comet 2-door station wagon with a slightly modified inline 200. It's good on gas has decent pickup and will last damn near forever.

 

I keep thinkin I'm buying the ultimate everytime I buy a daily. Then, after a few short months, I find something that annoys the shit outta me. Then, it's no longer the ultimate. Kinda sucks never bein happy, maybe I'll do something about it someday...

Mootz

 

Depends on where you live. For a winter daily I always wanted a full sized early Toronado done to a bit of the Mad Max theme.
Anything I drive needs to have room for lots of my stuff. I think maybe a 64 Olds Vista cruiser with a throttle body 4.3 or 305 would be cool. Or an early panel wagon with a nice 300 Ford 6 and a 5 speed. Not a Ford with that big hole in the side, maybe a late 30s GMC or corn binder.

 

Please don't call me gay (not that ther's anything wrong with that), but we have this fairly new "Mini" at the shop, and it's a hoot to drive, good on gas, parks easy and looks quirky enough to be Pop Culture. Paint a Union Jack on the roof and off ya' go.
JT
P.S. Otherwise a shoebox Nova wagon gets my vote, would have to have Vintage A/C here in F-L-A

 

my dream daily! but woody is a jerky and wont sell it to me!...lol

 

early 60's nova coupe or wagon with new LS1 motor (or 300-350hp crate), 4 or 5 sp automatic (that way it gets great gas mileage and has plenty of pep), AC/heat and a good stereo.. (swap in ford falcon if you are Ford fan). Its small, light weight and will only increase in value as you put miles on it.

72 chevy swb pickup..

66 chevy El Camino/ wagon (also dig 1982 models) same details above

for me a daily driver has to be comfortable, easy to drive and able to haul some reasonable sized parts when needed...

 

i could cruise a '61 impala wagon with a tpi'ed 350 with a 200r4. lowered properly or maybe on bags. great stereo too.

 

I'd like to find a 49-59 Chevy or GMC truck body to plop down onto my 88 regular cab short box 4X4 frame. I'm working on lowering it right now, but that would suit all my needs in a daily. Utility for towing and hauling stuff, keep the 4wd or convert to AWD for my winter needs (I work in healthcare, so calling in because you can't get out of your driveway doesn't really cut mustard), and of course the looks.