Technical Whither a Classic Daily-Driver?

somehow it took me 15 years to finish building my 57 suburban, by then the kids were all out on their own.



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That's my reality too.

 

It's not worse than your current situation, but that's the point. Your current situation isn't a very good one. You're making monthly payments on an SUV that you have no love for and you apparently have some "equity" in. Why? Why not sell that and buy something cheap with the difference to haul junk around in and take to work? You can drive your '66 Skylark on nice days or when you know you don't have to haul stuff.

Save up what you were paying in payments and use it to buy or build the station wagon (or whatever) that you really want without making monthly payments on it.

I don't have anything against using old cars as daily transportation, a '55 Packard took me to work this morning. And selling your SUV and buying this wagon isn't really a step backwards from your current situation.

I'm just against taking loans out for cars, in general. Lots of smart people got themselves in financial trouble doing that, even with the best of intentions. I love old cars and I'm glad people want to use them as transportation. I just don't think borrowing 5 figures from the bank and being tied down to monthly payments is the best way to chase that dream.

 

I appreciate your sentiments (and as a side-note, as a Packard fan I love your choice of transportation), but I'm perfectly content having a monthly car payment; my current payment is only a shade over $200, and considering what my wife and I earn, it's hardly a financial burden. I see investing in a 'beater' as nothing more than a financial headache waiting to happen, IMHO.

 

see, that's the problem...you're using the word "invest" when talking about cars. It's all expense.

 

TOmato, toMAHto. I'm not sure I understand your point.

I've owned multiple classic/vintage cars in my life, and on many occasions they were my daily driver. All I'm talking about is replacing one vehicle with another, one manageable car payment with another, simple as that.

 

Isn't that red-lettered plate on the back a temporary one you pick up at the local registrar that allows you to drive an "old-timer" for a limited amount of time, then turn the plate back in after the specified period of time (like for instance a long weekend), provided it passes the TUV inspections/requirements?

 

Driving an old car sounds great. Taking a loan to buy one is a losing proposition. Grundy also requires a daily driver for each licensed driver in the household and no daily driving on a classic.

 

I don't get this, what am I missing? I'm simply trading one car payment for another! And the wagon, which ever one I buy, will be of far and away greater value at the end of the loan period than my SUV will at the same time. I've had car loans since I was in my late twenties, it's actually good to maintain SOME credit, fellas!

 

If you've convinced yourself you want to do it, just go ahead. None of us here are opposed to seeing that wagon pressed into daily use.

It's more of the personal finance angle, which isn't really a topic for the HAMB anyway. But I'm sticking to my original point. You seem to have a solid income from what you're telling us, you should be able to swing this for all cash if you delayed gratification for a bit and put your ducks in a row.

 

just do it.

 

" Don't ask the question and then argue about the answer." per my dear old Dad.

Ben

 

I was in an accident May 3rd, 10 days ago, in my old Blazer daily. The woman behind me snapped this photo before I even got out. Idiot pulled out from a stop sign just in time for me to lock up my brakes, skid about 25 feet and smack into him. My dog hit the dash, I had time to brace myself against the steering wheel and floorboard but if my wife had been in the passenger seat as she normally is she probably would have been hurt. I'm an old car guy to the bone but it's got me seriously considering ABS and airbags for a daily. Too many morons getting driver's licences these days.

 

looks sorta like the layout of country road where James Dean died

 

you are on the hamb because you love vintage cars, culture, and turning junk into daily drivers. you must build a project from scratch and get the family involved in the build. vintage cars take a certain amount of suffering to drive because they aren't loaded with every modern gadget, and that is why vintage cars rule.

 

Kind of yes... The red lettered plate is my own and i can use it on cars i don't drive daily. It's a car collectors plate you may use for test driving, car shows, leisure drives on cars 30 years or older, that are registered to this plates.... Still a registration, but for several cars with limited purpose....when i got the 55 I first drove it with the red plates until I decided I drove it way too often for their purpose and got a regular historical registration ( the black plates with the H ending)