Show us your "rusty but trusty's"...

After reading some recent posts on "barn finds" and the mention of Bill's 70 El Camino, I'm wondering how many of you have old cars, that you just drive the wheels off of? I'm not talking about historically significant vehicles, but ones you drive to work, to the store, or even park on the street, lol!

Pictured is the Jetstar 1 I picked up last summer. Basically, all I have done was put some carpet and a headliner in it, and have driven it a bunch. This one has seen time in the IGA parking lot, the mall, and work. Normally, I'm not a "big car" enthusiast, but this thing has a ton of power, and ride that rivals some new cars. I don't really have any plans for it, other than to keep it dependable, and eventually lose those hideous wheels.

The summer before last, I had a 67 Impala. It was horrible looking as the result of the previous owner and a can of spray primer, but I drove it to death. I did end up painting it, because it was white with black primer spots all over it. Kids were starting to "moo" at it when I went to the Dairy Queen, and it was the final straw. Pictures of it wouldn't upload, but trust me, it was hideous.

So, what are you driving?

This is my girl. She goes to work with me. To the grocery store. Club meetings. Car shows. The only time she rests is winter when the salt and snow abound.

Matt

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Great idea for a thread!.......

For about 40 years I missed my first car, a '59 Chevy Biscayne, and finally got another '59 a year ago Labor Day weekend, a 4 door Bel Air.

Having had a '59 I knew where the rust problems usually are and, true to form, this one had plenty of troubles but not in some of the usual troublesome places.

I bought it sight unseen, only via photos and a chat with the seller's wife who actually was at the car while we talked to answer any questions I had about it.

Part of the ad description was "engine loose but turns over".......it's a 235 6 w/three on the tree just like my first one, which was exactly what I wanted, so am very familiar with the engine and figured no big deal........been there and done that.

I had it running withing about 20 minutes of the cars arrival.

I wound up putting in a new set of pistons and .001" undersize rod bearings.

However the areas that were good were more than made for by the places that weren't....... .......but the exterior is good enough for me as a driver.

The interior got the full treatment....... from the floor pans up.

I sanded off the rust from the top and trunk lid and rattled canned them with Valspar Primer+Paint in One and used GOJO with pumice to take off the oxidation on the rest of the car........amazing stuff!

Anyway........this car is the most comfortable car I own and I drive it often when there isn't salt on the roads.

Trouble is parking lots now days aren't laid out for boats like this....... LOL

Nice cars guys! When I was a kid, there was an old Roadmaster buried in the woods close to the house. The story was that it was stolen at one time and abandoned, and no one ever bothered to move it out. When I was about 5 or 6, Dad had a '59 four-door Biscayne. I remember playing in the front yard and when Dad went to turn left into the driveway, a Miamisburg cop tried to pass him on the left, and drilled the car in the side, right in front of me. He cited Dad for no turn signal, and the poor old car was done for. It's a sore subject to this day, he swears he used his turn signal and they were just trying to beat him out of paying for the '59. If I show him the picture of your '59, I'll have to hear the whole story all over again, lol!

^ My ride isn't NEARLY as nice as yours.........but I love it as much........

^ My ride isn't NEARLY as nice as yours.........but I love it as much........

Thanks for the kind words. I lucked out as far as finding it with such little rust, but it has a really old, bad repaint on it. I think it might be like those dating site pictures. It looks pretty decent in photo's, but you actually say "yikes!" out loud when you see it in person, lol!

You just don't see those '59's around here. I think Dad's was pretty rusty in 1970. You've got a keeper!

I looked for a long time to find THIS one........it was in north central Iowa and it cost a bundle to get it home.

I paid $1900 which in retrospect was cheap in spite of its rust issues.

At least I didn't have to go searching for trim ($$), glass and a lot of other high dollar things.

There's a new gas tank, sender and fuel pump, water pump and an entire new brake system in it too.

...I'm wondering how many of you have old cars, that you just drive the wheels off of?...

I've posted previously about my 1947 Dodge D25 (Canadian) sedan... owned 23 years, daily driver last two years, 110K miles (engine rebuilt around 90K), been to 35 states, three provinces, two territories, and all four coasts of North America, including Tuktoyaktuk on the Beaufort Sea, the most northerly road-accessible point in Canada (Dec-Apr ice road only).

Photos: Twin Springs NV; Ice road to Tuk; 2nd heater & period cup holders; Car show sign; Decorated for Christmas; Load for the SallyAnn (we have no truck nor trailer); 16' replacement garage door; Something different at car shows.

Now that's using your car right, Chris! Do you take measures to keep the salt off in the winter?

Wow, Chris. I think you easily take the "car that has seen and done more than I will in my lifetime" award, lol! That is fantastic!

For me, the hobby is much more than just owning a car, or having the best car. It's about reliving old memories, and making new ones along the way. Maintaining and preserving for future generations for years to come. Great job, I love to see them functioning and used as they were designed to be, decades after they could have been long gone.

My 31 Pickup at a nursing home last year

Thanks Jim & Aaron.

Jim, we see very little salt used in this area — I think maybe it gets too cold around here for the salt to be effective (temperature this AM was -29°C/-20°F).

Having said that, the car gets rustier every year and in my opinion is past the point of practical repair although the frame etc. is still sound. I'll probably keep driving it until it is used up which is really the ultimate in "using them as they were used back in the day".

You only go around once, so why not?

Here's my rusty but trusty 1952 Buick Special Deluxe. I bought it to get it back on the road and experience just what it was like to drive back then. As is the case, I am restoring it a little bit at a time and keeping it as close to original as possible. I have had an absolute blast working on it and driving it every chance I get. Here's a link to my thread here on the forum if you want to know more about it: http://forums.aaca.org/f163/1952-special-deluxe-project-315000.html.

The pictures are named and tell you where they were taken. Just a few notes, picture 6 was taken in front of the Maggards Cash Store in Eolia, KY. Apart from my growing up in this area for a time and my mom's side of the family having the last name Maggard and living in this area, this is the old country store that Tommy Lee Jones and Sissy Spacek stopped at in the movie Coal Miner's Daughter. Also, picture 5 was taken in front of the Durant-Dort office building in Flint, MI. It was in this building that Billy Durant made pivotal decisions in the development and financing of the Buick Motor Company, the beginning of Chevrolet, and the founding of General Motors.

My 31 Pickup at a nursing home last year

That jogged my memory.

A couple Summers ago a local car club was asked by a rather large care facility if they would bring some of their cars for some kind of doings they had going on.

The idea behind it was the old cars might jar the minds of some residents to recall things they might still remember.

One of the club members asked if I'd bring one of mine so I drove my '19 Touring T there.

Luckily it was a lovely day and the car got lots of attention...... .......probably not so much from the residents but from children of the residents.

My trusty 68. This is my GoTo car, reliable as new ones and much more torque.