Steve_Mack_CT

Helfen, I would think a definitive list of what constitutes a musclecar and what does not would be kind of a tall order. CCCA has been at that for Classic era cars for 60 years and they have many imperfections on their list. This would be equally difficult at best, no?

Great example of an inexpensive entree into the hobby, Marty. I think the '73 - '77 Cutlass was the number one selling car in America towards the end of its run. When was the last time you saw one?

I hear ya Steve, but this strip just fits the now all too familliar media mode of "anyone in a position of authority must be an idiot" be it clergy, bosses at a company or parents. I remember an interview with the VP of "Nickelodeon" once when it first came out and she decribed that very attitude as what young people wanted and needed. Really? I am not saying authority is always right and never to be questioned, but this smarmy attitude is a big reason for many of society's problems today. Their are many, many things you would not dare make fun of (and truthfully most would be innapropriate to do so)in this PC world today, but old cars and old car people are part of the "old establishment" therefore fair game. Oh sH#%, I violated my New Year's resolution to avoid non "old car only" posts. Well, I think we all see eye to eye here anyway... Can't argue with your logic, Joe P., but how can you reach out to a group who is not interested? Best not to frustrate one's self, I think...

Bump. Phil bought the distributor but I still have all the other stuff. Can Deliver to Spring Rhinebeck Show!

Opened the front door Saturday morning and before I could stop her one of the Shepherds bounded out and within seconds had sunk up to her neck - so here I am barefoot, in sweats and a T-shirt shoveling to get to her before she panicked and hurt herself! Well they eventually made some of their own paths - proof there is strength in numbers!! This is one time of the year I am glad we are down to 4 cars here, at least 2 are in a garage!

Never been a big fan, I think 58Mustang has this clown figured out...

Apologies gents, for being a bit lazy earlier. Mike, as an aside I know from experience ten feet of the stuff won't cool the footwells in that TR-6!!! This from an MB forum was what I was thinking of - did not take too much time to find... Interior rebuild getting closer, Dynamat installed. - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

Dwight, FWIW this has been discussed in detail on other forums and while I cannot speak from personal experience, consensus seems to be that their is an insulation product available at the big box home centers (Lowes, Depot) that has ALL of the properties Dynomat does except the logo, for a fraction of the price. Before you order you may want to check that out. Great to hear you are closing in on a running chassis, always a big milestone!!

Yep, their are several definitions of classic car vs "Classic Car" that have been discussed on this forum ad nuseum. Those that interested can do a simple search on this. I think it is great to inform a new member about "commonly accepted nomenclature" but that said, I think it is really obnoxious to call any non-classic (as defined by the CCCA) simply a "used car". Let's be honest, what you are basically saying, "well if it is not on MY list, it must be junk". Full Classics are incredible cars, but not for everyone. BTW I could rattle off literally dozens of non classics that exceed most Full Classics in terms of market value. Not that market value should drive one's interest but it is a reflection of trends and popularity of various collector cars. Sorry, but that mindset serves only to deter newcomers from AACA or CCCA membership and perpetuate the negative impressions of CCCA that many members of this forum have voiced in the past. BTW, having been a CCCA member, I firmly believe that while a great organization, their classification process is less than perfect. It is a great organization that covers a very special group of cars, but not the be it all end all of the hobby.

RedVac, good thinking and planning on your part. You know what level of committment you can make at this point of your life, good news is learning is largely free. You may consider joining AACA where you can learn more about Musclecars or whatever peaks your interest. If you do, definately find your local region and join up. Chances are you will at least get to copilot some cars and see close up if that is what suits you. I would imagine their are forums simillar to this one that focus on Mopars as well. Good luck and hope you stay interested -

The last time I drove in LA traffic it was not moving all that fast - we were tempted to get out and walk....

GOB - understood, admittedly Mopars of the 60s and 70s are not my sweet spot and it sounds like your advice is well taken on one of those. I guess my point is if he truly wants to drive an older car daily bad enough, he can find one that fits the bill. There are trade offs, of course, and he needs to decide how critical gas and go is. I based my comments on the thought that if he can live with a car representative of the era that is reasonably sporty he could do this. As he says he wants to learn, so he has something to consider there A Corvette or Reatta could fill the bill depending on his interest level. Since getting the SL I am finding a big level of interest in MB owners of vehicles 1960 - 1990 where the emphasis is on driving these, and in some cases daily. Properly sorted these are great cars and ahead of many in terms of comfort and safety. Many are being refurbished (fully sorted mechanically, with cosmetics tended to as needed but rarely dissasembled and restored) by owners who want an interesting car to drive regularly. That said, I would not recomend here as our new friend indicates his interest is in musclecars. Also, a needy MB can be very expensive so someone new to the hobby may find that to be a budget buster. Now here is a challenge - on one hand a lot of us express concerns about young people's level of interest in the hobby. Let's face it - most young people do not have tons of disposable income. What's wrong with encouraging them to get into the hobby via a collectable or quasi-collectable Daily Driver? As I reflect on this it hit me - MBCA is picking up lots of new younger members, is that the case with all clubs? Does the driving factor have anything to do with this? Just a couple thoughts... Will be interesting to see what OP decides.

This is an interesting thread. While I agree a project car makes little sense for an apartment dweller I don't buy that for a driver purchased in good shape. No doubt a garage can be sourced capable of working on a '65 Mustang or similar, we are not talking about keeping a Duesenberg on the road here. OP does not seem too focused on powertrain but agree if it is a true "musclecar" and nothing else will do it could be impractical for many reasons, but alternatives like a slant 6 or small 8 would not necesarilly require monthly attention to keep on the road, they did not when they were new. That said I agree this approach would require some additional time effort and money spent on a collectible car vs. a modern car, but that does not mean it would be overwhelming. Lots of things on his side, youth, interest and a conducive climate for starters. And it is being done now by many, including some who have posted here before - would be great to get experienced feedback on the pros and cons...

Adding another thought as the "edit" feature does not seem to be cooperating right now.. Anyway, in terms of safety, Dave rightly points out that it may not be as safe as a modern car, personal decision but I hardly think you take your life in your hands - less safe than a new Taures, sure, safer than a Harley, yup. Driving habits and experience in my mind, are more critical in that area. Also a popular, simple choice like a Mustang can help "teach you" about cars as you note you are interested in learning, and if so inclined you could easily update brakes with bold on parts, and again, the car is not so valuable you would lose sleep over doing that. Whatever you decide hopefully you get invovled in the hobby - you will likely get hooked for life...

Congrats and thanks for taking the time to note that. Looks like a nice car!

So if you want to live life and not just preserve it, I think your idea has merit, RedVac. 60s/70s cars WERE daily drivers in relatively modern road conditions until not too long ago, and there are options. I know it is not Mopar but the first car that comes to mind to me would be a Gen 1 Mustang coupe or convertible (hey, it is CA, right?), 6 cylinder AT or manual. Point of entry for a decent one can be less than 10 grand. The car is small enough to be nimble, easy to maintain and repair, and parts are readily available in the event of a fender bender. Relatively decent fuel economy and bearing in mind all old cars need more care and feeding than a modern brand X, these tend to be very reliable cars. Also, Mustangs are extremely popular so resale would not be too tough, yet not valuable enough so that driving it would not make you feel bad about wearing out a priceless collectible. My guess is you would not be alone in this strategy either. Not so much here in snowy New England... If I lived in a climate that allowed it, and was in a situation where budget dictated my collector car would need to be driven or I could not afford it, I would give some serious thought to your idea. If you can, buy your car their to take advantage of the usual rust free condition most (but not all) CA cars seem to be found in. As time and money permit, if your interest grows, you can "retire" the car when you are ready. As a compromise a more modern choice may be a roadster like a Miata, but certainly not a collectible.

Nice to see the updates, Frank. Sometimes these things take time and the best schedule to work towards is "when it is done right"... BTW, when the time comes we would still love to feature it at the show!

Way to go Sarah! Baby steps, Steve, baby steps!

Got to 55 degrees out yesterday in Central CT, and the roads were pretty good - main ones not bad at all despite some snow melt. Put about 40 miles or so on the SL; including a bit on the highway. It was perfect after about a 6 week period of sitting. Must have been "give your German car some air" day in CT. I saw three other collector cars on this run, a red late 60s VW fastback that looked like it just pulled out of the paint shop, another "107" chassis SL - white, a nice car - he looked pretty surprised to see us - and a "111" chassis 220 se coupe in tobaco brown that was just stunning. All in all a fun hour or so on the road - not sure when the next opportunity will be due to this being a more active winter than last year, but that is New England for you - makes us appreciate Spring more!

Congrats Terry!!! These keep bubbling back up to the top of the want list for me as well... I think the TC has fantastic porportions - part of the fun of each new acquisition is learning about it for sure! Stating the obvious here, you will want to venture out beyond this forum. MG Experience has a pretty good T series section, I am sure their are others. Join a marque specific club - which you likely already belong to but that has always been a smart move for us, and where the knowledge is an email or phone call away. Looking forward to hearing about your driving experiences for sure.

Al, thanks for your insight from an owner's perspective. I am not sure where the original poster of this thread is on a potential RR product. I can tell you a postwar Bentley or maybe the right RR Wraith is on my short list as a nice all around old car. Like I did with my Packard and SL, will be looking for a very good car, as the advice on a "cheap RR/Bentley, etc." can be applied to lots of cars indeed. After a year as a CCCA member, I have changed my focus from a car that fits the CCCA criteria, to a car that fits my criteria, it really does not matter to me if the car is a Full Classic or not so I find that I am doing more research off this forum now but it was certainly interesting to see this thread pop back up. Hope to see more of your posts here - the AACA site overall has a lot of good content and knowledeable members. Regards,

Sounds like the right decision Jim. Pretty car though but IMHO 1/3 comes off for engine situaiton. On closed vs. open values if you are interested their was a thread on that in the general section about a year ago. Not sure I agree on the 300 SL values as that baton seems to go back and forth, although a couple of very big dollar GW sales recently may pull the gullwings up beyond the open 300 SL. Out of my rent district but fun to follow anyway...

Great colors on that Franklin! Now, imagine them all on one show field...

Drove my first car, a 1941 Plymouth two door sedan around (mostly in the yard) at age 14. My favorite early driving story though, is my friend who lived down the street. In the late 70s we were 14 - 15, not legal drivers yet, he had a '59 T-bird he was working with his dad. He would go out for an unauthorized cruise around the neighborhood once in a while, same thing with the Ford wagon they had. His father eventually became suspicious and would remove the rotor from the distributor to keep him "grounded"...

Good thread, Texas. Like everyone else I get a little tired of the "what is it worth" question BUT when it is a younger person I try to put myself in their shoes, and remember when I was a pesty kid likely asking the same thing - because at least some of them, mentally are thinking "how do I get one of these wonderful things"!!!! Now, I TRY to follow up the answer with something like "Do these cars interest you? If so there are interesting older cars out their, some inexpensive and some most of us can only dream about..." I am a firm believer a Model A can provide as much fun as a Duesenberg if you appreciate it for what it is. The trick is encouraging that interested party vs. engaging a nosy onlooker. But it usually is not that hard to tell the difference... ;-) Oh, I have found that over the years some people are interested in my old cars, others could care less. A problem on the road however, has ALWAYS been accompanied by interested onlookers intent on asking the questions you outlined above even if you seem knee deep in a perplexing problem. Murphy's law does seem to be in full force there...