John_Maine Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I still have to wait until the end of April to get my cars out of storage. I'd love to live where I could enjoy them year round. Reading the beginning of this thread about driving convertibles in cold weather - I did buy a 2009 Mustang convertible last summer and have been using it this winter if the roads are dry. The day before Christmas, the bank closed at noon. It was a warm 45° day, so I got three of the women I work with to find Santa hats for us, I put the top down and we rode around town yelling Merry Christmas to people. It was great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Don't have it today, but I had my A out a couple times this week.Weather was very agreeable - sunny and warm, temps in low 50's...Very nice for March in NE PA.Even had the windshield open ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfudd Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 On Wednesday I had the '13 T runabout out on the road. I pulled into a driveway where, it was rumored, a Model T lived. And so it did! A '13 runabout, just like mine! Also a '26 coupe and a '40s Mercury. Met the people, had a good tire-kicking session, and drove home.Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest quadfins Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Not today, but Wednesday I took the '61 Coupe de Ville for a drive. Oh, the fins! The Chrome! The Sinatra! I had forgotten how smooth and quiet that car is, even compared to my new cars.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 My 1943 Caroline.........bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Does just steering count? I helped a friend pull his two Cartercars out of storage for display for our old car club tour tomorrow. One is a 1913 and one is a 1914. Both should be in the historical preservation category (HPOF?). There are some very nice original details such as pinstriping on the body, frame and leaf springs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Way cool. Some of the cues almost look like Buick at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Here are some more details of these cool friction drive cars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Wow. I agree, these cars should be preserved as is. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gossjh Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I just drove 40 miles to switch storage with 1956 Hudson going in the Atutomotive Heritage Museum in Kokomo and the 1937 Cadillac coming out to be ready for a tour next weekend. Thanks for showing the Cartercars. I have a 1907 Cartercar touring. It saw daylight the other day, but I'm looking for a new chain to get it back on the road in a proper manner..Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Drove the '60 Bug around Stony Creek, CT a bit yesterday (3/18/2010) to enjoy the balmy day. Posed for a picture next to someone's blooming crocuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bollman Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 The wife and I took the 1950 F1 out for a short drive today. First time on the road since I brought it home over Thanksgiving. Looking forward to some longer drives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 We drove our '56 Chevy "onto" the trailer yesterday.Ok, let me explain. We had already cleaned her up, waxed her a little, and got those wide walls looking cool. Today we profiled her through 2 states on the trailer, driving 600 miles, ending up in Lebanon TN, site of last year's AACA Meet. We're staying in the same hotel, they're great people here. So, where are we going? Kerrville, Texas here we come, for the 2010 Sentimental Tour! We all should arrive in Kerrville for the Sunday Meet and Greet!Stand by for more news!Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Good luck, Wayne. I drove my 1978 Dodge PU. But do not really think of it as an antique. Just my old reliable daily driver. Hopefully can say " My 1950 Buick Special" in a couple of months. Going to paint shop in about a week. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfireelvis Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Have had some nice days in the 50s and low 60s the last week or so, and a couple of rains to wash all the sludge and salt off the roads.Got home late tonight before dusk and took the '62 Starfire out for its first ride since last October; in fact, I think it's been parked in the garage since coming home from Fall Hershey, though I'm one of those guys who starts it every week or two during the winter months and let it run for a good 20-30 minutes to make sure all the moisture is out, and to keep things loose and limber. Did a dozen-mile round trip, as I went to the Sunoco station, topped off the tank with the 94 octane, put some 104 octane boost in it, and the whole way it felt and sounded great, especially with the Sirius boombox plugged into the lighter, and switching between the '50s channel and the Elvis channel (and an occasional listen to the NFL network on there), but had the radio off for a good deal of the way as well to hear that Oldsmobile rumble they were famous for back in those days. Saturday is the first day of Spring, but I have to work, and Sunday looks like rain and cooler, so this was the time to do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olympic Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 It was a beautiful day in Maryland today, so I got the 27 Franklin out and drove it around to change the air in the cooling system! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 It was a beautiful day in Maryland today, so I got the 27 Franklin out and drove it around to change the air in the cooling system!Beautiful car ! I've always liked the "de Causse" Franklins.Thanks for sharing ! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 My son and I put over 150 miles on our '60 Bug yesterday, driving up to Simsbury, CT, to participate in the CT VW Association's "Spring Kick-Off Party." Great weather here in Connecticut brought out a good number of oldies, including a couple of "newbies" also (foreground): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prof pat Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 now, was it a short joy ride? or a planned long vacation away from female companionship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 My son and I put over 150 miles on our '60 Bug yesterday, driving up to Simsbury, CT, to participate in the CT VW Association's "Spring Kick-Off Party." Great weather here in Connecticut brought out a good number of oldies, including a couple of "newbies" also (foreground):I'm curious... do the Air-cooled Bugs growl, bark, and snap at the "New Beetles" ? ( My wife has has a 2000 neue Beetle for about seven years, and the only redeeming quality I find about it is that it has heat in the winter... )Would love to have my Dad's '66 Bug...:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 ...( My wife has has a 2000 neue Beetle for about seven years, and the only redeeming quality I find about it is that it has heat in the winter... )...Frank, the New Beetles seem to be decent cars, at least as decent as equivalent-era Golfs, on which I think their mechanicals are based. I understand they are pretty safe cars overall also. I have heard from a few independent mechanics, however, who really don't seem to like working on them (evidently have to take a lot of stuff apart in order to get at "common"wear-out parts, etc.). I have no direct experience.But Old Beetles are pretty easy to keep going--though also I'm sure light-years more dangerous (than New Beetles) as far as collision protection, etc...I am a very defensive driver when I'm behind the wheel of an old Bug.As far as heat in my '60, I'd say that I can smell it more than I can actually "feel" it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 "As far as heat in my '60, I'd say that I can smell it more than I can actually "feel" it! " "I have heard from a few independent mechanics, however, who really don't seem to like working on them (evidently have to take a lot of stuff apart in order to get at "common"wear-out parts, etc.)."Yeah, they can be very challenging to work on... one of the worst chores is replacing the battery... it's squeezed way up inside the LF fender... On the other hand, I replaced the brakes at all four wheels last year, and it really wasn't a bad jobRiding around in one is another story... tremendous blind spots, and a full-grown adult such as myself (6'2") cannot sit upright in the back seat - the curves of the body force me to lean forward and to the center ! :mad:Definitely a "boutique" car for teenage girls, in my humble (jaded) opinion...One of the things I remember very strongly about my Dad's two '66 Beetles was the smell of the interior: the pleasantly "musky" (?) aroma of horsehair seat stuffing ! Both cars were "khaki" with the white perforated vinyl interiors...Sadly both are long -gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 ...Riding around in one is another story... tremendous blind spots, and a full-grown adult such as myself (6'2") cannot sit upright in the back seat - the curves of the body force me to lean forward and to the center !....I guess back seat is a no-no for me also (@ 6'4")...though the back seat of an Old Bug really is no picnic either......Definitely a "boutique" car for teenage girls, in my humble (jaded) opinion...That's kind of how they strike me a bit also......One of the things I remember very strongly about my Dad's two '66 Beetles was the smell of the interior: the pleasantly "musky" (?) aroma of horsehair seat stuffing ! Both cars were "khaki" with the white perforated vinyl interiors...Sadly both are long -gone.My dad had a couple of Bugs back in the day ('57, '61, and '63 models). There must be something in those "classic old-VW fumes" that gets under your skin. I know exactly the smell you're talking about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Ahh, now I know why so many early Beetles were on route 44 this past weekend!! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Ahh, now I know why so many early Beetles were on route 44 this past weekend!! :-)I don't think we hit Route 44. We drove up I-91 to the airport exit, and then proceeded over thru East Granby and Granby on Route 20, then down Route 10 into Simsbury. For our return trip we decided to "feel our way" a little more directly south, eventually getting back on the highway in Bloomfield.Probably could have done a whole lot better, route-wise, if we had taken the time, but we were relying on recommended directions from the organizers--which, all in all, were fine.It was a really nice taste of Spring weather, though, and I'm looking for lots more to come... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TG57Roadmaster Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Took the Roadmistress out for an extended drive in the country, after having the correct stem to stern exhaust installed (through the rear bumper ends). I helped put it in at the muffler shop I've used for 20 years, and for the first time since I've owned her (1992), she sounds like a '57 Roadmaster should!TG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Took the Roadmistress out for an extended drive in the country, after having the correct stem to stern exhaust installed (through the rear bumper ends). I helped put it in at the muffler shop I've used for 20 years, and for the first time since I've owned her (1992), she sounds like a '57 Roadmaster should!TGHey TG - any chance of posting a video / audio clip of how your Roadmaster sounds with the correct exhaust ?:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TG57Roadmaster Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Frank,A good friend has a video camera, and I'll be happy to tape the sound and car at Charlotte AutoFair in the next few weeks. It's very smooth now, with a sweet burble...TG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Drove my '28 Ford (again) today...Still working the bugs out, but it's covered 1,500 miles since January, and hasn't come back home on the flat-bed yet...Eighty-two years old and 80,450 miles.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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