Who Uses Their Old Car/Truck As Primary Transportation?

[Real Steel]

Hi Everyone.  This is my firs post here on the AACA forums.

 

I've been deep into vintage cars since my teens, and that's been a while.  My personal goal has always been to use my older cars as my primary (local) transportation vehicle.  For many years now I've enjoyed original (unrestored) cars of the 20's and 30's, and I strive to keep my current one on the road and ready to go.

 

I started following some of the posts here a couple of months ago in hopes of observing other folks with the same interests and intent.    I haven't seen much activity in this area though.  

 

If you have an older vehicle that you use as your primary transportation, would you like to chime in and be counted?

 

Alex

 

 

[Plyroadking]

I bought my 40 plymouth in 2006, almost 75k miles since. I drove it every where I went in CA, hides in storage now during the salted seasons. I guess since my 86 k30 (my newest) is considered a "classic" I only drive old cars.

[victorialynn2]

This was my father's daily driver for many years. 

[auburnseeker]

I use the Hudson Every nice day to go to the post office with my shipping and hardware store etc.  

 

[keiser31]

This was and will be my daily driver again as soon as I can replace the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders....

[auburnseeker]

I'll be swapping duties with this one once I get it on the road.( A trip to DMV and a brake going through)  It's a Business coupe so the big trunk Might come in handy. 

[Real Steel]

This is my daily driver.  Wow, its great to see that folks are keeping them on the road...

 

[cahartley]

I had 5 cars.......down to 3 now since I bought the Confederate.

As long as there is no salt on the roads and it's dry out I switch cars from day to day.

The only things I buy to just look at are pictures.......  

[JACK M]

My modern DDs don't get driven much in the summer months.

[SC38dls]

My daily driver is the 38 Studebaker State Commander. My 4 legged friends loves the back seat and sticking her head out the window.

 

 

Edited August 20, 2017 by SC38DLS (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

Not a daily driver but use it for local errands. Just got back from a run to the farm stand for peaches and a watermelon................Bob

[jackofalltrades70]

I drivw this whenever weather is fair. Still working on the windows after getting the top put on. Once that happens, will be out more and not have to worry about rain.

 

Matt

[plymouthcranbrook]

I feel like a young a slacker when I admit that I drive my 1980 Plymouth Volare Spring,Summer, and Fall as much as I can.  The problem is at my age it just seems like I am driving a used car, not an almost 40 year old one.

[Marty Roth]

On 8/19/2017 at 8:18 PM, auburnseeker said:

I'll be swapping duties with this one once I get it on the road.( A trip to DMV and a brake going through)  It's a Business coupe so the big trunk Might come in handy. 

 

Auburnseeker, this would be a sharp "Tanker", "Spiriting" Canadian spirits from across the border. 

Good looking car ! Glad yo finally found it !

[Brass is Best]

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 1:58 PM, SC38DLS said:

My daily driver is the 38 Studebaker State Commander. My 4 legged friends loves the back seat and sticking her head out the window.

 

 

 

Dogs love old cars!

[Brass is Best]

Here are my go to drivers this year.

[nick8086]

Dad's work Truck..

[Larry Schramm]

Is the door bell switch the horn?

[MarrsCars]

I used my Benz coupe as a daily driver for the first full year I owned her, 5-years ago. That was mainly to shake her down and see what she needed and I was able to address many issues big and small during that time. I did love it and even during our very wet winters the car drove just fine, with fogging of the windows after a stop being the only real issue, but she cleared them once underway in a few minutes. I stopped only because I got collector car insurance that no longer allows this use.

[jackofalltrades70]

My collector car insurance allows me to drive when and where I want.  

[SC38dls]

Does this count as a classic?  Not mine but saw it going into Chicago around the south side of Lake Michigan today. 

 

 

[nick8086]

14 hours ago, Larry Schramm said:

Is the door bell switch the horn?

 

 

It turned on the  dome light in the cab..

[padgett]

8 hours ago, jackofalltrades70 said:

My collector car insurance allows me to drive when and where I want.  

So does mine, they just frown on parking in parking lots unless going to a show (e.g. using for errands).

[Guest]

Avatar shows me on the running board of my Grandfather's Pontiac in 1947.  From 1959 to 2015 it was my daily driver.  Managed every state west of the Mississippi and every province from Thunder Bay to BC (400,000 miles on top of his 99,000).  First picture is the Tinindian's "Blue Period" from 1962 - 1985,, next picture is 1986 and finally 2010.  Off the road right now rebuilding engine, front suspension and other bits and pieces.

[TerryB]

In PA it's the registration that limits use regardless of the insurance permissions.  If you want to have an antique registration, which does not require PA annual safety inspections, then you are limited in use to shows, car meets, etc.  Of course if you go with standard registration then you are free to use the car (or truck) as a daily driver and be subject to having pass the annual safety inspection.

 

Its rare to see any really old cars, like pre-1950s, in use as daily drivers in my area.  At one time there was a model A that I used to see on a daily basis on my commute to work.  The car had the standard registration tag so it was legally in daily use.  Haven't seen it in the last few years now that I'm retired.

[60FlatTop]

My question, when reading this topic, is what insurance is being used? Over the years I have managed to accumulate a few cars that all run and drive. I am very happy to have inexpensive insurance available and I try to abide by the terms and conditions set by the provider. I wouldn't drive one to a job or work on a regular basis or at any time I was "on the clock".

 

At the moment I am shopping for a  replacement for my daily driver Silverado. I have been eyeing my '94 Impala, that has collector insurance, as a possible driver. My first consideration would be switching to regular insurance if I did. It was an obvious need to me.

 

I have never been one to follow every rule to the letter or even have respect for authority, but some things are just asking for trouble.

 

And I can tell you, right now, in the event of an incident the first words uttered will the the infamous "I thought", the two most dangerous words in the English language.

Bernie

Edited August 25, 2017 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

getting close to 2000 miles on the shop truck this summer. Will have it out again today, just to go for a drive and get a beer. Alright, maybe two beers.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Xander Wildeisen (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

The more I look at your truck it looks like the artist renditions they used in the sales brochures that always seemed a bit longer and lower than the real thing they produced.   OK time to get out in the garage and work on my pipe bender (those benders need a bunch of modding to bend tube)  so I can get the exhaust bent for mine. 

[Xander Wildeisen]

I stretched both trucks pictured, but the chop really ads to the look. It is funny how they would print pictures of cars/trucks lower and sleeker, to pull in buyers, and then sell them a mile high windshield.  

[alsancle]

I've been short a car the last couple of weeks but fortunately the weather has been super nice so this has been getting me to the office.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Is there a bad day at the office, when you can look out the window and see what you get to drive home?

[auburnseeker]

Only when you see it's starting to rain at the same time. 

[SC38dls]

8 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

I stretched both trucks pictured, but the chop really ads to the look. It is funny how they would print pictures of cars/trucks lower and sleeker, to pull in buyers, and then sell them a mile high windshield.  

You have 2 BIG BOYS! No fair. I love those trucks. I have to find a way to convince my better half I really need one (or 2 if I get very persuasive). 

[Xander Wildeisen]

The black one you see in the picture above is not mine. I built that one for a friend of mine. I had a black one as well, but it was chopped and stretched like the two tone one that you see above. All different trucks. The silver one you see, I built for a customer, it is stretched but not chopped.

[Xander Wildeisen]

[SC38dls]

You do good work. 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2017 by SC38DLS (see edit history)

[mrspeedyt]

if it wasn't for the price of gas i'd be driving my old suburbans all the time. especially the '73 4x4 stick. instead i drive a prius.

[Marty Roth]

7 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

if it wasn't for the price of gas i'd be driving my old suburbans all the time. especially the '73 4x4 stick. instead i drive a prius.

 

And the price of fuel will soon increase by AT LEAST 10 - 20 cents/gallon

Drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and a great many refineries along southern Texas/Louisiana are shut down already as a result of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey, and will likely remain shut down for some time. This will drive prices upward nationwide as supplies are impacted !  

[Guest]

Everybody complains about the cost of gasoline.  Up here in Canada our gas is 4.92 US per US gallon so you guys are doing pretty well.  I always like to calculate the amount of gas I could buy per of hour I of work at minimum wage in 1958  (1.4 gal) to the same formula in 2017 (2.8 gal).  So in reality fuel is half the price as in 1958.  Mileage is also 50% better.  Same thing applies to vehicle prices, toasters, refrigerators, televisions etc.  In 1930 it cost my Grandfather the equivalent of one years wages to by a new Pontiac.  Today one can buy any number of excellent vehicles for the equivalent of a years wages.  It is all relative.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

3 hours ago, Tinindian said:

Everybody complains about the cost of gasoline.  Up here in Canada our gas is 4.92 US per US gallon so you guys are doing pretty well.  I always like to calculate the amount of gas I could buy per of hour I of work at minimum wage in 1958  (1.4 gal) to the same formula in 2017 (2.8 gal).  So in reality fuel is half the price as in 1958.  Mileage is also 50% better.  Same thing applies to vehicle prices, toasters, refrigerators, televisions etc.  In 1930 it cost my Grandfather the equivalent of one years wages to by a new Pontiac.  Today one can buy any number of excellent vehicles for the equivalent of a years wages.  It is all relative.

 

 Great minds++++. I preach that to my kids all the time. 

 

  Ben