Am I crazy?

[MrPink]

I don't know anything about antique cars except I like the looks of them much better than modern cars. Plus, I'm a preservationist and antique lover, so an old car just seems right for me. I need to get a "new" car soon and I would much rather spend money on an antique/classic car that I could drive every day than to buy a new car. Do people do that? I like cars from the 50s or earlier (the older the better) and I'd want an automatic with 4 doors and heat/ac. Since I want to drive it daily, I wouldn't get an all original - those should be preserved more than driven. Anybody have any suggestions or just think I'm crazy?

Oh yeah - I've been looking at antique cars on ebay and most of them don't have seat belts - what do you do about that if you want to drive it a lot?

[rocketraider]

I think a 1960s car would ultimately make a more practical daily driver, mainly because they're "modern" enough that most garages can work on them. Sometimes pre-1960 technology (especially automatic transmissions) baffles a mechanic used to working on computerized cars. Since you like pre-1960 cars, I recommend something that has strong club and parts support. That puts you into: a Chevrolet, a Ford, or of all things Ramblers and Studebakers.

Air conditioning is going to be a rare find on a car from that era so you'll be limited to an aftermarket add-on unit. Several companies specialize in those for older cars. You can buy a nice four-door 50s car for way less than the comparable coupe or convertible, and they've still got all the style coupled with practicality. Find a four-door hardtop and there's even more style. Wagons unfortunately have caught on so they're not as reasonably priced as they once were.

You can retrofit seat belts. JC Whitney has several styles to choose, or you can find New Old Stock factory belts on ebay. Installation involves drilling mounting holes in the floor and reinforcing them with heavy washers so they won't pull thru. If you know a good welder he can weld the washers and nuts to the floor for more strength, since that's pretty much what the factory did.

Just remember that a 40-60 year old car is not going to perform like a new model. It will have quirks you'll have to accept or remedy. For example, pre-1954 Chevrolet engines used splash lubrication which is not designed for sustained freeway speeds. A 6 or 8-volt electrical system has to be maintained in top condition to ensure reliability. You'll have to maintain a stock of spare parts, or at least anticipate need ahead of time, because you won't be able to get them at the corner chain parts store.

I'd try to stay away from heavily optioned cars because that's just that much more that can go wrong and not be able to find parts. By same token get a standard engine version over a high-compression or high-horsepower engine.

Also- buy the best car you can find to begin with, and if major mechanical work has been done ask for receipts and references.

I look at it this way. These cars were driven daily in their time and were dependable with proper maintenance, so there's no reason they can't be used as daily drivers now.

[Guest rbl2]

If you want something with an automatic AND an A/C I'd recommend getting something at least from the late 50's. Before that, and even than, most a/c's were an after market item except in the more expensive cars.

My older brother refuses to buy new cars for whatever reasons, not that he can't afford one. He uses for daily drivers his early 50's Pontiac and Plymouth.

I have a 26 Chevy I don't hesitate to drive at all but I don't use it for a daily driver. It's not fast enough for openers. Nor is it very comfortable in hot or cold weather.

Are you crazy? I don't think so. I prefer older cars to the newer ones also. I find them easier to maintain and I think they look better. Until it was "borrowed" while I was in Iraq I had a 46 Plymouth business coupe I'd owned since 1970. I used it whenever I wanted to, quite often as a daily driver and on road trips. I am partial to A/C however.

After market seat belts shouldn't be a problem to install in a car about the years you're interested in.

[MrPink]

Thanks rocketraider! Your response was extremely helpful!

I'm used to dealing with the "quirks" of my 150+ year-old house (and the difficulties of finding someone who understands it), so I might as well throw in a quirky car! Although a car that won't run can be much more annoying than most of my house woes, so I'll keep that in mind.

[Guest Moepar]

Don't forget you also have lots of other makes besides Chevy, Ford & AMC. There are Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Oldsmobiles, DeSotos,Ponitacs, etc.

Rocketraider is right, especially for your first leap into old cars, a 60's model is preferrable. You'll be able to 'learn' maintenance on them a lot easier.

Very first thing I would do is to make sure to join a local car club (of course I'd recommend an AACA club in your area). These people are a valulbe reasource beyond belief. When you join, spread the word about what your looking for. When you go to look at an oldie to buy, drag a 'car smart' member with you so your less likely to get taken as they'll know a lot of the pitfalls to lookout for.

<span style="font-weight: bold">DO NOT BE IN A HURRY TO BUY AN OLD CAR!</span> Take your time, and buy absolutely the best car you can afford. By that I mean best running, and best body and most complete car you can find. Don't be too worried about the paint, be more worried about a rust-free, no dent car as paint is far cheaper than body work.

My newest car is a '76 Oldsmobile & my daily driver is a '71 Chrysler 300. I like the oldies, too, & really can't afford to buy a new one. So I don't think your crazy.

[Guest JDHolmes]

I have never purchased a new car for myself (though my spouse and children drove them). I've always opted for older cars mainly because I'm a cheap skate and refuse to buy something that loses 2/3 of it's value in five years. So, I understand your desires very well.

Even though you love the 50's era, I think because of a number of factors that others have already mentioned, I'd recommend something in the mid-late 60's or early 70's. Those early 70's cars had a/c for the most part, power steering, were reasonably comfortable and can still be had for reasonable funds. I'm personally thinking along the lines of caprices, impalas, or other "lead sleds" as I call them. Gas mileage will be an issue though so you might want to opt for something along the lines of a slant 6 Mopar. Older cars with 6 cylinders can be had for much less than their v-8 brethern.

Good luck and welcome

[MrPink]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=300013030257&ih=020&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

OK, so I said 50s or earlier, but I REALLY like cars from the 30s or 40s. The link above is for a 1933 Plymouth that has a Chevy engine, a/c, and power everything. I guess this is a "Rod" and probably makes some cringe, but wouldn't this be good for every day use? It sure is a beaut.

[MrPink]

above link doesn't work if clicked, but works if copied & pasted.