Compliments.....what happens when you drive your car?

I get thumbs-up all the time in my '66 Dodge and my '41 Plymouth pickup. I dig it! My wife has a '78 Chrysler New Yorker, which is a really BIG car. We get great comments on that, too. Had a comment on the Coronet one time at an event, where a guy asked me if I bought the car new. Considering I was in the first grade when it was built (and I told him that), I'd say "no".

The self-righteous "save-the-planet" types are the only ones we've ever encountered that gave us negative comments on any of our cars. They're pretty self-identified by their goofy bumper stickers, their "enviro-friendly" econo-death-traps, and their overall appearance!

 

Whenever my wife and I are out in her MGB and stopped somewhere, we almost always get at least one MGB story from some guy. It seems like everyone has had one once upon a time.

I haven't had my '60 Ford F100 Panel out yet, but I'm guessing the reaction will be something along the lines of "need help?"

 

Nice little Triumph Herald you have there! A friend has one here locally, in red. Neat little cars!

 

Nice truck ya wanna sell it man i get tired of that i sez naw go build one thats the fun part

 

I get lots of looks, and one encounter that i'll never forget. I was leaving the dentist office, when a guy in handcuffs being escorted by two police officers asked " How fast does that thing go?" The police looked at my "T" and then at me.... I said "fast enough to get a ticket" The officers said "good answer". Then I said "about a buck sixty"...The cops weren't amused!

 

I have a theory about why all these homeless cats are checking out our rides. They probably were hot rodders too until their wives got fed up with them spending all their time in the garage and blowing all their money on man-a-fre manifolds and the like. Ended up divorced, broke and homeless and all they got left now is their memories of what used to be.Hmmmm....lol

 

Evereyone likes a hot rod, not matter how old, or young.

 

I usually am wondering why people are staring and waving. I think something's wrong and sometimes pullover to check. Then i remember what i'm driving and go "oh yeah".

When I was younger (under 21) i the normal reactions from people but if i saw a cop -even going under the speed limit- they ALWAYS pulled me over. It was so common that I would leave early to go out weekend nights just cuz i knew what was going to happen. The cops would make a weak-ass excuse to check my papers and search for the drugs i don't use. Another case of "guilty til proven innocent". I think they just thought that a high school kid would only be in a vintage car or on a pre-unit triumph if he just stole it.

Since I turned 21 it had stopped; i can speed past cops with out of date plates now even! Those prius drivers give me looks and sometimes the finger. (I smile and wave like we're best friends) I don't get the high and mighty attitude from the "green" people; the waste created from just making their hybrids and electric cars is more than our cars put out in their lifetimes.

 

Great thread ...

... my wife and I just got back from getting some Gelato in the HURST/Olds. I have been contemplating selling/trading it and getting "New Edge" Mustang GT. I drove it today for the first time this year to take it to a car dealer only to have him say " I am not sure what this is worth, but I highly doubt it is worth what my Mustang is (high mile 2001 listed for $6998 but on special this weekend for $5998) I disagreed with him and left, I was a little miffed and wondered how you can sell cars and not know anything about them. So back to my ramblings, on the way home I stopped and bought a clay bar kit and some other detail stuff. When my wife got home I suggested we cruise for some Gelato.

While sitting outside she had commented on how the car looked great and seemed "happy" . Well then this older couple pulls in driving a Porsche Carrera 4S Cabriolet , the guy get out and checks out my car. As he is walking in he asks me "is that yours" I say yes and then he says " great car" I tell him that his isn't too bad either.

After he goes inside my wife said, "that wouldn't happen if you had a Mustang" It makes you feel good when a guy driving a $120,000 car complements your ride !!!

 

just took my '56 out for a cruise to the farmers market with my girl. Since I stripped the seat belts out, she always sits in the middle up front right next to me. One arm around her shoulder and the other elbow out the window...it always turns heads. Not to mention I rarely have the caps on my side pipes, so if people don't see her they sure hear her! Always get compliments and the same comment from older guys that they are so stoked to see young guys keeping these things alive.

 

I did get the boob treatment once but it was in my o/t camaro convertible, I was coming home from work one morning after working midnights....woke me up! All my current cars are o/t but one is a 66 gto and it gets an amazing amount of attention way more than my 69 chevelle big block car....its just another chevy I guess. Wife likes the goat alot more too because of the reactions it gets...says its more unique...personally I would rather have an old coupe or sxties car/truck but I'm stuck with theses for awhile yet. I bought that o/t camaro cause a carload of girls called my lebaron convertible "cute"....not into cute.

 

"Move your piece of shit"

 

I've had many things said about the Cutlass....here are a few.

-Guy turned around in a parking lot and drove by again, "Oh Hell, I thought that was a Chevelle" then drove off!

-Does it still have the 442 in it? (That one kills me...)

-"I hope you NEVER paint this car...Looks like it has just come off track in 1966!"

-"GAWD, when you paint this car it's gonna be awesome!" (same carshow, same day as above!)

So, I opt for the cheaper "survivor" look! Sure is cheaper that way

-QQ

 

Did you give them the bird?

 

I just got my 54 Chevy on the road and am amazed at how much attention it gets. I was at the gas station last night and this guy was like you got the tank out tonight. Then followed the what year is it question. There is also a lot of pointing and look at that old car.

 

I'm pretty new to driving a classic myself and one thing I've noticed is that when I spot another classic or hot rod out on the street it's almost a given to stick your hand out and either give a thumbs up or a wave. It's almost like making an instant friend. I get a lot of older men and women ask me about my car too, the one thing they always want to know is what year my car is. It always reminds them of their high school days. Good times.

 

Just this last weekend, a few friends tied up for a little barhopping. Heading to the next waterhole we stayed close together. When we arrived the lot was full of bikes. Must have been a poker run going on, the place had around a hundred bikes mostly Harleys of course. We parked on the far side, only available space, nicely lined up the 29 A pickup, steel bodied blown flathead 32, full fendered 27 T, & my 34 coupe. got a table by the window & looked out to see a group checking out our rides & taking a lot of pictures. Its just nice to get positive attention.

 

My kids love to go for a ride in my truck. They are always asking if I know the person that waves or give us the thumbs up. Had a car load of girls moon me last year on the main drag lucky my kids were not with me.
My buddy has a 68 GTO and he has the " unless your nude don't touch" sign on his dash. A girl came up to him at one of the shows and asked if it would count just down to panties and a bra. He said ok and she peeled down and her boyfriend took pictures .....

 

Right on, same here.

 

cell phone pics, people at gas station coming over, thumbs up, smiles, yelling out windows and tree huggers getting out of the way.

 

. . . men offer to buy me a beer and woman throw their panties at me .

 

I usually get lots of thumbs up from old timers in new Buicks....they get really excited to see it. When I get to talk to them they will tell me they had one just like it...had it up to 100 mph in Montana back in the 60's......Can't stand the other guys that constantly want to tell me what I should do with it....do this, don't do that....I almost told one guy to go buy his own...

 

i get asked all of the time if i want to sell me car, the answer is always no and always will be no since it is the only thing my grandpa has ever diven me.

i always get to hear stories from people though. im always getting asked if im going to lower it or put hydraluics on it....."HELL NO". then i get asked what im planning on doing with it, i guess since it has faded paint and rust on it i need to do something more with it. right now the plan it to redo the interior back to stock (save the seat belts and column) and drive it, eventually paint it satin black and get all ofthe trim peices on it

 

One guy tried really hard to wave me down one time and tell me about the Prius I had stuck in the fender well...

 

people don't say much but I do get the finger quite often

 

I get nasty looks from Prius people, but I like to tell them I am recycling....
besides when the battery craps out on them things...they have to buy a new one...

 

Currently driving my 53 Studebaker..only a few know what it is..women really love it, its just sexy lookin..a few will ask "is that Italian?" close, Raymond Loewy was Austrian living in Milan...when younger folks ask what it is and you say "Studebaker" most are still clueless...

 

I live 20 minutes from Boulder, CO... welcome to my world.

 

I had a guy walking around my car at the gas station for about twenty minutes explaining my car to his freind on the cell phone before even talking to me at all. I just had to stand there while he had his head all up under my car.

 

I have a 39 Chevy Master Deluxe I built for my Dad, it looks like an Army Air Corps Staff car of the period, Army drab with the ball and star. I was driving through an intersection the other day and these two old ladies that were stopped to my right were just transfixed, like it was the Twilight Zone or something. Really must have brought back some memories. I might have reminded them of someone perhaps that didn't come back. It was a real moment...