Art & Inspiration A Distinct Minority

I live in an agricultural based area- You wouldn't believe how many old trucks are pressed into service every fall. I know, not hot rods or customs but vehicles from the 50s none the less. Otherwise, whatever I'm driving is usually the oldest car I see that day.


Drove my 39 to work today- looks Good compared to the Japanese bullshit in the rest of the lot.

 

Most old cars are viewed as a "collectible" versus a viable car to actually be used. Unfortunate really that a well maintain vehicle sits rather then being used.

 

Just park somewhere on hwy 50, 80 or 88 this August over the Sierras and you'll see thousands of 'em, steady stream back and forth for days.

 

Actually, I'm in Madera for a robotics competition. My brother asked me to haul their team's robot and supplies in my Suburban, because his 58 Brookwood is not big enough to haul the all the stuff, and a couple kids.

The 38 I saw was probably on it's way to the March Meet. I'm too busy here (volunteering) to make the hot rod show. Oh well.

Thanks for the comments!

btw I have put about 20k miles on the Suburban since July 2013. It's a blast!

Keep America Beautiful....drive an old car

 

For years I drove my 27 roadster to work every day, rain or shine. I would be sitting in traffic and I had this feeling that everyone around me in their SUV's and econoboxes knew I was having more fun than them. It made going to work a whole lot more pleasant for sure.

Don

 

as I drive a stock 1956 Studebaker truck around.....most just want to know who makes (made) it......been getting that for a little over 40 years.....

 

On good weather days, I will see old cars, both rodded and plain old vehicles that are still being driven on the streets here. They are definitely in the minority but that is to be expected.

 

I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the fact that most collector insurance forbids driving it to work. That cuts my trips down to weekends.

 

I don't have collector insurance. Since I use my old cars and trucks as if they are old cars and trucks. What a concept.

 

Luckily I work at a Country Club. When I got pulled over and asked about my YOM plates a simple "I'm on my way to the Country Club, deputy" was sufficient. I didn't feel the need to elaborate.

Insurance is a different deal. Those fuckers wouldn't be satisfied with an answer like that.

 

I try and take something besides my daily driver to work at least once a week and have never been bothered. Guess I'm just lucky. I look forward to it and it seems to make the day tolerable. To me its more fun than shows. The difficult part is the roads, constantly dodging pot holes and debris.

 

OK I give up- whats a "YOM" plate?
I drive a 1971 GM as my daily driver, and people at work know me as " the guy who drives the really old car". The funny thing is that is my "newest" car, all my others are a lot older.
There are still a few of "older" (maybe pre 1970) cars on the roads here. The main thing you see is a 200? black or silver 4WD "Blandmobile", usually made in Korea or Thailand.
I wish they would stop making cars that look like electric shavers or shoeboxes, it gets very boring sitting at traffic lights.

 

"YOM" is Year Of Manufacture which means the plate matches the year of the vehicle. You can get a old plate, pay an extra fee to use it....beats getting the new white reflective plates here. Even here in sunny So Cal the cars are hidden in garages only to come out for shows or the best weather days. I cruise at night and I rarely see anything older then 90's. My newest vehicle is my daily '64 Chevy panel truck and I only see old cars on sunny weekends, you should see the puzzled looks on the freeway in the morning. I have all the running cars on regular insurance, collector car insurance is way too limiting. I also should mention my friend uses his '50 Merc as a daily too.

 

when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s, we rarely went to Arkansas but when we did, old cars were sitting everywhere!!Now I see a lot of old cars on Ark roads when I drive across that state

 

I must be lucky, I see old cars and trucks on the road daily around here!

 

I live 40 mi south of Madera, and there were so many car events to attend around here this weekend including the March Meet, I had a hard time picking out two. Lots of old car sightings around these events. We have something here called the Blossom Trail, a rural driving route through 100,000 acres of blooming fruit trees and wildflowers with lots of eateries along the way, and many people were out driving the route in old cars this weekend. But the only old cars I saw on the freeway were headed for the March Meet. I stick to back roads in my old cars because they are much prettier drives than the freeway, and I don't want to be rear ended by a someone texting in a Honda.

 

I know Ray, he drives the hell out of that car.

 

Year of Manufacture..in my case 1932 the iodine state. HRP

 

Yea I used to get some looks on the pan as well back in the '70s. But I really think it was the cut of my cloths or the length of my hair.

Funny thing old car, old bike or on foot, I have fit in two places in my entire life, Little Havanna and the Isthmus of Tejuantepec. I once was sitting around a camp fire with a handful of misfits and a man who I have deep respect for and of great infamy said, "hell Benno even among misfits you are a misfit."

 

In Washington its also a permanent plate, no tabs/fee's to pay every year. You just pay your $75 bucks (or whatever it is) and your good to the end of time, however its restricted in that you can't use the rig as a daily driver.

 

In the winter I do not see any old cars driving here. But come spring they all come out, lots of them. Mostly hot rods and muscle cars. Some pretty radical stuff on the road around here in the summer, mine is one of the oldest, 1930, that being said.

 

living in Western Wa. "the rainy side" and I am and have been amazed through the years of the quantity and quality of cars in the surrounding area, I moved here in 84 and from day one I saw lots of 30s thru 70's hotrods street rods and even fully restored T's and A's I guess people here enjoy their cars and take advantage of the short but beautiful summers

 

My '78 F-150 parts hauler is kind of rough around the edges, just an old truck but I get comments all the time, "wow that's a neat "old" truck. People are surprised to see old cars still being used for what they were originally intended.

 

Greasyknight nailed what I was after with the YOM reference. It goes hand in hand with the restrictions for collector insurance. I'm sure somebody will clamp down and change the "forever" clause but it's a good deal for now.

Drive em like they are some sort of automobile?!