Technical Practicality of a HAMB daily

Mine wont have a traditional drivetrain but will be my daily, I am setting it up so parts are readily available for the mechanical side of things and should get pretty good milage

We currently have a modern daily and it is BORING!

 

So what's it gonna be? I too have thought about this many times. Now that my shop is only a scant 5 miles away and all country road to get there for the 1st 4, my Model A even works! As this thought enters the traffic jamb in my head I always go back to an old pickup. Sure, for most the A is too old and surely not practical in the world we now live in. My routine days? Fine, but when I have to rack up 50+ miles to look at a car or pick up parts or any other form of road biz I'd be gone for hours. I see a post-war pickup, but prefer a mid 50s version. Big enough to work, take 1 of the dogs along, haul an engine if need be, stop in at a cruise night. The perfect choice for me might be a 55-7 Chevy. Were I to build it for power and fuel efficiency I might think about dropping the old sheet metal over a later chassis then fit it with a Duramax diesel. Yeah, I said it, a Duramax. I can get 17-18 MPG out of a 4 ton 4X4 dually when it's empty. It's also pretty damn fast for a big truck. Imagine taking just 1/2 the weight out of it (!) and doing the cheapo bolt-on stuff. Ok, the reality is that something like that would be excessively ambitious and take the time I don't have. Better I finish the 65 GTO or the 61 Belair spt cpe (there, I didn't say bubble top).

The thing is that a HAMB-friendly DD is the perfect scenario for the whole membership. Ryan nailed it talking about the 39 sedan. Simple, easy fixes, cheap in the long run, and it might even pay you to own it if you keep it long enough. Same/same with my A pickup. Mileage? Since when? This is the HAMB, right? I know that seems to contradict myself after the above drivel but I get these ideas and...

 

I got to ask this question on the whole safety issue and this is not to start a whole philosophical argument or anything like that it is just a question in my head. When did planning for an accident become part of driving?

There is a reason I am asking this question, so bear with me just a little bit here. The other day I was thinking about this actual thing and recalled a thing when I was in high school. One of the kids I went to school with bought a an English roadster. Well his insurance skyrocketed over what he was paying for his old heap and he was asking his insurance man about ways to get his insurance back to within reason. His insurance man mentioned that he was driving a sports car and that was going to make his insurance higher and he asked about installing a roll bar. His insurance man got out the big book (some of you older guys will remember big books) and informed him that his insurance would go up more if he installed a roll bar. So when he asked why that would be (after all part of his higher insurance rate had to do with his car not having a roof) his insurance man informed him that installing a roll bar would suggest that he was planning on rolling it.

Anyway this has brought about a whole different line of thought for me, we see ads about 5 star safety ratings and crash tests and the front bumper being safe up to 5 miles an hour etc. So I just got to wondering when did planning on being in a accident become part of our daily routine. I never really think about it and probably wouldn't leave the house if I did I suppose.

 

Excellent point. If you drive a modern car less carefully because of safety features or full coverage that's a problem. Those safety features are tested in precisely controlled environments, at exact angles and offsets and will not work the same in every crash (evidenced by the steady fatality rate regardless of changes). They most certainly won't work the same in an antique car with years of wear, corrosion, welds, etc. anyone with reservations about the safety of my car need not get in. Cracks me up when parents insist that their kids must have a seatbelt in an antique but drive their modern car like complete idiots with their kids inside.

The only time I ever talk to my insurance company is to add or remove a car, and then it's strictly year, make, and VIN number. Claims raise your rates eventually so you would do well to repair little things yourself and keep quiet about it. I will never understand claims for a door ding or bent bumper, but to each his own. Insurance is a racket and if I didn't need a piece of paper to show on request of a police officer I wouldn't even have it.

 

heh...I just happened to look at this thread....

Old cars are fun, but they take a lot of work. They are not really very safe. They can get ok mileage, but most don't. I've put almost 30k on my suburban in the past two years. With the Gear vendors overdrive. it's getting about 17-18 on the road, but less in town. Towing, it gets around 11. Stock old 350 with a Qjet and HEI. The dashboard is steel, the brakes are Ok (72 camaro front clip), steers and rides nice. Heater doesn't work at this time, the core leaks. The engine runs kind of warm since I added the AC, and the AC blows too cold unless it's really hot out.

Just be prepared to put up with a lot of crap with old cars. If you love they way they look, it's worth it. Although the constant attention can get old with something you drive every day!

 

The risk is for everyone to do there own calculations about!
What matters to you, is important!

Since I drive alone early mornings and go home way before rush hour, safety measures ain't that big a deal.

But if I had to pass true morning rush hour, I would be scared shitless to run a car with out seatbelts and collapsible steering column.

But that's just me.

It should take that Much to build a car that is safe enough.

But the thing that scares me the most in modern traffic is : people not paying attention!!

And when I see that in 65-75 percent of the cars I pass on my way to and from work, I will still maintain: some degree of a seatbelt and a collapsible steering column is minimum requirements for my daily driver!

And that I can have in any car I desire.

 

I'd look into an early 60's comfort car. NOT a muscle car. Those mid-sized Merc's and Buick's seemed to run forever, with all the comforts you could want. Keep your head out of "hot rod mode" and you'll find something nice and comfortable.

 

I feel the same way Beano. It seems like now people are afraid to drive something if it doesn't have the latest safety gizmo. I guess it's like the argument on bias ply vs radials, disc vs drum brakes, power vs manual steering, etc. Each does the same thing, albeit with a different feel or different reaction. Lots of the crap I've driven over the years would make most people cringe nowadays. Three wheel brakes, mixed bias and radials, lights taped in place, I did what I had to do at the time. Smart? Probably not, but I survived. At the time, I didn't worry about how unsafe it was, now, I would rethink a lot of it. That being said, I'll still get in my land barge 47 Lincoln with manual steering and drum brakes and go anywhere and not worry about it, but there again I'm not running on an Interstate style road with a thousand other idiots around me looking at their phones and drinking their Starbucks....







.

 

I think that people are just basically afraid. I am certainly not the bravest man in the world and way from being the smartest. Some things we do because we have to and others because we choose to all those things ad up I suppose. Maybe some of us are just lucky. I think for me it comes down to how silly I look in a Volvo.

 

I have found a pretty decent daily driver in my 65 Belvedere. 318 poly 2bbl. 2.72 rear gears, don't know what kind of mileage it gets but it's good. I drive it almost every day. The dealer add on A/C blows cold with R-12. The 318 is pretty bulletproof. It's a low rpm , big torque engine. Runs about 2,300 rpm down the hi-way, handles well, and has seatbelts. I love all kinds of cars, and I agree the new ones are safer. But when I pass a new car on the hi-way with the A/C on about 75 It makes me grin. Oh yeah, got a trophy at the drags. I'm going to drive it to Mo-Kan in aug also.

 

I saw you at Great Bend wednesday Jim but didn't see you till you were driving out. Rig looked Cool!!!!!!!!! Lippy

 

Okay, there will always come a point in a discussion where a guy has to put his foot down!!
Stop disrespecting Volvo!




If you ain't cool enough to drive a Volvo, don't blame it on the Volvo!

It could be a good DD. They are simple, cheap, handles good and a good aftermarket backing! Both for regular parts and hop up.
Mine is a 121 ci mill with a better cam, twin dellortos, milled head. 4Speed with OD and 4.11. Bump from 82 DIN hp till 120hp.

It does 10-11 km/l and from 1965-70 came with dual circuit brakes, disc brake in front and collapse able steering column. 1964- forward all came with seat belt mounts.

All the safety and style I need in a DD. The 122 are as popular as tri-fives over here and the 444/544 was as popular as the 40 coupe!

444 came out in 47, became a 544 in 57, and lived till 1967. Only small changes.
1958 came the 122 out and lived till 1970. Only small changes and are basically the same car.

 

I think driving an old car is like driving a motor cycle. If you are in an accident you are probably going to come out on the short end of the stick. Saying old cars used to be new and we drove them every day back then isn't really an argument (IMO).

People drive motorcycles on the road today that are more powerful than racing bikes of the past. Performance cars from back then are no comparison to the cars you can go in and buy off the showroom today, not even close.

The volume of cars on the road today surpasses the old days. Distracted driving is an epidemic right now, and the people that drive distracted are almost always the most inexperienced drivers.

 

Hell I don't disrespect Volvo at all. I was just stating what our advertising is all about over here. There are actually a few Volvos that I would like to own (some of those would be own again).

Our society has become driven by the unseen things that they fear. I just don't understand it, we fear something that might happen. It is just not logical to me and no one has stepped up to try and help me understand.

 

Since you live in California any old car would make a nice daily driver,I can not use one daily here in Ohio or the salt on the roads in the winter would destroy it and I just do not have the heart to drive a old car that survived this long in the brutal winters so I am stuck using 80s and 90s for real daily drivers. I do drive my older vehicles during the warm months but as soon as snow or ice is predicted they sit until spring.

 

Okay, but it was the last remark, that is the typical in any discussion: why don't you go drive a volvo!

They are good, they can be cool, they are tough and if safety is a part of the equation, so what.

Drive em like you hate em.
Cheaper the a psychiatrist!

Both are commercial slogans from back in the day.

I used this as a DD for 5-6 years and driven 50-60000 km in it. If you want that in miles, multiply with 1.6
My first car, still have it. Didn't look like this all the time. By I restored it back to this condition.

 

How about a great big "FUCKIN EH BEANO!!!"...

I didn't get the memo about how sensitive (read that as fearful) we're all supposed to be, and was probably under the hood of a loud something or other when we killed certain words for good because they too are dangerous. Bullshit! Gimme 2 extra carbs and a side of mags. The best drivers in the world are hot rodders, PERIOD. When you get used to things happening fast you tend to react right, doncha? Show of hands, how many would panic at a blown tire or and engine stall? Would you freak out and cover your face, all the while wondering who's fault it is so you can blame or sue them? Or, would you take it in stride and react accordingly, be it your own damn fault (you knew it needed to be fixed and didn't) or because it's old and you expect a certain degree of failure/breakdown? We're surrounded by the former in those questions. And you're right that accidents should bear as much consideration as hiway MPG in a hot rod. 2 slices of raisin pie for beano...

 

Good post.

 

After Brenda & I were recently T boned in the shop van and I broke my left wrist I never thought about what if I am in a accident.

Driving old cars is a personal preference and a decision one make to do so, had we been in my Deuce sedan I doubt we would have fared as well as we did but that is the luck of the draw,I refuse to worry about that.

If I was paranoid every time I drove a old car I could never enjoy the fun of having it. HRP

 

I'm a little shocked about the word "safety" coming into play as much as it does in this thread. I've never felt unsafe in my cars, never felt threatened by other drivers not paying attention and I live in a fairly crowded, self centered, can't live without my cell phone for 2 seconds area. I guess on a curvy, hilly 2 lane road in the middle of the country were you can get up to speed might be worse. I've never gave being not safe a second thought, I guess it's because I used to ride a motorcycle around here. When I drive I'm always looking out for potential problems, estimating what the other drivers are going to do and correcting accordingly......never staying in their blind spot, assuming their coming out from a side street, watching their moves as they come towards me. It's all second nature for me so it feels normal not like extra work that detracts from the fun of driving. Stop and go traffic is a little more work as I'm looking in my rear view mirror when I'm stopping and leaving a little extra room in case I need to go forward. As I stated before I travel in the 2 slower lanes (passing in the faster lanes when needed), this way I can travel at my own pace (which is above 65mph in cars with the gearing), if someone is going fast and riding my ass I'll slow down and make them go around. There is more maintenance involved with driving them daily but to me that's why we're all here, why this board exists because we like working on old cars.

To me it really comes down to weather or area, if it's deep snow and slat on the roads then it's not worth killing your old car. Super hot areas you can add a/c even add a bigger radiator or even GASP! an electric fan. Also I'm assuming if your going to daily drive an old car especially here in California you'll take the gas prices into consideration. Yes, I know it's the HAMB and they're hot rods but you don't need to be driving a fire breathing drag-on everyday, plus you need the extra money for other projects.

 

The greatest safety feature in any vehicle is the driver. Yes modern cars are built with safety features to protect us-and those we share the road with. If you boil it all down today's car manufacturers are slowly idiot proofing us from ourselves while giving a false sense of security that when we have the big one - we will walk away.
Hell- old cars didn't even have cup holders.
Driving a car used to be a full time job .
I love old cars as daily's- just remember to drive it like an old car.

 

I see a lot of the point coming in here, but to me it's a part of the daily driver chores to be beaten and used.
And I would never use my ol' red as a DD, because it's in replace it. But that doesn't mean I don't drive it, and it dosent mean I'm afraid when I drive.

Just speaking my mind about what matters to me in a daily driver.
But that being set, I could drive one just like it. I know I'm weird like that.
I don't lock my cars, I leave the keys in my driveway, I leave them unlocked in town.
I'm not the worrying kind. But I care about my safety.

It's like saying I know fire is dangerous, but I take a calculated risk having it in my house. And when needed I take my precautions.
No harm in that.

To each his own.

 

A big 71 Olds delta 88 saved my live back in 79 so I do not worry about being safe in my old cars,if I would have been in a typical popular smaller car from the late 70s I would have been pushing up daisies for now for 36 years.

 

I think the negative cogitations about Volvo's were referring to how safe they are suppose to be,if your afraid to drive a hot rod you need a new Volvo..actually,that speaks volumes of the quality of the automobile.

I personally think the older Volvo's are pretty cool cars,especially the examples posted.

When I was in my teens my uncle had one that looked similar to the 47 Ford sedans. HRP

 

If I remember correctly the Volvo commercial where the monster trucks ran over them was rigged as the cars needed reinforcing so no they are not any safer then other cars,I would have no problem driving one of those Volvos that looked like 46 fords but no year round here in Ohio.

 

Regarding the 444/544, they still get driven over here, year round! And does a good job.

And the 122 is know as the only vintage car, in stock form where the heater can defrost and heat the car at the same time. It has even been joked about the heater got 9 positions for hot and 1 for cold. And you still needs to open the window to keep let cold air in.

There are known to be somewhat the fastes tractor around, and if it's a hopped up Volvo they really get the plow out of the ground. But truer be told, hey handle well
and last a lifetime of abuse.

 

Made me think of this video I saw for the first time 'bout a month ago.

 

Yea take a gutted '59/'60 Chevy and bang a Malibu into it. There is actually a real vid of the aftermath of a real '59 Chevy banging into real late Malibu. It hairlipped the Chevy and they cut the people out of what was left of the Malibu.

Everyone knows that comparing old to new is apples to oranges. I guess it comes down to this am I afraid to drive my old car and if I am should I keep it or should I let it go. We all know that we could have an accident and be killed or even worse maimed, but my question is why do we live as though we are going to have one?

Funny how these threads always turn into if we are safe or not isn't it. Its probably not safe, but what the hell you only live once.

I think that the argument smiley is this two used in conjunction.

Argument or discussion is not normally determined by those involved but by those reading. I have been known to use words out of context just to see if the rest of the dummies are listening. It falls under the thiMk rule.

 

Gutted? What did they remove, the hubcaps? The '59 had a 235 6 in it.