Hi all, Not sure where to post this and I've searched the forum to try to find a New England group but no avail. I picked up a great running 61 Comet that I've been enjoying and plan to drive throughout the winter. Not as a daily but just to go and have some fun on decent winter days. Got me to thinking if there is any group of people in the Boston area who run their classics in the winter and if there are any events to keep our sanity in this cold dreary time. I looked for car clubs online and on the HAMB but no luck. Please move this thread if I've posted in the wrong section. There used to be a New England section on the site but I can't find it. Thank you. - jason
Hi, Cool Comet!! The Early Ford Club of New England has monthly meetings during winter. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I love driving my cars on select winter days but it has to be when theres no road salt present. In Kentucky they put down four inches of salt for a two inch snow fall.
When I first put it back on the Road in NY I was going to Drive in the Winter, but since I have been back in NY in the early days they used mostly Sand mixed with a little Salt, Now its all Salt & a Little Sand, so it will Sit, mabey I will Move Back to AZ. and drive it all the Time. Just my 3.5 cents Live Learn & Die a Fool
We have had ours on New Years Eve and day weather permitting. Salt is used as paving material at the slightest hint of precip. So it stays in the barn. Cold not an issue, state sponsored corrosion is.
Great looking Comet! Our Shop is on Rte. 9 in Natick. Stop by some time. Landlord put a stop to our Pizza/Beer Nights, but we still have have gatherings. 2 reasons why I don’t drive anything of value in the Winter around Massachusetts: Potholes and Transients who don’t know how to drive in snow! Big College and Medical hub which brings idiots to our roads. BTW, I have a lot of NOS ‘62 parts which may come in handy, from my Fairlane.
i did when i lived there back in the 60s but at that time it was not a classic just my daly driver......65 mustang....59 ford...
The only people who drive old cars in New England winters are the ones who can't afford anything else and don't particularly care if it falls away into rusty pieces as they drive down the road
When I had my T Bucket I drove it in the snow quite often. My Shoebox is a hand full of excitement so it doesn't venture out much during the winter.
If I have something running in the winter I drive it if I feel like it. I don't care if my cars rot out. Seriously. I'm over worrying about it.
Drove the coupe (avatar) in one mild flurry once. Roads felt as though they were greased. A week later tried to free up the shifter, it needed a salt-free oiling! Every fastener reqd. the same.
I drive mine all winter as long as the salt isn't too bad. Some great events listed on our Maynard Area Auto Club page. Also if anyone has a New England event they want to post on the page let me know!
Midwest here. I guess if you had the underside painted well. I had a 60's OT, 3 years of 3 season driving - no rust, 1 winter of driving and the doors, fenders went to hell. No more for me.
They're going to last longer than I am at this point! I still TRY to take care of them - they ARE in a nice garage for winter. ( But washing and waxing is verboten in mein garage.Big fan of patina)
Have to be outa your head, or damn desperate to drive a classic in these parts in the winter. I've experienced brand new (70s) cars going completely to shit inside of 4yrs of year round DD driving. Sometimes less. A little spin when the roads are dry or frozen is a different story.
Wouldn't even think about it. No way. If you've got an old car that somehow beat the odds and made it all these years, why screw it up now. I just did major rust repair on an 8 year old OT vehicle I drive in the winter. But it was purchased to be sacrificed in winter driving, keeps my other trucks and cars from being destroyed. Guys that live in southern or western states that don't use salt just don't know rust like we do. Hell, I cringe at the pics of all the cool rods covered in wet, splashed on salt out at Bonneville.
See my avatar. Built it to be my daily. Had a gallon of rustoleom in just the that little coupe body. Tons of paint under the fenders plus bed liner sprayed in. 95,000 daily driven miles, then blown apart again for rust repair. Even the high grade stainless underneath was pitted. You can not out smart Mother Nature, all of the steel in your car was stolen from her as iron oxide and she will come get it back! Trust me if you like it keep it warm and dry in the winter, you cannot otherwise stop the rust. MIKE