History We build and drive these cars every day but -

Last year (2018) a friend of my mine's son-in-law called and said "Bob will be 80 in August. Can you supply an old car to ferry him to a birthday party we are hosting at the State Theater?" I said "sure",
Bob and I have been friends for about 30 or more years.

So, I got to thinking.....hey, Bob is going to be 80......that means 1938.....my '38 Buick should fill the bill.
Picked up Bob at Bob's daughter and SIL's home up the street and took the 'long way' to the venue. Then I got to thinking, this car was 6 years old when I was born!! Had not thought of that before. Better yet, I discovered the venue, the "State Theater' was built in 1938!.......humbling realization, but a wonderful way to experience an awakening!

Ray

 

...I really think most of us HAMBers grew up (were born) at the right time,..(most of us never "grow up"),...next to family & friends, old cars are the best thing on the planet.

 

I'm in my early 70's, my car is in its 60's...
I like the young ones.

 

I know both my 32's feel better than I do!

 

My coupe is a 34, my pickup is a 49, the daily driver is an 86, no matter what i'm driving, its the oldest ride in the parking lot. Also, while leaving a large parking lot show I drove the 34 out behind a 1916 T. That was impressive.

 

I think about it all the time, but that's the beauty of the aftermarket.
You can still get every part of it BRAND NEW... just not at Auto Zone.

 

This "old car" is (5) years older than I am. It is a driver once or twice a week, weather permitting. Like Montanal says I also think about that all the time. I know it will still be roll'n down the road well after I'm only a memory, and I feel Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat that I had a major hand in that. My question and concern is, will all these great cars survive the feelings of "fossil fuel cars are evil and all of them need to be destroyed."

 

I want to think that after we are dead and gone there will still be people that will cherish these cars and continue to use them as they were intended, they may be branded as some type of outlaws by defying the fossil fuel environmentalist mentality and find a way to keep them on the road. HRP

 

Don't worry about it, it won't happen in our lifetime.

 

Mine are 66 and 41 wherever I go with them I get comment's about how their grandparents had one or
they are amazed either survived all these years ... and Always a Thumbs Up ..
I tell them Life is to Short to Drive only Plastic Cars and that I am only the Keeper of the Key
Preserving it for the next owner

 

Maybe we need to take a catch -phrase and tweak it to get our message across. HRP

 

I’m with you Danny. Oftentimes think about the coupe being 78 years old. Brings a smile every time. Snowman

 

I remember seeing panel trucks used as home delivery bread trucks when I was a kid in the early 50s . I thought they were cool back then, always have and now I own one (1950). I sometimes think about being that kid in the early 50s and because the years have gone fast, it doesn't seem all that long ago.
Yes, the world had a different mindset back then. My old truck helps me hang on to some of that.

 

That seems to be part of the plan.

 

Yes sir, I vividly remember my friend Fred driving his dad's Pearman Dairy Metro van delivery milk, I too thought they were cool and Fred even used one of the dairy trucks to haul band equipment. HRP

 

A month or so I decided to upgrade from our 99 daily driver to a new car when I realized I was driving a 20 year old car. It's was like driving a 35 Ford with mechanical brakes in 1955...!

 

I can't believe my car is 72. I always thought, compared to most cars here, it's a late model

 

When somebody asks how old my 30 pickup is my wife always says, believe it or not it's older than he is.

 

I'll take a dozen of those hats if you got them!

 

Danny, if you make them I'll 2.

 

I occasionally run into somebody I havent seen in a while, and they'll say "Have you still got that old car?". I just laugh and say "Which one? Everything I've got is old. "
3 model A's, a '55 Chevy, a 68 Ford Ranger truck, a 74 Chevy wrecker. I saw one lady at the store recently, and she says to me " So YOU'RE the old car guy". I just said " Yes ma'am".
I just think its funny, when I was a kid, everybody, ladies included, drove an old car.

 

A Friend Comes To Visit Almost Every Sunday Safety Meeting In A Ford That Is The Same Age As Him....

 

That's cool. HRP

 

People often ask if I still have my old Jeep ('36 Willys gasser).

 

My OT Hot Rod is 50 years old, the truck is 61, my '37 Packard was 70 years old when I owned it. It's crazy how something that was never intended to last that long, has actually lasted so long. There have been some great caretakers along the way...

 

People often question me when I tell them I drove my 72 year old car a thousand miles over a weekend to some far off venue. They may think a 10 year old car is old and un-reliable. I guess we don’t think about that- we work to make them drivable, safe and reliable-I never wonder if I’ll make it- but I also travel prepared in case something goes wrong - when was the last time you seen someone with tools and or parts in their late model?

 

Great post Danny. It's pretty plain there is whole lot people who really take a lot of pride and enjoyment in their old cars. I sure know I do. Bill Rinaldi

 

Always get the "how old is that car?" questions. My 40 is 3 yrs older than I am and wife's 55 is the same age as she is-found a stamp on the back of the clock with the same date as her birthday! Both run great and are reliable-drive them to the store etc just like any other car.

 

It's a completely different mentality. Ash tray is full, so it's time to trade it in on another, 7 year note at 16.743%

Preventive maintenance? What's that? But you're the weirdo for driving a 65 year old perfectly well running machine.

 

My house was built before cars were invented ! Horses were the transport -now we put horses in trailers and transport them !