Art & Inspiration Winter Beaters/Daily Drivers

I'm beginning to feel I'm the only guy in the world that does this so I figured I'd drop a line and here and see if anyone else does this.

#1. Does anyone here actually drive a vintage/antique car as a daily driver? And I don't mean to and from the supermarket on a sunny Saturday, I mean every morning 15 or more miles to work every single day. To job interviews, on road trips, to get beer, to bars, etc. And by vintage I'm thinking circle headlights, steal chrome bumpers, carbureted stuff. 70's or earlier would suffice.

#2. To narrow it down, does anyone drive a vintage/antique car as daily winter beater in the northern states/Canada?


I'm living north of Detroit and I drive (in the non snowing months) a '66 Charger every stinking day. When I go to visit my family in Florida, I fill it up and hit the road. It's made the trip 5 times, completed power tour, and many many other trips break down free every time. 3 out of the 5 work days I make a 170 mile round trip commute to Ohio and back. Honestly, besides running out of gas once because the fuel gauge is so wack, that the only the real issue I've had. I'm running a 360 with an Edelbrock and electronic ignition and an A-833 O/D trans, factory manual drum brake, factory rear gear and axles, 15 inch rims, factory suspension except front swap bar.

In the winter months I use an ugly old '75 Dart Sedan I picked up for $500. 225/6, 904, with a set of snow rollers. The car starts and does the 170 mile trek fine, even with the 16.5" of snow we had this year, and the -12 degree cold last year. This car is 40 years old now!

I got passed today by a guy rolling in a '73 Firebird with FACTORY PAINT! and patina and thought how crazy he was to sacrifice such a nice solid car. That got me wondering: How my people drive these old cars like this? And what are they driving?

 

why waste an old car just to be cool? salt and snow is no way to treat a car that's been around for decades.

 

I don't live in a snowy place, but drive my 29 Hudson (avatar) every day. Its my only legal running car.
I have yet to install side windows, so dress accordingly in Winter.
Don't see any reason why you shouldn't use an old car every chance you get if you have one.

 

Drive it we aint going to be around forever you know.lol.Bruce.

 

Exactly. Life's to short to keep your toys locked in the shed.
Weather is no excuse for a person to not play with their toys.

 

Well I'm retired so don't drive to work but do use my 30 Model A pickup as a daily driver. Ran out of room in the garage so it has sat in the driveway for the last 12 - 14 years. Starting to get a little ratty around the edges but get driven almost daily. Hauls whatever I need to haul, have had more fun with it than any other car. In the background of the picture hauling firewood is my friends 29 that he also uses for everything.

 

My personal view is that the vehicle was originally intended to be a daily driver (except for some of the factory race cars and such), so why not? My opinion may change once I finally get to own one of these types of vehicles.

 

I drive my '51 Hudson quite a bit during the winter. Has a block heater so it's warm as soon as I fire it up. My drive to work is only 2 miles so it's not like it's good long relaxing cruise. When it gets real snowy and I slick drive my OT pickup because I have chains for the tires.

I look at it this way also. Just because you don't drive it in the sloppy winter weather doesn't mean you're any less a hot rodder. Although I did drive the '51 this week in about 4" of snow. It's a lot easier to find a fender for my OT pickup than a '47 or '51 Hudson. Trust me though when I say this old tin gets driven much.

 

Not Applicable.

I don't own anything newer than 1962 right now, but my wife has some late models that I drive every now and then.

 

I don't drive mine on a daily basis anymore,but during the 70's & early 80's I drove a Model A pickup daily and my wife drove a 1940 Ford sedan daily,that's all we had. HRP

 

In the past I've driven a '62 Galaxie, '53 ford two door sedan, '49 ford, and various HAMB friendly pick ups. Even in winter.

 

Second happiest day of my life- a couple years ago my wife wrecked my late model. I already only drove it half the time anyway so i told her I wasn't buying another to replace it. '68 Suburban with no power anything or my '57 Belair hardtop. Makes almost every days drive to work a mini vacation.

 

I don't drive this one in the snow or ice but thankfully we aren't a "salt the road" state.

 

For 25 years my winter driver was a '40 Ford P-U. It is off the road this year for a complete rebuild and repair. I have fixed the rust in all 4 fenders, running boards, box cab cowl, inner fenders and the frame. I live in Nebraska so that qualifies as northern although we do not have the same amount of salt on the road as Michigan. In the nicer weather my '57 Chevy is the daily driver, every day not just weekends.

 

In the 90's drove a 39 Deluxe Coupe daily over 2 Winters because I had to- Metro Detroit area- heater and defroster not up to the job which made for scary moments-

 

Quote
" In the winter months I use an ugly old '75 Dart Sedan I picked up for $500. 225/6, 904, with a set of snow rollers. The car starts and does the 170 mile trek fine, even with the 16.5" of snow we had this year, and the -12 degree cold last year. This car is 40 years old now! "

Dude

That machines not even broken in yet !

I"ve been lookin for one of those slant 6 Darts for a daily beater for a while now.
Those things run forever.
Oldmics

 

This was my daily driver for the last 18 years.



I got to be too big of a pussy to drive a 10 second hot rod with no windows all year around, so I built this..



Windows, wiper and a heater, I'm pretty civilized.

See ya, -Abone.

 

Doesn't count.....you live in paradise.

 

It's been a couple years since I had an old car daily driver - I sold it to get my shoebox project , which will be my daily this spring , god willing. I like driving old cars .

Speaking of old Darts , I had a '73 Dart as my daily for several years ... What a rusty piece of lime green crap , lol ! It was , however one of the most reliable cars I've owned , along with my old vintage Volvos . That old Dart saw a couple trips from PA to GA and didn't miss a beat (even with the A/C on) - was great in the snow too . I paid $250 for it , had it a few years & sold it for $250 ... the perfect beater . Yup , a slant 6 auto car .

 

Slant 6 - "it'll run for as long as you can stand to drive it"

 

What if I moved inland where it snows same as anywhere... Nah, I'll stay buy the beach.

 

I have been driving a 25 year old OT GMC shortbed year 'round for the past 5 years
This winter I felt sorry for it and bought a 15 year old car to give it a break from all the salt and crap
Still put the snows on and have used it when I need to-when it gets looking ratty-I just fix it up

 

What's winter?

 

Summer in San Francisco.

Kelvin

 

Oh, that! So cold!

 

I drove this [350 chevy] for a couple years in the summer and winter. I wussed out and bought a front-drive HHR panel.

 

For the last 12 years, my daily commute to work is 10 or so feet from the house to the shop. As such, I don't really have a daily driver, but I have a couple of rides I drive pretty regularly.
Up to 10/ 22/ 2011 I drove a 50 Dodge pickup on an 80 Dodge 4x4 chassis, until a lady turned in front of me. My replacement truck is a 93 Dakota 4x4, its my winter ride, and full time hauler. Most of the rest of my driving is in my 48 Plymouth coupe (the coupe is a 3 season ride, too many air leaks to drive in the winter) but there isn't much 48 left of it anymore. I do drive my wife's 04 PT Cruiser in the winter when we go someplace. Gene

 

If you're in KC, you'll see my avatar year round. It's the newest vehicle I have beside motorcycles. Speaking of, I have to go scrape all the new snow off of it and head to work.

It's just a car, if it breaks or rusts, I'll just fix it and keep going.

 

Driven everyday...no matter the weather.

 

Yeah, I drive mine every day. Only car I have for 8 years. Garage sales, grocery store, work, laundry mat, car shows and cruisin' everywhere.

Here is a shot in the snow on a 500 mile trip. I didn't like it, but it'll wash.