Using a classic car as daily driver

Even with the low miles, using it every day will bring up all kinds of problems in a short time. Antique and classic tags are very limited in terms of vehicle usage. Dec 22, 2017 we even proved this theory in 2011 when hagertys own jonathan klinger made a 1930 ford model a his daily driver for a year. Owning a classic car that you can daily drive isnt that tough.

If you total your daily driver, your regular car insurance company pays you only the actual cash value of the car. Can only be used on a car for parades, car shows, and other car events. If i use a classic car for daily drive what i encounter with. Personally, i drive a 2006 nissan frontier, mainly because i cant afford a 65 ford falcon. My soontobe daily driver vintage car is a 1967 plymouth barracuda, with a big block 383 shoe horned into the engine bay with manual brakes disc front, drum rear, manual steering, 3speed automatic and 3. Its more a question of willingness to sacrifice comfort, but reliable classics do exist. And yes, i did do a search to see if someone else had asked this but didnt find anything. A classic sports car thats usable as a daily driver.

It is important that all people acting as a judge understand the rules. My dad and i got into a discussion about using a classic car as a daily driver. However, there are a number of classics that look cool and are fairly inexpensive to buy and maintain, meaning you wont feel bad using them as your daily driver. Whats the oldest car that can still be practicably used. Corvettes are very expensive to repair and maintain. Unfortunately, the classicantique insurance requirement for limited miles and for using the vehicle for recreation purposescar shows put that idea away. It seems more like a shell of a muscle car with all of your modern addons. I believe that another restriction on classic car insurance is that you have to have one vehicle for every registered driver in the household, excluding your classic.

If i use a classic car for daily drive what i encounter. What to expect when you dailydrive a vintage car jalopnik. Is a classic porsche 911 6489 a good daily driving car. For the most part, the routine maintenance on this type of car is relatively simple, and most owners can take care of the problems themselves, and even replace a few vw beetle parts when necessary. Taking a loan out for an old car is not a good idea specially 16 of your annual income. But now, thanks to a change of circumstances, joe has a chance to own that longterm daily driver, and he wants something classic. At flat 12 gallery in lubbock, texas, allen and restorer perry barndt buy, fix up, and resell classic cars, often for big profits. Jan 26, 2009 consider that you want a 27 year old car for a daily driver. Automotive restoration cost calculator kiddys classics. The 10 best classic cars to drive daily petrolicious. For many, the w124 marks the final car built by mercedesbenz with a true dedication to quality and as such.

Mckees 37 coating prep polish mckees 37 coating prep polish is a nonabrasive chemical polish that deep cleans automotive paint, ridding it of belowsurface contaminants that will prevent a coating, paint sealant or wax from properly bonding. This occurred shortly after the insurance writeoff of my old daily driver, but before i purchased a new car so the stingray was my only means of transportation for an entire week. The responses we received and tabulated were anecdotal and personal. Old cars take maybe 15 min or more to warm up during the winter and lack modern amenities like rear window and mirror defrosters. Mar 20, 2019 i recently had the privilege of driving a chevrolet c7 corvette stingray for an entire week. Apr 24, 20 i am looking for a classic car that is 4 door saloon type that i can use regularly. In this article, i will go over a few things to consider when making this decision routine and unexpected maintenance, theft prevention, depreciation, and much more, including my. And while this period has many amazing cars to choose from, please dont think that your 1993 plymouth breeze makes for a. Many auto lovers who invest in classic cars want to enjoy them every day but dont believe thats possible. Theyre absurdly good, and leave you with a massive shiteating grin every time you get out of it, because you just got to do your favorite t. From about 1984 until 2004, i had a 911 as a daily driver. I prefer old cars as they are more interesting and hold value better if looked after. They didnt do well in harsh new england winters with saltcovered roads, so i personally wouldnt use a classic car as a yearround daily driver today. At age twentytwo, i bought a 1979 mgb which was the most moody little thing i have ever owned and liked to set herself on fire when she was feeling just the right.

I have provided links to some clubs rules available on the internet. Chu was accustomed to the stirring v8 aria because the ferrari california was his daily driver. We specialize in taking a project that most people would give up on and restoring it, using the highest quality materials. The question at this point was whether or not i should get an economical beigemobile with fuel injection and air conditioning, only to blend in.

Yes there are classic car insurance cos that do realize the value of classics but they often stipulate the classic cannot be used for anything more than driving to a cruise in or in a parade, hence why the rates are low. Compact fourcylinder coupes were big business in the greedisgood 1980s, but you dont need to be a wall street trader to run one. When i bought my dart swinger, the original goal was to use it for a daily driver. Using a classic car like this for your everyday driving can save you both time and money. Of course, were not suggesting that all classic cars are suitable for the cut and thrust of modern traffic, but we think that this selection would cut the mustard dayin, dayout. If it will be used as a daily driver, there is no need to find a show condition vehicle. This 1967 pontiac gto is the ultimate daily driver motortrend. Of course daily driving a classic car is definitely possible, but an affirmative answer of yes, you can daily drive one certainly comes with some caveats.

I bought a rough, and i mean rough, no passenger floor panels left rough 70 beetle for a couple hundred dollars, spent about 6 months restoring it, its still ratty, but the perfect level of ratty. And, lets get this out of the way, contrary to some popular opinion theyre typically not german. In this video, wesley shares the secrets of how he does it without spending most of his time on the. What are potential issues that might arise from driving a. Im contemplating buying a classic car for my daily driver. Its the obvious choice for those seeking a reliable daily driver. Im sorry, but at that point its not really a classic muscle car.

Years later, the car was sold off to a neighbor and joseph. I daily drive my 02 z28 and its much more pleasant. The daily driver is dead, long live the new daily driver. A friend of mine has a 1974 chevy full size truck with an engine from a 1994 chevy, seats from a triumph, a real nice stereo, and a bright purple paint job he uses as a daily driver. One of the daily driver classics they feature is a camaro bought new around 1970 by a scientist who later became and is currently the director of the mt wilson observatory in.

Apr 15, 2016 once called the most beautiful car ever made by enzo ferrari, the 1960s jaguar etype is a classic sports car mainstay. I daily drove a corvette stingray for a week autotrader. After all, youre the one driving the ufo through downtown. The pitfalls and triumphs of driving a classic car on a daily. And while this period has many amazing cars to choose from, please dont think that your 1993 plymouth breeze makes for a cool daily driver. I used my mini as a daily driver for two years and for the last 6 months i was taking it up and down the m25. This is your typical muscle car configuration, but not exactly the ideal daily driver setup. There are a number of important considerations, none of which necessarily suggest that this is bad idea. For a daily driver, a converted vehicle, a modern day mechanics in a classic body, either restored or duplicated as a kit would be the best daily.

The major benefits of owning a classic besides the vibes are that insurance is dirt cheap, and its the only way you can own a really nice cool car that isnt slowly strangling you with depreciation. I have looked at the later 1970s mercedes saloons and like the look of them but would be. Jan 12, 2018 wesley has been successfully daily driving his 1967 mercury cougar for nearly four years. I see many 60s ford and chevy pickups that were preemission controls, and parts are still available. I called a classic car insurance company that came highly recommended by usaa but they would only let me drive to and from shows, or other hobby events. Its the answer for those who want something special that also just works. With an old car youd get the repair bills and a loan.

Im using the 66 as a daily driver and means usaa will only give me liability coverage. Compared to my 2006 charger, my 1972 truck seems pretty old. Mckees 37 daily driver ceramic paint coating kit as seen on. I learned the hard way on that and have had a few promising projects be completely derailed by something as minor as a piece of trim. Why you must be nuts to own a classic car hemmings daily. Drive a really interesting old car in good condition and people will stop, look. Even northern michigan winter snowfall couldnt stop the mighty model a, which was equipped with a set of 19inch stocksize tires that were siped to mimic the tread of a winter tire. For more than a decade, i had exactly one car, and it was my vintage daily driver. And driving your car to work every once in awhile on a nice sunny day, theyre not going to care about that. But if you value safety over having a fun daily driver, go with a new car. Driving a classic car may seem to most like an expensive hobby, but in this video i will show you 5 good reasons why you can do it and why you should. I had a sunbeam alpine daily driver in the sixties and a volvo p1800 daily driver in the seventies. I checked with all the major classic car insurance companies and they all have the same restrictions.

No, driving a classic car daily isnt the most maintenance free thing to do and it certainly isnt for everyone, but it can be done if you are willing to spend a little time tweaking and repairing here and there. Many enthusiasts who use their classic car as a daily driver or weekend cruiser are interested in conducting a partial restomod to improve the safely, reliability and performance of their vehicle at a manageable cost. However, there are a number of classics that look cool and are fairly inexpensive to buy. Aug 31, 2009 when i bought my dart swinger, the original goal was to use it for a daily driver. The weather was nice, it was a joy to wake up early, and the route wasnt too taxing on either me or the carwhat a great way to start the day. The pitfalls and triumphs of driving a classic car on a. Is it practical to use a classic 60s70s muscle car for. But some friends of mine have decided to go with even older cars as daily drivers.

If you plan on entering classic car competitions, youll have to find something with its original parts and spend slightly more. I was just curious to see how many here do that and what people thought the pros an cons of doing so was. A fellow who lives on a ranch has a classic volvo, late 60s, i believe. Just wondering how many of you guys drive pre 75 cars as daily drivers. The rule can be very basic, as detailed below, or more intense as detailed by individual clubs. Feb 06, 2020 determine what youll be using the classic car for. Jan, 2020 but these five represent some surefire classic daily driver options.

Most of the big insurance companies, like allstate, nationwide, etc, arent really set up for classic car policies. First offered in the early 1990s, its now a true modern classic car. Fancy a daily driver modern classic thats fun like a hot hatch but cuts more of a dash. Creating an amazing community for owners and enthusiasts of classic cars. Id rephrase that as you are nuts to own a classic car that isnt complete and running well.

Oct 09, 2016 the mazda mx5 miata is the classic sports car without the classic sports car problems. Oct 15, 2019 the 20 best classic cars for daily driving. When i was fifteen, i began restoring my 1966 ford mustang which i drove daily from age sixteen to seventeen in all of its dual exhaust, lowgeared, four barrel carburetor, nine mile per gallon glory i still have that car. My first car, that i used as a daily driver for a couple years, was a 1968 buick skylark gs400 that im now building into a drag car. But now, thanks to a change of circumstances, joe has a chance to own that longterm dailydriver, and he wants something classic. A modern fourwheel disc brake system might be installed to replace the original drum brakes. The mckees 37 daily driver ceramic paint coating kit includes. I see and hear a lot of discussion about taking classic vehicles on extended trips, and it bothers me that conventional wisdom claims one needs to have a newer. Use classics on autotraders intuitive search tools to find the best classic car, muscle car, project car, classic truck, or hot rod.

From a ferrari to a amc pacer, all the way to the model t you can also distinguish between pristine, never restored, restored and converted classics. The w124 e class benz is such a formidable force in terms of reliability that people often forget theyre bona fide retro cars. Welcome to kiddys classics, where restoring the past is our passion. I never had air conditioning, and ive certainly had to bum rides, borrow other peoples cars, or suck it up. Wesley has been successfully daily driving his 1967 mercury cougar for nearly four years. The pitfalls and triumphs of driving a classic car on a daily basis. Our main focus is restoring, rebuilding, and modernizing any automobile.

From a safety point of view, i would want a car with seatbelts, and power steering to get the quick ratio. Oct 29, 2019 muscle car fans searching for the dream even if theyre not living it. We even proved this theory in 2011 when hagertys own jonathan klinger made a 1930 ford model a his daily driver for a year. Drive a really interesting old car in good condition and people will stop, look, and engage you in conversation.

What youve told the man to do is gut the car, and make it modern. Heck, maybe you have a friend at work that wants to see your car, or something. Garage, we cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Is it a good idea to daily drive a classic muscle car. The basic rules for judging a car show scotties garage. If you only choose one car from this list to drive, this is the one. A lot of the time a new car loan is justified because it wont be needing repairs.

Top 5 reasons why you should daily a classic car youtube. When it calculates this amount, it includes the cars depreciation in their formula. Fwiw yes sometimes i drive a 25 yo regal t type think grand national as a daily driver which can be considered a classic. This one only has 58,000 miles on it, and you can own it. Classics on autotrader is your onestop shop for the best classic cars, muscle cars, project cars, exotics, hot rods, classic trucks, and old cars for sale. Reason im asking is a couple companies i might be working for are all based about 40100 would only drive this every 23 days miles from where i want to live and was thinking about classic cars that could put up with this, without me feeling bad about putting gobs of miles on them, and would get semi. The current issue of roadkill magazine is all about using classic cars as daily drivers. Now dont get me wrong, im not saying this is a bad idea, but if you do, there are quite a few things you need to know before you jump in with. How to get the right insurance for your classic car. But theres a fundamental difference between daily drug use and daily driving a classic car.

Can anyone recommend a good solid classic car for everyday. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Whether it is a classic car or truck, vehicles just dont seem to be made like they used to. But these five represent some surefire classic daily driver options. Also, they are precious and must be protected from rain, snow, hail and excess sun. Aug 24, 2016 however, there are a number of classics that look cool and are fairly inexpensive to buy and maintain, meaning you wont feel bad using them as your daily driver. Oct 15, 2009 as in any culture, the car show culture has rules there are basic rules for judging all car shows. I used to have a 1975 mgb gt that was my daily driver for 2 years but had to give it up now i have a wife and a 2 year old son. This prevents me getting classic car insurance as we have two drivers in our family, one caravan and the mustang.

One bought a 48 chevy custom to use when the weather is nice it has no hood, and another has just started talking about swearing off modern cars in favor of stuff from the 40s and 50s. At almost 40 years old, i still ride motorcycles and want a classic car. Its the raw power of the car, being able to wrench away at it, theyre simple machines. Miatas are easy to use and easy to live with, thanks to both the way they drive and their build quality. Classic cars you can use every day in 2020 honest john. The impala ss makes for a great sleeperits sort of like a discount chevy ss sedan.