Classic Mopar Use ????

[318willrun]

We know a lot of us use our mopars a 1/4 mile at a time. Some only a 1/8 mile at a time! Some, they are just a garage ornament. Some actually go 10 miles to the local cruise in. But some of us use the cars for the road, meaning short distance or long haul, we're in!

My wife and I have driven classics as daily's. I think around 1994, my wife's daily grocery getter was a '66 Fairlane 2dr hrdtp. At the same time, I drove a '76 Dart Sport 40 miles one way to work everyday. We've traveled across states in them.
Around the 2018-2019 timeframe, we had our '77 Ramcharger in 11 states. Not the North East coast tiny states either So far our '77 Van which has taken it's place has been in 7 states. I expect that count will go up.

How do you use your mopar??

 

[rumblefish360]

Having several MoPars, I have driven 1 daily, one as a street machine for decades. In the process of building a track car that’s street capable.

The ‘79 Magnum has seen daily 100 mile round trip commuting.
The ‘73-4 spd Cúda (street machine) used to see regular meets 2-3 times a week and weekend back alley racing on occasion or two.

The wife doesn’t take hers out very much. It’s good to go anywhere any time.

 

[remytherat]

I drive my 69 dart 3-5 times during the week on a 35 mile round trip and 50-150 miles each weekend. It's all I drive when it aint broke

 

[70coupe]

As Ma Mopar Intended.

 

[S'cuder]

So when did it change from driving an old car to a classic? I had a big block B-Body (not the same one) registered and on the road as a driver for 25 years. Sometime during that period I suppose.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Just locally, but a LOT.

 

[S'cuder]

As Ma Mopar Intended.

View attachment 1716194286

God, I love those.

 

[TF360]

I use mine as a Ornament. There were several times when I used a Duster a daily driver. First one when I was 16. That was long ago, and the car (slant 6) was only ten years old. Now I view them as Art, and prefer a modern car with good gas milage that doesn't pollute for a Daily. It's a hobby for me.

 

[dadsbee]

Mine went to the ski hills and beyond in the 70's, these days just at home this time of year.. LOL

 

[TrailBeast]

Every day, every where.
longest drive was 17 hours one way.
Stop for fuel, food and bathroom breaks and hit 7 or 8 of the most popular beaches.

 

[Professor Fate]

I have several Mopars, none of which are "track only" cars. None go out in ice and salt, but once the roads are clean in spring they all become semi-daily drivers between my wife and I, and do not hesitate to take any of them on road trips. The wagon ('66 Dart) and pickup ('66 Sweptline- for short trips, I seriously can't ride in it for hours on end...) will even do it pulling a camper or until recently, my boat (sold it). So far we've been over 500+ miles each way- with a Route 66 trip in the planning stages. We drive the wheels off these things- it's what they were designed to do, and there's no reason they can't still do it. My '75 Swinger gets it's share of road time, too. The only downside is the fact that these cars attract a lot of attention now, and it's not always the good kind.
Basically, if they can't be driven- often and reliably- I don't need them.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Not daily but I won’t hesitate to open road em. This trip was 1800 miles in my falcon. 144 sixer 3 speed manual. Drive, race, repeat.

 

[ir3333]

nah...mine is a fair weather friend on secondary highways and i wouldn't even consider taking it out on a modern freeway. I'm just too spoiled by my wifes' Honda and our Toyota pickup that cruise smooth and silent at high or low speeds and steer and stop effortlessly.
Still nothing like a spirited drive to and from cruz night on a regular basis with the 340!

 

[dadsbee]

Entering Eleanor Roosevelt State park in October 2019. Driving from Atlanta Georgia to Alexander City Alabama.

 

[dadsbee]

Foothills of Alabama, waiting for our escort into Talladega... pissin down rain the entire drive.

 

[Jeremiah (jd)]

All of my personal cars are at least 30 years old. It just depends on what the mission is. I would not take the 66 Coronet 500 convertible to buy lumber, but I will us my 12v 93 w250. On the same token I wouldn't take the w250 out to enjoy a starry, warm summer night.

When it comes to hotrods, being a blue collar family, I cannot do drag and drive events. A guy can only afford so many sets of $1000+ roller lifter sets and $600 worth of rear tires so often. I know it's not like that for everyone however I have to ration my resources. Race fuel is 10 to 20 a gallon depending on what you are running, n20 is $10/lb and pump gas is dangerous to race on IMO. Too many variants when dealing with that volume of bulk fuel.

I stopped daily driving my muscle cars in the wet weather just for sanitary purposes. To much debris gets stuck in the body drains, etc. and inattentive drivers are everywhere. My above mentioned w250 got the front clip knocked off by some pill popper and that taught me a valuable lesson. Even a 30 year old truck is a headache to reconstruct let a alone a 50 yo Dart or whatever.

 

[DentalDart]

Foothills of Alabama, waiting for our escort into Talladega... pissin down rain the entire drive.

View attachment 1716194318

View attachment 1716194319

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That green super bird!!! It’s my dream car!

Unless I hit the lottery I doubt I’ll ever own a 300k car….

 

[missing linc]

If I can't drive it wherever, whenever I want to, I don't need it. Took my 1970 Dart on the Hot Rod Power Tour in 2005 from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada all the way to Kissimmee Florida. Had a fantastic time, car ran flawlessly the whole way, somewhere around 5000 miles round trip, including a stop on Daytona Beach after the tour finished.
I also ran that car down the 1/4 mile frequently, driving it to and from the track, about an hour each way, and drove it to work daily from April to October.
My 75 Dart Sport was driven to work and back regularly this summer, but was sold in October.

 

[DentalDart]

I use mine to pick the kids up from the bus stop… and then use my others as garage dust collectors.

 

[sr71mopar]

I don't have an A body mopar at the moment. When I did I drove it everywhere, with 4.56's. Stopped for gas a lot, and took it easy on the freeway. Hurt a lot of 5.0 feelings with a 66 Barracuda with a 318. Drove it everywhere for about about 4 years. And then the motor blew up.

 

[318willrun]

• I will say, I don't drive mine on the salt roads, so that's usually Dec, Jan, Feb, March.
• I will also say, I try to stay off the interstates unless it makes sense to take them. I don't like being the bottle neck out there. I'm doing 65 mph and semi's coming on me at 85 mph. I usually find a single highway that sort of follows the interstates. I think a guy sees much more off the interstates. Small towns with cafe's, car lots, and the such.

 

[sr71mopar]

Sorry wrong pictire

 

[72bluNblu]

When I bought my Challenger in 2008 it was my only vehicle, so, it went everywhere I did. When I bought my Duster in 2012 it was my newest car, and it remained that way until 2020. So between those two cars if I went somewhere from 2008 to 2020 it was in one of them. The Challenger was pulled off the road after that because the rust I bought it with needed to be addressed. I still drive my Duster everywhere pretty much year round, I live at about 3,500 ft now though so now I have a 4wd truck for when it snows or threatens snow (although its 20+ years old too). The Duster has seen snow before but with my 275/295 extreme performance summer tires it gets a little squirrely so I try and plan around it. But the rest of the time the Duster is my daily, and does my 120 mile round trip commute with ease. And yeah, lots of little trips up the mountain to hang out in Tahoe, see the lakes, just go for a rip in the twisty's, whatever

 

[1WildRT]

 

[dadsbee]

Love that shot!