Classic/vintage car as a daily driver.

[ProjectBazza]

I like to drive mine daily. But, I recently hit a deer, and then a concrete barrier with my '72 Chevelle. I wish I had air bags and modern crush zones. I wound up in the hospital for four days, with injuries that probably wouldn't have happened in my Impala. Sorry, but that is the other side of enjoying our hobby cars daily.

View attachment 1716385078

Ouch!

Sorry to see/hear this, but at the very least you healed-up (I assume), and when all is said and done: Your car is (was?) just a "thing", and can be replaced. Your health and safety is all that really matters.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I've been daily driving this Barracuda since 2009 with few exceptions. It does get a bit beat up from driving and parking it in one of the biggest cities in the US. I've been working from home for about 10 years, so I don't have a commute anymore, so that's one thing to consider. Three years ago I swapped the slant 6 for a 318. I will say that the slant 6 warms up faster, is generally more reliable and is better on gas. I carry a ton of tools including a floor jack with me wherever I go and yes, I've had to fix it on the side of the road a few times. I do work on the car a lot and by now I've probably touched every bolt and replaced or rebuilt most components from suspension to electrical etc. It's not for everyone, but I love driving this car every day.

 

[barbee6043]

Anything and everything wears out eventually.
Back in "the day", most everyone drove their vehicle daily until it broke down and traded in for a new one OR set "aside"out in the fence row.
How did people (we)drive them daily back then?????? How did they (we) drive a vehicle with points???? How did they (we) drive cars with non leaded gas, no air bags, biased tires??? I guess, they (we) were just plain stupid?????
Yea a drunk hit me him running about 90 back in 1973 in my 66 F100. Yea it killed his drunk ***, and took me a year to walk with out a big limp, and yea an air bag would have been great, but........

 

[SpeedThrills]

Look at Cuba, to this day they're still driving 50's and 60's cars as daily drivers without any difficulties.

I'd be willing to bet they have a lot of difficulties. And not just with their old cars.

 

[j par]

What do you think people drove to work, play, or the store...
In 1965....

 

[cerb]

What do you think people drove to work, play, or the store...
In 1965....

Of course, but that was also when state of the art vehicle safety meant a padded dashboard

 

[missing linc]

Of course, but that was also when state of the art vehicle safety meant a padded dashboard

And optional seat belts!

 

[nutz]

ha my 50 dodge pu has the optional d/s mirror
had a 54 buick one of my friends was looking at all the metal and chrome on the dash and no seat belts ,says when you crash it they just hose it out and sell it to the next guy
my 67 shop truck is getting built as a daily driver...10 miles from home shop to my shop ,as long as it will make it 5 miles up i can coast the other 5 miles either way ...
was watching some show ..maintance on a 1917 ?? was every 100 miles my 67 beatle was 1000 miles on my 2018 audi is 10000...we have come a long way

 

[j par]

Of course, but that was also when state of the art vehicle safety meant a padded dashboard

I always assumed it was the amount of american steel that we had around us as opposed to plastic....

 

[Jarlaxle]

I drive mine as much as practical...which in this area, means it gets parked from roughly November to about now. (Out of winter storage yesterday.)

 

[nutz]

Mine was bought to drive
Haven't driven with the top up yet...
So in the next couple of weeks