Daily driving an A-body

What should I do?

  • Sell the Stratus and buy this car if its really a good runner

    Votes: 57 60.0%

  • Dont sell the Stratus! Just be patient

    Votes: 29 30.5%

  • These older cars are unreliable. Don't be a dummy

    Votes: 9 9.5%
  • Total voters
    95
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I bought my '65 S after sitting in a warehouse for 17 years. Guy drained the gas and put 5 gallons in, a battery and topped off the oil and brake fluid. I drove it 30 miles home on 5 cylinders, gave it 8 new plugs and a set of dual points, changed the oil and drove it for another year before it spun a rod bearing. Car was rock solid, fun to drive and parts were 20 bucks for just about anything (back in '92). I still got it, but my 96 Breeze gets better gas mileage, has a working A/C and is still watertight in the rain. If your commuting more than 20 miles a day, Sell the stratus and use the money to go through the old iron. All fluids a minimum and a Midas lifetime brake job (let them take the hit) belts and a battery, 300 bucks tops. You can fix almost anything in the older car with a 4 buck socket set and a torque wrench, no scanner required.
 
If i found a better mopar to use for show car purposes i would put my cuda in as my daily it has ac i converted to disk on the front and it's running radials what more do you need.Right now i'm looking for a 66 valient any engine for daily driver. I love my truck but some times it's a little large to go garage sale shopping in some areas. Found one nearby but lack of funds prevails again.
 
in 96 I bought a 67 Coronet convertible that had been parked for at least 9 years. i was planning on it being a daily driver.

I knew it needed a new top and after getting it home the trans would not go into neutral, drove fine, but in park still in gear, in neutral, still in gear. So got the trans rebuilt.

Had the brakes bleed with power bleeder and done normal stuff. Drove it trouble free 38 miles one way to work during nice weather, just could not bring myself to drive an original paint, almost rust free car on salted roads.

Never got the factory air to work very well, but it was a nice car to drive, OK on gas

I would look for a good car that has been maintained, do the stuff needed for safety, then drive the wheels off it.

View attachment 1967coronet.jpg

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Wish i could have kept this one and still bought my prowler, Sold it 3 weeks before my Prowler was delievered to the dealer.
 
DarTT,
Good responses all. My 2 cents: There are certain things that come with the territory of driving an old Mopar, the best way to learn is to go for it. Me, I drove my Dart and later a Challenger back and forth to Florida from Norfolk for 3 years, EVERY other weekend. That's right, down to Fl on Friday, back to Norfolk on Sunday. It was the only way to my family. I had a box in the trunk with my spare alt, belts, hoses, electronic box etc. Even if it died on the road I was ready, but neither car ever did... Once you learn them, it is like working on a go cart, too easy! When I am not deployed as I am now, I drive my '66 every single day. you can always sell it later if you decide it's not for you... good luck
 
A few thoughts: Every old car will need some work when you first begin driving it. Unless you know the car's history, or have documented proof of use (service records, etc), assume the car has been sitting, even if registered.

Second, 65cudalover said these cars do not brake or handle in the rain as well as newer cars. A LOT depends on the tires. My '73 Duster is better in the rain than my 2002 VW, or my 1997 Jeep. The reason is the tires on the Duster have only about 3000 miles and are less than four months old. I also have disk brakes, which on the a-bodies at least, is a HUGE improvement over the drums. Tires are Firestone Indy 500's, by the way. I have heard T/A's can be slippery in the rain. Do research before buying.

About the break in ability, though, it's true. I have locked my keys in the Duster twice. First time (for any car) breaking in took me less than one minute (not including the time to twist up the coat hanger). When I park, I put any valuables in the trunk, out of sight.

I also have some money invested in my car. Guess what, I have spent more on each of my other two cars. And they are depreciating at a depressing rate. The lack of depreciation alone should more than offset the increased fuel costs of even a V8 A-body. My commute is 60 miles per day, I have been using my Duster since June, and I stand by this statement.
 
I agree with most of what everyone is saying.

I wholeheartely agree on budgeting ahead of time, and revamp the fuel system, brakes, electrical.

I drove my 76 Dart Lite for 85% of daily driver duty for the last 2 years. Right out of the gate, all brakes, including hydraulics, shoes, springs, etc were replaced. Brakes have been bullet proof.
Fuel system was not addressed right out of the gate, and I regret it. Fuel pump died almost immediately, and the rest of the fuel system has nickeled and dimed me to death. You can fix it up front, or fix it along the way, but you will fix it.
Fluid maintenance is critical too. Differential fluid is one of the most neglected areas I have ever seen. My 3 speed manual had 5 ounces of fluid, but took 85 ounces to refill! I am amazed it is together. Wheel Bearings, alternator, voltage regulator, gauges, wiper cowl kit, heater hoses, etc.

If you are going to do it, I suggest taking a weekend, having some buddies over, and address all the key areas right out of the gate. Not only will you get to know the car, but you will also have intimate knowledge of the car, so hiccups down the road are far easier to trace.
 
I just turned my scamp into my daily driver, all I ever drove was mopars from the 60s-70s,
until 8 or 9 years ago, when I pulled the engine to clean and paint the bay,I bought a new ranger to drive, 20,000 miles later the water pump went out, to new to get at a parts store, had to go to the dealer, one thing after the other with that truck, sold it two years later, it was worth less then half of what I paid for it, and it still looked like new, got a 88 dakota for a transmission I had, never had a problem with that truck, totaled it when I hit a heard of deer, bought a 89 f150 for 400 bucks, two years and 1000 bucks later, it's down again.
so I'll drive my scamp and get a dodge truck when the cash say's I can, but it will be a 89 or older, I'm sick of new junk.
 
I drove my Duster For over a year as my daily. The only times it let me down were my fault. I ran it out of gas, and Didn't fix a couple of things that needed to be fixed. That and I didn't have a spare, but we won't go into that. These cars are pretty much Bulletproof and I would still be driving it daily except that I have a 54 Mile commute (each way) and couldn't keep up with the gas. Absolutely the most comfortable car I have ever driven. I even took it on a 350+ mile leg of the Hotrod powertour. You just have to decide what is best for you.
 
Did you buy the truck with the 400 bucks you killed.After killing 1000 more bucks I would say you got your moneys worth out of that truck! Who needs a gun.
 
horsehead said:
Did you buy the truck with the 400 bucks you killed.After killing 1000 more bucks I would say you got your moneys worth out of that truck! Who needs a gun.
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it was only 6 deer I hit, when I totaled the dakota. and the guys at work tell me all the time, that I don't need my bow or my gun to get deer, as over the last 15 years, I've hit/killed over 50 deer with cars and trucks.
 
Heres my opinion and story My little 69 just sits I dont drive it much because I have four kids and it a real bear gettin car seats to fit I take it out and wash it and drive it on the weekends SOMETIMES I was contemplating selling it because i could use the money and i hate seeing it getting dirty just sitting Then my wife opened my eyes once again When my cummins or my wifes suburban gives us problems Guess which car is ready to perform duty?? The trusty 69 slantsix dart!!! Iv driven it to speedworld and las vegas for the mopar shows and it has never left me But I always keep up on the maintenance and fix what gets questionable If I were you I would keep your current car for now and get a A body and go thru it a little Dont neccesarily mean restore it but go over it and it can be just as dependable as any newer car THEN sell your status
 
72bluNblu said:
My '72 Challenger is my daily, and my "newest" car. At the time I bought it, the Challenger was not on the road or registered. It ran, but had not been driven regularly. It took me a few months to get it reliable enough to drive, and about a year before I felt like I was ahead of the curve on maintenance. It can be done, but here's my advice.

If you're going to get a car that isn't currently a daily driver, and use it as one, you're going to have some issues. That's all there is to it. If its been parked for a few years, you're going to have to go completely through the fuel system, the ignition system, and the brakes, at minimum. Plan on spending at least $500 just on this, even if you don't expect any problems. If you have known problems (carb, fuel pump in this case), add that on top of the $500. Figure that as the absolute minimum you'll have to spend to make this thing functional (not nice, I said functional). And know that you'll run into other issues along the way! It's amazing how many little issues can crop up, heaters, wipers, gauges, random bushings, strange leaks will all start showing up as they get more use.

Between my girlfriend and I, we've now put several cars on the road that were not being regularly used and that we now use as daily drivers (she drives a '71 Ford F100 4x4). In my experience, it takes about a year of driving as a daily to get caught up on all the little issues. My suggestion would be to keep your stratus for at least a few months after you buy the A-body if you can. That way you can go through the A-body, start using it, and still have a way to get to work in case something pops up. If after a few months the A-body is working well, you can sell the Stratus and keep your fingers crossed :-D. Even if you completely go through the entire car, things will surface as you drive it.
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I completely agree x2 . . . as long as you are
aware that you are dealing with an older car . . . go for it!! Rog
 
The 06 Stratus will ride better, stop better, handle better, get better economy and will likely out accelerate the 318 car (even if it's a 4cyl), not to mention creature comforts like AC and a decent stereo. You won't get much for the Stratus if you sell it and depending on how much/long you financed it for you could be upside down on the loan.

As much as I enjoy driving my Barracuda most every day March to Nov I do have two other late model vehicles I can choose to drive and my 48 mile round trip commute is on lightly traveled back roads. I just couldn't imagine being stuck in stop and go traffic every day with the Cuda, especially in 90+ degree temps.

I wouldn't get rid of your Stratus to add another project car to your fleet.
 
My /6 scamp was my daily for almost a year before I tore her down for my insane build and I plan on her being a daily summer car when she is done (hence the F/I hemi) I love the looks and the feel of rolling down the street in a nice older car everyday. You also can't beat the gas milage in an old slant car with a 1 barrel carb yeah you will get passed by everything on the road but you look better then they do so f it.
 
My 71 Duster has been my daily driver for the last 10 years and it's been the only daily driver I've ever had. It has a slant 6 and gets really good mileage.

Here is the thing about daily driving an old car. It's cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. If you put A/C and all that fancy stuff in it, then it gets bad mileage. There will be annoying rattles, squeaks, vibrations and random problems that will irritate you to no end. If you are smart about it and don't put money into the car senselessly, you'll save a ton of cash over the years. You have no car payment and your insurance will be dirt cheap. Compare that to your buddies that have to pay $400 a month just to keep their Silverado or whatever they've got. You have to pay $50 a month in insurance and your gas bill will still be low if you get a slant.

It's definitely worth it if you can handle the uncomforts of driving an old car. Just don't fix it up too nice. It's tough to keep a daily driver in really good shape and it's just pointless stress to worry about your really expensive paint job or whatever else you've done to it all the time.
 
My 65 dart gt was purchased as a daily driver, it's been great for me for the past 2 months, so we'll see. I say go for it, get that daily driver.
 
drove my 68 as a DD for 7 years. Never let me down. The 63 is a daily for my daughter but we will take it off the road when the winter slop comes.
 
Depends on perspective and risk. I have seen lots of reliable old cars but I would not risk it for numerous reasons:

As a partner in a company with 30 people: If your car albeit 5 years old or 40 is unreliable and you cant show up to work it means to me that you are unreliable or irresponsible and the 1st person I target to lose their job..that is if I cant live with out you. Go buy a cheap $9k kia to get to work. In this economy I dont mess with anything that does not insure my ability to provide for the client as they never want to hear excuses. Nobody wants to buy new equipment but you have to amortize out the old and in with the new as it cannot fail as your business depends on it. Zero downtime.
Your daily driver is your personal "plant and equipment".

As a parent: If my 4/5 or 8 year old needs to get rushed to the hospital as they got hurt doing something stuipd I am not risking getting them there if a 40 year old car doesnt start..but there is always 911. More importantly the old car also has crummy safety as far as crashes, no crumple zones, seat belts inferior, average handling and brakes, no airbags, no ABS, no nothing.

If I were to build a daily driver it would be a cuda or dart hardtop restomod. Do a low mileage pull out 5.9 or new hemi with transmission, all stock, and stick it in the early car. Modern drivetrain reliability with old school looks.

Again...its just my opinion.

SK
 
bayyum said:
go for it man! cars then were built tougher then they are now!
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I agree, this is the time in your life to enjoy your freedom, and do things you won't be able to when you're older, when life's responsibilities come along and you'll be taking a cautious view of things. Enjoy your youthful 'chutzpah.':cheers:
 
Seank said:
Depends on perspective and risk. I have seen lots of reliable old cars but I would not risk it for numerous reasons:

As a partner in a company with 30 people: If your car albeit 5 years old or 40 is unreliable and you cant show up to work it means to me that you are unreliable or irresponsible and the 1st person I target to lose their job..that is if I cant live with out you. Go buy a cheap $9k kia to get to work. In this economy I dont mess with anything that does not insure my ability to provide for the client as they never want to hear excuses. Nobody wants to buy new equipment but you have to amortize out the old and in with the new as it cannot fail as your business depends on it. Zero downtime.
Your daily driver is your personal "plant and equipment".

As a parent: If my 4/5 or 8 year old needs to get rushed to the hospital as they got hurt doing something stuipd I am not risking getting them there if a 40 year old car doesnt start..but there is always 911. More importantly the old car also has crummy safety as far as crashes, no crumple zones, seat belts inferior, average handling and brakes, no airbags, no ABS, no nothing.

If I were to build a daily driver it would be a cuda or dart hardtop restomod. Do a low mileage pull out 5.9 or new hemi with transmission, all stock, and stick it in the early car. Modern drivetrain reliability with old school looks.

Again...its just my opinion.

SK
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And you think new junk don't break? the water pump went out on my 98 ranger at 20,000 miles, I was on my way to work, and called to tell them I had car problems, they said your truck ain't 6 months old, had to order the pump from the dealer, as it was too new to get at a parts store.:thebirdm: new junk.
my $.2
 
mac daddy mopar said:
And you think new junk don't break? the water pump went out on my 98 ranger at 20,000 miles, I was on my way to work, and called to tell them I had car problems, they said your truck ain't 6 months old, had to order the pump from the dealer, as it was too new to get at a parts store.:thebirdm: new junk.
my $.2
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My current daily has been totalled out twice and getting parts for it mostly banks on junkyard looting or going to the local "5-Star" Dealer, which it cost me almost $1500 bucks to replace every component on the airbag system, and now the light is coming back on saying randomly ever few days or every other day *bing*"this part is bad, oh wait, its not!"*bing*. Don't get me wrong, the car is reliable, but damn, they stuff a computer and sensor in everhything they can nowadays just so you have to replace it for emissions. I have a friend that has a Snap-On Solace and he always runs the codes free for me, but he says, he has seen me for more codes than anyone else and all of them are the stupidest ones he heard. My engine light popped on once just to tell me "your coolant pressure isn't what it was". He reset it after we ran a series of coolant system tests and found nothing at all leaking. And if you think about when your mom and dad were my age, these cars were considered really relaible. My grandpa bought a '72 Satellite with a 383 new, custom ordered from the factory, til this day when I bring it upto him, he wishes he had a car that reliable again.8)

I mentioned this subject to one of my friend's parents and they said "My dad had a '69 Plymouth Valiant with a /6 and man, that thing would take you anywhere and wouldn't let you down." He took it cross country 7 times, now he owns a '67 Camaro and wishes he had the Valiant instead:cheers:
 
not only do most replacemt parts seem to be of lesser quality, i havent had any luck in the last 5 or so years walking into a parts store and walking out with parts i needed the same day, so you take more of a chance of the daily driver being down for a few days if you cant get the replacement parts right away. there is that chance with everything but it is greater with older vehicles. really i think having 2 daily drivers is the way to go. always nice to have a back up. i drive my duster to work when the weather is fair and im not on a really nasty site or need to bring a nuch of tools with me. gas mileage wit hthe super six is pretty close to my liberty. it is fun to use daily, but when i get back into a newer car i feel like im driving something BRAND NEW. if you have too many projects, nothing will get done.
 
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