IMHO, I wouldn't trade that Jeep for that Dart. I have found that model of Jeep to be a very reliable vehicle and still miss ours we had.
Now as far as vintage ABodies for daily drivers. After job loss in 2008, all we have driven is Dodge Darts (usually one for each of us). We drive what we can afford and what I can repair myself. That leaves out new cars with computers, miles of wires hoses and lines of unknown origins.
Of late we have been driving a 79 Aspen wagon with a super six, and my 64 Dart 170 4 door with a 273 all original. Our son drives a 1969 Dart custom 4 door with a slanty and these are our only cars. We just bought back a 75 Dart we used to own so we could retire my 64. My 64 still has it's studded snow tires on it from this past winter. The only thing was this winter was so cold (under 0 here) we had to have a small halogen shop lamp under the oil pans over night so they would crank and start the next morning.
This summer I will be installing oil pan heating pads so all I will have to do is unplug and go this winter instead of crawling under two cars every morning to fish out the lamps before driving.
SO, we drive ours every day, where ever we go. Work, day trips, and vacations. We have found them cheaper to insure, maintain, and buy gas for. I have even been seen at Lowes loading stick lumber into our Aspen wagon while it was raining. I love being able to haul lumber in the rain without it getting wet!
Only draw back is the endless supply of people wanting to talk about our cars everywhere. It can be frustrating sometimes when you're in a hurry at the gas station and they want to tell you about the Dart their family owned when they were kids. Especially since we are at the point now where we don't think of them as show cars or vintage anymore. They are just our cars to go from point A to point B. But we love them and I love knowing that when I start the engine and leave home, that I will be usually be returning home with no problems or weird stuff happening to the computer or injection system! They were popular back when they were first made, with families mainly due to their inexpensive maintenance and reliability not needing maintenance very often at all!
I highly recommend using A Bodies as daily drivers. There is no other way of driving for our whole family. We'll never go back to the multi tens of thousand dollar vehicles with monthly payments as high as our house payment again!!!
rayer::cheers:
