Out for a drive today, in August even!

[lloyd3]

Normally, big blocks and August don't mix well here. We never get screamingly-hot here (nothing like Phoenix) but...certainly warm. Warm-enough generally to keep my car garaged (the heat coming back through that firewall can be alot at times).  Call me a wuss and you'd be mostly right, but modern cars have spoiled me enough to be more selective about my use of it in the heat of summer. Flash forward to yesterday...lots of T-storms for the past few days and the temps are down quite a bit. I'll be on the road from September through October (hunting up in Minnesota) so any "fall" driving here will be limited by that.  Accordingly, I dug it out for a short toot yesterday (bank & grocery) and everything was working beautifully (I'm always surprised by that anymore, no tune-ups here for at least a decade now). The new tires are simply wonderful (wish I hadn't waited so-long).



Discount Tire in June!

Had an early lunch with a buddy today and wondered if it would start without the usual need for a "prime". It did (yea!) so I picked him up in it and we headed off to the usual Mexican joint for a bite.  I haven't used it much in the last few years (for a number of reasons, covered previously here) but I'm trying to correct that now (I suspect that it's better for us both). My son will get it someday but...not before I'm done with it. 

Traffic here has become pretty bad (lots of growth). Summer is also when most road work is done so "bad" becomes "worse".  Makes me homesick for the boonies of nowhere Pennsylvania and those tree-lined rural routes, but...using it is better than not, right?  The other "old codgers" at the restaurant seem to like it and comment about it (the kiddies these days, not so much).

[Kern Dog]

You guys HAVE to get out there and enjoy these cars. Even if it is early morning or evening when it is cooler outside, get out there and have some fun.

[lloyd3]

Looks darn good KD. 

Yet another "one car environmental crisis" (as I was told by a Prius driver a few years ago now).

[Kern Dog]

I try to get out there with the classics as much as I can. I added A/C but screwed something up because while it will hold a vacuum, it seems to lose Freon. I charged it twice myself and it keeps losing the cold air.
The heater works damned good though. Cold weather driving is easy!
The tires are "Summer" rated though, like some new cars. They are supposed to be driven in temperatures of 50 degrees or higher. Colder temps leave the tires harder and more prone to chunking or splitting. Our 2015 Challenger had Goodyear Eagle F1 tires that came with that same warning though we still drove it year round. In the Winter, it can get as low as the mid 20s overnight.
I haven't had the Charger out when it is that cold but I have driven it in the upper 30s. It runs fine and the car handles well. I imagine if I were to push it in the turns, it might not grip as well in colder weather.

[lloyd3]

These cars were daily drivers for me over several winters. Cold was never a problem (other than heavy oil in a cold big-block). With proper tires they were very effective winter cars.  It was hard to watch what that did to them, however...

[Kern Dog]

Oh yeah....

[70 sublime]

Parents had a 70 new car in 70 and it was the family every day car 383 auto  Think I have a picture around with snow tires on it

[lloyd3]

They do look kinda funny with snow tires on'em, and the wheel wells packed with ice and snow. Even better with dirty icicles hanging down from all 4 corners (not).