I just don't get some car people

[69bronzeT5]

I know this girl who is my age. I've known her for about 2 years. Her dad has a '69 Roadrunner. It's got a 440-6 pack in it (originally 383). It's runs great and is reliable. He also has a '69 Mustang and a '70 GTO. Anyways, it seems like they are really protective over the Roadrunner. They only drive it to local shows and around town. I'm trying to get her to talk her dad into bringing the car to a Mopar show in Parksville which is about 1hr 1/2 from their house and she told me no way. She said it's too far. They don't drive the car in rain. Only on sunny summer days where there is no chance of rain. Some of you guys will remember my thread about her giving me shit for driving my Duster in the rain back in Feburary. At the end of September, they put it away in the garage under a car cover and 2 tarps (in case the roof on their garage drips) and they bring it out at the beginning of May. She was freaking out a few weeks ago because when they took the Roadrunner out, they found surface rust on the exhaust hangers! I just don't get it. I mean, why have a car if you're afraid to drive it unless it's ideal conditions and not too far from home. Like I said, the Roadrunner is reliable so there's no reason they couldn't make the 1hr 1/2 trip. I mean, I love her as a friend, she's a GREAT girl and she loves muscle cars but she is really over protective of them. It's just odd to me....

[Highbanked Hauler]

 She must have learned it somewhere. I put a set of used quarters on this guys 70 Charger a few years ago and he  pretty much told me he was going to do the same thing. The car will never see high humidity  let alone rain. His 69 is driver quality and I've tried to get him to go out for a run with me and the 500 and nothing doing. I guess its the way some people are.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

There could be a number of reasons why the owner chooses to be overly protective of his Road Runner. Have you asked him why? And who knows maybe simply owning the car, and driving it on nice days for short distances is what gives him enjoyment. Is there really anything wrong with that? Didn't think so. Cut them some slack, and enjoy seeing his Mopar when you do.

[Mike DC]

 
Well, I'm just glad somebody else is doing that kind of preservation for these cars. 


I will never be that kind of owner.  I have plenty of respect for it but it just isn't me.

 

[Bob T]

Yep, each to their own, Me, I would be driving the wheels off it most weekends that I could. I guess he just dosnt really want to get the miles or stone chips on it, since its not a rare numbered holy grail type of beast I cant understand him. Does he drive the other cars much or do they wait for the "perfect weather" days as well.

I took my Charger to a panelshop today to get the front guard assessed cause one of my friends kids opened a door on it last weekend at our Mopar run, got a small dent and a few scratches, I washed, polished it and it rained on the way back, about a 45 min drive. I just thought 'Oh well, just have to wash it again later,. At least I got a drive out in it with the windows down  

A friend of mine often drives his 900hp Indy Hemi 72 Runner to work about 15 miles each way, part rural and part thru town, he even drives it in the rain to work, as he says " its just a car" , damned fast nice car tho, but the point is he drives it a lot.

[Cooter]

Surface rust on the exhaust hangers is getting anal, but I can tell you why I'M the way I am about driving cars like these in the rain...

IMO, it took 40 plus years of "Drivin' 'em" to cause all this work to bring back these cars and if you do/did the work YOURSELF, instead of just simply opening the checkbook (Nothing wrong with that, just saying), you'd damn sure understand WHY some folks don't drive 'em in the rain...That BS about "Drive your car" etc, is just that if you've just spent the better part of a damn day cleaning and polishing then here comes the rain to fu*k it all up in about 30 seconds....PLus, you NEVER blow out all that water by driving at high rates of speed down the road either as I've heard some say..Another one that gets me is the Sunday afternoon Garden hose "Wash job"....You won't let it sit out in the rain for fear of rust, but you'll take a 120 volt pump, 300 ft. in the ground to pump the same water back up on the car?.When I install quarters, or simply patch one, I tell the customer, that if you want the work to last a LONG time, you will take care of it...I had one guy actually ask me "Do you guarantee your work NOT ro RUST OUT when he "Drives it"?"  I simply reply to these types of idiots..."Did the FACTORY?"


I restored my cars one time, I don't wanna do it again in another 6 years cause I "Enjoyed" it in the rain...

[elacruze]

If nobody at all felt this way about their cars, how many cars would be left in good condition in another 50 years? Maybe the car is his kid's inheritance or something.
I don't treat my car this way, and I don't understand the psychology behind it but a big part of me is glad there are people who won't let these cars deteriorate any more than humanly avoidable.

[1970Moparmann]

Each to their own I guess.  I built my 68 to drive the piss out of it. 

I'm trying to get my 68 done for the Hot Rod Power Tour, but in reality it may not happen.  I can take my 70 if I wanted to, but it just wouldn't be fun.  The car is great around town, but for long hauls, no dice. 

I agree, ask the guy why, and get the answer your looking for.  You also have to remember, people have older cars for different reasons.  Maybe there's some sentimental value to this car, maybe it's more of an investment issue... who knows.  Ask and see what the dad responds with.   

[Wicked72]

When my charger is done. Ill drive like its a daily, hell you only live once. Of course I wont be able to afford to put the gas in it so really that wont happen  maybe ill make it electric

[Back N Black]

I agree, everyone has different reasons for owning and driving a muscle car. I spent the last five years looking at my car in the garage while doing a complete nut and bolt restoration. No more looking at her, i'm driving every chance i can. 

[68charger383]

At one time a Picasso was a 5¢ sketch being sold on the streets, but now you have to go to the museum to see one. Some people think of these cars in the same way.  

I can see the point: Cars are always in a state of deterioration. If you restore, repaint, rebuild a motor etc. it will only last for so long. The more you use or drive the car, the quicker the deterioration process will occur. Two-three years of car shows/cruise nights can quickly turn a show car into a driver. So I would guess that is the reason to avoid using it.

However, I agree with everyone else, I'd rather redo the car every 5 years and enjoy it then not use it and try and stretch it a few extra years.

[SFRT]

personally, my focus is on how well the car functions mechanically...in my experience, if your car sits 99% of the time it never will run 'right' and will always be breaking down, feel fragile and so on. irritating. machinery wants to run, it needs to run in order to stay juicy, to find its groove, and I drive my cars and ride my bikes as much as possible to keep them 'fit'. You can contain 'cosmetic' decay by keeping on top of things, and, I feel, its easier to constantly slightly improve the cosmetics as you use the vehicle.

nothing is sadder to me than a guy,like a guy I know, that has a couple of dozen super insane cars, but never ever drives them, they sit,on battery tenders . whats the point. at that level, drain the fluids and seal the damn thing up in a glass case. I would commit deeds most foul to have some of his cars,in order to DRIVE them, not LOOK at them.

To me its like having a playboy bunny at your beck and call but never laying a finger on her.

my Charger looks pretty good, but runs perfect. ALL THE TIME. I am constantly tweaking the mechanicals for better performance. any little scrapes it gets can pretty much be corrected as time goes along. In fact, often an excuse to make it prettier.

I suppose we all have fantasies built around our cars. Mine involve it being in motion.

[BrianShaughnessy]

When you look at what people think is a super duper restoration, often they are over restored.
If everybody did factory correct restorations using factory materials and processes and then used the cars as intended,  they'd all rust out just as fast as they did originally.  

While bare metal may be factory correct on things like exhaust hangers, etc.   It won't stay that way.   Protective coatings are necessary to maintain the restored finish OR preserving the car is a controlled atmosphere.   And from the description,  what happened to the exhaust hangers was probably coming up from the garage (?) floor and how many layers on top of the car was not a factor.     Condensation happens in an uncontrolled environment.  

I can't speak for why people put things away so early or avoid driving them.   I'm somewhat in the middle.  It would have to be a special show to make me drive 1.5 hours each way anymore.    

[SFRT]

what really trips me out is going to a car show and seeing some guys insane super detailed 500,000 dollar blown willys drag car...that has not been raced 1 inch since he built it.

I have another friend with a dragster that he has had for 10 years, it has like a 100,000 dollar period correct motor in it he has fired it up exactly ONCE.

wtf is the point of that?

[Brock Samson]

 Don't you just love a car with that well worn patina? Some are religated to the status of Statues or Sculpture,.. not mine - hammered on for over two and a half decades and she likes it. Sometimes in the idle i hear the word Thanks!   I'd like to hear the thoughts of some who continually store their ride. 

[69bronzeT5]

Does he drive the other cars much or do they wait for the "perfect weather" days as well.

The Mustang is a project car and the GTO is a driver but needs some work to make it reliable.

[FLG]

I drive my car daily, and happily enjoy pressing the throttle down.

When its done the absolute first thing i plan on doing is a nice smokey burnout...im restoring it so i can enjoy it..something breaks, well oh well i had fun with it..fix it and go at it again. Something breaks on a car that sits and what do you have to show for it? Fix it and put it back into storage.

Sorry but these cars were meant to be DRIVEN! And driven hard.

[bull]

Maybe labeling them "car people" is the wrong way to look at it. Maybe they're just hoarders.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

As I read through these posts I tried to relate to each one of you that posted, and what came to mind was that as time passes generally our perspective changes, atleast somewhat. The way I look at this situation with the owner of the Road Runner is atleast he has it, drives it (to shows, and locally), and takes care of it! That's better than the guy that has one and lets it sit out in the weather on four flat tires as it slowly returns to the elements and is not interested in selling it! He's the butthead that is going to fix it up some day but never does. Good chance it'll end up being fed to a shredder.
One thing that used to get under my skin (and still does if I let it) is the guy that has the car in the garage taking up space year after year, talking and talking about what he's going to do with it when it's finished, blah, blah, blah, but before it ever sees the pavement he sells it for another project that sits and sits, gets talked about but never gets finished before it's sold for another, etc. etc. etc.      
Personally I like to get them finished so I can drive and enjoy them, (along with taking care of them). Others prefer to only tinker with them, some restore, drive and enjoy them, some hoard them, some run them into the ground, some just don't give a damn.  To each their own, but there are worse things than someone that is overly protective of something that he values. 

[ChgrSteve67]

Forget about the car Cody and go for the girl.

Ask her to go to the car show with you in your car.

If her dad wants to keep an eye on you and her can follow you to the car show in the roadrunner.

[grdprx]

Forget about the car Cody and go for the girl.

Ask her to go to the car show with you in your car.

If her dad wants to keep an eye on you and her can follow you to the car show in the roadrunner.

Perfect solution!   

[Highbanked Hauler]

 
Sorry but these cars were meant to be DRIVEN! And driven hard.



True, and they were only expected to live 4 or 5 years or a max of 100,000 miles.

[Cooter]

So I'm readin' this thread and I reallize I haven't driven the 'ol General in about 4 months and he needs to stretch his legs. So, I pack the boy and off we go..Was having a great time.......Until..................................................


This may be a factor in why some don't even bother...Just cruising along and POW! Shut off and coasted to the side of the road in a parking lot...Now, normally, this wouldn't irritate me but so much seeing as how I repair cars all day long....BUT, being in the General Lee, broke down in the middle of well, Redneckville Va. just seemed to Irritate me after the 15th time I had to hear "Woa!! It's the Dukes Car, and it's Broke down.YEE HAAA!.Looks like "Cooter" is fixin' to fix it though"..
Or the ever popular while I'm trying to figure this damn thing out, "Hey! Nice ride, can I snap a pic.?"
OR this one was my favorite..."YEEE HAAA!! Time for a new one as*hole!!" Being shouted as I work to figure out why it isn't firing...Meanwhile a Really close friend stopped by and could see I was clearly NOT in the mood to be working on this thing, he said in the most calming manner, "I know you are a mechanic, but If it ain't firing, maybe I give you one of my back-up coils and you just try it?"

I said cool, and Finally after 2 hours, it was running...Thanks to my buddy...I told him I'd simply go across the street to AutoZoo and get another MSD Blaster II coil and return his coil...Well, I get the new coil and for some unknown reason MSD has redesigned the little towers where the wires hook to and made them hollow and the wire soldered at the tip...Well, guess what happened with the Brand new coil? And Of course, They didn't have another one in stock.....Thanks to my buddy he let me borrow his coil until I could get another one tomorrow...What a fu*kin' night and it all started cause I just wanted to cruise him a little....
Ok, Rant over.......As you were...

[Bob T]

Yep, if its got tits or wheels it will cost you money and a bit of strife occasionally but you'll have more fun than the guy who stays home clipping coupons or stamp collecting in the long run

[Black Charger]

The way I look at this situation with the owner of the Road Runner is atleast he has it, drives it (to shows, and locally), and takes care of it! That's better than the guy that has one and lets it sit out in the weather on four flat tires as it slowly returns to the elements and is not interested in selling it! He's the butthead that is going to fix it up some day but never does. Good chance it'll end up being fed to a shredder.

I agree with you 100%!

[1970Moparmann]

Why do people buy a newer Corvette or Viper and not drive it?

Why do people buy a car worth $15k and put $25k into it?

A friend has a newer Daytona and won't drive it in the rain - why?

You know where I'm going with this.... Just because I may "think" someone should drive his/her car more, I also don't know the answer and therefore shouldn't judge.  You wake up in the morning and may or may not take a dump right away - why?  Am I someone that should tell you to do something of how I want it done?  The love of freedom!!!!!

I don't give a rats ass what people say about me or about my lifestyle and it pissing the crap out of some of my friends. 

THANK YOU SOLDIERS FOR PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM!!!!

[70charginglizard]

I'll be taking the liz out in the rain today and tomorrow. No big deal to me. It's going to be out just doing it's thing regardless of the weather. But as others here have said....to each there own.

Some people look at them as investments. Other look at them as something to get out and drive.

I look at it as both. 

[Cooter]

Had to go with an Accell, Chrome, Super Stock Coil against my grain(Slight Chrome thing I have), but it works. Cruised him a little more today and was a pretty good time...The kid even asked if there was a car show ANYWHERE tomorrow as he just likes cruising and showing "Pops" cars...