afraid to drive the superbird anymore..opinions??

[hotrod98]

Last summer a kid in a pickup pulled out in front of me and the bird ended up sideways in the middle of the road. Thankfully, no one was coming from the opposite direction. Unfortunately, I have an extremely bad temper and if something had happened to my car, I would have spent a little time in jail that day. Even here in Arkansas " he had it comin to him" isn't a justifiable defense. I've found that the judges around here have no sense of humor whatsoever.
Bottom line is, I didn't drive the car much the rest of the year for fear that some idiot would hit me.

[WINGIN IT]

"Unfortunately, I have an extremely bad temper "

I don't  believe that. Not from what I've experienced anyway.
If you have a bad temper then I must be a total psycho when I get mad.... 

[charger Downunder]

Don't look at the black t/a crash thread on here because you may never drive that bird on the road again.

[nascarxx29]

Or this one
http://www.ridelust.com/a-sad-ending-to-a-beautiful-classic/

[Ghoste]

Understandable and no one can answer but you.  For me, I would have to drive it.  If it were a one of a kind that was truly not replaceable then I would rethink it (I still cringe thinking about Leno taking the Turbine Dart for donuts and coffee in LA  ) but for most all cars I would want to drive it.
Of course, I live in a small town with a lot of rural pavement to use too so that may influence my decision.

[1970Moparmann]

My opinion is, insure it correctly for the what if.  I learned 4 years ago that I enjoy driving these things more than anything.  I do drive more carefully, and tend to take more side street versus "busy" roads. 

I like the idea of a glass nose also.

[rainbow4jd]

I have to confess - the reason I am doing a Concours level restoration is because it got to be too valuable to drive.    And sadly, it'll be going to the auction when complete.

I really, really, really, enjoy driving my Bird and hated when it reached the point of too much risk..... like when a big ass rock came flying off a passing trailer with a backhoe on it and cracked the corner of my headlight cover and scratched up the nose!    To some degree, I'm thankful it hit the cover which probably saved the whole car from a big dent!

Anyway, I'll probably end up doing a clone or even a resto-mod after everything is all done.    I really liked the 66 charger adaptation and might go that way, or maybe go a conBirdable, who knows.

[pettybird]

You people are a bunch of sissies.


If you don't have an honest-to-god perfect OE GOLD car which would depreciate if it got a smidge dusty, then drive the damn thing. 

[Redbird]

Plenty of cars worth a lot more than a winged Mopar get driven every day. Insurance is not that hard to get.

Most every winged Mopar I have ever seen has a pretty definable commodity price.

[hotrod98]

My new Dodge mega cab diesel cost me more than my Superbird but of course I can get any part I need for the truck at the Dodge parts department. It's not about the value of my car, it's more about the availability of original replacement parts. I have it insured for 100K but if I can't find original parts, that won't do me much good.
I still drive it but don't go to WalMart in it as often as I once did.

[johnnyseville]

I still drive it but don't go to WalMart in it as often as I once did.

You park it in a Walmart parking lot???  That is like playing Russian Roulette. Even just driving though it is like manuevering through a field with land mines!

[Daytona Guy]

Well , now that i have the bird back from Mike Mancini's with the NOS nose installed and painted im truly afraid to drive the car anymore.  The nose crunching incident last summer was a horrible experience for me to deal with, i was sick. The good thing that came out of it is that i now have a perfect NOS nose on the car with no filler in it, my original nose had some filler skimmed over it in places.Yes, I'm the guy that would bust on everyones balls for not ever driving and enjoying their cars, rare or not my motto was "what is the point in having something if you can't enjoy / drive it." but i think now i know why they don't drive them. I think for now we may put it in long term storage.

Keep it and buy/build a clone. Sell it and Buy/build a clone. Keep it and drive it, for everything can be fixed or replaced. In the scope of life, it's just a car.

Dane

[tan top]

I agree drive with expendable glass nose .Shelf the NOS one safely in garage

yep , think thats the best plan 

[FJ5WING]

Im with Rainbow on this other than the building the 66 thing.

[dyslexic teddybear]

I still drive it but don't go to WalMart in it as often as I once did.

You park it in a Walmart parking lot???  That is like playing Russian Roulette. Even just driving though it is like manuevering through a field with land mines!

And the land mines are moving to make it more challenging.

[Dino]

Personally, if I couldn't drive it I don't want to own it.  Easy for me to say though as I purposefully bought a 318 base car.  I do recognize the pedigree of some of these cars which is why I can't be bothered to own one.

If you are happy just having it in your garage then great but if you feel torn up inside every time you look at it then either bite the bullet and treat it like an expendable vehicle or sell it and get a mutt.

[62 Max]

You people are a bunch of sissies.


If you don't have an honest-to-god perfect OE GOLD car which would depreciate if it got a smidge dusty, then drive the damn thing.  

Most common sense reply so far ,if it's all about worth,invest in something else!


And for what it's worth if one had to go,this would stay,but that's just me !!

[pettybird]

The whole 'glass nose idea sounds good on paper, but by the time you get it, screw with it, fill it full of headlight buckets, z brackets, actuators, grille screens, headlight doors and more, and then have someone paint it, you're well over the $3000 mark.  Our deductible is $250. 

If it was so easy to re-nose a car we'd have a better looking one on the Marty car. 

[69_500]

If you need someone who is willing to drive these aero cars you all are afraid to drive just feel free to give me a call and I will come drive them for you.

[johnnyseville]

If you need someone who is willing to drive these aero cars you all are afraid to drive just feel free to give me a call and I will come drive them for you.

Will you also pay for any damages incurred, both actual and emotional?

[1970Moparmann]

Fitting and proper to reading more of this thread......  My 4 year old just came down to my office and said "Daddy when can we take out the Superbird?"  I told him in 8 more weeks!!   Car has been in the garage since end of November and he and I are dying to drive the damn thing. 

Life is too short, enjoy what you have!

[JB400]

Here's my suggestion.  Go to bed early Saturday night.  Wake up early Sunday morning.  Enjoy breakfast and go out into the garage.  Get in the car, fire it up, and go for a drive.  Don't know where your at, but most people on the road are usually headed to church.  In my area, there's nobody on the road before 9 am.  For one hour, just drive the car.  Then go home and put the car in the garage.  If in that one hour you find yourself worrying about wrecking it instead of enjoying the ride, I suggest you sell the car and get you a car that you can truely enjoy.  Sitting in front of the computer thinking about it is only going to talk yourself into selling it.  



                                                             Go for a ride, then decide. 

[69_500]

If you need someone who is willing to drive these aero cars you all are afraid to drive just feel free to give me a call and I will come drive them for you.

Will you also pay for any damages incurred, both actual and emotional?

No problem.

[69_500]

I know I do not have a wing car but I would drive either one just like I do my 500. If I want t o go to Carlisle I just hop in and go. If I wanted to go to Talladega same thing. Hop in the car and drive.

[Aero426]

A lot of things can happen to damage your car.    Garages burn.   Storms or other acts of God.   You can't foresee or protect from every scenario.     I don't know that not driving the car is significantly safer.   These cars need to be used a little bit.     I will confess that I have been in some uncomfortable positions driving the green Superbird.   Cleveland in the rain was one of them.    But I am not spooked about taking it out.    You just have to stay defensive.    Sometimes that is not enough, but these things can be repaired.    

Bottom line for me is that life is short.   The reward of using the car outweighs the risk.