This is more of a "Should almost anybody consider daily driving a classic car?" video, but the title gets a little long. I'm not planning on becoming a big RUclips channel, but I'd like to help folks if I can and I felt like the title reflects what I would have typed into RUclips if I was searching for the answers myself :) Thanks for watching the video!
A car sitting in a garage that nobody gets to enjoy has zero value! To all who do this....you are robbing everyone of seeing, hearing or driving these beautiful machines!
@@Brian-dr2yi Newer cars are more appliance like. You don't even start a new car. You press a button and the computer starts it. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just very different from cars of the past.
Of course you can. My 66 mustang has over 300k miles on it. It was my daily driver up until water leaks got the best of it not that long ago. In April of 2021 I tore it down for needed repairs. When finished I intend to continue driving it. Did i mention I’ve owned it 50 years, and drag race it too. It has been and will continue to be a great ride.
I have owned a 67 Mustang for 40 years and driven it daily some summers. I agree with all the points you made. Looking back at my own experience, I would say that my brake upgrade (to front disks) and headlight upgrade are the two that were absolutely necessary for modern driving. Both of these systems were totally inadequate for current driving conditions. One additional note I thought you might mention is how unprotected these old cars are. Bumpers need only a gentle push from another car to be distroyed. Most drivers don't appreciate the damage they can do by simply nudging your classic in a parking lot.
The irony is my daily is at the body shop from being lightly bumped square in the rear. The plastic bumper cover was super brittle below zero. Ironically, the shop says the older cars are much easier to get parts in. The last couple years’ models are taking months for parts!
Classic cars (and old cars in general) are not nearly as fragile as you seem to think they are. They are built like tanks compared to new cars. Just touch a new car bumper and it falls off. The side of roads are littered with those plastic bumper covers. The wind blows them off. Old cars were built out of much heavier steel than newer cars. You can make a huge dent in a new car just by leaning against it. Not with an older car. I have seen so many new cars looking like a ball of crumpled up tin foil after a fairly minor accident. They are putting body shops out of business because they cannot be fixed like older cars. It takes very little to total a new car.
@@geraldscott4302 Exactly so. I remember the time my brother left the road at 50mph in the 63 Volvo. Fixed it for 60 bux (junk yard right front lower A arm). Pushed the fender back in and attached with self tapping screws. The bumper was bent in about an inch at the end but didn't interfere with anything. It was so strong we never did manage to find a way to bend it back. The only thing I would have to do to make that one a daily driver is add A/C. The only reason I daily drive a 1991 Colony Park is that I can't afford a 65.
I used to daily a 1988 Buick Hearse few years back, in winter one day over a bridge I had to brake hard it was all ice. I slid right into the back of a 2013 Toyota Avensis at maybe 30mph, their back hitch was now sitting all the way in like hulk had punched it, and the only damage on my steel bumper was the 1 inch wide plastic trim on it had a slight dent. I drove away with literally no visible damage, if it was my newer Toyota it would have wrecked radiator and who knows what else. That's what a steel bumper directly connected to that huge frame does😂
Idk what kind of cars you’ve been driving (must be good old Ford engineering) but my 82 Chevy was a beast, I rear ended someone because they stopped in the middle of the road and the entire rear of their van caved in, my bumper just had a decent sized dent in it. And brakes and lights are really only necessary if your not sure what your doing anyways, I had drum brakes all the way around and it wasn’t a problem at all. Headlights are usually good enough you don’t need anything else, unless of course your eyesight is fading (I can see perfectly fine but my dad swears he can’t drive it at night because of it)
Then get a 4x4 you don't mind getting damaged. Cause you are going to get more bumps while off roading anyways. They are just marks of glory. And you can add chrome step bars too. That way the people that open doors into your side dent he crap out of their door. hahahaha.
@@eaglewarrior8707 Doesn't work for me. I take care of my stuff including my 4x4. It's a 98 Chevy Silverado Z71 and I keep it in pristine condition. Even after I take it offroading I'll thoroughly clean the chassis. its my daily and I always park at the back where the Midlife crisis guys with their Corvettes do.
If your worried about it getting stolen a steering wheel lock might help, if your in a bad area don't leave stuff in your car. Most car thieves will just walk off when they see a lock on the steering wheel, to much hassle.
Being in a 60s car gives you a distinct smell too, obviously the gas smell coming out of the exhaust, but the interior has this weird indescribably old vinyl smell that gives me a sense memory every time i get in one. It takes me back to being in my Dad's 65 mustang coupe. I don't know what it is in the smell of old muscle cars, but every time i have gotten in one, it always has that same smell.
Ive been driving classic cars since i was 16 the newest vehicle Ive owned is from 1991. people have always said to me that "your cars must be unreliable" or "must be annoying to not have modern amenities", but its not in the slightest . I can see if someone said getting parts for them is hard but this is why I only daily drive my vehicles that have easy to find parts, or have spares on hand of the harder to find parts that may go out. And i prefer less amenities, only thing to pay attention to is the sound of the cars and the road.
I own a Opel Manta A 1970 but Im not sure wether I could use it as a daily driver. I know that the Volvo Amazon is a really reliable daily driver, still to this day. Maybe I will get one in the future :)
I have been daily driving my 1965 Shelby GT350 tribute since 2006 up until January of 2021, my car has been undergoing partial restoration and should be done soon. It will, once again serve as a daily when finished. Yes, you can drive one daily and be just as reliable as any new car.
I drive a 67 Mustang fastback all the time. I have owned it for 43 years. It now has 538000 miles on it.It has the original engine block, carb and distributor. It started as a no option car. It has a 200 six with stick. Upgrades include Granada disc brakes and overdrive trans, Pertronics ignition, halogen headlights, 2057 tail light bulbs, third brakelight, V8 rear, fold down seat. It gets 25 MPG on the highway. In the last two years I have driven it on four 2000 mile round trips. Whoever says you can't drive an old car daily doesn't know anything about cars.
I daily drove my "Shelbyized" 65 fastback Mustang in Los Angeles for two years while at USC and LOVED it. Especially downtown when the surface streets were clear. SO much fun. Totally reliable.
I have daily driven a 1965 Dodge Dart for the past 6 years and have put roughly 58,000 miles on it. It has the 225 Slant Six. Great, reliable engine. It has never let me stranded and has been turn key and always starts every time. However. They do require a lot of work. Keep in mind these cars are 50+ years old. Some parts of the car have worn out over the years and will need to be replaced. Recent projects would include adjusting the valves, adjusting timing and air/ fuel ratio. (Trying to get better mpg cuz gas is expensive rn. I get 18-20mpg after adjustment) next project is the upper ball joints are worn and shocks need to be replaced. Torsion bars need to be adjusted as well. My car most likely was restored in the 1990’s so many parts since then have worn. Sometimes I have to set aside weekends to work on the car so I can drive to work on Mondays. It does take up your time doing repair work and you have to be willing to work on the car yourself. Sending it to a shop every time will eat away your moneyzzz. Buying the parts and doing it yourself is the best option. Not having ABS or Traction Control is sketchy. I find my car sliding on rainy days often, brakes will lock up in hard applications and brake fade is a real thing. You HAVE to be a passive driver!!!! Also taking trips to higher altitudes, prepare for a loss of power. I feel I lose 1/3 power going up in high altitudes. Regardless, I’ve had so much fun daily driving my Dodge and have completed many road trips in it with no problem. My record is driving 486 miles in a day. It’s a completely different experience than any modern car and has been absolutely worth it.
Honestly, most of what you’re talking about here are just the hassles of owning a used car :) In the past year I’ve done a lot of work to a friend’s car and my mom’s car with more to come it seems. Just comes with the territory haha.
Similar story to my own. We daily a 66 valiant with slant for 8 years now. 18-20 mpg is pretty damn good. I have problems getting more than 15 due to the number of miles on the engine. One cylinger has weak rings and a fair amount of blowby
@@randomologist77 very true. For me, that's part of the fun. I love taking things apart, figuring out what the issue is and fixing it. Its a great hobby.... but expensive xD
@@MicrophonicFool Man that's awesome! I love those old Valiants. Someone in my town drives a light blue 64 Valiant. I always give him a thumbs up every time he drives by. Ah dang that's a bummer. I don't have the original engine. It appears the engine was from 1974, but doesn't have any of the emissions slapped onto it. The previous owner commented the car was restored in the 90s so I can only guess that's when the engine was replaced. Glad to hear others daily classic cars as well. Cool stuff :P
@@moefitzgerald4439 5 years ago I bought a 74 valiant (still drives, but body is bad shape). I will likely use the engine from it in the 66. ruclips.net/video/4cTRThKmho0/видео.html
Lots of people get scared over long trips, but long drives are less harsh on cars than lots of short ones. Glad you had a great experience. Those memories last forever!
Beautiful car!! Great points too. I'm restoring my 67 Mustang and looking to drive it as much as I can. Every upgrade I do is in hopes of making the ride more comfortable and a better experience not only for me but my family. I didn't spend all this time and money to have it sit in my garage.
I daily drove my "Shelbyized" 65 fastback Mustang in Los Angeles for two years while at USC and LOVED it. Especially downtown when the surface streets were clear. SO much fun. Totally reliable. Only problem? When I gassed up, it was like being a celebrity with people coming over to talk about the car. Lulz. I love talking cars, but when you're in a rush...good luck! I love the '67. I have my eyes peeled for one. You should definitely enjoy and drive the hell out of it. It is a MUSTANG, after all, and horses like to gallop!
As someone who lives in that area and was dailying a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the 4.0 everyday to school I can say, with the crazy weather that we get, I'm really surprised that you can do that with your mustang. really impressive. I know that my car isn't exactly a classic but its old enough that people would say "that thing probably has reliability issues." to which I say the ever so common "if you are having reliability issues its you not your car." at one point I even had no heat In the cab because of a failing/plugged heater core, jeep still was trucking down the road. Even on those below zero days, jeep started just fine, 4.0 is an immortal motor. I only ran into overheating issues recently, however that was because I was dumb and neglected to flush the coolant sooner. Anyways, I tip my hat to you for daily-ing a classic.
It all depends on the engine and what the person would drive instead. To be honest, a new Mustang GT is rated at 15 city and performance SUVs are usually in that 16/22 range. The 78 Mustang II I did a video on got about 23/28 which is similar to the 200ci 60s Mustangs. They do struggle a bit to keep up with traffic, though. Most Mustangs came with the 289/302. Drivers should expect about 15/20 with them, and they’ll easily handle keeping up with traffic. My 427 gets about 11/16 thanks to OD.
@@randomologist77 I think my carby needs a rebuild, running too rich. Also, it’s super hot here and I feel like fuel is vaporizing from the carb and even the tank. But I don’t daily drive so it’s ok!
I am a lady who drives a Ford MAverick 302 1973. I live in the country on the pacific coast. It does not snow, we have no freeways and I never need air conditioning. It took a while to get my car to daily driving material. I had the brakes converted, installed a heater core, rebuilt the trasmission etc etc. However, now I am driving it daily and I friggin love it.
Love the car man! I've been daily driving my 1989 Ford Mustang LX since September 2020 and love it. I'm 19 and it was my second car (first car I bought myself though) and I feel like driving it has made me a better driver. I've grown to enjoy the bare bone experience of no ABS or any of the modern comforts. It's my first vehicle with a manual transmission and I taught myself to drive it on the back roads where I live. I vastly prefer it over driving my parents vehicles. The manual transmission keeps me engaged in driving. I feel like an older/classic car is a great option for a newer driver as it will teach them to be a better driver. I know the limits of my car and what to avoid. A lot of my friends think I'm crazy for dailying an 80s car but everytime they ride with me, they prefer it. It's a more visceral experience compared to their boring Altimas and Camrys. Great video tho! I felt like I should share my opinion as a younger enthusiast
Haha! I had several Fox body Mustangs over the years. They’re good cars. Easy to work on, but also very reliable. Definitely missing a few of the modern comforts, but they could be pretty loaded with options. The space between the parking brake and the seat even doubles as an improvised cup holder haha. My cars were power windows, locks, AC, power steering, cruise control, power brakes, tilt wheel and came with the old cassette, but I bought a cartridge so I could use line in with the factory amplified head unit. Glad you’re loving yours!
Hell yeah man! I’m a foxbody fan too, lucky you get to enjoy one as a younger man. Late night cruises to some period correct heavy metal made me some of my best memories 👍
I’m restoring/dailying an 89 gt right now. It’s so much fun, just a little bit of pep but fairly reliable. Has given me some trouble here and there but the knowledge I’ve gained from it helps me when diagnosing other cars these days. Just like you, the car has also taught me how to drive manual and I also now prefer manual to automatic. Enjoy the car, and best of luck with it in the future!
Fantastic breakdown. looking at driving a 69 camaro and weighing options about how often. I've got a daily, but I'd love to drive it often, and this had some good info about considerations.
Great video, I drove my 68 Firebird 400 for eight years as a daily driver in south Florida, and at least two or three times a week I would drive from South Beach Miami to Boca Raton Florida without any issues. I truly believe the more you drive the car the better it runs ,it’s when the car sits you start to have problems👍
Drove my ‘68 mustang coupe as a daily for years. Only because my work has a three story parking garage with security and extra wide parking spots. Otherwise I wouldn’t have. It was a replacement rebuilt roller 5.0 with a two barrel Holley, C4, only upgrade being a pertronix ignition module. Loved it
Awesome car, and awesome video, currently I drive an older Jeep Wrangler so many of the problems you stated I already have to deal with, such as no antilock, not very safe, and hard to drive in stop and go, this was very helpful and thank you! 🙏
Makes you wonder how I made it over 60 years without ABS, Sodium Azide bags, Traction control, Computer controlled windows, self actuating parking breaks, backup cameras... Just dang lucky I guess. ;)
My 65 Mustang was fine on the highway and pretty reliable when I drove it daily in the 80s. I wouldn't drive one daily now because of the total lack of safety features and the fact that modern vehicles are so much bigger and heavier that it would basically vaporize in a crash. People drive a lot faster on the highways now too.
That big Mustang with that Huge Heavy engine is a different animal than mine. I have a 66' Mustang Coupe, it was my first car age 19. It has the small block 289 with 2v carb. It WAS my daily driver in California for over 10 years and it was Exempt from smog... The Cali politicians hated me😀 It has disk on all corners and a global west front suspension w/9 inch rear end w/posi. I moved to Nevada in the last decade and It will be my daily driver after I put an A.C. unit in as I live in the desert now. I recommend a smaller classic car for a daily driver if the maintenance is kept up!
I just picked up a 67 Mustang coupe with a 351C with a 4 sp manual. it’s built for drag racing so I’m interested to see if NY will allow the exhaust to pass inspection, or if it won’t allow as a daily driver car.
Currently swapping my straight 6 (235) for a 350 with a 700r4 in my 56 Chevy. Put 3.73 gears. I already converted to 12V. Adding power steering, Dakota digital dash to make it as daily driver as possible. There’s really nothing like taking a nice drive in a classic car.
As I am moving closer and closer to fulltime "daily driving" my 61 chevy, Id like to add my 2 cents. A little bit out of order here, but you barely mentioned insurance. DO NOT go with any of the "classic car" insurance companies. They do not want you driving any significant time. They will only cover you to and from a car show and a shop. Hard to convince them you was going to a car show at 7 am on a Tuesday. You must straight out ask them, then get it in righting you can drive it any where, anytime. Some might claim X amount of miles a year, but the fine print still states to and from car shows and shops for repairs. I currently go with a "regular" company and we have in righting an agreed value in case of total loss. Which is exactly what the conclusion will be once you have any kind of "fender bender". Just imagine, some Tesla runs a red light doing 90 miles an hour, and you dont have "proper" coverage. You just bought a Tesla, and your baby is smashed to hell. You are basically driving uninsured with ALL of those classic car insurance companies. Now to go in some sort of order. #1 have a rock solid 2nd car. Imagine again its Tuesday morning and you are already leaving the house, for work, about 5 minutes later than you like. And the damn thing wont start. No matter how minor the problem, now is not the time to deal with this. Even if you quickly remedy the problem, you will be forced to drive a little bit faster to work than you would "normally". #2 is prior to pulling the trigger on whatever car you pick, do your homework do your homework. Without getting into embarrassing numbers, I have spent more on "upgrades" than I did on a very nice "looking and running" 61 chevy. It can not be said enough, SAFETY FIRST. The hardest things to spend money on are actually the most important. If you are not able to completely replace the entire braking system, then walk away from this idea. And I mean significantly upgrade the entire system. Oh you can jump on Rock auto and spend like 100 bucks on new wheel cylinders and drums, maybe new rubber lines, but then at best you got 50 year old "technology" out there competing against top of the line systems on every other car on the road. Keep in mind, in the 60s everyone needed 20-50 ft of braking distance and no one was texting their secret gf while driving. That Jack a$$ in front of you on your way to work stops on a dime, you, well you stop in his back seat. Oh and that steering wheel doesnt collapse out of the way of your sternum, or front teeth. Everything else I guess would be chalked up to reliability and comfort. Oh you might think you can man up and be cool with it, but after a few months and the newness wears off, you gonna want a/c, and intermittent wipers, a kick a$$ stereo, probably some heat in the winter ect ect Probably most of the guys, or gals, considering this idea, know a little something about turning a wrench so most of this is preaching to the choir. The one thing that none of my classic car owning friends do not understand is the insurance. Now, none of them drive their classics everyday, but they do drive other than to car shows and shops. This is a bankruptcy waiting to happen.
It's always important to be clear with the insurance companies on how the car is to be used. Technical "Classic" or "Antique" policies themselves can have significant limitations, but there are "regular use" policies as well. When I was living in California, my car wasn't eligible for the classic car specialist company insurance because it had to be privately garaged. Front disc brakes was a common option from the mid 60s and up and front disc/rear drum is still used on economy cars to this very day. I'd avoid using a 4 wheel drum car as a daily without changing to front discs, but the stock braking systems on the front disc cars is adequate in my experience.
@@randomologist77 I have manual 4 wheel disc on my Chevy. I was back and forth, back and forth about going power, wilwood doesnt even mention a booster anywhere on their site. Once I "upgrade" to an LS Ill probably go hydro boost. When I first got the car, it was manual drums. They was in "poor" shape, and I would find myself trying to pull the steering wheel off putting on the brakes. lol I am almost never on the hwy, so manual brakes do the job. Of course, I am always on "red alert" whenever I am driving it anyways.
This is an excellent reply full of great advice! I'm so excited about my husband shopping for a muscle car. I was considering classic car insurance but now I won't! I also thought maybe it could be our only car but my husband wasn't crazy about that. Good points about how you can miss the modern conveniences once the newness wears off 🙃
In the Military in SoCal, (18-28) I daily drove my 72 Nova every day. At one Base I was stationed at it was 107 miles from Door to formation. At the next base it was 170 miles through the mohave desert. I drove it year round for 10 years. 383stroker, Saturday night cam, turn downs and no over drive. I was single and had no kids. I don't think I could daily my '69 Nova today being married with kids until I build it completely, I just have other responsibilities these days. Even after it's completely rebuilt, better than my other Nova's, life is just different now. great video.
Glad you liked the video! Life sure does change the world around you. The good news is those memories will always be yours so you can can make those trips again any time you want when you reminisce!
Im 20 and bought a 69 coupe with a 302 and c4 when i was 17. I tried to daily drive it but everything started breaking - so i fixed it or paid someone who did while i drove my parents car. I hate this car but I love every time i drive it and has made me some of the most meaningful friendships. Ive had to do everything but rebuild the engine and still havent touched the body and interior. Ive learned alot about cars and engines and the looks alone people give are enough to make it worth it. You can 100% daily drive this car you just need to put the effort in and carry tools and ratchets in the trunk
I used to see a few ladies back when I lived in Sydney Austrália 🇦🇺 years ago , that drove they Mustangs from new every single day , one drove 71 Mach1 …. Another was a 69 convertible, and I myself used to drive my 79 F100 Ranger XLT everyday ( we in Australia have 351 Cleveland in our 70’s F100 )prior to me the other owner driven her for 30 years across Australia 🇦🇺 with a trailer/caravan hooked on the hitch , there’s a lot people that drives classics everywhere everyday my work mate drives a Smokey and Bandit 3 Firebird no matter raining or sunny everyday everywhere off he goes ! I know construction workers who drives 70’s pickup trucks with closed tool boxes on the back that’s they everyday driver ! If it’s serviced and maintained with good cooling system it’s pretty reliable!
So nothing about the terror you feel when you park a rare classic car anywhere in public???? Restaurant? Movie theatre? Grocery store? Is it going to get stolen or door dinged? Those are my only concerns and fears daily driving my classic. It getting stolen out of a parking lot or is some idiot going to crash into me.
I don’t really have those fears. The paint is imperfect enough that I don’t have to worry, haha. In that regard, I don’t think that’s a big difference from a nice new car and a nice, but non original classic. The theft fear is far overblown across most areas in my opinion. I have insurance and the car is a driver rather than a show car. I don’t think I’d feel good about parking it at the airport or a vulnerable place away from home for multiple nights or something like that, but it’s all a trade off. :)
I daily drive/drove (youll see why its drove) a 1991 dodge w150. Great little truck, but as you said, even in a 90s truck, im actively steering all the time. Any bump or imperfection in the road (and there are a lot in north east ohio) and I have to make a correction. Also, the wind noise is crazy; as well as the truck sounding like its going to rattle itself apart every time I hit a bump, granted the last guy who owned it swapped out the suspension so i think its a bit stiffer than it would be from the factory. The headlights also wound up being a major issue. I got into an accident with a lady who had spun her car out on the highway , but was tucked between some construction cones. And in her infinite wisdom decided to turn her lights off at night. In a modern car i probably would have seen her just fine, but in that truck the head lights point DOWN, without the brights on they shine maybe 20ft in front of the truck and you can see the bar of light. With the brights its a little better, but not much. Luckily just some body damage but still, Im now definitely looking at aftermarket LED lights.
Trucks continued to to steering boxes and worm gears a lot longer than most cars. Careful on the LED conversions. There are a lot of options out there which supposedly generate a lot of light, but don't focus it into a beam well.
I also drive my 66 mustang 4 speed 289 as my main mode of transportation. It never gets old. I love my beauty, but with a 4 speed I stay off the interstates. Great video and gorgeous car!
in my family, that I've grown up in- we always had carbureted, big block V8's. we do and have almost always had a reliable chevy truck to be the workhorse when we need it most (especially if the snow gets too high in some months). but otherwise, we learned that you get up a little sooner to make sure you get a chance to defrost the car and warm up the motor. we learned that it is very viable to regularly drive classics, if you are passionate enough about these rides. now with myself, my brother and my sister all in our 20's, we all own a classic or few. my grandpa who would come with us to the track in his 66 fairlane has passed away and passed on his gems to my father, aunt and uncle. It's become a generational passion that we all share and love to share with others. Some of my coworkers around my age who never got the chance to experience a vehicle older than 1990-something, get so stoked to see! I am rambling a little :) However, My favourite part of driving to and from my job in my brother's 70 LeMans, or my 67 Riviera, or my 66 Corvair is when older/elderly people come up and tell me about their old rides or just how much they miss these cars. How they really don't feel the same way about their Hyundai or their new Dodge, they're reliable, and they have warranties that are taken care of so they don't have to worry about maintenance anymore. but they really do miss that 1to1 feeling of the machine they're in, feeling more alive. chrome, fancy lines and curves, hard tops with no B Pillar. these old cars feel alive in some ways. maybe it's less sensors and computers, maybe it's the way the suspension rides- ,but there is nothing quite like it...
I daily drive(except in snow) my 86 Indy 500 pace car convertible corvette. It was under water for a few months, then sat under a pole barn for 3 years before i got it. It's now been completely frame off rebuilt. Everything is new, or refurbished. Hiway speed at 65 mph at 2200 rpm. Its gets 19 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. So YES, you can drive a classic, or in my case a antique (over 35 years in my state), as a daily driver.
I like the realistic view you give. On my 73 mustang, with all options avail at the time on it except tilt column, the thing that I need to improve most is the sound in cabine on highway, lots of air leaks, for the rest these models were wider, having much better brakes, steering, suspension than previous models. Led's is indeed a must. However, while you mention it only on the last bits, the main issue for using it as a daily over here in Europe was the poor fuel economy (we pay much more than you guys do, and Putin is not gonna help that now either. 2.2 euros today for a quart). Having a modified Cleveland 4V, it was really thirsty on highways, it's only when I've added EFI (no more cold or warm issues) and an overdrive that it was really thinkable to use it as a daily or even consider long trips. Which I do now. The main issue with these cars to me, is not being able to park everywhere, afraid it gets stolen or damaged. Thx for the ride!
I worry more about someone damaging it than stealing it. My car was like the most popular car to steal in the 80s. It's a iroc z Camaro. But the guys with the knowledge to steal and drive (standard transmission) are probably in their 50s or 60s by now. So the new generation steal the cars using computers to hack your key fob. Of course, if their is a bounty for your car I'm sure someone will go for it. But generally, I think these guys want hellcats and such and my car is probably safe now. Not saying it can't happen. But no one wants to be the guy locked up for stealing an average classic car when they can steal a new charger and have much easier time parting it out.
@@hostileaks4495 What kind of car thief can't drive a stick shift? I'd think this is a mandatory skill in this "occupation". Here in Europe we always get articles about the US like "A car wasn't stolen, because it was a manual." and I just don't know what to think about that. Sure, the US are extremely automatic oriented, but to know how to use a manual is important. You never know when you gonna need it. The USA are one of the largest countries in the world and there are no short distance walks, thus being able to know how to drive a stick might save your life one day. Not only that, but manual is also much more fun. No offense to your IROC, but how come it was that popular to steal back then in the '80s? As a European I always thought that the most popular cars to steal in the' 80s were late sixties/early seventies muscle cars and the BMWs, Mercedes's, Ferrari and Lambos. The IROCs were plenty in the '80s? Probably because it's easier to sell a stolen IROC Camaro than a Countach?
@@cheekydemon6131 in my experience not many people under 30 in the US drive stick. Most specifically avoid it because of the learning curve I guess. I learned at a young age and before I actually drove I was about 10 shifting for my dad from the passenger seat. I grew up riding dirt bikes so a clutch was familiar from the start. I do have a lot of similar friends so most of them can or used to drive stick. But your avrage American cannot. Especially the ones under 30. I assume a lot of irocs where stolen because it was relatively easy, a popular car, and to be fair, the iroc rims are iconic and they still produce "irocs" rims people buy aftermarket to this day. I'd say most stolen ones were for joy riding. But if you look up how they are stealing the top of the line chargers such as the hellcats on RUclips you'll see how having skills with a slim Jim or knowing how to punch an ignition is unnecessary for today's car theives. In 1989 is the year they started putting a computer chip in the key for the camaros. The years before that don't have the chip.
@@hostileaks4495 You're right both the car and the rims are cool and popular to this day. You see a few 3rd gens at every car meet, but it never gets boring. Modern cars are full of computers and thieves adapted to it, but it's a nice bonus the know the old ways too. To be honest I think that the learning curve is way overblown. Even with an amazing teacher with a lot of patience you let it die on you a few times, but it clicks a bit later and just like that you just learned manual. Operating the clutch is no magic, just a bit practice at an empty parking lot.
@@cheekydemon6131 I agree and I only want three pedals for a sports car. I like the mechanical feeling and i am used to not having ABS or traction control. But I can see how it's not as appealing for the majority, that just drive only to get places.
I daily drive a 65 f100. Built in overdrive from factory and ac from the dealership. The twin I beam with good suspension makes the ride soft and gets great mpg at 18 (for the time). Though the safety rating is poor like he said, its great and fun drive anywhere. The joy that driving a classic brings, in of itself is the greatest reason to do so. And thanks for the great video
I daily drive a 1963 Ford Fairlane Ranch wagon. It has a 302 v8 out of a 1996 explorer, with a SROD 4 speed overdrive. Manual drum brakes all around, manual steering, aluminum radiator. Car is more reliable than newer cars I’ve had in the past, and drives straight with the factory steering box, no play. it’s all about proper maintenance like with any car. Even gets good gas mileage. I’ll be putting a underdash AC unit in this summer. Some upgrades were a 3G alternator conversion, dual bowl master cylinder, headlight harness, and a wiper motor upgrade. I got to say I love driving this car. And given the choice between it or a new car (and the payment that comes along with it) is rather put the money into the wagon.
@@randomologist77 I wish I still had my 66 lol. Much easier to daily a Mustang than an obscure 63 Fairlane Wagon, At least from a replacement parts perspective. Either way, classic is much more interesting than most of what’s on the road today.
@@B1Springfield it’s a bummer you’re having a hard time with parts. For Modern parts, Amazon is actually awesome, but for classics, it can be tougher sometimes depending on the model.
I currently have a 1965 dodge dart that I am fixing up for my first car and I plan on trying to go back mostly original for the joy and just the pure feeling of driving a classic car and to at least give it another chance at life instead of let it sit in a field or garage to rot away
I'm 21 revived my dad's old 78 firebird after been sitting 10 years. Daily driving it for a few months put 6k miles on it. It's the most fun I've had with cars. Actually surper reliable. Just need to keep an eye on all the gauges and your good
I had absolutely no particular interest in any of this, just a genuine liking of vehicles overall, but i stayed and listened to everything you said. Great video man, and awesome ride. Very educational.
You bring up a lot of good points. My daily driver back in the '80's and '90's was a 1968 Camaro and it wasn't a great daily driver. I think the answer for me to have the best of both worlds would be to buy a brand new Dodge Challenger that looks old school but drives like a modern car. I know it's not an old classic car but there's something about it that negates the need to have an old one which the new Mustang and Camaro doesn't do for me especially the Camaro.
For me, it’s been more about having the character and sense of uniqueness which comes with driving my classic. I can appreciate everybody is different and looking for different things. I’ll probably go to a crossover/SUV again next, but for now I am happy with the Focus and Mustang :)
Really great video. Having graduated HS in the 80's I drove all of these cars up until I purchased by first new car, Jeep Cherokee XJ in 1999. I was driving too fast and flew off a wet road and t-boned a 15 foot deep ravine, totaling the jeep. Air bag keep me from smashing my face, nose, or losing teeth. Love classic's but as you mention, safety for me was a consideration so I never went back. Current driver is a 2006 Toyota with 8 air bags. Also, great points about limited visibility at night, wipers, suspension confidence at 80mph on the highway. But on the flip side, if you want to have a conversation starter whether your at the grocery store, or the academy awards, you can't do better than pulling up in a big block muscle car.
I have a 64 1/2 mustang K code coupe with the high performance 289 that was passed down from my grandpa when he passed away. He bought it in 1997 and put it back together and restored it. It’s obviously not ideal to drive in every weather condition but we have literally had zero issues with the engine/transmission in the last 25 years. Just the starter went out. Those little 289s are bulletproof
Best car I ever had was a classic, hardly broke and was cheap to fix. The two modern cars have been crap. I dream of the day I get back into classics, would love to drive a 65 mustang and also get my hands on a 80’s f150
I have a '64 Valiant V200 sold new in Sweden that I plan on using as a daily. I'd like to add that, unless you have a super-common classic, one should expect longer waiting times for the parts you do need. Having an American car in Sweden makes that more extreme than usual---once I had to wait for 1.5 months for a special screw for the light switch---but even for domestic cars I'd say that you have to become comfortable with waiting at least a day or two for every single part beyond basic maintenance fluids and parts. This might be a moot point but you should also be prepared to "be seen" everywhere. There are those that get a classic car for that very reason but it's still good to keep in mind that "blending in" doesn't exist with a classic car
I’m going to address this comment with a new video in the next couple of days :) Way overdue, but it’s been a truly miserable “spring” in MN. I haven’t even pulled the Mustang out yet :/
Generally, I don't know. Sure, some parts might be hard on almost any car, but I feel like if you need stuff for an american car in Sweden, you call Norrlands Custom and have them in a couple of days, anything you need for an european car also has to be ordered and takes at least as long time.
I was forced into early retirement for health, I’m getting ready to frame off Restomod a 69 Fastback my dad and I started in the late 90s. Planning on driving the shit out of it. That said I’m going with Holley Sniper EFI setup with gas tank (with built in pump) and distributor all Holley, but my truck will still be my go to “get shit done” vehicle and always will. I’ll be following along with u as we have the same year though I want to stick with small blocks. Doing the updated brakes and suspension too. Pretty much outside the sheet metal and glass it’s going to be new and modern.
I'm planning on saving my money on restoring a 60's Mustang and I'm glad this video helped.I'll probably buy maybe a Truck or Suv that is AWD (All Wheel Drive) once I finish restoring my dream car ^^
I prefer to daily my classic exactly for that reason, there's less stuff in it, it's more simple, it's more enjoyable, it turns work from a chore to a joy and people always say " you'll never get your money back from it ". To them I say, why are you so concerned about selling your car? if you buy a car only thinking about selling it then you've bought the wrong car.
Beautiful car. It turns out that the issues seems to amount to is does it pamper you and do you know how to drive it. Those of us who learned in the older cars the latter is not a problem and the former is an attitude (i.e. a want). When you were discussing can you use Siri I thought "really?". As to visibility one of my big beefs with the new post modern cars is the horrible visibility. Window sills up to your nose, foot wide A pillars, windshields that resemble a mail slot etc. No thanks.
I have a '67 Thunderbird and other than fuel consumption and a few safety issues such as minimal front turn signals, it drives just as good as a modern car. Power steering, power disc brakes, power seats, power windows, factory AC, and a Lincoln platform suspension make the car a joy to drive. Escpecially out on the highway.
I daily drive a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 SDL and p/t drive a 1985 Mercedes Benz 500 SEC. Both have antilock brakes, crumple zones, collapsing steering columns and the former has a driver side airbag. Both feel fantastic on the road, have power locks/windows, fuel injection, cruise, a.c., are quiet, with superb stopping power. They are quite safe. They were waaay ahead of their time. Now… I don’t know how I would feel about driving a car from the 60s or 70s. Especially something not Mercedes or BMW! But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want one!! Unfortunately the 60’s Mustangs are now shockingly expensive. I missed my window. 🤣
the germans and Mercedes in particular really were ahead of every other manufacturers. They really paved the way for others to follow and it clearly shows when daily driving one compared to other brands. They do make good classic car dailies
I have a yellow 72 mach 1 (in MN too!) that i use to daily drive in high school. the only thing i really didn't like after it was sorted was the attention that it gets and how easy it would be to steal. a 72 mustang can be stolen with a little bit of wire and something to remove the steering wheel(without aftermarket thinks like an alarm/kill valve). the other thing i didn't like was the stove pipe auto choke systems and stock carbs on the 72' (it was a known issue for the 351m). My opinion is that you can daily anything if you have the drive to do so, it just takes time and $$. I still have my 72' he's just down for a rebuild.
I suppose that you can get a classic car fitted with a lot of safety gear like a roll cage, better tires,brakes and suspension but definitely can’t make up for safety as you said, the gap is too large to compensate for. The only other room to improve the safety is the driver and the nature of the car in a situation where defensive driving is needed
Yep. You can make a classic less likely to get into an accident in some ways and safer if you are involved in an accident some ways, but the classics will just never be as safe as modern cars. The risks are still far lower in my Mustang than on my Triumph, though.
And the driver is the number one most important and effective safety feature. Improvements in passive safety have been paralleled by deterioration in drivers in my experience.
@@mkshffr4936 that is true, it all too easy nowadays to crash and simply shrug it off and walk away to get another car with your life and most of the time unscathed.
The major difference between driving a "classic" and "modern" vehicle is that you have to drive the vehicle and actually pay attention while anticipating anything with a "classic" vehicle. As long as the vehicle is well maintained, driving anywhere and anytime shouldn't be an issue as long as the driver is paying attention. My semi-daily driver is a 78 Ford F-150. - I don't drive it as much due to gas prices....
I daily my 1981 celica it's kinda like a middle ground between a 70's classic and a 90s car. Carb and ball steering but factory power brakes and electronic ignition. It's a decent DD but I love it. Great video btw.
Hey Mate, this is an awesome video, I appreciate your perspective and multiple considerations. Many of these questions have crossed my mind over the years. I have a 66 Mustang Convertible and relate to the scenarios you covered very very closely. I have a Kia sedan daily driver, but would like to transition to driving the Stang more often. You have inspired me enormously! Many thanks, Mark 👍
Got a 1972 Ford Ranchero 4 months ago that was sitting in a garage for 10 years of its life and had to do lots of maintenance, many of the upgrades and parts I changed were exactly what you pointed out before it was ready to go but man was it worth it.
It can be a lot of work to get everything fixed up correctly. It's taken years to shake out some of the issues I've had. Glad it's been worth it for you!
@@randomologist77 It has been worth it, I drive her almost everyday now to work or just getting groceries and it’s a treat here in California to have a V8 :)
I've got a classic car, a 1963 Studebaker Avanti. I have spent the last ten years restoring it, and I decided to gently restomod it in order to improve the experience of owning and driving it. It's all inconspicuous (except for the 3 point seatbelts, and the non-original seats with headrests, which I really wanted for safety in the event of a crash), and completely reversible. The engine needed rebuilding and I converted it to EFI, and I swapped in a modern Tremec 5 speed for the overdrive -- makes for an enormously improved experience on the interstate. I completely replaced the interior, including the dash pad and all new gauges. I took an original radio, which I bought on ebay for $25, and had it converted with modern electronics, to be AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth compatible, and it still has a port that tucks under the dash for an iPod. I upgraded the disk brakes to bigger rotors and pads, and had to replace the original 15x5 inch wheels with 15x7 alloys in order to run modern radial tires and have less unsprung weight. It still has the old worm gear steering, and with the Avanti... I've never read about a rack and pinion conversion that was completely successful. It takes a center tie rod mount, and the available units are pretty light duty (e.g. early '90s Cavalier, or Dodge Neon) and the conversions that didn't have dangerous amounts of bump steer, ended up with a larger turning radius. I just have to live with the stock steering. It still drives just fine on the interstate, for the most part, but there are some curves and off ramps I have to slow down a bit more for because the steering is less precise than a modern rack and pinion. As far as safety is concerned, thankfully the Avanti was a very safe car for its time; it had a roll bar integrated into the frame, and the gas tank mounted above the axle like a modern car, instead of behind it like most cars of its time. But what was advanced in 1963 is woefully behind the times today. As noted here, the road and wind noise are higher, and it's just the nature of the beast. I've brought mine back to where it's honestly as good or better than when it was new in many respects. And my goal, which I think I have largely achieved, was always to bring it up to a level of nice appearance and reliability where I _could_ use it as a daily driver if I wanted to, but I don't plan on it. I just use it as a frequent driver (unless there's snow and salt on the road, when it stays in my garage), and as a backup to my daily driver in the (thankfully rare) event that my Honda has to go into the shop for repair.
I was driver side t-boned in my 67 mustang when I was a teenager. It was completely stock (no roll bars, no cage, only lap belts). My door was pushed in about two feet and the roof and pillars were crunched. I didn’t have a scratch on me, and the window (which was rolled down at the time) was completely in tact. These old cars are a lot safer than most people think. I do recommend upgrading to disc brakes though lol. Great video and beautiful car.
No doubt classic cars aren’t rolling death traps exactly, but for a lot of people, safety ratings are important. I can’t in good conscience say cars even prior to the 2000s are close to as safe as todays cars. The good news is less distracted driving equals fewer accidents and classics do seem to keep a driver more focused on the driving. :)
Back in 1978 when I turned 16 I got my grandfather's 1970 Buick Electra to drive and loved it. Probably the only smart thing I did in that car was to wear both the lap and shoulder belts which were two completely separate belts. It was a dedicated effort to buckle up in that car but I did. One night in 1982 a drunk driver in a Chevrolet suburban hit me head on. Because of the size of the car and the fact that I was wearing both belts, I walked away with only bruises from the belts which was far better than the unbelted other driver who had massive head and chest injuries from the steering wheel.
@@randomologist77 One of the biggest safety issues with classic cars from the 60s and 70s were the design of the seat belts. Lap belts only came in the mid 60s and few people wore them. Separate shoulder belts for the outboard front seat were added in 1968 and even less people buckled up both the lap and shoulder belts than people only using the lap belt with the majority being unbelted. If the same number of people who buckle up today had back then the safety statistics of the "classic " cars would be much better. As a young child my dad had a 1968 Olds 98 and he was the only person I remember that buckled both belts. He would get in, turn the ignition, push the cigarette lighter, buckle up both the lap and shoulder belts, light up a Winston 100s and drive off. Mind you that no one else in the car even had a lap belt on. I remember this routine when he took me to school. He was only driving me about 5 miles from home and he was going to be on the road all day. When I turned 16 and had the 1970 Buick Electra, the first week I had it I tried to duplicate his routine. I found that the car drove and handled better with the belts buckled and I also enjoyed the Winston 100s so two life long habits were started. The ironic thing is, the head on collision with the drunk driver I was involved in was only about 3 miles from home. Thankfully he and I as a child were never in such a collision as he would have been fine and I would definitely have gone through the windshield. Times have changed. 😆
I have kidded my dad that today his lack of my wearing a seat belt as a young child, especially with him buckled up, would be considered child abuse today LOL. He said he thought he was being responsible by buckling up and really never gave it a thought to make anyone else in the car do so.
Lol I daily my 1970 Monte Carlo. It is doable just like it was 50yrs ago. If it’s completely stock it is perfectly doable. The only two things I can think of that can make a classic a nightmare or problem to drive everyday is the choice of camshaft you have AND if you have or haven’t already switched out the cylinder heads. Your stock camshaft is good but can be better. Depending on how much lsa you put and duration can affect how driveable it really is. Second, the fuel from now is NOT what they used back then. Unleaded gas back then did not have so much ethanol in it as it does now so in a way your slowly killing your engine or should I say cylinder heads. If you switch out your heads and put a good cam your car can be as driveable as your moms prius
If you want a daily driver classic, definitely drive it and experience/evaluate the handling, ride, and stopping power. The differences between different older (pre-1980s) cars is vast. I went from wanting either a 66 T-Bird or 63 Continental, to ending up with a 67 Riviera for precisely the above reasons.
Great advice. One thing to consider. GM was way ahead of their time. A 50s caddy is as "modern" a car as a late 60s dodge. My old boss used to compare the way a 50s caddy drove to a 80s pickup.
Beautiful machine! Where you get the headlights? I’d be interested if you can make a video on the manual transmission swap you did all the parts needed to convert. I have a 1970 mustang that I’d like to convert to an overdrive manual transmission as well. Thanks
Thanks for saying so! It’s got its fair share of cosmetic issues, but it sure does photo/video like a show car hahha. You asked for it, so next up will be a video on the manual conversion! Look for it on Friday, and thanks for watching!
A lot of these reasons are why I love restomods so much. Keep the old looks but update to newer fuel injected engines, newer ac components, new suspension and rack and pinion setups. It's not really my thing but there are companies that actually make an electric chassis ready to swap your classic body on. Pretty cool option to have modern twist to a classic. Currently building a 66 C10 shortbed with a 2001 5.3 and 4L60e. Gonna add airbags to make it sit the way I want, power steering, and AC. Just want a nice turnkey driver. I do agree, a properly tuned carb is very reliable as long as the weather or altitude isn't changing drastically. I'm just not great at tuning carbs and prefer to have something that can adjust on the fly more like a modern car.
Good advice, however, swapping to LED headlights usually doesnt require a conversion for most cars, and the electric draw is less than or equal to a halogen bulb so there is no danger.
im sorry but you are dead wrong on the steering on the highway. i drive a 1970 pontiac lemans and there is absolutely zero "himming and hawing" on the steering wheel on the highway. as with any vehicle, if you check your steering components, and keep them greased and replaced when they are worn out, there is no "himming and hawing" to keep your car in the lane. you clearly drove a vehicle with clapped out steering components. also as far as wind noise and road noise, that is easily solved by replacing your weatherstripping and putting updated floor and roof sound deadening in the car. also to your road salt point. the road salt will destroy ANY car in 3-5 years. whether it's a classic or a brand new vehicle
What feels like nice tight steering to you isn't the same as good rack and pinion. That's from my experience driving everything from $125k show cars to beaters which don't really belong on the road. The worm gears in steering boxes from pre-rack and pinion cars are sloppy at center because they have to be. You can over-tighten them down in an attempt to remove the slop, but that will cause binding and premature wear out of the steering box. Many 60's era cars came with steering ratios close to 20:1 coupled with the built in dead space on center. It makes for a lot more steering input than a modern car. A rack and pinion car will travel down the freeway and stay straight with far less steering input. "Hemming and hawing" is a pretty subjective description, but by modern standards, that's just what you're going to have to do on a lot of classics. I have brand new weatherstripping throughout my Mustang. The windows have slight gaps at the top of their travel (yes, they've been adjusted) between them and the brand new, direct replacement, vehicle specific, high quality weather stripping. Was the vehicle in a fender bender over the course of 60 years? Maybe. Or maybe it just had typical fit and finish for a 60s car. Working on the tracks and mechanicsm on the inside of the doors to pull the window in tighter against the seal may help prevent being sucked out at freeway speeds and a luxury car like a Lincoln would obviously be much quieter. It all depends. In regard to tearing the interior out and upgrading the sound deadening, the Mustang's floor is completely covered with Dynamat. The rear seat has Dynapad. The headliner and doors have Dynaliner. Can any 60s era classic be made quiet? Sure, for a couple thousand dollars. Are many of them quiet at freeway speed from the factory? Absolutely not. To see visible rust on cars before 10 years in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro is unusual and there aren't many worse areas in the country. Many vehicles around here go about 15-20 years before being really rusted out. Modern cars are dramatically more rust resistant than classics and that's just how it is. Consumers demanded it. I have full confidence that driving a classic in modern road salt applications here in Minneapolis would destroy it in 5 years. 10 at the most. I like classic cars and I enjoy daily driving mine, but most 60s era cars are definitely not a good choice for almost anybody as daily drivers right as they came from the factory. I'm just trying to make sure people know what to consider and what to look for when heading down the classic daily driving path. I appreciate you taking some time to put together a detailed comment!
had a 71 442 in 1998. it looked bad but i drove it every day to school in newark nj. 90 to 100 on the highway without a peep. smooth, straight, and quiet. shoulda never sold it.
Nice looking Mustang man. I daily my 65 mustang here in California all year round. I agree with all of your points, like you I have upgraded almost all of the major systems on the car. It stops and steers and rides as good as a new car. The t5 makes it pleasant to drive on the freeway.
I can guarantee you it doesn’t drive like a new car haha. It probably drives more like a car from the 80s-ish though. It still has the old school muscle personality and character, but without some of the rougher spots. It’s been a great experience!
I daily drove a 63 impala for over a year without a backup car. You can do it , stuff will break along the way but once the cars healthy it’s fun. Everyone’s should daily a classic atleast once in their life.
One of my dailies is a 1966 mustang. All natural with no power disk brakes or power steering and a 4 speed manual. In my experience, I personally would much rather drive it every day than most any newer car.
I just picked up a 67 Mustang coupe with a 351C with a 4 sp manual. Also no power steering. it’s built for drag racing so I’m interested to see if NY will allow the exhaust to pass inspection, or if it won’t allow as a daily driver car.
I daily drove a 1980 Trans Am with a transplanted and hopped up 455 in it in the early 00s. It was one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. Build them right the first time and be smart about it and you will have priceless return on investment.
With any used car, mechanical condition and maintenance is important. I've had my fair share of "issues" come up with the Mustang, but it's never needed towing. Honestly, one of the most troublesome parts I had was the thermostat of all things. I went through a 1/2 dozen defective new parts.
My coworker daily drove his restomoded 69 Camaro until he was in the middle of a 5 car pileup on the way to work one morning at it was totaled. He had extra insurance but it was a nightmare for him fighting the insurance companies regardless, especially because he built it himself.
Great thoughts on this. I agree with all you say. Keep on enjoying that experience! I once drove my 68 Mustang across Europe...8 countries in 4 days. Didn't miss a beat. Incredible!
My 72 GMC has an ls swap, quick ratio steering, ac, sound deadening, upgraded head lights, with a harness that runs the lights on a relay vs directly off the switch. Also I have 4 wheel disc brakes with hydro boost, all this adds up to a much better driving experience.
How many times are you fixing something which makes the car undriveable vs how many times are you tinkering or enhancing? Almost all my work is the latter lol
Thanks for the video! This should help with my AMC Eagle project. I'd like to make it into a daily-driver (not in winter). I'm in Minnesota as well, and I'm pretty sure I've seen a blue Mach-1 driving around looking quite like yours.
There’s one up in the Maple Grove area, but it you’ve seen it crusin around Minneapolis or Roseville area, it’s probably mine. Or if it’s parked in a ramp downtown somewhere 😂
I'm hoping to drive around my 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 as a (half) daily, the original tungsten bulbs are rather bright... brighter than my daily drivers even. winter weather, its getting parked and my crown victoria (no traction control, ac barely works, no abs, rwd) will be my daily. The '57 is a manual transmission on the column, with a v8, it'll be a fun car. no power anything for me.
i used to have an 88 camaro, not a classic but def a head turner, a guy door dinged me in a parking lot and insurance paid out $1400 for unnoticeable damage, i bought the car for $2500 which kinda shocked me
If you can afford the gas and can fix something in a pinch a classic is possible to daily. I fixed up my 85 f150 and I daily drove it 60 miles round trip every day for a few months. My biggest issue was the 12mpg I was getting so I wound up getting a Camry to save fuel. Other than that I would still be daily driving that truck to this day. it drives great, runs great, stops pretty good but I haven’t touched the brakes too much. Starts every time and most importantly for me the AC worked great.
I'm daily driving my 1976 mercury comet with the 250 ci Inline 6 and it still has manual brakes and she drives great and gets very good gas mileage and well technically i guess you can say its closer to new because it only has 33,000 miles I've only put 2,000 miles on it in the past year and it was stored in a garage for 30 years but I say you can drive a vintage daily all depends upon your preference and how much you keep the car maintained
Me and my girlfriend have two 95 vettes.mines a convertible hers is a coupe.put 6000 miles on the convertible in one year and 15000 miles on the coupe.she drives everyday too work and back except in rain and snow and we take it shopping and on long trips.bought it for 8grand before the pandemic and crazy used car prices.previous owner dropped 16grand in it before selling it to us.we probably spent almost 2000 in parts for hers in that time and that's me doing g the work.mine was more of a project when I got it and put maybe 4grand into after purchasing it for 4grand.all ignition fuel delivery and most of the brakes and some suspension parts replaced.so you definitely can daily drive them but you better have some money on backup to devote to them or plenty of time and tools.
Of course you can daily drive a classic car. They did in 1969.
This is more of a "Should almost anybody consider daily driving a classic car?" video, but the title gets a little long. I'm not planning on becoming a big RUclips channel, but I'd like to help folks if I can and I felt like the title reflects what I would have typed into RUclips if I was searching for the answers myself :) Thanks for watching the video!
A car sitting in a garage that nobody gets to enjoy has zero value! To all who do this....you are robbing everyone of seeing, hearing or driving these beautiful machines!
Love that response! Yes!
Newer cars have more amenities. More perks. But the classics are so much more fun
@@Brian-dr2yi
Newer cars are more appliance like. You don't even start a new car. You press a button and the computer starts it. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just very different from cars of the past.
Of course you can. My 66 mustang has over 300k miles on it. It was my daily driver up until water leaks got the best of it not that long ago. In April of 2021 I tore it down for needed repairs. When finished I intend to continue driving it. Did i mention I’ve owned it 50 years, and drag race it too. It has been and will continue to be a great ride.
Awesome! Staying totally stock or have you made some changes?
@@randomologist77 - I would consider it significantly modified having done regular refinements over the years.
I have owned a 67 Mustang for 40 years and driven it daily some summers. I agree with all the points you made. Looking back at my own experience, I would say that my brake upgrade (to front disks) and headlight upgrade are the two that were absolutely necessary for modern driving. Both of these systems were totally inadequate for current driving conditions. One additional note I thought you might mention is how unprotected these old cars are. Bumpers need only a gentle push from another car to be distroyed. Most drivers don't appreciate the damage they can do by simply nudging your classic in a parking lot.
The irony is my daily is at the body shop from being lightly bumped square in the rear. The plastic bumper cover was super brittle below zero. Ironically, the shop says the older cars are much easier to get parts in. The last couple years’ models are taking months for parts!
Classic cars (and old cars in general) are not nearly as fragile as you seem to think they are. They are built like tanks compared to new cars. Just touch a new car bumper and it falls off. The side of roads are littered with those plastic bumper covers. The wind blows them off. Old cars were built out of much heavier steel than newer cars. You can make a huge dent in a new car just by leaning against it. Not with an older car. I have seen so many new cars looking like a ball of crumpled up tin foil after a fairly minor accident. They are putting body shops out of business because they cannot be fixed like older cars. It takes very little to total a new car.
@@geraldscott4302 Exactly so. I remember the time my brother left the road at 50mph in the 63 Volvo. Fixed it for 60 bux (junk yard right front lower A arm). Pushed the fender back in and attached with self tapping screws. The bumper was bent in about an inch at the end but didn't interfere with anything. It was so strong we never did manage to find a way to bend it back.
The only thing I would have to do to make that one a daily driver is add A/C. The only reason I daily drive a 1991 Colony Park is that I can't afford a 65.
I used to daily a 1988 Buick Hearse few years back, in winter one day over a bridge I had to brake hard it was all ice.
I slid right into the back of a 2013 Toyota Avensis at maybe 30mph, their back hitch was now sitting all the way in like hulk had punched it, and the only damage on my steel bumper was the 1 inch wide plastic trim on it had a slight dent.
I drove away with literally no visible damage, if it was my newer Toyota it would have wrecked radiator and who knows what else.
That's what a steel bumper directly connected to that huge frame does😂
Idk what kind of cars you’ve been driving (must be good old Ford engineering) but my 82 Chevy was a beast, I rear ended someone because they stopped in the middle of the road and the entire rear of their van caved in, my bumper just had a decent sized dent in it. And brakes and lights are really only necessary if your not sure what your doing anyways, I had drum brakes all the way around and it wasn’t a problem at all. Headlights are usually good enough you don’t need anything else, unless of course your eyesight is fading (I can see perfectly fine but my dad swears he can’t drive it at night because of it)
The thing that bothers me is parking. I’m always worrying that it gets stolen or vandalized.
Then get a 4x4 you don't mind getting damaged. Cause you are going to get more bumps while off roading anyways. They are just marks of glory. And you can add chrome step bars too. That way the people that open doors into your side dent he crap out of their door. hahahaha.
@@eaglewarrior8707 Doesn't work for me. I take care of my stuff including my 4x4. It's a 98 Chevy Silverado Z71 and I keep it in pristine condition. Even after I take it offroading I'll thoroughly clean the chassis. its my daily and I always park at the back where the Midlife crisis guys with their Corvettes do.
I completely agree..that's why I have our Jeep parked in front of my 84' Dodge Ram D150.
Intall a alarm and a tracking device and you will never lose sight of it.
If your worried about it getting stolen a steering wheel lock might help, if your in a bad area don't leave stuff in your car. Most car thieves will just walk off when they see a lock on the steering wheel, to much hassle.
I want one so bad!! I would drive it on weekends when the weather is nice.
The noises are one of the reasons i want one 😂
Being in a 60s car gives you a distinct smell too, obviously the gas smell coming out of the exhaust, but the interior has this weird indescribably old vinyl smell that gives me a sense memory every time i get in one. It takes me back to being in my Dad's 65 mustang coupe.
I don't know what it is in the smell of old muscle cars, but every time i have gotten in one, it always has that same smell.
Ive been driving classic cars since i was 16 the newest vehicle Ive owned is from 1991. people have always said to me that "your cars must be unreliable" or "must be annoying to not have modern amenities", but its not in the slightest . I can see if someone said getting parts for them is hard but this is why I only daily drive my vehicles that have easy to find parts, or have spares on hand of the harder to find parts that may go out. And i prefer less amenities, only thing to pay attention to is the sound of the cars and the road.
Check out my reliability video to confirm what you're saying :) ruclips.net/video/eLIhZ0l7D-I/видео.html
Go stuff
I own a Opel Manta A 1970 but Im not sure wether I could use it as a daily driver. I know that the Volvo Amazon is a really reliable daily driver, still to this day. Maybe I will get one in the future :)
what engine?
@@ciastko2003 1.2, lightest version.
I owned several Chevrolet Opalas (Opel Rekord C) with 2.5 and 4.1L engines, and I ever used as a daily driver.
@@AMV12S Oh, a fellow brazillian. do you still own any Opala?
@@matheus_ps The last one was stolen and I lost my faith in Brazil, I want to have another but only when I leave this country.
I have been daily driving my 1965 Shelby GT350 tribute since 2006 up until January of 2021, my car has been undergoing partial restoration and should be done soon. It will, once again serve as a daily when finished. Yes, you can drive one daily and be just as reliable as any new car.
I drive a 67 Mustang fastback all the time. I have owned it for 43 years. It now has 538000 miles on it.It has the original engine block, carb and distributor. It started as a no option car. It has a 200 six with stick. Upgrades include Granada disc brakes and overdrive trans, Pertronics ignition, halogen headlights, 2057 tail light bulbs, third brakelight, V8 rear, fold down seat. It gets 25 MPG on the highway. In the last two years I have driven it on four 2000 mile round trips. Whoever says you can't drive an old car daily doesn't know anything about cars.
I daily drove my "Shelbyized" 65 fastback Mustang in Los Angeles for two years while at USC and LOVED it. Especially downtown when the surface streets were clear. SO much fun. Totally reliable.
I have daily driven a 1965 Dodge Dart for the past 6 years and have put roughly 58,000 miles on it. It has the 225 Slant Six. Great, reliable engine. It has never let me stranded and has been turn key and always starts every time. However. They do require a lot of work. Keep in mind these cars are 50+ years old. Some parts of the car have worn out over the years and will need to be replaced. Recent projects would include adjusting the valves, adjusting timing and air/ fuel ratio. (Trying to get better mpg cuz gas is expensive rn. I get 18-20mpg after adjustment) next project is the upper ball joints are worn and shocks need to be replaced. Torsion bars need to be adjusted as well. My car most likely was restored in the 1990’s so many parts since then have worn. Sometimes I have to set aside weekends to work on the car so I can drive to work on Mondays. It does take up your time doing repair work and you have to be willing to work on the car yourself. Sending it to a shop every time will eat away your moneyzzz. Buying the parts and doing it yourself is the best option. Not having ABS or Traction Control is sketchy. I find my car sliding on rainy days often, brakes will lock up in hard applications and brake fade is a real thing. You HAVE to be a passive driver!!!! Also taking trips to higher altitudes, prepare for a loss of power. I feel I lose 1/3 power going up in high altitudes. Regardless, I’ve had so much fun daily driving my Dodge and have completed many road trips in it with no problem. My record is driving 486 miles in a day. It’s a completely different experience than any modern car and has been absolutely worth it.
Honestly, most of what you’re talking about here are just the hassles of owning a used car :) In the past year I’ve done a lot of work to a friend’s car and my mom’s car with more to come it seems. Just comes with the territory haha.
Similar story to my own. We daily a 66 valiant with slant for 8 years now. 18-20 mpg is pretty damn good. I have problems getting more than 15 due to the number of miles on the engine. One cylinger has weak rings and a fair amount of blowby
@@randomologist77 very true. For me, that's part of the fun. I love taking things apart, figuring out what the issue is and fixing it. Its a great hobby.... but expensive xD
@@MicrophonicFool Man that's awesome! I love those old Valiants. Someone in my town drives a light blue 64 Valiant. I always give him a thumbs up every time he drives by. Ah dang that's a bummer. I don't have the original engine. It appears the engine was from 1974, but doesn't have any of the emissions slapped onto it. The previous owner commented the car was restored in the 90s so I can only guess that's when the engine was replaced. Glad to hear others daily classic cars as well. Cool stuff :P
@@moefitzgerald4439 5 years ago I bought a 74 valiant (still drives, but body is bad shape). I will likely use the engine from it in the 66. ruclips.net/video/4cTRThKmho0/видео.html
I drove my 73 340 Duster from Tacoma, WA to Columbus, OH back in 1995..........one of the best experiences of my life and no real issues.
Lots of people get scared over long trips, but long drives are less harsh on cars than lots of short ones. Glad you had a great experience. Those memories last forever!
Beautiful car!! Great points too. I'm restoring my 67 Mustang and looking to drive it as much as I can. Every upgrade I do is in hopes of making the ride more comfortable and a better experience not only for me but my family. I didn't spend all this time and money to have it sit in my garage.
I daily drove my "Shelbyized" 65 fastback Mustang in Los Angeles for two years while at USC and LOVED it. Especially downtown when the surface streets were clear. SO much fun. Totally reliable. Only problem? When I gassed up, it was like being a celebrity with people coming over to talk about the car. Lulz. I love talking cars, but when you're in a rush...good luck! I love the '67. I have my eyes peeled for one. You should definitely enjoy and drive the hell out of it. It is a MUSTANG, after all, and horses like to gallop!
Just PLEASE don't put GHETTO REEHUUMS on it.
@@geraldscott4302 What do you want instead? Some 200 inch off-road tires for an F250 that will never see the dirt?
@@jordan9610 What about the same size tires and wheels that came on it?
@@geraldscott4302 Exactly. You should have recommended that in the first place.
As someone who lives in that area and was dailying a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the 4.0 everyday to school I can say, with the crazy weather that we get, I'm really surprised that you can do that with your mustang. really impressive. I know that my car isn't exactly a classic but its old enough that people would say "that thing probably has reliability issues." to which I say the ever so common "if you are having reliability issues its you not your car." at one point I even had no heat In the cab because of a failing/plugged heater core, jeep still was trucking down the road. Even on those below zero days, jeep started just fine, 4.0 is an immortal motor. I only ran into overheating issues recently, however that was because I was dumb and neglected to flush the coolant sooner. Anyways, I tip my hat to you for daily-ing a classic.
Great video man, you discussed some pertinent points. The only thing I’ll add is the fuel consumption will usually be a lot more than modern cars.
It all depends on the engine and what the person would drive instead. To be honest, a new Mustang GT is rated at 15 city and performance SUVs are usually in that 16/22 range. The 78 Mustang II I did a video on got about 23/28 which is similar to the 200ci 60s Mustangs. They do struggle a bit to keep up with traffic, though. Most Mustangs came with the 289/302. Drivers should expect about 15/20 with them, and they’ll easily handle keeping up with traffic. My 427 gets about 11/16 thanks to OD.
@@randomologist77 I think my carby needs a rebuild, running too rich. Also, it’s super hot here and I feel like fuel is vaporizing from the carb and even the tank. But I don’t daily drive so it’s ok!
I am a lady who drives a Ford MAverick 302 1973. I live in the country on the pacific coast. It does not snow, we have no freeways and I never need air conditioning. It took a while to get my car to daily driving material. I had the brakes converted, installed a heater core, rebuilt the trasmission etc etc. However, now I am driving it daily and I friggin love it.
Love the car man! I've been daily driving my 1989 Ford Mustang LX since September 2020 and love it. I'm 19 and it was my second car (first car I bought myself though) and I feel like driving it has made me a better driver. I've grown to enjoy the bare bone experience of no ABS or any of the modern comforts. It's my first vehicle with a manual transmission and I taught myself to drive it on the back roads where I live. I vastly prefer it over driving my parents vehicles. The manual transmission keeps me engaged in driving. I feel like an older/classic car is a great option for a newer driver as it will teach them to be a better driver. I know the limits of my car and what to avoid. A lot of my friends think I'm crazy for dailying an 80s car but everytime they ride with me, they prefer it. It's a more visceral experience compared to their boring Altimas and Camrys. Great video tho! I felt like I should share my opinion as a younger enthusiast
Haha! I had several Fox body Mustangs over the years. They’re good cars. Easy to work on, but also very reliable. Definitely missing a few of the modern comforts, but they could be pretty loaded with options. The space between the parking brake and the seat even doubles as an improvised cup holder haha. My cars were power windows, locks, AC, power steering, cruise control, power brakes, tilt wheel and came with the old cassette, but I bought a cartridge so I could use line in with the factory amplified head unit. Glad you’re loving yours!
I feel you my first car was my 1990 ford mustang lx it's my profile pic though.
Hell yeah man! I’m a foxbody fan too, lucky you get to enjoy one as a younger man. Late night cruises to some period correct heavy metal made me some of my best memories 👍
I’m restoring/dailying an 89 gt right now. It’s so much fun, just a little bit of pep but fairly reliable. Has given me some trouble here and there but the knowledge I’ve gained from it helps me when diagnosing other cars these days. Just like you, the car has also taught me how to drive manual and I also now prefer manual to automatic. Enjoy the car, and best of luck with it in the future!
Fantastic breakdown. looking at driving a 69 camaro and weighing options about how often. I've got a daily, but I'd love to drive it often, and this had some good info about considerations.
Great video, I drove my 68 Firebird 400 for eight years as a daily driver in south Florida, and at least two or three times a week I would drive from South Beach Miami to Boca Raton Florida without any issues.
I truly believe the more you drive the car the better it runs ,it’s when the car sits you start to have problems👍
From what ive seen, this is the case. The ones that aren't reliable are the ones that sit as a museum piece and only get out for the random show.
Drove my ‘68 mustang coupe as a daily for years. Only because my work has a three story parking garage with security and extra wide parking spots.
Otherwise I wouldn’t have. It was a replacement rebuilt roller 5.0 with a two barrel Holley, C4, only upgrade being a pertronix ignition module. Loved it
Awesome car, and awesome video, currently I drive an older Jeep Wrangler so many of the problems you stated I already have to deal with, such as no antilock, not very safe, and hard to drive in stop and go, this was very helpful and thank you! 🙏
Makes you wonder how I made it over 60 years without ABS, Sodium Azide bags, Traction control, Computer controlled windows, self actuating parking breaks, backup cameras... Just dang lucky I guess. ;)
@@mkshffr4936 it’s a skill, an art nowadays, and it’s a safety precaution when you care about your car
I live in MN. My dad drove his brand new 71 chevelle through winters. 3 years and the quarters were rusted through the trunk. Great video!
Thanks! Yeah, depending on where you're at, road salt and chemicals are murder on (now) classic cars, whether that was back in the 70s or today.
Its such a shame living in MN that you almost never see any classics on the road because they'll rust to bits without a couple of months.
You see plenty of them in the summer months and it is perfectly fine to drive them in dry non salty road conditions.
My 65 Mustang was fine on the highway and pretty reliable when I drove it daily in the 80s. I wouldn't drive one daily now because of the total lack of safety features and the fact that modern vehicles are so much bigger and heavier that it would basically vaporize in a crash. People drive a lot faster on the highways now too.
That big Mustang with that Huge Heavy engine is a different animal than mine.
I have a 66' Mustang Coupe, it was my first car age 19. It has the small block 289 with 2v carb. It WAS my daily driver in California for over 10 years and it was Exempt from smog... The Cali politicians hated me😀 It has disk on all corners and a global west front suspension w/9 inch rear end w/posi.
I moved to Nevada in the last decade and It will be my daily driver after I put an A.C. unit in as I live in the desert now.
I recommend a smaller classic car for a daily driver if the maintenance is kept up!
I just picked up a 67 Mustang coupe with a 351C with a 4 sp manual. it’s built for drag racing so I’m interested to see if NY will allow the exhaust to pass inspection, or if it won’t allow as a daily driver car.
I think classic cars are more reliable and are far more easy to fix.
Currently swapping my straight 6 (235) for a 350 with a 700r4 in my 56 Chevy. Put 3.73 gears. I already converted to 12V. Adding power steering, Dakota digital dash to make it as daily driver as possible. There’s really nothing like taking a nice drive in a classic car.
a 56 wasnt 12v already? man chevy was running behind the times! ;)
As I am moving closer and closer to fulltime "daily driving" my 61 chevy, Id like to add my 2 cents. A little bit out of order here, but you barely mentioned insurance. DO NOT go with any of the "classic car" insurance companies. They do not want you driving any significant time. They will only cover you to and from a car show and a shop. Hard to convince them you was going to a car show at 7 am on a Tuesday. You must straight out ask them, then get it in righting you can drive it any where, anytime. Some might claim X amount of miles a year, but the fine print still states to and from car shows and shops for repairs. I currently go with a "regular" company and we have in righting an agreed value in case of total loss. Which is exactly what the conclusion will be once you have any kind of "fender bender". Just imagine, some Tesla runs a red light doing 90 miles an hour, and you dont have "proper" coverage. You just bought a Tesla, and your baby is smashed to hell. You are basically driving uninsured with ALL of those classic car insurance companies. Now to go in some sort of order. #1 have a rock solid 2nd car. Imagine again its Tuesday morning and you are already leaving the house, for work, about 5 minutes later than you like. And the damn thing wont start. No matter how minor the problem, now is not the time to deal with this. Even if you quickly remedy the problem, you will be forced to drive a little bit faster to work than you would "normally". #2 is prior to pulling the trigger on whatever car you pick, do your homework do your homework. Without getting into embarrassing numbers, I have spent more on "upgrades" than I did on a very nice "looking and running" 61 chevy. It can not be said enough, SAFETY FIRST. The hardest things to spend money on are actually the most important. If you are not able to completely replace the entire braking system, then walk away from this idea. And I mean significantly upgrade the entire system. Oh you can jump on Rock auto and spend like 100 bucks on new wheel cylinders and drums, maybe new rubber lines, but then at best you got 50 year old "technology" out there competing against top of the line systems on every other car on the road. Keep in mind, in the 60s everyone needed 20-50 ft of braking distance and no one was texting their secret gf while driving. That Jack a$$ in front of you on your way to work stops on a dime, you, well you stop in his back seat. Oh and that steering wheel doesnt collapse out of the way of your sternum, or front teeth. Everything else I guess would be chalked up to reliability and comfort. Oh you might think you can man up and be cool with it, but after a few months and the newness wears off, you gonna want a/c, and intermittent wipers, a kick a$$ stereo, probably some heat in the winter ect ect Probably most of the guys, or gals, considering this idea, know a little something about turning a wrench so most of this is preaching to the choir. The one thing that none of my classic car owning friends do not understand is the insurance. Now, none of them drive their classics everyday, but they do drive other than to car shows and shops. This is a bankruptcy waiting to happen.
It's always important to be clear with the insurance companies on how the car is to be used. Technical "Classic" or "Antique" policies themselves can have significant limitations, but there are "regular use" policies as well. When I was living in California, my car wasn't eligible for the classic car specialist company insurance because it had to be privately garaged.
Front disc brakes was a common option from the mid 60s and up and front disc/rear drum is still used on economy cars to this very day. I'd avoid using a 4 wheel drum car as a daily without changing to front discs, but the stock braking systems on the front disc cars is adequate in my experience.
@@randomologist77 I have manual 4 wheel disc on my Chevy. I was back and forth, back and forth about going power, wilwood doesnt even mention a booster anywhere on their site. Once I "upgrade" to an LS Ill probably go hydro boost. When I first got the car, it was manual drums. They was in "poor" shape, and I would find myself trying to pull the steering wheel off putting on the brakes. lol I am almost never on the hwy, so manual brakes do the job. Of course, I am always on "red alert" whenever I am driving it anyways.
This is an excellent reply full of great advice! I'm so excited about my husband shopping for a muscle car. I was considering classic car insurance but now I won't! I also thought maybe it could be our only car but my husband wasn't crazy about that. Good points about how you can miss the modern conveniences once the newness wears off 🙃
In the Military in SoCal, (18-28) I daily drove my 72 Nova every day. At one Base I was stationed at it was 107 miles from Door to formation. At the next base it was 170 miles through the mohave desert. I drove it year round for 10 years. 383stroker, Saturday night cam, turn downs and no over drive. I was single and had no kids. I don't think I could daily my '69 Nova today being married with kids until I build it completely, I just have other responsibilities these days. Even after it's completely rebuilt, better than my other Nova's, life is just different now. great video.
Glad you liked the video! Life sure does change the world around you. The good news is those memories will always be yours so you can can make those trips again any time you want when you reminisce!
Im 20 and bought a 69 coupe with a 302 and c4 when i was 17. I tried to daily drive it but everything started breaking - so i fixed it or paid someone who did while i drove my parents car. I hate this car but I love every time i drive it and has made me some of the most meaningful friendships. Ive had to do everything but rebuild the engine and still havent touched the body and interior. Ive learned alot about cars and engines and the looks alone people give are enough to make it worth it.
You can 100% daily drive this car you just need to put the effort in and carry tools and ratchets in the trunk
I used to see a few ladies back when I lived in Sydney Austrália 🇦🇺 years ago , that drove they Mustangs from new every single day , one drove 71 Mach1 …. Another was a 69 convertible, and I myself used to drive my 79 F100 Ranger XLT everyday ( we in Australia have 351 Cleveland in our 70’s F100 )prior to me the other owner driven her for 30 years across Australia 🇦🇺 with a trailer/caravan hooked on the hitch , there’s a lot people that drives classics everywhere everyday my work mate drives a Smokey and Bandit 3 Firebird no matter raining or sunny everyday everywhere off he goes ! I know construction workers who drives 70’s pickup trucks with closed tool boxes on the back that’s they everyday driver ! If it’s serviced and maintained with good cooling system it’s pretty reliable!
So nothing about the terror you feel when you park a rare classic car anywhere in public????
Restaurant? Movie theatre? Grocery store? Is it going to get stolen or door dinged?
Those are my only concerns and fears daily driving my classic. It getting stolen out of a parking lot or is some idiot going to crash into me.
I don’t really have those fears. The paint is imperfect enough that I don’t have to worry, haha. In that regard, I don’t think that’s a big difference from a nice new car and a nice, but non original classic. The theft fear is far overblown across most areas in my opinion. I have insurance and the car is a driver rather than a show car. I don’t think I’d feel good about parking it at the airport or a vulnerable place away from home for multiple nights or something like that, but it’s all a trade off. :)
To be honest same goes for hellcats and 392's people get burglarized for those cars sadly.
20 years old at the moment, have been daily driving and delivering pizzas in my ‘86 firebird (305, 5spd) for over a year now, couldn’t be happier lol
I daily drive/drove (youll see why its drove) a 1991 dodge w150. Great little truck, but as you said, even in a 90s truck, im actively steering all the time. Any bump or imperfection in the road (and there are a lot in north east ohio) and I have to make a correction. Also, the wind noise is crazy; as well as the truck sounding like its going to rattle itself apart every time I hit a bump, granted the last guy who owned it swapped out the suspension so i think its a bit stiffer than it would be from the factory. The headlights also wound up being a major issue. I got into an accident with a lady who had spun her car out on the highway , but was tucked between some construction cones. And in her infinite wisdom decided to turn her lights off at night. In a modern car i probably would have seen her just fine, but in that truck the head lights point DOWN, without the brights on they shine maybe 20ft in front of the truck and you can see the bar of light. With the brights its a little better, but not much. Luckily just some body damage but still, Im now definitely looking at aftermarket LED lights.
Trucks continued to to steering boxes and worm gears a lot longer than most cars. Careful on the LED conversions. There are a lot of options out there which supposedly generate a lot of light, but don't focus it into a beam well.
I also drive my 66 mustang 4 speed 289 as my main mode of transportation. It never gets old. I love my beauty, but with a 4 speed I stay off the interstates. Great video and gorgeous car!
Thanks! I need to get back to the rest of video editing to get new stuff up 😅
in my family, that I've grown up in-
we always had carbureted, big block V8's.
we do and have almost always had a reliable chevy truck to be the workhorse when we need it most (especially if the snow gets too high in some months).
but otherwise, we learned that you get up a little sooner to make sure you get a chance to defrost the car and warm up the motor.
we learned that it is very viable to regularly drive classics, if you are passionate enough about these rides.
now with myself, my brother and my sister all in our 20's, we all own a classic or few.
my grandpa who would come with us to the track in his 66 fairlane has passed away and passed on his gems to my father, aunt and uncle.
It's become a generational passion that we all share and love to share with others.
Some of my coworkers around my age who never got the chance to experience a vehicle older than 1990-something, get so stoked to see!
I am rambling a little :)
However, My favourite part of driving to and from my job in my brother's 70 LeMans, or my 67 Riviera, or my 66 Corvair is when older/elderly people come up and tell me about their old rides or just how much they miss these cars.
How they really don't feel the same way about their Hyundai or their new Dodge, they're reliable, and they have warranties that are taken care of so they don't have to worry about maintenance anymore.
but they really do miss that 1to1 feeling of the machine they're in, feeling more alive.
chrome, fancy lines and curves, hard tops with no B Pillar.
these old cars feel alive in some ways. maybe it's less sensors and computers, maybe it's the way the suspension rides-
,but there is nothing quite like it...
I daily drive(except in snow) my 86 Indy 500 pace car convertible corvette. It was under water for a few months, then sat under a pole barn for 3 years before i got it. It's now been completely frame off rebuilt. Everything is new, or refurbished. Hiway speed at 65 mph at 2200 rpm. Its gets 19 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. So YES, you can drive a classic, or in my case a antique (over 35 years in my state), as a daily driver.
I like the realistic view you give. On my 73 mustang, with all options avail at the time on it except tilt column, the thing that I need to improve most is the sound in cabine on highway, lots of air leaks, for the rest these models were wider, having much better brakes, steering, suspension than previous models. Led's is indeed a must. However, while you mention it only on the last bits, the main issue for using it as a daily over here in Europe was the poor fuel economy (we pay much more than you guys do, and Putin is not gonna help that now either. 2.2 euros today for a quart). Having a modified Cleveland 4V, it was really thirsty on highways, it's only when I've added EFI (no more cold or warm issues) and an overdrive that it was really thinkable to use it as a daily or even consider long trips. Which I do now. The main issue with these cars to me, is not being able to park everywhere, afraid it gets stolen or damaged. Thx for the ride!
I worry more about someone damaging it than stealing it. My car was like the most popular car to steal in the 80s. It's a iroc z Camaro. But the guys with the knowledge to steal and drive (standard transmission) are probably in their 50s or 60s by now. So the new generation steal the cars using computers to hack your key fob. Of course, if their is a bounty for your car I'm sure someone will go for it. But generally, I think these guys want hellcats and such and my car is probably safe now. Not saying it can't happen. But no one wants to be the guy locked up for stealing an average classic car when they can steal a new charger and have much easier time parting it out.
@@hostileaks4495 What kind of car thief can't drive a stick shift? I'd think this is a mandatory skill in this "occupation". Here in Europe we always get articles about the US like "A car wasn't stolen, because it was a manual." and I just don't know what to think about that. Sure, the US are extremely automatic oriented, but to know how to use a manual is important. You never know when you gonna need it. The USA are one of the largest countries in the world and there are no short distance walks, thus being able to know how to drive a stick might save your life one day. Not only that, but manual is also much more fun.
No offense to your IROC, but how come it was that popular to steal back then in the '80s? As a European I always thought that the most popular cars to steal in the' 80s were late sixties/early seventies muscle cars and the BMWs, Mercedes's, Ferrari and Lambos. The IROCs were plenty in the '80s? Probably because it's easier to sell a stolen IROC Camaro than a Countach?
@@cheekydemon6131 in my experience not many people under 30 in the US drive stick. Most specifically avoid it because of the learning curve I guess. I learned at a young age and before I actually drove I was about 10 shifting for my dad from the passenger seat. I grew up riding dirt bikes so a clutch was familiar from the start. I do have a lot of similar friends so most of them can or used to drive stick. But your avrage American cannot. Especially the ones under 30. I assume a lot of irocs where stolen because it was relatively easy, a popular car, and to be fair, the iroc rims are iconic and they still produce "irocs" rims people buy aftermarket to this day. I'd say most stolen ones were for joy riding. But if you look up how they are stealing the top of the line chargers such as the hellcats on RUclips you'll see how having skills with a slim Jim or knowing how to punch an ignition is unnecessary for today's car theives. In 1989 is the year they started putting a computer chip in the key for the camaros. The years before that don't have the chip.
@@hostileaks4495 You're right both the car and the rims are cool and popular to this day. You see a few 3rd gens at every car meet, but it never gets boring.
Modern cars are full of computers and thieves adapted to it, but it's a nice bonus the know the old ways too.
To be honest I think that the learning curve is way overblown. Even with an amazing teacher with a lot of patience you let it die on you a few times, but it clicks a bit later and just like that you just learned manual. Operating the clutch is no magic, just a bit practice at an empty parking lot.
@@cheekydemon6131 I agree and I only want three pedals for a sports car. I like the mechanical feeling and i am used to not having ABS or traction control. But I can see how it's not as appealing for the majority, that just drive only to get places.
Hell yes! I'm about finished with high school and I daily drive my 1967 Mercury Cougar! Me and Lucy get along quite well haha!
Enjoy Lucy, but be sure to buckle up your lap belt and I would highly recommend adding shoulder belts and wearing them.
I daily drive a 65 f100. Built in overdrive from factory and ac from the dealership. The twin I beam with good suspension makes the ride soft and gets great mpg at 18 (for the time). Though the safety rating is poor like he said, its great and fun drive anywhere. The joy that driving a classic brings, in of itself is the greatest reason to do so. And thanks for the great video
I daily drive a 1963 Ford Fairlane Ranch wagon. It has a 302 v8 out of a 1996 explorer, with a SROD 4 speed overdrive. Manual drum brakes all around, manual steering, aluminum radiator. Car is more reliable than newer cars I’ve had in the past, and drives straight with the factory steering box, no play. it’s all about proper maintenance like with any car. Even gets good gas mileage.
I’ll be putting a underdash AC unit in this summer. Some upgrades were a 3G alternator conversion, dual bowl master cylinder, headlight harness, and a wiper motor upgrade.
I got to say I love driving this car. And given the choice between it or a new car (and the payment that comes along with it) is rather put the money into the wagon.
My wiper motor upgrade was to make it so the ignition coil wasn’t wired through the wipers… oooooofff. The poor little 302 that was in there lol
@@randomologist77 I wish I still had my 66 lol. Much easier to daily a Mustang than an obscure 63 Fairlane Wagon, At least from a replacement parts perspective. Either way, classic is much more interesting than most of what’s on the road today.
@@B1Springfield it’s a bummer you’re having a hard time with parts. For Modern parts, Amazon is actually awesome, but for classics, it can be tougher sometimes depending on the model.
Can you afford the gas?
I currently have a 1965 dodge dart that I am fixing up for my first car and I plan on trying to go back mostly original for the joy and just the pure feeling of driving a classic car and to at least give it another chance at life instead of let it sit in a field or garage to rot away
In the West, they never used salt-cinder was dropped on the snow….and it worked.
I'm 21 revived my dad's old 78 firebird after been sitting 10 years. Daily driving it for a few months put 6k miles on it. It's the most fun I've had with cars. Actually surper reliable. Just need to keep an eye on all the gauges and your good
I had absolutely no particular interest in any of this, just a genuine liking of vehicles overall, but i stayed and listened to everything you said. Great video man, and awesome ride. Very educational.
My 72 f100 was my daily for years. My wife loved driving it too
You bring up a lot of good points. My daily driver back in the '80's and '90's was a 1968 Camaro and it wasn't a great daily driver. I think the answer for me to have the best of both worlds would be to buy a brand new Dodge Challenger that looks old school but drives like a modern car. I know it's not an old classic car but there's something about it that negates the need to have an old one which the new Mustang and Camaro doesn't do for me especially the Camaro.
For me, it’s been more about having the character and sense of uniqueness which comes with driving my classic. I can appreciate everybody is different and looking for different things. I’ll probably go to a crossover/SUV again next, but for now I am happy with the Focus and Mustang :)
The Dodge Challenger is definitely the only modern car that looks good.
you just don't know how to drive a classic car like that
@@thejuan3121 Speak English?
@@bruceh92 and you can't read too? You're really feeding into the stereotypes ma boy
I daily my 1986 camaro in the summer. It's never let me down
I'm in MN too!
Really great video. Having graduated HS in the 80's I drove all of these cars up until I purchased by first new car, Jeep Cherokee XJ in 1999. I was driving too fast and flew off a wet road and t-boned a 15 foot deep ravine, totaling the jeep. Air bag keep me from smashing my face, nose, or losing teeth. Love classic's but as you mention, safety for me was a consideration so I never went back. Current driver is a 2006 Toyota with 8 air bags. Also, great points about limited visibility at night, wipers, suspension confidence at 80mph on the highway. But on the flip side, if you want to have a conversation starter whether your at the grocery store, or the academy awards, you can't do better than pulling up in a big block muscle car.
I have a 64 1/2 mustang K code coupe with the high performance 289 that was passed down from my grandpa when he passed away. He bought it in 1997 and put it back together and restored it. It’s obviously not ideal to drive in every weather condition but we have literally had zero issues with the engine/transmission in the last 25 years. Just the starter went out. Those little 289s are bulletproof
the whole point in a classic car is to feel the power the noise it is a real car not a fiberglas. enjoy your clasic.
Hey that's east river rd! The RUclips algorithm sent me here, also from MN and live on that road.
I have a classic 78 f250!
Best car I ever had was a classic, hardly broke and was cheap to fix. The two modern cars have been crap. I dream of the day I get back into classics, would love to drive a 65 mustang and also get my hands on a 80’s f150
I’ve daily driven my 77 squarebody Chevy for months. Love the way old vehicles handle
I have a '64 Valiant V200 sold new in Sweden that I plan on using as a daily. I'd like to add that, unless you have a super-common classic, one should expect longer waiting times for the parts you do need. Having an American car in Sweden makes that more extreme than usual---once I had to wait for 1.5 months for a special screw for the light switch---but even for domestic cars I'd say that you have to become comfortable with waiting at least a day or two for every single part beyond basic maintenance fluids and parts. This might be a moot point but you should also be prepared to "be seen" everywhere. There are those that get a classic car for that very reason but it's still good to keep in mind that "blending in" doesn't exist with a classic car
I’m going to address this comment with a new video in the next couple of days :) Way overdue, but it’s been a truly miserable “spring” in MN. I haven’t even pulled the Mustang out yet :/
Generally, I don't know. Sure, some parts might be hard on almost any car, but I feel like if you need stuff for an american car in Sweden, you call Norrlands Custom and have them in a couple of days, anything you need for an european car also has to be ordered and takes at least as long time.
I was forced into early retirement for health, I’m getting ready to frame off Restomod a 69 Fastback my dad and I started in the late 90s. Planning on driving the shit out of it. That said I’m going with Holley Sniper EFI setup with gas tank (with built in pump) and distributor all Holley, but my truck will still be my go to “get shit done” vehicle and always will. I’ll be following along with u as we have the same year though I want to stick with small blocks. Doing the updated brakes and suspension too. Pretty much outside the sheet metal and glass it’s going to be new and modern.
I'm planning on saving my money on restoring a 60's Mustang and I'm glad this video helped.I'll probably buy maybe a Truck or Suv that is AWD (All Wheel Drive) once I finish restoring my dream car ^^
with all due respect, what else would AWD stand for?
@@Ambrose4k That's all it stands for
I prefer to daily my classic exactly for that reason, there's less stuff in it, it's more simple, it's more enjoyable, it turns work from a chore to a joy and people always say " you'll never get your money back from it ". To them I say, why are you so concerned about selling your car? if you buy a car only thinking about selling it then you've bought the wrong car.
Beautiful car.
It turns out that the issues seems to amount to is does it pamper you and do you know how to drive it. Those of us who learned in the older cars the latter is not a problem and the former is an attitude (i.e. a want). When you were discussing can you use Siri I thought "really?".
As to visibility one of my big beefs with the new post modern cars is the horrible visibility. Window sills up to your nose, foot wide A pillars, windshields that resemble a mail slot etc. No thanks.
I have a '67 Thunderbird and other than fuel consumption and a few safety issues such as minimal front turn signals, it drives just as good as a modern car. Power steering, power disc brakes, power seats, power windows, factory AC, and a Lincoln platform suspension make the car a joy to drive. Escpecially out on the highway.
I daily drive a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 SDL and p/t drive a 1985 Mercedes Benz 500 SEC. Both have antilock brakes, crumple zones, collapsing steering columns and the former has a driver side airbag. Both feel fantastic on the road, have power locks/windows, fuel injection, cruise, a.c., are quiet, with superb stopping power. They are quite safe. They were waaay ahead of their time. Now… I don’t know how I would feel about driving a car from the 60s or 70s. Especially something not Mercedes or BMW! But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want one!! Unfortunately the 60’s Mustangs are now shockingly expensive. I missed my window. 🤣
the germans and Mercedes in particular really were ahead of every other manufacturers. They really paved the way for others to follow and it clearly shows when daily driving one compared to other brands. They do make good classic car dailies
I still drive my 1978 Jeep cj5 it does pretty good.
Simple answer, hell yes you can. Just do your maintenance!
I have a yellow 72 mach 1 (in MN too!) that i use to daily drive in high school. the only thing i really didn't like after it was sorted was the attention that it gets and how easy it would be to steal. a 72 mustang can be stolen with a little bit of wire and something to remove the steering wheel(without aftermarket thinks like an alarm/kill valve). the other thing i didn't like was the stove pipe auto choke systems and stock carbs on the 72' (it was a known issue for the 351m). My opinion is that you can daily anything if you have the drive to do so, it just takes time and $$. I still have my 72' he's just down for a rebuild.
I suppose that you can get a classic car fitted with a lot of safety gear like a roll cage, better tires,brakes and suspension but definitely can’t make up for safety as you said, the gap is too large to compensate for. The only other room to improve the safety is the driver and the nature of the car in a situation where defensive driving is needed
Yep. You can make a classic less likely to get into an accident in some ways and safer if you are involved in an accident some ways, but the classics will just never be as safe as modern cars. The risks are still far lower in my Mustang than on my Triumph, though.
And the driver is the number one most important and effective safety feature. Improvements in passive safety have been paralleled by deterioration in drivers in my experience.
@@mkshffr4936 that is true, it all too easy nowadays to crash and simply shrug it off and walk away to get another car with your life and most of the time unscathed.
The major difference between driving a "classic" and "modern" vehicle is that you have to drive the vehicle and actually pay attention while anticipating anything with a "classic" vehicle. As long as the vehicle is well maintained, driving anywhere and anytime shouldn't be an issue as long as the driver is paying attention. My semi-daily driver is a 78 Ford F-150. - I don't drive it as much due to gas prices....
I daily my 1981 celica it's kinda like a middle ground between a 70's classic and a 90s car. Carb and ball steering but factory power brakes and electronic ignition. It's a decent DD but I love it. Great video btw.
Hey Mate, this is an awesome video, I appreciate your perspective and multiple considerations. Many of these questions have crossed my mind over the years. I have a 66 Mustang Convertible and relate to the scenarios you covered very very closely. I have a Kia sedan daily driver, but would like to transition to driving the Stang more often. You have inspired me enormously! Many thanks, Mark 👍
Got a 1972 Ford Ranchero 4 months ago that was sitting in a garage for 10 years of its life and had to do lots of maintenance, many of the upgrades and parts I changed were exactly what you pointed out before it was ready to go but man was it worth it.
It can be a lot of work to get everything fixed up correctly. It's taken years to shake out some of the issues I've had. Glad it's been worth it for you!
And now that car is grateful and happy to be in a home where it won't be locked in a cage all day!
@@Contractnik Yupp I daily drive her now and haven’t had any real issues besides many gas stops :)
@@randomologist77 It has been worth it, I drive her almost everyday now to work or just getting groceries and it’s a treat here in California to have a V8 :)
@@RamonGarcia-lk4xu
Pfffft!
72’ El Camino-Team CHEVELLLE
Driving a V-8 in California,
is a TREAT for CHEVRON😕
I've got a classic car, a 1963 Studebaker Avanti. I have spent the last ten years restoring it, and I decided to gently restomod it in order to improve the experience of owning and driving it. It's all inconspicuous (except for the 3 point seatbelts, and the non-original seats with headrests, which I really wanted for safety in the event of a crash), and completely reversible. The engine needed rebuilding and I converted it to EFI, and I swapped in a modern Tremec 5 speed for the overdrive -- makes for an enormously improved experience on the interstate. I completely replaced the interior, including the dash pad and all new gauges. I took an original radio, which I bought on ebay for $25, and had it converted with modern electronics, to be AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth compatible, and it still has a port that tucks under the dash for an iPod. I upgraded the disk brakes to bigger rotors and pads, and had to replace the original 15x5 inch wheels with 15x7 alloys in order to run modern radial tires and have less unsprung weight. It still has the old worm gear steering, and with the Avanti... I've never read about a rack and pinion conversion that was completely successful. It takes a center tie rod mount, and the available units are pretty light duty (e.g. early '90s Cavalier, or Dodge Neon) and the conversions that didn't have dangerous amounts of bump steer, ended up with a larger turning radius. I just have to live with the stock steering. It still drives just fine on the interstate, for the most part, but there are some curves and off ramps I have to slow down a bit more for because the steering is less precise than a modern rack and pinion.
As far as safety is concerned, thankfully the Avanti was a very safe car for its time; it had a roll bar integrated into the frame, and the gas tank mounted above the axle like a modern car, instead of behind it like most cars of its time. But what was advanced in 1963 is woefully behind the times today. As noted here, the road and wind noise are higher, and it's just the nature of the beast. I've brought mine back to where it's honestly as good or better than when it was new in many respects. And my goal, which I think I have largely achieved, was always to bring it up to a level of nice appearance and reliability where I _could_ use it as a daily driver if I wanted to, but I don't plan on it. I just use it as a frequent driver (unless there's snow and salt on the road, when it stays in my garage), and as a backup to my daily driver in the (thankfully rare) event that my Honda has to go into the shop for repair.
I was driver side t-boned in my 67 mustang when I was a teenager. It was completely stock (no roll bars, no cage, only lap belts). My door was pushed in about two feet and the roof and pillars were crunched. I didn’t have a scratch on me, and the window (which was rolled down at the time) was completely in tact. These old cars are a lot safer than most people think. I do recommend upgrading to disc brakes though lol. Great video and beautiful car.
Fun fact the longer a crash is the less Impact it will have on the person. Because the force gets spread out instead of just going all into one place
No doubt classic cars aren’t rolling death traps exactly, but for a lot of people, safety ratings are important. I can’t in good conscience say cars even prior to the 2000s are close to as safe as todays cars. The good news is less distracted driving equals fewer accidents and classics do seem to keep a driver more focused on the driving. :)
Back in 1978 when I turned 16 I got my grandfather's 1970 Buick Electra to drive and loved it. Probably the only smart thing I did in that car was to wear both the lap and shoulder belts which were two completely separate belts. It was a dedicated effort to buckle up in that car but I did. One night in 1982 a drunk driver in a Chevrolet suburban hit me head on. Because of the size of the car and the fact that I was wearing both belts, I walked away with only bruises from the belts which was far better than the unbelted other driver who had massive head and chest injuries from the steering wheel.
@@randomologist77 One of the biggest safety issues with classic cars from the 60s and 70s were the design of the seat belts. Lap belts only came in the mid 60s and few people wore them. Separate shoulder belts for the outboard front seat were added in 1968 and even less people buckled up both the lap and shoulder belts than people only using the lap belt with the majority being unbelted. If the same number of people who buckle up today had back then the safety statistics of the "classic " cars would be much better. As a young child my dad had a 1968 Olds 98 and he was the only person I remember that buckled both belts. He would get in, turn the ignition, push the cigarette lighter, buckle up both the lap and shoulder belts, light up a Winston 100s and drive off. Mind you that no one else in the car even had a lap belt on. I remember this routine when he took me to school. He was only driving me about 5 miles from home and he was going to be on the road all day. When I turned 16 and had the 1970 Buick Electra, the first week I had it I tried to duplicate his routine. I found that the car drove and handled better with the belts buckled and I also enjoyed the Winston 100s so two life long habits were started. The ironic thing is, the head on collision with the drunk driver I was involved in was only about 3 miles from home. Thankfully he and I as a child were never in such a collision as he would have been fine and I would definitely have gone through the windshield. Times have changed. 😆
I have kidded my dad that today his lack of my wearing a seat belt as a young child, especially with him buckled up, would be considered child abuse today LOL. He said he thought he was being responsible by buckling up and really never gave it a thought to make anyone else in the car do so.
Lol I daily my 1970 Monte Carlo. It is doable just like it was 50yrs ago. If it’s completely stock it is perfectly doable. The only two things I can think of that can make a classic a nightmare or problem to drive everyday is the choice of camshaft you have AND if you have or haven’t already switched out the cylinder heads. Your stock camshaft is good but can be better. Depending on how much lsa you put and duration can affect how driveable it really is. Second, the fuel from now is NOT what they used back then. Unleaded gas back then did not have so much ethanol in it as it does now so in a way your slowly killing your engine or should I say cylinder heads. If you switch out your heads and put a good cam your car can be as driveable as your moms prius
If you want a daily driver classic, definitely drive it and experience/evaluate the handling, ride, and stopping power. The differences between different older (pre-1980s) cars is vast. I went from wanting either a 66 T-Bird or 63 Continental, to ending up with a 67 Riviera for precisely the above reasons.
Great advice. One thing to consider. GM was way ahead of their time. A 50s caddy is as "modern" a car as a late 60s dodge. My old boss used to compare the way a 50s caddy drove to a 80s pickup.
For me, the inside of a classic muscle car is the definition of a zen space. 🙂
Beautiful machine! Where you get the headlights? I’d be interested if you can make a video on the manual transmission swap you did all the parts needed to convert. I have a 1970 mustang that I’d like to convert to an overdrive manual transmission as well. Thanks
Thanks for saying so! It’s got its fair share of cosmetic issues, but it sure does photo/video like a show car hahha. You asked for it, so next up will be a video on the manual conversion! Look for it on Friday, and thanks for watching!
The headlights I purchased from CJ Pony Parts. Not sure of the true manufacturer. The packaging was super generic. I’ll cover it in a future video!
A lot of these reasons are why I love restomods so much. Keep the old looks but update to newer fuel injected engines, newer ac components, new suspension and rack and pinion setups. It's not really my thing but there are companies that actually make an electric chassis ready to swap your classic body on. Pretty cool option to have modern twist to a classic. Currently building a 66 C10 shortbed with a 2001 5.3 and 4L60e. Gonna add airbags to make it sit the way I want, power steering, and AC. Just want a nice turnkey driver.
I do agree, a properly tuned carb is very reliable as long as the weather or altitude isn't changing drastically. I'm just not great at tuning carbs and prefer to have something that can adjust on the fly more like a modern car.
Good advice, however, swapping to LED headlights usually doesnt require a conversion for most cars, and the electric draw is less than or equal to a halogen bulb so there is no danger.
I would love to daily drive a 1976 Cadillac El Dorado Convertible. This video has been very helpful!
im sorry but you are dead wrong on the steering on the highway. i drive a 1970 pontiac lemans and there is absolutely zero "himming and hawing" on the steering wheel on the highway. as with any vehicle, if you check your steering components, and keep them greased and replaced when they are worn out, there is no "himming and hawing" to keep your car in the lane. you clearly drove a vehicle with clapped out steering components. also as far as wind noise and road noise, that is easily solved by replacing your weatherstripping and putting updated floor and roof sound deadening in the car. also to your road salt point. the road salt will destroy ANY car in 3-5 years. whether it's a classic or a brand new vehicle
What feels like nice tight steering to you isn't the same as good rack and pinion. That's from my experience driving everything from $125k show cars to beaters which don't really belong on the road. The worm gears in steering boxes from pre-rack and pinion cars are sloppy at center because they have to be. You can over-tighten them down in an attempt to remove the slop, but that will cause binding and premature wear out of the steering box. Many 60's era cars came with steering ratios close to 20:1 coupled with the built in dead space on center. It makes for a lot more steering input than a modern car. A rack and pinion car will travel down the freeway and stay straight with far less steering input. "Hemming and hawing" is a pretty subjective description, but by modern standards, that's just what you're going to have to do on a lot of classics.
I have brand new weatherstripping throughout my Mustang. The windows have slight gaps at the top of their travel (yes, they've been adjusted) between them and the brand new, direct replacement, vehicle specific, high quality weather stripping. Was the vehicle in a fender bender over the course of 60 years? Maybe. Or maybe it just had typical fit and finish for a 60s car. Working on the tracks and mechanicsm on the inside of the doors to pull the window in tighter against the seal may help prevent being sucked out at freeway speeds and a luxury car like a Lincoln would obviously be much quieter. It all depends. In regard to tearing the interior out and upgrading the sound deadening, the Mustang's floor is completely covered with Dynamat. The rear seat has Dynapad. The headliner and doors have Dynaliner. Can any 60s era classic be made quiet? Sure, for a couple thousand dollars. Are many of them quiet at freeway speed from the factory? Absolutely not.
To see visible rust on cars before 10 years in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro is unusual and there aren't many worse areas in the country. Many vehicles around here go about 15-20 years before being really rusted out. Modern cars are dramatically more rust resistant than classics and that's just how it is. Consumers demanded it. I have full confidence that driving a classic in modern road salt applications here in Minneapolis would destroy it in 5 years. 10 at the most.
I like classic cars and I enjoy daily driving mine, but most 60s era cars are definitely not a good choice for almost anybody as daily drivers right as they came from the factory. I'm just trying to make sure people know what to consider and what to look for when heading down the classic daily driving path. I appreciate you taking some time to put together a detailed comment!
@@randomologist77I’m still waiting on his reply to you rebuttal 😂
Stumbled upon this video under my recommendations and recognized East River Rd in Fridley almost immediately! Great video!
had a 71 442 in 1998. it looked bad but i drove it every day to school in newark nj. 90 to 100 on the highway without a peep. smooth, straight, and quiet. shoulda never sold it.
Nice looking Mustang man. I daily my 65 mustang here in California all year round. I agree with all of your points, like you I have upgraded almost all of the major systems on the car. It stops and steers and rides as good as a new car. The t5 makes it pleasant to drive on the freeway.
I can guarantee you it doesn’t drive like a new car haha. It probably drives more like a car from the 80s-ish though. It still has the old school muscle personality and character, but without some of the rougher spots. It’s been a great experience!
I daily drove a 63 impala for over a year without a backup car. You can do it , stuff will break along the way but once the cars healthy it’s fun. Everyone’s should daily a classic atleast once in their life.
One of my dailies is a 1966 mustang. All natural with no power disk brakes or power steering and a 4 speed manual. In my experience, I personally would much rather drive it every day than most any newer car.
I just picked up a 67 Mustang coupe with a 351C with a 4 sp manual. Also no power steering. it’s built for drag racing so I’m interested to see if NY will allow the exhaust to pass inspection, or if it won’t allow as a daily driver car.
I’m glad I found your comment, makes me feel better! Hoping to do much more than just race it
@@Oouuii23 Nice find dude! Thats a really fun machine to drive, good luck with everything and enjoy that ride.
I daily drove a 1980 Trans Am with a transplanted and hopped up 455 in it in the early 00s. It was one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. Build them right the first time and be smart about it and you will have priceless return on investment.
With any used car, mechanical condition and maintenance is important. I've had my fair share of "issues" come up with the Mustang, but it's never needed towing. Honestly, one of the most troublesome parts I had was the thermostat of all things. I went through a 1/2 dozen defective new parts.
I drive a 1979 Dodge powerwagon as a daily driver and yes I am working on getting it in show condidion but will still use it as a daily driver
My coworker daily drove his restomoded 69 Camaro until he was in the middle of a 5 car pileup on the way to work one morning at it was totaled. He had extra insurance but it was a nightmare for him fighting the insurance companies regardless, especially because he built it himself.
Great thoughts on this. I agree with all you say. Keep on enjoying that experience! I once drove my 68 Mustang across Europe...8 countries in 4 days. Didn't miss a beat. Incredible!
My 72 GMC has an ls swap, quick ratio steering, ac, sound deadening, upgraded head lights, with a harness that runs the lights on a relay vs directly off the switch. Also I have 4 wheel disc brakes with hydro boost, all this adds up to a much better driving experience.
I have a 1974 chevy nova with a 350 small block and I work on it at least once a week sometimes
How many times are you fixing something which makes the car undriveable vs how many times are you tinkering or enhancing? Almost all my work is the latter lol
@@randomologist77 Same I am always wanting to make if faster literally just put bigger jets on my carb
Ofcourse you can drive classics daily, just like they did back in the day, just avoid your car being stolen, wrecked or scratch by other drivers
Eh I do actually starting to get in to putting over drive transmissions in older trucks to keep em up and running around in the mountains up here...
Thanks for the video! This should help with my AMC Eagle project. I'd like to make it into a daily-driver (not in winter). I'm in Minnesota as well, and I'm pretty sure I've seen a blue Mach-1 driving around looking quite like yours.
There’s one up in the Maple Grove area, but it you’ve seen it crusin around Minneapolis or Roseville area, it’s probably mine. Or if it’s parked in a ramp downtown somewhere 😂
I'm hoping to drive around my 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 as a (half) daily, the original tungsten bulbs are rather bright... brighter than my daily drivers even. winter weather, its getting parked and my crown victoria (no traction control, ac barely works, no abs, rwd) will be my daily. The '57 is a manual transmission on the column, with a v8, it'll be a fun car. no power anything for me.
i used to have an 88 camaro, not a classic but def a head turner, a guy door dinged me in a parking lot and insurance paid out $1400 for unnoticeable damage, i bought the car for $2500 which kinda shocked me
If you can afford the gas and can fix something in a pinch a classic is possible to daily. I fixed up my 85 f150 and I daily drove it 60 miles round trip every day for a few months. My biggest issue was the 12mpg I was getting so I wound up getting a Camry to save fuel. Other than that I would still be daily driving that truck to this day. it drives great, runs great, stops pretty good but I haven’t touched the brakes too much. Starts every time and most importantly for me the AC worked great.
I'm daily driving my 1976 mercury comet with the 250 ci Inline 6 and it still has manual brakes and she drives great and gets very good gas mileage and well technically i guess you can say its closer to new because it only has 33,000 miles I've only put 2,000 miles on it in the past year and it was stored in a garage for 30 years but I say you can drive a vintage daily all depends upon your preference and how much you keep the car maintained
Really thoughtful and balanced. Good job!
i personally think: if you can take care of it, go for it. its your car do what you want.
Me and my girlfriend have two 95 vettes.mines a convertible hers is a coupe.put 6000 miles on the convertible in one year and 15000 miles on the coupe.she drives everyday too work and back except in rain and snow and we take it shopping and on long trips.bought it for 8grand before the pandemic and crazy used car prices.previous owner dropped 16grand in it before selling it to us.we probably spent almost 2000 in parts for hers in that time and that's me doing g the work.mine was more of a project when I got it and put maybe 4grand into after purchasing it for 4grand.all ignition fuel delivery and most of the brakes and some suspension parts replaced.so you definitely can daily drive them but you better have some money on backup to devote to them or plenty of time and tools.