why do you drive a classic?

C

chevo

Guest
Now I know this is off in the realm esoteric, but bear with me...Today as I was driving my 52 down south congress, with heads turning, and people honking, I was thinking to myself, just what is it that makes driving these often cranky and inefficient dinosaurs around so rewarding? For me its about the connection to the past. Its that old car smell (that my 6 year old son loves and my wife hates) and I sure dont mind the attention....Let me know why you do it too.

....it feels good to be an anachronism

:beers: Chevo
 
The first thing that happens when I lay eyes on my Buick is I start to remember long ago days when my life was simpler. I remember my dad who loved Buicks and some of the old men who smoked cigars while driving their Buicks. Then when I turn the key and step on the magic starter pedal the car becomes an instant time machine transporting me back in time to the early 50's.

I turn on the Somomatic radio and hear songs from the past on our local oldies station which helps the transformation.

I have to confess that I take a certain pleasure in zooming along with modern traffic in the fast lane at the very edge of illegal speed feeling slightly superior somehow as I sit high above most traffic.

Sure I know that there may be a problem or two that pops up but that just adds to the excitment of driving an old car. I feel that I am able to fix anything that happens while driving and after all not just anyone can trouble shoot their car and get it going again with a rusty bobbie pin, electrical tape, and a screwdiver.

One other thing about driving your car often is learning to trust in it's ability to perform while at the same time making a mental checklist of items needing service.

I know some people enjoy looking at my car but that is not important to me anymore. I'm glad if they find pleasure seeing the car and hope it stirs memories for them but don't care for people using my car as an "eye test". I know about the flaws and look on them as character lines. If it was perfect it wouldn't be a daily driver.
 
Classics

:waving:Hey Chevo

It is diffinatly a connection with the past.

Most people don't realize even what type of car your driving,

They Know it is OLD and it rejuevinates a connection with the past of better days and family outing and events.

Grandma and Grandpa had a car similar to this.

It reflects a time where hardworking people would spend Good Times with Family and Friends on a Sunday when the stores were CLOSED, everyone when to church and NOBODY had to Work.

It was a day RESERVED FOR TOTAL RELAXATION!

PEOPLE RELATE TO THIS.

Old Cars and Family Values.

This reflects the "Post War" Era where familys were close after loosing family members in effort to keeping our country save from communism.

At this time "Family" gave the impression of Hope, Security in Numbers and Entertainment Value. Before the "Boob Tube". This was reality!

Remember the Movie "Field of Dreams"

Today People relate to cars of dreams and remember the Good Times as life used to be in better times when people had noothin and didn't care but shared their time set asside for friends and family and to share a few laughs in comfortable surroundings without annoying cell phones and other distractions. Sundays were always reserved for only special occassions.

Just Sharing My thoughts on the Subject!

And Vehicles of this era are a lot simplier to fix

Regards,:beers:

Tom Gallagher:shield:
 
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Well I'm only 25 so nostalgia cars to me are 1985 Camaros and such. I've just always loved old cars especially 50's cars even though they were made 25 or 30 years before I was born. I have an old taste in cars i guess. :shifter:
 
you have the "born in the wrong decade" issue SM_General...but dont feel bad..theres tons of us that were born 30 years to late too~!

-jeff-
 
I'm 29, but I've been working on cars since I was 11 (my Mustang). I just hate new stuff. I can tell you the year, make, and model of almost any car built since 1930. I had my 1st pedal car when I was 2. I have a room in my house filled with old car advertising and toys. My wife and mom say I'm an old man trapped in a young man's body, but I'll always own as many old cars as I can afford...I love ALL old cars and I just am not sure why! I can tell you one thing...listening to a 6 volt starter cranking a motor over sure has more soul than a whiny gear reduction starter on a Camry.
 
50"s Nostalgia

If I lived down south with some of you fellows I would not even own a "new" car (I confess I have a Camry, the best, most boring, car I have ever owned). In the summer months I drive a 57 Buick Roadmonster, model 73, four door Riviera. My son drives a 2003 Alero for purpose but a 1956 Pontiac for summer fun.
Why do we drive "Classics"? Because it feels good!! My son's Pontiac is 26 years older than he is. Unfortunately my Buick is 15 years younger than me. However, every day this side of the sod is a good day!

with any luck I will attach some pics to this note.....no luck
 
Chris

The fun for me is letting the hammer down on a 40 year old Nailhead and watching the gas gage and the speedo race in opposing directions. When
you get to the next light some yuppie wants to know what it was that blew his doors off and you get to tell him that it was a 2 ton Buick. It's
best to leave off the part about the 340 hp and the 445 ft lbs of torque,
just let em guess.
 
Why I drive a classic

Hey Chevo you in Portland, Maine? (South Congres St.)

I drive mine because of the feeling I get when I start it up and actually feel the power and know that I did that!!!

I made it run, I made it look good (or bad) and I can not do that with my new truck. You can barely change the oil without screwing somethgin up with the new vehicles

Bob :bana:
 
Why are we drivin' em?

Ya know.....I've been asked that question so many times that I quit counting...I just don't have a really satisfactory answer! I think that it has something to do with "made in america" with everything from the raw materials to the finished product from here, put togather by just regular joes. As an engineer, I look at what was built and what it took to do it, I'm amazed!!! How'd they make a dime on these things? And the style...weather you love it or hate it, wait a year it'll be different! Detroit was not afraid to go out on a limb to try something. We collectivly bust our asses restoring these babys to levels well beyond the assembly line...Why? A honda, heck, any jap car, makes way more sense....Face it guys, these cars have one serious undefinable quality, MAGIC. No other word for it, and I'm diffinatly not immune to it. Why do I go through it just to roll down the road in one of these babys, I don't know. alleycat
 
The Old is New!

I am 26 yearold that has a 90% complete 56 Special HT. The reason why I am working my ass off to make this car a reality is because there is nothing on the road that looks like these old cars. Every car that is less then 15 years old looks the same. These cars where built in a time where owning a car was special and each car was loved. I am looking to spend my cars 50th year on the road. Thanks for all the help everyone has given me.
 
Why I drive em....

For me, it's because I have ALWAYS loved the 1940s and eraly 50s!

I'm only 30 yrs old, but I'll tell ya, I have almost nothing in common with people my age at all,....unless they're an 20-something 30 something yr. old guy or gal that was born at the wrong time like myself. I've had more friends above the age of 70 than below the age of 30! I can talk witha WWII vet and as weird as it is, I can remember two WWII vets on seperate occasions stop at one popint as we were talkinag about WWII, cars and music, cock their head to the side, and say, "were you in WWII?" or "were you around then??...boy you looks too young??!!" LOL! I took it as a compliment!!

Heck, when the other kids in school in the first grade were listening to the knack and songs like "hey mickey!"....I was listening to "Pennsylvania 6-5000, Elmer's tune, Shoo-shoo baby," by people like Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, The Andrew Sisters or Gene Krupa! I even remember that we used to have this time every week where you'd bring in 45 records and play them during "play time"...I brought one in one time and the other kids (and the teacher) thought I was nuts! I think it was glen miller, then I brought in the beatles (about one of the newst things i had been listening to..lol) and they still thought I was weird. Cool!:bana:

So for me, its definitely connecting to a time that I still kinda live in. My house was built in 1910, decorated deco and some modern early 50's and I have a Wurlitzer jukebox in my dining room,...yeah it works! I also try and catch the old radio shows on my Philco or Zenith Cathedral radio being re-broadcast out of Canada every night at 11pm-2AM on 900 AM. It's nice to fall asleep to the sounds of the Great Gildersleeve or The Shadow. My personal favorite is the Jack Benny Show.....that guy was great!

So, yeah, I'll drive my '50 GMC or '53 Buick (basically our family car)in my cuffed Levis 501's in a pair of Chuck Taylor's, hair slicked, with the likes of Johnny Cash, Slim Whitman, or the Gin Palace Jesters blairing from the speakers as I'm ridin' down the road.:shifter:

Old is the new "NEW" and don't be surpised when Pomps come back soon too! I've actually had more people (more women than guys thank GOD!) ask me how I get my hair to "do that??".....I have to chuckle a little everytime I hear it, then i answer, "its brought to you by the magic of a little thing called POMADE!" Of course 99% of the time, they look like a deer caught in the headlights at that point! LOL!!:confused:



Jason

PS. "(w)Rap Christmas presents, not music!" :bgrin:
 
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Portland, Maine???

Naw Bob, South Congress in Austin, Texas.....:beers:

Chevo
 
I'm 29, but I've been working on cars since I was 11 (my Mustang). I just hate new stuff. I can tell you the year, make, and model of almost any car built since 1930. I had my 1st pedal car when I was 2. I have a room in my house filled with old car advertising and toys. My wife and mom say I'm an old man trapped in a young man's body, but I'll always own as many old cars as I can afford...I love ALL old cars and I just am not sure why! I can tell you one thing...listening to a 6 volt starter cranking a motor over sure has more soul than a whiny gear reduction starter on a Camry.


WOW you are very determined to work with a car for so long! Are you glad with all the work you have already done? I am going to make a Buick Electra from late 60. and I am scared a little because it requires a lot of work...
 
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