Classics as Dailys; Opinions

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Polyal

More dangerous and use more resources? That sounds like a paragraph Mr Harold Scruby and Sen Bob Green would conger up.

No it is something that a person who has driven more than 500,000 km in 1970s Falcons back when they were new, has been driving various new Falcons for more than 30 years since and about a year ago bought an XY which has been driven more than 5,000 km on city, urban and rural roads during good and bad weather in QLD and NSW conjured up based on their personal experiences.

[pottery beige]

you drive them much differently.. have to be on the ball a bit more.. respect their shortcomings compared to the newer stuff around you.. excess fuel bills is the price you pay for cool.. as dailys you either get into them or you dont.. they can be very rewarding...

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by flappist

No it is something that a person who has driven more than 500,000 km in 1970s Falcons back when they were new, has been driving various new Falcons for more than 30 years since and about a year ago bought an XY which has been driven more than 5,000 km on city, urban and rural roads during good and bad weather in QLD and NSW conjured up based on their personal experiences.

Cool so you know what given respect they are just as capable as any other car on the road. Just have to drive to the conditions.

I was driving the Alfa through a busy street just of of Melb the other day, my brakes are slightly seized and sticky but work well enough. Anyway you just have to leave a larger gap..thats it. Too easy.

Agreed safety for the driver is a concern as if a modern car hit me properly then it will probably fold like a tin can. But thats my choice.

[Mr Hardware]

Yeah scotty I drove my VH as a daily for about a month or so at one stage - 50km a day.

It was okay. Did the 'coolness' of driving an old car wane after a while? Yep. Did the fuel economy make me hide its full potential? Yep. Did the fact that i'm in a car that crumples like a tin can as opposed to a safe one pass my mind? Absolutely.

At the end of the day, the loss of creature comforts, the increased risk, the increased fuel cost do end up outweighing the coolness and fun factors.

[XR Davo]

Drove an XB Fairmont 302 as a daily for about 5 years in the late 90's. Had rear window demister power steering, so pretty comfy. Had to let her warm up for a good 5-10mins in winter or it would stall. Brakes were pretty bad but you got used to them. Cost me around 80 bucks a week just doing short 10km trips to and from each day (fuel was about 80 cents litre back then I think). Gee I still miss that car.

[302 XC]

Classics as dailiy drivers ???
Well if thats your thing , your preparred to enjoy the driving style and charactoristics of the way they were
Go for it

To start comparing whats better or worse (old Vs new) , maybe thats better for another thread
Life goes on and fortunately things are more advanced with time
Once apon a time people built fences with timber
I dont care how good timber is, or was , ill never touch timber for a fence again
Its steel or nothin

But theres plenty who swear by timber, and thats there thing

A bog stock BA would embarass most ol skool muscle cars
But if driven that old skool muscle is your thing, who cares

[Franco Cozzo]

I guess its all relative, someone who is into 70s cars would frown upon someone like me who prefers modern, then someone into post war 40s cars probably doesn't think much of "modern" 70s cars etc.

If everyone agreed, the world would be pretty damn boring I guess.

[Donny]

Iv had a classic (XB GT) as a daily before these cars were worth stupid money, and back then (90's) it was fine.
Then I had an XD Ghia 351 which gave me the best of both worlds, classic driveline and creature comforts right up there.. RS economy tho.

Skip ahead to now and I have my XY GT weekender. Its pov basic with average brakes, ok handelling, no mod cons or creature comforts etc, its pretty slow compared to modern performance stuff, but its super cool to drive.

No power steer - so what, its not that heavy, Harden up..
Average brakes/handelling - you drive to the cars capabilities and make allowances for it. And the car speaks to you when your on the limit.
Vinyl seats - no biggie, I put a towel down on mine, problems solved.
No Air Con - here in QLD in summer that can be a bit of a bummer, but all the windows work and its not so bad..
Coolness - PRICELESS...

For me why Id never have my XY GT as a daily again is down to the security factor.. aka theft, especially people pinchin stuff off it.
I couldnt park it at the shops an do what I had to do without the constant worry if it will be there when I come out.. And to a lessor extent here it is a bit of a pig in stop start traffic, not difficult to drive or heavy clutch/gears etc, but it does warm up a bit and in real heavy traffic it becomes not as pleasureable to drive.
A GT after all is a grand tourer and is most at home doing exactly that.. On a trip from Sydney to QLD or vice versa, its a pleasure to drive and I have done that a few times..

[Polyal]

Time for a K code Falcon 500 Donny..daily beater

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Polyal

It is really not that bad at all...off the top of my head Ive heard $5k all up

dunno who you heard it from....

I got 4 quotes for shipping and $5800 was the cheapest (to Brisbane).
Plenty of fees and charges which people forget to mention!
Then you still have to pay to get the car delivered to the port in the USA and GST is calculated on the TOTAL cost of shipping the car to Australia.
(It is a bit cheaper to get it shipped to Melb, but then what? I live in far north QLD)

[Donny]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Time for a K code Falcon 500 Donny..daily beater

I could never do a povvo Falc 500, I just spent a small fortune changing out the cheap n nasty RSA interiour in my XY as it was too povvo for my liking.

I could do a K code Fairmont, but would have to be XA an only have 2 doors or if I was to do the custom route, I could go a ZH Lane all tricked up an modified. Still none of them would be something Id leave at the shops..

I consider myself lucky tho, with the AU3 XR8 it has a lotta old school charm, character, feel and traits packed in with sum luxo too.. Win Win IMHO..

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

you drive them much differently.. have to be on the ball a bit more.. respect their shortcomings compared to the newer stuff around you..

Personally .. I still see a lot of older people driving what we think of as classics, but which they think of as "old reliable". They seem to cope with it OK ..

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Scotty85

As the title suggests, what is everyones opinion on using a pre-1988 vehicle as a daily driver? Im using Australian Falcons as a basis to determine "classic", thus the pre-1988 (ie: pre-EA) comment.

I wouldn't ever consider it personally. I like modern cars, they're comfy, safe and easy to drive. I like getting into a nice comfortable seat, put the air conditioner and CD player on, and knowing I have ABS and airbags to protect me if something goes wrong. I like having a car that doesn't attract attention and a car that is reasonably predictable. Plus I think daily driving, especially in heavy traffic, would be a lot harder on a classic car rather than a modern one.

Nothing wrong with having a classic as weekend cruiser though.

[Cabbage]

Depends what sort of 'classic' as well. Driving an xe falcon everdy would be a world away from driving an xp falcon everyday.

[OzJavelin]

I'm lucky .. I live 35km from work but it's a regional city and it's an easy drive (other than Roos). So typically I drive my "classics" as often as I can; to work to the shops, etc, etc. My two AMC Javelins and my VJMC bikes always get a good run .. Weather permitting. I don't tend to drive in the rain anymore mainly because I can't be bothered cleaning them but aside from that they could easily be my daily ...... As for long distance driving, I'll always take the modern car (soft!)

[Ryan]

Not what I'd call a classic, but I drove my VL everday when I was going to Tafe.

I have had thoughts cross my mind before whether to get a V8 HK/HG/HT Kingy as a daily, but I don't think I'd go as far back as a VL if I was thinking seriously.

[Kowalski]

I drive my XP wagon as my daily.
Well not "every" day but it's my primary car.
I don't see too much problem with doing it. Keep the car well maintained, and drive it like what it is (45yrs old) and there's never been a drama.....touch wood

[XP6]

I think any thing from XE upwards would be fine as a daily providing its in reasonable condish and not worked off its tits

[trippytaka]

Personally driving a classic in the daily grind is anything but enjoyable. I sit in an hour and a half of traffic every day - travel only 14km!

A classic car is respite from my worries. I don't want to have the experience
Of driving and beautiful car tainted by sitting in traffic, worrying about other morons in peak hour hitting me, overheating or anything else.

Different story if you only have a breezy drive.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by trippytaka

Personally driving a classic in the daily grind is anything but enjoyable. I sit in an hour and a half of traffic every day - travel only 14km!

A classic car is respite from my worries. I don't want to have the experience
Of driving and beautiful car tainted by sitting in traffic, worrying about other morons in peak hour hitting me, overheating or anything else.

Different story if you only have a breezy drive.

a pushbike would be quicker for that daily grind..????

[EF ECTIV]

my high maintenance ex used to drive a mint 1965 XP Falcon daily for over a
year before she decided to buy a new beetle... if she can do it, anyone can do
it... like has been said if you can accept the shortcomings you shouldnt have
too much of a problem...

It was a slow as **** 170 with three on the tree but looked awesome doing
it....

edit: **** I miss that car....

[pottery beige]

anyone that sooks about power steering must have stick arms...

[Crazy Dazz]

My “daily” is the bus between camp & site, but if I had to go back to working in the city there are two problems with this idea.
Firstly the same comfort/ safety/economy issues that every has already mentioned,
But there’s also the problem that if I had a classic it would be something that I had put a lot of time, effort, and money into, something that I continued to lavish care and attention on, and therefore not something I would want to expose to the daily grind or the masses of morons on the road in peak hour. If your newish car gets written off (as ours did by a hailstorm) you go “woohoo” and buy a new one. If your irreplaceable classic pride and joy is written off you’d be heart-broken.

[Werd.]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Not really, not safe, no aircon/power steering, stereo with just a radio or a casette player which haven't been in use for years, use tons of fuel, slow.

Classic as a friday cruiser, no problem. Not as a daily though.

Well I daily a Kombi.

Safe - This is the primary concern IMO, but a lot safer than the 90s charades most P platers find themselves in (or old corollas). It is technically less safe than the above mentioned cars, but a lot slower, and classic cars don't encourage hooning like 60-70KW 900KG manual hatches do. You would be surprised how quick some of these older cars are, 100KW Toyota 4AGE corollas that weigh barely a tonne etc.

Aircon/power steering is one of those "harden up" things :P

And fuel economy, you'd be surprised, 10-12L/100KM, Territory gets 13 so you can't really argue that.

Nothing beats driving a classic car IMO, new cars are nice but nowhere near as enjoyable. The looks from pedestrians (Positive ones!) and the waves from fellow enthusiasts are great.

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Probably because I was born in 1991 and "old school" to me is the 90s .

Born in 93, no probs with the 43 year old van here.

[Kamshaaft]

From what I've been around (not having a classic on the road but may do in the future at some point), fuel consumption and overheating are two of the most obviou issues. One that affects drivability just as much but never seems to get mentioned anymore is parking your classic in the sun then jumping in for a drive. Don't you DARE touch that belt buckle, or rest your arm on that chrome framed sill, and you had better believe those black vinyl seats are hot on King Gee wearers and girls with short skirts.

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

anyone that sooks about power steering must have stick arms...

Yep have to agree
IF my missus can drive an XC with 245s on the front sports steering wheel with no power steer and drive it into the heart of brissie 5 days a week and do it for years , some of you fellas really need to harden up

[Kamshaaft]

As long as it's not originally a power steering car. My missus had her PSTEER fluid level getting pretty low, and telling her she might want to top it up soon if she still wanted the luxury of being able to park the bastard or do low speed manouvres, she said "Oh it's not that hard without power steering, I've driven old chrysler's no worries".

I told her "yeah, good luck with that". Muscling a power steer car that has no fluid is possible, but she's not a very big girl.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Kamshaaft

From what I've been around (not having a classic on the road but may do in the future at some point), fuel consumption and overheating are two of the most obviou issues. One that affects drivability just as much but never seems to get mentioned anymore is parking your classic in the sun then jumping in for a drive. Don't you DARE touch that belt buckle, or rest your arm on that chrome framed sill, and you had better believe those black vinyl seats are hot on King Gee wearers and girls with short skirts.

These cars never overheated when they left the factory....
The problem is when people modify their cars they have no idea on the implications of what they have done.

My XB runs a factory 3 core radiator, plastic shroud, and an XC 6blade clutch fan and it never looses it cool. And I am in north qld....

Plenty of people toss away their thermostat... their shroud ... and replace their fan with a crap and dangerous aftermarket flex fan, then complain the car runs hot.

As for fuel consumption, my 302 is very thirsty around town, but still compares well with my AU wagon.... 16lt per 100km as opposed to 15lt per 100km.... on the highway its 12/13 lts per 100kmh as opposed to 10lts per 100km

And yes hot vinal seats do burn!

[Kamshaaft]

The overheating & hole in the fuel tank are aimed pretty broadly in that comment, to classic in general. Especially to anyone who has non malaise era 440.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Kamshaaft

From what I've been around (not having a classic on the road but may do in the future at some point), fuel consumption and overheating are two of the most obviou issues. One that affects drivability just as much but never seems to get mentioned anymore is parking your classic in the sun then jumping in for a drive. Don't you DARE touch that belt buckle, or rest your arm on that chrome framed sill, and you had better believe those black vinyl seats are hot on King Gee wearers and girls with short skirts.

My last new car was a black Mazda, with black leather seats and black dash, black carpet and black trim. It was black,black,black. Park it in the sun for 10 minutes and it was painful to hop in.

My white classic with chrome can sit in the sun for hours and it's not bad at all.

Like Jim says, overheating wasn't really a problem when new. I did 9000Km in my ZG last year. Stock 302c. Pleasure to drive. Very comfortable.

The issues for me were heavy traffic. It's probably the same as what truckies complain about. People cutting in front without any thought to the braking distances of the older cars.

The other big issue was wear and tear on the old girl. Plus it looses a bit of it's magic when it's driven every day.