Restored or driver?

[66 Sat]

Any car can become a "driver". It's up to the owner. Start with a showcar if you like, drive it around, eventually it will become a nice "driver".
Even unrestored original cars. They all started out like that, treat them as you want, it's your car and your life. You only get one shot at this.

 

[dadsbee]

Any car can become a "driver". It's up to the owner. Start with a showcar if you like, drive it around, eventually it will become a nice "driver".
Even unrestored original cars. They all started out like that, treat them as you want, it's your car and your life. You only get one shot at this.

Yep... Wife's 3690 original mile Barracuda.. going down our gravel road for a 100 mile cruise. It had 3209 miles on it when she bought it last year.

 

[Budnicks]

AS long as it's not a ratty POS,
I like drivers, semi restored while enjoying the car
like my current 68 RR, I got in 2005, but it's a 20 footer, looks great in photos
gone thru some changes, started out I painted it Ultra Flat Black (not a primer)
because the body had a shitload of dings I repaired, couldn't paint it yet
then I finally put the org. LL1 Surf Metallic Poly paint on it in Nov 2017,
it was Ultra Flat Black for over 11-12 years,
a bunch of people, up here, all told me they liked it better before, I painted it...
You get close & you'll see some flaws, it's a garage paint job,
some shrinkage in the paint or sealer, see some surface scratched under the color
but it's representable, not embarrassed by it
like if it was a ratty driver, (think Roadkill) with a bunch of holes tears etc.
owned it 20 years now, for a time I had 2 68 RRs, my old fast silver one
& this one, was Ultra flat black (not hotrod black) & both were RM23s

still just a driver, lots of bolt on stuff, performance wise

 

[Dave6T4]

Over 70,000 miles in 32 years. Yep, I drive it. At the same time, I like it to be a good looking ride.

 

[davek]

Driver for me ,will never be able to afford a show car and wouldnt want one. Have fun and drive.

 

[threewood]

I like a good looking driver. When I built my GTX I specifically had time and money as my focus. A full resto would cost thousands more and take much longer to complete. I set my goal at a year to complete and have it drivable. I was a little over but regret nothing. It's not perfect, still wears original, used parts but I enjoy driving it every chance I get.

 

[Hey-O]

Yep... just cars to me. Drive'm..
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I respect your thought process. You deserve what you have and you know how life really works. I don't need a Penis extension and the only furniture I need is to sit on, not sit in!!! LOL..... looks great under there, as always.

 

[Billccm]

I like a good looking driver. When I built my GTX I specifically had time and money as my focus. A full resto would cost thousands more and take much longer to complete. I set my goal at a year to complete and have it drivable. I was a little over but regret nothing. It's not perfect, still wears original, used parts but I enjoy driving it every chance I get.

And if you ever sell it it I know someone that wants it!

 

[OneWheelPeel]

Driver for me. Last two cars (late model Challengers) I had with perfect or close to perfect paint had one unfortunate incident after another and I obsessed over it. The type of car figures in to what I want, but a ratty primered old mopar looks good to me. Think Roadkill without the ridiculous shortcuts that keep failing, at least that’s the plan for my Coronet. If a shopping cart hits it I won’t have a fit.

 

[Big bill]

I like ruff beaters that run good .

 

[Runcharger]

I still drove these two after I finished them. It doesn't have to be ratty to still drive it. Contrary to popular belief if you finish everything nicely they are easier to clean. There is something to be said for a Mopar that just needs a topside wash once in awhile though.

 

[SlingLow]

I'm well into the driver camp but am surprised that no one has mentioned that a driver is an investment. Maybe not an appreciating investment, but an investment just the same. It is a financial investment in the sense that it will be worth more, or less, when you're through with it. My goal has been to be able to get all, or most of my money back when I sell mine. I've only sold one and I got back everything I had in it plus the travel expense to get it home. I was about $600 short of covering the tax and license paid on purchase. So, for $600 I drove this car for 3 years, improved it significantly, got a 97% return of capital (yeah, I used to be an accountant), and had a lot of fun with it. I consider that a 'win'. However, the real investment is in lifestyle and that has a much greater value. A pile of money in the bank and an empty garage doesn't do it for me. I like some rolling stock to take up some of my time and entertain me. @dadsbee and many more of you have this down at a higher level. Keep on keepin' on. Life is good!

 

[68BabyBlue]

I'm well into the driver camp but am surprised that no one has mentioned that a driver is an investment. Maybe not an appreciating investment, but an investment just the same. It is a financial investment in the sense that it will be worth more, or less, when you're through with it. My goal has been to be able to get all, or most of my money back when I sell mine. I've only sold one and I got back everything I had in it plus the travel expense to get it home. I was about $600 short of covering the tax and license paid on purchase. So, for $600 I drove this car for 3 years, improved it significantly, got a 97% return of capital (yeah, I used to be an accountant), and had a lot of fun with it. I consider that a 'win'. However, the real investment is in lifestyle and that has a much greater value. A pile of money in the bank and an empty garage doesn't do it for me. I like some rolling stock to take up some of my time and entertain me. @dadsbee and many more of you have this down at a higher level. Keep on keepin' on. Life is good!

I always figured I could come close to break even on a good quality car, purchased prudently. Learned this with my first GTX, purchased in 1977, and my daily driver for four years. I spent money on maintenance, but I ended up selling the car for 20% more than I paid for it initially, and got to drive it more than the next six GTXs combined. My dad never did that well on anything he had owned up until that time. Baby Blue was at the lower end of the spectrum of the seven GTXs I owned over the years, but gave me the greatest return on re-sale, twice.

A friend of my dad's, who owned a 40 car collection, put it well when he said that costs of the car hobby were cheaper than playing golf at a country club, and a lot more fun. The gentleman who sold me my third GTX, and had a 25 car GM collection, told me he planned on returns slightly less than money market rates, but again, had a lot more fun.

 

[SlingLow]

A friend of my dad's, who owned a 40 car collection, put it well when he said that costs of the car hobby were cheaper than playing golf at a country club, and a lot more fun.

Plus, I drive much better than I golf! I did hit a hole-in-one day before yesterday - on the Wii. It's winter out here.

 

[Billccm]

There's a few exceptions to the rule, but NO AUTOMOBILE is an investment. Cars require safe storage, insurance, maintenance, and in our case repairs are somewhat frequent and expensive.

I know you bought a Hemi B Body for 70 ten years ago and it's doubled in value. That's a exception, but even that 2x appreciation wasn't without overhead expenses.

I've owned 5 B Body Mopars, all big block auto cars that were mostly stock driver quality. I made money on one, and the amount of money I made didn't really cover all my expenses on repairs and upgrades.

 

[Budnicks]

Yep do it for the love...