Classic Car/Hot Rod As A Daily Driver In The Mid-West

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

Michigan:

currently I have a '01 grand am gt as my daily driver it's got 190,000 miles needs new tires,brakes,bearings,alignment..etc but it has done the job and for the price I paid and miles I put on it, it's worked for me, however I'm not a new car person..I love the old cars, driving of them, the look of them..just everything. I live in Michigan and am highly considering getting this cheap 1958 Bel Air..it's got a 283 and powerglide transmission...it is lowered some, it's no where near a show car and would make a nice and fun daily for summer but my concern is winter....just wondering if anyone else drives a classic as a daily and what's it like in the winter...it gets in the negatives in Michigan and we get quite a bit of snow..basically I drive 72 miles round trip 3days a week to college other than that it's just a few miles back and forth to work, will I have problems with it starting? Will it handle alright threw the snow?

so what you guys think, any tips or suggestions...it will defiantly need some sort of heat system installed so I dont freeze to death!

 

[sixtall]

I don't drive an oldie everyday, but I wanna see some pix of that '58 !!

 

[fuzz]

You need to ask yourself "What did they do with 58 Bel Airs in 1958?, they drove them in cold weather." If the motor's in good shape, strong battery, it'll start. Heater core in good shape? blower works? You won't freeze! Got more weight than 01 Grand am, it'll get traction! Will the road salt eat it up? Yes it will!

 

[hotrod preacher]

i'll be mr. negativity on this one-sorry

the grand am, being a fuel injected motor will start easier, and have easier "drivability" just from that alone.....(carbs, chokes, all need GOOD tuning for cold weather driving)
the salt will eat that sweet old car up in no time..which, concerns me more than it eating up a grand am...

as far as it being a cool car to drive compared to the grand am? you bet, and i don't want you to think it can't be done, or shouldn't be done.....but its driving characteristics -esp. in winter -will be DIFFERENT

just trying to be honest but not trying to be a know it all
and def. show us some pics of that 58!

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

hey honest is always the best way to go...I would put some rust protector on the frame thats for sure probably por-15 or something along those lines..but I would be concered about the rockers,doors and fenders those always go here in Michigan, however it would probably only be driven for this winter as this is my last year of college in Michigan then I transfer to Florida to finish my final year...my main thing is I plan on selling the grand am anyways seems I looked a '01 Tahoe and there nice I like em a lot but for some reason would rather put my money towards something old than something everyone drives but safety and reliabilty has to be the biggest factor because I have to get to school and back on time and to work on time

heres the listing for it


1958 chevy bel air two door post.
Original 283 four barrel engine with recently instaled edelbrock intake and carb.
Original cast iron powergluide in working condition.
Car has been lowered front and rear.
New parts include gas tank, rear bumper ends, brake shoes, wheel cylenders,, drums and hardwear. New tires, Converted to HEI from points and has new plugs and wires. New radiator with built in trans cooler. Brand new EZ-wire harness still in the packaging ready to instal. New glass pack mufflers (Thrush). New drivers rear quarter panel. Beautiful 1991 Lincoln Continental Executive Series blue leather power seats, switches included.
Some other odds and ends extra parts with the car.
Car runs and drives nicely.

Asking $4,500 O.B.O. Or -Trade-.



I'm to lazy to upload the picts on photobucket right now so I'll just put them as attachments

 

[Plymouth rat]

nice car classic crime, i had a 56 chevy and the wipers worked off the vacuum, that means they sucked, check to see if the 58 has vacuum wipers, if it does, not good for winter driving at all, and the 58 will be hard on gas for you, consider that, i myself would not drive the 58 for winter commutes , i would go with the grand am style of car,.. just my thoughts

 

[cycledog]

As low as it is you might be plowing snow instead of driving through it. Looks cool tho, if you can manage both I'd sure go for it.

 

[Sam_Fear]

DON'T DRIVE IT AFTER THEY HAVE LAID DOWN SALT!!!!! Are you crazy???? That liquid salt - calcium chloride will eat that thing away in a year man! Might as well drive it into a tree, it'd do less damage.

My old stuff doesn't get back on the road until 3 good rains after the last salt spread. And like I said, the liquid stuff is even worse. And I live in Iowa. My work just got used equipment from MI and it makes our IA stuff look brand new. Had to have the frames sandblasted they were so bad looking.

 

[CORPO]

I live outside chicago.. and as cool and fun as it would be driving a classic year round.. i dont think it would work out to well... but thats just my .02

you could always rock a classic till first snow.. pick up a couple hundred dollar beater to get you through the winter.. and then hop back in the classic as soon as the weather breaks.. i would like to do that with my truck when its done...

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

good points, didnt even think of the whipers...the whipers suck on all my old cars haha

but yeah I think I'll try to sell the grand am, get the '58 fix it up a little and enjoy it as a summer daily and find a cheap reliable winter beater

 

[Old Gold]

Buy an 60's pickup, they're plentiful here an cheaper.

 

[coostv]

I considered this a long time ago. I came to the conclusion that I would hate to see what one winter would do to it. Around these parts there is a a mid sixties flat black and lowered Chevy or GMC pickup I see year round, never seems to look any worse than it did the prior year.

IIRC you live towards the eastern side of the state. They salt the living daylights out of the roads over there. All I remember was hoping I did not loose control on the salt. Grand Rapids area does not seem to get as much salt dropped.

Chris

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

yeah I wouldnt mind finding a 60's C-10...very nice trucks, love the look of them...and hey I bought my '68 Cadillac Deville from a guy Cedar Springs back in March..I've put way to much time and money into that car now, it's in the paint booth right now getting a satin black paint with a metallic red roof and some red metallic scallops for the old school look then it'll be up for sale to help fund the '30 model a coupe project

 

[Dragfink]

Dude, you got rid of that nice original paint and vinyl top to paint it satin black?...like EVERY other "Rat Rod" out there?...and you're just going to sell it anyways?
...that thing looks b*****n' just like it is...why not let the new owner decide if he wants to paint it or not?
...just my opinion, but I think screwin' with that original paint and top, is going to drastically, REDUCE the number of potential buyer's...I could be wrong, but I don't think so...

 

[Thunder1]

A really bad ass car you have there. The original color would have worked better IMO too. Why does everything always have to get painted black?? It's seriously overdone nowadays! Here again, just my opinion. Good thing my opinion doesn't count huh?

Thunder

 

[Sam_Fear]

Number of vehicles I see on my daily work commute with big rims: 5-10
Number of vehicles I see on my daily work commute with flat black paint: 0
Flat black is over done, maybe at car shows and on the internet.

If its a daily driver - paint it black.

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

Dude, you got rid of that nice original paint and vinyl top to paint it satin black?...like EVERY other "Rat Rod" out there?...and you're just going to sell it anyways?
...that thing looks b*****n' just like it is...why not let the new owner decide if he wants to paint it or not?
...just my opinion, but I think screwin' with that original paint and top, is going to drastically, REDUCE the number of potential buyer's...I could be wrong, but I don't think so...

I liked the look of the original as well, but what you cant tell from those pictures, is there is rust holes on all 4 corners, rust spots in 3 spots underneath the vinyl top, the top had cuts in it and all the clear coat pealing on trunk and hood, along with a few large scratches on the door and a large dent...it needed a lot of work..so I took the top off, did the body work...I have the paint for my Model A and I cant afford to go out and put a ton of money into a paint job, especially for a car that I'm not keeping...so this is what I'm doing, if the new owner doesnt like it they can re-paint it..but personally I think it'll look good and I havent had any problems selling any of my other cars last three cars I sold I made nice profits on