Without the classic car (unless a Camry is considered classic), I did it after a marriage of 20 years ended.
I drove the US - Boston to the Florida Keys, Georgia to Denver - for 11 months. The Rockies, the Badlands, the Louisiana bayous, the plains, the deserts. No destination, just the journey.
I had this 71 Firebird Formula 400 Ram Air with M22 Muncie, traction bars, centerlines, and line lock. That car was fast as hell, considering it was a pretty heavy car.
@Synyster I have checked them out, the 32 or the 35 would be my picks. Kits start at about $25K and if I found an old car or truck, by the time I finished it I would have at least that much in it and a lot more time and still wouldn't have modern brakes and electrical components.
I have a couple older cars. I have a 1972 Chevy Nova that was my first car. I inherited it when I was 17. I have a 1982 Nissan 280ZX Turbo. A few old pickups and some older motorcycles. As a mechanic, most of the vehicles I have are ones that were in disrepair and I bought them cheap. In a few years when I retire, they will be my retirement projects. My dream is a 1939 to 1941 Ford pickup.
I'm fed up with old cars, but I'm gonna buy one of these soon, chrysler crossfire, not that old or classic but I looooooooove the art deco look of it :)
@Stereoguy 2005ish, not antique. but the streamlines are antique for sure, who could make one of these other than the one who owns Chrysler building hah
Gosh no ! We had one in the third bay for years . A 70 Camaro . He had worked on it for ever . It was powerful, beautiful , and so smooth . It was hand tuned down to the most precise settings . He only let me drive it a couple of times . I lost interest in it completely and had no interest because it was *his* escape and hobby. He felt bad spending time on it after a while even though I had no issue with it . He finally took it to a car show , just to show off . A man walked up to him drooling over it . My hubby said it was obvious he was a collector . He made my hubby an offer and my hubby was insulted and told me to load up , we were leaving . The man gave him another offer and my hubby said he had that much invested in it over the years . And started the engine and the guy offered crazy stupid money . He was about to turn it down and he offered his companies tool set . That did it . My hubby kept records and had photos of the work he had done . The man ate it up . Now my hubby likes souping up Jeep’s . 🤷🏻♀️ But those I Can drive
@Stereoguy the Jeep at the farm is really bad ass ! It’s lifted, huge tires , custom pipe bumper and roll bars . The sheriff in our county there wants it for his county vehicle . They are still haggling on the price . 🤷🏻♀️
One of the problems with that is obtaining fuel. Most of the oldies don't do well on unleaded gas (kills valve seats) and if it was a high performance model getting enough octane in the fuel to stop pre-ignition and destroying pistons is problematic. Those fuels can be found but not at every corner gas station.
@Stereoguy I wish I knew tbh. The costs can be very different.
I’ve always wanted a Porsche, but now I don’t want to “drive” per se. The FJ40, if it’s the right one, would be a lot of fun. I’d make sure it was equipped for off road because I’d take it on the beach for sure.
The bike is the easiest choice, but I’m not much on passengers, including my gf. I’d just want to ride and think, unlikely it’d go on the highway though. I’d use it on backroads primarily.
So I genuinely don’t know. It’s almost like I’d like an expert on each to pitch me - however odd that sounds…
@stratosranger That can be the case since there are only a few mechanics who really know how to work on that series of 600. Jay Leno has one or two of them and I believe it was the trunk closer that needed restoration and it was in the thousands.
@Stereoguy yup. Most of them didn't have frame or floor when he got them. Or brakes. The Fairlane has rot on the quarters but it'll be patched easy. The chevy have a new floor new gas tank new sending unit new brake booster. Inline six engines are really unkillable..
If you have time, patience and some mechanical knowledge/skills it can be a fun adventure. Unless modified, I would not expect a classic car to run and handle like the modern cars you are probably used to. All in all, you'll probably have some fun times.
I saw a vid on how they are building new ones now. Some company bought out the spare parts from a warehouse and you can get a better engine in them. Now if they also came with power steering, reliable electrical systems, brakes and suspension that would be some more steps in the right direction @Stereoguy
