Newer car VS old, beat up classic for a DD.

by 74MonteCarlo Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:01 am

Thought about this a few days ago. If you were put in front of you, a newer car or a beat up classic for a DD, which would you choose? I'd choose a beat up classic. Something in the late 40's. I'd love to have a 49 Chrysler for a DD Thumbs up

by IndyG3 Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:32 am

Well, if it's going to be happening, I "might" be getting a '73 boattail Riviera that needs a bit of work and using that as a DD Cool

by The Dude Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:45 am

Dang, didn't you just get a wagon for a DD?

I'm on the fence when it comes to that question though. My daily driver was my 76. It will be again whenever I get time to finish putting the font end back together. OTOH, there are some new cars that just feel "right". To me it doesn't matter if it's a 1955 or 2005 car, it just has to have the right feel to it. Something that can't be described.

by IndyG3 Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:59 am

Rago wrote:Dang, didn't you just get a wagon for a DD?

If I like this car enough, the wagon will be sold. I just don't know what I'm gonna do with it at this point...

by ant7377 Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:02 am

If not for road salt here in NY I would have a mint 77-79 Coupe De Ville for a
DD.Or a 79-85 Riviera.

by 77malibu77 Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:46 am

i like the sound of the 73 riviera
but my daily driver now is my 76 el camino classic
hmmm.... my dream daily driver would be along the lines of a 59 biscayne, 68 biscayne, or in the 70s my 1977 malibu classic all fixed up haha

by JB2wheeler Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:21 pm

You can say old cars are good cars if you want to, but they just do NOT compare to today's cars. If they made a new car with none of all this unnessessary junk on it, like GPS systems and heated seats and...well, the list is endless, you could not beat it. People buy new cars and NEVER use all this junk on their cars and all it does is add weight and cause lower gas milage and increased cost. They are so complicated that if you get a good one you have it made, but if you get a bad one you might as well junk it because it would NEVER be right. JB

by Roadcaptain S3 Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:24 pm

I will probably get a newer "old" car for a daily when I have to. I'm considering the 80's 90's cars, which I posted on the other day.

Classics are great. But when you might haul the family around in a daily, you HAVE to consider the modern safety features that newer cars have.
PS,PB,4 corner discs, or even just up front discs,ABS , crumple zones,airbags etc. can make a difference. So can gas mileage in an old car.

Would you put a kid under two, or your 85 year old granny in a car without AC on a 95 degree day? Nah.

If your just driving yourself 10 miles down the road to work, an old 40s or 50s car would be cool as hell. I love old cars, but I'm a BIG believer in the modern safety features on cars.

I posted up something similar on another site a while back, and got responses from all of the badasses who are the greatest drivers in the world, yapping about thir skills and how they would NEVER need ABS etc. Idiots.

by IndyG3 Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:43 pm

On second thought, I would like to add that although I really enjoy my Chevelle, my '05 Colorado is very nice to drive. I just wish modern cars would be built lighter so they could be a little faster and have a potential for better mpg.

by coreys73chevelle Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:53 pm

thats why i want to get a new project. itll be powered by a t56 manual and either a ls1, 2,3 or 6 motor for decent milage and power...either another chevelle 66,67,70,71,72 OR a camaro or firebird 67-69, or a gto 65-67 king

by 74Malibu383 Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:28 pm

coreys73chevelle wrote:thats why i want to get a new project. itll be powered by a t56 manual and either a ls1, 2,3 or 6 motor for decent milage and power...either another chevelle 66,67,70,71,72 OR a camaro or firebird 67-69, or a gto 65-67

Alright sounds good, I'm sure it will be a great project/car. However, you'll be into one of those cars for at least 20k before you start driving it. Think about it -

- Decent rolling body: 8K
- Used motor/tranny: 6K
- Interior: 1 to 2K depending on what you do
- Paint: 1-5K depending on what you want
- Wheels/Tires: ?
- Misc crap: ?

Your 73 Chevelle -
Your motor should make some good power from what you say you have in it. Dude, you want mileage, swap your gears or put a AOD tranny in your car (I'm knocking down 17mpg with a 700r-4 and 4.10 gears).

I'm not picking on you, just trying to be the voice of reason. I think you've done some nice work. Everything looks clean. Unfortunately, you're not going to sell that car for anything close to what you have in it. The only way you're going to get enough out of it to start the project you really want is to part it out. I only know you from this site, but I'm pretty sure that's not something you want to do. You sell this thing now, you're back to square one. You'll have a new project, no daily driver, and not enough money to finish it.

So, what to do? How about this... Finish your car, and drive it. You don't have to spend thousands on the paint or interior, just drive the damn thing. While you're driving it, save your money for the project you really want. I drove my car all through high school and college in various states of FUGLY. Who cares though.... I had a car!

by coreys73chevelle Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:57 pm

74Malibu383 wrote:
coreys73chevelle wrote:thats why i want to get a new project. itll be powered by a t56 manual and either a ls1, 2,3 or 6 motor for decent milage and power...either another chevelle 66,67,70,71,72 OR a camaro or firebird 67-69, or a gto 65-67

Alright sounds good, I'm sure it will be a great project/car. However, you'll be into one of those cars for at least 20k before you start driving it. Think about it -

- Decent rolling body: 8K
- Used motor/tranny: 6K
- Interior: 1 to 2K depending on what you do
- Paint: 1-5K depending on what you want
- Wheels/Tires: ?
- Misc crap: ?

Your 73 Chevelle -
Your motor should make some good power from what you say you have in it. Dude, you want mileage, swap your gears or put a AOD tranny in your car (I'm knocking down 17mpg with a 700r-4 and 4.10 gears).

I'm not picking on you, just trying to be the voice of reason. I think you've done some nice work. Everything looks clean. Unfortunately, you're not going to sell that car for anything close to what you have in it. The only way you're going to get enough out of it to start the project you really want is to part it out. I only know you from this site, but I'm pretty sure that's not something you want to do. You sell this thing now, you're back to square one. You'll have a new project, no daily driver, and not enough money to finish it.

So, what to do? How about this... Finish your car, and drive it. You don't have to spend thousands on the paint or interior, just drive the damn thing. While you're driving it, save your money for the project you really want. I drove my car all through high school and college in various states of FUGLY. Who cares though.... I had a car!

I know and i am still working on it to drive it no way ill part it out, im not going to spend 8k on a car more like 6 max? but it must drive. then i can get a nice running ls1 with a t56 trans for about 2k with all the wiring and ecu and all i need to worry about is a fuel injected gas tank, motor mount plates, exhaust and oil pan.

by 74Malibu383 Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:09 pm

2K for all that stuff??? Didn't know you were looking for a high mileage LS1.

You want specifics.... Here's some on a LS6/T56 swap.
$5k for the motor/trans (USED)
$400 for an oil pan
$60 for the mounts
$140 for the A/C relocation bracket. (Optional)
$300 to get the fuel situation figured out
$600 for a computer setup
$600 for headers
$250 for a radiator w/ LS connections
$400 for electric fans
$120 for A/C condenser (Optional
$35 for an air filter
$35 for the clutch master bracket
$350 for a clutch and pressure plate
$150 for a steel flywheel
$35 for a shifter handle
$180 for a transmission crossmember
$15 for a transmission mount
$140 for hydraulic throw-out bearing
$180 for modified hydraulic master cylinder
$40 for T56 sensors
$150 for electric gauges
$600 for the fuel tank
$300 for the nickel and dime $hit that I forgot.

Hell, that’s $10K. And you STILL haven't got a car yet. Can you do it cheaper? Sure. But it will be a big piece of whoa nelly just waiting to fall apart with old used up parts. Granted you could reuse original parts like the clutch and pressure plate/flywheel… but how many times do you want to break down?

by IndyG3 Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:01 pm

If you really just wanted to have a car that happened to have an LS1 and a T56 it would probably be cheaper to either buy a 1999 or 2000 Camaro, or put that drivetrain in your Chevelle...

by dragons_lair59 Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:49 pm

for my dd id have to say my monte all done but as for my family dd 94-96 lt impala/caprice wagon

by chevy76monteman Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:59 pm

Depends on the new (newer) car...

If it were a 2008 or 2009 Pontiac G8 GT, 2000-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, or 2004-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS I would take them over a classic for a DD.

Anything else that's newer doesn't really appeal to me. If neither of the cars listed above were my choice, I'd go with any 2-door 73-77 GM A-body or 77-79 four door Caprice/Impala.

by Malicruiser Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:49 am

If you could get a new 2011 5.0 Mustang will all the options deleted, excluding AC/Heater, I would definitely have one of those as a daily over a beat up classic. OTOH once I'm done with the T56 swap for all intents and purposes I'll have a new car with a classic body style and feel, so why have a new car as a daily when having the best of both worlds is possibly cheaper and definitely more fun? scratch

Just saying.

by coreys73chevelle Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:03 pm

IndyG3 wrote:If you really just wanted to have a car that happened to have an LS1 and a T56 it would probably be cheaper to either buy a 1999 or 2000 Camaro, or put that drivetrain in your Chevelle...

cuz those cars are gay lol!

by Andy 75 Sat Jun 19, 2010 2:44 pm

My daily driver. Runs great lots of room. Keeps salt off the Oldsmobile in winter -Andy[url] Newer car VS old, beat up classic for a DD. PTemail002

[/url]

by 77malibu77 Sat Jun 19, 2010 4:48 pm

Andy 75 wrote:My daily driver. Runs great lots of room. Keeps salt off the Oldsmobile in winter -Andy[url][/url]

i used a pt loser for my driving school and ran into every cone because you can not turn for Turd

in them things

by texan01 Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:19 pm

I've got a 95 Explorer and the 77. Truth be told I had to drive the 77 for a week while the Explorer was down with blown head gaskets, and I realized how good cars have become, and how what was perfectly acceptable to me when I was 18, is now an awful commuter car.

I had a 76 for 8 years as my daily driver, and it was fine then, but fuel injection is a BIG improvement over a carb for driveability. the A/C on the 77 is much much better than the Explorer, but the circa 1984 Delco radio leaves a lot to be desired for volume and sound quality. It sounds good with an ipod but has no wattage.

Gas mileage really drops on the 77 when it's pressed into work duty, it goes from 16mpg to 13, no thanks to the 2.56 axle in stop and go traffic.

If it were me, I'd go for something with fuel injection made in the last 20 years. Don't have to be under the hood all the time tinkering

Save the classic for cruising when you want to.

by HDHugger Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:32 pm

For a DD, if I could only have 1 car, I guess I would take something newer with FWD because of the snow. But why limit yourself to 1 vehicle??? That sucks!

by knightfan26917 Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:30 pm

74MonteCarlo wrote:If you were put in front of you, a newer car or a beat up classic for a DD, which would you choose?

I don't think I need to answer this query Wink

. lol

texan01 wrote:I had a 76 for 8 years as my daily driver, and it was fine then, but fuel injection is a BIG improvement over a carb for driveability.

Agreed ... which is why my '79 Caprice was switched to TBI Wink

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by JasonZ Tue Jun 22, 2010 6:04 pm

All my stuff is a pos so all of it will be old.

by novaderrik Wed Jun 23, 2010 11:47 pm

i sold my 97 Cavalier over the weekend, so my 74 Monte is now my daily driver.
lucky for me i don't have a job and don't really need to drive anywhere. but even if i did, my Monte gets just about the same gas mileage as the 94 Chrysler LHS i had a couple of years ago and is only slightly less comfortable than the Chrysler was. it feels good to not have to squeeze all 230 pounds of my into a Cavalier any more..

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