This week's poll topic.... I used to love taking my BGT down gravel roads. So much so that I'd like to build a rallycross BGT one of these days, if I ever found a suitable car. Wouldn't want to tear up a good one.
It's interesting to me how many classics had successful rally careers--like the big Healeys and Minis, for example--but now never seem to see gravel.
Of course, good paint jobs aren't cheap, either.
I guess I would have to answer yeas and not. I don't think I will willfully drive down any gravel in my GT6 (when done) but I hunt for places that are worse than gravel in my Series IIA Land Rover!
A few weeks ago I was leading the group through north east Oklahoma on some winding roads. One in particular looked very rough to start and I was ready to turn back if it worsened. It got better. My car has an older paint job and gravel is not an issue for me but some others in my group have put a lot of money and effort in show finishes and they were following. All my paint chips have come on the highway.
Cheers Ron
When I was a kid, my father's foster mother lived on a dirt road. The thing I remember most was riding in the back of our station wagon and having all that dust sucked into the back of the car. A month ago, I was out that way and considered going to look at her old house, but didn't. I decided that even with the a/c on, I really didn't want to "mess up" my car by driving over 10 miles of dirt road. Besides, the only curves are at intersections of other dirt roads...and with trees and bushes on both sides it can be dangerous/expense doing slides on those back roads.
Ah, dirt and gravel roads.....now you're talking a subject that's near and dear to my heart.
Before I did any formal motorsports, I "raced" woods cars. Best race car training anyone could ever have. Here's my first woods car (below). An old (1951) Austin A-40. Got it for $20 when I was 15 (1966) and drove it in the woods behind my folk's house. Some days we'd drive it 20 or 30 miles through the NJ Pine Barrens "fire lanes".
I still have the con-rod that escaped from that Austin engine sitting on my desk. Even the police chief's kid had a "woods car" back then. Although we had no insurance or licenses, the cops looked the other way because we kept the fire lanes open....important in the fire-prone Pine Barrens. I had other woods cars including a Renault Daulphine, a Simca, a Hillman and a Ford Flatbed truck. I did SCCA Pro-Rally later on, but that was more terrifying than fun. I'd love to have a go at Rallycross.
Thats like something out of The Great Gatsby, thats cool.
Almost forgot to address the question. I'll drive on gravel, but would rather not if I can avoid it. Most of the "gravle" roads near me are really rock roads, with dime and larger sized rocks instead of finer gravel, and thats a different story. Its also uncomfortable with tighter suspensions.
If I didn't drive on gravel, my cars would be marooned in the garage (except when it snows).
I have had the 67 MGB GT for 30 years and even after a full frame-up restoration 16 years ago, I have never avoided gravel or dirt roads. The R compound tires do tend to kick up a bit of dust, so follow at your own risk!
I think I have put more dings in the paint from working in the garage than any driving I ever did.
Pete
I've had cars I wouldn't drive on gravel roads because of the paint job. Now I have ones that aren't so perfect I can drive on a gravel road if I want to. I like these type cars much more. 
Gravel roads taught me all about car control and weight transfer. I'd be a much worse driver without them.
no, but if I'm in my Supra I will only go quite slowly so as not to kick up any rocks. If I'm in my RAV4, I hope you're not behind me, ahead of me, or to the side of me. Last year blasting around on dirt/gravel roads in the hills around the Finger Lakes, I crashed into a wild turkey that thought it could outrun me...not on purpose, the stupid though probably tasty bird just didn't get out of the way fast enough.
Like Matt, we avoid them when we can... and drive very slowly if we do. No point in adding any more dings and chips than necessary.
One killer around here is when they "tar and cinder" a road... usually without warning... one day, the road will be a fun, out of the way twisty back road... and the next time you drive on it you're going: 
You'll need to log in to post.
