Story by Carl Heideman • Photography by David S. Wallens
Let’s say that you have decided to make a piece of classic machinery your usual ride—rain or shine, hot or cold, in sickness or in health. Overall, it’s a simple proposition. Back when they were new, most classics…
I've never had a new car.
I bought a few in the 3-5 yr old range.... Mini van, Chevy G10 van.
All the rest (I'm 66) have been 5-15 yrs old.
All daily drivers. As an example, I have 91, 99. 00 BMWs and a 99 F250 now on the road daily.
Breakdowns ruin any fun I might have driving these cars, so reliability is #1 for me. That means replacing things before they break. Rubber parts are my pet peave....brake lines, fuel lines , coolant, belts....and seals in pumps, icv's, hydraulic parts.
I like to pull the drive train, replace all routine wear items at once, while it's easy to get to them....not on the side of the road. I do my research regarding known weaknesses, and fix them before they break. I can then start the 10 yr/ 120K clock and RARELY have unscheduled repairs.
BTW, I don't kid myself that cheap parts save money. For me, time is the most expensive part.
You'll need to log in to post. Log in
