I AM MOVING SOUTH AGAIN PROB END OF NEXT SUMMER...SO NO MORE SNOW OR COLD FOR ME...EVER..

cruise season is getting going full swing now.

I had the car out today for a really nice cruise to help a buddy put the engine/trans in his today.

Today was nice. Those nice days are fast coming to an end.
The truck is my winter driver, so it will be driven all year. Fortunately, I'm retired, so if its real nasty, I'll just stay home. They are calling for decent weather through next weekend, so the coupe probably gets put away after next weekend.
Anyway a few pics of our short ride today.

RETIRED ALSO IN 2010...I WILL STAY HOME IF ITS TOO NASTY ALSO.. ENJOY

"Back in the day" they were for the majority full time daily drivers in all parts of North America. I bought my first car in 1969 a '69 Road Runner in April of '69 and by November '69 I was having snow tires put on. I lived in Western PA outside or southeast of Pittsburgh and it had all the elements that Detroit cars just loved, snow, salt, rain, and hills. Had 3.91 Suregrip and full on snow tires as there were no "all season" tires (think all season tires were not until late '70's or there abouts??) and besides most cars were rear wheel drive and with "summer" tires you were just a chicane on the hill for others shooting the hill with real snow tires. Great sport. Tried to get to the 25 cent car wash as often as possible to get the salt off but the lower rear quarters on the RR only lasted about 3 or 4 years or snow/salt seasons. My GTX right now has close to 100,000 miles on the odo and it spent the majority of its life in first, So. Cal then New Mexico and then El Paso, TX so I try not to get salt on it but still take it out if it's not too bad during late fall sometimes in winter and then early spring. I took it out yesterday and on the way home I stopped at the $2.00 ( ) self-car wash because you can't break old habits And as again from old habits I also washed the engine. Some of you "heater delete" girly guys and you run away to warm weather retirees need to stop dissing on us too dumb to move south, love where we live 60% of the time you old cold farts. Do we diss on you for having weather that cracks the dash pads and damages the interiors and is worse when driving with no air conditioning than with the heater on? Adversity breeds character I was told.

(BTW should my hood pop up spring be painted, natural or some kind of plating like the hood latch? thanks)

Mike

Mike, You could always become a snowbird.

There are a bunch of old farts out here that only come down from Dec to April

OR ,,,send it out to me. I stretch its legs for you in the winter


ps, hood spring is black phosphate

Not retired yet, many years to go, but looking to make the move from Lexington to AZ soon. Love it out there.

the first winter i had my charger, [1972] i had white letter McCreary L70-15 lug snow tires mounted on 15x10 chrome reverse wheels.
looked good, didn't go in the snow.
the car got parked every winter after, and $25.00 beaters [remember those ? ] were run, then retired to my junkyard when they were used up.

As soon as I got away from my parents house, I always had a $25 beater! I needed one to get back and forth to work on most Monday mornings. Weekends were tough on Road Runner parts I pretty much had one full stall of the 3 car garage I rented full of broken Mopar parts. That continuous search for replacement parts developed into a pretty good side business.
The beater car to get to work just carried on through the winter. Life was pretty god for this guy through his 20s.

Had to chuckle to myself over this thread, and one of life's weather ironies. Here In Pasadena, Tx the summers can be hellishly hot and humid. I usually don't drive in the months of July, August, and maybe September especially after a summer like this past one. With no a/c, headers dumping in massive amount of heat into the interior, the car is a veritable sweatbox. But I can relate to you guys putting cars up for the winter. I'm originally from LI, NY, and spent 2 winters in Vermont. No matter, drive the old iron when you can.

After I had my 74 Duster360 redone in 1986, I bought a "winter beater" - was a 74 4dr dart, 318 car. It was running on 7 cylinders - pulled valve cover - yup, had pushrod thru one rocker ! Grabbed a rocker out of parts bin, and the 318 was GOLD (135psi on all cylinders) !! . . . car had 4 different tires on it, changed to 4 good tires I got from neighbor and did brakes all round, added factory cruise control . . . was awesome car ! Was all into it for $475 !! LOL . . . oh the good ole days. Is there anything such as "winter beater" anymore ?? Certainly not under $1k ?? . . .