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- Wayback Wheels -
Vintage Car Talk
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- Practical Classic Car Ownership
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- By Aaron Neilly
A few weeks ago, while in a rally service area in the small town
of Viburnum, Missouri, ice pellets were accumulating on the ground
at a rapid rate. Weather reports from Ontario were equally grim.
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- Last year at that race, it was a sunny 75F degrees.
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- It seemed like forever since I had taken my little vintage
BMW out for a spin, but now that spring has finally arrived,
we'll all be able to get our classic cars out for a drive in
the sunshine.
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- Enough about the weather - now I'd like to share the idea
of practical classic car ownership.
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- Not all car enthusiasts are mechanically inclined. Some may
look forward to rebuilding an engine over the winter, while some
may fear the thought of doing an oil change. This could be a
determining factor in the purchase of a classic vehicle.
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- Owning a car that requires a lot of maintenance and constant
tuning (for example, a Jaguar E-Type) can become a very expensive
ordeal if you have to take it to a mechanic every time attention
is required. On the opposite end of the scale, a Volkswagen Beetle
requires very little attention and even someone who has never
worked on a car before can learn the tricks to keep one running
well, in most cases. I was actually pretty good with Beetles
by age 12.
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- When looking for a practical vintage car, keep production
numbers in mind. If a car is rare, parts will be rare as well,
especially if the car was never officially sold in North America.
I've been doing some work on a pair of Citroen 2CVs recently
and although they are an extremely popular car in Europe, no
parts are available in Canada. ( Even the oil filters have had
to be ordered from France.)
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- Also keep modifications in mind. Not everyone wants an entirely
stock ride and, in many cases, retrofitted engines, suspension,
brakes and the like can make a normally rather primitive vehicle
into a very drivable car. This does affect resale value, but
in many cases, the owner never plans on selling the car anyway.
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- A ‘50s or ‘60s American car with a modern, fuel
injected V8, power disc brakes and updated suspension, can be
driven as if it were a brand new car in some cases.
I've put together a quick list of some great candidates for reliable
daily service, weather permitting ... meaning they are not recommended
for winter driving.
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- 1964.5-1969 Ford Mustang: Coupe, fastback or convertible,
6 cylinder or 8, it doesn't matter … parts are readily available
almost everywhere, even body repair
panels. The Mustang’s timeless styling will always be admired.
(I'll take a forest green ’68 Fastback, please.)
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- BMW *2002: The styling isn't for everyone, but I love
them. The pre-1973 models with round taillights bring a higher
price, but with any year, you get a very reliable,
fun-to-drive little car, with lots of interior room and pretty
decent performance and fuel economy. The 2002 was one of the
first sedans designed with performance in mind and I know mine
has no trouble keeping up with (or passing) traffic on the 401.
(Note: "2002" is the model name, not the year.)
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- Dodge Dart: Okay, so the slightly dated design probably
didn't have much curb appeal in the ‘80s, but retro is cool
these days. Darts are bulletproof, (just in case you need that
feature) especially the models with the slant 6 engine. V8 models,
such as the Swinger are available as well, but expect much higher
pricing on those models.
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- Volkswagen Beetle: About as mechanically complicated
as a lawn tractor. Parts are readily available, and as far as
I'm concerned, nothing beats the character of a classic Bug.
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- Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: The same as a Beetle mechanically,
but with a coachbuilt body designed by Ghia. Sometimes coined
as the "World’s Slowest Sports Car," but who cares
about speed when your car looks this good?
MG-B: One of the more "finicky" practical cars.
If you find one that is mostly original, it can be a great little
car that is a lot of fun to own and drive. Most suffer from some
minor electrical issues and the carburetors can be a bit of a
pain as well, but if you find one that is working well today,
chances are it will continue to run well if you keep it properly
maintained.
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- Datsun 240z: A great looking, great performing and
very reliable car.Watch for rust, as old Japanese cars tend to
rot out in a hurry. Parts availability is decent and there are
also quite a few clubs that cater to Z car fans.
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- Porsche 914: The "Everyman's" Porsche. The
914 features a very reliable electronic fuel injection system,
4-wheel disc brakes, a removable roof, a midmounted engine and
can be updated with Porsche 911 brakes/suspension, etc. They
do love to rust, so check them over carefully.
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- Morris Mini: Fun to drive, unmistakable styling and
great parts availability. The original Mini was sold until recently
in Europe and will always put a smile on people's faces. They
even have quite a bit of performance potential.
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- These are just a few ideas of cars I have had some experience
with. Now it's your turn … research what you are interested
in and don't be intimidated by an older vehicle.
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- You can do it.
Aaron Neilly is a licensed mechanic,
avid car enthusiast and crew chief for a rally team in the Canadian
Rally Championship. You can e-mail him at crash_bandi@hotmail.com
if you have any "wayback" automotive questions.
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