Overhaulin'

Can you suggest a classic car for everyday use?

I am wondering what kind of classic car would be easy to find, easy to repair, and is meant for daily use. I want fins, but I don't want to be driving around a show car.

Public Comments

1. 59 caddy or 59 chevy or 59 buick, you catch the drift.
2. I had a 1963 Plymouth Valiant once. It has small fins. It was a very reliable car with a 225 slant 6 engine(inline 6 cylinder). Those engines were famous for running forever (300-500 thousand miles). It comes in a pushbutton automatic, or a three speed manual on the column shifter(rare). You can get a sedan, wagon, convertible, or a two door hardtop. Good, reliable, cheap, easy to fix classic car.
3. 1964 cadillac, it has fins on the back.And if someone hits you your car will be fine,but theres wont,it is actually make of real steel and metal.
4. As mentioned above I would reccomend a cadillac. If you want fins, Big ones, They start in about 58 ' and end in the mid 60's. Although they still have a little bit of a fin set even into the 70's They are really great , well built cars
5. 1970's generation Corvette. You can get one unrestored for around $5-6k and if restored to normal normally no more than $12k. No computers, no exhaust issues, no fancy bells and whistles. Motor, body, seats, tires. Might not have fins persay but has the sharp edges. 1972 Corvette or so would be about right. Not to mention you can blow any kid away in their loud rice burner w/ just a touch of the gas pedal.
6. nothing better than a caddy with fins from the late 50's~mid 60's era. Good luck on finding one
7. A late '50's Mopar: an Imperial, Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge or Plymouth.
8. ranchero
9. Well, the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant had some small fins through '66, and they definitley hold up pretty well. I've got one and the only thing that took it off the road was my constant urge to modify it. The slant six holds up pretty well, but don't expect more than 20 mpg from one. And if you break anything, you can get most of the parts at your local NAPA. But try to get one with all the trim and bodywork intact - that's nearly impossible to track down. The height of the tailfin era was the late '50s. A lot of these cars are a bit harder to get parts for than '60s cars, but restoration supply houses should have what you need.
10. This is a very common question without a clear answer. The first question is what condition is the car already in. The older a car and the more it has been used increases its chances of being abused. Parts wear out and you will be fixing them. A person who has a classic usually sells it because they are tired of it or somebody died and it sits for a while. Sitting is also abuse. Maybe they don't have the money to fix it. Not keeping up with maintenance is also abuse. Now you have to ask yourself how good you are at mechanically. Not a bunch of shops specialize in older cars so you better know your stuff and who to trust. What do you do for parts? Many times parts are obsolete depending on the vehicle you have. Now, this is why driving an older vehicle is so cool. Most people can't keep up with the repairs.
11. 50s or 60s chevy, ford, or dodge all BEAUTIES!!!!!
12. 1959 Cadillac Deville or any late 50's Mopar
13. I use a nicely restored 1967 MGB-GT as my daily transportation to school and work. It's a sporty little car with responsive handling. The rear end gearing could be better, but it's an unusual and very fuel economical car (I get about 28 mpg out of mine). A well-tuned one can sprint to 100 mph, and they give great response on the highway with or without overdrive. Why did I buy one? MGB's are plentiful, a good one can be had for $5,000-$7,000, there's excellent aftermarket support from suppliers like Moss Motors (literally every part is available for them), and their little four-bangers are possibly the easiest engine I have ever seen to wrench on. I wouldn't even need a full set of tools for roadside emergencies...assuming I were to ever have one. I've had my MG for almost a month now and I'm thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. A classier daily driver is hard to be had for the money MGB's are going for. I love American classics, but with the way gas prices are, even something like a Deuce Coupe is hardly a practical daily driver anymore!
14. Hello, If I were you I would get a '78 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 . They are somewhat frequent ones, usually in good condition (all 911s was made from galvanized steel so they do not tend to rust), 2+2 and they are not extravagant. Instant driving experience just at the touch of the accelerator. :D Regards
15. Volkswagen Beetle
16. 300E