How much do you drive your classic?

Many years ago my buddy restored a Sunbeam Tiger to #1 condition. I went to his garage the night he was going to start it up the and put it on the road. He was so depressed. I asked him what was the matter. He looked at me and said "this car will never be this good again once I start driving it". He sold it a month later. He's had lots of good classics since then but deliberately never one like that.

Rupert, that's why I consider selling it now too especially now that they are finally going up in value. I am doing some things on it this winter and vowing to drive it more next year and see how I feel. If I am still on the fence I may just sell it and buy something A). more day to day usable B). more "tweakable where I can do some mild "upgrades" (springs shocks, reversible stuff on not really a classic) and C). something that I can do almost everything on myself. I am thinking along the lines of an early '70's Alfa Gulia sedan but that could change.

I drove my 63 Alfa Giulia spider about 3k miles last summer and I drove the Jag XK-120 OTS about 1500. I had to drive them the entire month of September as my daily while i put a new clutch in my BMW. I did recieve some strange looks on the 40 degree mornings with the top down.

In reply to maseratiguy: I'd sell soon while your work is still at its' peak. It all goes downhill from now on. Then shoot for options A, B, & C all in the same ride!

I drive about 45 miles round trip to work and in season, May to Nov, I try to drive one of the classics (2 spits, a GT6 and a 77 450SLC) every day. Unless

it's over 90

or raining

or I need pick up something messy / large

or.....

Bottom line, maybe 6,000 miles a year between them all including weekend pleasure drives and car club events.

mike h

Hi Rupert, yes next car will have to meet the options A,B & C criteria. I still may wait a year and do the fairwell tour with my Merak, cars for coffee's country trip etc. but probably no more 1,000 mile weekends.....'aw, who am I kidding, if the weather is nice and I have the time and a plan...I'm gone!

It is not so much I drive it is usually warm up then gentle in that goodnight . Then it is ok this feels good speed /then start darting speed up down / then final hot lap to beer store . I don't drive I actually race .

I do about 2-3k miles a year on my 82 Lebaron vert, but i dont really drive it any LESS than anything else. I rotate DD status between about 5 vehicles right now so they each only get 2-3k a year or something like that.