Cars that refuse to die... Or the owners who won't let them.

[Carmine]

I could actually post a few different cars on this thread, but I'll start with this Olds Cultlass (not sure on year.. 1971?). What makes it even more interesting is that it's driven by a single woman who is at least in her 60s. In fact I took the pics on Sunday morning at church but I've seen it all over the eastside suburbs. Sunday's weather, even during church was quite foul... Basically an icestorm. When I took these, we were getting a break that lasted about 30 mins.

I don't know what the deal is with the duct-taped low beam holes, but I'm assuming something is funky with the electrical, so it's always running high beams or the lows were moved inboard?

Note the interior shot that shows a Kleenex box, the club, and a towel over what I assume are springs probably poking through that 50 y/o vinyl bench.

Quarter panels are toast, pop-riveted to the wheel inner. 90s S-10 hubcaps. Has hood pins, I assume because the release cable crapped out years ago... I hung around, curious to ask her the story, but this was probably the weekend she was teaching Sunday school or something!

As beat as it is, I'm glad to see it still being useful. For a long time there was a '70 Charger in much the same state. I think it eventually out-lived the owner.

 

[commando1]

WAIT.
Carmine goes to Church?

 

[Carmine]

WAIT.
Carmine goes to Church?

I've even missed some cars shows as a result, lol.

 

[Big_John]

A friend had a '71ish Dart that was an ex phone company vehicle. Typical slant six with automatic. Got about 250K before he had to give up on it. It still ran fine, although it was starting to go through oil. The car had gotten so rotted that he had to move the starter relay because the sheet metal was gone underneath it. Got a couple more years after that. He had a 40 mile (one way) commute and the car always got him to work and back.

 

[mr. fix it]

There are a few in my area like a 79 Chevy Caprice and an 84 Olds Delta 88 that are daily drivers for a couple of examples

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

There's a lady in my neighbourhood who drives a 78 Aspen and 63 or 64 Comet year 'round. Both original cars.

In my old neighbourhood there was a lovely 71 Buick Skylark GS daily driver - red with black guts, buckets and console. Tried to buy it numerous times to no avail.

 

[jct]

Reminds me of that million mile volvo

 

[commando1]

Right now, I'm reading this thread stuck waiting here. I'd love to ask them about their cars.. .

 

[LocuMob]

There is a lady that drives her '57 Chevy year round, and it's in fairly good shape for seeing salt.

 

[Zymurgy]

It is gone now but my step dad bought a 60s something Chevy which was his winter car for over a decade. He bought it for $100 in the 90s with just south of 200,000 miles, he put north of 300,000 miles.

He affectionately called it Mucus. It never had a proper paint job when he owned it. Every spring he would get out the bondo and repair any holes of rusty areas. One year he removed the back seat of the 4 door to repair the floor pans and never replaced it, because he discovered how convenient it was now to haul stuff in it.

He held on to it for 2 years after he retired until my Mom demanded he get rid of it.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

this one lives close to LAX in LA.
Owned by the same person since back in the day.
Every time I fly to LA I corner around to check if it is still there. Gets rougher each year though.

Pics taken at my last trip in late 2017

 

[Carmine]

So is this a For Sale sign, or the note left by whomever plowed into that rear quarter?

 

[71monacomoparmechanic]

There is nothing wrong with that car. I could bump it out in like a week and get it painted and it would last longer than anything you could buy now period

 

[cbarge]

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

So is this a For Sale sign, or the note left by whomever plowed into that rear quarter?

View attachment 263857

I do not remember anymore what it was but not a for sale sign for sure.

older pics in comparison from 2013

 

[Carmine]

I do not remember anymore what it was but not a for sale sign for sure.

older pics in comparison from 2013

View attachment 263955

View attachment 263956

Pretty sad in both.

On a side note... Body side molding attached to the concave middle section of a '67-'68 Chrysler has to be one of the least effective aftermarket accessories; just ahead of stick-on hood scoops and fender vents.

 

[cbarge]

 

[Big_John]

Then there's this car that is seen locally. @68 4spd Fury (his picture) has seen it out in the winter, as have I. I just saw it a couple weeks ago in the same parking lot and it's looking worse and worse every time I see it.

 

[monaco75]

I don’t have an actual picture of it. But years ago back in Pinckney Michigan, there was a truck driver who drove an all green ‘77 Córdoba year round. I remember seeing it out and about all the time whenever he was in town. During a terrible snow storm one night, saw him up at the local Busch’s. I loved the car, and wanted to see if he would sell. He wanted a bit more then I would pay unfortunately, but it gave me a chance to drool over it for a minute.

It always killed me seeing that nice car out in the salt....

 

[Jon O.]

There is a lady that drives her '57 Chevy year round, and it's in fairly good shape for seeing salt.

Is this who you are speaking of?