The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Daily Drivers

This was the Welcome for the Daily Drivers. There are some good posts here, so we didn't want to delete it.

Peg

Can I look in here if I don't drive mine daily?

(I just wanted to be the first to post in this thread.)

This is a cool new section , unfortunately right now, I am only a wannabe. That was the intention of my most recent purchase my '59 half ton. Wait a minute , my '59 has already been butchered (I mean modified) way beyond its original configuration by a previous owner. It now has a 350 v8, with a turbo 400 tranny, a Cadillac steering column with power steering, and at least 750 lbs of bondo.

I guess, I will just have to observe and keep my opinions to myself.

John

well it's about time! I've been drivin' old bolts daily since forever ... well since the 55 International died ... er, since I scrapped the 56 Fargo that followed the International .... no reason to spend 20,000 on a new truck just to work it to death

46 to 67 is the range, with the red 58 being the current work horse, and more to come

when I first got the 58 on the road it was part of a fleet for my business, and when the panel frame got too rotten, the best parts of it resurrected a pickup for the babtrkr to drive .... cut back to one for now, with another 57 panel in progress to replace the 58 someday

none have been garage queens, and none have been 100% original - most of these ol trucks lost originality within a couple years, being machines meant to do a job for workin folk who all had individual needs and preferences, and usually not much money to waste on maintaining them to factory specs .... about like me!

the best advertising possible for a self employed person, nobody will remember what it said on the side of that 80 something van or pickup, but everybody remembers the 57 panel truck, years after it's gone

Bill

I drive my 59 Apache for about 3/4 of my local trips around town. Lots of fun.

From the time I got my '66 C-10 5 years ago until last summer when I bought my Honda, my truck was my daily driver. I've replaced stuff as it broke or needed a safety upgrade. The only non-original stuff in it is the wheels (originals rusted out) and the seat has been re-upholstered (last one was ugly and smelled funny and made you itch). When I'm at home over the weekends, I drive it around and sometimes make it earn its keep. There are plenty of working pictures in my webshots and a video if it working on my youtube page now too.

Heck, she even gets to go to shows from time to time as well.

This is good! I don't even own a modern truck anymore, just my 46 and 52 Bolts. It is however tough to keep everything fixed and both running at the same time. My fleet operational rate is only 50% at this time. The 52 is not yet dependable, but still cranks up in the cold. The 46 needs a trans rebuild or swap and I just haven't had the time to get it done yet. It ahs to be very soon though, like this week.

I got my '54 GMC 100 pickup running about 2 years ago, have been working on off and on trying to get it dependable to drive every day. I will use it as my daily driver when I feel it's ready, then I will sell my '92 GMC stepside. In the works next (owned since 1962) is my '32 Chevrolet pickup which will be powered by a built up 6 cyl. 292 engine with 3 side draft Webber carbs, and various other hop up goodies. I did have the '32 running back in 1966 but needed the engine and trans in another project so it has been pretty much taken apart since.

I've had some trouble with the beloved 59. maybe used it a bit too much, and I burned a hole in a piston. but that will be fixed, if necessary I'll use chewing gum, and I'll drive my truck anywhere again! (so far from Austin, TX to Columbus, MS, and then a dozen or so 300+ mile trips (loaded to the spring blocks while moving, loaded full with radiators, lawnmowers, towing a 1950 Buick, towing a 12' Uhaul full of parts, etc). but there is no reason whatsoever not to use our trucks for daily use.

Hey... a neat idea... LAROKE should be the patron saint of this forum! He has oodles of great information for just such a thing... he doesn't drive his daily, but he does have lots of regular maintenance information for his AD 1955 1st series on his site:

http://www.laroke.com/larryk4674/1998/billybob.htm


-W

Thanx fer the heads up you sent me, Wooge.

BillyBob was my daily driver until I picked up Deerslayer in september. Now the '37 farmtruck hotrod with the '56 Tonybilt GMC 302 noisemaker is my daily ride and I'm putting more build time into BillyBob. BillyBob is still very roadable. I wouldn't hesitate to load him up with travel boxes and head out across country (again) if I had to.

On the road in spring for my 49 3600 driver - hopefully.

I drive my '65 daily, but I think it is too much of a frankenstein to be included in here.

-W

I use my 1966 C-10 as my primary vehicle. I already have put about 30,000 miles on it since June 2006. I've driven it to Connecticut a few times, and have not had any serious problems with it.

I don't really have any vehicle that I would call a daily driver, but the truck comes close. I work one block from the house, my wife takes a commuter train to work, there go weeks when all three vehicles sit in the garage. But I use the truck every chance I get, it is about as original as they come. Today I went to get a Christmas tree with it. But it goes into hibernation soon, since I am not about to buy winter tires for it, and driving without honest-to-goodness winter tires is illegal here during the coming months.
As long as I stick to the local roads, driving under 50 doesn't seem to bother the other traffic. I've loaded it to the top of the cab with firewood, and it sways all over the road under the weight. I've hauled a few cast iron machines that have definately exceeded the allowed weight, too, but it trucks right along. Good solid truck.

Hopefully I can use my 55 2nd series as a daily drver soon. But I don't know if i'm allowed to be here because I put a Mustang II under it.

Rain,snow,sun,and flood.The small tool box,a quart of oil, and a bowling ball rides shotgun.5:30a.m. she fires like a champ and off to work we go.The wife says the old 60 panel is ugly, Id hate to tell her who I love more.Wish I had more money to make her pretty but over time a little here a little there she will be the queen of the show.When I die they better dig a big hole because shes going with me.