Re: Packard wins Best of Show at Pebble Beach

Posted by Craig the Clipper Man On 2013/8/22 19:42:51

I don't think that it is an unreasonable thing to drive an antique car, provided, of course, common sense and an acute sense of awareness are paramount. It goes without saying that a person with a car valued at $250,000 will be a lot more paranoid in traffic than another with a car costing $25,000, although each will be just as concerned about his car as the other. You can't place an emotional value in monetary terms on what a car means to an owner.

That said, it still holds true that every car that is capable needs to be driven in order to keep it in proper condition. Cars that are not run will eventually deteriorate. I read an article in USA Today about a 95-year-old former Chevrolet dealer who is selling his "collection" of nearly 500 extremely low-mileage cars, some with as little as one mile on the odometer. The gentleman I was with asked me if I would want one of them. I rolled my eyes, chuckled, and replied, "Hell, no!"

Any car that has less than 50 miles after 50 years may look OK on the outside, but it would be a wreck in terms of the gaskets, rubber, etc., especially since most of this "collection" sat outside in the elements all of those years. This old man did not do anything to add value to these cars. Maybe putting a few miles and changing the oil now and then might have salvaged a few, but now all of those that are sold are mostly going for their novelty value. I wouldnt't want one, because to do anything with one would require a total restoration. Further, most of them are simply Plain Jane four-door sedans, not desireable coupes or convertibles.

So, to conclude, it doesn't matter how much a car is worth, whether it is a beauty queen 100-point classic or a simple old survivor, it needs to be run.