Muscle cars....after the shows do they all go in hiding?

[427LX]

You folks that have vintage or modern muscle..do you take them out for a drive on beautiful days/ evenings?
Now I came up thru the 60's-70's when you would see the Detroit muscle cruising the streets most anytime and I DO
miss those days.
When I take my ride out I feel like the last living dinosaur surrounded by the sea of SUV's and trucks.
Now there are a good bit of muscle cars around our area but you only see them at the official cruise in or car show on Saturday.
Most times the great cruising weather happens mid week such as the last couple days of blue sky and 70 degrees.
Such a waste not to enjoy your hot rod any evening when the weather is perfect.
Gets lonesome out there in the sea of "appliance" vehicles.

We have a nice Sonic Drive-in just down the road and this is one of those perfect evenings so I might just fire the beast up and cruise in for a 1/2 price shake after 8:00 PM. 

[machoneman]

Yep! Take out the '70 Mach 1 and the '88 5.0 Fox all the time. It's amazing to me how many only come out once a week, at best, get driven maybe 1-15 miles, get parked at a 'car show' and go right back into the garage!

Heck, had an afternoon run just yesterday with a turbo M5 Bimmer and lead him from a roll, to 65-70, by a car and 1/2. Boy, he was surprised although having 490 or so hp under the hood of the Mach helped! 

[427LX]

Had it out yesterday evening just to feel the surge of the Holley quads kicking in ! That's main reason I keep it around.

[Bolted to Floor]

My car was garage art for decades.......so, I try to get it out at least once a week and drive it somewhere. Some therapy time behind the wheel is good for the soul. 

[Heo]

Well IM out on a 2000 mile Cross country trip now with
the -64  Galaxie,plus all the driving around down here
And i drive it as mutch as i can during the summer rain
or shine. And as a result i have wear and tear, but IM not
much for carshows and Cruise ins. That crowd can have it
standing there competing whos -59 Cadillac is valued
the highest or have the Nosiest nos parts or what they
paid to get the valvecovers thightend

[FirstEliminator]

HA!  "Appliance Vehicles".....I like that term.

[Falcon67]

I'm waiting on funds that I can spend on a Meziere pump so I can drive the Falcon around some.  It uses a Moroso motor and a stocker type pump so can't go very far right now.  Leftover from track duty.  The end goal would be a larger displacement 351C, put the 4.11 locker back in and a tighter 4000ish stall converter to make it easier to move around town and still be bad ass at the strip.  The DRs are looking kinda thin too LOL.

As a direct answer, most of the nice muscle around these parts hides in the shed until show time.  This is a peculiar area - we have quite a bit of medical and because of that a lot of retired people around - AF and just older.  Several "rest homes".  Plus three universities, several high schools and two Jr colleges.  One set drives 15 in a 45, the other 60 in a 45 with their phones in their face.  Keeps the body shops well busy.  Lots of no insurance in spite of state law.  So you take a risk just running around town in any vehicle.  Lived in Houston for 4 years, know more people that have been in accidents here than I knew in Houston with 10 times the population. 

Spring is also the time to keep your junk in a shed - 60 MPH winds and 1~2" hail prediction for tomorrow.  Same as last week, and the week before that.  By the time that "spring time" stuff settles down, it usually gets hotter than the ass end of a volcano.

[gregaba]

I drive mine winter and summer. I don't see any reason to put 2 or 3 years rebuilding a car and just looking at it.
I am finishing up my 71 Ranchero this year and will then start on my 63 Galaxie.
If I get wrecked I will just rebuild it again.
I sold my 13 Boss 302 to finance these builds.
 The car was fantastic but for some reason I just didn't like driving it as much as the older cars.
Just me but these cars were made to drive, not to sit in a barn and just be used for an ego trip.
Greg

[FrozenMerc]

It is not a muscle car, but it does have a nice FE.  I put about 4 to 5,000 miles a summer (Northern Minnesota - 6 months of driving, TOPS!) on my '62 Merc Monterey Wagon.  The wife and I love taking it for a late evening cruise or to the local drive in.  We normally do one weekend a summer that involves about a 1000 mile round trip just for fun, and not always to a car show.  Then again, I built it to eat miles.  AOD, AC, Air Ride, etc.

[gregaba]

Nice Merc. I have all ways loved Merc's.
Greg

[cjshaker]

Mine don't sit. I drive the Mustang whenever the weather permits, and the Galaxie pretty much whenever I want...as long as the salt is off the roads. As far as others around my area, I don't see them till car show days. I don't get that, but to each their own I guess. I do admit to being a VERY defensive driver though, always looking out for the idiot that has his/her phone stuffed in their face, and being a small college town, where the population doubles when students are here, that's no small feat. Graduation was last week though, so good to go the rest of summer.

[cjshaker]

That thing is awesome! I love it.

[Stangman]

The first year and a half weather permitting I drive whenever possible even if it’s just a quick ride. The past year because of medical issues with the wife only got to drive at the track the 3 or 4 times a year and one of the times it rained. Can’t wait to get my ass in the seat and go for a ride after my back surgery.

Yeah Mercs  are pretty cool my buddy had a 63 Monterey with a nice 390 in it. For a big car it honked pretty good. If I remember correctly the rear window was like tilted forward and the glass was electric.

[machoneman]

It is not a muscle car, but it does have a nice FE.  I put about 4 to 5,000 miles a summer (Northern Minnesota - 6 months of driving, TOPS!) on my '62 Merc Monterey Wagon.  The wife and I love taking it for a late evening cruise or to the local drive in.  We normally do one weekend a summer that involves about a 1000 mile round trip just for fun, and not always to a car show.  Then again, I built it to eat miles.  AOD, AC, Air Ride, etc.

Great looker for sure. Can't ever remember seeing a '62 with the cool thin side/rear window frames. 

[427LX]

Very nice Merc!  You don't see those much anymore.

[FrozenMerc]

Thanks for the compliments guys.  But it is really nothing more than a '62 Galaxie with different trim, taillights, and a few other Mercury specific items.  This era of Fullsize Mercury's really started the badge engineering concept.

The 352 does generate over 300 ft-lbs of torque from 2500 rpms and up (it's all done at 5200), so it doesn't have a problem getting the big barge moving, and with the AOD it happily cruises at 75 all day long. 

[67428GT500]

I drive my Shelby normally once a week.  The last time it was out I drove it and actually left it sitting in the parking lot at the American Airlines Flight Academy.
The facility is fenced in and security has my cell and watches out for me.
However, in all honesty, I won't go to the grocery store and park it and go in. The cretins don't care about a 17,000 paint job and it's just not worth the risk to me.
Generally speaking, If I can't see it It doesn't go with me.
                                                                                              -Keith