Should I drive it to Auburn or not?

[Robin7TFour]

Trent, My 02, please try not to be offended. when you bought the car it wasn't for an investment. you purchased it because it is a Vette. you wanted to drive it.
if it is now an investment to you. take a real nice picture, then sell it and put the money into a sure thing investment.real estate i'm thinking.
otherwise DRIVE IT .LIVE for the day CARPE DIEM!!

Robin

 

[74bigblock]

Get a good thick bra and put it on for the trip. When you get to Auburn... take it off. Put it back on before you leave. You are more likely to damage the car towing it, than driving it. Think of the car like your kids... you can't keep them little and innocent forever... you have to let them out an experience life themselves.

 

[Rowdy1]

Not My Problem But.........

I can understand your feelings. I drive the 62 as often as possible and as some of the Carlisle gang will tell you, I don't baby it. I built it to run from point A to point B as quickly as possible and still be streetable for what I do at home or should I say around town. With the engine work I've done, I'm not worried about a failure, but I'm running a 4:10 posi rear and that equates to not doing 75 or 80 MPH for 600+ miles. The 62 is also not the most comfortable year ever made, not that I'm making excuses, but I will be trailering it to Auburn. I'm set up for it, I have it, so I use it. I blew my trans in Carlisle last year but was able to drive from the fairgrounds back to the hotel in 3rd gear and get it in the trailer and safely home, not a trip I'd want to make in 3rd, 185 miles.
Your car, your decision, my $.02

 

[bossvette]

Just get it to Auburn, there is plenty of room for trailers if that is how you want to do it. BTW you can see wally-world from the Inn so you should be able to keep in blenders, just save one for milkshakes for us over the hill gang

 

[Glensgages]

having a nice vette and not driving it, is like having a beautiful, big breasted girlfriend,and having no hands.
i have almost 15,000 spent on mine in the last year,it will be on the road soon,and it will be.investment,yes.....trailer queen,hell no.

I'd guess my '82, with just 21,600 original miles, is in similar shape (usually scoring 98-99% at Corvette Shows) to the car in-question, and if my g/f could get the time-off, we'd drive this thing anywhere, on the condition that we had someplace to 'keep it' once we arrived.
We rarely drive faster than 70 MPH (when ya got a nice car, you WANNA 'show-it-off') unless I'm on the drag-strip, so we're not 'wearing-it-out' while we're out-and-about.
Weather-permitting, this year we'll go 400+ miles round-trip to Columbus, Ohio, for the drag-races; 500+ round-trip to Reading, Pa. for same; and 250+ round-trip to a Corvette Show in the mountains.
While I understand your apprehension about taking this car on trips, unless you actually THINK something is wrong with it.....
Zora didn't build these cars to sit & collect dust.

Just my $.02 worth.....

 

[trent81]

I knew that when I made this post I would get all kind of responses. Anything from Hey you idiot just drive the damn thing, to, you know I understand your delmina.

I didn't drive it all of those years because I was somehow saving it, it was more out of necessity. I just could never find the time to go home and get it. I went from school in Knoxville to UPT (undergraduate pilot traning) in Del-Rio Texas, then to Minot ND (who needs a Vette in ND) to Hawaii and then to Charleston SC with a lot of flying in between until I got out in 96.

After 14 yrs. of very little driving and with so few miles, you kinda sit back and scratch your head and ask yourself. "Hey I know its just an 81 but maybe in another 10 to 20 yrs with so few miles on it, maybe it will be worth something and I can hand it down to my children.

Its not the only Vette that I have owned its just my favorite (lot of sentimetal value) and it happens to be the only one that I own at the present time.

I know its really my decision I just wanted some feed back on what you would do if your car had less than 23,000 miles and was 23 years old, as I said in my original post I don't think my car is any better or any worse than one that any member here owns.

I would hate to trailer it up there (I think someone referred to it as a trailer queen) and not get the joy of the ride. Another consideration is that I do have 3 titanium pins in my L5S1 vert. in my lower back and i'm not even sure I could handle the trip in the Vette that far without a whole lot of stops and a lot of advil.

Those of you who know me personally know that i'm not the shy type and I guess in my younger days I would'nt be struggling with this minor decision so much. My wife even thinks this is out of character for me. She wants me to trailer it up there and is surprised that I am even considering a suggestion that she made (I take a lot of her suggestions to hart she just don't know it).

So hey fire away, What would you do?

Trent81

No nothig is wrong with It.

 

[GerryLP]

Trent,

I know that from my point of view, I used to own (like alot of other CAC members) a very mint car. I have placed most of all 140,000++ miles on it. From attending SF State Univ at night after working a full day in Alameda to driving it here from Northern California on my move to NM.

I have so far spent $6.5 -$7K dollars in trying to restore it, and still it needs a paint job, seat cushions, and steering wheel (part of the money went on my current motor). It was fun driving it all over the place, but I didn't count in deciding to keep it for ever. I should have driven more my 62 VW Ragtop, ZX-10 crotch-rocket, and all the other fun vehicles I have ever owned.

Even today, if I could, I would trailer it. I am not looking forward to sitting for 24 - 26 hours driving it at highway speeds in segments of 190 -200 miles straight.

On the other hand, caravanning there with a group of vettes its definetely fun.

 

[BLACKDOG]

Trent - the MAIN thing is that you and the 81 get there. Trailer or no trailer, whatever works best for you Bro !!!

I'll let you in on a secret, even though Bud might disown me ... we were looking at the cost of driving 5000+ miles again, with motel rooms, etc. & then looked at $300 for a round-trip flight, then renting a couple of MUSTANGS or VIPERS to show up in ... it was just a passing thought in a moment of confusion !! Then the words of Rowdy1 rang in my ears ... "you're not gettin any younger" ... and that was the name of that tune !!
I figure with an endless loop of "Rockin' down the highway" by the Doobs, and "I can't drive 55" by Hagar, we'll make it !! ... ArF-aRf !!

Yo Dale ... we gonna see you in Auburn ????

 

[Yoda]

Dawg left out one other sentence...

Going to Cruise-Fest without my Corvette would be like going to the Senior Prom without a Date!!

:eek

Yo

 

[tlong]

I vote drive it

Buy a Colgan bra for the front and mirrors, change the oil and punch it.

These trips are what you will remember when all your doing is done.

Tim

 

[mike weyman]

with your back being as it is,maybe take a 1 to 2 hour trip to see how you hold up.you may decide to trailer it , or just get some tylenol #3 and repeat to yourself "I AIN"T GETTIN ANY YOUNGER".even the best monks didn't put all the best vintage wine "AWAY".

 

[Robin7TFour]

Trent, i hope i didn't tick you off!. my biggest gripe would be if you didn't drive it. then again IF i wouldn't have made a left turn on Summer ave. in Memphis years back ,i would still be driving british metal cars.
please keep the wheels turning..... KEEP THE WHEELS ROLLING....ENJOY THE RIDE!!

 

[trent81]

Trent, i hope i didn't tick you off!. my biggest gripe would be if you didn't drive it. then again IF i wouldn't have made a left turn on Summer ave. in Memphis years back ,i would still be driving british metal cars.
please keep the wheels turning..... KEEP THE WHEELS ROLLING....ENJOY THE RIDE!!

Hey Robin,

Heck no! Thats why I made the post I wanted honest responses!

Listen folks I think we are all brothers (and sisters) in a brotherhood of Corvette enthusists (is that spelled correctly). If we can't share our opinions honestly then the brotherhood is for not. Sure were not always going to agree but that is what makes this forum and this country great we can agree to dis-agree and still be brothers.

Right ya'll

Trent81

 

[Evolution1980]

Drive it.

Trent, you mentioned the possibility of getting hit when driving it. OK, consider it noted. Now, note this...
You could get hit when you are driving your truck.
You could get hit walking across the street.
But you still drive your truck. You still cross the street. Why do you do that?
Get the point?

You mentioned about having something to give your kids. So you think they are just going to let it sit there in the garage and collect dust? Or is that what you would secretly want them to do since it's still kinda really a teensy-weensy bit your car? They'll drive it and enjoy it (Yea!) or leave it sit in the garage because of whatever reason (Boo!) or quite possibly just not have the interest (re: emotional attachment) that you have and not really care one way or the other except to appease you (Say it ain't so!). Anyways, your children are your biggest investment of time, money, and devotion...not your car. Take care of the kids for them. Drive the car for you.

The pins in your back and whatever? It's the price of LIVING. Get used to it! Driving your '81 is also LIVING, and ya had no problem getting used to that! You never know when your last ride is going to take place. (OK..sorry, that may be a bit morbid, but I'm just rambling things off here... ) Anyways, so you may have to make more stops...WHO CARES?!?! So you get to get out and look at your baby some more and let other people fawn over it. Gee Darn!!! Get a good bra for it and hit the road! I don't know if you saw me pull into BG for Sharkfest around midnight. I had a bra on, and it was off by morning. It was back on the morning we all departed BG. No big thing...

The trailer idea? Eeeeee...that's always scared me more than driving it. Bad weather, bad road conditions, the fact that you are always looking behind you instead of in front of you, increased points of failure... I never liked the idea of trailering unless absolutely necessary. I'd rather be cautious behind the wheel of the car itself rather than in a truck towing it.

I don't know if you've experienced this or not, but showing up to a car show and not having your car...man, that feeling sucks! I've done it, I don't like it. I constantly walk around saying, "Man, I wish I had mine here" or worse, when I have to tell someone, "Oh yeah, I have one, but it's at home." How lame! How embarassing! Everyone else toughed it out and brought their car, regardless of condition. But I didn't. It really put a damper on the whole day for me.

You're part of the CAC. You're car is a part of you. This is a CAC gathering through and through...(hey it rhymes!). You without your car is like a Dog without a blender. There's something missing and it affects everyone!

Looking at the thread thus far...I don't think anyone has come outright and said "NO! Don't drive it!". It's either an emphatic "Drive It!" or at minimum "I can understand..." So make everyone here happy with "We can understand if you drive it!"

You really sound like you are trying hard to talk yourself out of bringing it. Only you can make that final decision. But it's a long way to go and then have that crappy feeling for 3 days of "Ya know, dammit all, I shoulda drove it!" (I'm tellin' ya man...that feeling REALLY BLOWS!!!)

 

[MoeJr]

Drive It Man! It is a Corvette and it wants to take a long trip with you. It wants to be opened up on the highway and let loose. It wants you to tackle those curves with every fiber of your being. My vote is to drive it. Vettes are made to drive not to be trailered. Just my .02

 

[GerryLP]

You without your car is like a Dog without a blender.

Good points, Evo.

 

[bobherr46]

I think you should sell it, I would not have something that caused me that much worry. How can you claim to enjoy a car you are afraid to drive?

 

[drags1998]

I honestly believe that if you cant drive it, and ENJOY it, SELL IT!!!!!! JUST my .02 worth!!!!!!!

 

[trent81]

I think you should sell it, I would not have something that caused me that much worry. How can you claim to enjoy a car you are afraid to drive?

I am in no way afraid to drive the car!!! Either you mis-read my post, or you do not understand the point.

I can claim anything I want about the car, since it is mine, at least the last time I looked in the garage!

Trent81

 

[trent81]

I honestly believe that if you cant drive it, and ENJOY it, SELL IT!!!!!! JUST my .02 worth!!!!!!!

Hey, thanks for the advice....Your right, I should sell the car since I have only owned it for almost 23 years!

If my car was, say a 66 with 22,000 orignal miles on it, would you have a different opinion on the matter?

I never said that I do not drive the car. I drive the car at least every other weekend, which is about all of the time that I have. It is not a very practical car to drive every day in Memphis TN. I wouldn't care how many miles that were on it, I still would not drive it every day here in Memphis!

Trent81