Do you get nervous?

-
Ron816

Ron816

Mopar forever
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
626
Reaction score
874
Location
Quincy, MA
I finished a two year restoration on my 68 GTS by the time I was able to drive it winter came around so I only got a few miles on her in the late fall just took her out again today my question is do you guys get nervous driving a fresh build not knowing what’s going to happen maybe she’ll break down maybe some idiot won’t pay attention and run into you? Is this common or is it just me?
 
Ya I have a couple spare ballast resistors, can of ether, couple gallons of spare fuel, jump pack and some tools, put about 20 miles on her today without a hiccup
 
Ron816 said:
I finished a two year restoration on my 68 GTS by the time I was able to drive it winter came around so I only got a few miles on her in the late fall just took her out again today my question is do you guys get nervous driving a fresh build not knowing what’s going to happen maybe she’ll break down maybe some idiot won’t pay attention and run into you? Is this common or is it just me?
Click to expand...
D- all of the above and no, it's not just you.
 
Ron816 said:
I finished a two year restoration on my 68 GTS by the time I was able to drive it winter came around so I only got a few miles on her in the late fall just took her out again today my question is do you guys get nervous driving a fresh build not knowing what’s going to happen maybe she’ll break down maybe some idiot won’t pay attention and run into you? Is this common or is it just me?
Click to expand...


Your not the only one, it is possible with anything, i actually am pretty deffensive while driving my demon but if im on the 4 lane hwy and i see people dragging along and going slow and its clear ahead i will make an attempt to go around. I hate being jumbled up with cars especially when you have to worry about the person in front of you stopping too quick or the person behind you not stopping quick enough. With time you will get less nervous and more observant. I constantly watch my temp and oil press gauges. I will occasionally tap my brakes a little early while coming to a stop just to make sure they are there. With anything new you will baby it but over time your nerves will ease. Its gonna get scratches, chips, etc and its not really preventable unless you dont drive it lol. Just make sure you have insurance and a good policy. With any new build your gonna find quirks but eventually you will get them all sorted out. Hell even brand new cars develop quirks. And i guarantee they are cheaper to fix on our cars lol
 
Ron816 said:
Ya I have a couple spare ballast resistors, can of ether, couple gallons of spare fuel, jump pack and some tools, put about 20 miles on her today without a hiccup
Click to expand...

also a spare ignition box isnt a bad idea as well assuming your running the factory style electronic ignition
 
If you think about it, there's really no need. If you drive it, sooner or later something will happen. That's just how it is. Even if it's just normal wear and tear. So have fun with it. Don't let it get the best of you.
 
The advantage today compared to decades ago is we all have cell phones so the tow truck is only minutes away
 
I drive my Dart ( unrestored, former daily driver) VERY defensively.

I'm very aware of my surroundings
 
Rear end collisions have gone up tremendously since the cell phone especially while you're stopped at a light. You have no control over those morons despite defensive driving. The ball hitch on my truck is living proof x3!
 
Without a doubt what rusty rat rod said. But I still drive as defensively as I can and situational awareness. But I do that daily too. My biggest thing is going somewhere and parking. Don’t take long for one to disappear and people don’t respect, for the most part, other peoples stuff.
 
I took a motorcycle safety course a few years back. That made such a noticeable difference in my defensive driving habits. On a bike, you're lucky if you get a second chance.
 
Yes, my first few drives in the swinger were nerve wrecking. Biggest concern was breaking down and having it sit on the side of the road.
 
I bought my GTX 4 years ago. After some work getting her road confident both my daily driver and truck went down. The car took most my immediate savings so I had to drive a '69 GTX 4-speed 2 weeks to work and back in tough rush hour traffic thru 2 cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) And I swear everyone and and their grandmother were taking aim. Numerous close calls including getting ran off the road once. And an Uber driver buried his grill in the rear bumper in a parking lot. Pulled the 2 cars apart in front of police. Uber Honda grill gone with small radiator damage. GTX? Couldn't even see a smudge. (Steel won that encounter.)

So no. You are not alone on nervousness. And that's from a car with only about 20 hours and $500 in work. (After $20k purchase price.) I couldn't even imagine after a full restoration?

Quick walk around link below of car at purchase time. Somehow car in same condition today.

 
It seems that the older I get, the more concern and worry I have about a lot of things. Many you cannot do anything about, others mostly insignificant.
Drive it with care and preparation for what you can.
Yote
 
Yote said:
It seems that the older I get, the more concern and worry I have about a lot of things. Many you cannot do anything about, others mostly insignificant.
Drive it with care and preparation for what you can.
Yote
Click to expand...
Certainly truth to getting older. Since my GTX tale I have driven my daily for 3 years on same route. (Grant it some of that was in reduced Covid traffic.) But still? No incidents even close to the 2 weeks of GTX hell.

I'm starting to believe in that Murphy dude and his damn laws!
 
Last edited:
cojohnso said:
Certainly truth to getting older. Since my GTX tale I have driven my daily for 3 years on same route. (Grant it some of that was in reduced Covid traffic.) But still? No incidents even close to the 2 weeks of GTX hell.

I'm starting to believe in the Murphy dude and his damn laws!
Click to expand...

no it was all those people breaking their necks

:lol:
 
The first time i drove my 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus down the street from my house, I made a wrong left turn on a one-way street only one block from my house. I needed to have gone two blocks before being able to turn left. That's proof positive I was nervous (this was after restorative body work/paint--still had the old 318 under the hood).

canario front.jpg
 
dibbons said:
The first time i drove my 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus down the street from my house, I made a wrong left turn on a one-way street only one block from my house. I needed to have gone two blocks before being able to turn left. That's proof positive I was nervous (this was after restorative body work/paint--still had the old 318 under the hood).

View attachment 1715915272
Click to expand...
Super Satellite, great color
 
Ron816 said:
The advantage today compared to decades ago is we all have cell phones so the tow truck is only minutes away
Click to expand...

I called a AAA flat-bed a few years ago to tow my '65 Formula S shortly after purchase. The driver finally shows up and when I tell him I need a tow over 100 miles, he comes up with the "fact" he can't tow it because the tags were expired!

Being a former CHP officer (South Los Angeles office) I called his bluff and explained to him only vehicles that have their tires touching the pavement are required to be registered. A flat bed bed truck would insure the tires were never near the pavement.

Regardless, it's a moot point, a tow truck can certainly tow any vehicle regardless of registration status. The guy just didn't want to tow the vehicle that far, I would guess. But since I caught him in a big lie, he had to follow through on the tow.
 
Something that is always on my mind. My only driveable project is my 51 Fargo at the moment. Its a beater by some standards but i put a lot of work into it. Breakdowns are iminent as well as some careless driver running into me or cutting me off. Plans are long road trips and a couple hotel stays. Whats going to happen to it parked all alone at night in a strange town?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top