Classic cars in cold weather states...is it worth it?

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DroVal

DroVal

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I have never really lived anywhere where there is snow and I was curious what you cold weather folks have to go through with your cars when winter snows hit.

The reason that I'm asking is that I am considering moving myself to Alaska in about a year and half or so. I know that in some areas 4 wheel drive is a must, but larger cities like Anchorage would be fine for a car during the spring and summer months.

Are there ways to keep the rust monster away or is rust inevitable in areas like this? Is there extra maintenance involved? Basically anything helpful that you could tell me would be greatly appreciated. I'd hate to get myself into the A-Bodie of my dreams just to face having to sell it if I decide to make a move like this.

Anyway, thanks in advance and have a good one!
 
Most of us just dont drive it when the roads are bad.Myn is holding up just fine.The salt they put on the roads is what kills em. I figure my car will last the rest of my life and if i have to fix it i will. it was rusty before i restored it and it looks good to me now.Wouldnt give it up for anything but family.What do you Do when its a hundred degrees in Arizona.
 
Honestly I have only ever owned one car with A/C at I didn't like the car much, so that didn't last long. 100 degree weather all of my windows stay down when I drive, lol.

So not really any hassle to own one i an area like that? I don't mind not driving it during the winter, was just worried about being able to keep it decent looking/running without a ton of extra money being thrown at it after a few years or so in a high precipitation area.
 
I like the down time during winter, it gives me a break from the old cars and I appreciate them more come spring time.....having a heated shop to work on them also helps.....:mrgreen:
 
Just like anything..If you are able to drive your classic anytime,that to me would be boring.If you only have about 5-6 months a year,that is exciting!!Something to look forward to every year.I keep mine in my little heated shop off the back of my garage.It's warm and dry.I can have my buddies over in the winter for beers:drinkers: and talk Mopar talk,,,talking about what we will do this year etc.. This year winter seems to be hanging on:banghead:.Come on Spring!!:burnout:
 
My car has a down time of about 5-6 months. It gets put into the garage and covered up. I'll drive it in the rain, though I'll not take it out in the rain. Getting caught in it is one thing, purposely driving in it is another.

During these times, the truck comes out.
 
I don't understand how anyone can get projects done on their car if you drive it all the time. I like the winter because it gives me time to get things done that do not happen during the warm weather. If I had to tear my car apart during the warm weather it would drive me crazy, but during the winter it is no problem. I have a heated garage so playing in the winter is no problem. JMO
 
...it just makes the spring/summer/fall that much better..I used to drive one of my classics all year around and it became mundane..when I was able to afford a "real" car, my classic was put away every winter. By the time spring came, I couldn't wait to drive my baby..

Grassy
 
if you have a choice get a 4 wheel drive. it will come in handy when you need it.
also if its not an all wheel drive you can cruise around in 2 wheel and if you get
stuck, throw it in 4 and your out. where i live it doesn't get as bad as alaska but
its still a pain if you get stuck in the snow.

ps. this is coming from a guy thats been driving a 68 satellite all winter.
 
DroVal said:
Classic cars in cold weather states...is it worth it?
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Absolutely! When I lived in NJ (moved south in 1986) I owned a '32 Ford Victoria (Vicky), and a 69 GTX. Drove them both on a regular basis through the majority of the Winter. clear sunny (but cold) days are in no short supply during winter months. the roads are not snow covered for the entire Fall, or Winter, or early Spring, so there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy your classics. Rainy or snowy weekends or snow covered weekend are the opportune time to take care of maintenance, mods, repairs, etc.

Owning a classic in the North is definitely viable.
 
grassy said:
...it just makes the spring/summer/fall that much better..I used to drive one of my classics all year around and it became mundane..when I was able to afford a "real" car, my classic was put away every winter. By the time spring came, I couldn't wait to drive my baby..

Grassy
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That's exactly how I feel about my Dart. If I got to drive it year round, I would get bored of it pretty quick.

Since I have to put it away for 5-6 months a year, I can stockpile parts all winter long, and then first thing in the spring, I can make a bunch of upgrades and have fun with it until the snow flies.
 
Yea, wha Frankie said. Ill cold weather the garage is filled. I'll drive the hot rod in the cold, but not so often. There better when you miss them for a few months.
 
I'm not sure there is a huge difference in downtime between up north and down south (at least to me). I'm in south central NC and there are about 4 months of the year that my hot rod doesn't get out much. Jan / Feb are pretty iffy months finding nice days to get out and July and August are just way too hot for me to run around in a car that has no A/C, lots of motor heat and manual everything.. Going to a cruise in in 95 degree, humid weather and sitting out on some hot blacktop for a few hours is not my idea of fun either..
 
I currently live about a 3 hour drive from Hyder Alaska. Still quite a ways from Anchorage, but north of the 53'rd parallel. There is a significant car culture despite the BC government's attempts to extinguish anything they do not see as green. The climate up here is milder than you would expect. Winnipeg Manitoba is considerably colder. Minnesota and North Dakota are colder. Rust on your car is not as acute a problem as it is down in the rust belt. You can deal with cold weather and snow by keeping your car clean. Road salt is the enemy and it's use is not widespread. They do spread a lot of grit and it's pretty coarse, marble to golf ball sized gravel and it's tough on windshields. Of course, the classics are put away from October to May. Main roads are paved, but the highway to the Yukon and Alaska, (Hwy 37) can close for days at a time due to snow or slides. 4WD makes sense, but there are plenty of 2WD cars driven year round.

Being a confirmed prairie chicken, I'm leaving all this for the colder climate of Melville Saskatchewan in a few months. Mountains are blocking the view!
 
stumper said:
................. cruise in in 95 degree, humid weather .......................is not my idea of fun either..
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X2. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of hot or cold wx. Last year we had many dry, winter days, when the sky cleared, the roads were dry. I hop in the Dart and go run errands. This winter was wetter and more miserable. "Like today," LOL Ground is white, 30F.
 
I loved my rides and at first --in the 80's still used the car during the winter but not everyday, just covered it up each night and if it snowed leave the cover on.

But then the supply of old cars start to go thin and prices got too expensive to risk having an accident or letting the car rust away.

Is it worth it, well I would not change the past cause I had a blast but if I wreck my hot rod car I'm not sure I build another one. Traveling and doing new stuff is my latest fun to do things and driving isn't like it used to be. Too many crappy drivers on the roads and the law can make too much out of a issue where nobody got hurt and nothing was damage.

Since i have my car I am keeping it, bout it..now mind you I've been on the road everyday for the last 32 years...

Winter driving used to be fun with these old cars, the fishtailing was neat but again, the law can make a big issue out of nothing today. What used to be at the most careless driving is now reckless driving at the least, lol...felonious assault charges are not out of the question today, ha ha

Plus there is the cost of fuel..its just not all worth it today, IMO but again I had my fair share of fun and then some.

By the way, in the old days folks just drove their cars all the time and just let them rust away. You can't take your cars with you when you die and money either. Who knows, maybe when I get really old, I just say oh well and start driving more and more...I got no real plans, just live today and be happy
 
More to life than driving the car year round. The down time just makes the time you spend driving/tinkering that much more enjoyable. I left AZ 4 or so years ago, don't miss the endless summer one bit. My wife was born/raised there and she feels that living there was the best thing she ever did.....was not for her family she would never go back....Sorry for the mini-hijack....
 
Old cars are sorta like women. You throw endless amounts of money at them and they still give you issues, and spending time away from them always makes you love them even more.
 
Salt lowers the freezing point of water to a point. Alaska is probably so darn cold it doesn't matter if you salt it or not it freezes still. I would think they just use sand up there.
 
I've lived in Alaska, South Korea, PA and NJ (all snow locations). Salt or no salt, you won't be catching me driving any of my 3 Mopars when there is snow on the ground! I have no problem waiting until Spring to drive my babies again. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. FYI, the snow on the roads in South Korea was much worse than Anchorage Alaska!!! I drove a front wheel drive car in Korea and even with 50" of snow packed on the roads, it never had a traction problem. But in the end, nothing beats a 4 wheel drive, while driving in the snow and ice.

Have fun in the big AK! I was there for the state's second birthday party.
 
Being from Alaska, you will want a 4x4 of somesort just because. I had many cars r wheel drive big and small in Anchorage with no issues. My mom still drives her PT Cruiser year round. Just keep it clean. They use more sand on the roads now anyway. You'll replace windsheilds often.
If you end up moving pm me and I can help between Tacoma and Anchorage to move cars, trucks and utility trailers.
 
Also a lot less humid than most places. Rainy season isnt that long. Drag Stip in Palmer usually open end April early May.
 
Thank you everybody for the replies. Things are finally starting to look up for me and I have wanted out of AZ for as long as I can remember. I had considered just moving to the Show Low area of AZ, where the heat isn't as much of an issue, near a friend to get out of the heat, but after some consideration decided it wasn't for me.

I have always loved to travel and Alaska was always on my list of places to go. I am pretty set on the decision to move there. Right now I am in my research phase since I can't move right away anyhow.

And yall are right, putting the car away for part of the year will probably be a good thing. My last 72 Duster ended up getting traded in at the dealership because it was my DD and I got tired of trying to fix and drive all year long. Still a decision I regret, but I was young at the time.
 
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