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This won't be of interest to those of you who are rich or well off. This is aimed at those us working stiffs of moderate or fixed income. I know a lot of guys who can afford to have one really awesome car, old or new, one that is their pride and joy, and probably denied themselves of other pleasures because of it. I'm of another school of thought, and I was wondering if there are any others like me. I have 5 cars (not counting daily drivers), all of them what you would call 20 footers, They're all drivers, run fine, look ok, but I have no funds to turn them into beauties, since I'm now retired and on a fixed income. It took me 10 years to save enough to buy my 90K mile '06 C6, which is the nicest thing I own. But all my rides are all different and though I get nods and waves at gas stations, they don't get much praise at club outings or local shows, which I rarely attend. So what are you, quality or quantity, and don't say both.
I guess I am quality...but currently have a quantity.....I have a 77 Corvette Coupe, 69 Corvette Convertible and recently added a 2006 C6 Corvette base model. But if I could only have one......I suspect it would be the 69,....except it currently is COMPLETELY apart undergoing what will be a multi-year restoration into my retirement. So.....given that, and my love of driving them....if I had to lose two of them today......I would keep the 77. I have built this car into the coolest thing I ever owned.....other than my Harleys. Its an absolute blast to drive and owne.
Last edited by Torqued Off; 04-09-2023 at 07:43 AM.
I'm 36 and have early onset Parkinson's, I'm on disability and have a wife and two daughters to take care of. I can't afford quality or quantity lol. I have my daily driver a 21 Kia forte gt2, my wife has a 80 El Camino in a state of repair, I have my 68 of which is "presentable" and i only have my 68 because I inherited it from my father.
I guess I have to say Quantity, although I really would say I am somewhere between quality and quantity.
I have 4 classic cars, although I will soon be selling one.
My 73 Road Runner was/is my first car - I have had it for 42 years. It is pictured below and is my "beater". The body has a fair amount of rust, and the original numbers engine threw a rod out the side of the block 7 years ago, so that is gone. But, I drove it 11,097 miles last year for a cross country, 2 month trip. Never really needed to worry about it getting a ding! At Zion National Park
At Devil's Tower
Then I have my 70 Road Runner. In 2015, it was rotisserie restored and we also drove that across country 2 weeks after I finished it. It acquired a few chips in the paint on that trip, but totally worth it. Still, it is a very nice car with no major flaws. At the top of Pikes Peak
At the Grand Tetons
Then I have my 62 Corvette. This car is unrestored, so it has its flaws, but it is extremely original. This car was used and is referenced in Noland Adams' book! This was my father-in-law's special car for many years and I am now the caretaker of it. Its a 340 horse, close ratio 4 speed and 4.11 car with 2 tops. This one I try to preserve as much as possible.
Finally, I have my 1969 Corvette I just recently bought. It is a 300 horsepower base car with an automatic, A/C, power brakes, power steering and power windows - basically a nice "cruiser" car. It has 30,600 original miles but has been slumbering for a number of years. I am working on making everything 100% reliable and functional and then I plan to regularly drive it.
But bottom line is I drive ALL of my cars and want all to be 100% reliable and ready to drive at a moment's notice - no trailer queens at my house!
What is quality?
I buy and own, what makes me happy.
Right now I own, 69 Coupe, 69 Convertible, 69 Chevelle Coupe 396, 69 Mach 1, 70 Mach 1 and 73 Z28 RS
I'm a quantity type.
Working on my vehicles is my hobby, I suppose if I sold them all I could have one nice quality vehicle, then I'd have to find a new hobby.
My project CJ5 and Evo era Harley got put on the back burner when I decided it was time to follow a childhood dream and buy my C3.
I try to buy structurally sound vehicles that need mechanical work, that's the part I enjoy.
I have two daily drivers, an old pickup and a 10 year old Jeep, I keep the pickup on the road myself, so far the Jeep hasn't needed much attention beyond maintenance
I do keep a newer reliable vehicle around as a family car and daily driver for my wife.
This lets me concentrate on my hobby instead of worrying about her transportation.
I would say definitely not Quantity. I like to tinker and my car is my hobby. Although it raises my temperature sometimes, I enjoy the ride, the fix and the continued road to quality by my standards (I don't get carried away with it). Happy Easter!
Quantity just because I cant sell anything. I still have my first car I bought in 1977, a 62 TR4. I am done buying for the rest of my life because I have nowhere to put anything new.
Quantity just because I cant sell anything. I still have my first car I bought in 1977, a 62 TR4. I am done buying for the rest of my life because I have nowhere to put anything new.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I have one so it has to be quality...I drive it like its rented but I try to keep it as nice as possible. The paint is the only thing I worry about, so I may have tto take some classes on paint and body work so I can keep the cost down...and maybe get to use the class shop to do it.
My daily drivers are 22 years old and 18 years old...both are rusted and in dire straights.....I'll be saving to replace those once the 427 is installed and broken in.
I have quantity. All mine are daily drivers and not queens here. I do all my own work including painting. The T bucket I built from scratch in 2011. I just finished restoring the el camino last summer. I have owned it since 1987.
It's quality for me. We have two workhorses, a '97 Camry and a '03 Acura TL. I have my two toys, the Vette and a '94 MR2. Neither one has ever been winter driven.
Both live pampered, garaged lives and only come out to play when the sun is high & the air is warm....
So sometimes it comes down to how many hot rods you want to keep clean.
Daily driver wise. Wife's 2022 Charger AWD and my 2020 1500 Silverado.
Fun stuff. 98 Wrangler with a 2002 LS6/4L60E swap. It has 4:10 gears and it's not slow. Next up is a 2014 Mustang GT convertible 5.0/6 speed combo. Great car.
Latest project is a 80 RS Camaro. Bought it from the original owners son. 28K . Zero rust. 99% complete LS3/4L60E swap.
A lot of you guys who say quantity have some awful nice stuff. Let's look at this hypothetically. Let's say you're a car guy and right now you have a daily driver, but nothing else in your garage. However, you have $50,000 cash. Would you buy one really nice car with your $50k, or maybe five $10k drivers that run, but need TLC. Or would you buy ten $5000 projects (providing you had the room). I'd buy the five running projects. Oh, and spouses would be happy with any choice you make (fat chance).
04-08-2023, 10:28 PM
Quality or Quantity
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