Mine's not done yet(it should be done this summer). But, I plan on driving it several times a month, "when it's not raining."

 

I try to drive mine once or twice a week.....when I'm not working on it....like I am now. LOL!!! Usually it's a twenty mile or more cruise. I try not to take it out when it's raining, so this time of year in the Central Valley of California it's hit or miss. We've been getting quite a bit of rain this winter. No matter what, when I take it out someone comes over a asks me about it or wants to take a look at it, which I truly enjoy. Many people tell me that it makes their day to see an "old truck" out on the road. Ya gotta love the smiles and the "thumbs up" that you get when you're out cruising.

 

I have put 23,500 miles on mine since putting it on the road in March of '07. I drive it every chance I can. I don't drive it in the rain if I can help it. It's pretty much original and the vacuum wipers and drum brakes don't compete well with all the crazy drivers out there on the wet roads.

 

Mine is not a "Trailer Queen" either. But its definitely a fair weather, sunny day driver. This past summer and even now I'm still working on the reliability issues.
I need to know it will stop and start when I need it to. I will put some miles on this spring and summer

 

My 51 F1 is my daily work truck. She carries my tools and with the rack takes reasonable lumber loads. I just take my time and this winter, with the added defroster hoses, can even see where I am going.
Barry

 

defroster hose??? isn't that an option??

 

I got my truck back in march of last year. It ran good but the frontend was a death trap. I should be driving it in a few weeks. I drive my 67 fastback every sunday and drive my 2003 everyday. When i get the 51 done i'm going to drive the tires off it. CAN YOU SAY ROAD TRIP.

 

Both of mine are daily drivers. Neither are show queens, and they both look decent at 10 feet and good at 20. I haul a lot of odds n ends in them if needed. Ironicaly, my reliability issues are with my 50 and its 302 and tranny. With the exception of the morning my throttle hung wide open on the flathead, my 49 runs well. It sat in a barn for 20 years. Once I got the flathead freed up and all of the valves unstuck, it has run like a singer sewing machine ever since. As far as the 50 goes, I spent the whole day today hanging some foam insulation board in my new/old "shop" so that i can have somewhere halfway comfortable to tear it down and correct a lot of old "fixes" from probably the 70s or early 80s.

 

I drive my 1955 F100 seasonally; April – September because I store it in the winter at my parent’s place (father has a big shop) which is 230 miles away. I finished my truck in June of 2009 and put about 5,XXX miles on it the first year. However, I have a 23 month old daughter and when we go to shows away from home (F100 Supernationals, GSM F100, etc…), I trailer the truck.

Lance

 

I have a 56 f600 that I try to drive weekly, I've owned it for 15yrs.and put 10k miles on it.
It is not restored but I did do an engine swap a couple years ago. 5.9 cummins 6+4 trans, dana 80 with 3.31 ratio. I can drive it on the freeway now and not hold up traffic.

 

Hey Lance, are you saying that the cab is a little small the bigger ANDIE gets, hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year, Garry--------See Ya in June----------

 

Say Lance maybe a panel should be in your future.

 

Yes, the cab is growing smaller by the day. When we take small trips (less than 2 hours), Andie sits in the middle between Kim and myself. I have a difficult time keeping her hands off the steering wheel and shift lever. She is always trying to help me drive. Needless to say, I can’t imagine making a 7 hour trip to Pigeon Forge with her riding in the middle.<O</O
<O</O
I have thought of a panel, but they are hard to find. Kim would like to have a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible which I have been unable to locate (in my price range). If I could redo a Fairlane, we would have all the room we need (truck and car).<O</O

 

I drive mine when I can, usually to church and to car shows. Sometimes just to cruise around town or to go out and get something. Its insured to drive year round so I can drive her all year, but the wipers give me fits so like many others I hate to drive in the rain.

I'm kind of like Lance the cab is kind of small on the long trip to PF for all 3 of us. Its about a 6 hour trip for us but we do drive there and the girl's stuff keep accumulating. I'm tryin to get to work on my '56 panel so we'll have more room. I can only imagine what its like in a bonus built with tryin to stuff 3people in one of them .

I do love seeing these things on the road There aint nothing like it. Especially if it is kind of bad weather, cause the folks know you really got a driver then or maybe feel sorry for you? Kind of like when you are gettin rained on riding a motorcycle.

 

My driver is a 49 Merc 1/2 ton. I bought it in 1978 from the grandson of a farmer in Bentley Alberta. The kid could not get it started. I looked, picked it up, took it home, looked. The old battery was frozen. New battery, plugs etc. Fired right up. I have been driving it ever since. This year I hope to do the body, again, and a new paint job. Cheers. Michael.