how many use a 61-66 as a daily driver?
 

How many use their old trucks to get back and forth to work etc?

Thinking about getting an old Ford (65-69ish) for a driver.

There are pros and cons to everything, would like to hear from those who are still driving their trucks on a regular basis.

I do. I can't really think of any cons.

My 64 F100 SWB has been my daily driver for 13 years. Would not trade it for anything else!

:) I don't. At 4 gallons of gas to go 48 miles I prefer the Focus at 1.4 gallons a day. Besides, the fact of the matter is the Focus has incredible handling and when on a freeway I want quickness in speed and sharp quickness in handling so I can avoid daily situations...

Yeah, especially where we live in the Bay Area here in CA, it's tough to beat a Focus or the likes in traffic. Plus you HAVE to have disc here - we have crazy drivers. That was the first thing I did. If I was working a 9-5 somewhere and had a 15mile or less commute that was with little or no stop and go traffic I'd feel fine about using the M100 for a daily. I do use it maybe 3 days of the week, but my mileage varies from 3 mi - 60mi a day depending on what I'm picking up or dropping off, and the traffic flow really effects my mileage with all the stop and go and in-town errands. So I'd say , depends on your commute...

4 cons: No safety features of any kind / No disc brakes / Terrible gas mileage / How long will a 41 + year old truck hold up while being driven daily?

I owned the same '65 F100 from March 1965 thru November 2009. It was driven daily for 3 years, then I bought a succession of new trucks thru 2006 (1968/71/79/88/92/04/06), each one better than the last.

I kept the '65, used it mainly as a chase vehicle for Rod Runs on weekends.

I use the '61 most days. 40 mile round trip. Looks real good sitting in the employee parking area of the local Chebby dealer where I work.

Mines available for daily driving, but I have to drive my Taurus truck unless hauling large items.



John :-X06

I guess it varies from person to person. While mine does now have safety features, it didn't have them for most of my ownership and it's been a daily driver since I've owned it. The repairs I've performed that were absolutely necessary have been fewer than my 22 year old firebird. I know it has limitations and I respect them. I do have 2 vehicles, so I guess I can't technically call it a daily driver. I do try to use both but the truck is the vehicle of choice. It doesn't bother me at all to take it into Atlanta traffic.
For me, there are no cons - and I'm trying hard to think of one.

My 66 F100 shortbed has been my daily driver for the last year and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. I drive 7K-8K per year in and around Los Angeles. Since upgrading to power steering & disc brakes, I feel plenty safe & comfortable except when I look at the gas gauge! :( The kudos & thumbs up ease the pain at the pump just a little bit....:-jammin

As with me, except for couple yrs. while installing the upgrades, the 65 w/ the 302 has been the daily driver for past 40 yrs. These classic treasure are as basic as it gets, Oh yea, no smogging is another bonus.

66 F-350 asdaily work truck for 25 years
 

Until 4 years ago I had a 66 F-350 dump that I used as my regular work truck. Small V-8 with 4 speed manual, PTO dump. Ran like champ and never failed to start and to do the work. Finally the front cab mounts and then the floor began to rot out and I sold it to a guy that wanted it as a parking lot plow truck. A very ignomious end to a great worker!

Mine isn't a daily (although with rumored changes at work, it could become one soon) but I drive it several times a week around town. I'm less than 10 miles from ANYTHING I need, so it's fine. I've taken on several 2-3 hour trips (one way) and never worried that much. I even drove it to New York (800 + miles) one year. No air conditioning in these Southern summers is the only major con I have. Gas isn't so bad, now that I have a new(er) engine in it (73-74 302).

Every single day... 25-30 miles round trip most days or MORE! and hauling a 6x8 trailer, sure glad i swaped in the disc brakes!

Thanks for all the replies. Here's where I'm coming from:

I live in WY, no smog etc. I drive about 20 min to work one way. That's about 1 mile through town in the morning to the hwy, 15ish miles on the hwy then another mile to work. There is no traffic to speak of and someone doing 65 doesn't rile anyone up. If we're going on a trip of any distance we take the wife's car and in the summmer I mostly ride the bike.

At the moment I have a 95 F-150 300 six 5 spd 2wd.

I love the 300, I've owned a number and built a few, in my opinion one of the best motors ever made. Not a big fan of the M5OD, having to work on it more than I would like. Not a huge fan of aging EFI systems, hunting down intermitant sensor issues is a PITA.

Thinking of picking up a 66 F-100, pulling the big block and putting a really mild 300 in it with a 4 or 5spd. Very simple, very easy to work on. Swap to discs in the front and leave the rest alone.

How practicle is this vs hanging on to a newer truck?

Thanks, Matt.