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As I've already mentioned in previous tbreads/posts, I'm driving my '72 Supreme to Ocean City MD this weekend for the Endless Summer Cruise. The weatherman is calling for partly cloudy skies on Friday, mostly cloudy on Saturday, and a 55% chance of rain on Sunday. We're planning on heading up Friday and coming back Sunday. If it does rain on Sunday, it will be the first time I've driven the Cutlass in a steady rain, so I was just wondering how the group feels about driving in the rain🤔
Check your wipers to make sure they work right and blades are good. Also defroster and A/C if car has it. It will clear fogged windows better than defroster by itself, though that was about time GM started running the A/C compressor in defrost position.
X2... If your undercarriage does not fall into trailer queen status, I would not worry about it. Dirt washes off. Make sure your tires, brakes, wipers and lights work fine.
I grew up on the Gulf Coast and drove my 70 Supreme in all weather conditions through high school, college, and first real job, then daily drove the 71 convertible on my second real job.
Also as said, make sure the wipers are good and all the HVAC works correctly. Waxing the windshield or applying RainX will help with visibility in rain.
Check your trunk when done, like the wells behind the wheels. If you have water in there, unload trunk, lift mat, put fan in there, leave lid open, maybe with a bungee to keep the light off. Trunk seal and rear window can leak.
Don't try to on purpose, but she has seen lots of rain and more than her share of snow. Can't be helped if you drive them like you would like to and get away from the shadow of the garage. The pain comes when you get back and detail it for a points show.....Tedd
Get some rainX for the windshield if wipers aren't up to snuff or fail, its just that the car gets dirty in the rain, and like said don't store away if anything inside gets wet before drying out.
I drove my 66 442 year round back in the day too.... but it was my DD. My point is that people drive like **** in perfect weather, I won't jeopardize my classic car in bad weather.........
I typically enjoy driving in the rain, but I have found that others tend to lose their minds in inclimate weather. Even driving in a downpour in Virginia is still better than trying to drive in a microburst in the South West. As long as your tires are good and you drive the appropriate speeds you should be fine. Rain-X on the windshield should be a must on these old cars to keep the fogging to a minimum. Besides, they don't salt the roads for rain so it will wash the underside of the car for you.
AFAIK all those poor souls at the Sturbridge, CT nationals still have serviceable cars and it poured like a bitch. I abhor washing my car so it often has 1/16” of dust coating it and brown front wheels, when it gets sprinkled on, the dirt spots suck but a real rain is like a drive through wash!
Take into account any leaks that you encounter (if) when washing it and act accordingly. As previously noted - good wipers, windshield treatment, working defroster and most important, light throttle, especially if the wheels are turned.
I grew up on the Gulf Coast and drove my 70 Supreme in all weather conditions through high school, college, and first real job, then daily drove the 71 convertible on my second real job.
Also as said, make sure the wipers are good and all the HVAC works correctly. Waxing the windshield or applying RainX will help with visibility in rain.
AFAIK all those poor souls at the Sturbridge, CT nationals still have serviceable cars and it poured like a bitch. I abhor washing my car so it often has 1/16” of dust coating it and brown front wheels, when it gets sprinkled on, the dirt spots suck but a real rain is like a drive through wash!
Take into account any leaks that you encounter (if) when washing it and act accordingly. As previously noted - good wipers, windshield treatment, working defroster and most important, light throttle, especially if the wheels are turned.
….
I haven't washed it in the three years I've had it...haven't had to. As you know, I keep it covered, so a good wipe down with some detail spray is all it's ever needed, so dunno about possible leaks. As far as the wipers, since I usually try to not drive it in the rain, I barely use them except to clear the windshield of the morning dew on those cool fall days when I drive it to work. They were new two years ago, so even though they are two years old, I would think that they are good. All lights work, and although the defrost on the driver side takes a little longer to clear than the passenger side, it still works.
..and no hot rodding of course...lol
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Last edited by 72455; October 6th, 2021 at 07:01 PM.
As far as the wipers, since I usually try to not drive it in the rain, I barely use them except to clear the windshield of the morning dew on those cool fall days when I drive it to work. They were new two years ago, so even though they are two years old, I would think that they are good.
Don't count on it. If nothing else get some spares before you leave, and Rain-X the outside of the windshield. If one of them fails it can put a nasty scratch in the windshield, and there ain't no parts stores on the Bridge-Tunnel. There is a pretty good restaurant though...
AFAIK all those poor souls at the Sturbridge, CT nationals
….
That's actually Sturbridge, MA.
And yeah, it rained like mad. I was judging the H/O classes. Suffice to say that after the first couple of cars, we didn't spend a lot of time on the later ones.
Of course, G-burg was the same. The mud bog swap meet was legend.
Check your trunk when done, like the wells behind the wheels. If you have water in there, unload trunk, lift mat, put fan in there, leave lid open, maybe with a bungee to keep the light off. Trunk seal and rear window can leak.
As far as the trunk, what if I used a sheet of plastic
to keep the water from getting past the seal? I was thinking I could lay it across the top of the trunk and close the trunk over it.
That's actually Sturbridge, MA.
And yeah, it rained like mad. I was judging the H/O classes. Suffice to say that after the first couple of cars, we didn't spend a lot of time on the later ones.
Of course, G-burg was the same. The mud bog swap meet was legend.
Ooooph, will have to plead nolo. I’m not even gonna fix it just to remind myself of my limited intelligence. I guess my excuse is that I live a whole 40 miles away, maybe if it was, like, 20 miles, I’d remember where it is! I do remember driving in that down pouring rain after spending the morning doing a rear axle bearing in the closed garage at about 150% humidity.
Ooooph, will have to plead nolo. I’m not even gonna fix it just to remind myself of my limited intelligence. I guess my excuse is that I live a whole 40 miles away, maybe if it was, like, 20 miles, I’d remember where it is! I do remember driving in that down pouring rain after spending the morning doing a rear axle bearing in the closed garage at about 150% humidity.
Well, apparently the system that was supposed to bring the rain either fell apart or got pushed off the coast, cuz other than some sprinkles last night, the weather was fine. 😀
Well, apparently the system that was supposed to bring the rain either fell apart or got pushed off the coast, cuz other than some sprinkles last night, the weather was fine. 😀
Lucky you. It's been raining two days straight from this system. Not complaining really, it's been a really nice light to moderate soil soaking.
So maybe it slowed down...either way I didn't have any bad weather on the drive home today.
Oh, it slowed down alright. This system was stalled out at the bottom of the Saragossa Sea for 3 days, then ever so slowly (<5mph) began to move Northward. It's been working Northward along the Atlantic coast for ~1 week. Electing to stall out again right off the North Carolina coast.
Glad you had a good time and didn't get a soaker, I want to check out that someday, It seems similar to the Old US27 Motor Tour that we go on every August. I love going on a traveling car show. Thanks for all the pics in the other threads!
Those cars were probably the beater cars while the goods ones stayed in the garage
You are most likely invoking some humor, but that image is typical of every single parking lot in the North during winter throughout the 60s & 70s. Those are daily drivers to/from work. Although, it could be the old Chicago Stadium parking lot prior to a concert, game, etc. The better images are when you can only see the antennas protruding from the snow.
Those cars were probably the beater cars while the goods ones stayed in the garage
When I lived in MA in the 1970s, my "good" car was the 68 442 I had restored after pulling it from a wrecking yard. My winter beater was a 67 Cutlass Holiday Coupe that I got for $200. That 67 got stolen out of the parking lot at college.
You are most likely invoking some humor, but that image is typical of every single parking lot in the North during winter throughout the 60s & 70s. Those are daily drivers to/from work. Although, it could be the old Chicago Stadium parking lot prior to a concert, game, etc. The better images are when you can only see the antennas protruding from the snow.
October 6th, 2021 | 03:16 PM
