So, I have this 70 SS in the garage. I want to drive it but want to keep it as nice as I can. I spent hours making the car correct. It all works, gages, reverse lock,key buzzer ( you remember that annoying noise) I just dont want anything to happen. So what do you think?

The Peanut Gallery always says.. Cars were meant to be Driven!! :D

Do what makes YOU happy... if you built it to have it looked at admired, SHOW CAR.. then do that and buy another one that you can DRIVE without fear...

Mine doesn't get driven.. finished in 2001 and has about 275 miles on it .. but I didn't restore it to Drive It.. I did it so I could show it competively.. I knew that from the get go! and I don't really care who says what about driving it! I Enjoy it just as it is :yes:

Both of mine are not show cars, just drivers. Your typical friday night cruise car. I drive them both about once or maybe twice a month in the cooler months. I try to take them for a spin about once a week in the warmer weather. I typically average about 800 miles a year on the 71, and a little bit less on the 67

Sure is tempting, isn't it!!
If it is truly a show piece, I can see your dilemma. They are tough to clean back to show condition when they are street driven even a few miles. You never know what crazy nut is out there ready to create your worst Chevelle nightmare when you're mixing it up with others on the highway.
Safest thing is to get another driver and enjoy it, if yours won't see the highway.
I love driving my El Camino around!!

I put about 5000 miles a year on mine and love it.

Maybe once a week, sometimes twice a week, right now, not for 3 weeks.

I put 2-3000 miles a year on mine but then it was built to drive. I guess I'm in the peanut gallery. If I had 20-30 cars then I might have a show car but they were meant to be driven.

I put 0 miles on the ss, because mine is a Malibu :)

I have had my car for 10 years and the bad body work is starting to show it's ugly head and there are a lot of nicks in the paint.

I have been taking it to the track and I enjoy that more then the crumby cruise in's we have around here.

I believe you should drive it when you get the desire ( conditions permitting ) which should be often in Florida or go the other way which is make it a trailer queen which only gets driven a half mile from the trailer to the show field. To each his own but I would prefer the drive it when you get the urge route.

i drive mine every day. I am only about $21k into mine so far, but it sure is fun to drive. still needs body/paint/interior though. add to that, i drive it on the streets of Turkey!! some of the world's craziest drivers here. glad the horn works!!

I can't afford anything TOO nice to drive so I drive mine about 2-3000 miles a year also. Everything works and it is so well sorted out that it is an absolute pleasure to drive anywhere. Like Mike said, if you get more pleasure from driving it (like I do) then drive it. If you get more pleasure showing it then do that.

Mine's a show car, but I still put 2-3,000 miles a year on it. Undercarriage is nice but not frame-off nice.

Yes, it takes a little more work to keep it cleaner, and over the past 8 years I've gotten a little chip or two. But they can usually be touched up without anyone noticing.

I have an extra half hour, I might just drive around for 15 minutes or so, just so I can hear it run and maybe spin the tires! If I have a errand close by and the parking is safe, I will drive the Chevelle. I have a nice driver quality car, I guess. The whole reason I built the car was to have a V8-4 spd to drive! I usually have it out twice a week maybe 3 times.

Malibu I drive about 5000mi/yr
SS396 I've never driven, no engine when I bought it 14 years ago... still no engine. :D

well i guess my reason is differant than most. my SS velle is well restored, and i have well over $30,000 in it. but i have built it to radical for the street. shaferoff 555 (819 hp) on motor around 1000 on spray. 807 lift solid roller cam, solid front bushings,front race springs,etc,etc,etc. it is inspected,insured, and current license plates. but i dont drive it on the street. only at the race track. and not much of that. this money pit just sits in my shop looking good. i am now building a 64 nova for a strickly drag car.

Wow love the response. My car is a driver not a show piece. It is however really clean car, but as we all know, something is always being done. I to have gotten a few road chips during my minimal driving to outdoor shows. I would never invest in a # 1 show car at my pay scale ( police officer ) but I do enjoy working and tinkering on the car. In fact, I have noticed some area of concern on the quarter panels(that have been replaced) So, my next project will be that area. Other then that, the car is a awesome driver and shows very well. I was not a total frame off, just could not afford that exspense. Like someone said, its Florida and perfect for having this car year round driving. Well be safe out there, its always the other guy!

I did a full frame off on mine that took about 24 months. I show it and drive it and take it to the track. I powder coated as much as I could so I could drive it. Yes it has seen a few rain drops and even one snow fall last year. I avarage about 2500-3000 miles a year. It's been done for 3 years now and still looks like new. Every winter I wipe down the entire car top to bottom.

Mine is definitely a driver, and right now I still set wrenches directly on the fenders, and don't worry to much about dings I may put in it. I'm sure things will change when I do get it done (if that day ever arrives) but I will always drive it. If I had a $50,000 show car, I may drive less, but I will never have that. I also can't wait until next spring to get her back to the drag strip!

Usually good for 3 or 4 thousand miles a year,plus a couple of trips to the dragstrip.Got rained on yesterday going to the track.Sometimes it happens.Just do what you enjoy.Doesn't matter what everyone else thinks.What was that old saying "If it feels good do it".Lol,enjoy.:thumbsup:

Thats why I have a driver so I could use it sometimes. I would not invest in something and not drive it. Just dont have that kind of money !!!

I would imagine once complete, I'll drive it around 500 miles per year. I've driven it about 500 feet since I've owned it.

I drive mine as often as possible, and it puts a smile on my face EVERY TIME!

I don't have an SS but drive my Chevelle everyday, weather permitting.

I am enjoying this wonderful day in SOuth Florida. Cars out of the garage and doing some errands with it. Its just a great feeling!!!

I try to drive it once a week. Only thing in the interior is the bucket seats, the rest is stripped out; paint's peeling off; half of the exterior trim isn't installed; and it generally looks like crap.

Funny thing is, people still stare and give me thumbs up. :confused: :D

I have been to 3 shows with my car so far and this is what I have in it as of today.
http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z238/1badss396/Guage%20Restoration%20Paint/th_P1010013.jpg
(http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z238/1badss396/Guage%20Restoration%20Paint/?action=view&current=P1010013.jpg)

I have been to 3 shows with my car so far and this is what I have in it as of today.Wow, Brad already turned it over 100,000 l:)

Wow, Brad already turned it over 100,000 l:)hehe:D if I am lucky I can keep it under 50 miles before I get to CB09

I feel bad for you guys that have cars too nice to drive. I see that in the street rod hobby and feel bad for the guys that trailer with an enclosed trailer then roll the car out and drive it 1 mile to a rod run site. I just hop in, turn the key and hit the gas. With the Chevelle, I start it up and hear that hard hittin' motor, then run over to the xway and get down to first gear as I head up the ramp. then...run it up to 5-6 thou in first and second gear, maybe in 3rd. then put it in 4th and hear that motor purr at 3000rpm. That is the fun of driving a muscle car. Nothin like feeling that motor pull hard as you go thru the gears. And you pass all those econo cars, too!

Every chance I get.

My car had a body off restro.when I got it last year,but i still enjoy driving it on nice days and I like just looking at him in my garage.Either way it raises my heart rate!

My car had a body off restro.when I got it last year,but i still enjoy driving it on nice days and I like just looking at him in my garage.Either way it raises my heart rate!

Beautiful car Gary!!

I guess I am on the drivers side, although the paint and body on my car was done in 90', so it shows a little here and there, but still shows decent for what it is.

I will have to agree, it's all about what you want to with the car. I am a drag racer and gear head, so it's all about going fast or making it better. But I know many that just clean on them and load them in the trialer for the show.

I never took the '70 out once this year! I know I should get it out and exercise it once in a while but with going to camp every weekend and working steady afternoons there never seems to be enough time to get it out for a ride.The '67 only saw about 200 miles as well.Of course living up here in the frozen north where winter has officially hit tonight doesn't help.We are looking at 8" of SNOW tonight.:sad::sad::sad::sad:

Looks like the peanut gallery is in the majority, the trailer divas are in minority. I built mine to drive, I drive mine about 2-3000 miles a year.

I drove the hell out of my 66SS for years, over 3000 miles easy. Painted it but didnt have all the trim for it, so I drove the hell out of it for many years more without most of the trim on it but with nice paint and mechanicals. But then I started having some oil consumption problems that just plain became too much of a problem so I parked it in order to plan some more restoration work including rebuilding the non original 66 (Impala) 396. Well, it is still sitting while I persue other things and rebuild my account to accomidate the engine and some other much needed restoration work. Like the the heat and blower controls on the dash thats never worked, never really needed it during the nice months. Now I want to finish it instead of driving a half done project.

the key is to know what you really want and buy/ restore accordingly. i would never invest the time/ money into a show car because i like to drive.

i don't understand the whole show car scene myself, but we are all different. i have several classics so i don't put as many miles on my chevelle as i would if i didn't have others to drive. but i bet i put around 2000 miles on the chevelle this year. i even drove all the way to deadwood, SD in it, parked it over night there, got rained on most of the way back and i didn't care. and this is a fully restored real SS converible. i would probably drive any car i owned, i don't car if it's a real Z16, i would insure it and drive it.

I have driven my 70 SS 454-M-22 El Camino since I took del. in Apr. 1970. I also beat the sh!p out of it. Befor I did the frame off, I rolled up 117000 miles (All by me ) Now its a trailer queen. I built a driver 70 SS 468 Red. Sta. Wgn. Drive it anytime any where. Built it in 2002 and I just put on new tires.
It has been driven to Can-Am show Buff. NY 2-3 times, Chevellabration 2-3 times, Woodward Cruise this year. Hot rod power tour to Fla. I consider myself very lucky, I have my one owner for shows and a fun driver. Its your car -----Do with it as you please................
Bob:thumbsup:

Mine is not a show car and never will be as long as I own it. I got it to drive it and because I enjoy working on cars. I drive it every chance I get but not in rain or snow.

I drive mine like I stole it:D:D:D:thumbsup: The cops around here must have a soft spot for the blue brute. Nock on wood, I have never got a ticket behind
the wheel of her, but have recieved plenty of warnings:D;) If I could not drive my car I would not want it.:yes:

I like to drive mine but do what you like with yours. Even with it just sitting in the garage it makes me feel like a very lucky man. Enjoy it.

I don't get to drive mine as often as I'd like. I probably average once or twice a month. I believe the best view of a car is from behind the steering wheel. I won't drive mine to work because it's nearly all 70+ mph on the highway, which sucks with 4.56 gears. If you want to keep yours pristine in the garage, more power to you. It will still be nice many years down the road, where mine will have been rode hard and rebuilt several times. I enjoy working on mine so it's not a problem.

Devin

A showcar is a showcar - restoration time, money, and details go into those that make them NOT sensible to abuse on the road. You just spent all that time on DETAIL - so keep it. But if your car's not that original, or accurately restored, I'd say it's not so valuable or irreparable that you shouldn't enjoy it.

If it's a restomod or clone, drive it. I think most "SS" machines here don't have the original engine... or are even true SS; they are just not that valuable. Expensive to create, yes, but not so valuable on the market.

I've had my 70 SS almost 5 years now and the wife is the only one to "drive" it. She steers while I push it around the yard and into the shop. :D That is all going to change this winter. It is a rusty roller that needs total resto. I have a 69 396 Th 400 for it and a 12 rear. I am determined to push it in the shop 1 last time in a few weeks and DRIVE it out in another few weeks. I ordered the radiator hoses, water pump and u-joints for it today from NAPA. It's been 29 YEARS since I sold my 70 SS LS 5, M22 that I was the second owner of and I CAN'T WAIT to smell the tires melting on asphalt again....:hurray: An all correct trailer queen ...............I hardly pay attention to them at a show. I look at the real cars that get driven and have the owners personal touch. I already have a vintage set of Appliance headers and an old torquer manifold for the "day 2' look for mine.:thumbsup:

I don't have an SS so I guess I don't put any miles on it :). My 70 has racked up about 21,000 miles since I redid it. I think it has about the same amount of trailer miles on it too :D.

My 64ss was my daily driver for a little over a year after I bought it in 06. Now, it sits in my shop. I've driven it maybe 10 times this year. It's not a show car by far, but it was in excellent shape when I got it. Now, it needs a little work here and there. I just wish I had the time to get on it.