Well there were a few times when I was caught off guard by the weather and ended up getting rained on on the way home. I live in the midwest so there is good amounts of sun and dry weather. However, the few times that I was caught in the rain with my Chevelle I felt like I was doing something incredibly sacrilegious. As if somehow 1 mile in the rain equaled 1000 miles in a nice sunny day. Its all in my head. Also there would always be someone who gives me that glare like, "how dare you take it out in the rain" when I drive by them or stop next to them. Now to get down to my main question. I visited Seattle and loved the city and the University. I would really like to move there and the only thing thats really holding me back is the weather. Not really for myself, I dont mind it myself, its more about my Chevelle. I would like to be able to drive my Chevelle periodically but it seems like it is ALWAYS wet there. The week that I was there I saw the sun for 5 minutes ONCE. Anyway I was wondering what you alls opinions were on driving in the wet/rain and if anyone would like to give me some input about driving in Seattle. I love driving my Chevelle, but I also have this phobia about driving when its wet outside. :(

I avoid the rain since it takes a long time to fully clean up. Avoiding moisture is a good thing since water getting trapped in a rear window channel (as an example) can take its toll over time. Still, if your car has had proper preparation on the body, as in paint, sealer etc. plus frame is likewise adequately protected then you should not be overly concerned. You just have to dry it off, use WD40 in window channels and other areas. Just imagine what could be affected, then work out a plan to address any areas of concern. It is best not to put the car away wet. Make plans as well to drive the car on a nice dry day to dry out the rockers and heater plenum, heat up and dry out the brakes and so on.

I know it sounds silly, but I hear you on this.

Remember, just going through temperature and humidity changes puts moisture on all interior panels and inside the mechanicals as well. Something to think about. You may reason that it isn’t much worse than letting your car sit, it’s just the cleanup that is time consuming.


When I was visiting Seattle I really enjoyed seeing all the daily driver Chevelles and El Caminos. Yes, it was wet there but they seem to survive regardless.

Best advice I can give is put the car away dry if you can, and take it out on a dry day. You're bound to have a thorough cleanup session anyway, so make it worthwhile.

screw other people who give u looks. they should be smart enough to realize u got caught in the rain. besides, its ur car. do they pay for it or work on it?

Lucky you were not ticketed - LOL Absolutely no offensive committed. I wonder why one would put out the time, expense and labour to build a Muscle “TOY” rather then a Muscle “CAR” which proudly represents the breed to dominate in the light of the Imported Sport Machines we see every day.

I drive mine year in, year out in all weather but avoid salty slush if I can clean snow is OK. I highly recommend Rust Check (Red Can) in the Cowl to Rockers, Frame Rails, Body Channels and Seams, Door Seams, Window Moldings, Trunk Rear Well Lips, Behind the Bumpers, Key and Electrical Sockets ... etc. WD40 evaporates much too fast.

I might add that my 70Z has 4 coats of Epoxy Under Coat on every part including every nut and bolt inside and out. I built the car to drive and don't care what its worth to others.

I was born and raised in Seattle,I try not to drive the Chevelle in the rain but it happens.The first time I got caught in a storm was on a trip to the ocean for a car show(500 miles),thought the undercage would be a mess,took me 1/2 hr to clean.I quess what I am saying is drive the car it will be fine!!



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I avoid any kind of water at all costs. Mainly because I'm not fond of detailing afterwards. I got caught in a terrential downpour on Saturday in the Charger and the car is a mess now because of it.

Here's my experience with driving in the rain and rust:

I had a '72 Olds Cutlass convertible for 13 years. I drove it cross country 11 times. It spent six rainy winters in Portland, OR, one winter in New Orleans, and three years in Arizona summer downpours. It was my every day driver and was never garaged. I even drove it in the snow (clean NW snow). The only thing I ever avoided was salted roads.

When I sold it two years ago, it had ZERO rust. The quarter panels were solid and the undercarriage looked like it was two years old. All the drive-line and the suspension were immaculate. No rust, only dust and road grime.

I went to visit the car a year after I sold it. It had been sitting under a car cover in Oregon weather. In just one year, rust started to appear everywhere. On the frame, the header bow, even the air cleaner under the hood was getting rusty.

My present daily driver is a '69 Chevelle. I live in Oregon and have a covered garage for it. I drive in any and all weather. Luckily, in Portland they don't salt the roads. I've had the car for two years and no rust issues.

My theory is that cars rust when exposed to rain AND are left there to sit. If you drive them frequently, they get "aired out". That's the only thing I can think off that kept my Cutlass completely rust free for thirteen years. Now that it's just sitting, waiting to be restored, it's starting to rot away.

If you drive it frequently, stay off salted roads, and keep it clean, it should last forever.

I was born and raised in Seattle,I try not to drive the Chevelle in the rain but it happens.The first time I got caught in a storm was on a trip to the ocean for a car show(500 miles),thought the undercage would be a mess,took me 1/2 hr to clean.I quess what I am saying is drive the car it will be fine!!



http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z65/prostreet56/2007_0531415070006.jpg

I love your car, the stance, the color, the wheels, nice, very nice

No rain for me. I don't even take the chance of getting caught in it. The drivers around here in rain is destruction derby. You will get hit. We don't even drive the everyday cars in rain unless necessary. (work and back)

Why build them if you don't drive them. I rather like the looks of a Muscle Car that shows some road dirt. It tells others that it's NOT a TOY and you don't care what they think because it's your ride.

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It's not a Chevelle but it's a Chevy; beside, the 70Z did come with Chevelle Upper and Lower Ball Joints - LOL. NOTE: The Block Heater. It was 5 below this morning and I don't like cold starts with a SR Cam even if the lifters are Crower HIPPO's.

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460 BBC SR/NASCAR 830Dp Annular Booster /Donovan Cam Gear/Mallory VI CD & Mechanical Distributor/M22/3.08's Posi. I can't tell you all the other goodies in this post but just trying the keep the BF P295 N50 15's from lighting up at any speed and 7000 rpm isn't too bad when you have the suspension setup. Any speed under 120mph and I'm still in 3rd Gear.

I enjoy the look of a 4WD SUV drivers expression when a Camaro with a Posi leaves him behind in the snow.

Daily Driver for 4 years and never been garaged. I've own this ride since 76.

Like I used to say when I rode Harleys a lot. I never left home in the rain or snow but I sure came home in it. If I never drove it if weather was threating, it would never get driven. I don't drive in the winter after they have salted the roads and I wait until the spring rains have cleaned the salt off the roads.

Chris:

Whoa! Love your El Camino. What's the Drive train. Would you consider a trade ;o)

I had 74 AMF Skirtster bored 1340 but can't stay away from Cafe:

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This is my Buddy's 81 FLWG. If I Only had the patience to keep my machines that clean :o)

I don't plan on driving any of my cars in the rain,but if it happens..WTF are you gonna do..just spend more time cleaning it!

If you want to move - do it! Then decide the number of ways to handle the rain issue.... Preventative is probably fine; undercoatings, treatment, hair dryer/space heater in the garage? Second car?

Your Chevelle is a 350, and unless it's all original and numbers-matching, probably not worth as much as anyone's modern Mustang. There are TONS of Chevelles out there, you could drive this one even if it rusted and died - then restore it. Or get another...

One of the reasons I don't need a matching numbers or frame off restored car, if I'm ready to ride, I'm off and running!!!:D

I do avoid leaving in the rain but if I have a destination I want to make by a certain time, I'll go anyway. Ol Paint is just a nice part time driver, I do keep it clean but I did not spend gobs of cash and work my butt off on it just to let it sit in the garage to look at!!!:beers:

Why build them if you don't drive them.
Because I have way too many hours rebuilding it from a rust bucket to drive it around in the rain and snow to risk having it get wrecked or trashed again from the weather.

I avoid any kind of water at all costs. Mainly because I'm not fond of detailing afterwards. I got caught in a terrential downpour on Saturday in the Charger and the car is a mess now because of it.

Tom...you weren't going to the Pumpkin Run show Saturday that they "should" have canceled were you ?? I was looking forward to taking the ol' 66 down there, but saw the blob moving up the coast. I'm afraid I have a leaker ( need to replace the stripping ) and never take it in the rain... in fact, it's never been washed !!!

After reading this thread seems people are evenly divided on this topic.Hey there our cars and we can do what we want!For me I enjoy driving my car only on nice days,and there is any chance of rain on a show day we stay home.I personally enjoy sitting on the front porch with my wife and a sixpack ,my collie and just lookin at my car in the driveway:waving:

Sometimes it rains sometimes it don't. Went to GG's Indy last June, there was a chance of rain. You bet! 7" overnight. It literally washed out Interstate 70 about 12 miles west of Indy. I had pictures on my website but my site got too big. I hope to get more pictures back before long. By the way, Indy was still Fun and a more memorable time because of the circumstances.
Last month our club had a 350 mile cruise planned, supposed to rain the whole weekend. I Rainexed the windshield and left home with a dirty car, expecting to get it washed the whole trip. It was cloudy and cool the whole trip, turned out to be a fantastic weekend.
I get my enjoyment from driving my car rather than constantly wiping on it. I've never seen a dickhead that would give someone a dirty look because they were driving it in the rain. Wow, think how pissed he would get driving around a GoodGuys event when it rained.

Hey now I live just north of Seattle and yes it does seem to rain quite a bit but it is Gods country..
Ok now lets be serious, Yes I try not to drive in the rain but I have actually got caught in the snow once. Every time we have a TNT get together no matter if its summer or not there is always a weather watch. It sucks to own a nice car in this state. I almost want to get another kinda beater chevelle that I could drive anytime but thats not really in the budget right now.
So for driving in the rain once in a while wont kill the car. Its just water and you can clean the car so its not the end of the world.. BTW its just a car.

Tom:
Because I have way too many hours rebuilding it from a rust bucket to drive it around in the rain and snow to risk having it get wrecked or trashed again from the weather.

I know what you mean; but, time slips away before you have a place in H*LL.
You built it; enjoy it, and when your gone let someone else take care of the ride ;o)

PS: For the Oregon Drivers, I love Seattle Country and suggest you should try cursing Rainbow Country.

Smity that is one nice looking car, like someone else said- I love the stance, wheels, colors, and overall look. I might have to copycat a few ideas for my '70

Hey Kyle and Shawn,thanks for the comments.There great cars,keep driving them!


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Frank: You have a beautiful and powerful car there and I'm sorry it is not licensed for rain because your missing some of the best driving experiences when you and your ride has to contend with the environment.

It's just water

I avoid any kind of water at all costs. Mainly because I'm not fond of detailing afterwards. I got caught in a terrential downpour on Saturday in the Charger and the car is a mess now because of it.


Are you still cleaning it up, Tom? ;)

Respectfully,
John R.

I have no way to get my car anyplace unless I drive it. I've been to Chevelle-a-bration 3 times, Springfield, MO twice, Tulsa, OK once, and shows at various venues all around Arkansas. It's also been on 3 different dragstrips and the Nashville Super Speedway (the first time when they let us drive fast!:))
It's not a frame-off resto, but it's original, #'s matching drivetrain, with excellent paint and trim. I don't enjoy having to clean it up after taking the trips, but I sure do enjoy the drive, and that makes it worth it to me.:hurray::thumbsup:
See the two front plates that have been on the car-
BillL

Tom...you weren't going to the Pumpkin Run show Saturday that they "should" have canceled were you ?? I was looking forward to taking the ol' 66 down there, but saw the blob moving up the coast. I'm afraid I have a leaker ( need to replace the stripping ) and never take it in the rain... in fact, it's never been washed !!!

I did. I thought that blob of green was gonna hold off till about 4 PM...it didn't. and yeah, it should have been postponed. There are ALOT of people complaining about that right now.

Are you still cleaning it up, Tom? ;)

Respectfully,
John R.

Yup, it's gonna take me weeks to clean that car.