People must live in caves...or watch to much TV

[tutone63]

My wife was haveing a conversation with one of her co-workers last week, and the topic of auto insurance came up. The lady (mid 40's) was complaining about her car insurance. My wife started to talk to her about how many cars we had, and how we insure them all, blah, blah, blah, but then she got to the Studebaker:

"...but our Studebaker is on Collecible Auto Insurance, unlike the others."

Her friend replyed "You have a Studebaker??"

My wife "yup, we drive it all the time in the summer"

Her friend "You can DRIVE it???"

My wife "Yes..." Kind of in disbelief that she actually asked that.

Her friend, "I mean, its LEGAL? To drive a car THAT OLD?"

My wife, "it is only a 1963..."

Her friend, "But they will insure a car that old if you drive it? What about the licence? Do you have to have a special permit?"

My wife "no..."

Her friend, "But arent they unsafe, I mean, behind the times? I didn't think you could drive something that old legally."

My wife ended the story there, I asked her what else she said, but my wife only commented that was the end of the conversation, after she told her that, "yeah, it is perfectly legal, and yes, the insurance companies let you drive it."

And I forgot to mention that her friend thought that it was pretty cool that we drove a Studebaker.[8D]

Do people live in caves or something?



1963 Lark, waiting for spring...

[ChampTrucking]

Mini Van driving ,Oprah-Dr.Shill.I mean Dr.Phil watching soccer Mommie? Or maybe a Volvo driver?

[52-fan]

Wait...1963 is old? [:0] Oh...never mind.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[lstude]

When I had my 64 Daytona convertible, I drove it over to a lady friend. We were going on a trip, and she said:

"Will it go as fast as the new cars?"

I let her know how fast it would go as her hair was blowing in the wind!

I was shocked at what she said. She is a little younger than me, so she should have known about GTOs, Corvettes, and Boss Mustangs back when she was a teenager.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Dick Steinkamp]

You may not believe this, but not EVERYBODY in the world is into old cars. [:0]

If someone into Cricket came up to me and started talking about bowling, popping, and return creases, it would bee like Greek to me. I'd be trying to relate it to baseball which I'm sure would frustrate the hell out of the other guy.

I can just hear his conversation with his wife that evening..."The bloke must live in a cave or watch too much TV!"

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[JBOYLE]

quote:Originally posted by Dick Steinkamp

You may not believe this, but not EVERYBODY in the world is into old cars. [:0]

No, but in the real America (areas that don't have a Starbucks on every corner) there are plenty of old trucks still working.
Usually, no one thinks of them as all that old. Likewise, I doubt if an old Jeep would elicit that kind of comment.

Tutone63's friend seems to be a bit of an extreme reaction, I've never heard those kind of remarks in the Bearcat...and I do see a few Model Ts on the road in the summer.
It shouldn't be THAT shocking to think there are cars out there that predate MP3s and CDs..

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[barnlark]

Some folks just can't comprehend a car without airbags and shoulder harnesses being legal. Driving and owning an old car doesn't even remotely cross many people's minds. My neighbor won't drive a car more than two years old.
Tutone63, she's not in a cave, her life is just full of other endeavors. We have to face the fact that to many people what we enjoy with Studebakers is truly pointless and a waste of time. Imagine the cost to us, if it weren't. [^]

[buddymander]

I believe the darn shame is in the fact that with all of the education going on about civics and economics and sex and history; very little is taught about technology history. This leaves each new generation with a much smaller understanding of how we got where we are. Couple that with the fact that the automobile is probably the most complicated device a person will operate in their lifetime, and we end up with a society looking for the newest, latest, greatest, best gadgetry so they can feel like they're informed and up to date. Fact is; they're only rushing into the future without regard for the past, to include its milestones and/or mistakes.

[Roscomacaw]

Back when I was still on speaking terms with my sister, I related how her teenage son was so taken with early Larks when I took him to a Stude meet.
She said there was NO WAY a kid of hers would get to drive something without air bags.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[tutone63]

I am not trying to put her down, per say, I was just shocked. I mean, even if I don't go to parades or car shows, in my area, I see at least three-five resored/driver classic cars (older than the 70's) per month driving around in the summer. I just find it hard to believe that she has never seen one out and about. I mean, don't people pay attention to what is going on around them while they drive? That is all. I don't expect everyone to be into classics, or even be able to identify them. But I should think that when a 1950-55 Ford drives in front of you (the most common car in this area) you would think "Hmm, that isn't average, it looks pretty old." Thus removing the shock/is-it-legal factor of this particular woman.

Again, I am not upset in any way, not even a little, it just stunned me. I must be obsessed![][8D]



1963 Lark, waiting for spring...

[JBOYLE]

quote:Originally posted by tutone63
But I should think that when a 1950-55 Ford drives in front of you (the most common car in this area) you would think "Hmm, that isn't average, it looks pretty old."

Driving the Bearcat..and to a lesser extent, the Avanti...I'm surprised that some people don't give it a second glance.

They don't seem to see you and pay less attention to it then soemone would to a rent-car Malibu or Japanese econosedan.
I think it says more about their myopic driving skills (or lack thereof, they're just not seeing anything past their grille) than their intrest in cars.
Or perhaps they just don't have any curiosity...if that's the case, time to they go into a home/hospital/mortuary...I can't imagine not having any sense of curiosity or wonder..even about something you don't really know or care about. If you see something strange, look. You might learn something.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Steve T]

I find it interesting, and slightly annoying, that drivers waiting to pull out of side streets will see my Lark coming and zip on out in front...but if I'm driving my modern thingy, they wait. I expect the thought process is something like this:

"Oh look at that...a really old Mercedes. He's got to be going very slowly. Don't want to get caught behind him..." Stand on the gas!

...The downside of that, of course, is this: sure, a Lark VI doesn't boast a blistering top speed; but, she goes better than she stops...these other drivers would be taking way less of a chance swinging out in front of my Vibe with its nice grabby modern brakes, than in front of ol' Moderate Momentum Betty!

Haven't T-boned anyone yet, thank goodness...

S.

[dong]

i think the scary thing about people like that lady is that they vote. And there is always some idiot politician someplace who wants to get these old junkers off the road.

Don

[barnlark]

Originally posted by Steve T
"...The downside of that, of course, is this: sure, a Lark VI doesn't boast a blistering top speed; but, she goes better than she stops...these other drivers would be taking way less of a chance swinging out in front of my Vibe with its nice grabby modern brakes, than in front of ol' Moderate Momentum Betty!"

Steve, you just proved that she had a valid question.

[Steve T]

Dave--

Heh heh heh...The brakes do work just fine, I just have to plan slightly farther ahead than with my Vibe! MTO has no trouble at all with the Lark; in fact one of the many upsides to owning such a car is that both the plates/renewal and the insurance costs are approximately one-tenth those for the Vibe (which, albeit, does have personal plates)...

S.