Managed to squeeze in one more ride...

[junior]

...always a short fair-weather driving season was even shorter this year with a late spring, and vendor screw-up with late shipping for parts, and then a 5 week trip to Vietnam. A super nice fall did enable over 1100 miles in the Stude for the year. Yesterday was a very warm day (20 C), windless and sunny. Laying on the creeper, looking up at the belly of the car, dirty and greasy (me and the car) I thought screw-it, gotta get one last drive `cause snow is coming tomorrow. Off the jack stands it comes, wedge some wood under the loose tail pipes, wash my hands, throw a blanket over the seat to keep it clean. Fire it up, and go for a drive...yee haw, this is fun, front end bobbing up and down (no..as in NO front shocks), tail pipes banging on the springs...run it through the gears good and hard. Whew, glad I got that out of my system...I`m going to miss the drives, hopefully spring will come early next year. I hate it when the weather man is right, rain started early morning, now it`s snowing like crazy, a snow fall warning has been issued by Environment Canada. Low of -10C tonight, traffic will be stupid tomorrow morning as the moronic drivers re-teach themselves how drive in the snow by bouncing off curbs and each other...no environment to be driving the Stude in. (sigh) Have a good one, Junior.

[JoeHall]

I feel for you folks who must, "put them away" each year for winter. Here in KY's mild climate, winter cuts down driving somewhat, usually during January & February, but no reason to put them away.

[gordr]

I drove the '64 convertible about 180 miles, with the top down to attend the memorial service for a friend. I wasn't very uncomfortable at all. Put the top up for the return trip though. It was still nice at 9:30 when I got home. Blizzard came in overnight. Now I have to brush the snow off before I put it in the shop.

[Pat Dilling]

Glad you got one more drive in Junior. We're lucky like Joe out West. We usually can drive them on select days year round. Though I usually take mine down for a while for maintenance or improvements.

[rockinhawk]

I hate to sound boastful...but I LOVE living in the deep South! Driving around for the past 2 days in the GT with all the windows down.

[E. Davis]

I feel for you Junior but Montana is not too far from Calgary and I have managed to drive my Studebaker every month of the year for the last three years in a row. I will admit that is not every day but you can pick a few days in every month that have dry roads and sunny days even in this wintery enviroment.

[junior]

oh ya, I truly love to whine about the weather, and you may be right about being able drive one or two days per month all year...but the key is not being able to drive, but enjoying the drive. I`d be hard pressed to ever enjoy driving the Stude in Dec, Jan, Feb. On rare occasions I have enjoyed driving it late in Nov. and late in Mar. The point of my post was reflected in the title, that I managed to squeeze on more ride in before the nasty stuff came. Chances are it will melt, but the car is done for the season because I made the choice to get started on the long list of stuff I wanted to get accomplished on it this winter. I`ve got solid employment here, a good life, and good family...the Stude is a mere bonus, the weather is not. For the other folks who live in much milder climates I`m happy that you appreciate the extended driving season instead of taking it for granted. Cheers, Junior. ps, I need to go now and shovel the snow lol lol lol

[Commander Eddie]

My 88 year old father told me the story of leaving Indianapolis in January of 1951 in his new '51 Land Cruiser in the middle of a six state snow storm. He and a buddy were heading for San Francisco by way of Phoenix. He said they were warm and snug, and the Stude ran through the huge storm like it was nothing. Now, his memory may not be what it used to be but he smiled the whole time he was telling the story. He says he sure misses that car.

[decappastubbie]

The 3E11 gets a daily trip to town just because, but it is not a show rig either.