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I know there are a ton in the Los Angeles area and in California in general, but then I see almost none in different parts of Texas, AZ, and the south.
Where are the most classics, Detroit? West Coast? North East? And if anybody knows how they got to those areas and not to others.
They're everywhere just like any other collectible. You'll of course see more around the higher population areas and less in the sticks but they're all around you.
Just this past weekend I saw two 60's Mustangs, a Kaiser, a "Judge" GTO, an old Buick convertible, two vintage Jags sitting by the side of the road while the driver's had a picnic and several others. All within two hours or so and in the same county, not in a car show.
Fact is folks , the bulk of really great vintage iron remains in the areas where they started , when they were new.... The most memmorable cars, the true Classics ( 1920-48) , were only affordable by those who had money, and that remained the big cities of the North.... The old South was Ford Country, mostly because that all they could afford. Same goes for the rural Mid-West. I would guess the North East still has the most vintage cars, as a mixed group, cause , again , thats where the money was.
The West Coast does not have all that many cars, except that what was imported to Southern Califorinia, where the money is. For some reason the Pacific NW does have lots of collectors, but like Florida , they mostly came from somwhere else, and brought their cars with them.
anywhere outside the rust belt you will find more older model/classic cars in decent shape
Yeah I agree.
There are alot of old cars here in the southeastern United States. Typically rust issues are southeastern cars is not from road salt, but from high moisture content in the air year round, but its usually minor... still alot of old pre-1980 model cars here with no/minimal rust. Some coastal cars (and Florida) can have rust, thanks to the damp and salty air.
Both of my early 70s cars have only minor rust. Undercarriages are solid as rocks.
Usually 1980-up models dont have any rust unless they have been up north before. I think we have more 1980s cars on the road than anyplace. lol.
Then you see all of the typical completely restored examples at cruise-ins and car shows here locally.
Restored and well loved classics and classic customs are all over. But the most daily driver, unrestored old cars are on the west coast. There are average condition daily driver cars that are 30-40 years old that don't even exist anywhere else in the country. Chevy LUVs, Datsun trucks and cars, '70s Civics, '60s and '70s domestic stuff is all fairly common all over the West coast, especially where I'm from in the PNW. None of that is found on the east coast or midwest except in exceptional cases.
Contrary to popular belief many of the big Classics were put in the back corner of the carriage house , and not turned in for the War effort scrap drive. The most in demand metal was aluminum. The tires were usually taken off the Classics and used elsewhere. Some of the big cars were turned into p/u trucks, and used on truck farms well into the Fifties, even the 60s.
A lot of the remaining 60s and 70s cars on the west coast are imported from Janan...again closer to the source...along with the lack of salt on the highways. The dry areas of the SW will preserve old Iron well, but there were not all that many people ether.... In the South , cars rust from the top down, with rain and sun the enemy. The paint goes before the body, and padded tops are the first to disappear.
.....Chevy LUVs, Datsun trucks and cars, '70s Civics.....
Can't remember the last time I saw any of these around here, under their own power that is. Heck, can't remember the last time I saw one in a junkyard either. The closest I can come is an early Datsun, looks like a Bluebird 1200, that a local collector has squirreled away. I'd say the mileage can be measured in yards not miles.
Think the funniest thing I ever saw was a co-workers demo on how badly (and quickly) the early Civic models rusted. He hadn't had his a year and he could poke his fingers through the fenders where they'd rusted. Honda was kind enough to offer new fenders.
i have a firend who actaully does just such search on older classic cars. he concentates his serch i such areas has the sotuheast were they often are in better shape because of no snow salts and much mroe reasonable cost.Georgia seems to be a gold mone form what I have seen.
i have a firend who actaully does just such search on older classic cars. he concentates his serch i such areas has the sotuheast were they often are in better shape because of no snow salts and much mroe reasonable cost.Georgia seems to be a gold mone form what I have seen.
They always say when getting an older vehicle to find the best example you can. I'd agree you head to the southeast or southwest. Not that good examples aren't available in the salt states but they are rare. You'll end up buying your repair panels from the south anyway so why not just buy the whole darn car?
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