Driving On Sunday's and Murphy's Law

 

I've heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  In a nutshell, that's me when I drive my 1974 AMC Javelin AMX on Sundays.  To be fair, she's 38 years old and she's got 83,500 miles on her (47,000 of them were mostly highway miles in the last 4 years as my daily driver).  I don't race her but I do keep up with the flow of traffic (80 to 90 if necessary).  I was told by Manksa and Caudle (in the NTAMC club), that I should get a modern daily driver and drive my Javelin only sparingly.  I used to laugh when they said that but then getting a modern car as my main source of transportation was easily feasible...now, it isn't.    Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Javelin and will never part with her.  However, being stranded on Sundays can really get frustrating.  I keep spare tools, an aluminum racing jack and some spare parts in the trunk but I never seem to have the spare part that failed with me.  Honestly, it's always something and it' feels like I'm trying to hit a moving target.  Here's a list of what has left me stranded on, you guessed it, Sundays!

• Transmission (cracked deep sump pan requires rebuild)
• Transmission (after pro rebuild, neutral drop damages internals requiring rebuild)
• Radiator (pin-hole leaks in center of Desert Cooler radiator requires welding)
• Fuel tank (stress crack in top left side of tank causes severe fuel leak even after having my gas professionally redone by Gas Tank RENU)
• Fuel pump (stress crack on diaphragm (above) causes severe loss of fuel and fuel pressure)
• Alternator (bearings seize causing belt to break twice and strand me on two different days, requiring two tows)
• Freeze plug (passenger side freeze plug rusted through and leaked coolant everywhere)
• Pickup coil (HEI distributor component fails and causes the car to misfire)
• Battery (Sears Die Hard Platinum battery fails in 3 years of use but fully warrantied - cause of failure is bad internal regulator on alternator which caused battery to run down)
• Voltage regulator (failure keeps engine from running)

I've had other component failures but those didn't occur on Sunday (wheel bearing seized and welded itself to my right front spindle and rear axle seals went out).    I'm thinking of not driving on Sundays or at least after normal business hours.  That way I have a good chance of getting service and the parts I may need.  

You "can" drive an antique car every day but you need to understand there will be a plethora of maintenance beyond just changing the oil and rotating your tires.  And that maintenance can become frustratingly and expensive.  At the very least, I would recommend carrying spare parts, tools, basic fluids and get AAA Premier.  

Thank you AAA and Marty for being there!!!!