Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

 Ride or Die.

The Boozefighters Hollister Ca. 1948
photo source: TEARA the encyclopedia of New Zealand.

This is a term that I have started becoming aware of lately. It's not a term that I'd ever heard of, or used in my own life, up 'til now. I picked up the meaning through context; it means someone that is completely loyal to you, and will always have your back. I would imagine/hope that this relationship goes both ways! 

I googled the meaning, just to be sure. Nothing worse than when some old guy starts using a popular slang term while not quite understanding the nuance of what it really means. That's just embarrassing.

The internet stated that it comes from an old '50's biker saying. That a true rider would only stop riding at their death. Also that they would die if they were forced to stop. According to this source it was picked  up by hip hop culture and entered mainstream usage by that channel. 

Not a Booze Fighter, but I did my share of riding.

I was heavily into bikes in the mid 1970's, not only owning and riding, but also reading many different motorcycle magazines. Straight John mags like Cycle World and Cycle, more off beat mags like Street chopper, even more off beat mags like Big Bike, Choppers and finally a decades plus subscription to Easy Riders. Which was as hardcore biker as it got.

I don't recall ever hearing that term. Our saying was; Ride to live, Live to ride. I even wrote that on the back of my helmet when I was in high school. 

Whatever, culture is ever changing, especially popular culture.

What does any of this have to do with the old car hobby as interpreted by yours truly?

It all seemed easier back then, it was all looking forward.

I got to thinking, my bikes were my main transportation back then. Not only that, they were an important part of my self perceived identity. They exemplified my personality. I really identified with them.

So what about my four wheeled machines, has there been one that I would say was me?

I get the feeling that the last time that I felt that way about a car, was with my '66 Buick Riviera. I drove that car everywhere, all the time. It may not have been pristine, but I loved it anyway. 

A rough beauty.

Fast forward to today, and what do I own now that generates those same kind of feelings?

Can I still even harbor any feelings like that? Now that I'm an old man, I don't really care about "things" that way anymore. There have been a lot of cars that I've owned, that have gone down the road. I even cut myself off completely from motorcycles and riding. That was hard for some of my family and friends to accept and believe. 

Sometimes, just to kill time, I will start at the beginning of the CraigsList car listings and just scroll through them from the first page. Not using any filters or searches. Just going through each page. 

Why would I do that?

I'm looking to see if anything jumps out at me and grabs my eye. Grabs my attention, and especially my imagination. 

Most of the vehicles listed are just mundane generic stuff. Toyotas, Kias, Hondas, Chevys and Fords. European luxury and sporty cars roll by under my gaze, but I seldom click on them to check them out further. I've been down that road before, and I'm not going back. Who needs the heartbreak?

Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers and even Corvettes. High performance stuff doesn't get my attention anymore.

There are always some vintage projects that require a closer scrutiny before I dismiss the idea!

Do I currently own something that I could consider as my "ride or die?"

Oddly enough, it may be the vehicle that I have owned the longest, and the one that I even bought brand new.

My '07 F150 has always been one of my favorite machines. 

It's not a fancy model, it doesn't even have a V8 engine. But it has what I wanted then, and is still very useful to me. It's a long bed, I just never wanted a short bed truck, what's the use of that?

It's a standard cab, but the standard wasn't ordinary that year. The access cab has little clam shell doors that open to an 18 in. inside storage area. That has made it even more useful. It has a split bench with a big fold down arm rest. Those seats are so comfortable, they remind me of the seats in my '70 Coupe de Ville. 

It's the lowest trim and equipment package, an XL  work truck, but that's exactly what I wanted. Rubber floor mats and hand crank windows. A V6 engine.

The truck is quiet, rides and handles really great, The V6 has adequate performance and can even return 20 mpg. with careful driving. Under normal driving conditions I never feel that I'm suffering any penalty. I lucked out and found a green work truck. Most are white, but this shipment had a red, blue, and especially my Forest Green truck. The dark gray bumpers, black grille and light gray interior, make it look like a more expensive model. The color scheme really flatters this truck. It really was love at first sight.

I liked it when I bought it, and 17 years later, I still like it and drive it with pride. I might be surrounded by shiny new, dolled up, crew cab luxury trucks, and big Ford Super Duty F250s, 2500 Silverados, and 3/4 ton Rams, but that doesn't matter to me at all. This my truck, and it's all that I need and want. 

My truck and I have shared some road adventures.

The second candidate would have to be my '96 Mustang. It's funny that a car that I initially "settled for" won me over and became a favorite. That's why I still own it almost fifteen years later! At one time, I said that if I had to settle for only owning one hobby car, if it was my Mustang, then I could be satisfied.  

It looks even better to me after 14 years of ownership.

Of course, I couldn't keep that promise, and there have been many cars that have come and gone in those almost fifteen years! But the Mustang is still here, and again, I really enjoy driving it. Yeah, it's not that fast, and there are lots of regular family cars that are quicker. But it is fast enough, handles well, and is still fun and relaxing to drive. While it is not a model that is vaunted by enthusiasts, like the earlier 94 and '95 GTs which carried the 5.0 Windsor motor, it doesn't matter, That Mustang is my car.

It's a good feeling to own something that you really enjoy and appreciate. Maybe it's a bad habit to constantly peruse CL, looking to see if anything catches my eyes. Will this make me dissatisfied with these two vehicles? 

Maybe, but I just don't find many other vehicles that compelling. As much as I talk about getting an old car, I just can't get that excited about it. I have owned quite a few older cars through the 70's, 80's, and even up to the 1990's. Kind of been there, done that. I won't completely dismiss the idea, but I would have to simplify my situation before that can happen.

Who knows? The new year is rapidly approaching, and I have given everything about my involvement in the car hobby a lot of thought. The question is; "Will I actually make any changes?"