Got a second? This weekend, head out to the garage, carport, or driveway and have a look at your street machine. Get in, fire it up, and take it for a spin around the block. Better yet, head on out to a cruise-in or make a few passes at the local test ’n’ tune. After all, this is why you built the car in the first place. It’s your way of forgetting about your moronic boss, traffic-laden commutes, and personal responsibility.
So wouldn’t you have more fun driving that car every day, if you’re not already? No? We can relate. Sure, the SoCal weather is usually pretty cooperative, but using our street machines as daily transportation often reveals how we prioritized their restoration. Drivetrain? No problems whatsoever, although we’re not sure those gauges are accurate. Suspension? It’s OK if you slow way down around curves. Just give yourself plenty of room to decelerate, ’cause the brakes pull real bad if you really get on ’em. Comfort and convenience? The windows roll down when prodded, but the radio’s only somewhat audible at speed, and, well, the wipers never really worked all that great either. The weak power-top hydraulics are sufficient to lower the canvas, but you’d better have a buddy on hand to help raise it back up.
Now that this summer’s cruising season is mostly over for many of us, it’s a prime time to start on those winter projects. We put together some ideas geared toward making our beaters more livable for daily driving. Maybe your car could use a little civilizin’ too.
Check out the tips in the sidebars below.
