Who Drives Their Old Mopars on Freeways At Night

[adam_knox]

I've been driving the stock 49 Chrysler (M6 tranny) on the freeway for the last three years. Never had a problem. My only area of concern is getting on the freeway with short on ramps, takes the thing a while to hit full speed, but am always above 45 mph by the time I'm merging.

Night driving hasn't been a problem except for off freeway common busy city streets. Had a few people roll down their windows to tell me my brake lights are out (which of course they aren't, just stock 6 volt, which I may change over to 12v). So I'm always keeping an eye on who's behind me. But I usually coast to stops anyways.

Stay in the right lane, if the freeway is not busy. Once it hits a busy section no one is doing 60+ anyways, so I'm usually riding in the left lane passing everyone anyways. Always feels good when I pass a Corvette stuck in the middle lane.

Oh, and I always leave a car length for every 10 mph I drive. The one thing I remembered from Driver's Ed.

[blueskies]

Fortunately, I live in a place where there aren't any freeways close by... The nearest is I-84, and it is 60 miles away.

I do drive my car at night though, but my fear is not getting rear ended but taking out a deer or elk. The little buggers are everywhere. I slow down to 40 or so when I go through the known crossing zones.

I think if your car won't maintain the speed limit, freeway driving at night is dangerous. Especially with the minimal tail lights old cars tend to have. Folks running 80mph don't expect the gap to close so fast when the come up behind a slower car, and if they can't see the tail lights well, it can be disaster.

I have an overdrive in my '50, and it will cruise all day long at 70-75, so I've not worried much about being "in the way". I much prefer to stay off the interstate when I can though, its a much better experience in my judgment.

On my trip to Tulsa a few years ago, I did quite a bit of interstate, and the worst of it was driving through Oklahoma City in a hard rain at dusk. Traffic was running fast and furious, wrecks every couple of miles, and no one seemed to think of slowing down. After leaving Oklahoma City, we were on a toll freeway with no exits for hours, and it was an un-godly torrent of rain in the dark. It was raining so hard we couldn't see the cars ahead of us, and my wipers work like new. I didn't want to stop, and since there weren't any exits anyway we had little choice. We just sailed the 'ol Plymouth through and arrived in Tulsa at after 11pm. I was never so happy to get somewhere and be off the unfamiliar roads.

I'd much rather motor along the country side on a two lane and enjoy the ride. This was taken on part of Old Route 66, the original concrete roadway.

Pete

[Captain Neon]

Had a few people roll down their windows to tell me my brake lights are out (which of course they aren't, just stock 6 volt, which I may change over to 12v). l:

It is my opinion that those commenting on "burnt-out brakelights" expect brakelights on the corners as well as on the deck lid. The average driver sees the high-mounted brakelight and assumes that the corners are burnt-out. Simple ignorance and little to nothing to do with being unable to see the 6v powered brakelight.

I had to explain to the guy doing my vehicle safety inspection back in November that my '46 four door never came with brakelights in the corners, and he should be thrilled with the high-mounted brakelight on my decklid as few cars in '46 even had that.

[Young Ed]

I've heard the same thing quite a few times. I still take the freeway though. Of couse 2 years ago when my truck was broken down I was driving the coupe to work and avoiding the freeways in morning traffic thinking it was safer. And then I totalled my car on a side street.

[BobT-47P15]

Yes, Brian..........that indeed is a bug deflector.

A 1950s aftermarket accessory item.

It had this nifty propeller in the middle that turned, but last summer it

turned itself right on off the deflector. I went to a hobby store and

bought a model airplane propeller to replace it, but as usual, have

misplaced that item somewhere. Eventually I should find it. Then

try to attach it to the deflector.

[BobT-47P15]

When I added my turn signals, I put double contact bases in my tail

lights so they now light up for stop lights along with the center trunk

light.....as well as being turn signals.

I do think that probably adds a little to the safety factor.

I have also just lately replaced my blue dot tail lenses with stock lenses.....which

should make them a little easier to see. Will keep the blue dots in case I get

in the mood to use them again. They give off a purplish haze sort of light that

appears dim to others.

Edited February 8, 2010 by BobT-47P15

[55 Fargo]

I am lucky in a way up here, traffic generally flows at 65 to 70 mph on the multi-lane highways. The bulk of the traffic is in the capital region Winnipeg POP 800000, but I am sure we drive 10 to 15 mph slower than in other places like Calgary,Toronto, LA, Minneapolis. The traffic volume here is nothing compared to the mentioned cities, some higways get real busy on weekends in summer, especially ones from the beaches or the US border.

Around here it is flat, and traffic not too crazy, can evn get away fine with stock brakes.

I don't drive that much at night, wildlife around my place can be a problem, but the truth is, I do not se well in the dark, other headlights give me an awful glare, the price of aging............Fred

[55 Fargo]

When I added my turn signals, I put double contact bases in my tail

lights so they now light up for stop lights along with the center trunk

light.....as well as being turn signals.

I do think that probably adds a little to the safety factor.

I have also just lately replaced my blue dot tail lenses with stock lenses.....which

should make them a little easier to see. Will keep the blue dots in case I get

in the mood to use them again. They give off a purplish haze sort of light that

appears dim to others.

You can also go with little circuit boards, for each tail light, this will allow all to function correctly and without added sockets. An Old mopar guy up here makes these things, there quite small and easy to install according to him. I may install these myself this summer.............fred

[blueskies]

Bob has a particle beam laser, the only one in the world powered by a 6 volt positive electrical system. He says the wire goes to a lighted hood ornament but we know better.

Keep your eye on Bob, he's full of all kinds of tricks...

[55 Fargo]

Very cool Truck, nothing like the rain in the Pacific North West, not sure if that is better than cold and sunshine in winter or not. Lots of folks in Vancouver BC, complain about the long winter with cloudy drizzly days. Wouldn't mind some of that about now.......Fred

Here is a pic of my road to the highway, can bea pain at times for dust, but otherwise not too rough

Edited February 8, 2010 by Rockwood

[james curl]

In 2007 I drove from Bonneville Utah to Cheyenne, Wyoming on I-80, then on to El Paso, Texas on I-25, then on I-10 to Junction, Texas at speeds of 65mph to 80 mph for hours on end. It helps that I have a 3.55:1 '90 Dakota rear end in the car and a newly rebuilt engine. The problems that resulted from the trip at that speed were self induced by me for trying to run 10 degrees static plus centrifugal advance. I thought that there would be no vacuum advance at that speed but after driving at 70 with a vacuum gauge it holds 12 to 14 inches of vacuum which adds some vacuum advance. I hammered out two wrist pin bushings and broke the top ring on those two cylinders on the trip. I should believe the shop manual when it states that the static advance should be set at 0 degrees to a maximum of 2 degrees, but I am a believer if a little is good them more must be better.

Edited February 8, 2010 by james curl

[Captain Neon]

I don't drive that much at night, wildlife around my place can be a problem, but the truth is, I do not se well in the dark, other headlights give me an awful glare, the price of aging............Fred

You may want to look in to anti-reflective coating on your glasses (if you need to wear them). A lot of OTR truckers wear glasses w/ yellow lenses to reduce glare when driving after dark. You may want to give them a try. I've got a set on order for myself that fit over my glasses. I've got astigmatism so glare can really wear me out if my glasses are at all smeared.

After wearing glasses for over 26 years, and driving for the past 10, I've started needing sunglassses pretty regular when the sun is out.

[BobT-47P15]

I like that picture, Pete. Looks like I need to add a bit of air to

that left front tire.......

I think I was trying to keep up with you and Coatney during

the big Tulsa road race.

[BobT-47P15]

I like that picture, Pete. Looks like I need to add a bit of air to

that left front tire.......

I think that was me trying to keep up with you and Coatney during

the big Tulsa road race.

[blueskies]

I think I was trying to keep up with you and Coatney during

the big Tulsa road race.

I keep wondering how you were at every intersection to take pictures of the BIG RACE, before Don and I got there...

Pete

[Joe Flanagan]

Bob, that is one of the hottest cars on the forum.

[maurice wade]

Remembering back to the day I bought my 47 P15, I made most of the trip back home on old 66. I purchased the car in the daylight hours, but it was dark before I returned home. My wife was following close behind me. The car only had like 26,000 miles on it, and the car was new and mysterious to me. I had no idea the condition of the car. I was doing ok on old 66, but certain areas of road would run out, and I would find myself on I-40. I did run 55-60mph on I-40, but the traffic would still fly by me like I wasn't even moving. That 40 mile trip driving at night in a strange old car seemed like it took forever, but we did make it home safely.M

[Plymouthy Adams]

Bob would do well to get some radials, panhard rod..stiffer front sway bar and add a rear sway bar...good set of adjustable gas shocks may be of some help..

[BobT-47P15]

Yea.....they were moving right along.......

[BobT-47P15]

Just look at the engines in those race cars......lots of power there.....

Pete --

Don --

[BobT-47P15]

They were tough to get ahead of.........