How practical is your classic?

[Huntsman]

Yesterday in the Morris Traveller we had.

Me.
My wife.
A fire bucket and half a bag of charcoal.
Spares, tools, jump leads, a gallon of petrol.
125ltr bag of compost.
Bag of post mix concrete.
Bag of cold lay tarmac.
2 trays of trailing petunias.
Sack of rubbish for the dump.
2 empty wine bottles.
1 empty gin bottle.
New Hanging basket.
3 large bags of Sainsbury's shopping.
Bag of stuff from M and S.
Spare jacket.
Socket and wiring for towbar.

And there was still room for more!

[BillyWhizz888]

I run a mk3 cortina as an every day car starts first time and runs perfect other than my jeep which done a few injectors in and nothing but hassle.

I'll drive a classic everyday rather than drive a modern car

[vixen1700]

Completely impractical, although when we go shopping in it, the shopping gets loaded through the sunroof.

[//j17]

On the grounds I own 2 road-worth classics and still had to borrow a friends Honda (thankfully of the S2000 variety) to drive to Le Mans this year - not very

[spoodler]

I used to use my Spitty Mk3 as a builders van when I was renovating my house - sounds like I could carry nearly as much as a Moggy! Without the roof and with the passenger seat removed you can even carry full floor joists. Our 1500 engined Mk4 carried the engine from our Herald when I rebuilt it and I managed a cast iron bench in the back of our Triumph 2000 (again with the seat removed), the same 2000 that we bought as sensible, practical hospital run transport - 20000 miles to and from Stoke Mandeville in about a year.
We've just got back from a weekend's camping with the '36 Austin and were even able to take camping mats, a cool box and pillows! Luxury after years of touring on old 'bikes...

[Alfachick]

Reasonably practical, and yet totally impractical. If that makes any sense.

Practical - she can take 2 people and a LOT of camping gear away to the other side of the country for a weekend. Can take a lot of shopping in the boot and back seats. Generally starts 3rd turn of the key everytime Keeps up with modern traffic nicely.

Impractical - she leaks in the rain, badly. Headlights are as good as a couple of candles. Back seats only good for luggage. Doesn't get driven in winter due to aforementioned leakage, and the general Italian steel to salt interface.

So 50/50 practical to impractical I would say. But boy is she a lot of fun

[benjj]

The DS is incredibly practical. Loads of room, huge boot, starts easily ish, comfortable, fast, red.

[chris182]

Mine is fairly practical, took three people to Paris and back in comfort and fitted the entire contents of my friends apartment in the boot. It also did 23mpg which wasn't too bad I thought.

[A9XXC]

944 = very practical

[Danesgate]

Pretty practical.

I have;

A convertible - for the nice weather
A 4x4 - for the snow
An 8-seater people carrier - for carrying 7 close friends
A tax-free classic that costs £62 a year to insure - for economy
A pick-up - for carrying stuff


Pictured below;

[willP6B]

Very practical!. Free road tax. Cheap comprehensive insurance. Starts first time. Happily keeps up with todays traffic. Is a very modern feeling car to drive with all round disc brakes and power steering. Not the most economical car to drive with the V8 engine, but the 'burble' and free tax make up for that!

[IroningMan]

The Scimitar was my only wheels for a number of years - it'd still serve as such today, if we had fewer children.

[neutral 3]

Re Scimitars, circa 1997, I had a tip off re a stash of old cars in Hertfordshire . To cut a long story short, a realy nice guy I met at the stash ( an Architect ) who was down on his luck and was sleeping ( yes really ) in his Aubergine Scim.

[lowdrag]

I mine I get one spare wheel, some tools and a jack. That means for serious touring SWMBO stays at home

[427James]

All 3 utterly impractical. E-type most practical of the lot, but currently in bits! Corvettes demand that underwear and clothes worn on a continental trip are washed and dried every night if roof is to be left down or for the T-top, hidden in the back. Petrol consumption hilarious. Still the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[madbadger]

Huntsman said:

Yesterday in the Morris Traveller we had.

2 empty wine bottles.
1 empty gin bottle.

Fail.

You clearly had potential room for two full wine bottles and a full gin bottle.

[Huntsman]

madbadger said:

Huntsman said:

Yesterday in the Morris Traveller we had.

2 empty wine bottles.
1 empty gin bottle.

Fail.

You clearly had potential room for two full wine bottles and a full gin bottle.

they were full the evening before!!!

[Coco H]

Etype is hopeless. Too hot in the summer and not much space. Midget much better. We used to go on holiday in it with a fortnights worth of kit and spare parts

[427James]

Coco H said:

Etype is hopeless. Too hot in the summer and not much space. Midget much better. We used to go on holiday in it with a fortnights worth of kit and spare parts

Oh dear - restoring one now in Dubai without aircon - not sounding positive. Would it be assisted by dynamatting the entire floor pan?

[lowdrag]

On the subject of too hot, I was in South Africa in February and did a rally with the bCapetown club while there. I can't access my photobucket account for some reason today but all the classics I saw, such as an XK150, S type saloon etc. had air con retrfitted. The cars are otherwise unusable in summer and I'd hate to park a convertible up without covering the seats!

ETA Photos now available

Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 28th June 10:00