The Slick as Daily Driver - an Experiment

[Macon ACE]

Normally, the 64 is not my daily driver. But it has been since last Thursday. I know many of you DO drive your slick daily, but mine is a hobby vehicle. But my 17 year old son has been driving the Mercury while I repair the Mustang. So off I go in the slick. It has been fun - and a little scary.

On the interstate I try to stay in the right lane and leave plenty of room between me and the car in front of me. This is because it seems the slick's brakes need 100 feet for 10 mph to stop. And of course people (usually in rice) use my "safety gap" to weave in and out of traffic. That can get hairy in rush hour.

I had a guy in a Navigator pull an interesting stunt: He swerved from the far left lane, all the way across the interstate, right in front of me in the far right lane. No turn signal, nothing. I stomped the brakes and was preparing myself for impact when he decided to hit the emergency lane. I missed him by inches. In my rear view I saw him come to a stop, then immediately signal a left turn. He got right back on the road.

I get lots of comments. The elderly gentleman managing the parking garage at work asked, "Is that a '54?" I said, "No," but before I could say more, he asked, "55?" "56?" I didn't want to be rude, but I had to get to work, so I interrupted him and told him it was a '64. He said, "Nice truck!" and gave me a thumb's up.

Another of the guys in the garage said this when I left yesterday evening, "That thing sounds like a B-17!" He was grinning.

Strangely, I've gotten lots of comments from the ladies. "Rob, I just LOVE your truck!" and so on. Who knew ladies loved slicks? Probably a lot of you guys, but this is strange territory for me.

Well the parts will probably be in for the Mustang this weekend and I'll be back in the Mercury next week. I'll miss driving the slick this much. But I won't miss the the hair-raising excitement and 8 miles per gallon!

~ Rob

[ICEMAN6166]

i actually traded slicks not long ago.i need to put a steering gearbox in the wifes slick, she drives it every day 20 miles each way to and from work.so she has been driving my 66 every day while i am now driving the 65 f350 towtruck.
the other day i took a friend to town in my 66 and he commented twice how impresssed he was with both the truck and the way it rode.
we get comments about our slicks all the time and have to keep telling folks they are not for sale.
for us there is no need for any other vehicle, slicks are driven all the time everywhere.

[Combat_Medic]

Maybe your slick is too pretty Ace, I have no problems with rice as they hear me coming and get out of the way... No joke.

Step one - make sure they notice you via horn, hand signal or (my favorite) opening the throttle up wide.

Step two - allow them to come to the realization that you will crush them if they chose not to clear out of the way.

Step three - laugh as they scatter like little cocca roooaches.

Defensive driving saves lives, and everyone knows the best defense is a good Offense!

-Josh

[Motocentro]

I get lots of comments. The elderly gentleman managing the parking garage at work asked, "Is that a '54?" I said, "No," but before I could say more, he asked, "55?" "56?" I didn't want to be rude, but I had to get to work, so I interrupted him and told him it was a '64. He said, "Nice truck!" and gave me a thumb's up.

Another of the guys in the garage said this when I left yesterday evening, "That thing sounds like a B-17!" He was grinning.

Strangely, I've gotten lots of comments from the ladies. "Rob, I just LOVE your truck!" and so on. Who knew ladies loved slicks? Probably a lot of you guys, but this is strange territory for me.

~ Rob

These three groups are where I score the biggest points: Gearheads, Old men and (my fave) The ladies. Girls love the old truck. I love offering to give a girl a ride, or picking her up for a date and hearing that (almost incredulous) "That's your truck?" Which is usually followed by doe-eyes or "Wow!" It even worked on a Penthouse Pet who is in town this week for a convention (don't ask how I got her number, it's a long story that has to do with me being the only young guy at a gas station convention I crashed) Who remarked "I've had guys pick me up in Porches and Ferraris . . . But I have to say this is just as cool, if not cooler!"

Hah! It's my daily for a reason.

Now if I can just get the MPG into the reasonable zone. . .

[Garbz]

I drive the evil truck "Christine" every day...and stopping distance clearance is really imoportant....

64 Straight axle and bad to the bone.....Bump steer and brake pull and all....Easy way to change lanes is hit the brakes.

Garbz

[blackagatha]

I drive the evil truck "Christine" every day...and stopping distance clearance is really imoportant....

64 Straight axle and bad to the bone.....Bump steer and brake pull and all....Easy way to change lanes is hit the brakes.

Garbz

hahaha I've never experienced the fabled Bump Steer, and never really had problems with pulling brakes. I did have trouble with a caliper from a CPP conversion kit that wouldn't release, but otherwise...

But the straight axles are bad-ass. you got that right for sure... I have NO intention of swapping for an IFS, even though it would be much cheaper, safer, and better ground clearance. Just for the old-school cool factor. That's kinda my ultimate goal, to make an oldschool/newschool rod. Positive holdovers from the glory days, with added cool new things. LEDs, HIDs would be nice, Air Ride, possible Twin Turbos, TKO 600 someday, EFI someday, modern dvd/nav system would be cool someday, but that wont happen unless i somehow get bloody rich.

I get comments all the time, my all time favorite, recently, I was drivin down the road in Tucson, and 2 little kids, maybe 4-5 years old saw my truck and started jumping up and down, screaming, violently presenting their thumbs up.... that was cool. I hope they grow up to be rodders.

The MOST COMMON comments I get are about my ripoff MOON hubcaps. People LOVE them...

"my fave) The ladies. Girls love the old truck. I love offering to give a girl a ride, or picking her up for a date and hearing that (almost incredulous) "That's your truck?" Which is usually followed by doe-eyes or "Wow!" It even worked on a Penthouse Pet who is in town this week for a convention (don't ask how I got her number, it's a long story that has to do with me being the only young guy at a gas station convention I crashed) Who remarked "I've had guys pick me up in Porches and Ferraris . . . But I have to say this is just as cool, if not cooler!"

that is AWESOME. you need to post some pics, dude. I want to see this bad ass ride you got...

[64fordf100292v8]

Ive been using my 64 as a daily driver for almost 4 years now. Ive taken it all over south western Montana and parts of Wyoming. I'd drive it anywhere.

Slicks are dependable

[Phil]

Ive been using my 64 as a daily driver for almost 4 years now. Ive taken it all over south western Montana and parts of Wyoming. I'd drive it anywhere.

Slicks are dependable

yet unsafe

Single pot MC, drum brakes, 4000+ lbs, no belts, in cab tank, solid steering column, steel dash.

Who cares if it pulls pussy?

[Macon ACE]

I drive the evil truck "Christine" every day...and stopping distance clearance is really imoportant....

64 Straight axle and bad to the bone.....Bump steer and brake pull and all....Easy way to change lanes is hit the brakes.

Garbz

Amen! I thought it was just mine that did it. And sometimes, I think it speeds up a little when I first hit the brake pedal...

[Macon ACE]

Maybe your slick is too pretty Ace, I have no problems with rice as they hear me coming and get out of the way... No joke.

Step one - make sure they notice you via horn, hand signal or (my favorite) opening the throttle up wide.

Step two - allow them to come to the realization that you will crush them if they chose not to clear out of the way.

Step three - laugh as they scatter like little cocca roooaches.

Defensive driving saves lives, and everyone knows the best defense is a good Offense!

-Josh

LOL! Too pretty? Maybe. I'm afraid to take my hands off the wheel for gestures or the horn!

The 64 has glass packs so it's loud. It scares me if I go WOT!

[Macon ACE]

Ive been using my 64 as a daily driver for almost 4 years now. Ive taken it all over south western Montana and parts of Wyoming. I'd drive it anywhere.

Slicks are dependable

yet unsafe

Single pot MC, drum brakes, 4000+ lbs, no belts, in cab tank, solid steering column, steel dash.

Who cares if it pulls pussy?

Unsafe? I prefer to think of it as exciting!

[Phil]

[ICEMAN6166]

Ive been using my 64 as a daily driver for almost 4 years now. Ive taken it all over south western Montana and parts of Wyoming. I'd drive it anywhere.

Slicks are dependable

yet unsafe

Single pot MC, drum brakes, 4000+ lbs, no belts, in cab tank, solid steering column, steel dash.

Who cares if it pulls pussy?

on the contrary i think its quite safe.
i do have the double pot mc,and lap belts but there is nothing wrong with drum brakes, the in cab tank, the all metal interior and steel bumpers.no bump steer on mine either.i would also drive it anywhere.

[MadMaxetc]

I use to drive my Slick every day, but then that damn UPS truck had to take me out!!

I however have never had a daily driver that was not older than me!

(1980)

I drive my Bump every day now.

[cdherman]

Rob, you should not put up with brakes like that in ANY vehicle, be it a daily driver or just a show truck. I can tollerate all opinions about gas tanks, seat belts, lights and steering.

But brakes should work. I agree with Iceman -- you don't need disc brakes, but you do need a good double pot master cylinder and if you are keeping the drums, you need to learn how to maintain them. Properly adjusted, a drum brake will stop just as fast as a disk brake -- once or twice till it gets hot. But all you need for normal driving is once or twice.

I drive my 65 to work now and then when one of the other vehicles needs a day in the shop. At first I was a little scared, but I've gotten used to it. I can lock all four wheels, with non-power brakes, on dry pavement. No ABS, but it doesn't whip around, so the proportioning valve must be about right.

Really, consider fixing those brakes -- it may not be YOUR backside that gets hurt if you are ever called upon to use them and they fail...... Other people are out there and they assume that you have modern brakes -- that might be dumb of them, but most places, the fellow that rearends someone else is at fault.....

[DV65CustomCab]

Dual master cyl = check
Disc brake swap = check
Big ass radial tires = check
3 point belts = check
Dual horns = check

The in-cab gas tank is no more dangerous than a Chevy saddle tank. The only time I see that being an issue is in a rollover, and it's going to take a pretty spectacular crash to roll a Slick. I doubt I'd be much worried about the gas tank at that point.

The steering column and metal dash...well, I just won't hit anything with the front.

Honestly, everything has risk. I always counter with "and motorcycles are safer?" when people harrass me about my Mini being so small. You own one of these, you simply have to learn to drive a bit more defensively, something that the airbag laden, SUV wheeling soccer moms have no idea what even means anymore.

[Macon ACE]

Rob, you should not put up with brakes like that in ANY vehicle, be it a daily driver or just a show truck. I can tollerate all opinions about gas tanks, seat belts, lights and steering.

But brakes should work. I agree with Iceman -- you don't need disc brakes, but you do need a good double pot master cylinder and if you are keeping the drums, you need to learn how to maintain them. Properly adjusted, a drum brake will stop just as fast as a disk brake -- once or twice till it gets hot. But all you need for normal driving is once or twice.

I drive my 65 to work now and then when one of the other vehicles needs a day in the shop. At first I was a little scared, but I've gotten used to it. I can lock all four wheels, with non-power brakes, on dry pavement. No ABS, but it doesn't whip around, so the proportioning valve must be about right.

Really, consider fixing those brakes -- it may not be YOUR backside that gets hurt if you are ever called upon to use them and they fail...... Other people are out there and they assume that you have modern brakes -- that might be dumb of them, but most places, the fellow that rearends someone else is at fault.....

Can't argue with that. I probably overstated my case - I was trying to be funny as well as tell a story.

My truck has a newer model MC with booster and dual pots. I know the brakes need work. It probably needs an alignment and/or front end work as well.

I've only locked them up once and that was by accident. It's just a big adjustment for me to go from a modern 4-wheel disc ABS system to 40 plus year old drums. That's one reason why I try to be so careful.

[turtle1056]

I've got 65000 miles on my slick in three summers and one winter.

Plain ol wore out the old drive train (no idea how many miles when i got it)so now runnin on a new 302 AOD

Ready for another four or five years

Wouldnt trade it for a new one fer nuthin

[64fordf100292v8]

yet unsafe

Single pot MC, drum brakes, 4000+ lbs, no belts, in cab tank, solid steering column, steel dash.

Who cares if it pulls pussy?

Mine has been upgraded to dual resevoir master cylinder so its slightly safer now.

[ELpolacko]

I've managed to rack up over 10K miles on my green truck this year alone. I haven't experienced any of the ill affects some of you describe,,

I do experience people every day cranking their necks around and doing stupid things to get my attention. Pretty comical. Lorna wasn't used to such things when we first started dating, now it's commonplace for her. She even answers the usual questions people have out on the road.