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DAILY DRIVER DO’S AND DON’TS

The Ultimate Checklist for Daily Driving Your Classic Truck

So, you’ve contemplated and weighed the pros and cons of driving an older pickup or decided that one would make a great addition to the newer pickup you already own, then you are ready to make the leap of faith and turn that older pickup into a vehicle that could be used as a daily driver.

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Picture of Will Smith & Josh Kaylor

Will Smith & Josh Kaylor

Photography by The AutoBuilder Staff

The Reality of Daily Driving an Older Pickup

This is a concept we ourselves have actually explored, and we have driven a number of older cars on a daily basis, which has provided us with several difficult experiences. While driving modified older trucks on an everyday basis seems like a great idea, it’s different than one might imagine.

Common Sacrifices and Upgrades Needed

You learn to make sacrifices, and unless the vehicle is upgraded accordingly, those inconveniences are things like ride quality, modern fuel injection, automatic climate control or A/C and heat, and such safety items as disc brakes and dual master cylinders, or convenience items like power steering and power brakes. There are also improvements like rack-and-pinion steering, overdrive transmissions, which helps steering and suspension, as well as fuel economy. The list grows even longer once you get inside these older trucks, which tend to be rather Spartan.

The Cost of Owning and Maintaining an Older Pickup

What to do can be a costly decision, as you have the initial purchase price, in addition to what you decide to modify, upgrade and add in. There’s also all the work along the way, including regular maintenance, and you quickly learn that the cost of an older pickup goes far beyond the acquisition cost.

Preparing Your Pickup for the Road

Even before you upgrade, you would like to enjoy the pickup for what it was, so being prepared is the rule of the road. Before you leave the garage for the first time, you should take into consideration things such as tire quality and age, reliability of the engine and drivetrain. When were the bearings last serviced, and how about that driveshaft connection? If the suspension on the truck has been previously upgraded, inspect the entire system carefully, and retighten all the fasteners, retaining clips and check that there are cotter keys installed. Does the truck rub or bottom out on the undercarriage? Nothing should touch or come in contact with another component. Be sure to correct any of this before first driving the truck, and that should include replacing worn-out suspension bushings.

Pre-Trip Inspection and Safety Considerations

Do a pre-trip inspection of the truck should you plan on taking it to an event, and look for loose wires or problems that could result from loose or damaged components. Otherwise, intermittent operation and possible fire could result. Be patient, but do repair any questionable areas before heading out on the open road, where repairs tend to be more costly, not to mention the inconvenience such failures can create.

Do’s and Don’ts for Daily Driving an Older Pickup

With this thought in mind—regardless of the type of truck you have—we’ve compiled a list of 20 Do’s and Don’ts. Some are basic, some you may have thought of, others you may already do, but use this list as a beginning checklist for your daily driver, modifying and adding on as you see fit. With a tailored list created specifically for your driver, you can even split up the list for those items you check more frequently, or you can split what needs to be done into various work-related categories. Above all, it’s always a wise idea to take an overall look around the vehicle before braving the open road—that way you know the truck is ready.

DO’S

1. Carry a spare tire.
We’d like to think of this as common sense, but it’s amazing at the number of many hot rod trucks that don’t carry a spare. Flats are not the exclusive domain of stock trucks, and any daily driver should be considered as such. Some trucks have a space built in for a spare, but spare tires were an option back then, so it’s likely your older pick-up never included a spare. Don’t forget that brake upgrades might require that you replace your existing spare with one with a larger diameter wheel to clear the larger brake calipers and rotors. Consider looking for a spare from a newer vehicle designed with big brakes—something like a Mustang or Camaro, and if you’ve retained the stock truck bolt pattern, a newer truck.

 
2. A modest stereo system can save your sanity.
It’s not difficult or even expensive to install a basic stereo system, especially in a Spartan pickup cab where nothing but perhaps an old AM radio existed. Entry-level CD decks are available for under $100, with installation kits that make installing the deck a breeze. If you have a bigger budget, you can find a good stereo for under $200 that will enable you to plug in your iPod. All it takes is one long trip listening to nothing but road noise or AM static and you will find a solution.


3. An electric choke is a very good thing and is a very inexpensive investment.
Fuel injection, on the other hand, is expensive, but it does a terrific job efficiency-wise. For your daily driver carbureted engine, a properly setup carburetor with an electric choke is not only extremely reliable, but will add to your every- day driving enjoyment. Although an electric choke setup is in no way to be com- pared to fuel injection, it does help those cold starts. If your truck is still equipped with a manual choke—many older trucks are—you should consider dragging it into more modern times. The same goes for HEI ignition, as you shouldn’t be dealing with points, there are too many readily available and really affordable electronic ignitions available today.
 
 
4. When making modifications to any truck, especially an older model, take into consideration the availability of replacement parts.
While most older trucks have fairly decent parts availability, our concerns don’t stop with parts alone, and our same concerns apply to tires. If your driver rolls on non-stock-sized tires, consider how easy or difficult they may be to find in case of an emergency. Also, when you replace a damaged high-performance fat guy tire, you should really replace them in pairs. The tread wear differences and possible tire size differences (actual rolling diameter) can cause problems. Also, to make certain your spare tire fits, try it to see firsthand that it clears your disc brake setup, if you’ve already upgraded.
 
 
5. Spare tires aren’t meant to fix any- thing, only to get you home or to the repair shop.
This is not an ad for AAA, but while many a truck owner pride themselves on their self-reliance, a AAA membership is a good idea. Although it may vary, cost for the basic plan is around $49 a year, and with the option- al RV coverage, you are covered you when pulling a trailer for the same road hazard prob- lems as with your car. AAA service pays for itself the first time you need road service or a tow, and there’s no better insurance should you have a problem. Once a member, you can also upgrade to Premium coverage, which will provide you up to 100 miles of free towing per event.
 
 
6. Keep it clean!
Daily drivers accumulate just as much dirt as your family car, only for whatever reason it shows worse and almost instantly. On the outside, brake dust is always a problem with aftermar- ket wheels, as is water spots or bird droppings and tree sap on new paint. Finger marks and everyday crud is better taken care of if you stay after it. Not only is regular cleanup mainte- nance a good idea, once a good wax base is applied, you can easily maintain the vehicle’s good looks with one of the leading detailers on the market. On the inside, keep it clean, vacuumed and detailed. Clean up any trouble- some spots right away, and if you have cloth material, they make spot removers that will not affect the fabric.
 
 

7. You don’t just need insurance—you need good insurance.
Sure, insurance is expensive today, but don’t avoid it. Buy what you can afford, and shop around for the most coverage for your insurance dollar. It’s also advisable to check out the insurance company and find one with an A rating. Consider the legal minimums and medical coverage, and when you get to comprehensive, understand that unless you have a stated value policy, the replacement value of your truck will be based on its Blue Book value, which is not something you will want to hear if a total loss occurred. It’s also a good idea to provide photos to back up your value claim at the time of writing the policy. If you have a lot of exposure—you drive a lot—you should buy the most extensive coverage you can afford.

 

8. Don’t be lazy and ignore fixing the little stuff that’s wrong on your truck.
We know that it sounds basic, but all too often people put off or put up with all manner of little annoyances that they’d never put up with in a new truck. Imagine buying a new truck and something goes wrong and doesn’t work, what do you do? Well, you don’t put up with such small problems, you take the truck back to the dealer and have those problems fixed. That’s the same approach you should take with your older pickup. Rather than typi- cally live with an identical condition, spend the time and whittle away at your to-do list. Fix all the little ailments one by one.

 
9. Even though we may like to think of ourselves as tough guys, comfort is king.
So, before you make it look good, and before you make it fast, take steps to ensure that you will actually enjoy driving your truck. That’s hard to do when the seat doesn’t fit just right, the steer- ing column is mounted improperly or the stock one is angled so steeply that it’s uncomfortable. In addition to steering comfort, seat comfort is vital to being comfortable in your truck, and that’s true even when the truck fits you just right. Should the seat have you sitting at an angle so that the body support is off to one side, you will be tired even after a short time behind the wheel. New seat foam may not be cheap, but it’s wise to rebuild your old original seats, or even those new bucket seats you are installing. You will be glad that you paid attention to posi- tioning and support, because without it, com- fort is illusive.
 
 
10. Seatbelts are not something we should take for granted.
The fact is most of the older trucks never came with seatbelts, yet it’s a proven fact that wearing your seatbelt can save your life or the life of your passenger. Call it independence or whatever, some truckers elect to ignore the need for seatbelts, but that’s not wise. Do yourself a favor and install a set, then use them each time you get behind the wheel. Statistics show that most accidents occur with- in three miles of your home, so it’s not so much the more or further you drive that you are exposed, your exposure begins each time you take the wheel. And without a belt to buckle up, you’ve totally eliminated that option for your passenger.

DON’TS

1. If you plan to lower your daily driver, and most truckers do, don’t run without bump stops.
Replace or modify the existing bump stops, as well as the A-arm bushings. Travel is greatly reduced between the bump stops and the supporting framerail or mounting assembly, and without some protection, you will have metal-to-metal contact in the worse of situa- tions. And the lower the truck, the more this will become a problem. Bottoming out on the frame or rubbing suspension components is not only a no-no, you will seriously sacrifice ride quality. And after all, the plan is to build a daily driver that’s both comfortable and reliable in addition to cool. 


2. Since the plan is to drive your truck on a daily basis, odds are, unless you live in a desert climate, the one thing you can count on is rain.
So, when shaving and smoothing badges and marker lights, be sure the front and rear lighting is good, and that the brake lights are bright. Do not permanently remove the wipers. While you may like the looks of a wiper-less vehicle, Rain- X works only so well, and is not intended to replace a good set of windshield wipers. One solution is to make your own, or buy a set of billet wiper caps that fit over the splined wiper motor shafts—the ones that support the wiper arms. Stash the wiper arms under the seat until you need them, that way the next time it rains they are readily available.


3. If it can go wrong, figure that it will, and at the most inopportune time.
For obvious reasons, older trucks have the uncanny ability to kill the battery at the most inopportune time. It could be well into the evening, in an inconvenient place, in the rain or when it is cold outside. Don’t leave home without a set of jumper cables or an instant-start booster that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Carry it under the backseat, or make a place if you have to. Do not stick them in the bed for theft reasons and because weather will deteriorate them. Rusted connectors will negatively affect the connectivity of the jumper cables. But better yet, make sure you have a good battery and charging system.


4. Don’t leave home without plenty of extra fluids, not for you, the truck—oil, transmission fluid and coolant/water.
Having some of each will help at critical times, or when the service centers are closed or you are nowhere near one. During extreme weather having an extra gallon of water in the bed can really pay off.


5. When lowering your truck, don’t lower it beyond the lowest component scrub line.
Objects hanging below the tire/rim—oil pan, exhaust or suspension member—can turn a good day into a disas- trous one very quickly if you were to have a blowout. In the event of tire failure, optimal vehicle design is the weight of the car rests on the rim, not a body part protruding below the rim line. This will allow you some measure of control, as a chassis part or the oil pan can cause complete loss of control, or even catapult the vehicle. When building your truck, remember to keep an eye on the scrub line—everything must be above the scrub line or wheel rim.


6. If you are looking to add more power or a real attitude to your truck, and as part of that decision you decided to add a high-performance exhaust system, don’t shorten the exhaust exit, but install a system that exits behind the rear tires.
There’s a reason why pickup truck exhaust is generally exited at the rear and to the side, so that the low pressure behind the cab doesn’t swirl the exhaust back up towards the rear of the cab, which is the normal billowing effect from most airflow designs. To keep noise, vibration and resonance out of the cab, don’t install the loud booming mufflers and exit them below the tires, or it will get uncomfortable, even with the window up.


7. Don’t leave home without tools.
Be sure to stash a selection of the more popular, frequently used tools such as a wrench assortment, pliers, Vise-Grips, obvious connectors and maybe some wire and tie-wraps. If you would rather not chance losing expensive tools, small, dedicated tool kits with most of the essentials are inexpensive and packaged in plastic boxes.


8. When updating a daily driver, if you can arrive at the smooth look you are attempting to achieve by not removing the door handles and locks, that is a better idea.
Unless you replace the old-time originals with smooth late- model units that can be painted body color, think twice before eliminating them completely. Handles are handy, and unless you install a convenient way to open the door with the windows up, fighting to get in and out of your truck on a daily basis will eventually try your patience. Also, be sure and keep the door locks in good functioning order.


9. Don’t leave home without checking tire air pressure.
Check it regularly, as ambient air plays a major role in safe driving and fuel mileage. Low pressure will also cause irregular wear and perhaps premature failure. Check your tires to inspect for any type of road hazard or sidewall damage, you don’t want a tire failure at speed.


10. Don’t forget that your truck ages over time, and if you are starting out with a truck with a high-mileage engine, transmission and rearend, tolerances will wear and so will associated components.
Tailor what you can, rather than running standard oil in a well-worn engine, and try changing from 10W30 to thicker oil such as 20W50; it could cut down on the amount of oil you will need to add during oil change intervals. There are also high-mileage additives, which may help, and perhaps get you a thousand more miles before changing out your worn drivetrain.

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