Daily driver: 60's or 80's?

Sixties for sure, if you can find a good example.
American cars of the late seventies- mid eighties really were trash. Worst build quality and chintziest materials of all time, complicated troublesome emission controls with general ugliness to top it all off. These heaps justifiably mark the beginning of Detroit's downfall.

I know this will be an unpopular post to a bunch of you guys who own these cars, I don't intend to offend. I've had some I liked but am able to lift the sagging headliner off my eyes to see those cars for what they were. If you are objective you'll understand that only my last point is subjective.
The sixties cars while certainly not the epitome of quality as they were intended as disposable at least have styling not built around government mandates, more durable materials and exciting powertrains available.

 

Quite unpopular indeed, but considering my Buick's headliner and my Caprices (indoor/outdoor carpeting), this headliner crack almost made up for it. Bravo.

 

With this I fully agree and about the styling, well, yes, but that is a personal thing. And even so, I think there are certainly wagons made in the 80's that I really like.

Actually, your firts comment is the key here. With a limited budget, it is harder to find a decent a good 60's car then 80's.

 

Senri, we may not understand the market for American wagons in your country and that would be a big factor. Here in the US if you want a 60's wagon you have many to choose from, still rust free from states like Colorado, Arizona, California, etc It sounds like you might hae a few less choices.

Well, I completely agree with Ross's comments above. Having been a Detroit native, having had a grandfather retired from Ford and three uncles working for GM I was in my teens when they all had to begin using alot of plastic, and new but unreliable engine designs to meet EPA mandates. I was very disappointed with the whole industry because Detroit is no longer the auto capital of the world....whoops, back to topic...I vote for 1960s because:
a) you need to look good while driving
b) at the end of ten years use the car will be worth more than you paid for it, assuming you find and buy something in pretty good shape.
c) I wouldn't drive an 80's anything even if given to me. What with all the vacuum lines, EGR hoses, sensors which only made for low power and confusing maintenance. My family bought Chevettes back in the 80's. What piece of crap they were, a step up from Yugo.

You'll get plenty of opinions I'm sure. This one is just mine and I respect the others too. I'm all for those driving whatever generation American wagon as long as it's special to them. Treat yourself - find yourself a Mopar wagon!

 

Senri once you decide what you truly want then do what you need to bring it home. What we like might not be what you like. But for rust free cars Polara 67 is right you will want to stay in the lower western states Texas all the way to California

 

And the Pacific Northwest.

 

very true about the Pac NW. In 1990 I moved from Detroit to Seattle for a new career in Aerospace. There were noticeably many more old cars still on the road, parked in backyards, etc. But they were not all full of rust holes like in Michigan. Heck, they were long gone in Michigan by 1990.

My first purchase was a 1970 Duster. No rust but it did have moss growing around the windshield trim. Yes, it rains that much out there. Don't let any try and fool you. Not a hard rain but typically drizzle all day long..... Then, if you headed East over the mountains (the Cascades) you arrive in a high desert climate. Even better for cars.

 

Florida has nice cars too though. They may have rust in wierd areas due to the humidity, but not the usual fatal type of rust we get in the north from salt usage on the roads. My 68 Cadillac was immaculate underneath. No rot in the quarters or floors at all. Pristine underneath and I had it up on my lift for hours looking for rust and flaws. It did have a couple of spots around the windshield trim and rear window trim. Saw 2 Blazers in Tallahassee FL in person and they had NO rust in the usual rust areas for Blazers. Immacualte trucks, I should've bought one. Mine is a rust bucket.

 

Well...if the car spent any time at all near the beaches you don't want it. I lived ocean front and it ate my car from the inside out. Had to wash the salt off the windshield every morning just to see through it. And that was with the car parked underground. The salt gets down inside the doors and in every crevice. I've seen windows just fall down inside the car's doors after the salt ate away the metal frames. In some ways it's worse than road salt.

 

You're right ! I lived right on the beach in California and it practically ate the paint off the car! What a mess it was from the ocean spray. Luckily most people don't live on the beach or the CA cars would be junk too.

 

The Fox is rite! Where I live It's just the same in a way. Cars that live ocean front"ish' rust out big time compared to the same car a 1/2 mile inland. Also where I live we also have what we call the boater's cars.......Mint Rides except for the trunk, bumpers and rear quarters that have been dipped in the ocean for several years.