Longest term car owner

A short clip ran on TV tonight up here.

About a guy who purchased a 1929 Ford Model A in 1930, oh yeah and he still owns it and it is currently on the road! That's a lot of years with the same car... He says he restored it in 1980 and that it has 200,000 miles on it.

I've come across similar stories before and each one seems to vie for longest-term ownership, like one in our club newsletter awhile back - a clipping from a British publication (non-automotive) about a lady who purchased a 1930's Singer back in the 1930's and still owned it and drove it regularly!

And there was a Wolseley sold recently in the States via an estate sale. It was a 1937 model, purchased new by the owner, and he kept it (in decent original condition) all the years until he passed away in I think 2000 or 2001, and now the car is in Florida.

& to all of the above owners, any similar stories out there?

There was a story in the NY Times recently about a rich guy in Connecticut who's parents wanted him to appreciate money, so they bought him a $10 (USD) Model A Ford in the 40's. He said it would hardly do better than 20 MPH top speed. He creditied the car with making him more practical and appreciative about life. His grandson has it now and it's become part of their family legacy.

I bought a '67 Sprite in '69 from an old girlfriend who'd just finished school (at Princeton) and needed money for grad school. I still own the car, but it's really just a part-car now. Two of the fenders are on my racer, plus lots of other bits. The engine is in my brother's '66 Sprite.

Not even close to these stories, but my next door neighbor growing up still has his '64 Corvette (bought new,) my father-in-law still drives the same '65 Impala SS Converible he bought new in Nov 64. (It was used at my in-law's wedding in '68, and ours 30years later.)

So I decided to take my '86 Dodge 600 convertible out of storage. My Dad purchased it new. It was the car I used for my drivers test -- it then went to my brother in 1991, then he stopped driving it in'99. He gave it back to me, and I put it in storage since I was living in Houston at the time.

Got it out last week and got her started.

On of my cousins (who is in his '70s) still has the 1924 Model T his dad bought new, and still has all the original paperwork, including the car's first insurance policy. And, the original license plate. He still drives it a bit in the summer.
Jeff

My father purchased a 1955 Wolseley 6/90 new in England, and although it has had the odd face lift, and totaly restoration, he still drives it and it's still winning awards for best original vehicle in it's class. That car is an essential part of our family since we all grew up in it, been everywhere in it. Sometimes it's nice to sit around and tell the stories associated with the car, the good and the not so good. The older cars all have character and a special charm not seen in today's mass produced plastic fantastics.

I don't know whether it counts, but my grandfather bought his Rover 16/50 new in 1925. My father inherited it, his nephew, one of the grandsons of the original owner, took it over and then passed it to me, another grandson. It hasn't been in continuous use, but has never had a stripped-down restoration, and is running reasonably sweetly today.

Ken G, 1925 Rover 16/50 (San Francisco)

So who actually still DRIVES a car that they've had a long time. Not some relative or freind or neighbor, but you, yourself? aeronca65t comes close, but I've had my mini for nearly 17 years and I still drive it.

I’ve had my 65 Spitfire since 1977. Pretty much been my daily driver from the beginning.
In the last six months I’ve been driving my 64 Spitfire and I’m handing over the 65 to my son for him to restore. He’s just turning 15 and it’s time he got his hands dirty!

I read in a Volvo enthusiast magazine about a guy in Boston who purchased a P1800 new (sixties) and has over a million miles on the car! He had the engine rebuilt at 700,000 miles just because he felt that it could use it!

Bravo for getting your son into it!

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> 64Spitfire said: I read in a Volvo enthusiast magazine about a guy in Boston who purchased a P1800 new (sixties) and has over a million miles on the car! He had the engine rebuilt at 700,000 miles just because he felt that it could use it!
<hr></blockquote>

That would be Irv Gordon I believe and he's actually from New York, that article is out of date obviously... Last I heard he was inching up to two million miles on the car! When new I think he picked it up on a Friday (or something like that), by Monday morning he was into the Volvo dealership for the first scheduled service, as I recall the dealership was quite shocked

I've never met him but have heard that he has travelled up to Ontario on a number of occasions to attend Volvo events, from all I've heard from those who have met him he's a fantastic guy and very friendly and down-to-earth.

[ 03-27-2004: Message edited by: Sherlock ]</p>