I have owned (and attempted to own) many cars in my day. From an all-terrain Range Rover to a gas-efficient Saturn,my favorite of all vehicles would have to be the ones manufactured well over forty years ago. Sounds paradoxical considering gas prices and unbeatable warranty programs offered by most dealerships selling late-model cars today.

But the classic car has been misunderstood and wrongly misjudged.

I drive a 1969 Chevy Nova and I couldn't have a better car. With a all-metal body, is intimidating on the road.( I wouldn't want to hit me!) The classic vehicles are excellent on the highways (most classic car engines were built for the highways. Consider in those "golden" days there weren't alot of traffic lights or stop signs that hindered a timely destination.) The engine has a "straight-six" cylinder engine thats wide open for easy repair and maintenance. I'm a female and I have done more work on my own on a classic car than I could EVER do in a modern Honda Accord. Have you even opened the engine of a late-model vehicle? Everything is so compacted in there that it's almost completely impossible to change an oil filter without wasting time loosening the screws of unnecessary protective plates and plastic engine-beautification paneling. Late-model cars nowadays won't even let you touch them underneath their little skirts unless you have a certified automotive technician complete with blue coveralls and a nametag to hook a computer gizmo to it; and that's not including cost of parts and labor!

With my Chevy, its a tool box, a boom box and a lunch box.

Now, granted a classic car requires a lot more upkeep than their great-grandchildren, requiring more frequent expenses in the beginning. After all, you're dealing with decades-old wiring, parts, hoses, clamps and the like. It's VERY important to take extra-special care for your classic car. With the prices of classic restoration vehicles being very inexpensive depending on the location, the expenses usually balance out. And the car is YOURS to do as you please. You can't argue that no vehicle looks better customized than an old classic.

A couple of years back, I bought a 1969 Chevy Impala in Columbus, Georgia that had a FOR SALE sign in the window as it was parked on the business side of a renovated pawn shop. She had a small block 350 engine in her; the factory seats still had the plastic covers still on and intact (although yellowing), an 8-track player (still in working

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