Well, everything's relative, I suppose. If you have been to Arizona or
California you will think Florida's cars are rustbuckets. Cars really seem
to rust out pretty quick where I am, which is near the sea and very wet all
year round. (You can leave some glavanized screws lying outside on a table
here and come back in a few days and they will already have rust on them.)
I bought an Imperial about 3-4 years ago that was an Oregon car and totally
without rust-- I mean zero rust. In just 3 years in Florida I can see a
thin layer of rust starting to form over the underside of the car. Still
far better than any comparable 31 year old car, but it makes me worry. I
almost think you shouldn't try to keep collector cars in an area like this--
it's almost criminal to watch what the climate does to them.
All states do not have inspections. Florida does not. (Certain counties
may, I'm not sure.) As a result, you see all kinds of junky vehicles on the
road here. It's amazing some of them even function.
Mark M
Daniel M Wing wrote:
> I was in Florida on business recently, and was once again amazed at the
> older cars that I saw that were still on the road as daily drivers. I
> even saw a (70s) Ford Fairmont that looked in good shape. Those cars
> have been gone for so long up here, I can't remember the last time I saw
> one, and the last ones I saw were tattered rust buckets. I just looked
> and thought, wow, up in NY these cars would be in car shows!
>
> Question. Do cars in other states have a yearly State inspection to
> pass? Here in New York there is a whole book of things that a car must
> pass to be road worthy. For instance, I had to get another tail light
> lens for my Imp, because the original owner had put a half inch hole in
> one.
>
> Wondering out loud again.
>
> Dan Wing
> Marcy, NY USA
>
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