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What was your first car

Hmmm... my first car was a Delorean. No, not *that* Delorean... it was actually a 63 or 64 Tempest, handed down through three older brothers. By the time it got to me there wasn't much left of its former glory... I remember having to drive home 12 miles, in reverse, when the transmission finally blew. After that, a 60 bug eye sprite (at the bottom of its value curve by then). My father had an orange one and we got the green one for parts... but managed to get it running. My father called it "the gimlet."

Here's what makes *me* feel old: I remember fondly going down to National City (just south of San Diego) several times to the junkyard. What you did back then was to bring your own toolbox. You'd stop at the "front desk" which was little more than a shed, and then you'd have to go looking through acres of wrecked cars to find the model you wanted. If you needed a water pump, you 'pulled' it yourself. And here's the kicker... they didn't charge you for what it was, they *weighed* it. I guess that kind of thing doesn't exist anymore... on the other hand, you don't see a lot of people doing what my Father took the time to do with me: pulling the engine, taking it completely apart, and putting it back together. It took a long time, but boy did I learn a lot about how things worked... ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
About 1975, so I was 17. I bought it with the money I had made shovelling pig manure for the farmer next to us. It was a 1969 Ford Galaxie 500 2-door sport model. 429 Thunderjet, 360hp or so the factory said. Passed everything but the gas stations ... After that I learned that smaller engines go just as good if you do a bit of work to them, and they can still pass the odd gas station ... :) BTW ... did you know that 1/2 ton truck differentials will bolt right into a Galaxie? And ... don't do the stoplight races with the diff that came with the car ... it won;t take it.

cheers
 
Bruce Page said:
Frank, those weren't very well known in the lower 48 :huh: so I had to look.
This guy has one for sale at only 7K American.
http://www.americandreamcars.com/1968vauxhallvictor.htm
Click to expand...
Thanks for the photo, Bruce. It brings back lots of memories (about half of them good and about half of them bad). My car was the same colour, but of course I bought it (very) used and it never did look as good as the one in the photo.
 
Hmmm..... I debated posting this due to my oh so young age of 32.

My first car was an 88 Chevy Celebrity Wagon. aka "The Grocery Getter" or just "The Getter" for short.
 
1951 Dodge four door "automatic stick shift" (Slush-Box)

We pushed it more than we drove it. :rofl:
Finally gave up and turned it upside down to plant flowers in.

Dad taught me my first lesson in driving responsibilities with that car. He told me "I can buy the car for $50." You have a choice, pay for the car or pay for the insurance. Well I sure showed him that I'm no dummy.
You pay for the car Dad! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

DT
 
Bruce Page said:
Frank, those weren't very well known in the lower 48 :huh: so I had to look.
This guy has one for sale at only 7K American.
http://www.americandreamcars.com/1968vauxhallvictor.htm
Click to expand...


That looks like a Nova Station Wagon.

OH yea, my first car.

Purchased brand new 28-Dec-1981, my senior year in college, a 1982 Cutlas Supreme. That car was purty!.

I loved that car, up till the day it was stolen from the Strike and Spare Bowling Alley in Creve Couer/Maryland Heights, MO. (Schuetz and Lindbergh for you STL guys) parking lot in Dec 1984. The car was parked right at the front door. The girl that stole it wore a blue coat. I know this because the guy that parked in my previous spot waited for her to back out.

Bad memories.

Joe
 
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Mine was a two tone, black and white 56 Chevy Belaire I believe, with the three speed on the column. That was in about '68. I wrecked that one first. It was a hand me down from My Bro.
 
1967 GTO convertible

4 speed with a spun rod bearing. I think my dad figured it would sit in the garage with the motor apart. I fixed with 'used' parts from another motor and was on my way. Also had the front disk brakes which when that vac line to the power booster came off, the car was nearly impossible to stop.
 
My first car was a 1955 Chevy Bel-Aire 2 door, but I couldn't drive it cause I was too young. But the first legal, dependable car was a 1969 Mustang.

My current car is this old grocery getter.....

69chevelle2.jpg
 
OK, I wasn't going to bite at this one, but after seeing Ian's Ford Anglia what the heck -- Mine was a 196(1)? Simca. My dad towed it home one day, Bought the four good tires for $20 but had to take the car with them (for free!). It was a ploy to keep me off the road for a while but surprised was he when it was running and passed inspection 60 days later. Painted it blue with a yellow racing stripe. Able to take older turtles in a 1/4 mile :rofl: :rofl:

Drove it for about six months till it self destructed but opened the door for my second car -- a 3 cylinder 2 cycle SAAB 96. What memories that one brings back.

Here's a link to the Simca -- http://t2frx2.online.fr/
Here's a link to the old SAAB -- what a car !! http://www.saabmuseum.com/96/index.html
 
My Dad bought me a '49 Plymouth coupe....caught me driving it in the driveway on day before I had my driver's license....He sold it. A year later I was roughnecking for Dad on oil rigs and I bought my first car....'56 Chevy 2-door sedan....265ci.......3 speed on the tree.....manual overdrive......
 
My first car was a 1972 Mercury Montego Mx Brougham.
Gold with a white vinyl roof and real pleather bucket seats:rofl:
It was an automatic (c4 tranny) with a 400 motor, real highway cruiser.
It died in a rain storm one night... 360's and took out a light standard, no one hurt, learned big lesson ;)

Next car was a 1972 Mercury Cougar XR7 with 351 Cleveland, console automatic. It eventually spun a rod bearing:(
Intended to rebuild that motor but wound up with wife and son instead.:dunno: :thumb:
Still miss that car:(
 
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