What was your first car?

[lahrs37]

My first car was a black 1990 Mazda 323 with a manual. I got it for $400. At the time I thought it was the coolest thing ever. The Fast and the Furious had just come out and suddenly front wheel drive Japanese cars were cool! lol I still have a prominent scar on my right hand from slashing it trying to install an aftermarket radio. I did all kinds of dumb things to that car. Eventually the clutch went and disaster struck when I tried to change it with the help of a complete idiot who had no idea what he was doing.

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/3164/2761/20408880013_large.jpg
This is not my car, but it looks almost identical. I painted my steel wheels red for some ridiculous reason...

[CVOBill]

1969 Ford Falcon, I took the 250" straight six out and put in a 302. I drove that car for almost two years before the front frame rusted out.

[Jdav]

1989 Ford Probe. It had a digital speedometer that just flashed if you went above 88.

[lahrs37]

1989 Ford Probe. It had a digital speedometer that just flashed if you went above 88.

Maybe your flux capacitor was disabled.

[GoDadGo]

Laurence,

1971 Plymouth Fury Grand Coupe.
I bought the car with a blown motor when I was 15 years of age.
I had to go through the engine 3 times before getting it right, which why your timing chain issue upset the heck out of me.

Steve

[initiator]

1967 Firebird HO with 326, Carter AFB, and Super Turbine 300 transmission (2-speed). Bought it in '86 and sold it in '16 to make room for the Cobra.

[lahrs37]

Laurence,

1971 Plymouth Fury Grand Coupe.
I bought the car with a blown motor when I was 15 years of age.
I had to go through the engine 3 times before getting it right, which why your timing chain issue upset the heck out of me.

Steve

Steve -

That makes sense! lol

[R Thomas]

66313 1960 Rambler Cross Country Wagon - 250 V-8 Borg-Warner Push Button Auto. Dropped 327 in it. Paid $1 - Dad was mechanic picked it up at work.

[stevie.nowonder]

A candy apple red 1969 Mach 1 428 SCJ w/close-ratio 4 speed. Saw one go for almost $90k at Barrett-Jackson a few years back--I sold mine for $89k south of that back in '76. Ouch!

[Lancaster Lad]

In 1966 bought a 1965 GTO Tri power 4 speed to travel to high school. After rebuilding the trans 3 times
and the rear end 1 time I decided to shoe horn in a 3 speed automatic. In 1970 bought a 1969 GTO with
an automatic, no broken parts. One good reason my Roadster will not be a manual. No powershifts no
broken parts no broken me.
Cecil

[Al_C]

1950 Chevy Deluxe. It had a push button radio. That was followed quickly by a 61 Chevy Impala with a 283. That was much more fun. First car I had to pay for was a 64 Chevy Impala 2 door hardtop - also a 283. If I remember correctly, I paid 300 bucks for the 64.

[3yearplan]

A 1981 Plymouth Reliant K car. :o

[PeteH]

1960 Corvair, for free. Had to repair brake lines, and keep wrapping one plug thread with aluminum foil cause the threads were stripped. Drove it for a couple of years. Then bought a 64 Fairlane Sport coupe, sb, 4 speed, looked like a Thunderbolt. Was stolen and stripped, then scrapped.

[wareaglescott]

1967 Ford Mustang convertible. Worked full time for my grandpas plumbing company in the summers when I was 13,14 &15. Paid $5000 cash for it in 1990. I was so proud of that car. Red with white top and interior. 289 and 3 speed in the floor.
Wish I still had it!

[michael everson]

Ford Pinto. Yeah I'm hanging my head in shame.
Mike

[NAZ]

A high-milage 1959 Ford Galaxie with a 352 "Police Interceptor" engine for $50 that lasted only a few months under my teenage lead foot and was quickly followed by a 1963 T-Bird for $400 that was a low milage car in perfect shape. That was in the sixties so a 1963 was not an old car back then and yep, I wouldn't be caught dead in anything that was not made by Ford. I still own a couple of Ford trucks but I long ago outgrew that whole brand loyalty thing.

[GoDadGo]

Ford Pinto. Yeah I'm hanging my head in shame.
Mike

You Should Hold Your Head High & Say:

Yeah, I Drove That Potential Rolling Fireball Because That's The Kind Of Wild & Crazy Man I Am!

[Yama-Bro]

My very first car was a 1953 Ford 2 door Customline with a flathead V8. My great aunt gave it to me when I was born (in 76). She didn't drive. She inherited it from her dad, my great grandpa, who I share a name with. He bought it new in '53. When I was getting close to 16, my parents were scared that I would wreck the car or do something in the backseat, so they bought it from me and helped me finance a Pontiac Fiero. They still have Ford. They are going to give it back to me at some point.

[David_Ingermann]

My first car is a 1967 Mercury Comet Voyager. It's got a 302 and a C-4 auto, though I'm looking to make a few updates ;) .

66323

Here's the link to the photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskkHbpqx

[GlenH]

66325 1984 Chevette 4 door. Oh yeah it was a "Sport" Said so right on it. 0 to 60 in about a week.

[Gumball]

1969 Dodge Charger SE with a 383 magnum. Was only 15 years old and didn't want to tell my parents, so left it at a friend's house for a year then "bought" it from him and drove it home.

I can't believe the cars that teenagers were able to buy and drive back in the late '70s and early '80s - tons of horsepower, crappy brakes, and just plain used cars - now they're huge money collectibles.

[Boydster]

First car: 1967 Fastback Mustang. 289 was cracked and overheating something awful. Rebuilt and installed a Mexican block 302 that was rescued as fill dirt in my friends backyard. Had it running with a toploader and 3.27 gears before I had a drivers license. THAT was a fun car. Kept it all through college till I bought a new 84-1/2 SVO.

[GoDadGo]

1969 Dodge Charger SE with a 383 magnum. Was only 15 years old and didn't want to tell my parents, so left it at a friend's house for a year then "bought" it from him and drove it home.

I can't believe the cars that teenagers were able to buy and drive back in the late '70s and early '80s - tons of horsepower, crappy brakes, and just plain used cars - now they're huge money collectibles.

While my boat had a 383, the Charger Was Way Too Cool For School!

[flynntuna]

1970 Porsche 911T. Loved that car, sold it for down payment on my first house. Then bought a 73 super beetle...not as much fun.

[Straversi]

Two Datsun 510's. A barely running 1972 two door for $1200 and a non-running 4-door parts donor for $400. Washed a lot of dishes in a sea food restaurant to make those two heaps into one fun little car.
-Steve

[Jeff Kleiner]

http://motoburg.com/images/pontiac-firebird-400-coupe-03.jpg

In 1973 at 16 years old. '68, 400, 4 speed, this (unattractive) color. This photo is of a '67; '68 didn't have vent windows but was otherwise identical.

Jeff

[initiator]

http://motoburg.com/images/pontiac-firebird-400-coupe-03.jpg

In 1973 at 16 years old. '68, 400, 4 speed, this (unattractive) color. This photo is of a '67; '68 didn't have vent windows but was otherwise identical.

Jeff

Jeff - nice ride! My '67 was the turquoise color popular back then, had been repainted moss green.

'68 had no vent windows, the front parking lights were moved, and the rear quarter panel insignia/lights were slightly different. And my 326 had been replaced by the all-new 350.

[edwardb]

I'm confident I'll be the only one with this for my first car. The rule at our house was no car before high school graduation. I fast talked my way into a motorcycle though. But after a couple accidents (none my fault) the rule was relaxed if I got rid of the motorcycle. Bought an early 60's vintage Triumph Herald hardtop. Bet not too many people have heard of that one! It was cheap (around $400 - 500 as I recall) and allowed me an early introduction into the dark world of Lucas. Sold it to my brother when I went off to college, and he killed it not long after when the brakes failed. Couldn't find any decent pictures. But this old ad copy is pretty funny.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Misc%20Pics/Triumph-Herald-Advert_zpsjpoaxjtz.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%2020th%20Anniversary%20Mark%204%20R oadster/Misc%20Pics/Triumph-Herald-Advert_zpsjpoaxjtz.jpg.html)

[Jeff Kleiner]

Hey Paul! I remember those from back in the day and believe it or not there is a guy here in Bloomington who still drives one! It's a 2 door sedan, kind of a pale light blue/turquois color with those distinctive pointy tail fins and "eyebrow" over the rear window. I see him out and about pretty regularly in the warm weather months.

Jeff

[Vette1972]

1962 Dodge Lancer Slant Six with Push Button automatic! 4 door white chick magnet (not). $90 bought delivering Grit newspapers on my bicycle. Moved up to a 1969 GMC Van for college days. Oh the stories that van could tell!

[RickP]

1968 VW bug. No reverse gear, no second gear and if the headlights were on and you stepped on the brake pedal, it would blow a fuse and short the head lights.

To sum it up, always park in a spot that you can get out of moving forward and be darn sure you didn't have to use the foot brake (hand brake was acceptable to use) if driving at night. Loved that car!

[TPM3]

A 1969 Mercury Montego. The only option it had was an AM radio. Bought it for $200 from a neighbor who owned the local Lincoln-Mercury dealership. Sold it two years later to my sister for $200. She sold it to my other sister two years later for $200. That sister sold it a year later for $200. It was a $200 car.

[JIMOCO]

17 years old bought a new 1971 VW Beetle for $1,995. It barely survived. Some years later and many hard miles it no longer looked new. The other side is not any better. It has a yellow fender. If you look close you can see the chain holding the trunk closed. I can't believe I went on dates with that car. 66347

[mcwho]

OK, I must be older than u guys, I bought a 1951 Oldsmobile Holiday 88 Coupe and had it painted metallic REd, Titian Rd. I saw one on Meacham recently and apparently it was a Nascar Grand National Favorite and 16 or 25 races in 1951 were Oldsmobiles.

The engine was a 303 cu in V-8 which came out arouond 1949, and was ahead of its time. And Yes I did have baby moons on it.

check this link

http://www.espn.com/racing/results/_/year/1951



Bob

[edwardb]

Hey Paul! I remember those from back in the day and believe it or not there is a guy here in Bloomington who still drives one! It's a 2 door sedan, kind of a pale light blue/turquois color with those distinctive pointy tail fins and "eyebrow" over the rear window. I see him out and about pretty regularly in the warm weather months.

Jeff

That's funny. I haven't seen a Triumph Herald since we got rid of ours a lot of years ago. The thing ran good with that little sewing machine motor. But the rest of it took a lot of TLC.

[CRZN 427]

My first car was a '56 VW Beetle that I had to re-body from parts out of the dealer's salvage yard (but it had less than 19k on a new engine), then my Dad painted it red. I was a Junior in High School at the time and worked part time in a service station.

Regards, Rick.

[Misterfubar]

1986 Honda Civic DX Hatch. Still one of my favorite cars I've owned and I'm sure that has nothing to do with nostalgia. :rolleyes:

[partsman]

56 Chevy 210. Two tone blue/white. 265 V8 and a cast iron powerglide

[Papa]

Mine was a 1968 Buick Riviera with a 430 c.i. big block and all the luxury you could imagine for a car of that era. After my parents realized that the 430 was probably a bit much for a 16-year-old, I ended up with a 1965 VW Bug. I wish I still both of those cars today.

[JohnnyB]

My first car was a 1964 Plymouth Valiant convertible with a slant 6.
I wish mine was as nice as this one that I keep seeing at car local shows.
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66333&d=1492046189

[DANW]

77 Datsun 280Z bought summer of 79, still own it today, never drove it in the winter in MN.

[GoDadGo]

OK, I must be older than u guys, I bought a 1951 Oldsmobile Holiday 88 Coupe and had it painted metallic REd, Titian Rd. I saw one on Meacham recently and apparently it was a Nascar Grand National Favorite and 16 or 25 races in 1951 were Oldsmobiles.

The engine was a 303 cu in V-8 which came out arouond 1949, and was ahead of its time. And Yes I did have baby moons on it.

check this link

http://www.espn.com/racing/results/_/year/1951



Bob

McWho / aka Bagdad Bob

My Dad bought a Rocket 88, 1950 when he got out of the Navy.
My 85 year old Mom still talks about how fast that car was and how much fun they had in it running around and racing people from stop light to stop light.
I dug up the information on that car which is shown below:

Works Cited: INFO PULLED OFF GRIP THE MOMENT

The car could make the run to 60mph in roughly 13 seconds, which may sound slow today, but this was stunning in 1950. The car barreled pass 60 on its way to 97mph where physics eventually overtook the new rocket and did not allow the car to top over 100mph. In the end, the acceleration number could be beaten by some cars, but the Rocket would reach a higher top speed and others others could beat its top speed, but took much longer to make it there. Oldsmobile had successfully created one of the fastest cars in America decidedly beating Ford and Chrysler models up and down the street.

[Paparazzi]

I'm sure no one had this. A 1960 Ford Anglia 105E. Purchased for £50 by my father from a family friend - he wanted the 998cc motor for a boat. Decided that the car was in too good condition to dismantle, so it became my first car at 17.

This is the car, and that's me front right in my cool shades.:cool:

http://dutchess.x10host.com/cobra/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/12694559_1946771005548828_7063745984598790870_o.jp g

[JRD56]

My first car was a 1966 Mustang convertible. Bought it in 1971, still have it. Fully restored.

[Ducky2009]

1963 MGB convertible. It was 7 years old by ran great.

[Mark Reynolds]

JRD you have me beat all over! - Your first car is older, you've owned it longer and you still own it, and it is in way better condition. Your lawn is also in way better shape than any lawn I have owned or will ever own.

My signature has it - 1967 Fastback bought for $800 in 1980.

[RoadRacer]

I'm sure no one had this. A 1960 Ford Anglia 105E. Purchased for £50 by my father from a family friend - he wanted the 998cc motor for a boat. Decided that the car was in too good condition to dismantle, so it became my first car at 17.

This is the car, and that's me front right in my cool shades.:cool:

http://dutchess.x10host.com/cobra/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/12694559_1946771005548828_7063745984598790870_o.jp g

Haha don't bet on it. Many ex-pats here :). My first car was a mk1 escort van.. that if course I ran into a Land Rover in the first month with my license. Needed a long steep hill to get that up to 80mph!

[Chuck Sloggett]

51' Studebaker Commander V8 Starlite Coupe. I see Studebaker won a few NASCAR races in 51 too. I paid $165 for it summer of 58 at the Ford Dealership in Broken Bow, Nebraska. -- Chuck

[bobl]

My first 2 cars I would give anything to have now. First a '55 Chevy 2 dr sedan with a pretty hot rodded 283, then after too many tickets my dad made me sell it. So I got my mom's 65 mustang fastback. Oh darn!

[Jazzman]

A 1970 AMC Javelin with a straight 6 and three speed on the floor. Not the AMX, mind you, which I will admit is only slightly better. Mine didn't have enough of an engine to warrant the cool hood scoop or racing stripes or the upgraded wheels. Just plain metal wheels with boring cake-pan style hubcaps. To make it even worse it was painted "Big Bad Blue". Mine was just ugly, and very blue. I used to joke that the color made my eyes hurt. It still does today. Now this is NOT me, and it is NOT my car, but I thought you might enjoy seeing a very similar car in the actual throwback color from the early 70's.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66346&d=1492062370

Given that this is where I started, it is a wonder I ever wanted to see another car, much less built one! Well at least I pretty much had no where to go but up!

[Bobby Doug]

1964 Rambler 440 Convertible. The top leaked, the fuel gauge quit at 1/2 full, the trunk opened with a screwdriver, and the driver side window only rolled down halfway, then fell the rest of the way. I drove it for 1 1/2 years and saved every penny I made. My dad promised to match me dollar for dollar on a new car. At $2500 I started looking at new 1973 Corvettes. Dad amended his offer to $1500 and I bought a Burnt Orange 1973 Nova SS. The car was a slug due to the compression being dropped to 8.5 to 1. But it looked good.

[Dave Howard]

1971 Ford F100. Two tone red and black. Kept that for a long time into college. Then a Dodge Shelby Charger. 2.2 turbo and GLH. Go Like Hell.

[RickP]

My first car was a 1966 Mustang convertible. Bought it in 1971, still have it. Fully restored.


That is one sharp looking stang.

[Barrel]

1951 Triumph Mayflower that was originally my mother's car. She later bought a Triumph 2000 and this became my first car in 1968. She disowned it completely some years later when the Best Man at my wedding made an amusing reference to the fact that it was aptly called The Mayflower because of the number of puritans that came across in the back seat!http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q498/NeilHussey/triumph%20mayflower%20main.jpg (http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/NeilHussey/media/triumph%20mayflower%20main.jpg.html)

[Avalanche325]

1974 Vega notchback. $50. Needed a head gasket. If that car won't make a Ford man out of you, nothing will.

[rx7922]

66358

1989 mercury tracer wagon

[Cobradavid]

1974 Vega notchback. $50. Needed a head gasket. If that car won't make a Ford man out of you, nothing will.

Now THAT is funny!

[Cobradavid]

1973 Ford Ranchero. 302 cu in and 3 speed automatic. 93,000 miles on it. Bought it for $100 from my neighbors after it got totaled.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66359&d=1492124082

After putting on a new door, lots of terrible body work (including some work to the front end after I ran through a station wagon that ran through a stop sign), and new paint, it looked like this.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66360&d=1492124091

It was a fun truck. Kinda wish I still had it. At least I still have a Ranchero in the family since my daughter's first car is a '66 Ranchero.
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?13813-Garage-Buddy

David

[ehansen007]

Me too everson. She was a red on red beauty! Shameful.

66363

[phileas_fogg]

1960 Rambler Cross Country Wagon - 250 V-8 Borg-Warner Push Button Auto. Dropped 327 in it. Paid $1 - Dad was mechanic picked it up at work.

Mine was a 1966 Rambler station wagon with the American Motors 232 in-line 6 (years later I had that same engine in my 1991 Jeep Wrangler, except with fuel injection). It had a 5-speed transmission; 1st gear was Low that you had to specifically select. Gears 2-4 were what you generally used. Much to my surprise, I found out about gear 5 racing a college buddy who had a 1970s Camaro. We were doing 90+ on the north side of Chattanooga TN when the car got really quiet and then kept on accelerating.

The Rambler sat in my grandfather's driveway for two years and then he gave it to me my sophomore year in college. We spent a summer getting it back to running. He turned me loose on the drum brakes with a Chilton's manual. It always pulled to one side whenever I braked; it's a miracle that car ever stopped.

My grandfather worked his way through the Great Depression as a mechanic for International Harvester. They gave him a truck full of parts and tools. He drove into farmers' fields and fixed equipment where it sat. If he didn't have the part, he made the part. He didn't leave until the equipment was working again to the farmer's satisfaction.

When we were restoring the Rambler to operation, we had to work on the carburetor. Grandpa took it to a carburetor guy. And that's why my Roadster has fuel injection!


John

[flynntuna]

My dad had a Rambler wagon.:cool: we use to play lost in space in it . Jeez did I actually admit that. Just some goofy ten yr olds lol

[Lowrod]

1965 Ford Mustang Coupe with the 300 Sprint package. 6 cylinder with a three speed manual transmission.

[Gromit]

I got my dads 1972 4 door Plymouth valiant sky blue slant 6 3 speed column shifter as a senior in high school my friends called it the nerd mobile I took the family out to ice cream Sunday's to pay for it.

The car had an am radio and a bunch of delete options. It didn't even have a cigarette lighter but it did get 22 mpg and I might still own it if I hadn't gotten T-boned and totaled during my senior year of college

It had 102,000 when I got it and 135,000 when it got totaled still on the original clutch. Manual steering and brakes and Ac by 4-40 (as dad put it roll down the 4 windows and drive 40 mph) it leaked oil badly and only left me stranded one time when the gear on the distributor gear wore out

Man I miss that car

[phileas_fogg]

My dad had a Rambler wagon.:cool: we use to play lost in space in it . Jeez did I actually admit that. Just some goofy ten yr olds lol

Lord knows the thing was big enough to be a spaceship. I think my Grandfather told me he hauled 14' timbers inside the vehicle jammed against the tailgate and resting atop the dash jammed against the front glass. I could be exaggerating though. He also put 500 pounds of quarried marble in the back during the winter to make sure the chains on the tires got extra bite in the once-a-decade snow.


John

[lahrs37]

These stories are great! I am just a tad jealous that so many folks' first cars were so much cooler than mine. With that said, I got inspired by you all and since I have been experimenting with video editing, I decided this would be a good topic for a video.

Check it out: https://youtu.be/nQDuYdjTCg8

[FFinisher]

1970 Torino Cobra
429Super Cobra Jet, drag pack including 430 Detroit locker rear axle.

"J"Code"

Canary yellow and black. Awesome car definitely wish I still had it. Had 24,000 miles on it when I sold it.

[Dragonfire]

1964 Pontiac GTO. Took delivery in November of 1963. Sold it in 1986. Big mistake. :( Loved that car.

[jceckard]

These stories are great! I am just a tad jealous that so many folks' first cars were so much cooler than mine.

No kidding! I turned 16 in the early 90s. At first I had to drive my parents cars to work. My mom had this ugly seafoam green Mercury Sable. My dad had an early 80s brown Dakota with worn out shocks. You hit a dip in the road and oscillate for a few hundred feet. My parents did get me a car when I was in college. They picked up a late 80s Cherokee from the state surplus auction. It was a fun vehicle, only thing against it was the AC didn't work. In the south, that ain't cool (pun intended). Plus it was black. My first vehicle that I purchased was a '02 F150 FX4 with the 5.4L. My wife keeps telling me to get rid of it. I ignore her. :rolleyes:

[Jeff Kleiner]

Canary yellow and black.

Thank Got it wasn't ORANGE ;)

Jeff

[lahrs37]

No kidding! I turned 16 in the early 90s. At first I had to drive my parents cars to work. My mom had this ugly seafoam green Mercury Sable. My dad had an early 80s brown Dakota with worn out shocks. You hit a dip in the road and oscillate for a few hundred feet. My parents did get me a car when I was in college. They picked up a late 80s Cherokee from the state surplus auction. It was a fun vehicle, only thing against it was the AC didn't work. In the south, that ain't cool (pun intended). Plus it was black. My first vehicle that I purchased was a '02 F150 FX4 with the 5.4L. My wife keeps telling me to get rid of it. I ignore her. :rolleyes:

Nice! I drove a slew of crap cars. While I never drove a Sable, I did drive a Mercury Topaz. :cool:

[wareaglescott]

These stories are great! I am just a tad jealous that so many folks' first cars were so much cooler than mine. With that said, I got inspired by you all and since I have been experimenting with video editing, I decided this would be a good topic for a video.

Check it out: https://youtu.be/nQDuYdjTCg8

Dude probably fixed your car and went on a nationwide illegal parking mission. You are now wanted in 38 states for unpaid parking tickets! My wife and I got some good laughs from the video.

[lahrs37]

Dude probably fixed your car and went on a nationwide illegal parking mission. You are now wanted in 38 states for unpaid parking tickets! My wife and I got some good laughs from the video.

Bahahaha! You are probably right!

[boat737]

1970 Honda N600. 2 cylinder, 598 CC, (or as I used to say, "36 cubic inches of fire breathin' blow-by"), 35hp (almost 1 hp per cu. in., rare in the 70's), air cooled, 4 speed, front wheel drive. Honda started selling cars in the U.S. on May 1, 1970, and I bought this 14 days later, for a whopping $1395 brand new. Drove it for 28 years before I sold it to a guy who took it back to Japan. Here's a pic at Lions Drag Strip. Won my class once, and came in runner-up in bracket racing one day. Won $10. I still have some Lions time slips from back then. 21 seconds in the quarter mile. Whew...

6639466393

[Ray]

1957 Ford Ranchwagon 2-door. It had the 312 "Y" block and an automatic trans.

Ray

[DowenS]

1964 Ford Falcon two door sedan, 144 6 cylinder, "3 on the tree". It's the car I learned how to drive manual with. The Car was handed down from a great uncle. Still have it!
Your very basic model. Rubber flooring, no radio, no padded dash, no washer fluid. I believe the only option he got was front seat belts. The cars specs state 85 hp, I think that was a stretch.

[lahrs37]

36 cubic inches of fire breathin' blow-by... 21 seconds in the quarter mile. Whew...

6639466393

hahahahaha! love it!

[Cyclotic]

Lots of Ramblers here. Cool. My dad had a 1963 Rambler Classic 660. 4 door, 3 on the tree, no options, not even a radio.

My first car was a 1974 Saab 99, 2 door.

[42Bfast]

That's funny. I haven't seen a Triumph Herald since we got rid of ours a lot of years ago. The thing ran good with that little sewing machine motor. But the rest of it took a lot of TLC.

I dated a girl when I was in college that drove a Herald, I liked the car more than her. :-)

[42Bfast]

1971 Pontiac Firebird (used) (Paid $1700, took me 3 years to pay it off) it had a 350 engine, 4spd manual transmission, factory Hurst shifter, limited slip differential, vinyl top and aftermarket AC!
Loved that car! It set me on the path of manual transmission, rear driver, and big oversteer, that I will NEVER outgrow!
I turned doughnuts until the oil light came on, I did the Rockford Files maneuver, I hit 130 for the first time in my life in that car! Don't know how I survived, but it was a blast!

[rancho cobra]

32 ford 5- window coupe w/ 49 flathead , got it for $325 when I was 14 years old in 1974 , didn't have it drivable by 16 so I bought a 65 falcon futura w/289 for $400 , added glass packs , cragers, positraction torque twisters . That was the first car I got to drive

[boat737]

hahahahaha! love it!

Actually, it was 21.12 seconds, 61.09 mph. I looked up the time slip. Motor Trends review of the 600 that year had it at 21.8 sec, and 59.3 mph (I still got the magazine). So I beat the professional test drivers by over a half second, and almost 2 miles per hour in the quarter mile. What a stud I was (what the heck happened since...?). They also had top speed of 77 in the little car, I got mine up to 90 one day. Must have had a tailwind.

[289FIA_Cobra]

Mine was my brother 1965 Mustang NB; normal 2 barrel 289, 4 speed T4. He went off to college and let it deteriorate; it was dented on driver door, front and rear bumpers; the Poppy Red was totally oxidized. I paid him $500 so I could use it to go to college, in 1978 or 1979. Despite it's normal demeanor, I had a lot of fun in this thing; took it to a few autocrosses as well...
6641466415

[Blue MK3]

I predate all of you. My first car was a 1929 Model A Town Sedan. My dad bought it for me when I was between my junior and senior year of high school. I think he paid $50 for it. It had lots of "patina," but was reliable for around town. I drove it to school every day my senior year (1961). I sold it to someone who wanted to do a full restoration. And no, I don't wish I still had it.

[Chuck Sloggett]

1970 Honda N600. 2 cylinder, 598 CC, (or as I used to say, "36 cubic inches of fire breathin' blow-by"), 35hp (almost 1 hp per cu. in., rare in the 70's), air cooled, 4 speed, front wheel drive. Honda started selling cars in the U.S. on May 1, 1970, and I bought this 14 days later, for a whopping $1395 brand new. Drove it for 28 years before I sold it to a guy who took it back to Japan. Here's a pic at Lions Drag Strip. Won my class once, and came in runner-up in bracket racing one day. Won $10. I still have some Lions time slips from back then. 21 seconds in the quarter mile. Whew...

6639466393

The Honda Dealer in Rapid City, SD has on of those sitting on the showroom floor. -- Chuck

[boat737]

hahahahaha! love it!


The Honda Dealer in Rapid City, SD has on of those sitting on the showroom floor. -- Chuck

Used to be one out here too. It disappeared. I still see a really beat-up and thrashed one in a shop in Long Beach, and it still runs. All in all, for what it was, it was a good car. I've owned Honda's and Acura's continuously for 47 years now. Still think they are good cars.

[7tvette]

Glad to see lots of Beetles out there. I was lucky to have a 1978 Beetle Convertible as a first car. Awesome car and still in the family.

Troy

[BEAR-AvHistory]

1957 Red & White Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner. hardtop convertible. Bought used in 1960 for $1200.

[mcduke3]

1976 Fiat Spider 124. Orange color, similar to this picture. I got a lot of dates because of it.66485

[sheephearder]

67 Ford Fairlane! Candy Apple Red 2 door hardtop with black vinal top and red interior and no A/C! 289HO with 3 on the tree!

[UnhipPopano]

My brother and I owned a 68 Blue VW Beatle. The reverse gear was iffy, but with its studded snow tires, it would go anywhere. With the sun roof open, my brother was able to drive home the entire wrestling team. We were able to do all of the maintenance on the car.

[Stork]

First car was a hand-me-down, dark blue, early 80's Pontiac Bonneville. Rear windows did not roll down... not because they were broken, but because it was apparently designed to not have rear windows that roll down! Told all my friends it was a decommissioned cop car. Best part was the throttle response of flooring it, waiting a few counts, then the engine decided to come alive and the front end lifting up as if a jet pack had been ignited. Had a good year with her before the engine blew-up and I headed off to college.

[KDubU]

A brand new 1985 Suzuki Samurai. Loved jeeps but could not afford a jeep jeep so opted for the next thing. Loved my Samurai, sure it was slow as a snail, noisy, etc. but it was mine and it was a convertible that I drove in the Montreal winters no problem. Had my worst accident in it when a guy in his Trans-Am t-boned me doing 40-50mph. The nose of his car went underneath and flipped me over a couple times. I had my seatbelt on and ended up climbing out the passenger door as it was on it's side. I don't really recall the impact other than seeing a white flash out of my peripheral vision just before it happened. A lot of damage but nobody hurt.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...flipped me over a couple times...

Yeah, they're kind of prone to that! Back in my Jeep days a couple of Samaurai guys often went trail riding with us and it became almost expected that there would be at least one Suzi belly up every trip. Beauty of them is that they roll slow and are light so 4 guys could usually get them back on all fours. After giving them a few minutes for the oil to run back down to where it was supposed to be they'd fire up and roll on. Like the early Toyota pickups they were tough little suckers that didn't make enough power to hurt themselves :)

Jeff

[SDhemmings]

Had a 1971 GMC 1/2 ton, loved that truck! Now that I see what they go for fully restored I wish I had kept it!!

[FMJ]

1963 VW Beetle. My Dad traded a 19" TV to some relatives for it.

-Fred

[WIS89]

I had a 1960 Thunderbird convertible. It was black with a red interior. Power everything! It was going to be awesome, right up until I discovered the unibody was rusted out, and with both doors open the car actually flexed -- I don't think this was a designed trait for this car! It was just like Doug at Forma Cars posted in the daily driver thread. Ended up selling it, and it broke my heart!

Replaced it with a 72 MGB. It was orange and awesome! It broke down on the NJ Turnpike the weekend I got engaged. Now wife said to get a new car, and I did. Sold the MG to a classmate. I should have kept the car; it was a wonderful, fun little car!!

Regards,

Steve

[wareaglescott]

1963 VW Beetle. My Dad traded a 19" TV to some relatives for it.

-Fred

Which weighed more the VW or a large TV in that time frame?

[Bob-STL]

1953 Mercury 2 door hardtop that my dad bought. It was a tank, flat head V8. Man, I wish I had that car today.

[jakester888]

1970 Toyota Corona MKII

66804

[Dodgeman]

1955 Ford custom 4door with 262 CI, 3 on the tree, paid $100.00 in 1964 drove it until graduation then scrapped it when I went in the service.

[Just puttering]

Besides driving my moms 1976 granada 4 door 3 speed, I traded my atc 110 for a 58 ford truck. it had a 289 and c4 trans. I then proceeded to tear it apart and put a 1976? Dodge alpine? (It sucks getting old) front end in it. The car had transverse tortion bars on the front that unbolted as one unit. So the independent front with disk brakes and power steering got bolted to the truck (got the idea from a car mag.) you adjusted the ride height with two nuts under the truck. I had the front so low, you could not fit a soda can under front of the body to the ground. I also put the tilt column in it and used the wiring harness from the car. I just realized this sounds familiar reading this forum. Then somone sabotaged my engine. So I built a 400 ford and c6 for it. Just looked it up dodge aspen was the car

[adubbelde]

59 Impala Bubble top. I totaled it a couple of months later. Saw another that was totaled and bought it from the insurance company. I put the 2 together and sold parts for a net cost of $75 to be back on the road. That was 51 years ago.

[Dave Schwaab]

1959 Triumph TR-3A. When I was 11, my fighter pilot older brother gave me a ride in it on some Virginia country roads with the telephone poles and drainage ditches whizzing by. Scared the **** out of me. Five years later, I bought it from him. I also remember riding in the back seat for a hundred miles when he was headed to a little get-together fondly remembered as the "Cuban Missile Crisis"!

In addition to that car, I also owned a TR-4A, and drove a Spitfire, MGA, MGA Fixed Head Coupe, MGB, MG Midget, Austin Healey Sprite and Austin Healey 100-6. I just LOVE British Roadsters! I've wanted a Cobra ever since my August 1964 issue of Mechanix Illustrated arrived with the Tom McCahill test.

[chuckster]

1969 Dodge Charger SE with a 383 magnum. Was only 15 years old and didn't want to tell my parents, so left it at a friend's house for a year then "bought" it from him and drove it home.

I can't believe the cars that teenagers were able to buy and drive back in the late '70s and early '80s - tons of horsepower, crappy brakes, and just plain used cars - now they're huge money collectibles.

First car, 1965 galaxie 500 XL convertible, 300 six, 3on the tree. Eleven months later, third car, 1967 Shelby GT500, 428 Cobra LeMans dual quad's 4spd. Paid $1500,put $4k into it, sold it 4 years later for $1800. Duh.

[mach'er]

I bought a '67 Bronco from one of those "We Finance Anybody" places when I was 19 and a E-2 in the Army, stationed in the west desert of Utah. I remember looking at it, and a '70 Mustang coupe, both in the same lot, and trying to decide between the two.

That Bronco was a fun vehicle for blasting around off-roading in the desert. I'd take the roof off in the early spring, and just leave it off till late fall. Someone had swapped in a 351W prior to me purchasing it, and also installed a 3" body lift. Three on the tree, marine stereo and speakers, roll bar, KC Highlighter lights. Fun truck. I sold it after 3 years, and bought an '84 Firebird with T-tops and a low horsepower 350 ci engine. Wish I still had the Bronco.

[Ray]

One of these....only it was all black.68304

'57 Ford Ranchwagon with a 312 "Y" block.

Ray

[Eespensen]

1969 VW bug, $400. Rebuilt motor, rebuilt bearings and brakes, learned upholstery and wiring. Loved it til I rolled it 5 months later! Was drifting on a dirt road and lost control into a ditch. Laughed the whole time!

[aduarte]

1961 Chevy Impala 4 door.

[CobraboyDR]

First car was a 1962 Corvair 2-door, 3 on the floor with a leaky motor. I learned what Ralph Nader said was true: the only way to get it to stop at all, much less in a straight line, was to put two cement bags in the front trunk.

First set of wheels was a 1968 Yamaha YDS3 Catalina Cruiser, 2-cyl, 2-stroke mosquito-fogger that should have killed me. Man, I thought I was Peter Fonda or Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider, hippie hair, bell bottoms, paisley shirt, side-zip boots and all. I also learned how NOT to properly twist wrenches...and the cost thereof of fixing what I broke...

[zilverx]

OK, here's a quiz - anyone know of a 1963 Renault Caravelle ? I thought it looked cool until we removed the hardtop and the car collapsed in the middle, turns out the the hardtop was a truss for the very rusted unibody! Our Dad, interceded and we were fortunate to end up with a 1966 Triumph Spitfire. Thanks Dad! On my own in college, my $1.65 an hour gas station job bought a 1957 VW, which lasted 3+ years with continuous mechanical and bodywork intervention. Several other questionable forms of transportation followed over the years. A learning experience, with a lot of fun between grease and wrenching.

[Blue MK3]

I bought a '67 Bronco from one of those "We Finance Anybody" places when I was 19 and a E-2 in the Army, stationed in the west desert of Utah. I remember looking at it, and a '70 Mustang coupe, both in the same lot, and trying to decide between the two.

That Bronco was a fun vehicle for blasting around off-roading in the desert. I'd take the roof off in the early spring, and just leave it off till late fall. Someone had swapped in a 351W prior to me purchasing it, and also installed a 3" body lift. Three on the tree, marine stereo and speakers, roll bar, KC Highlighter lights. Fun truck. I sold it after 3 years, and bought an '84 Firebird with T-tops and a low horsepower 350 ci engine. Wish I still had the Bronco.

Mach'er, when were you at "that place"? I was there from late 1968 through late 1969. I was in the survey section, supporting tests out in the desert. Mostly artillery tests.

[Shawn]

1965 Ford F100 Custom Cab short bed w/ a 352, 3-on-the-tree, and no power anything!

[mach'er]

Mach'er, when were you at "that place"? I was there from late 1968 through late 1969. I was in the survey section, supporting tests out in the desert. Mostly artillery tests.

I was there from 1989 - 92. First, at the chem lab down in Ditto, then at the health clinic up in English Village. Roughly a year and a half working at each location. If we're talking about the same DPG "that place". I had friends in the barracks that were artillery. I really only went out that far when we needed to set-up or collect bubblers for an airburst simulation.

1968 & 1969? How'd you get posted there, given the alternative?

[smithbks]

I wish I had a cool car for my first. Nope - a 1984 Ford Tempo with a mismatched hood. On the way home for the first time the brakes caught on fire when they seized. That car had more gremlins and I was so hard on it that I had to learn how to fix it. That car taught me a lot about working on a car - especially what I want to fix and don't because it is a PIA!

[HCP 65 COUPE]

67 mustang coupe here c4 auto with 351w out of a 73 ltd. I worked on the car for 2 years before I got my license. Man I wish I keep that car.

[Blue MK3]

I was there from 1989 - 92. First, at the chem lab down in Ditto, then at the health clinic up in English Village. Roughly a year and a half working at each location. If we're talking about the same DPG "that place". I had friends in the barracks that were artillery. I really only went out that far when we needed to set-up or collect bubblers for an airburst simulation.

1968 & 1969? How'd you get posted there, given the alternative?

I was in Vietnam as a surveyor in the construction engineers, staking out building foundations and earthwork and bridge supports. Toward the end of my one-year tour, I received orders for Germany. There were two guys in the survey section with me that had voluntarily transferred from Germany to VN. They reported that life there for a GI was very bad, what with race, drug, and other problems. They had both left their wives behind in the process. I figured if things were that bad, I wouldn’t go there. So I extended my VN tour another six months, hoping for a better reassignment. It came with orders for DPG. I had no idea where it was, but it sounded interesting.

I was in the survey section at Ditto, which consisted of five E-5 GIs and three civilians. My boss was a civilian. We spent most of our time out in the test areas, establishing control points for mobile tracking cameras, modifying/adding to grids (like for bubblers) and a lot of time recording data on artillery/mortar rounds.

If a test ended or job early or was cancelled, we'd go exploring in the some of the many old mines in the area. We always carried ropes and lights for this. One of the surveyors was a geologist and knew all about that stuff. Really interesting. A couple of times, we chased the heard of wild mustangs that roamed the area. That was verboten, but the boss didn’t know what we were doing.

I arrived in early December, 1968 and learned to ski soon after. I loved it and skied every weekend through the middle of May, when the resorts closed. I spent a fair amount of time exploring the desert the following summer. I left in September, 1969 to return to continue college.

I lived in the only barracks on the base for enlisted GI's. When I was there, there were about 150 military and 1500 civilians living on post. I went back in 1995 and saw that the barracks were empty, abandoned. Recent aerial photography shows that the barracks have been demolished and most other building on post have been either replaced or refurbished.

Enjoyed my time there, it was good duty. I've always has a soft spot for Utah and the mountains.

[mach'er]

Interesting story about Vietnam and Germany. Who'd ever think that was the case, now looking back at it? Well, I'm glad you made it back, even if it was to Dugway.

My boss at the chem lab was a civilian, a Doctor that had been working there for ~25 years, so he was probably there when you were. Not that I remember his name. He retired just before I was transferred up to the health clinic. I worked for another civilian there. Also in to geology, and he always was trying to get us to go look for geodes. Now, I wish I had. They'd find them, take them to the craft shop to cut an polish. I see the same things now in stores for big bucks that people there used to just go find and finish in their spare time.

I looked up the current English Village map after reading your comments. It looks like things have changed a lot since I left in late 1992. The health clinic has a new building. The fitness center is now called Shocklee Fitness Center, named after a Ranger Master Sargent that died after a training accident on a night jump. I was working at the health clinic when that happened, and was involved with his treatment prior to transfer via life flight. I didn't know they named a building after him.

The old barracks closed while I was there. They moved us all to what had previously been the visiting officers quarters. There were that few of us left. Based on the current map, it looks like they built a new barracks building, so maybe there's more there now. Poor souls.

The Auto Craft Shop (a.k.a. motor pool garage, but off hours) was where I first started wrenching on cars. They'd let you use any tool or equipment they had, and even teach you how to use it. I had the Bronco for about 2.5 years, and then got the Firebird and built a 350 to swap into it. My friend had a 1982 Mustang that we pulled the I4 out of and replaced with a 302 - after we did everything we could think of to increase the output of the 4 cylinder. We did all this at the Auto Craft Shop.

So, I guess I enjoyed my time there as well. Not the chem lab, but working at the clinic was a good experience. And the Auto Craft Shop. I'm an engineer now because of the experiences I had at that motor pool outside of their normal working hours. Good stuff.

Anyway, PM me if you want to reminisce about Dugway some more.

Back on topic... 1967 Ford Bronco. Wait, I already said that. Sorry.

[Blue MK3]

PM sent.

[H R Lucky]

I guess I am a little older than most, my first car was a 1946 Chrysler 4 dr. sedan, flat head 6 cylinder, Fluid Drive, 4 speed on the column!
It was really a 3spd but it had an overdrive & after you were in 3rd gear, if you moved the shifter up to neutral & back down to the 3rd position, you were now in 4th overdrive without having to wait for it to kick in. This car would do 110 mph, however it would take awhile to get there & hope you didn't have to stop quick. The Fluid Drive was sort of a semi-automatic, you could stop the car & not push in the clutch and it wouldn't stall, but you needed the clutch to change gears.
This car had a lot of room in the back seat, you could sit in the back & lift your legs up to horizontal and not touch the back of the front seat unless you had long legs! This feature was a real advantage at the drive-in theater if you get my drift.

I have included a couple of pictures, not actually of my car but it looked exactly like it.

pictures:

[FFR3296]

My first car at 13 was a 1962 Daf made in Holland. Neighbor gave it to me because variable speed belts kept breaking and nobody wanted it. When I was 14 my Dad and I towed home by rope a 1961 Caddy conv. that was abandoned on the highway. The engine had blown and that's what people did in the 60's, pulled the plates and left them. I spent the next 2 years rebuilding and restoring before I had my license. And that was my first official car to drive in 1969 and I still own it today and needs to be restored again.

[clancypm]

Boss 302 Mustang 1970. Ordered it new paid $3300.00. Manual steering shaker hood scoop, close racial 4speed. Was one mean machine.

[mosh1999]

In high school (1986) I bought a 1974 Nova with 16,284 miles from the original owner, an 80 year old lady. Removed the narrow wheels & hubcaps and put stock rally rims on it to remain inconspicuous. Oh, and black & white houndstooth bench seats. But the ugly sleeper soon had a roller 454 with ported heads, reverse valve body T400, 10 bolt posi 4.11. It was the manual drum brakes that really made it scary...

[Todd Baumann]

1974 Grand Torino Elite, 351W my dad bought it for $700
69060
Looked exactly like this one. I restored it in high school and then some guy T-boned me and totaled it my senior year, then I got this.:D
My favorite car growing up, first one I bought on my own.
69061

[frankb]

1964 Falcon, 6-cyl, 3 on the tree! Not much else to say!

[EZ$]

First car was a 57 Chevy Bel Air. The guy who had it before me had put a Corvette 283 with 3 deuces, and 3 speed on the floor. Found out later that he had parted out a wrecked Corvette for the engine, trans, and also the clutch linkage. As you can imagine the leverage was all wrong once he stretched it out to reach in the Bel Air. The car also originally had power steering which had been disconnected, and a 13" steering wheel. At 5'8" and 130 lbs., I had to just about stand up to make a sharp turn, and all the strength in my leg to depress the clutch. Still drove the crap out of that thing.
Rick

[rrrose]

At 15, purchased a green 1969 Dodge Dart GT. Bucket seat, auto with a slant 6. In the summer before heading off to university driving to work piston blew out the side of the motor. It went for a few date runs before I was 16 and had my license when mom and dad were away at work. :)

[first time builder]

I bought my first car when I was 16 (1961) a 1956 Chev Belair Convert Black on black. paid $600 had 265 V8 . Before I got to really drive it the engine started knocking. So now at 18 I traded it in on a brand new 1964 Corvair , I was a little rough on it and blew the transaxe 4 times and dealer said no more warranty. I traded in on a 1965 Chevelle and sold in 1966 when Uncle Sam Called.
Kenny