Posted on 08/10/2008 5:57:25 PM PDT by Number57
Was talking to a friend about old cars & old times today (for me, that means the early 80s, when I got my license). I've had a LOT of cars. Most clunkers, as I was usually broke, but a few gems. I've had better cars, and I've had worse. But here's my 1st & fav picks.
My very first car, purchased in 1980 for the Princely sum of $150, was a true tank: the 1969 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon. Weighing in at an impressive 3,700 lbs (IIRC), it had a wheezing 383 CI, after-market manual choke sticking out of the dash, and some very nice wood-like vinyl stuck to the sides.
Mine was blue. It was Rad. I loved it. It lasted 3 weeks.
My favorite car (out of the 50+ I've owned over the years) might surprise some of you. It was a tough choice, but I settled on an odd little 4-door I owned from 1985 to 1986. I think it is my favorite because it was such an unusual car to see in Michigan (never seen another since), and because it was such a tough little bugger. It was even stabbed by a drug-crazed hippy once. How many people can say that about their car? True story. The Fiat Mirafiori 131S (mine was this exact color)..
I was SHOCKED to learn that my parents never owned a car until they were married. That blows me away. Their first car was a 1952 Mercury Monterey.
My mom's favorite ever was her 1955 Ford Fairlane Victoria (crown vic, I guess). Hers was Red/White:
Dad's fav was a 1964 Corvair, which had been built for drag racing, then de-tuned for the street. The original HP was 140 for that engine, after tweaking for the strip he estimates it was over 300 HP. After de-tuning it was about 240. Still a LOT of power for a car of that size.
He owned a number of Corvairs over the years, and this is the only one he doesn't have a picture of... he sold it not long after buying it because of the 70s gas crunch, when premium gas (the engine required it) hit a jaw-dropping .60 cents a gallon.
Here's a similar car:
OK that's it! If you enjoyed this, please leave your Firsts and Favorites!! Thanks for reading.
Favorite car (1961 Fiat 600D, Top speed 60 mph and great, cheap fun. Perfect for a poor college student.)
First car, 1971 Mustang
Favorite Car, Mark VIII
It was my first car while in college in New Hampshire (’84 - ‘88) and it took me from Point A to Point B, even in the worse snowstorms and blizzards.....
‘69’ looked to much like a Firebird to me.
We thought it looked like a clown car.
That was back in the days when we were young enough to like clowns.
First: 1972 Volkswagen Beetle.
Best: 1988 Mazda 626 LX.
Worst: A tie between a 1971 Fiat 850 Spider and a 1990 Plymouth Voyager Minivan.
We also had a
Nash Rambler
1970 Ford Station Wagon
Chevy Malabu
1983 Datsun Maxima (still have)
1996 Subaru Legacy (still have)
Almost forgot we also had a 1976 Chevy Nova
shhh, dont type it too loud, you will give away our age!! /sarc
There has been so many I have forgotten them, but as I read through the thread it brings them back to me. I think this may be the last. :-)
Sorry, I just remembered we had a 1983 used Honda Accord also.
Those were the cars back in those days. When we went on trips we always played a game to see who could be the first to identify the car coming from the other direction. Cars back then had so much character to them. There is no way you can tell one car from another now.
My first ‘car’ was a 1970 Ford Econoline.
My current ‘car’ and favorite is a 2004 Chevy Express 3500 that used to be a prisoner transport van. Paid $6500 for it over a year ago.
If I knew how to post pictures I would show it.
Best.... 64 Impala SS
He kept it till we got married and sold it because it was expensive to keep up.
He promised me that one day, he would buy it back because I loved it so much.
Course, the price is prohibitive today. :(
sw
Mine was that exact shade of green. It did not come with Air Conditioning, but an air conditioner was added by the previous owner. The car was wrecked several times, and repaired several times. I traded it for a newer 1980 Mustang in 1982. I still get a thrill when I see one on the road (which I rarely do).
First was a 57 Hillman Husky which I paid a hundred dollars for. Actually had a crank starter in case the starter motor or battery failed, never had to use it thank God... Best overall car is my present Honda Accord, favorite as a teenager was an old Auto Union (Audi) DKW with a 2-stroke, 3-cylindar engine.
My first car was a 1974 Vega hatchback - lemon yellow. I loved that car...
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