What was YOUR first car? Your favorite car? (VANITY)

[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.

[newheart]

I was going to say a Rolls Canardly. You know, rolls down one hill and can ‘ardly make it up the other.

But the truth is it was a 1965 Corvair Corsa. Not the square Corvair you remember, but the cool streamlined version that drove Camaro and Corvette design for years.

Best of all was tweaking Raloh Nader who tried to tell us the Corvair was a death trap. I totaled it. If there had been an engine in the front, my girlfriend and I would probably not be alive today. Instead, the front compartment crumpled, absorbed the shock and we escaped with only scratches.

[B-Chan]

First: 1978 Ford Futura. Bad memories. ‘Nuff said.

Favorite: My current car, a 2006 Scion XB. 33 MPG, roomy, plenty of space for baby stuff. I love it.

Dream car: A 1935 Auburn 876 Speedster.

[ThomasThomas]

I miss this one. The one I owned had a cracked block. I could drive about 30 miles before I had to stop. I could get to school, church and the beach. After it cooled off I could drive home.

[swatbuznik]

My first car (and still have it) is a 1973 Volkswagen SuperBeetle (yes! eight inches longer than the regular Beetle! woo-hoo!). Still love the crazy thing, though.

[TexasBeth]

The first was a 1970 AMC Gremlin (baby poop green).
Favorite car is the one I inherited from my Dad, and drive now. It's a 1996 Jaguar XJ6. Beautiful car.

[Number57]

Best of all was tweaking Raloh Nader who tried to tell us the Corvair was a death trap.

Unsafe at Any Speed. Yeah, my dad could spend a few hours discussing Corvairs with you. I have no idea how many he owned altogether, but 'more than a few' is a safe guess.

My personal favorite of his 'vairs was the Bicentennial Corvair Van (Greenbriar? not sure) he painted up for '76. White with a blue stripe down the body, and something in red. lol I forget. He's got a picture, I'm sure. Gimme a break, I was 12 :p

He was a Corvair Club member for many years. Not sure if he still is, but he had stacks of their Monthly magazines.

[MarkL]

My first car was a used 1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400, bought used in 1981. It was a beast, but it drove like a dream. Though when I bought it for $800, it needed synchros in the 4 speed transmission, so that added an additional $500 to the cost of the car. But I owned it up til about 1985. I really do miss that car.

Wow, this photo's even the right color!

Mark

[Number57]

My older sis had a ‘69 Javelin I lusted for. It was a straight six, but fun (don’t ask her how I know)

[exit82]

First car: 1964 Olds Dynamic 88 coupe in May, 1972. Cost $ 400.00.

Favorite car: 1967 Cougar XR7 w/ racing stripe and vacuum operated headlight cover that clunked when they shut: CLUNK, CLUNK.
Cost: $ 750.00 in 1975.

Sold when son #1 was born to pay the doctor’s bill.

[Jmouse007]

y favorite car was our 1993 Firestorm Red DODGE STEALTH RT Twin Turbo. One of only 1,200 made in the entire world that model year. It was a seven time best of show trophy winner. It was in show room condition 43,000 miles in 2007 and had never been driven in the snow or rain. 300 horses, all-wheel drive AND steering (after 30mph)0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds, top speed well over 150mph (she still had more to give and was rock solid on the road). 27mpg cursing at 75 and around town I got 19mpg.

Gorgeous car, art on wheels. It was the finest car I have ever owned and it put a smile on my face every time I drove it. Sadly, we experienced a massively destructive freak hail storm with golf ball and tennis ball sized hail stones that lasted 20 minutes. The car was outside under a car cover at the time and needless to say after the storm was over, that was the end of that.

We lost all 6 sky lights in our house, the entire peak of the roof, half the windows and door in the house and extensive interior water damage to the house. We had to sell the car to help offset the cost of the house repairs. I still miss it but as they say; it was nice while it lasted and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to own it.

[Jmouse007]

I also owned the same celica, boy was that a fun car to drive... Needed something bigger once our first son came along but that car was a winner!

[TexasBeth]

LOL, my Gremlin was ugly as mud, but it was mine and I loved it.

[19th LA Inf]

First car 1953 MG TD

Hey, that was my first one too! Black with green interior. Lived in Arkansas, but got the worst of a fender-bender on Main Street in Dallas. Right across the street from Clarence Talley's showroom, the only dealership within 180 miles. Clarence came down, opened up the shop door, and drove it in with one wheel dragging sideways.

Among many other places, I drove it to Bonneville in 1954 for Speed Week (no, I didn't enter, but did run it flat out down the salt, probably got up to maybe 75 mph).

[GitmoSailor]

You all got me thinking again!My first vehicle was a 1948 International panel truck like this one

Mine was the same color as this.The only vehicle my dad would let me have so I could help him with his work.My last two years in high school was a blast with my panel truck.It was great for the drive-in movies in 1957-59.

[JJR RNCH]

I had an orange ford fiesta. Most hideous car ever made.

[Number57]

It was great for the drive-in movies in 1957-59

*wink wink nudge nudge*

[MediaMole]

A friend traded his 67 Camaro for one of those Nighthawks. He ended up calling it “The Plastic Lemon.”

Me, I was stylin’ in a 66 Rambler American with the 199 cid straight six. It had a pedal on the floor to manually pump washer fluid. ...and it had been hit by a train, so it was kind of banana shaped.

[fella]

My first was a ‘39 Plymouth sedan with a Dodge transmission that cost $50. It was a weekly car because it I'd work on it for a week and drive it for a week. The most fun car was a ‘63 VW minibus, looking back at all the foolishness that took place in that thing I know there is a God because by all rights I should have been killed. But my favorite car is a ‘95 Taurus that's closing in on 300,000 miles and still gets 28 mpg, rides smooth and has cold air. (Knock on wood)

[rockinqsranch]

First car: 1949 Cadillac

Favorite car: I’ve had a bunch, but the one that stands out and shouts “remember me” was my 1968 Dodge Dart. Probably the shortest period of time in my life I owned a particular car, but I was in the middle of divorce and didn’t want anything associated with that period of time anywhere near me. The car was exceptional.

Got rid of it and bought a 1970 Chrysler Imperial that too was a great car.

[Number57]

Was it a 1980 Ford Fiesta?

I gotta say that’s a helluva coincidence. My ex and I bought a 1980 Orange Fiesta around 1990! It had a small crumple in the LR quarter. We called it Orange Crush.