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:
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Similar to this one but mine was Marine Corp green.
I have seen exactly ONE since I sold it back in 1971 (for $300). There are 4 door wagons all over the place, but no 2 door models. Very rare, and it wasn't a Nomad.
Next car was my favorite, a 69 El Camino. 69 was the best looking year for Chevelles hands down. My favorite of all time, and I've had Vettes, Porsches and a couple of Mercedes since then. Got my eye on either a new Challenger or Camaro right now.
The Rats think they have a mission to put Americans in little “green” cars to save the planet. Laws on top of laws.
The liberal agenda is incremental. They want to regulate and control our lives for the common good. First it was toilets, them shower heads, then light bulbs.
Now it is cars and next it will be houses and telling you how many kids to have. Bank on it...
The second one was a ‘62. He owned that car until about 1971 or so. He used to take me out to big empty parking lots and let me drive it.
My first car was a 1967 Mustang. LOL
The first car that I bought with my own money was a 1992 Saturn SC. Loved that little car...but not as much as the Mustang.
My brother got one just like yours...same color. It had been wrecked but he worked on that thing until I moved out and he moved up to the burgundy one I had driven. Once he fixed it up, I was too afraid to drive it. Way to much power for me.
Eventually, my bro moved on to a truck and my dad sold the Mustang to a stripper (seriously!) and bought himself a little fishing boat with it.
My first car was a 1970 Datsun 240Z. I barely passed my driving test at age 18 and the driving examiner told my Mom not to let me drive alone. At age 20, took it to 120 mph on a lonely road, then 4 years later the government gave me a supersonic jet to fly. I have to laugh!
First car was a ‘51 Chevy straight six w/three on the tree. My Favorite was a ‘67 GTO Convertible, loaded, white inside and out, and I’m still kicking myself for parting with that one.
First car: baby blue 1958 Volvo
worst car: 1970 something Ford Maverick, I hated that car I ran it with out oil and it wouldn’t die.
Favorite car: it’s a tie between a 1968 Ford econline Van and my current 2001 Dodge Stratus. I love my Dodge but I had a LOT of fun in that van. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
An orange MG Midget. Coolest car ever for a little blonde 16-year-old girl. And I could go as fast as I wanted, and the cops would just ask me to slow down some. :)
Since then, I've owned a variety of cars including a Dodge Colt (what a POS), two Chevy, one Dodge and one Nissan trucks, Two Chevy cars and a Ford Granada (for 2 weeks).
Favorite? I have it now. 1969 VW Beetle convertible. Fun to drive and fun to work on. It is one of 5 VW’s I've owned. I had a 65 Baja bug and an 84 Rabbit GTI back in the 80’s, and I also currently own a 2008 New Beetle convertible and a 1974 Super Beetle “Herbie” (parts car).
I'll add a least favorite. My second car, 1974 Triumph Shi-er-Spitfire. Bought it used, lasted for 12 of the 18 payments, threw a rod. I'll never buy another British car.
My first car was a 1966 Rambler. It had power steering and AM radio!
I learned to drive in a 1963 Rambler. It had no steering and no radio.
Favorite is a toss up between 1967 Jaguar XKE red 4 speed, triple SU 2 barrel
and 2005 Corvette convertible - Z51 black 6 speed fuel injected
'67 Mustang, 289 3-speed. Mine was exactly like this except it had the black interior and top.
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