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My first car was a 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88. I bought it from a neighbor when I returned home from the Navy in 1964 for $250 ($2256 in todays dollars) with 90K on the odometer. I drove it until the mid 1970s when body rust and a bad transmission finally killed it with over 250K on the odometer. It was a fairly reliable car for its time and was undoubtedly the best automotive bargain I ever had.
My first car was a 1956 Studabaker Champion. 6 cyl standard. Paid $20.00, needed alot of work, good junior year project in shop class.
Major Tom
03-16-2022, 10:23
Mine was a 1931 Model A 2 door sedan. It was in very good condition and ran perfect. This was back in 1963 and I paid $100 for it. Those mechanical brakes were murder!
My first car was a 1956 Studabaker Champion. 6 cyl standard. Paid $20.00, needed alot of work, good junior year project in shop class.
I had 1953 Studebaker Commander. Wish I had it now.
I had 1953 Studebaker Commander. Wish I had it now.
I used to dream about that 57 Olds. I’ve owned many cars since then but that’s the one I wish I could have kept it for an eventual restoration. The winters with all the road salt in this part of the country were really tough on the cars from the 1950s. I actually saw an exact duplicate of my Olds at an antique car show in Seattle, WA in the middle 1980s. It even had the exact same interior and exterior paint scheme. It was in really nice condition and was not restored or repainted. Remember how excessive waxing used to wear the paint away on the fenders exposing the primer? That’s how I knew it was untouched.
I drove other peoples cars, meaning my parents until I got married then my wife's 1972 Plymouth Duster became our car. Overall not a bad ride, the 225 CI slant six gave really good torque, it had a longer stroke than most engines of the time. I remember it got about 28 mpg on the highway which was considered pretty darn good back then which shows how things have changed.
1st car=1937 Chevy with “knee action” front end (free)
Then 1931 Model A w/ wood screw in radiator core ($75)
Then a very RARE (wartime) 1942 Mercury convertible ($100)
I used to dream about that 57 Olds. I’ve owned many cars since then but that’s the one I wish I could have kept it for an eventual restoration. The winters with all the road salt in this part of the country were really tough on the cars from the 1950s. I actually saw an exact duplicate of my Olds at an antique car show in Seattle, WA in the middle 1980s. It even had the exact same interior and exterior paint scheme. It was in really nice condition and was not restored or repainted. Remember how excessive waxing used to wear the paint away on the fenders exposing the primer? That’s how I knew it was untouched.
Dad told me of a guy that lived in his neighborhood when he was a kid that had a Chrysler Imperial who waxed it so much that all the corners were down to the primer
63 Corvair Monza bought new years eve. Poor man's corvette. Can't remember what it was called, but when it went around a hi speed corner, it would "squat", never felt it heel over. 28 mpg. Probably sitting on the bottom of the Mediterrran Sea off Iraklion, Crete where I sold it. Bought a brand new 72 Chevelle. Picked up at JFK when I returned to US in Jun e 72.
Wish I had brought it back for restore.
63 Corvair Monza bought new years eve. Poor man's corvette. Can't remember what it was called, but when it went around a hi speed corner, it would "squat", never felt it heel over. 28 mpg. Probably sitting on the bottom of the Mediterrran Sea off Iraklion, Crete where I sold it. Bought a brand new 72 Chevelle. Picked up at JFK when I returned to US in Jun e 72.
Wish I had brought it back for restore.
my high school buddy had a 66 Monza , 2 spd auto,
handled ok, but slow with that automatic,
my first was a 74 Vega Kammback Wagon,
turd brown metallic, auto,
3 quarts of oil per tank of gas,
turn on the AC while at a stop and the motor would cut off,
one of GM's finest
I drove other peoples cars, meaning my parents until I got married then my wife's 1972 Plymouth Duster became our car. Overall not a bad ride, the 225 CI slant six gave really good torque, it had a longer stroke than most engines of the time. I remember it got about 28 mpg on the highway which was considered pretty darn good back then which shows how things have changed.
I drove a Plymouth Valiant convertible with a slant 6 for several years. Don’t remember the year, early 70s maybe. That was probably one of Chrysler’s better engines. Great performer and good gas mileage, but very noisy lifters. Never had a single problem with the drive train but everything else either rusted away or fell apart. I was a pop rivet expert back then.
1951 Ford convertible purchased very used in 1958. Ran pretty well but I kept blowing out the 4:11 rear end which was popular with dragster builders. Finally ran out of available rear ends and it lost it's pep but was still OK. Dad gave it away while I was in the AF.
'56 Chevy Nomad station wagon. And then the Studebaker. I don't even remember the year but it didn't have the bullet nose.
1969 VW Squareback.
When I was searching in '79, I also found a '69 Mustang. The Mustang had a dead-miss and I shied away from it. Looking back it was (a friend bought it and we repaired it) a stuck valve, easy repair. Looking back that old Squareback was great, even if the engine was a real PITA to service!
Tommy
Dan in NH
03-19-2022, 04:01
First vehicle was a '68 Ford F-250 camper special. Was a front-end total, paid 300.00 . Took over a year to get it on the road, but ready when I got my drivers license. Had a 300 straight six with 4 speed manual.
First vehicle was a '68 Ford F-250 camper special. Was a front-end total, paid 300.00 . Took over a year to get it on the road, but ready when I got my drivers license. Had a 300 straight six with 4 speed manual.
The few dirt track stock cars drivers around here used to love the torque developed by that powerful 300 CI straight six cylinder truck engine. It would rev quickly and walk away from the V8s on the straight aways.
my second vehicle was a 77 ford F100 shortbed
300 with a 3 spd,
motor was excellent, trans,, despite a 3 spd , was good, the linkage to the column shifter was trash, I put a floor shift kit in it,
What was your tenth vehicle? I've had around twenty over the years. I know guys who have owned fifty, but I'm not a car guy. Absolute worst? The AMC Pacer. Yes, I actually owned one and at the time I thought it was kind of cool. AMC made some of the goofiest looking cars ever made and I made fun of Citroens. The Pacer broke down weekly. Somethings broke over and over. I got to where I could pull over, raise the hood, fix something and be one my way in minutes. The best car? The Toyotas. After 120 thousand miles the seat belts wouldn't retract. My friend's daughter was gifted his Toyota. She sold it at 300 thousand miles. Remember the bumper sticker: I'd eat...how did it go?
What was your tenth vehicle?
My first car really was a ??
My grandmother gave me her car, a '61 Falcon, she bought a '63 Nova, decided she wanted the Falcon back so we swapped. I didn't care for the Nova, sold it, gave her the $ back and my parents bought me a '66 Olds Toronado. Loved it and would probably still have it except it started to rust inside where the windshield met the metal part of the dash. The metal was textured like leather so I didn't see how any body shop could have repaired it. Aftermarket body part panels weren't made back then.
Of course I didn't know that in the future the car would be worth something. All above mentioned cars were used.
File photo of what I had including the color.
That's a beauty. I had a 66 Pontiac GTO. It had the funky tail lights that were dropped in 67. The rear window was so rusted that when it rained the trunk would fill up with water. When you hit the brakes a tsunami would flow forward all the way to your feet. It would have made a great movie sketch.
That's a beauty. I had a 66 Pontiac GTO. It had the funky tail lights that were dropped in 67. The rear window was so rusted that when it rained the trunk would fill up with water. When you hit the brakes a tsunami would flow forward all the way to your feet. It would have made a great movie sketch.
That was the problem with the cars of the 60's and 70's including the imports.
My trunk and back floor mats got wet a few times on that Toronado. I removed the rear window glass and re-sealed it with a tar like substance. No rust though, just a bad seal I guess.
I probably have owned 20 cars since 1964.
Absolute worst? 1998 Chevrolet Venture Van and a 1995 Buick Roadmaster. We had the bad luck to own them both at the same time. They were mechanical disasters.
Absolute best? Two Toyotas that we bought new and still own. The 2011 Sienna and the 2018 Highlander Hybrid. Both are very reliable.
Best: Considering the miles I put on a vehicle vs repairs they've all been the best. Mostly Ford products.
Worse: 2002 Chevy Camaro I bought for my daughter, still under fac warranty.
Far Worse: Mercedes Benz. Bought used from a realtor with 50K miles. Kept it about 5 years and sold it with 57K miles. Spent most of it's time swinging on the back of a wrecker. Could not find parts for it (5 different engines used that year), no one wanted to work on it, could not trade it in, even at the Mercedes dealer. VERY flimsy made compared to U.S. vehicles.
What was your tenth vehicle? I've had around twenty over the years. I know guys who have owned fifty, but I'm not a car guy. Absolute worst? The AMC Pacer. Yes, I actually owned one and at the time I thought it was kind of cool. AMC made some of the goofiest looking cars ever made and I made fun of Citroens. The Pacer broke down weekly. Somethings broke over and over. I got to where I could pull over, raise the hood, fix something and be one my way in minutes. The best car? The Toyotas. After 120 thousand miles the seat belts wouldn't retract. My friend's daughter was gifted his Toyota. She sold it at 300 thousand miles. Remember the bumper sticker: I'd eat...how did it go?
2015 Honda Civic,
my to and fro car
currently on it's 7th week in the body shop waiting on a hood,,
hit a deer in the middle of Nov,
car driveable, and no appts for the estimate till Dec,
then scheduled for 1/31 due to back logs etc,
and after a few days, there was some issue with the hood ordered,, and none available,
so now using my 7th vehicle as a daily driver,,, 2000 tundra
Dan in NH
03-22-2022, 03:40
Merc, you're right. that 300 straight six had all kinds of torque coupled with the creeper gear it could haul anything. Had no problem moving a bed full of firewood and a trailer full of same out of the woods
One of the race cars front wheels would lift off the ground when the driver hit high revs. He was the winner in most of his races. I wonder how long Ford made that engine.
Edit - 1965 to 1996.
I believe the 300 six was discontinued in 1996. had one w/ 4:11 gears 4speed.
Johnny P
03-23-2022, 03:04
Not my first car, but of all I have ever had the one I wish I had now. Third or fourth owner down the line smashed up the front end and sold it for scrap.
Ordered it, and took 5 or 6 weeks to come in. When it came in they had left off the SS427 package and had to reorder.
https://i.postimg.cc/j56bYB7g/427-Im.jpg
$36219 in todays dollars.
I had a 60's Impala. Maybe the fifth car. I bought it from a woman and it had problems. The exhaust pipe fell off (well, maybe it was the off road abuse). The brakes were metal to metal. All that could be and was repaired but it burnt oil. Still it was a heavy beast with a big motor, I'm saying 350.and it felt good to kick in the afterburner (part of the carb). I sold it to a kid and he bought it because it had a great stereo.
His granddad told me he didn't recommend it. Grandad was right, but you live and learn.
JB White
04-04-2022, 06:58
First car was the worst car. Got a break on the price as it was a sales demo. $2,800 off the floor..
1974 Mustang ll. 12/12 warranty I never had to use, but at 13k all bets were off.
Starter, a few timing belts, a camshaft and followers, along with a host of other annoyances. Sold it at 60k+ miles.
Picked up a 67 Chrysler cheap at $250 to replace it. ?Major electrical problems and oil smoke?. New valve seals and tightened up the loose fuse block. Ran like a champ and still looked new-ish.
That?s the one I miss.
Chrysler had some weird electrical systems. Tried to get the left tail light working on my younger brothers Chrysler for him, after all, I had an A&P license and therefore it should be an easy job for me. Ha! Worked all day on that damn thing with no success. I accidently broke the turn signal switch handle and bought a new switch and installed it. The tail light worked. Every light on that car, including the dome and courtesy lamps went through the through the turn signal switch. Dumb Idea!
Chrysler had some weird electrical systems.
My sister had a 2005--06 or so Jeep Grand Cherokee that developed a similar problem after the warranty expired. When the brakes were applied the center brake light would come on but the other tail lights would go off. So if the center (3rd brake) brake light burned out there were no brake lights at all. She took this to local mechanics and eventually the dealership, who couldn't find the problem either. Mercedes-Benz owned Chrysler at the time.
She traded it for a new one, exactly like the one she had. The only difference now is Fiat owns Chrysler. OK so far.
one shot
04-05-2022, 02:15
First car me and my friend had was a vw beetle it must have belonged to a hippie because we found it on the side of the road out of gas we siphoned gas out of the farm tractor pushed it to get it running and just used it whenever we needed it , always parked it in a different place after a year or so somebody towed it or just plain old stole it from us but that was our wheels .
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