ross
Elio Addict
Let's fast forward a few years for the Elio and fast back ( I can't believe I just used a Ford term) a few years for ourselves. I graduated from high school in 1972. My best friend at the time, now my brother in law ( we married sisters) and no I'm not from Arkansas, anyhow he bought an old VW beetle, unbolted the body, shortened the pan, welded on a roll bar, fabbed up some seats, used an old beer keg for a gas tank and built what I thought was the coolest low buck automotive fun that any kid could possibly want for. So you know what I wanted for. I say that for a little forgiveness here so all you motor heads will forgive me a little later in this tale.
The nickel want ads had just been invented and lo and behold there was a running 1956 VW beetle for sale for the sum of $50.00. I shelled out my hard earned dollars and drove it home to unstruct my dream buggy. It wasn't construct because all you had to do was take off everything that didn't look like a buggy. Did I tell you it was a convertible? That's right, I cut up a 1956 VW beetle convertible, but I didn't care, I was 18 years old, I only paid $50.00 for the car and all I could see was the cool buggy under all that unnecessary sheet metal.
Let's fast forward 10, 12, or 15 years down the road. A new Elio costs $7,000. What's one with 1000,000 or 200,000 miles worth and what can some kid with very little money but a lot of imagination and a whole lot of ambition do with it? It is going to be interesting!
Yeah sometimes I wish I would have saved That '56 VW convertible and cut up a different bug but it probably would have become so valuable I would have sold it. Instead 42 years later I still drive it on a REGULAR basis and have had more fun with it than any 5 cars I've ever owned.
I for one am looking forward to what this generation is going to do with the next cheap, simple used car!
The nickel want ads had just been invented and lo and behold there was a running 1956 VW beetle for sale for the sum of $50.00. I shelled out my hard earned dollars and drove it home to unstruct my dream buggy. It wasn't construct because all you had to do was take off everything that didn't look like a buggy. Did I tell you it was a convertible? That's right, I cut up a 1956 VW beetle convertible, but I didn't care, I was 18 years old, I only paid $50.00 for the car and all I could see was the cool buggy under all that unnecessary sheet metal.
Let's fast forward 10, 12, or 15 years down the road. A new Elio costs $7,000. What's one with 1000,000 or 200,000 miles worth and what can some kid with very little money but a lot of imagination and a whole lot of ambition do with it? It is going to be interesting!
Yeah sometimes I wish I would have saved That '56 VW convertible and cut up a different bug but it probably would have become so valuable I would have sold it. Instead 42 years later I still drive it on a REGULAR basis and have had more fun with it than any 5 cars I've ever owned.
I for one am looking forward to what this generation is going to do with the next cheap, simple used car!
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