What Was Your First Car?

[Karnaj]

I always loved the classics so I saved for a 68 Camaro. 327 small block with a TH350 auto tranny, was too young and dumb to want a stick at that point in time. Boy that car was a blast. 9 miles to the gallon but at 75¢ a gallon who cared. When gas got to the mid $1 range she had to go. Had her for 5 years and loved every minute of it.

Looking forward to keeping the Elio, regardless of the price of gas

 

[Jambe]

The first car I drove was my father's '57 Chevy. Good memories there. Next I owned a '49 Ford. Several years later I bought a '56 Chevy while at Lincoln AFB.(I rode a Harley Hummer while attending college.) Then on to an Austin-Healey Sprite. Probably the "funnest" car I have owned. That's the one I miss. I have had several others that I don't even remember what Make they were. Had a '92 Chevy pickup until a deer totaled it. Miss it too and hate that it happened. Now I'm driving Nissans and my '04 Dodge Caravan.

 

[TCBronson]

Your first two cars were both legendary icons! If you'd kept them both and in good repair you could have retired at a young(er) age. (Living in Hot Springs I presume you already are. My parents are in the Village. )

First car was The Brown Whale: 1979 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser 9-passenger station wagon, complete with faux wood paneling. Fantastic, gigantic mamoth-mobile unmatched for utility by any "SUV", "Crossover", or any other sad excuse for a modern wagon.

When I took The Whale to college, I could legitimately carry nine people and two kegs of beer on the roof rack to the beach!

You are right about what they would be worth IF I had the foresight to hang on to them as well as some other choice muscle cars I have had. . I am retired, but not in the village.

 

[Coss]

1965 Dodge Coronet 500 Convertible; Blue, black top with a window you couldn't see through, black vinyl interior with buckets and a center console.
318 with the automatic, shifter in the console. Got it for $600 I was 17 at the time.

<The picture isn't my car, but it looked like it>

My mom swore I would never own my own car till I was 18; she gave in after she got tired of asking me if she could borrow her car back.
She had a 1965 Impala SS, 327 350hp Police Special engine in it; purple with a black interior, 4 bbl., 2 speed automatic and just a beast size wise; but my goodness that car was a rocket. A friend of the family sold it to her; he owned a truck shop and did the motor swap before she got it.

 

[Elf]

1965 mustang coupe 289/271 hp 4 speed -most dangerous car ever built

 

[bowers baldwin]

Had it since 1983, before I could even see over the steering wheel. It's been at least 4 shades of green, sometimes primer.
Like the Elio, it was a pre-order, so it's titled as a 1956 Chevy, #438 (first day production car), note the rear view mirror mounted on the dash, you will never see another with that setup, that was a recall and they were mounted from the top of the windshield to fix a vibration issue.
P.S. purchase price $480, it had 53,000 on the clock, 1 owner. Had original shocks, plugs & wires and spare tire. It was hit on all 4 corners and 4 broken windows, a mess.

 

[Smitty]

83 Ford Ranger bought in 2000, One week before my 16th Birthday (The day I got my licence) for $2000. If the tax man asks, I only paid $1000 lol.
It was Purple and recieved the moniker "Purple Nurple"

 

[Paul DeCrans]

I must be the young'n in this group My first car was a 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, and like many have said, "I miss that car".

That said, it is still up on blocks at my parents house, waiting to be repaired. Shortly after I blew up the motor (apparently, cars need oil changes every now and then?) I bought a replacement engine for $1000. The car sat for several years, until my dad accidentally broke the new engine while trying to install it for me. Several more years have passed, and it's sitting on blocks (it's front tires having been scavanged for emergency tire replacement over the years) and waiting for a tiny aluminum piece to be re-welded onto the block so that the tension wheel can be re-attached.

The cloth interior is still in great condition, though! I'm playing with the idea of making it an EV conversion project. Once I have money.

Don't feel too young! My first car was an 89 chevy celebrity that I bought for 200 bucks and used it to play bumper cars with my friends in the school parking lot with their also crappy vehicles. The thing was a beast and got me to and from college(300miles each way) many times. Best part is the Junkyard gave me $500 when I upgraded. though, I kind of wish I had kept it to pass on to a younger sibling but they said they wouldn't be caught dead in it haha

 

[ross]

My folks bought a brand new '56 chevy 210 2 door sedan when I was two years old, by the time I was 15 the car was tired and parked along an irrigation ditch with 162,000 miles on it, oil bath air cleaner and gravel roads. Neighbor kid with a new drivers license comes over and asks my dad if he'd sell the car, dad says he'd take $100 for it, kid leaves and I tell my dad 'don't sell it, I've always loved that car and I'm going to need a car next year when I get my drivers license.' It was about this time of year and my dad said 'you have until fall to get it running and you can have it'. I had it running that weekend! I poured a little gas down the carb and jumped it and she lit! It was 17 miles from the farm to the high school and 34 miles round trip and she'd burn a quart of oil doing it. Fortunately I still have the old girl.' I've changed the drivetrain several times (I still have the original) the last time I restored it I had all the chrome redone, bumpers, grill, headlight rings, hood ornament, inside window mouldings and polished all the stainless side trim, I'm unwrapping all the pretty jewelry and my dad comes over and asks 'what did that cost you kid?' (I was in my '50's) I told him $2,500 (good deal) he says geez, I only paid $2,100 for it brand new. The car saw me through high school, took me all through college, I dated my wife in it and it is in my will to go to my daughter when I'm done with it. When my wife and I take it out on weekends I feel like that 15 year old kid again!

 

[Coss]

My folks bought a brand new '56 chevy 210 2 door sedan when I was two years old, by the time I was 15 the car was tired and parked along an irrigation ditch with 162,000 miles on it, oil bath air cleaner and gravel roads. Neighbor kid with a new drivers license comes over and asks my dad if he'd sell the car, dad says he'd take $100 for it, kid leaves and I tell my dad 'don't sell it, I've always loved that car and I'm going to need a car next year when I get my drivers license.' It was about this time of year and my dad said 'you have until fall to get it running and you can have it'. I had it running that weekend! I poured a little gas down the carb and jumped it and she lit! It was 17 miles from the farm to the high school and 34 miles round trip and she'd burn a quart of oil doing it. Fortunately I still have the old girl.' I've changed the drivetrain several times (I still have the original) the last time I restored it I had all the chrome redone, bumpers, grill, headlight rings, hood ornament, inside window mouldings and polished all the stainless side trim, I'm unwrapping all the pretty jewelry and my dad comes over and asks 'what did that cost you kid?' (I was in my '50's) I told him $2,500 (good deal) he says geez, I only paid $2,100 for it brand new. The car saw me through high school, took me all through college, I dated my wife in it and it is in my will to go to my daughter when I'm done with it. When my wife and I take it out on weekends I feel like that 15 year old kid again!

Great story