Your First Car
- Thread starter wc chevys
- Start date
SHAWN B
Member
My first car back in 1986 was a white '64 Impala SS. It never even made the road...bad frame. It became the parts car for my second car. A Palomar red '64 sports coupe which looked a lot like "Playswithcars" avitar. I still have bits and pieces left-over from both cars.
Now I just need another project car to start over with.
Shawn B
Now I just need another project car to start over with.
Shawn B
Well...
It depends on how you count it. The first one I drove, or the first one I bought/liked?
I'm a bit younger, I think, than most of you guys.
The first "Car" that was supposed to be mine was a '67 Mustang Fastback. I was born in '75, and my father bought this car when I was 13, so we could restore it together, and I could drive it in High School. Problem was, my father neither knew how to buy an antique car, nor how to work on anything with an Internal Combustion engine in it. I love the guy, and he's a man of man talents, but he should never work on cars. Period. The car should have been used as a parts vehicle, or crushed. No metal was worth anything, and the driveline was spent. We re-sold that, at a nice loss, and put the money aside for college (Not for much in the late 80's, by the way).
Enter my next ride....My parents had an '88 Tempo GLS (I know you're all jealous, easy guys.) that they bought for my mother, who promptly got a company car, so it kinda became mine. But, I didn't really want, nor pay for it, so it was never "Mine", and I ended up giving it to my younger sister, when this next chapter opened.
I told my Father I was going to take some money I had been saving, along with the "Mustang Money", and was going to buy a car. He assumed, I think, that it's be a Escort/Cavalier/Aries K/Econo-Bucket type car, and I bother to correct him. My Aqua-Azure '63 Convertible was in the car corral of a show, and I got the guys number, and bought it... All kinda without him knowing.
I was a little shy on $$, and he was so against it, being an 18-year old without credit, he refused to co-sign on a loan. Almost kicked me out of the house for buying it. I actually had my grandmother co-sign so I could buy the car, and I've had it since. It had no interior (Blankets for a year), a '67 327 in it (409, in boxes came back in a pickup truck), it blew the power steering hose on the 10-mile trip home, 1 softline for the brakes, and burned about a quart and a half of oil. But it was mine...
Taking my friends out that night, it also left me stranded at a movie theatre... Had to call for a ride home, and have it towed back. One of many times in the early years..... But it was still mine...
I even bought a beat up $600 '85 VW GTI with 220K on it, to drive in the winter, just to keep my Impala safe...
Looking back on it, it was WAY more than I should have bit off, making $6/hour, and barely able to change spark plugs and oil. But, that car taught me how to fix cars, put out axle bearing/brake drum/engine fires (Don't ask). How to properly skin knuckles, and more memories, good and bad than I'd care to count.
Cars, girlfriends, houses, jobs... Come and gone. I'd sell any of my other antiques, and sure as heck any daily drivers, except that.. It's not even a car; it's become a friend over the years, and it's something I'll keep until the day I die....
-Andy
It depends on how you count it. The first one I drove, or the first one I bought/liked?
I'm a bit younger, I think, than most of you guys.
The first "Car" that was supposed to be mine was a '67 Mustang Fastback. I was born in '75, and my father bought this car when I was 13, so we could restore it together, and I could drive it in High School. Problem was, my father neither knew how to buy an antique car, nor how to work on anything with an Internal Combustion engine in it. I love the guy, and he's a man of man talents, but he should never work on cars. Period. The car should have been used as a parts vehicle, or crushed. No metal was worth anything, and the driveline was spent. We re-sold that, at a nice loss, and put the money aside for college (Not for much in the late 80's, by the way).
Enter my next ride....My parents had an '88 Tempo GLS (I know you're all jealous, easy guys.) that they bought for my mother, who promptly got a company car, so it kinda became mine. But, I didn't really want, nor pay for it, so it was never "Mine", and I ended up giving it to my younger sister, when this next chapter opened.
I told my Father I was going to take some money I had been saving, along with the "Mustang Money", and was going to buy a car. He assumed, I think, that it's be a Escort/Cavalier/Aries K/Econo-Bucket type car, and I bother to correct him. My Aqua-Azure '63 Convertible was in the car corral of a show, and I got the guys number, and bought it... All kinda without him knowing.
I was a little shy on $$, and he was so against it, being an 18-year old without credit, he refused to co-sign on a loan. Almost kicked me out of the house for buying it. I actually had my grandmother co-sign so I could buy the car, and I've had it since. It had no interior (Blankets for a year), a '67 327 in it (409, in boxes came back in a pickup truck), it blew the power steering hose on the 10-mile trip home, 1 softline for the brakes, and burned about a quart and a half of oil. But it was mine...
Taking my friends out that night, it also left me stranded at a movie theatre... Had to call for a ride home, and have it towed back. One of many times in the early years..... But it was still mine...
I even bought a beat up $600 '85 VW GTI with 220K on it, to drive in the winter, just to keep my Impala safe...
Looking back on it, it was WAY more than I should have bit off, making $6/hour, and barely able to change spark plugs and oil. But, that car taught me how to fix cars, put out axle bearing/brake drum/engine fires (Don't ask). How to properly skin knuckles, and more memories, good and bad than I'd care to count.
Cars, girlfriends, houses, jobs... Come and gone. I'd sell any of my other antiques, and sure as heck any daily drivers, except that.. It's not even a car; it's become a friend over the years, and it's something I'll keep until the day I die....
-Andy
Great story Andy! I'm sure it will stay with you a long, long time and only change hands when you pass it on to a son/grandson who, you know, will give it the TLC it deserves.The mustang was the first car I drove,around 1980.The first car I worked on was a 1950 chevy sedan delivery 6 banger 3 on the tree worked on it after school almost everyday for a year and a half ,came home from school one day it was in the back yard burnt, I was hartbroken the guy we got it from would'nt come up with a title so dad scaped it. Then I had a 63 falcon that had been a gasser car pretty striped down no motor or tranny never did drive it.I remember I started driving when I was 14 to a junk yard about 12-15 miles from the shop was even stopped by a sherrif deputy, he told me to go home and he didnt want to catch me again.Dad put in a diffrent car and sent me right back out there
62BillT
Well Known Member
My first car was a '58 Nomad 348, 3-Speed that I bought in 1968. I had recently turned 15 and I bought it with my paper route money. I paid $50 for it. Had to rent a garage to put it in. That cost $6 a month. Put a little work into it, put it on the road when I was 16 and sold it soon after for $125. Added some extra and bought a '62 Impala Sport Coupe in '69 for $400.
Bill
Bill
First car. 1970 chevelle Malibu 307 3 spd stk Green in color(soon to be red).
It was 1984 I was 15. I learned a lot form my dad about body work(even though i wasn't good at it), it had typical mi. rust so we patched it up and painted it red with black ss stripes. It wasn't real fast but was fun with the stick. Paid 700$ for it
you probably couldn't hardly buy the hood for 700$ today. Sold it a year later
so I could buy a 1965 chevelle it was a 327 th400.(
wish it was a stick)
It was 1984 I was 15. I learned a lot form my dad about body work(even though i wasn't good at it), it had typical mi. rust so we patched it up and painted it red with black ss stripes. It wasn't real fast but was fun with the stick. Paid 700$ for it
you probably couldn't hardly buy the hood for 700$ today. Sold it a year later
so I could buy a 1965 chevelle it was a 327 th400.(
wish it was a stick)
1964 my mother bought me a 1959 TR-10 triumph 4dr sedan when I was 16. What a pile of crap. My brother had a '55 chevy 2dr. 210 with a '59 corvette and t-10 4 speed with duel four's. Fast. Fast. Fast. He got it stolen only to have it found by the local police abandoned a wk. later. No motor or trans. I bought it from him for $60 and put in a 283 w/2 barrel. Two yrs later sold it in 1969 and bought a 1962 BelAir sports coup for $550. Red on red with a 327 three sp. Car was perfect.
Many chevys after that.
Many chevys after that.
Astro409
Well Known Member
1973 Dodge Challenger
I was given a 1973 Dodge Challenger by my dad in 1986 or 1987 or it might of been 1985. I just remember being the only one driving a car to 8th grade Middle School and parking a block away so no one knew from the teachers at school. It had to of had the 1st Hot Rod with 30 spoke Crager wheels with Cadillac Vogue Tyres. I was around 14 and those were the wheels and tires to ride around in the GHETTO. I got many ugly looks from older men and long haired rockers.
It had a 6 month old red body with a black vinyl top and a few pounds of bondo but it looked great. The reverse didn't work but that never kept it parked until the engine gave out about a year later.
Then I got really smart and pulled the factory drive train to replace it with a newer 318 from a 1985 Chrysler 5th Avenue.
:eek: 
I was given a 1973 Dodge Challenger by my dad in 1986 or 1987 or it might of been 1985. I just remember being the only one driving a car to 8th grade Middle School and parking a block away so no one knew from the teachers at school. It had to of had the 1st Hot Rod with 30 spoke Crager wheels with Cadillac Vogue Tyres. I was around 14 and those were the wheels and tires to ride around in the GHETTO. I got many ugly looks from older men and long haired rockers.
It had a 6 month old red body with a black vinyl top and a few pounds of bondo but it looked great. The reverse didn't work but that never kept it parked until the engine gave out about a year later. Then I got really smart and pulled the factory drive train to replace it with a newer 318 from a 1985 Chrysler 5th Avenue. :eek: 
It was 1963 and I was 17..........my brother gave me his 57 Pontiac 4 door
sedan..
.......3 speed 283/4bbl.....(Canadian Pontiac)......
I was in high school and that thing was a terror......:eek:
We put a set of Hedman hedders on it and a 900 14 General on the rr......
:
The hot shot at school had a 59 Catalina ragtop and we lined up one day out on the main road.........ooooeeeee......blew 'em away by a couple lengths.........
He put the Cat up for sale the next day..........
The next year I was outa high school and workin' at a GM dealership.
To be different I bought a 62 Austin Healey and when my buddie's 58 Vette blew me off the road ........I went and bought a 2 year old 63 Vette and it's been 4 speed V8 Chevys ever since............
bj
sedan..
.......3 speed 283/4bbl.....(Canadian Pontiac)......I was in high school and that thing was a terror......:eek:
We put a set of Hedman hedders on it and a 900 14 General on the rr......
: The hot shot at school had a 59 Catalina ragtop and we lined up one day out on the main road.........ooooeeeee......blew 'em away by a couple lengths.........
He put the Cat up for sale the next day..........
The next year I was outa high school and workin' at a GM dealership.
To be different I bought a 62 Austin Healey and when my buddie's 58 Vette blew me off the road
........I went and bought a 2 year old 63 Vette and it's been 4 speed V8 Chevys ever since............ bj
First car
My first car was a 1956 F**D 2 door Victoria. Red & White exterior, red & white interior, 2 door hardtop, bubble skirts, continental kit, 272 V8, auto trans, glass roof. My Dad paid $500.00 for it. This car was a present for my 16th birthday. My twin brother also got a car, a 1959 VW beetle (also cost $500.00). Any time we double dated we always took my car. Must have been the full size seats front & back for the drive-in movies
Only stipulation Dad gave us was as follows .
1. get a part time job to buy your own gas, insurance, licence plates & repairs.
2. School marks must not be below a "B" average in all subjects.
3. You still have your chores around the house such as cutting grass, shovel
snow, do dishes, wash my car & your mothers car. make your beds etc.
4. What ever you earn in your part time jobs 25% goes to pay your rent.
5. Miss a chore = miss a car for a day
6. His favourite saying was " there are no free rides in this country"
Traded F**D in on my first 409 car in June 1966.
Looking for another 1956 F**D same as above to add to my collection of cars.
My first car was a 1956 F**D 2 door Victoria. Red & White exterior, red & white interior, 2 door hardtop, bubble skirts, continental kit, 272 V8, auto trans, glass roof. My Dad paid $500.00 for it. This car was a present for my 16th birthday.
My twin brother also got a car, a 1959 VW beetle (also cost $500.00). Any time we double dated we always took my car. Must have been the full size seats front & back for the drive-in movies Only stipulation Dad gave us was as follows
.1. get a part time job to buy your own gas, insurance, licence plates & repairs.
2. School marks must not be below a "B" average in all subjects.
3. You still have your chores around the house such as cutting grass, shovel
snow, do dishes, wash my car & your mothers car. make your beds etc.
4. What ever you earn in your part time jobs 25% goes to pay your rent.
5. Miss a chore = miss a car for a day
6. His favourite saying was " there are no free rides in this country"
Traded F**D in on my first 409 car in June 1966.
Looking for another 1956 F**D same as above to add to my collection of cars.
1962 BelAir
My first car was a 1962 BelAir 2dr sedan. I had saved money all through high school waiting for graduation day. My dad wouldn't let me own a car until I completed HS. It was a salesman's car, while/red with 6 cyc and three on the tree. I had it exactly two weeks before someone changed lanes on me and took out the front fender. I worked out a deal with the body shop to paint the whole car if I did all the sanding and a couple of weeks later it was all red. Later I added a new interior, mag wheels, and floor shifter. She looked quite good and between lights down town, she would hold her own... 
If I could have kept her I'd have alot less into her than my current 1962 BelAir...
My first car was a 1962 BelAir 2dr sedan. I had saved money all through high school waiting for graduation day. My dad wouldn't let me own a car until I completed HS. It was a salesman's car, while/red with 6 cyc and three on the tree. I had it exactly two weeks before someone changed lanes on me and took out the front fender. I worked out a deal with the body shop to paint the whole car if I did all the sanding and a couple of weeks later it was all red. Later I added a new interior, mag wheels, and floor shifter. She looked quite good and between lights down town, she would hold her own...
If I could have kept her I'd have alot less into her than my current 1962 BelAir...
My first car was a 55 Chevy Belair Sport Coupe. I was 17 and saw an ad in the local paper "For Sale: 55 Chevy, Corvair engine, $500". So being young and in love with cars since I was five I thought "there's something wrong here but this might be worth checking out", so I call the guy. He's selling the car for his son who is in the Army in Germany and needs the cash. I ask the guy about the "Corvair" engine. He says his son made a big deal about him putting that in the ad because it would be a good selling point. I ask if I can stop by to look at the car and he agrees. So I get a buddy to drive me over to the guy's house. Sure enough! A really sharp 55 Belair! It had been repainted a dark metallic blue. Had Cadillac hub caps on the front wheels and fender skirts on the back but that could easily be remedied. Under the hood turned out to be a 283 with dual quads, power pak heads, finned aluminum Corvette valve covers and I later learned a Duntov 097 cam! Whether it came out of a Corvette or not I don't know but technically it could pass for a "Vette" engine ( I naturally get a woody at this point,
). Also, the car had a three speed with a Foxcraft shifter on the floor. So I tell the guy I want the car and tell him I have about $50 on me but will need to get the balance from the bank the next day. I ask him if he wants the 50 for a deposit. He says “No problem, the car is yours, I don’t need a deposit”! So I get the cash the next day and same buddy takes me back to get MY new car. I knock on the door and a young girl answers.
I say “I’m here to buy the 55 Chevy”!
She says “It’s sold”!
“WHAT”?!?! :eek:
I’m Pi$$ed!! I walk back and get in the car and rant and rave and tell the buddy what went down.
He says “Maybe it’s sold to YOU”! “Did you talk to the guy you saw last night”?
Me “weeelll no” :stooges
So I go back and knock on the door again and this time the guy answers. I say “Did you sell the car”?
He says “To you, yeah”!
Me: (woody again)
So money exchanges hands, title exchanges hands and I take my prize home to beat unmercifully on Friday and Saturday nights. Oh yeah, that Foxcraft shifter bent every time you shifted 1-2 hard and your knuckles hit the dash. Needless to say the dash and my knuckles got a lot of scars. Replaced that three speed a lot. Finally replaced the Foxcraft with a Hurst.
The car looked kind of like this one only blue and not as nice.
I say “I’m here to buy the 55 Chevy”!
She says “It’s sold”!
“WHAT”?!?! :eek:
I’m Pi$$ed!! I walk back and get in the car and rant and rave and tell the buddy what went down.
He says “Maybe it’s sold to YOU”! “Did you talk to the guy you saw last night”?
Me “weeelll no” :stooges
So I go back and knock on the door again and this time the guy answers. I say “Did you sell the car”?
He says “To you, yeah”!
Me: (woody again)
So money exchanges hands, title exchanges hands
and I take my prize home to beat unmercifully on Friday and Saturday nights. Oh yeah, that Foxcraft shifter bent every time you shifted 1-2 hard and your knuckles hit the dash. Needless to say the dash and my knuckles got a lot of scars. Replaced that three speed a lot. Finally replaced the Foxcraft with a Hurst. The car looked kind of like this one only blue and not as nice.
That's the truth Dick, about the Foxcraft shifter. Well made wasn't it?
I tightened the nut on the bottom of the shifter, so many times it started to strip the threads. The shifter was more like a crank. It would spin all the way around, and hit the seat, when it was loose. My 283 didn't live long enough to get the Hurst shifter. Crappy motor, nice body. Skip
I tightened the nut on the bottom of the shifter, so many times it started to strip the threads. The shifter was more like a crank. It would spin all the way around, and hit the seat, when it was loose. My 283 didn't live long enough to get the Hurst shifter. Crappy motor, nice body. Skip
i already posted my experiance (57 belair) it had a hurst mystery shifter. same deal as i am now hearing about the foxcraft. a big nut holding the handle on, it would loosen and your hand would smash the dash. relieved to know i wasnt the only one.
growing up, i had a friend named Ricky Shafer who did'nt know anything about cars, he walks over to my house with an ad for a 58 chevy $500 and wants me to take him and look at it. he's in the piano business and unlike the rest of us......actually had the cash. i try to discourage him and wait for a cooler looking car. after all, to a kid what's homelier than a 58? what girls are gonna get in that thing? that was the thinking at the time.
we get to the house and there is no car, we knock, the crying lady says her son stashed it under the front porch and went to Nam. and he'll never be needing the car again. she wanted it gone. you could see a bump under a blanket in the dark and i know inside it's no 58. with her deceased husbands tools we take the lattice down and cleared all the brush and blankets to reveal a white 58 vette. (the title just says 58 chevrolet) he paid her and we worked for days to get it out of there and running again. that was in 1975 and he still has it.
growing up, i had a friend named Ricky Shafer who did'nt know anything about cars, he walks over to my house with an ad for a 58 chevy $500 and wants me to take him and look at it. he's in the piano business and unlike the rest of us......actually had the cash. i try to discourage him and wait for a cooler looking car. after all, to a kid what's homelier than a 58? what girls are gonna get in that thing? that was the thinking at the time.
we get to the house and there is no car, we knock, the crying lady says her son stashed it under the front porch and went to Nam. and he'll never be needing the car again. she wanted it gone. you could see a bump under a blanket in the dark and i know inside it's no 58. with her deceased husbands tools we take the lattice down and cleared all the brush and blankets to reveal a white 58 vette. (the title just says 58 chevrolet) he paid her and we worked for days to get it out of there and running again. that was in 1975 and he still has it.