1973 Datsun 240-Z. In a church parking lot. My dad had bought it new, but my brother was the owner when I first drove it. What a car. I'd love to have one with a V8.
1966? Chevy Biscayne, no PS or PB, cold as hell to start. 7 years old. I'll never forget the nite. My old man and his friends got hammered (kinda) working on his racecar late at nite at our shop. I applaud him for being smart enough for not getting behind this wheel- but putting me behind it probably wasn't the best decision ever. The cars still in the family.
I started out at age 10 and first drove my dad's 1936 Ford coupe. Flathead V8 with 3-speed on the floor. Then I advanced to the 1941 Ford truck. But, my uncle Reid took me out of that because I tore out the drive shaft. Next was a '47 International truck, which I promptly put into a storm drain. Soon I got to the '47 Chevy 10 wheeler truck and trailer. (We farmed and ginned cotton.) Wasn't long 'til Dad bought a Farmall H tractor and I kept advancing until I finally got to drive the new 1959 Plymouth Belvedere 2-door hardtop and lastly to the 1960 white with red interior Dodge Dart Phoenix 2-door hardtop. It was a D-500 383 with two four barrel carbs on a cross ram. After the Dodge, I bought and owned my own cars.
In 1947 they did not have driving school. In Michigan they changed the age for getting a drivers license from 14 to 16 on September 1, and I turned 14 in August. I learned to drive on my dads 1929 Buick and took my drivers test in my mothers 1941 Buick. The test was given by a sheriff's deputy, and you drove him around the block. I gues if you didn't kill anyone ,you passed. :Brow: :Brow: o No: :3gears: :3gears: :3gears: :3gears:
My first "ride" was a 61 Mercury Meteor 600 2 door, 6cyl, 3 on-the-tree, man steer , man brake. I got the car when I was 12 when the state police told my dad they didnt care who inspected it, it was junk and to take it off the road ! I "yard bombed" it till I was 15, when the parents handed me down the family 69 LeSabre 4 door. 350.2bbrl, 2 speed, man brakes, vinal interior. The Buick was like a 4 star upgrade from the Merc ! I still have the remains of both cars with parts cars for each, but saddly my GS obsession, Maine weather, family, and the marching of time made restoring either one a far away fantasy.o No: o No:
The car I learned to drive in was a '70 Cadillac with a 470-4bbl turbo 400. I would drive that car at wide open throttle, at about 60 mph, throw it up into reverse, keeping the pedal to the metal at all times, as the car slides forward with the tires smoking backwards, eventually the car will start going backwards smoking the tires. When it starts getting traction, slam it back down into drive, keeping the pedal to the metal at all times. I tell people this story; I don't think they believe me. But my first car was a '69 383 Charger. The car I took my drivers test in, in New Mexico in 1975, was a '65 289 Mustang Convertible. At that time you had to be 14 and 8 months. When you went into the Motor Vehicle Admin it was like a carnival ride; there was a black stripe on the wall and you had to be that tall to take the test. So i got my drivers license in New Mexico at 15. Then i moved to Maryland, where I got pulled over by the police one evening and they informed me that I had to be 16 to drive in their state, and took my license. But, this didn't stop me from driving, until I ran my '65 Mustang Convertible into the back of a big yellow school bus and totalled it, which is when I bought my first GS during the gas crisis of 1976. It was a red '69 400 4 speed, I paid $400 for it. Now I'm 16 and ready to drive in Maryland! I went to take my drivers test on Maryland Drivers' Course in my 400 4 speed after going through all the manuevers, I parallel parked and asked the instructer, "Hows that?", he said, "You tell me", I told him, "I'm about 6 inches from the curb", he opened the door and looked at the curb, then asked me, "How long have you been driving?", and I told him, "A little while", and then he told me to go get my license. And the rest as they say is history.
A 1978 Turbo Regal, I used to make all three boost lights come on...it was a beautiful thing! :3gears:
"Learn to Drive" was on on-going process for me. Dad relented and let me drive the 3 wheel AMF 2 cycle tiller golf cart at the age of 13 ... and Mom's '79 Caprice Classic Estate at 15. Dad was very careful not to let me drive his '70 Stage 1 for a little while until I learned the finer points of accelerator pedal modulation on a '71 442, that we cosmetically restored together. At 17, then and only then, did he let me drive his beloved Buick. I learned to drive a stick in a Renault Fuego Turbo ... and also learned to never drive a French car unless you are in France ... even then it is "iffy". Ken
I hate to say it but it was a 73 CHEVY CAPRICE STATION WAGON - to a 16 year old kid that car was HUGE Laters Tim:3gears:
1965 or 66 (can't remember for sure, I was only 13-14 y/o) Chevy short box pick-up w/ 250 6-cyl and three-on-the-tree. Thought I knew all about driving right before I stuck it in the corn field! Oooops! That ended my driving for a while.
Speaking of the Chevy II.... here are some slides I took back in '86... I had just purchased my second car... a 70 Satellite. The Plymouth was one I should have kept. It would have made a gread Road Runner clone...
There are so many posts in this thread...... I have two good stories and they will probably go to waste since this thread is so long... I first leaned how to drive in my friends dads honda civic 4 speed... i think it was a 76 or 77.... (this would have been around 1982 when I was about 14).... this was their 3rd car and during that summer we would drive the **** out of that thing...all during summer break...... and would keep the gas guage at the same point by putting in $2 and 3$ worth of gas.... when it was about a $buck a gallon...... they never knew. Then I really learned with my permit and dad in his 80 le sabre.....yes a Buick....can you say destiny.... so when it was the day to go take the official test to get my license.... I went with my mom and le sabre had a faulty brake light found by the DMV instructor...... My mom knew how devistated I was, so she told the DMV person if they could give us 1 hour..... we drove to my grandparents house which was only about 2 miles from the DMV, she told her dad...my grandpa.... we needed to use the 65' 327 El Camino he has had since new for my driving test..... we get to the DMV, I have never drivin this car....... well, once I parked it sitting on my grandfathers lap... so I used this for the test and I think I got 98%..... that was a very high score. The 2% deduction was given to me because I took off a little fast from a stop light......:TU: This 65 El Camino was always going to be mine anyway....., so after I passed, and also had A's & B's for grades in High school.....that was part of the deal.....amazing how those C's became B's....:Brow: .... i got it anyway...... but it was funny I passed my test in that car and had never really drivin in. L8
1974 Chevy Vega Wagon competition orange with a stick wen't over a railroad crossing and the rear end came through the floor! It was in Ohio and was a rusted out pos.:laugh:
I began driving and my love for automobiles in a 1959 Pontiac Star Chief. What a ride!!! Quite a boat to learn to drive in. I sure wish I had that car now! I'd like to find one some day... Until then, my 61 Electra is a prize as well! Rick Flegel Lilliwaup, WA
1970 Buick LeSabre - My Dad bought it new in 1970, I started driving it in 1980. Giant car and a good car to learn how to drive in although I hated the very touchy power drum brakes. He passed away quite sometime ago now and had the Buick to the end. It sat in my driveway for years after and I actually only sold the car recently to make room for a 68 GTO that I bought... lots of memories so it was tough to let it go.
Learned to drive in dad's '68 Cutlass S, 350 2 barrel with a powerglide. Pin it to the floor and that thing would hold first gear til about 55mph. First car owned, '72 Cutlass Supreme.
The first one was my dad's 74 Javelin. He working for AMC until they shut down the Milwaukee plant. I also practiced in my friends 70 Rallye 350 Cutless that he totaled (wrapped around a power pole) before I got my license. I then used his 69 Firebird. My first car was a 59 VW Bug.
