My dad was an Oldsmobile dealer. He would let me drive around the dealership lot in his big ole 98 before I got my license. My first car was a '69 Cutlass convertible. I wish I still had it.
Officially, dads 1970 Malibu. Un-officially, my friends dads 68 caddy(we would take it out when he took his lincoln to work, we even marked the driveway to make sure we parked it right where it was before. Once he came home shortly after we got back with it, and he put his hand on the still warm hood as he walked by. We thought we were goners, but he must have been pre occupied, cause he just looked at his hand, shook his head a little and went inside. Good thing we remembered to put the bottle of vino fino back on the kitchen table).
My mother's '67 GS 400 convertible is the primary car I learn to drive. A year later she just said I could have the car and I drove it daily to high school and college. I still have the car today. Used my dad's '66 GTO to learned to drive a 4-speed manual (he still has that car) and leaned to drive a 3-speed manual (3-on-the-tree) in his beat-up '74 Chevy truck (I have it now).
Those are real cool cars. Always wanted one but with the HO455. Amazing they could be had with 400, base 455 or HO455. Just mind boggling to me. Quicker than the Goats.
Frank, the name Gremlin ranks right up there with the Chevy Citation. I didn’t think crack was around when they made both? I can still hear in my head the Citation commercials where guys would sing Chevy Citation and elongate the A in middle of word and say TION fast at the end. It’s etched in my brain forever and I hate it.
I started to drive a 1963 Corvair around in the parking lot behind my Father's auto body shop. The first thing I ever drove on the road was the driver's Ed car. My Father let me drive is 72 GS (4 speed / the one in my Avatar) once. When I stepped on it and it snapped his head back and he asked me what the h--l I was doing, I guess I didn't give him the right answer because I never drove it again.
My dad used to let me drive his 72 Ford LTD around the cemetery well before I was of age. Once I got my license it was my mom's 82 Buick Skyhawk or my dad's 84 Pontiac GP (Ford was gone by then).
Like some of you, I grew up on a farm and we drove tractors and trucks in the fields. Dad always had Model T’s around and the one that we drove the most was his 1926 Model T Ford pickup that he got in 1956. It had been made from an old Turing car. My brothers and I were driving at around 13 or 14 years of age. Here is a picture of my Dad in the Model T pickup after he won a race in Indiana. That is Miss Indians presenting him with the trophy. (This was a “big event” back then) I think this was in 1963 or 1964. We drove the Model T to the race event where you had to win one of the heat races in order to be in the final race. This was a Model T Ford race that was held on a grass/dirt track on a hill side where you had to travel up hill and down hill as you made your way around the track. My Dad was the only person to win this Model T race more than one time. He won it three times and after the last race in 1965 or 1966 that he won, they stopped having the races because they said the cars had gotten too fast and they were afraid someone might have a wreck or get hurt. After the race, we drove the T back home and would continue to drive it around like any other car you would own. I still have it today.
The 1st. car I ever drove was my Dad's '50 Buick Special 3 on the tree when I was about 10. Went for a LONG ride & was doing 45MPH on rt.15 & wanted to get off the long ridge road exit going a little faster than I should have with my 1st. time experience. Came to a squealing stop just before a bunch of BIG trees. Luckily I stopped BEFORE anything got hit. Drove slower to home & changed underwear. Thankfully Mom OR Dad never fund out. OR maybe they did as my Dad wouldn't let me get my license until I was 18. Tom T.
Like these two but much more Michigan rust. The pinto became my first car after mom got the Luv truck. I thought I was the fastest guy in town driving that POS pinto. Exhaust had rotted off it and I didnt care.
Back in 2005 when I was a junior in high school I bought a 2 owner 73,000 mile 1957 Chevy 210 sedan. Painted it, swapped seats from my Bel Air, new bumper ends, rebuilt the radio, speedo, etc, etc. I learned to drive on it daily. 235 stovebolt 6 with the 3 on the tree. I had a super rare 59 Buick Lesabre with the 3 on the tree not long later. If you guys haven’t driven a stick Buick V8 it really does wake em up. If I could find a 57-58 factory stick project I would snatch it in a heartbeat and go in debt to do it. My dream is a 57-58 Roadmaster with a factory 3sp manual conversion (only special-lesabre came standard with them but rarely ordered)
well thier where 2.....sunday morings in my grandfathers 1953 chevrolet 3 speed column shift. during the week my uncle 1954 mercury 3-speed with dual controls. He was the highschool driver ed teacher. It was 1955, that was about the time schools started having drivers ed classes.
You guys don't know how lucky you had it! 1960/61 Austin Seven... (later known as a the Mini) was ten plus years old by the time it came my way. 848 cc of raw power! OK then 34 HP and 45 lb ft of torque! According to the factory it would tear up the 1/4 mile in 23.3 s ! Hold on to your hats!
