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So what was your very first car? How old were you, how much did you pay for it, what 'mods' did you do to it? What are your favorite memories from driving it?
Although I'm a Ford guy now, my first car was a 1959 Chevy Impala convertible. I was 16 and just got my license, and my parents gave me permission to buy a car as long as the title was in their name and they approved my choice. So, I found this '59 Impala that was owned by an older gentleman who was asking $200 for it. The steering was so loose you had to turn the wheel a half turn before the car would actually start turning. The automatic transmission was slipping, the brake pedal went to the floor until you pumped it up, and the engine idled rough and kind of sputtered when you accelerated. It also had a couple bald tires in front, likely from the steering problem. But my parents allowed me to buy it as long as it stayed in the garage until it was safe to drive. We settled on $175 and my Dad carefully nursed it home.
It was a great big boat, but I loved the way the graceful lines of the trunk flowed into those outrageous horizontal 'wings', with the long narrow 'cateye' taillights underneath. It was a dull red, which (after a lot of elbow grease) polished out to a bright glossy finish. The white top was actually in good shape and went up and down like it was supposed to. The car was virtually rust and dent free, and even had all the hubcaps.
I had $75 left over from the $250 I had saved from my summer landscaping job. My gearhead Uncle Rick checked the car over and on his advice, I bought new tie rod ends, a new master cylinder, a transmission filter and fluid, and a new set of points, condenser, plugs, cap & rotor. After a few weeks and with his help we had the transmission shifting properly, the brakes working well, and the engine running good. Turned out we also needed a new center link to get the steering tight, and I bought a coupe decent used tires with the last of my savings.
I never did any performance upgrades and was happy driving it in it's original glory. I loved the convertible top and remember many summer nights 'parking' with my girlfriend under a clear starry sky, the AM radio playing our favorite songs.
Unfortunately my beloved Impala was totaled soon after I graduated. A drunk driver ran a red light and plowed into the passenger side. Fortunately there was no one else in the car and I wasn't seriously hurt, just a cut on my forehead and some bruised ribs. But the car was too far gone with a bent frame and the whole right side crumpled. But I still have my memories. 
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Wow, interesting story about a nice car but a sad ending. I'm embarrassed to mention my first car after your story, but what the heck it's good for a laugh, so here goes.
My first car was a 1964 Vauxhall, and I think it was an Epic model or maybe it was a Viva, can't or don't care to remember. I paid $75.00 of hard earned money from delivering newspapers. It had no second gear and no heat. So you had to rev the heck out of it and then shift from 1st to 3rd gear and hope you were going fast enough so that the little 4 banger engine didn't choke out. To prevent the windows from fogging, I had to drive with the windows partially open. Not exactly the best thing to do during the winter.
Best part of that car was the feeling of independence. I could go where ever I wanted, when ever i wanted. Anyways, after driving it for about two weeks I realized what a piece of junk that car really was so I sold it and got my $75.00 investment back.
BTW, I can't brag about "parking" under the stars with my girlfriend, because she refused to get into that car. Just me and my buddies laughing our heads off having the best times.
Funnier yet, I remember comments my dad made during the time I owned that car.
-Your not serious are you...you actually paid money for that thing!
-Don't expect me to fix that thing!
-You can't park that thing in front of the house, it leaks oil
-You better fix that muffler or your going to get a ticket
-Why would you buy something like that?
-You better sell that thing fast and try to get your money back
...on and on it went, thank god it only lasted for two weeks!
Next car...75 Olds Cutlass Supreme and guess what, no more comments from the peanut gallery either!
Last edited by dan_6776 (June 2, 2016 6:54 pm)
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I was 18 and had worked all summer, I was commuting to college locally so I needed something reliable. Back in 1973 you could get a very good car for $300. I had $175 and was looking at cars from $100 to $125. I took my dad with me and he nixed everything I saw. Some guy he worked with was selling a '64 Olds 88 for $275, so I got suckered into that one. My mom kicked in the other $100 I was shy.
The body and interior were excellent. Bad points, the transmission leaked like a sieve and I was good for a quart a day in hot weather. Poured in some sealer (transmission rebuild in a can..) that was this thick green gunk. Mixed it in with some ATF as directed... looked under the car, watched $3.99 worth of the green stuff go right through the seals. And it needed a valve job.
I was still saving up money and took the heads off the car. Local engine shop had a flat rate of $22 per head plus any parts needed. So $57 later I had the heads back, cost me a total of $90 when it was done. But what a money pit, starter went, the carb and fuel pump went. it needed tires and brakes. Finally pulled the transmission and sealed it.
I learned a lot with it, it had quirks like breaking distributor caps in heavy rain. Water would splash up under the hood and douse the hot cap. I saved up old ones from where I worked on cars part time... they'd give me the used GM tune up parts.
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Great stories guys! I know we focus primarily on the nuts & bolts issues on the forum here, but it's nice to get into some of the more personal stuff from time to time.
Dan, it sounds like your second car, the '75 Cutlass, would be a more noteworthy choice to tell us about than the Vauxhaull, since you only had it for two weeks. But you were being honest, and it actually was a really interesting story! We've all had our share of cheapo 'beater' cars. Funny how the memories of our very first car stays with us over the years.
Bob, I guess we both ended up with big boats for our first cars. As much trouble as you had with it mechanically, don't you kind of wish you had it, or another '64 Olds 88 like it, today? Maybe just a little?
I know I still miss my old '59 Impala. I had one more Chevy some years after that one was totaled, also an Impala, a '67 SS fastback coupe with a 327 4v automatic, bucket seats & center console, black interior and that Chevy light metallic green paint. I put a lot of high performance parts into that car... hot cam, hi-comp pistons, ported 202 heads, headers, Holley double pumper, traction bars, Cragar mag wheels, etc.. I took it to the dragstrip a few times and it ran low 13's, even broke into the 12's once when the conditions were just right... not bad for a fairly big car with a small block. But that Impala also met a tragic end. It was stolen and ended up in a 'chop shop', where it was completely stripped down to the shell. The only reason it was recovered was the police busted the operation before they had a chance to crush it for scrap. Which is what happened anyway, as I sold it for scrap once I got the remains back.
Never had much luck with Chevys... but I'm a Ford guy now. 
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I had zero money back when I had the Olds 88, so it was a struggle. This was getting into the gas crunch years so big boats got cheap all of a sudden. Cadillacs in great shape went for $200 by 1974. When I did have money, it was spent on weed and drinking more then anything.
I did wise up eventually and had some great cars like a '66 Nova SS, '67 Impala SS, '68 Mustang GT fastback (with Shelby options) and many others. Got bit by the stock car bug and went racing for 4 years starting in 1981.
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I had a 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 coupe.
I started working at Carls Jr. when I had just turned 15. I saved all year.
On my 16th birthday, December 23rd 1980 I bought my neighbors Olds. He bought it brand new in late 69, when I was just 5 years old.
Within a few months I had put on an Edelbrock Performer manifold, Holley 750 double pumper, and a shift kit.
Drove that car all through high school, though I bought a few others as well.
When I joined the air force out of high school i put 3 of my cars in storage but gave the Olds to my girlfirend!
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Hello to all,
My first car was a 64 Fairlane 500 2dr HT which I still own today. It have owned it 29 years. Sure did go by fast. It currently is covered in dust and next on the project list.
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Wow, still have your first car! Have you thought of building a Thunderbolt clone?
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My first car was a 68' mustang coupe with a 302 engine and auto trans. ragged out pretty good. $500.00 cash is what I paid. New nothing about cars ..this in 1980. I was still in high school. Ran it for about 6 months... til I blew the engine. Wish I had known about the oil leak and about checking the oil regularly. I gave it to the tow truck driver in exchange for hauling it away. I do remember a funny experience with it ..on a date driving in the snow very slowly and the car sliding all over the back country road. The girl I was with was laughing histerically..not sure it was because she was scared or just thought it was funny that she was riding in this junker.
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my first car or MY first car?? well I sort of have two. In high school I drove an old ford f11 of my dads so that was not my car but when I got married my wife had an 84 Mercury Grand Marquees, so technically that was my first car. When the wife and I went separate ways she took the car and drove it far many years. When she got tired of it she gave me the car and I used the engine and transmission to get my 62 Galaxie running so it worked out to be a good thing.
MY first car or the first car I ever bought myself was my 64.5 Mustang. Got it running and used it as a daily driver for many years. It is now in pieces but will some day be on the road again.
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