How Long Have You Owned It?

This month marks the 38th year that I've owned my '36 Pontiac coupe. I know there are probably plenty of DFers who have owned cars longer than that, but I wonder how many and for how long?

I got mine as a 17 y.o. high school student. A friend found it parked in a yard in a neighboring town, but his father wouldn't let him buy it -- thought it was a waste of money. I had just gotten my income tax refund and didn't bother to ask my Dad. I had another friend drive me over (I still only had my permit), knocked on the owner's door, bought it for $75. The next day that same friend and I towed it home with a rope tied to his 55 Ford wagon. The coupe had 68,000 miles on it, didn't look like much and I never expected it to run. As it turned out, it polished up pretty nicely and only needed a fuel pump and clutch adjustment to run fine. I heard so many stories from my father and uncles about cars they used to have and wished they had kept that I swore I'd never sell mine. It now has 96,000 miles and has been redone to look nearly new. Not a show car, but a fun car to drive (albeit dangerous with such limited visibility) and a real attention getter.

What's your story?

[color:"brown"] [color:"brown"]

Hi, Bob.

I have owned the '72 TR-6 since new. Bought it at Reedman Motors in Langhorne, PA.

As British Sportscars were popular in the 1960's, I envied the "rich" kids who owned them. Swore to myself, someday I'll get one. Stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas in 1968, I saw an ad for the soon to be released '69 TR-6. Fell in love with the it. Shipped out for Vietnam. A few of us flew (choppered) into Cho Lon (Saigon suburb) from Bien Hoa to get supplies. We decided to drink some beer, too. While walking down Tu-Do St., I was floored to see a sign over a shop: "British Sportscar Sales".

Went in to find out more. (I could hardly picture the Vietnamese driving anything other than Honda 50-cc scooters, Cycilos, Citroens left over from the French. Water Buffalo could be guided, but, tough to ride, so, they are not included). Turns out, service personnel could have money taken out of their pay monthly, and, 2 months before E.T.S. (Estimated Time of Separation), they would ship it to the nearest port to one's hometown. Well, I had the '69 shipped to Port of Baltimore. In the meantime, and, in a relatively safe re-assignment, I extended my tour for 5 more months to avoid Stateside reassignment, and, in turn get out of the Army 3 months early.

The car sat at Baltimore for about 6 months. My brother and I went to get it, and, what a disaster. It was filthy, we had a hell of a time starting it, overheated 2 times on the way home. Traded it for a '70 Nova.

Still wanted a TR-6, bought this one, and, simply kept it. Has 51,000 miles on it, of which, 34,000 were put on from 1972-75. Currently a Senior Grand National winner.

Regards, Peter J.

I bought my 39 Buick sidemounted sedan on Oct 19, 1963. I bought my first car, exactly like the one I bought in 1963, on January 29, 1955.

Earl Beauchamp

Owned my present wife 15 years, before that just 13.... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Oh! cars, sorry only since 1984. It's a 1980 Chevy Wagon with a Z-28 motor for go! Wayne

My Dad bought my brother and i a 1930 Model A Ford when we were 13 years old.350.00 in 1968,bought it to keep us off the streets, we half assed restored it,motor was siezed,poured coca-cola in the cylinders, next day spun right over, as good a job as a couple of kids would do,drove it to school when we were old enough,brother ended up re-doing everything years later and still has it.Very nice car he drives only on nice days.diz <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

1928 Plymouth Model Q: I purchased this car in 1987.

1951 Plymouth Cambridge Club Coupe: My grandfather gave me this one in 1969. I used it for college then retired it and and restored it.

1966 Plymouth Sport Fury Convertible: I purchased this one in 1991. A friend of mine owned it and he had been after me to buy it for about two years. I really wasn't interested and never took him up on it. One day he pulls in my driveway with it and takes the license plate off of it and leaves it. So what was I to do? We settled on a price and I bought it.

1975 Plymouth Duster: This was the first car my wife and I bought new. We drove it for three years and parked it until it was 25 years old in 2000.

1999 Plymouth Prowler: I purchased this one in 1998 as my "final" collector car. I guess we will see!

I bought my 1940 Buick Super convert in the spring of 1972. My wife and I were in charge of registration for the second national BCA meet in Flint MI, and the teller at the bank told me her husband had an old Buick he wanted to sell. It turned out the her husband was the flag man at a track I raced at ,and to make a long story short, I have owned it since May of 1972 and driven it over 93,000 miles.

My dad bought the '37 Plymouth pickup back in 1963, restored it 2000-2001. I bought my first car (a mustang, which I still have) back in 1983 the day after I turned 15.

Bought my Jag XK140 Drophead in 1968 for $212. Bought The '32 Packard Convertible in 1970 for $500..it needed work and I thought I paid to much...

Bought my 1908 Reo in 1941

In 1951 [52 years ago]I bought a 1941 Cadillac Conv. Sedan from my father who had bought it new in February 1941. It was still a pretty good car mechanically but needed paint and a top. It hadn't been run since 1949 and had very little value as the post war car shortage was long since over. I took it to college, drove the wheels off of it and rented it out for gas money. You know, "You can use the car but it has to have a full tank when you bring it back." I doubt I ever bought gas for it.

In 1955 I stuck it in an unused neighborhood garage and went to do my time in the USAF, which turned out to be 5 years. When I came back, I pulled it out and used it for everyday transprotation until 1963. By then it was in such bad shape, the choice was junk it or restore it. I restored it. In 1970 it won a 1st Junior, a Senior in '71 and preservation in '87. The car can be seen as it appreared 15 years ago on the cover of the May-June 1988 issue of Antique Automobile magazine.

By 1996 it had gone so far down hill from driving all over the country to shows and tours that it needed another restoration. Since then it has again won some preservation awards and been on several tours around the country. It never did and never will win any of the big National Awards, but it still looks pretty good and drives as good as it looks. Can anybody beat 52 years of continual ownership and 62 years in one family?

hvs

Well I sure cant top Father times (Howards) story. In 1951

I was busy turning 1 year old. shortly there after though I do

remember having a Steering Wheel. If I recall though it was

plastic and mounted to the real one. If that one is still in

my mothers closet I could at least come close. Really though,

I have had the pleasure of seeing and judging Howard's Cadillac.

It is a great car that any of us would be very proud of.

I've got a screwdriver from 1980 lying around here somewhere! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Does my 1966 Tonka car hauler count? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Bought my 49 Crosley Wagon when I was 14 years old in 1963. I had big plans to have it ready for the road when I turned 16. My dad talked me in to taking the body off the first week and completely chassis restoration down to nuts and bolts. I went through a lot of Derusto paint. Along the way he said I would be 17 when it was done. Guess what just enough things he needed to help with that it was back together and ready to be licensed when I turned 17 all most to the day. Boy he was smart.

Now if I could just get started on restoring it again.

Jim...

Bought my first car, my 1968 Mustang in 1985 from a guy who stripped it of all its options to use on his 1967 Mustang. Became friends with him and aquired all the original parts back for a bargin price when his car got totaled in a wreck. Been a great car ever since.

About two years ago we stumbled upon our 1929 Chandler on eBay. The first Chandler we had ever seen outside of an ad. It had been in storage in the same town it spent its entire life for the past 40 years. We have been spending the last few years learning about the car and restoring the different systems so we can return the car to the road.

Dave B ~ Thanks for the Father Time crack, Junior. Seriously folks, Dave and I have had this "Old/Young" thing going for years. I don't mind, because it keeps the kid amused. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Dave M ~ You screwed what driver in 1980? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

hvs

You took the prize on that one Howard.

I don't make fun of the elderly, guys. Seems to me the "light" has gotten closer to me just today! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Wayne

I was 4 in the spring of 1968 when I took my first ride in the back of the 68 Mustang fastback. I liked it because I could see out the window when I sat on the hump in the middle of the back seat then. When I turned 16, the car became mine and I also had always heard stories about "I wish I still had..." so I decided to keep the car no matter what. I drove it all through high school and then took it down to the metal and restored it in 1983. I plan to give it another paint job some time in the next couple of years and drive it some more. Some day, my son will end up with it but not till I am to old to drive! I have a 65 fastback waiting for him to play with till then if he wants to tackel it.

I remember telling my mom that 30 was old but then one day, a lifetime ago, I turned 30 and found out I was right! Does 40 hurt as much as 30 did? If so, 50 will be unreal if I make it that far.

And the first show out for the HVS Cadillac was at the opening of North Arundel Hospital in Glen Burnie, Maryalnd in the spring of 1965. The reason I know is because I was President of the local AACA Chesapeake Region and it was the first big show that I had anything to do with putting on. I hasten to add that I was 26 years old at the time and my 39 Buick still looked like the wreck of the Hesperus. As I recall, the show was very successful with a large turnout and that Cadillac was one of the most talked about cars of the day....even though some hidden detail work had not yet been done. And, too, I think it was one of the very first Chesapeake Region cars to attend a National Meet outside of Maryland or Pennsylvania.

Earl ~ Judy just read your post and reminded me that the new top in 1997 cost more than the car did new in 1941. I have the original bill of sale and Lewis' 1997 bill to prove it. I also still have the original title which you no doubt saw at my house years ago.

Since Dave Berg deemed it necessary to call attention to my ancientness, I will attempt to post a picture of me behind the wheel of the Cadillac in 1941 when I was 8. Contrary to what Dave might say, there IS hair under that hat.

If I fail at posting the picture I will send it to Peterg and ask him to do it for me. He understands computer, whereas teaching a new trick to an old dog ain't always easy.

hvs

Well, Wayne Burgess took pity on me and e-mailed instructions on how to add the picture. I did as he said and it appears that I was successful as the edited thread shows 1 attachment. However, I cannot bring it up. If anyone else succeeds, how about posting that you were successful. If no one succeeds in a few days, I will send it to Peterg.

I am also open to suggestions that I forget the whole thing.

hvs

hvs

No!, No! Don't give up Howard. The picture was probably too big. That's a big problem where it needs to be resized with another program in your computer hard drive and resaved in the same file. I'm not good at that, not knowing what system you might have. That's the nature of the Beast/computer. Keep playing with it until you get it right, something like me and marriages. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> WAyne

Wayne ~ At least the computer doesn't take half of your assets when you screw that up. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> ~ hvs

I can not top Howard. I own 1930 Chevy that I got in 1961 and still own. I also own a car that has been in our family since new. Here is a picture of me in the front seat of our 1910 Overland in 1946.

Dan

My 65 Skylark was purchased new by my grandparents. In 1974 the car was given to me as a graduation present, with $10.00 from grandma "for gas". Hell, I was happy to get the car!. It had 34,000 miles, all original except for the two front tires. I have never beat this car and always kept it in pristine condition. Once it sat for over 5 years (marriage, house etc.). The car now has 68,000 on it and still has original paint, and interior. To make a long story short its been in the family since 65, I have owned since 74. Lots of great memories, and many more to come.

I've owned my 1924 Chevrolet since about 1974. My father bought it around 1954 but never got around to restoring it and gave it to me. I also own a 1937 Ford that was purchased new by friends of my parents. When the original owners could no longer drive it, they gave it to my parents and I, in turn, inherited it from them. I also have a 1929 Farmall tractor my grandfather bought in 1933. I may not have personally owned these vehicles very long, but you can see that my family hates to let go of a good one once we get our hands on it! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My dad bought the '38 BMW currently residing in my garage in Treysa, Germany in about 1963 while serving in the US Army Signal Corps. He bought it from the town garbage man who spoke perfect, unaccented English and apparently had some sophisticated communications equipment in the basement. Dad is an engineer and worked on radar sets and missile guidance systems prior to being drafted, so I would suspect that he knew pretty well what he was looking at. Needless to say, dad believed the guy was a spy of some sort for the Soviets. In any case, the story the alleged spy gave was that the car had been owned by a French officer at some point during WW2, during which it was wrecked (it still bears evidence of that), and it was repaired after the war.

Dad liked the car, shipped it home in '65 and drove it until about 1970 when he took it apart with good intentions. He had 4 kids and never got the time. Because I was the kid that bugged him the most about the car, he gave it to me about a year ago and I've been researching it, have taken a course in basic autobody work, and have begun with some very basic refurbishing (derusting and repainting bracketry and other things that don't cost hugely). I have recently been given some patterns for some structural wood and am HUGELY thankful for them.

Anyone who wants to see some pix, then and now, is welcome to take a look at my little website at www.bmw327.com.

Chris

I probably won't set any records either, but my longest ownership is the 1954 Chevrolet model 3600 3/4 ton pick-up truck, given to me by my maternal grandfather when I was six (which was 30 years ago, come April).

It was also my very first driver when I got my license at 17; and I have sworn that it will be the very last vehicle that I will part with....I hope it waits around long enough for me to give it a proper restoration! (Still runs & drives)

Trouble is, I still have most of the other twenty-some cars I've acquired over the years <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> ; can't bear to part with anything!

Sporty looking BMW, Chris. Should be a looker when completed. Keep us informed, and good luck. Wayne

I, Like may others picked up my first car before I was allowed to drive it. That was in 1991 or 92. It was a 1971 Pontiac GT-37. Smashed in the front quarters, and didn't run. Hey, I didnt care, all I wanted was a set of wheels. My dad made a deal with me, he told me I could have the car IF (and a BIG IF) I restored it. If I didnt, he was taking the car back and selling it and keeping the cash. Tought me a good lession. Also learned that this is a great hobby. Well I drove the car to school in primer, dry rotted tires and no heat. I am sure that I could have bought several Honda's for the money I sunk in the Pontiac, but who wants a Honda in high school!

Well, I still have the car, it looks great and is a fun crusier. I drive it to work as much as the classic car plates allow. I was always told by my elders that if I still had the car when I was broke after college that I will keep it forever. Seems to be true!

I still get funny looks when I drive the car. Pontiac enthusiasts always question the originality of the car. It has all of the Judge options, on a lemans body, strange setup. Even the hood pins, hood tach, and rear spoiler all from the factory. It was my first car, and I plan on keeping it for a long time!

1939 Plymouth business coupe.------

Deluxe-which meant it had 2 windshield wipers instead of just one, a little extra chrome trim, and an oil filter.

Purchased for $45 in 1960 from a little old lady who needed train fare to Chicago. (Would have cost $25 except she changed her mind at the last minute and decided to take a train instead of a bus)

Drove it all through last 2 years of high school.

Been a great car. Only car my ex-wife and I owned for the first year of marriage in in 1962. Didn't spend a nickel on it that first year of marriage. Just as well because we didn't have any money anyway.

Mid 80's----- was only car I owned (for various reasons) to get me to work and back for 2 years. 40 miles a day at 70-75 mph hour up and down one of the most horrendous highways in the US. Spit, smoked and sputtered for the first month and after that was just like any other car in transit on that highway. Only expense was $2.50 for a brake line.

Sitting in my garage right now. Probably would run fine again--just trying to get up enough energy at my age to tackle the project.

43 years of ownership. Is that the record?

Probably not. But still an awful long time to own a car.