How many of you still have your first car?

[keiser31]

Just wondering how many of you still have your first car, how old you were when you got it and how long have you owned it? Mine is a 1931 Dodge coupe that my dad bought in 1959 in Michigan. He gave it to me in 1967 when I was 13 years old. I am 56 now.

[trimacar]

Hi- 1931 Chevrolet Tudor Sedan (coach),owned now for 45 years, hard to believe. I wanted an early car, when I was 13 in 1964 my father traded a new .22 rifle for the Chevy. I restored it, and drove it to high school in the mid-60's. My first old car tour with it was in 1967 in Opelousas, Lousiana.I was 16. I drove from my hometown (Alexandria), about 60 miles, toured, and drove back. Trailering cars then was very unusual. There, I first met Drew Navarre from New Orleans and his 1931 Pierce Arrow phaeton, which I now own. I had seen the Pierce at a car show in my home town a year earlier, but never met the owner. Also followed John Copes of Baton Rouge in his early teens Studebaker speedster (now in a collection in north Louisiana), and met many new and long lasting friends.

And I still have the '31 Chevy. The hobby was really focused on the cars and fellowship at that time. Money was not even discussed. The hobby had and has me hooked. Happy New Year to all.

[rocketraider]

Well, the first car is long gone, but in 1969 (age 13) I had a pair of shoes exactly like the ones you're wearing in the pic! Bet they came from Thom McAn!

[keiser31]

Yep...you are exactly correct about the shoes. My mom made the mohair sweater-vest. My dad gave me the car and I put it back together to drive to high school in Michigan. I started to restore it a couple of years later and then moved to California. It was all apart and the engine was in the basement of my dad's house. My dad sold his house, the engine wound up being buried behind the garage and I had to wait years to dig it up. I DID it, though and I have the original engine back in the car. Hopefully I will be able to finish restoring it before too much longer. When I say it is a "from the ground up restoration" I am not kidding!

[1937hd45]

Bought my very first car on my 16th birthday, and it was delivered to me New Years Day 1967. A 1926 Model T Ford Tudor for $210. from the late Johnny Johnson in Belltown, Ct. I totally disassembled it and rebuilt the chassis, upgrading it with 1926-27 factory accessorie wire wheels and bumpers. Kept a log of all expences, NOS bumpers and brackets were $60.00. Engine block was cracked and was replaced with a 1927, Tudor body was swapped for a Touring. Displayed the running chassis at a local show, and sold it in 1969. Still have the cracked '26 block and rear floorboard from the Tudor. Spent the money I made on it on a two car garage full of pre 1935 race cars & parts. The D.O. GREEN engine is now in Bill Smith's Speedway Motors museum in Lincoln. Nebraska. There is a bit of that T in all the stuff I have today, it allowed me to get started in the hobby of swapping cars & parts. Most important it allowed me to meet people that have been lifelong friends now.

[50jetback]

An interesting thread, time to scan some old photos.

My first car wasn't actually a car, it was a motorcycle which I still have today. It is a 1942 UL 74 sport solo, one of only 405 built that year due to the factory servicing military contracts for the WLA 45's.

I purchased it as a 16 year old back in 1966. I don't have any photos of it as bought, the best I can do is a couple after a low budget resto while I was still in high school.

When I started work I gave it a better paint job and a bit more of a tidy-up and used it as a to and from to work up until about 1974/75.

It was retired around that time and promised a rebuild which didn't eventuate until the mid 1990's. During the past few years my research indicates it was imported and used by the Western Australia Police up until the mid 1950's.

I still ride the bike and it's hard to say how much pleasure it has given me over the past 42 years.

[JFranklin]

Mine in 1964 and again nowadays

[Guest elmo39]

50 jetback did you also keep the Humber Super Snipe

[50jetback]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: elmo39</div><div class="ubbcode-body">50 jetback did you also keep the Humber Super Snipe </div></div>

No, my Father sold the Snipe in the late 60's. Prior to that car he had a 1954 model Humber Super Snipe. Out here they used to refer to the Humber Snipes as "British Buicks"

The family did keep the 1930 Buick which you can see in the garage behind the bike in one of the photos. I inherited it when my Dad passed away and I restored it about 10 years ago.

[TG57Roadmaster]

My buddy Dave still has his first car, this 1961 Dodge Polara.

His dad bought it new, and nobody would give him anything on trade in '65, so Dave got it and drove it all thru high school. Then, in 1971 in his sophomore year of college, Dave bought a '70 Challenger convertible.

He still has both of 'em!

TG

PS. Great photo, Keiser31; love the hair and the high-waters.

But especially the car!

[Guest Dean_H.]

I still have my first wheels. 1951 Chevrolet p/u, paid $100, 1978, I was 14. Worked in the fields picking berries to raise the needed cash. My parents lived in the country and the HS was about 6 or 7 miles away. There was no bus service. A lot of the kids rode mopeds, this was a lot cooler.

I painted it the colors of the '78 Indy pace car.

When the truck didn't start I drove my Dads motorcycle to school. I only weighed 90 lbs as a freshman, it was a big bike for me to drive.

This picture was taken in 1986 after I fixed up the old truck. Did all the work myself including the paint. I still have it tucked away in my barn, it needs a little work now.

[jaxops]

My 1969 Buick LeSabre Convertible was a trade in 1977 for my 70 Electra. I had to put a floor in (it had rotted out the floor pans) and fix the gaping hole in the left rear quarter panel and paint the trunk first. It was sold to the Pocono Manor Inn in Pennsylvania. Probably dust by now.

[R Walling]

Not my first, but the third car that I had purchaced. 1932 Ford roadster, Purchaced in 1958. Finaly registered it in 2000 and still driving it.

[Jim Bollman]

Still have my first. Bought in 1963 a month or two before my 15th birthday. That's me the first day.

My Dad said one day that he thought I was old enough to have my first car. He said I could have what every I could afford and he approved. After all the obvious cars a 14 year old thought he needed in 1963, that I couldn't afford and my Father would not approve, I asked what he would suggest. Guess what he already knew of 2 or 3 Crosleys in the area for sale. I bought it with $100 of hard earned money from mowing grass and bailing hay.

Hauled it home on friend of my Dad's trailer. I pointed out that I thought I could get it running and ready to go by the time I turned 16. Within a few days he had talked me into removing the body to store next door to better rebuild the rest. Sometime along then he say he thought a 2 year project was more likely.

I tore it down till there was not anything left to tear down, cleaning and painting as I went then started reassembling. Just enough thing that he needed to help me with to control the time table. It was ready right around my 17th birthday.

In order to make that schedule it got a WesterAuto spray can paint job.

I have done a second mechanical restoration since then and a new WA paint job before they went out of business. It has been waiting along time now for it's 3rd mechanical restoration. Can decide if I should do a body restoration and have just another restored 49 Crosley Wagon or leave the body closer to the way I drove it in High School.

I have actually wondered if it would be possible to remove the WA paint, buff up the original paint and just touch it up where needed to have an original paint job.

[olympic]

I bought my 35 Ford in 1962. I didn't have a driver's license yet and my father had to drive it home from the Jersey coast. It was one of the cars used in filming the motion picture "Tora,Tora'Tora.

[R Walling]

Jim Bollman:

"It has been waiting along time now for it's 3rd mechanical restoration."

Take a look in the mirror and try and think of a way to restore yourself to the condition in the picture and then you will be all set for another 20 or so years.

[rocketraider]

Tom- just wondering what power station your bud's Polara is parked at?

I think all of us could probably stand our own cosmetic restoration. On seeing a picture of me when I was about 22, one of the kids out at the plant said "You were a good-looking dude. What happened to you?"

I said "See what you have to look forward to after about 25 years out here?" He hasn't said anything else...

[Jim Bollman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Roger Walling</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Jim Bollman:

"It has been waiting along time now for it's 3rd mechanical restoration."

Take a look in the mirror and try and think of a way to restore yourself to the condition in the picture and then you will be all set for another 20 or so years.

</div></div>

You got that right. Was just looking through a couple of boxes of old photos in search of one I wanted. These only went back into the 80s and I was thinking I had went down hill a lot.

I figure it is only a matter of time till I will have to start replacing part.

[Guest 35myway]

7/1/60 I was 15 and thought I had found a 34 Ford 2 door north of Forsyth, Montana. I purchased the car for $10. I was working on my granfathers ranch and my cousin and I towed it home with a chain over dirt roads 20+ miles. Boy to be that young again! I drove it all summer and left it there outside for almost 40 years. The ranch was sold and I trailered it to Great Falls, Montana. It's in the shop (out of the weather) and hopefully will be a driver again. Phil (35myway)

[jimkf]

I still have my first car...a 1954 Kaiser Manhattan. My dad bought it from a former KF dealer in 1964 for all of 75 bucks and gave it me when I learned to drive in 1973. Close to 200K miles later...and three engines...it's out in the barn awaiting a full restoration that's planned to start next fall. The car still has it's original and working supercharger and most of it's original paint.

[Guest]

I still have my first car and it is still my daily driver and has ben for 49 years. In June 1959 it had 99,000 miles when I took my drivers test in it. Today it has 491,000 miles. It has been in every state west of the Mississipi and every province and territory from Ontario west. It has been from Mexico (barely) to Alaska.

[R W Burgess]

And what car is this, "TIN"????

Must be a GM product, right, Dick Griswold?

Pictures????

Wayne

[Guest]

There are pictures under the photo gallery (I havn't had time to figure out how to posst them here). The car is in my signature.

[R W Burgess]

Whoops, didn't come up!

[Guest windjamer]

Most ;ikely a Buick or outher GM Wayne. Ford made the last good one back in 1952. 53 brought us the o/head junk.

[Guest imported_jmarsicano]

I still do, wife hates it though!

[ex98thdrill]

My first car was a 1976 Ford Mustang II. The lady who owned it bought it new and lived next to my grandmother in Florida. I've had the car for 26 years, and not only was it my first car, it was the car where I got my driver's license with it.

The car is down in my garage as we speak and is just as nice as it was in 1983.

[Bill Harmatuk]

In 1969 I bought a 1930 Model A. I was 14 years old.

The old man started it up and hooked it to my Dad's truck.

350.00

(Worked on it night and day till I found out what girls were)

I found an ole 1930 CJ-6 Chrysler, 4dr., tucked in the back of a garage in 1974. 47,000 original miles, NO rust (out),every original part. 1200.00

Still have them both.

Bill

[HarryJ]

Keiser31, I still own my first car which I acquired in 1969. It is one of those rare and sought after Model "A" Fords. It is a 1929 Tudor Sedan. I drove this car as a dailey driver for some few years arround Birmingham Alabama before I started a ground up restoration. It's a wonder I'm not dead as I drove it with brakes that worked sometimes and had wheel bearings that were spinning races and plate glass windows and no seat belts. This car is still in my collection.

[Guest Dave Wyatt]

If I still had my 54 Chevy, I would be able to store most of it in a shoe box by now. That poor rusty thing was disolving before my eyes in 1971. It didn't need a garage, it needed a dutpan and a broom.

I am glad to know that some have managed to hang on to their first cars. I do still have car #4 that I bought in '73.

[C4GY]

I have my first car, it's a 1931 "A" Tudor. My father bought it for me for my 16th birthday in 1960. He paid $115 for it. Best present I ever got. And I have a good story of how NOT to restore a car Hint: DON"T take it apart until you need to.

Dan

[keiser31]

Ah...the ole "engine in a bucket" system!

[Guest Econovanman]

Heres a little twist: I don't have my original very first car, but am building an almost exact replica right down to the model-a 1965 Mustang K code 289 High Performance GT Convertible!!! the only difference is going to be the colors and style of the interior, my first was Caspian Blue with White top, and White standard interior, and the "new" one is going to be tripple Black with the DeLuxe "Pony" interior.

BOTH K codes!!!

[Dynaflash8]

By Golly Dave, you DID get that 1935 Ford back together!! Am I right, you named that car "Henrietta"?

I was just telling somebody the other night how it sat in the small garage apart for years and I didn't know if you ever got it back together.

Can you remember in 1966 when we ginned up the CHVA idea over lunch at work. You were 21 and I was 28. Long time ago old friend, long time ago. I still wonder if it had not been for us, if AACA would have ever gone to the 25 year rule in 1974? We can surmise, but can never really know.

[TexRiv_63]

I sometimes wish I still had my first car but I don't. Growing up in northern Illinois, the first car I drove was a 55 Ford Customline tudor sedan and the first car I owned was a 55 Ford Victoria 2-door hardtop. They both basically dissolved into piles of rust and I moved on through too many cars to count. Just recently I saw a rust free 55 tudor and was momentarily tempted but too many other irons in the fire.

[Dynaflash8]

I do not have my first car. I only have an exact duplicate of my first car. I bought my first car, a 1939 Buick Special sedan with double sidemounts and a leather interior, on January 29, 1955 from a family friend. On July 31 of the same year I traded it on a 1952 Plymouth Belvedere coupe in an effort to win greater favor with a girl I was dating. That failed of course. In 1963 I bought another '39 Buick and over 18 years and three restoration attempts I correctly built it to be exactly like my first car and won a First Junior at the Reading, PA AACA National Meet in 1981. It won a Senior in Hershey, and a Grand National in 1982 at Hagerstown. In 2000 we went for a Grand National Senior (non-existant in 1983) and won it at Montoursville, PA. We've named all of our cars too. This one my wife, Judy, named "Suzybelle". Suzy was also used in the filming of "Tora, Tora, Tora".

[imported_ktm858]

I still have my 1967 Chevy Impala SS convertable that I bought when I was 10 for $350. I don't think I could ever get rid of it because I have it so long, its like part of the family.

[R W Burgess]

I've never owned a duplicate of my first car, the black '64 Chevy Impala that my Dad paid half the purchase price for, as a graduation present, I presume. I'm sure he questioned whether I'd ever graduate back then.

All this talk about building or buying a car like your first one has gotten me to thinking, "Gosh, I know where 3 nice '64 Chevy's are right now. I'll bet that I could buy one of them?" Nope, no garage space.

Hey Earl, Gloria won't let me name cars. She says she doesn't want the competition!

Wayne

[Guest Gary Hearn]

My first car was actually a 1949 2R5 Studebaker pickup that I paid $75 for in January, 1974 at age 15. The late Sam Miller towed it to my house behind the '61E13 Studebaker wrecker from Coggins Motor.

I had the auto class in high school completely rebuild the engine and kept it until 1979 when I sold it to a man in Pennsylvania who completely restored it. I spoke to him a couple of years ago and he had sold it locally to a body shop owner. If it had overdrive I might be tempted to get it back.

That humble beginning has led to my ownership of more than 3 dozen Studebakers in my lifetime.

[LINC400]

I am probably one of the few people that has zero desire to have my first car back. My uncle had a 1975 Buick Regal and thought it was the best car ever made. So when I wanted to look at a car, he wouldn't take me to look at anything other than Buick Centurys (similar to but not as nice as a Regal. I couldn't get a car as nice as his, that wouldn't do) So I ended up with a '75 Buick Century, silver with navy top and interior, ick. The paint and rust was so bad on the roof that it looked like leprosy. And no rear defroster for icy Chicago winters. I could never see out the back window. When it got hit 6 months later, and I didn't want to pay to fix it because I didn't like it, I realized I didn't have to have anyone drive me to look at cars this time and I could buy whatever I wanted. Since then I've had Lincolns. The next car I would buy would be Packard. No desire whatsoever to relive the Century.