My first car

[Guest Flivver250]

This picture was taken in 1974 right after I bought my first car. 1956 Sedan de Ville. Frozen engine, beautiful interior, no brains. Worked on the puppy all summer and fall. 17 years old with a borrowed socket set and a dream of talking girls into admiring the rear seat upolstery. Dissasembled the engine, freed it up, reassembled with the orginal parts and the damn thing ran. It had only one brake hooked up when I bought it for $175.00. I had a Motors manual and motivation. Rebuilt the carb, brakes and exhaust with liberal application of junkyard parts. Loved that car. It got sold to a Canadian after I went in the Army. It may well still be in Quebec. Notice my brother's 40 Ford in the garage. Wish my driveway still had these cars.

[cahartley]

^ Where is the LIKE button when I need it.......

[Guest andres15]

Nice Car

It's my First Car W108 I love my car. I Love my car like a Son.

[Guest Flivver250]

Very nice MB. I used to work on Mercedes. I always found them well laid out and thought out when it came to working on them.

[Bleach]

Very nice MB. I used to work on Mercedes. I always found them well laid out and thought out when it came to working on them.

It sounds like you haven't worked on enough of them.

When you have worked enough on them, you become fluent swearing in German.

[HarryJ]

My first car was a tired 1929 model "A" which I bought in 1969..........it's a wonder I'm still alive.........the brakes were hit or miss and the 16 year old that purchased it for $125.00 drove it as fast as it would go.......................I still own it as I restored it subsequently ............it needs work again............yet I still enjoy driving it!

[Guest Flivver250]

It sounds like you haven't worked on enough of them.

When you have worked enough on them, you become fluent swearing in German.

I never liked that hidden 13mm nut on the diesel injector pump.

[Guest Flivver250]

My first car was a tired 1929 model "A" which I bought in 1969..........it's a wonder I'm still alive.........the brakes were hit or miss and the 16 year old that purchased it for $125.00 drove it as fast as it would go.......................I still own it as I restored it subsequently ............it needs work again............yet I still enjoy driving it!

I wish I still had mt first.

[Guest Flivver250]

Here is the 53 Chieftan I used to own. Bought it around 1982 from an old lady's estate. 18K on the odometer. Hadn't run since 1973. Pulled the head, cleaned out about a pound of carbon, replace two burnt valves and it ran like a dream. Flathead six with three on the tree. Beautiful inside and out.

[John Byrd]

My first car was a 56 Chevy Station wagon. It was turquoise and white, V-8, 3 speed and in good shape. I put a youth-bed mattress, dual exhausts, glass packs, later model station wagon wheels (wider), and baby moons on it. Nope, the mattress was for sleeping when out of town while working, Ha ! My Dad, an uncle, a cousin, random friends and I were escorting wide loads - - mostly house trailers, all around the south east. I bought the car on a 90 day "note" in 65 after hi-school graduation and had the time of my life driving and earning money, and on some trips for the Government, legally speeding and running on their scheduled time. That car lasted about 85 days before it succumbed permanently to this (then) 17 year old and all the highway "stress". When it used almost 10 quarts of oil, ate another (of many) wheel bearings, and overheated on a trip back from Memphis to Clinton, Tn., my Dad made me trade it for a 64 Bel-Air - - yuk ! (That thing lasted less than 60 days). Loved that old wagon though....

[stuclipson]

This picture was taken in 1974 right after I bought my first car. 1956 Sedan de Ville. Frozen engine, beautiful interior, no brains. Worked on the puppy all summer and fall. 17 years old with a borrowed socket set and a dream of talking girls into admiring the rear seat upolstery. Dissasembled the engine, freed it up, reassembled with the orginal parts and the damn thing ran. It had only one brake hooked up when I bought it for $175.00. I had a Motors manual and motivation. Rebuilt the carb, brakes and exhaust with liberal application of junkyard parts. Loved that car. It got sold to a Canadian after I went in the Army. It may well still be in Quebec. Notice my brother's 40 Ford in the garage. Wish my driveway still had these cars.

ah, yes, what we used to own. this pic is of my first car, jaguar XK-120, when purchased in 1964. can't believe i've owned it for nearly 50 years,. where did the time go?

[Guest danceswithpumps]

Here's an old snapshot of me and my first car, a 1930 Dodge Brothers DA Deluxe Coupe. My dad bought this car from a neighbor in 1951 to check cows, windmills etc. He loaned it to my uncle in 1960. When my uncle wanted to buy it, cut out the rumble seat and make it into a pickup, I talked Dad into getting it back in 62 with the idea of my fixing it up and driving it to school. We got it back and running. My Dad talked me out of driving it to school and I'm glad he did. This was my first car and I still have it. It has been shedded since 62 but not fully restored. I'm still working at it.....someday.

Thanks,

Rod

[Guest Flivver250]

Great pictures and stories.

[jfreakofkorn]

cool thread ....

[28 Chrysler]

Minnesota 1969 - My first car was a $5 pea soup green V8 54 Ford 4 door wagon with fake wood.

The rust was half way up the sides with bondo hiding some of the holes (including the sides of the block caused from a freeze/thaw). It came with almost a full tank of gas, the oil was up and I was off to show my buddies. With a bit over 98,000 miles on it the car had few more issues than the lack of floors, smell of rotting carpet and wood, I never did got to see it go to 00000.0. Sold it for $20 and got myself a much better car, a 1940 Dodge Luxury Liner coupe.

[TerryB]

My first car was a 1951 Pontiac Chieftan that I bought in 1970 with my high school graduation money. Paid $100 for the car. It had a problem of backfire through the carb that turned out to be a crack in the distributor cap. The car was fully equipped with radio, heater, fender skirts, sunvisor, a prisim on the dash to see the traffic light and the light up indian on the hood. Drivetrain was straight eight with auto trans. Sold it after two years for a 1955 Chevy. Sure wish I had the Pontiac today.

Terry

[MarrsCars]

Wonderful thread. My first was a 1957 Cadillac in Leghorn Beige with brown tapestry interior and bronze painted dash. She had 50k original miles and was a beauty. I traded her a few years later when I graduated high school for a Jaguar and the story hasn't ended yet. My current '62 Benz may be a lifetime keeper if she doesn't get traded towards an Aston at some point, and I will agree with those who say they love working on these. The way these are engineered and laid out seems frustrating at first glance but so long as you follow the proper steps it usually ends up being much easier of a job than on other makes. There will often only be one right way to fix the car and as long as you can figure out what that is she will treat you right. Phenomenal cars the oldtimer Benzes.

I LOVE hearing about the XK 120, what a cool story, that's the way to do it!!! Thanks!

[keiser31]

Some of you have seen the story about my first car (1931 Dodge Brothers DH6 business coupe), which I still have....I got distracted by buying another one. Click on the pages a few times to enlarge.

[Guest prs519]

"Like" -- Back when they buillt cars like tanks!

[R W Burgess]

My Dad brought me half of a '64 Impala when I got ready for my first year of college in the fall of '65. I say half, because I had to pay my half, the same deal I worked my kids. You have to start them early.

Anyway, the Chevy was black, red interior, 327 with a powerglide, about wore out the shifter downshifting to make those dual exhausts talk. My only picture is at my daughter's house, present wife isn't keen on 1st wife's picture with my Impala in the house.

I kept her (the car:cool:) until I went to Fort Ord in 1967 for my Basic/AIT. Ordered a new '68 Chevelle while out there, waiting for me when I got back home. I guess you guys have heard that story before.

[CHAD THOMAS]

First car was a 1959? Berkely I purchased before I turned 16 just so I could have my own project. Never did get it running though, so I sold it later for 3 times what I paid for it.

This was followed by several throw away vehicles ( bought cheap, rode hard and sent to pasture ) .

[Joe Block]

I was in the second of college and moving away to a 4 year school. A white rust out 57 FORD sic cylinder 4 door sedan, an exit country car, that the survey used. door were pitted, but no real dents. I did paint in the driveway at Christmas in 20 degree weather, Primer charcoal was the color.

We called it the freeway special, everyone clear out of the way, she do 95 on speedometer, including the front end bouncing up and down, no real shocks. probably

At 19, I did not know any better. bought for $300 sold it for $500, use her a good year every weekend for the 2 hour drive home each way. Blew one piston, and got it home using recycled oil in pickle jar, bought by the gallon at every station. We build the engine in the driveway that weekend, the motor ran sluggish, dad took a ride, said the timing was retarded, advance the timing and off I went to school again. might been what blew the piston, of it was the Oil field drip gas iwe ran it in the previous summer, probably retarded the timing to stop the ping, and I never knew advance again. 1970 to 1971.

[kevin1221]

Mom just recently found a box with some old pictures and

in it was a photo of my first car.....1962 Chevy II.

I bought it from a neighbor in the summer of 1971 when I

was 15 years old. It was a one owner car....6 cyl, 3 speed on the column. No

options....no carpet, no radio...

It ran good, once I was told I had to push the clutch in

when I came to a stop sign!

Not a bad car at all...especially for the purchase price

of $50.00

Sold it about a year later at a profit and bought a 66

Impala SS convertible.

Kevin

[TexRiv_63]

Good thread Flivver. My first car was a 1955 Ford Victoria, I bought it in 1967 for $150. Not running but complete, 272 automatic and pretty good body and interior for an Illinois car. I rebuilt the engine with J C Whitney parts and swapped in a three speed stick and 3.90 rear end. The only problem was I had never driven a stick car, when I got it running I taught myself one morning on the way to work - that was a lot of fun! Did my own body work and had it painted at a local Earl Scheib. I loved that car, had it for about 4 years and made just about every mistake possible on it.

[Guest Flivver250]

When I started twisting wrenches on my 56 Caddy, I had no mechanical mentor, just an old Motors Manual and some borrowed wrenches. Junkyards first choice, local parts store and JC Whitneys were second. I reassembled the engine using the original gaskets (even the head gaskets) and cut a number of cork gaskets with an Exacto knife. No one told me not to use new gaskets. That Caddy should never ever have run, but it fired right up and ran well enough. Positive proof there is a God and God is extremely merciful. Ran all new brakes and used copper line (didn't know better). Took it to an old timer mechanic for it's Vermont state inspection sticker. He saw how hard I'd been working on it that I think I broke his heart. He said son, I can ignore a whole bunch, but those copper lines will get you killed. He gave me a ton of steel line and said, put these in and I'll pass her. Didn't sleep until it was done. Learned how to use a flaring kit fast. Put a Craig 8-Track in there and I was pimp daddy. Gave the car to my older brother when I went into the army and he promptly sold it to a collector in Quebec. I have always wondered if the car survived the years and the salt. Doubt it did. I have no doubt the collector was positvely flabbergasted when he dug into the mechanicals and probably thought it was owned by an army of mechanical morons. It even had a Chrome bare foot gas pedal. That Caddy would go anywhere in snow. It was a tank.

[cahartley]

My first car was a '59 Chev Biscayne with the 235 six and 3 on the column. Bought it within a month after turning 16.

I paid $200 for it and left a trail of smoke all the way home....... :eek:

So I ringed it and added a bypass oil filter while I was at it.

Back in the late 60's -30º winter nights were fairly common.

There was never a time that car didn't start.

It was easy on gas, rode like a boat and I loved it........and have wanted another for a long long time.

And on September 1st I got another one.......a '59 Bel Air with a 235 and 3 on the tree.......

I bought it sight unseen except for photos and a phone call. Advertised "loose", not running, but the price was right and all the glass and trim looked good.

I was ready for my guy to arrive with it and within 20 minutes after rolling it off the trailer and some visual checks, putting in a battery, disconnecting the gas line and squirting some gas in the carb it fired up immediately.

I don't know how long it stood but the gas in the tank smelled 15 years old........it was the MOST awful gas I have ever EVER smelled in my life.

I wound up having to get a new gas tank and sending unit plus a fuel pump before I could even drive it.

Anyway.......I think I love this one more than I did my first........I can't remember ever having another car that rides this nice.......

It's taking some getting used to driving that boat though........ LOL

The top and trunk lid look pretty new because they are.......sort of.

The entire top and trunk lid showed rust......it looked awful and I couldn't stand it so they got sanded and rattle canned.

Edited November 1, 2013 by cahartley (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

When I started twisting wrenches on my 56 Caddy, I had no mechanical mentor, just an old Motors Manual and some borrowed wrenches. Junkyards first choice, local parts store and JC Whitneys were second. I reassembled the engine using the original gaskets (even the head gaskets) and cut a number of cork gaskets with an Exacto knife. No one told me not to use new gaskets. That Caddy should never ever have run, but it fired right up and ran well enough.

I was lucky, my father was mechanically inclined and we owned another 55 Ford before I got mine. He did a ring and valve job on that car in the driveway with the engine in the car and I was the light holder and wrench finder. Later he was amazed when I pulled the engine and trans out and I rebuilt it on the floor of the garage. I also used many junkyard parts and took a lot of shortcuts that would never fly today. Those old engines were so much simpler and stronger, designed to take the abuse of "backwoods maintenance".

[dei]

My first car was given to me by Dad after he drove it two years 60 miles each way to work. Then the U-joint broke and after replacing it with a 59 Oldsmobile (this was 1970) asked me if I wanted a car? You think! Changed it with his help and drove it to High School.

Still have it but........ sadly....

She has seen her last days on the road.

BUT there is hope!

Her twin sister is awaiting an engine build and a few minor things and we are good to go!

Then my life will be complete!

[Dave Henderson]

Maybe this thread has been done before, I dunno, but I bet there are a lot of stories out there to be told yet.

Here's about mine; I was 14 and had just become a licensed driver (this was during WWII, many families driver's were off in service of their country, so young kids could obtain licenses in Virginia in those years). Naturally, I instantly had the itch to own my own set of wheels. Mine however didn't come with wheels! It was a '35 Pontiac 6 cylinder sedan, found up on blocks in an alley, and it had no glass either. Cars of any kind were hard to come by during the war but I was fortunate, it took all of $15 to convince the owner to relinquish it to me. How a friend and I dragged it home is another story. Thanks to strong support from a very savvy mentor I brought it back to life, but only to discover that what had killed it in the first place was a shot rear end. I lucked out again however by finding a junked donor car in the woods which had what i needed. I drove the Pontiac for over a year, then sold it and moved up to a '37 Oldsmobile that had its wheels and glass, but lacked a couple fenders and the grille......

[kevin1221]

My first car was a 1962 Chevy II. I bought it when I was 15 years old from a neighbor in 1971 for $50. It was a 6 cylinder, three on the tree and radio delete.

It was on this car I learned that you had to depress the clutch at a stop sign. Took it for my first drive after buying it, and when I returned home, Dad asked how it drove. I said OK, but it stalled every time I stopped. He asked if I was pushing the clutch in, and I told him I didn't know I needed to do that. Amazing how much better it drove on my second drive!

I sold it about a year later for a nice profit, and bought a 1966 Impala SS Convertible for $395.

Those were the days....

Kevin

[JACK M]

53 Studebaker Champion coupe. From a lot no less. No brakes and smoked so bad that I bought oil by the gallon. (I learned how to do brakes that day with the help of an older friend). The brakes cost almost as much as the car.

$10.00 for the car and $2.00 to transfer the title. I was 14 and had to keep it hidden from the parents.

Must have been about 1963.

[Guest my3buicks]

My first car was purchased in 1979, I bought my Granddad's 67 Special Deluxe from him which he had purchased new - I still own it today.

[Guest peter.k]

Hallo Zusammen, mein erstes Auto war ein Fiat 850 Sport Spider. Baujahr 1966. Den würde ich jetzt gerne nochmal haben. Leider rostete er wie alle Fiat sehr schnell. Fotos habe ich leider auch keine mehr. Aber die Erinnerungen sind da. :-)

[Guest peter.k]

Ich habe mich aber jetzt mit einem Dodge Tourer, Baujahr 1925 selbst glücklich gemacht.

[1939_Buick]

Maybe this thread has been done before..

http://forums.aaca.org/showthread.php?t=361344&p=1231559

[Fleek]

My first was a blue 55 chevy pickup that my stepdad had wore out in the West Texas oilfields. It was only 4 years old but had a hard life. I used it to deliver newspapers in our small town at 4:00am every day until I had saved enough to buy a 57 plymouth savoy.

[R W Burgess]

I merged this one, guys!

[Marty Roth]

After the '32 Chevy 5-window coupe, and when I finally got my driver's license I needed something better than the Family's '57 Plymouth Savoy & '51 Chevy 4-dor Special Deluxe.

Then one day in West Long Branch, NJ, visiting with my friend Vic Lefkowitz, he mentioned that his older brother had driven his mom's car while a student at Rutgers University, but had graduated and now drove a '56 Dodge Royal Lancer convertible.

The garage across the street from their home still had the old car pushed into a storage area. It was dusty, and wouldn't even turn over, but it was beautiful in my eyes. It was a RED 1949 PONTIAC CONVERTIBLE. Sure, the leather interior was a bit stiff, one fender skirt and two hub caps were missing, and the convertible top was no more than shreds over the top-pads. How I ever got it to start, and to drive it home sixty miles holding the clutch pedal UP with my left foot when the button inside the distributor cap wasn't even there, is still a mystery. It was a very cool Jersey night, especially with no top and no heater, and with my 12-year-old brother holding a flashlight so I could see the gauges.

A rebuilt clutch and, pressure plate and a couple of recapped tires with my discount as a part-time employee at Pep Boys, and a good used Rayco white vinyl top off of a junked '51 Chevy from an Avanel junkyard for $8 - then dad & I installed it ourselves - I drove it from October'59 through my summer playing with a band at a resort hotel (Salhara - used to be Friedman's Lakeview in Woodbourne, NY) in the Catskills.

The Red Pontiac was sold in late August of 1960 when I went off to Valley Forge Military Academy to start my college days, but was soon replaced by a triple black 1954 Mercury convertible with every power option, including the thing that shot sand from the trunk at the rear wheels in case of ice and snow. It was, in turn, succeeded by the yellow & black power-pak '56 Bel-air convertible, and then by the white '58 Impala convertible.

[Guest Drew Kreidelcamp]

My first car was this 1951 Henry J that a neighbor let me drag out of his tree grove when I was 15 years old in 1969. It has a Kaiser supersonic 6 and overdrive. I still drive it during the summer months.

[KVP]

My first car was a white 1962 Chevy Corvair Monza coupe with a red interior and a four speed. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the car. With its rear engine and rear wheel drive, it was great in the Michigan winters.