1970s Snapshots Of People With Cars

[alsancle]

Messing around on YouTube I came across this awesome video.  I graduated HS in 1982 so I was really on the tail end of this great era.    Count how many cars are running Cragar SS mags. 

 

 

 

 

 

[alsancle]

Here are my 70s pictures,  although the Eldo one is from the early 80s along with my GTO.

 

 

[SC38dls]

I thought for sure the two guys on the bikes jumping the car were you and Ed! 
dave s 

[lump]

Most photos of my cars from back in the day don't include photos of me. But here is one capturing a memory my wife and cherish still. The year is about 1976 or 77, and the car is our "2nd car," which I drove to work daily. The occasion was the day my wife and I brought her mother along when we went shopping for a Christmas tree. The house we had recently bought then had vaulted ceilings, with room for a really tall tree. So I bought the tallest one I could find, and having no truck, I tied it on top of the car. The tip-top branches were rubbing the ground in the back, and the stump end hung almost to my front bumper. I had to keep dodging the waving branches in order to see where I was going. Everyone in traffic stared at us in disbelief, which my wife and I thought was hilarious. But my poor mother-in-law was shocked, embarrassed, and about half frightened. It was only a few block drive, but I was too young and dumb to be concerned that something could go really, really wrong! When we got home, my wife insisted on a photo to show how tall the tree was, and having no ladder...I stood on the quarter panel! 

 

If you look closely you can see that the roof on my '68 Impala 2 door hardtop has been smashed in a bit. Caused by a swinging I-beam overhanging from the bed of a truck where I worked. After it happened my boss asked me what I had paid for the car. I truthfully said I had paid $300 for it, and he wrote me a check for $300 and said I could keep the car. I drove it for another year. Oh, by the way, it still had its original 427 big block engine, 400 turbo automatic transmission, positraction rear end, and black over black color. After a year I sold it for....you guessed it...$300. Wonder what that drivetrain would be worth today? LOL 

[lump]

I found another one. This was taken July 27, 1974, when my wife and I were married. The 40 Ford coupe was our wedding present. The photo of us leaving the church on the same day is in the 1921 Kissel touring car which now belongs to Ronald Lee Hausman, an AACA member who is active on this forum. (I should have SAVED some of that hair for my use on my bald head today!)

Edited October 26, 2022 by lump (see edit history)

[TerryB]

1971- Class winner at the local drag strip that day.

[alsancle]

5 minutes ago, TerryB said:

1971- Class winner at the local drag strip that day.

As I recall, most tri five Chevy‘s were running 327 Corvette engines with a four-speed?

[keiser31]

Moved to California from Michigan in the '70's and got this 1957 MGA roadster. MAN, I LOVED driving that little car!

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

High School class of 1968, lived through that era and just never noticed the cars, worked in a restoration shop up till 1983. Wish I had a time machine to go back and buy a few $15,000 Bugatti GP Cars. 

 

Bob

[PFitz]

My 72 Javelin converted to an AMX. I bought it new in the summer of 72 when I got home from Fort Ord. Sorry, none with people and the car. I was having too much fun driving it to be bothered taking pictures of it. 

 

Paul

 

 

[Laughing Coyote]

4 hours ago, alsancle said:

Count how many cars are running Cragar SS mags.

also air shocks and wide tires. 

[EmTee]

10 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Moved to California from Michigan in the '70's and got this 1957 MGA roadster. MAN, I LOVED driving that little car!

DUH - I would have bought that car just for the license plate! 

[Walt G]

11 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

High School class of 1968, lived through that era and just never noticed the cars

My High School Class was a year earlier then Bobs, and about an hour+ or - south of where he lives! We share the same sentiment though, I never noticed the cars that were new of that era either. I was already into cars that were 30 to 40+ years old at the time. My high school classmates thought I was slightly weird because I liked non hot rod cars, but original cars  in the 1920s/30s, they chalked it up to the fact I was an artist. At a high school reunion 40 years later a group of them came up to me and said " we thought you were weird then, but now we are trying to catch up to what you liked then and appreciated and can understand it"  I just shrugged my shoulders , my view hasn't changed any so far as my main focus of interest.

[TAKerry]

2020-06-06_11-09-58 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

I must have been around 8 or so. Dont remember too many times Dad dressed in a suit, must have been Easter Sunday. Pretty sure it was '72 Grandville.

2020-06-06_11-10-06 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

First day of First Grade. Moms 67 Firebird 400 in the background (seeing a theme here!)

2020-06-06_11-09-31 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Me in my 65 F100 (my brothers 53 chevy in the background). Truck was a hand me down, had a transplanted 'vette 350 and 4 speed.

 

2020-06-06_11-09-50 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

My first 'car'. 72 Gran Torino. Bought it from my bil in 1981, had about 10k miles on it. He bought it new along with a Pinto at the same time. The Pinto was his dd and the Torino was 'date night' car. One of those I wish I had back.

 

2020-06-06_11-09-41 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

My first 'new car'. 82 Firebird. Traded the Torino for it, they gave me $750 for the Ford!

 

[ol' yeller]

Here’s one of my brother and me taken in 1969 in my 1965 Buick Skylark convertible. Judging by our clothes we were likely heading to church…or at least that’s where we told our folks where we were heading.

[TerryB]

14 hours ago, alsancle said:

As I recall, most tri five Chevy‘s were running 327 Corvette engines with a four-speed?

Yes, at that time many of them got upgraded. Mine, however was still sporting its 265ci and three speed that was now connected to a Foxcraft floor shifter.  In the final run I wanted to make sure I didn’t pull a red light.  Fifty plus years later and I still have the trophy.

[Dave39MD]

I had just bought the 62 and sold the 70 Camaro to my good friend George. We managed to stay friends even after the transaction.

 

Dave

Edited October 26, 2022 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[Peter Gariepy]

17 hours ago, alsancle said:

I graduated HS in 1982

Yikes... I'm older than you!?  Now I feel old. (class of 1980)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

32 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Yikes... I'm older than you!?  Now I feel old. (class of 1980)

 

 YOUNG whippersnappers!

 

  Ben

[EmTee]

16 hours ago, alsancle said:

As I recall, most tri five Chevy‘s were running 327 Corvette engines with a four-speed?

Close -- 327/275 with TH400.  If you needed someone able to swap-out a '56 - '64 third member in a flash, I was your guy!

 

I believe this picture was ~1978.

 

That's  my '70 Newport (440/727) winter rat in the background.  I took these pictures on my mom's Polaroid SX-70, so I wasn't in them... 

[keiser31]

My old 1930 DeSoto 8 cylinder sedan....

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Posted these before, I need to find some more.  The white Camaro is a friends, my blue 71 is behind it.  The 68 Mustang GTA has just been restored by my HS pal Rich, he has had it since age 14. 

The white Camaro was rolled, and mine was sold to another kid who drove it to from CT to school in FL.  Those pics are likely  1980, in my driveway.  I graduated in 81. 

The vette came a couple years later.

Also had a 41 plymouth, 69 Chevelle, 76 Chevy step side with some 70s custom touches and a 56 Chevy in that golden period from around age 14 to 22

Edited October 26, 2022 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

As I was watching I was hoping I’d recognize some of the people or cars but no such luck, still very cool to see all those smilin faces with their rides. Brought back some very fond memories. 

That girl at the 6:10 mark in front of the 71/72 Chevy pickup seemed very tall. Miss those days…

 

Thanks for posting 😀

[alsancle]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Yikes... I'm older than you!?  Now I feel old. (class of 1980)

I remember when I was the youngest guy on the forum.  If I’m lucky maybe I’ll get to be the oldest guy someday.

[SC38dls]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Yikes... I'm older than you!?  Now I feel old. (class of 1980)

Is that bragging or complaining? Hell I’m older than both of you and Walt too! 
HS class of 64. The body feels older but the mind says i am 19 again with four times the experience. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 
dave s 

Edited October 26, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[TerryB]

Visiting a friend in CA in 1979, took this photo on the Golden Gate Bridge. Bought the Rally Nova new in 1977.  Apparently that option was available in late 1977 as it doesn’t appear in the 1977 Nova sales brochure but is shown in the 1978 one.  Not a fast car but very reliable and great handling.

[TAKerry]

I too graduated in '82. 

The polaroid sx70 comment brought back some memories. I remember going to the mall with dad when he bought one when they first came out. It was very high end for the time. Had a brushed chrome finish and tan leather(ette). I am pretty sure that it was a fairly expensive camera. I think my brother still has if floating around somewhere.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Couple more, my first car ever, 41 Plymouth 2 door sedan.  My 56 Chevy, Rich and me removing the engine and me and my 76 chevy pick up when it was done.  Yes, it ran... 😁

Edited October 26, 2022 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[CChinn]

1 hour ago, TerryB said:

Visiting a friend in CA in 1979, took this photo on the Golden Gate Bridge. Bought the Rally Nova new in 1977.  Apparently that option was available in late 1977 as it doesn’t appear in the 1977 Nova sales brochure but is shown in the 1978 one.  Not a fast car but very reliable and great handling.

Sorry I have no photos of me and a car during the 1970s, but the photo of the Golden Gate Bridge was a blast from the past for me when I grew up in the SF Bay Area during the 60s and 70s. Thanks for the memories. Someone today would look at that photo and say where is the bumper to bumper traffic!😀

[TerryB]

3 minutes ago, CChinn said:

Sorry I have no photos of me and a car during the 1970s, but the photo of the Golden Gate Bridge was a blast from the past for me when I grew up in the SF Bay Area during the 60s and 70s. Thanks for the memories. Someone today would look at that photo and say where is the bumper to bumper traffic!😀

In a strange twist of fate, my son now lives near SF.  He thought that picture of the bridge, like your comment, is sure lightly traveled compared to today.

[DLynskey]

I graduated 1n 1961. In my class only a couple had cars. and I was in Grad school before I got the first "driver" of my own. I have no good pictures of myself -- I was always the one behind the camera -- but These might be of interest. 

 

1) Like Walt G I was the odd one in HS when it came to cars. My school was in the center of town with lots of traffic, but I occasionally drove my '28 Chrysler that i got when I was 15.

 

 

2) In college my brother and I shared this '51 Chevy that my dad bought from a couple of ladies my mother knew.

 

 

 

3) and I like to show off my brother's toys. 

 

 

 

 

Don

[Grimy]

On 10/25/2022 at 7:14 PM, keiser31 said:

Moved to California from Michigan in the '70's and got this 1957 MGA roadster. MAN, I LOVED driving that little car!

 

John, about that "DUH" license plate.....  🙂

[keiser31]

9 hours ago, Grimy said:

John, about that "DUH" license plate.....  🙂

I got a LOT of crap for that license plate!

[Grimy]

10 minutes ago, keiser31 said:

I got a LOT of crap for that license plate!

When I was that age (of happy memory), the crew I hung with always noted the license plate on a potential acquisition to determine if the car was worth the embarrassment.

[LARRYCAROL]

This was taken winter ok 72/73. Car is long gone, but I kept the girl . Married 50 years in January 😎

[PFindlay]

Here are two pictures circa 1973 with my first motorcycle, a 1967 Triumph Daytona 500.  The first is giving my little sister a ride.  The second is camping, 70s style.  We drove as far we could in the sand (Long Beach on Vancouver Island) and then pitched our tent.  It rained overnight and we woke up to everything wet - spent the morning in the local laundromat before moving on.

 

 

[PFindlay]

This is what happens when you buy a '65 Mustang at night, for $100.  Amazingly, Dad didn't say anything negative.  He just set to work making it drivable.

 

 

 

[PFindlay]

And this is older brother (who frequents this site also) bringing home one of his projects.  His Ford pickup and my Fargo.

 

[countrytravler]

Takin in 1973, Navel Air Station near San Diego CA. 1955 Cameo. 327 400 4 speed.

[keiser31]

My Dad and me back in Michigan with my 1926 Chrysler and my 1931 Dodge coupe.