reason you own your old car

[nearchoclatetown]

There's something I've wondered for a while, that is why do you own the old cars you own? Father's car? G-father's car? Style? Price? I got interested in Dodge Bros. helping a neighbor with his fleet. We went to "look" at 2 that were for sale. He now has the roadster and I have the coupe. My Camaro was bought new by someone I know. I worked with 4 of the owners.I wanted to buy it in '72, finally bought it a few years ago. My split window VW was the first one I ever saw, my kids will get to fight over it.

[Shop Rat]

We own a 1939 Dogdge four door sedan. It was cheap so Bill bought it. A kid has been going to street-rod it and someone "Coked" his gas tank right afer he got the engine redone and he had no money to do anymore work on it. So a guy in a junkyard in Green Castle, Pa. had it. I think Bill found it in Hemmings.

The 1963 1/2 Sprint goes back to Bill's youth. He had a new hard-top version when they came out. He couldn't afford the convertible which is what we have now.

We had a 1958 Chevy Biscayne but he sold that to a guy out of Fla. We were only the second owners of it. (I am still mad at him for selling it...and he knows it.) Bill put two ads in Hemmings. One for the '58 Chevy and one for the '66 Alfa Romeo. The guy wanted both cars so Bill sold them both to him. At least I will only need two pallbearers when he dies because trash cans only have two handles.

If he even thinks of selling the Sprint he knows he better just jump in the can before I stuff him in there....head first.

[Bob Kinker]

I guess I'll go car by car here.

26 Model T Coupe This car was on display in a local antique car museum. something about it made it stand out from the other T's it was parked with, and I had to have it. About a year after the museum closed down, it was mine.

40 Ford Standard 2 dr sedan Always wanted one. Built all the 40 Ford models as a kid, now I have the real thing!

64 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan Had one similar to it that one of my aunts gave me. Very dependable and I really love the pushbutton trans controls.

64 Plymouth Sport Fury I had one in my mis-spent youth. Had a ball with it. It had a 383, auto in floor, buckets, & was black on black. I have been looking for a really nice one for a while, but prices have been going through the roof. I bought a rusty project car that may get completed sometime before I retire. (I'm 51)

64 Imperial Crown Coupe. I won this one on E-Bay. Originally I was going to use the engine/trans in my Sport Fury, but when I picked up the car, I found it was too nice to cut up. Oh well, I guess another project won't hurt

If any of you want to see pictures of these cars, they are all in the PHOTOS section of the web site. Listed under either B Kinker or Bob Kinker

[1937hd45]

I think it was in 1962 that I got my first ride in an Antique car, and it made a major impression on my future. Had to wait until 1983 to buy that 1912 T Ford Touring car, that had been restored in time for the 1950 Glidden Tour. Have the 1931 Ford Roadster that Dad restored in the 1960's, and the Lyndwood rail that was at the first drag race I went to in 1961. I've wanted a 1937 Harley like the one Dad bought new for well over 25 years, finally got serious about it 6 years ago and have just about all the parts now. Who knows, maybe 2005 will be the year I get one of them running and registered.

[Dave@Moon]

My dad never bought the same kind of car twice (still hasn't). I was a typical car-obsessed kid in high school and college, but never had anything like the funds to do anything about it. In fact I had to turn my driver's license in to the state for three years because I couldn't afford insurance on my father's car <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> college tuition/room & board. The first car I bought (a '60 Falcon for $800 that I'd saved over about 1 year) was bought for grad school transportation. It was purely a practical purchase, although I later restored it. I was 28 and married before I bought my first car (a new '86 Dodge Colt) that I chose.

The Triumph TR6 I am restoring is the car I would've bought in high school/college if I had the means. My '60 Buick is the car (one of them at least--the rest I still can't afford) that I'd have liked to bought and "fixed up" at that age for fun.

[HarryJ]

Gosh....This is a difficult question. First, I love the styling and the technology concurrent with cars of the past; second the people associated with the hobby are great! If I had the money I would own them all; or at least one of every type. Legend has it that when Bill Harrah died he had the stock in his casinos, his automotive collection and $10,000 in the bank and was looking for more cars. I hope to die in his position.

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

As a very young child, I always loved "old timey" cars. My parents would point them out to me when we saw them on the road. It was always the pre-war cars that I loved. When I was in high school, I went through the Mustang, Camaro, Charger, '55-57 Chevy stage. Although I could never afford to own anything like that, I was still very interested in them, like most teenage boys of the time. I never lost my love for the pre-war cars, though. I knew my brother-in-law's father had a Model A Ford, but I had never seen it. I finally saw it when I was in my late teens. I was somewhat disappointed. It had been sitting under a shed, not completely out of the weather. It had really gone down hill. I knew it had once been a presentable car. One day my sister called and said "Guess what's in my garage?" They had bought the car from her father-in-law. They kept it in their garage for 12 years, never did anything with it except store stuff inside and on top. While it was now out of the weather, it was still just setting up and was not getting in any better shape. One day my sister called and said they were moving into a condo and had no place to store the Model A and did I want to buy it. I discussed it with my wife and we bought it. It didn't sit long before I had it running and began the restoration. It's not "completely" done, but pretty close. I am already looking for my next one. Hopefully, it will be a Model T. My wife wants either a '55-'56 T-Bird or a '40 Ford Coupe. Champaign tastes on a beer budget! T's are a lot more affordable.

[Guest imported_jmarsicano]

Mine is an easy one!

The Pontiac was my first car. Still have it and getting it ready for spring. O boy am I already excited!

The racer was dads, one that he owned and raced back in the 70's. It was old and tired then. Now its a real fun car to run around the track.

Joe

[Bill Stoneberg]

I love the 4 door sedans and station wagons, because that is what I grew up with. When I started looking for another old car, I was looking for a Woodie. I looked for a couple of years without finding the correct one. During my search I found a nice four door that I had to have. 2 months later, I found the woodie I wanted.

I also like the Model T's because of their simplicity and style. My uncle has 2 of them and I rembmeber driving them and riding in them as kids. I hope someday to get one.

[Matt Harwood]

My father bought his first old car when I was 5 years old, in 1975. It was a 1934 Ford deluxe fordor sedan, ostensibly purchased as a daily driver. He liked the looks of the old cars, but not their roadability in modern traffic, but kept trying to get one to use like a modern car. Eventually, he settled on a '41 Buick Super coupe that he actually <span style="font-style: italic">did</span> drive daily for about 4 years until someone ran into it. By then, he owned about a dozen old cars of varying types, from a '25 Buick touring to a '66 Cadillac DeVille convertible. He got me hooked on cars early.

When I got tired of racing cars, I decided to go back to my roots where I'd started in the hobby: old cars. I decided the '41 Century was about the best car I could think of. It was relatively affordable, parts were plentiful, it brought back some great memories (my car even smelled like my dad's when I got it!) and would be a great driving car when finished. I can't wait to start driving it!

I have always had a soft spot for Packards, however, and my dream is to own a '33-34 V12 Packard of some sort. But I'll keep the Buick forever. Who sells their cars? Not me, certainly...

[Mika Jaakkola]

Well.. My story may be a little bit longer...

I think I was 3-5 years old, when I first bought magazines about US-cars.. I cut those pictures of from the magazines and glued them to a scrapbook.. Those books are long gone and it wasn't until 1993 when I was 14-years old and started thinking (I remember this well, we were coming back from my grandparents,a 6 hours trip to one direction), that I have 4 years before I get my driver's licence, so why shouldn't get an american-made-automobile. So, I bought a finnish "V8-Magazine" from a gas station. Then something hit me REALLY BAD!

I didn't even consider another car than old American made car.

Well.. I played guitar(still play sometimes, I have a Gibson Les Paul and WOW IT SOUNDS GREAT!) and listened LOt's of Blues & Rock'n'Roll etc etc music from that era ('30's -70's). So it gave more burst to get an OLD CAR. I read and read those finnish and swedish automobile magazines over and over again.

Then in 1997 I finally had enough money, and also almost drivers licence in hand.

So I guess I was looking for that '58 Edsel, that I'm still looking for, back then.

OKay, guys, I'll have to let you know that my father, was really very much AGAINST these American automobiles(they burn too much gas, you cannot get any parts etc etc..as usual) We had a LOT OF FIGHTS about this matter.

So, I did something that, if he would have known, I really believe he would kicked me out from home..

I bought a 1964 Imperial Crown 4dHT.

I found it from a local paper, and it was in Turku, so I had to call this guy immediately. It was a cheap (I think).. $4000 in US cash. But as soon as we arrived to a parking lot, I wanted that we wouldn't even stop. I saw the car. It looked horrible!

Sidepipes, without mufflers(!!), smaller rear wheels, right front fender chrushed, the paint was not-shiny-gray. .

The owner showed up, tore down jeans+jacket, long hair, big beard. Actually he was 20-years old then!

So, the car started up great, and when we test drove with my friend, EVERYBODY on the streets were staring at us. I really knew then, that I have to get this car!

It was an experience of a lifetime! I couldn't take it to home, of course, so I knew a garage nearby, where I could keep it and fix it up.

Oh. By the way.. The owner said to me then, that "When you buy a first one of these, it will not be your last!" and he couldn't be more RIGHT!!

Oh.. Must get back on this later..

[Guest BruceW]

Here are our reasons for the vehicles we currently own:

1935 FORD PICKUP - It was the first antique vehicle I owned. Given to me by my grandfather when I was 17. The truck was bought new in 1935 by Mr. Miller (my grandfather's boss) and given to my grandfather as a company truck to drive for the roofing business that Mr. Miller owned. When Mr. Miller retired, my grandfather and his friend opened their own roofing business and Mr. Miller gave the truck to my grandfather to help them start the business. After grandfather and his friend later went their separate ways, grandfather still had the truck and kept it until 1978 when he gave it to me, despite there being other grandchildren that he could have given it to. In addition, prior to being given to me, the truck was from the same Augusta/Rockingham county area of Virginia in which my family has lived for almost 315 years.

1957 CHEVY PICKUP - Saw it parked along the road for sale and loved the style. Bought it as a something "to play with" since the 1935 Ford was not yet on the road. It was the vehicle which resulted in Di and I joining AACA and which we drove for many years as our only drivable vehicle.

1931 FORD DELUXE TUDOR- A mostly original car which we bought from a fellow club member when we needed something the daughters could ride in when they got old enough to attend events and trips. (the 57 Chevy pickup cab was just too for 2 adults and 2children). We started looking for a car and had not planned on owning anything as old as a 1931 Ford. Happen to see it when visiting the club member's garage. AfterDi and I both drove the 1931 Ford, we fell in love with it. Because we were tight for money at the time, we were allowed to make payments to the club member while owning the car. It is one of the most fun cars we have driven, and while most driving is done on back roads, being able to cruise at 55 for extended periods of time makes it possible to do so on highways when needed.

I am sure there will be many other years and models of antique vehicles in the future.

[kuhner]

Right now the only old car I have is my Beetle.

My first car I owned was a hundred dollar '61 Falcon I bought from my great uncle. I saved up for that car and was pretty much used up by the time I got it. But my Dad was a firm believer in if you want a car buy it yourself.

My sister had a Beetle around that time and I always liked to drive it, so I always had an interest in VW. I inherited that beetle from her and since I was about 17 Ive had a VW in one form or another.

My current beetle came into my life when a co-worker told me about it. I had no intentions of buying it, but when my wife and I saw it we had to have it. At the time it just made sense.

Would like to find another, maybe a split window or a early convertible, but also have the itch for a Model T. Who knows!

[Guest AlK]

I was home on leave from the miltary in 1963. My uncle, my cousin, and one of their friends and I were sitting in a diner in Albany, New York, when up pulls the most gorgeous car I had ever seen. It was then and there that I fell in LUST with the 63-66 dodge Darts. The one that pulled up to the diner was a 1963 GT convertible. I had fooled around with cars before, a 1939 ford coupe that another cousin had souped up, 3/4 race flathead with tri-carb set. other than that I had nothing else but back and forth to work cars. It would be 20 years before I would be able to get my dream car. In 1966 I had a chance to get one but I was newly married and had to think logically(?) so i got a 1964 dart 270 2dr hardtop, it was sitting next to the 63 gt conv. but it was $400 more so I had to go for cost instead of lust. But in 1983 I bought a 1965 Dart Gt conv. that I still have to this day. My other love is Packards. No particular year, I have just always been enthralled with them. I have had to setlle for the middle 50's cars since I am in no way related to Donald Trump so I cannot afford the high dollar jobs so I will settle for my 55 patricians.

[Guest Skyking]

In 1976 my younger brother owned my parents hand me down 55 Buick Century. My parents always owned Buicks. The only thing my brother didn't like about the Century, was the lack of power steering. So he was in search for a parts car that had it. He bought a 55 Special with PS and drove it home. He couldn't get himself to tare it apart, because it ran so well. I ended up buying the Special off him for $25.00......that got me hooked with Buicks! Then came the 62 Invicta. I wanted a convertible, and it had to be a 60's Buick. The price & timing was right on this car. Since then I bought a 63 LeSabre, and 66 Skylark which I've have sold.

People ask me, how do you go from Buicks to Metropolitans? When I was 10 years old my aunt had a 55 Met. During the summer months I would wash & wax it for her. So when my son was at the age of 12, I wanted to get him involved in cars and thought the Metropolitan would be a fine choice. We found a 57 convertible that we worked on as a father & son project. Now,he is 37 with a family and still owns it along with other makes. We had so much fun with the Met, I had to buy one.

Our whole family has been involved in old cars. My father who is 92 recently sold his 31 Model A Deluxe roadster after a 30 year ownership.........

[Guffin]

At school, one day a model A Ford drove by, driven by a friends older brother. I was fascinated by the sound of the engine and the graceful way the car jumped over the bumpy road. A thought started to grow in my head. A few years later I found an add about a 2door A Ford. I went to look at it. The seller said "Please try it for a ride". I didn't dare to say that I had no driving license so I stepped into the car and managed to take it around the block. Next day I returned and bought it for $100, much money for me at that time. After some months driving I thought I was ready to get my drivers license. One problem was that I had very few times driven a modern (1954!) car. I tried a friends car but I couldn't help pressing the brake too forcefully every time. I decided to ask if I could test drive in my A Ford. which was granted.

How many of you have got their drivers license on an A Ford????

I drove my Ford for many years until I got a Chevrolet 1930 from my sister. My sister tried to save money by not using anti-frees in the radiator so the block was cracked. I repaired the crack with Plastic Padding and used the car for one year until I found my dream car, A Hupmobile Century 8 1929. The hup had been stored in a dry place since 1939 when WW2 broke out. The Hupp had 44000 km (27k miles) on the odometer. I still have the Hupp and the odometer has turned around once now. My love for preewar cars has never faded.

Pictures of my Hupp can be seen at:

http://www.aaca.org/photopost/showgaller...er=9904&stype=0

Jan

[Guest Dave Mills]

Since I have more than one car, I'll do them individually:

1928 Plymouth Model Q: In the 1970's my boss had 34 collector cars and this was one of them. I used to take care of them and take him for a drive in them or ride with him. He died in 1980 and the cars were all put up for auction by his heirs. I really liked the '28 and bid on the car. I was outbid for the car when my wife asked me to stop bidding. The widow decided at the end of the auction that she wanted to keep this one and we (the bidders) agreed. In 1987 I was able to acquire the car from her when she was finally ready to sell.

1951 Plymouth Cambridge: My Grandfather bought this car in 1954 from a family friend. In 1965 when I started driving, he gave it to me and I have never been able to part with it.

1966 Plymouth Sport Fury Convertible: A friend of mine owned this car and was after me to buy it from him in 1990. I really didn't want the car because I was thinking hot rod at the time. After about a year, he showed up at my house and left the car there and told me he wasn't going to take no for an answer. So I traded him a 1982 Dodge 400 (K-car) Convertible for it.

1975 Plymouth Duster: This was the first car my wife and I bought new. I went to trade it, in 1980 and the Salesman offered me $500.00 for it saying "those Dusters just aren't worth anything". I got mad and kept the car, refusing to trade it.

[SixtySix]

My father has always driven classic beetles. I wanted to be different and moved to classic American, but came back to my VW's. I received the body as part of a friends divorce. She wanted it out of the yard and said I could take it whenever. Well... look where I am at now. Free is a very good price.

[Guest carlnut50]

I have 2 old cars.The first is a homebuilt horseless carriage that is not really all that old,just old parts and looks old.I got to ride in a 1905 single cyl Cadillac and I had to have something similar.Since I can build stuff and had 800 hours to invest and not much money,I built a vehicle like I wanted.The other is a 1931 Ford 2 door.When I was a kid there were still a few of them being driven regularly.I always loved the pocket-a-pocket-a sound and I like their looks.The 2 door is the cheapest to buy.I love all the controls you have to master to operate a model A.

[Guest c.johnson]

A "classic" addiction story....

My dad has been restoring cars for years - longer than I can remember. When I was younger, I went with him on several times to find allusive parts in swamps & deserts (where he found his '13 T), and just about anywhere else you can name. The "hunt" was exciting for me as a youngster, not so much the old car parts.

One day he received the remains of an Oakland in trade for body work on a Studebaker. I saw the name "Oakland" on the radiator and hadn't heard of it before. I started doing some research on the car, and got interested in it. Finally, I asked my dad if I could buy it, and he gave it to me for "free" - little did I know that the first "fix" is free, but it gets more expensive the more addicted you become Then I just had to buy another Oakland to learn how to put the first one back together.

And then there was another "gift" from my dad - the beginnings of a '15 T roadster - well I have to have something to do when/if I get the 2 Oaklands done, right?

Now my wife is just grateful I don't bring home stray animals, only stray old cars....

cj

[Twitch]

Old cars have always held interest for me. When I was a kid in the 50s cars from the 30s were old to me and very interesting. As I grew up cars of the 40s were cool to me. The 1940 Ford was my all time favorite. In some ways I guess it still is. I built 1/25 scale plastic models and had many cars that I liked.

My current older cars were never elaborately planned for. My 1973 Z-28 was purchased new- the only one before or since. It was the 1st year for factory A/C on the Z-28 which cost $398. I never planned to keep it 31 years but soon after 73 Detroit was bombarded by do-gooder ideas from insurance companies and the Feds were close behind with all their draconian legislature regarding just about everything involved in automobiles it seemed. So I kept the Camaro. From the 70s on I stayed with Cadillacs. The Z-28 was a 2nd car and not driven much. The 80 brought crappier cars yet so I just kept it.

My next car was a 65 Nova. I had belonged to a beloved cousin who died a few years ago. She?d quit driving at age 86 and sold her car to a friend of my youngest daughter. He?d always wanted a Nova. Anyhow he installed a modern radio below the dash so as not to disturb the original but driving at night and fiddling with a radio down there was a disaster and he slammed into a parked truck.

Somehow I have the car which needs a frame tweak of about a ½ inch and all sheet metal forward of the firewall and all except the 283 engine. The great thing is I can rebuild this car easily due to companies that make tons of repro parts. That?s going to happen in 2005.

My 96 El Dorado Touring Coupe is not seen nearly as much as Sevilles are in my area and since El Dorado has been shelved since 2002 we?ll see if the Eldo shape remains at all unique as new stuff is unveiled. Already 9 model years old?!

My latest acquisition is a 1950 Packard 4 door sedan. Earlier this year when I was diagnosed with cancer I began collecting pictures from the web of classic cars for my screen saver. It took my mind off things. Now that I sort of have things in check I decided I really wanted another older car.

At 1st I looked for a 57 Olds 98 4dr. HT like I once had in the 60s. Alas decent ones are in the $25-30k+ area of pricing these days. They were never popular cars so it must be part of the tri-year Chevy interest spilled over to include anything from 57. I decided on a 48-50 Packard. Older series looked a bit too old and newer series looked a bit too modern.

My Dad sold Packards when in 1949 they sales guys had 50th anniversary gold Packards. Afterwards he owned a 40 for a while.

Today when I cruise in the fifty I enter through a huge door opened by a duplicate of a refrigerator handle from the 50s era. The interior aroma is that unexplainable but distinctively ?old car,? due to the original carpet, headliner and upholstery. When I bring the unique straight eight to life via the gas pedal starter switch 2004 begins to get fuzzy. I wanted the straight 8 since it was different than anything else of the 50s era. The column shifter is lovely old tech.

The exhaust actually smells like the byproduct of an internal combustion engine instead of the result of some Frankenstein-ish contraption full of Rube Goldberg devices that produce nothing but an unfulfilling mechanical compromise.

The sun filters through the 54 year old glass and transcends the time barrier. As I peer under the huge sun visor and down the regal hood through the split windshield to the cormorant?s wings far away I realize that the cars outside begin to melt. Their misshapen forms morph into car bodies from the 50s. There are no more foreign cars plaguing my streets when I?m in the Packard. They?re 57 Buicks, 54 Chevys, and 56 Dodges now. They are impotent as threats to American auto dominance now.

The 288 quietly powers along the boulevard and there is no politically correctness. There are no zealots whining about animal rights or vegetarians compelling me to not eat anything that ever lived and no extremists yodeling on about a half inch long tadpole that spans only when Farmer Jones? back forty floods every ten years and how we need to confiscate that land from the farmer to protect everyone.

In the Packard no one says ?happy non-denominational holiday,? they say ?Merry Christmas.? They can say the pledge of allegiance using ?God? in it. There are no ?alleged? murderers spoken of, just plain murderers. No one in the 1950 is still whimpering about the Truman vs. Dewey presidential election results from months ago.

My car was built in the time when real men ruled. They made tough decisions like dropping atomic bombs that killed many but saved more. They put famous generals in their place when they seemed to forget that political rather than military force dominated the country. They waged unpopular conflicts in their time so we wouldn?t have to later. Commies were commies not ?democratically challenged.? They also built autos without much compromise reflecting the traditional values of American innovation and industrial might.

As the eternal sun streams in, in faithful obedience as it did in 1950, phrases waft in through the open window. ?An old Packard?? ??a neat old car.?

When I?m in the Packard I frankly don?t care about anyone or any thing but myself. That is MY time and my place even if it is a bit deluded. What the car does is to dilute the harshness of 2004-05. It time travels to a place where there was no drug crime problem, AIDS or radicals committing felonies in the misguided name of some obscure environmental crusade. It takes me back to a time when I was a kid in the 50s not worrying about today?s cancer and hypertension.

I think I?ll go out to the garage right now, start that colossal engine and get a wiff of that unadulterated exhaust just for old times? sake?later.

[Mike Dube]

Some great stories so far, here's mine. In 1964 when I was 11 years old, my grandfather bought a leftover '63 Ford truck to replace his worn out Ford plumbing truck (it was a '53-55 F100, but I don't remember it as well as the '63). He added a pipe rack, wooden tool box and headache rack in the front of the bed. There was a small acetylene torch on one of the running boards. I spent a couple of weeks every summer with my grandparents, and rode all over with my grandfather. He'd take a lot of the neighborhood kids "blueberrying", we'd all ride in back under his watchful eye.

A couple of summers later was one best ones for me, as in the space of 2 weeks at my grandparents I got a ride in a Jaguar 3.8 saloon, my first high speed ride (100 mph in a TR-4), and my first driving lesson in you guessed it, that green F-100. I was in heaven!

Years went by, and I spent as much time with the grandparents as I could, but as you know, time moves on. My grandfather died suddenly in October of 1976, and a short time later, my grandmother asked me if perhaps I wanted his truck. I think you know my answer, she's been with me ever since. She was my main transportation for a few years and we've been in most states East of the Mississippi and a few West. I broke down and put antique plates on her a couple of years ago, but until then, she was still a working truck when the need arose. I don't drive her as much as I would like, but she's still faithful when called upon.

[ex98thdrill]

Everything except for the '87 Mustang GT and the Harley, we bought because it was in good shape, and had a good price. This doesn't include the daily drivers.

[Paul Dobbin]

It's my father fault. At age 12 he taught me to drive in a 1950

Austin Saloon and a 1954 Metropolitan Convertible (his toys)

At age 13 he told me he would split the cost of a motorcycle with me on one condition: I had to disassemble and it restore it before I could drive it.

Smart Guy. About 100 cars later here's why we have these:

1966 VW: after 10 VW's we kept this Bug, with skirts. Reason? It tows well behind our motorhome and is eligble for Tours in intersting places around

the country.

1934 Ford Fordor: Reason? Always thought the 1934 was the prettiest pre war Ford. We've owned at least one 34 Ford for 33 years. We've done lots of

Great Races and Glidden Tours and still love the 34.

1935 Ford Pickup: Reason? A guy need a pickup and this unrestored one is

more fun than restored cars.

1935 Buick: Reason? Wife wanted one with A/C, so it's a Resto Rod.

1979 GMC Caballaro: Reason? In Florida there are a few month when we NEED A/C.

As I've said many times before, I'm happy with our collection, no more frame off restorations, no need to add to or replace anything. But, there are some really fine looking old cars out there that I've never owned.

Paul Dobbin, St.Petersburg, FL

[Guest Randy Berger]

I learned how to hotwire my step-father's 1952 Packard Mayfair when I was

14. I taught myself how to drive mostly, but stepdad's cousin did let me

have a turn at the wheel of a 37 Chrysler sedan. I was hooked. Step-dad

caught me one night, mainly because I was too dumb to refill the gas I

had run out. After that beating I learned to buy gas, and NOT at any

station he frequented. When it came time to start buying my own cars

around 1957 I found I could buy a Packard cheap because they were

orphans. While other guys were buying Fords and Chevies I was getting

a whole lot more car for less money. They did poke fun at my "tank",

but I noticed they would all rather go in the Packard when we were

double-dating(grin). I had a 1956 400 hardtop as my daily driver

from 1961-1964. The only reason I gave that up was some woman tore

up the whole side of it and I couldn't afford to have the bodywork

done to pass Pa. inspection. When I got a chance to buy another

56 400 in 1972 I jumped at it. The price was $100.00 and it cost me

$25.00 to have it towed home. I slowly worked on it over time and

finally had the bodywork and paint job done in 1992.

I'm slow, but persistent. I enjoy driving the car and have been

on several long trips with it. It is a unique automobile in its own

right and you won't see six dozen of them at the next car cruise(lol).

I try to get to Warren Ohio every summer at the show at the Packard

museum. If you ever see me there, give me a nudge and I'll buy you

a cup of coffee. I may even show you the electric train I have

running in the trunk (another hobby of mine).

YFAM, Randy Berger

[rgshafto]

One main reason I own my pre-war cars is bit more complicated than just liking the distinctive style, although I certainly do. In some odd way, keeping them in good shape is my small way of honoring the generation of people who grew up with these cars. When I got my 36 coupe 40 yrs ago this month, my father and uncles ? not yet named the "greatest generation" but all WWII vets who came of age in the Great Depression ? told me lots of stories of the cars they had own back then, and their wish that they had kept them. I resolved to keep my coupe then and there.

All but one of those important people in my life are gone now, but both '36s remind me of them and the historical era in which they lived. They also remind me that we are all standing on the shoulders of the people who have gone before us, that the cars and lives we have now are in many ways rooted in previous generations. I believe we have an obligation to keep these now antique vehicles "conserved", just like historical buildings or documents.

As for my 66 Ford convertible, my Dad bought it new, the last of a line of Ford convertibles that began when he bought his 1928 Model roadster as a college student in 1932. He was sitting its front seat of the 66 the last time I saw him alive, my parents having dropped me off at Newark airport after a weekend visit from college here in Maine. He died just a few weeks later. My mother drove it for the next 30 years before it was handed down to me.

Thanks for asking!

[Guest JT]

I bought my first car when I was 12, a 30 A model Ford ($50), and spent the next 5 or 6 years driving and working on it. Back then it seemed like everybody was into cars and working on them, at least in my neighborhood. About the same time my best friends older brother bought a 1939 Packard limo (side mounts, drivers window, jump seats, etc.) for about $75 that was sitting abandoned out back of a repair shop. I had never seen anything like it in person and thought it was beautiful. It made an impression that lasted for years so when I decided to get back into old cars a Packard was the first thing that came to mind.

[DKY]

My two were my Grandparents that I wanted to keep in the family so my wife and I bought them from their estate. 1939 Chevrolet, 1950 Packard

[Twitch]

You are SO right. Part of my ownership reason is that my Dad sold post-war Packards and owned a 1940. He just got to a P-51 (Packard-built Merlin) squadron as the war in Europe was ending.

I write mainly WW 2 air combat tales and have relationships with lots of the aces though their ranks are thinning fast. They were from a generation of "can do" people. I am sickened that today GIs whine about not having high-speed internet access in a combat zone and their tours of duty are extended! What a contrast to WW 2 when our fathers went in not knowing how long they'd be in combat, and most of all not bitching about it!

[Guest Albert]

I think the reason i now own 3 54 Packards is i could buy them at a resonable price, and do all the body and mechanics myself. The most expensive Packard i bought was the Patrician for $750us a year ago off E-bay and put another $1000 into it to put it into good running shape, and the put 4500 miles on it between March and October of this year trouble free.

[stock_steve]

Good thread, Doug--and nice to see you and a few other old-VW folks chiming in. My first car was a '71 Super Beetle that my dad helped me buy, and before that, he had a series of Beetles, including a '57 Sedan, '61 Sunroof, and '63 Convertible. So, I guess I had a bit of a built-in VW-bent--even though I didn't really know it until after I was married, and my wife got interested in them, and dragged one home. Now we own several old ones, and both of us have air cooled VW summertime daily drivers (and modern VW wintertime daily drivers). They're funky & fun, and fairly easy to keep running. An "intruder" entered our garage early in 2004, however, when my wife acquired a nice low-miles original '73 Ford Pinto--she explains that she's always liked them, ever since many friends and teachers had them back in her high school years.

[Guest imported_Dwight V.]

My only problem is I have no place to keep more, or I'd have dozens.

When I was 16, I wanted a sports car in the worst way. This was in 1982; and the sports car was pretty much dead. On my paper route one day I discovered a tired 1970 124 Spider for sale for $300, and emptied my savings account to buy it. I can't tell you how many times over I put that same amount back into it to keep it running. Ultimately, I attempted to 'restore' it only to find it hopelessly rusted (those unibody cars, you know).

After toying with a few other oddities, I bought a solid one and restored it, keeping it for 23 years and only recently selling it because I just didn't use it anymore. Time for something different.

My 1986 Audi GT isn't really a collector car (yet), but I wanted one ever since my neighbor's son showed up driving one while I was still in school. I thought "I'll never be able to afford a car like that", but thanks to depreciation I picked up a very nice one that I've kept for over 12 years.

The 1965 Ford pickup I have now is the result of a $250 scrap hauler I owned when I was a teen. That truck just ran so well and drove so nice for a junker, when I decided I needed a truck again I went looking for another. I found my truck on the internet about 2 years ago. When I opened the door the smell of that 1965 vinyl and rubber came rushing out, and I was immediately smitten. The column shifter is an acquired skill. It's proven to be a great truck, and I've met a lot of fantastic people similarly afflicted in my truck club. I also enjoy the attention it gets...far more than I would have expected.

I'd love to try a lot of different cars: Packards, Corvairs, Mustangs, pre-war anything...but our next 'toy' will be an Austin Mini. I wanted a car both my wife and I would enjoy, and we have recently decided a car this cute will make us smile every time we go into the garage, even if it is broken or sideline by the Lucas electrics! The car hobby should be about fun, and I think this will be the perfect new resident that blissfully will take up a minimum of space.

Hopefully, the 401k will some day allow me to buy a building to store some more cars in. Until then, I make do.

[Guest HeyPop]

What super stories. I guess mine started back during the era of my father and uncles when it seemed they all had either a Model A or a similar vintage Chevrolet. Being a teenager of the 60's I had visions of turning a 1930 Ford or a 1915 Model T into a street rod (shudder). The older I got, the more I appreciated the engineering, development and impact these older cars and trucks had on the cars we now drive. As I read more and more articles and books about the older car manufacturers and the cars themselves I began to lean more toward restoration and rebuilding of the older tin to show the newer generation what they missed and what started the whole process of the horseless carriage. Although the whole beginning of me owning an antique started as a innocent comment as my wife and I passed a Model A for sale in a local front yard, the story and learning experience that followed was worth the wait. It's taken me three years to complete but I wouldn't have traded the time spent on it for anything. Although it's not a true restoration in the eyes of most, the final product has turned a lot of heads and caused comment from some of the younger set like,"Wow, would I love to have something like this as a first car to drive around." The best came from a young man that was a student at our local technical school. "This is great. It's just what I want to do when I graduate from automotive school." Not being much of a tin knocker and knowing my limitations, my Model A became a representative of the Huckster crowd and yet unique in itself. Basically what I did was use the rolling chassis that came along with the Model A that was for sale in the front yard, rebuilt it to 1929 specifications but made a body of my own design and build from oak. Maybe we'll see something those two younger men restored in the future at a local show... who knows?

[nearchoclatetown]

I found a new twist to my story this week. My father died almost 30 years ago, my mother about 10. This week I finally was going through some of my mother's things that I have been putting off. In these things was a photo album filled with pictures I have never seen before. All my life I have wanted pictures of my Dad's old cars, but they never seemed to exist. In this album was a picture of the '42 Chevy I knew he owned, his first new car, which I have the original sales receipt for. And also a picture of him driving a '29 Desoto, which not even my older brothers or sisters knew he had. As I started this thread with the story of why I own a Dodge Bros., now I find my father had it's cousin. And they are both coupes.