ronhic
Well-known member
A 1975 Renault 12 GL
In orange....slightly darker than this.
1.3 L:itre, 60hp and would cruise all day at 120kph.
In orange....slightly darker than this.
1.3 L:itre, 60hp and would cruise all day at 120kph.
Bureau of Silly Threads Presents: My First Car
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Ok...my second car...
<span style="font-size: medium;">I lost the 1970 Cadillac 3 years later when I was hit by a truck that failed to stop at a red light. The car and the truck were totaled. I walked away without a scratch. The guy in the truck was not so lucky. I had some money saved up and I had the Cadillac bug bad, so I got, what else? A 1971 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Same colors as this advertisement picture, Casablanca Yellow with a Brown vinyl top. </span>
<span style="font-size: medium;">I lost the 1970 Cadillac 3 years later when I was hit by a truck that failed to stop at a red light. The car and the truck were totaled. I walked away without a scratch. The guy in the truck was not so lucky. I had some money saved up and I had the Cadillac bug bad, so I got, what else? A 1971 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Same colors as this advertisement picture, Casablanca Yellow with a Brown vinyl top. </span>
My first was a '69 Citroen ID19, the cheaper version of the DS. It appeared on a used car lot very conveniently in '76 when I was in high school and beginning to need a car. I wanted it bad and so my father made a deal with me: he'd buy it for me if I'd learn to maintain it. Originally it was a greenish off-white but I repainted it medium blue, keeping the white roof. Somewhere I have a pic of it, but it was very close to the photo below which is actually a factory '68 color. Being an American spec car it didn't have the glass covers over the headlights or the turning and self-levelling light option.
The ID was a wonderful first car: reliable, comfortable, economical and very, very forgiving of a teenaged leadfoot. I took it to university for my first two years and found out that it was good for 93 mph on a rural Texas FM (Farm to Market) road, or the OSR (Old San Antonio Road north of Bryan), not too shabby for a 2 liter 84 hp engine in a rather large car. I could pretty much stuff an entire dorm room into it too. However, I really wanted a TOL DS21 Pallas with the bigger 2.2 liter engine and nicer seats and carpets, etc. My father found a '70 DS21 for me the summer before my junior year. It wasn't in as nice shape but I discovered that with the 115 hp engine it would run a real 100 mph. The cops stayed mostly on the interstates policing the obnoxious 55 mph limit, and while I generally didn't go over 85 hardly anything passed me on the backroads once I got either D model wound up - the suspension was designed for fast driving on bumpy rural roads. Once I had the ID absolutely flat out for several miles on the OSR right in front of an upperclassman in a brand new Malibu: I could go no faster, but I'd look in the mirror and see his crappy GM suspension absolutely having kittens with all the bumps. He didn't dare pass me until we reached the four lane highway which is when I saw his upperclassman parking stickers, but we both had to slow down in fear of cops. He gave the old ID (with underclassman parking stickers) a nasty sneer, I don't think he had any idea what it was but he was clearly unhappy at not being able to pass in his shiny new car until the roads were smooth!
The ID19 was kept in the family for many more years until it was finally replaced with an '83 Peugeot 505, I think it had well over 170,000 miles on the original engine and trans when it was retired.
The ID was a wonderful first car: reliable, comfortable, economical and very, very forgiving of a teenaged leadfoot. I took it to university for my first two years and found out that it was good for 93 mph on a rural Texas FM (Farm to Market) road, or the OSR (Old San Antonio Road north of Bryan), not too shabby for a 2 liter 84 hp engine in a rather large car. I could pretty much stuff an entire dorm room into it too. However, I really wanted a TOL DS21 Pallas with the bigger 2.2 liter engine and nicer seats and carpets, etc. My father found a '70 DS21 for me the summer before my junior year. It wasn't in as nice shape but I discovered that with the 115 hp engine it would run a real 100 mph. The cops stayed mostly on the interstates policing the obnoxious 55 mph limit, and while I generally didn't go over 85 hardly anything passed me on the backroads once I got either D model wound up - the suspension was designed for fast driving on bumpy rural roads. Once I had the ID absolutely flat out for several miles on the OSR right in front of an upperclassman in a brand new Malibu: I could go no faster, but I'd look in the mirror and see his crappy GM suspension absolutely having kittens with all the bumps. He didn't dare pass me until we reached the four lane highway which is when I saw his upperclassman parking stickers, but we both had to slow down in fear of cops. He gave the old ID (with underclassman parking stickers) a nasty sneer, I don't think he had any idea what it was but he was clearly unhappy at not being able to pass in his shiny new car until the roads were smooth!
The ID19 was kept in the family for many more years until it was finally replaced with an '83 Peugeot 505, I think it had well over 170,000 miles on the original engine and trans when it was retired.
spankomatic
Well-known member
1974 Chevrolet Vega Spirit of America... It always ran and always needed repair...
toploader55
Well-known member
First Car
1970 Monte Carlo.
Similar to " Alittle old Lady only drove it to church on Sundays".
It was owned by an elderly tailor. The car had only been in the rain twicw and never saw snow when I bought it. Beautiful Car. I wish I still had it.
The pic is not the one I owned, but same color and different wheels.
1970 Monte Carlo.
Similar to " Alittle old Lady only drove it to church on Sundays".
It was owned by an elderly tailor. The car had only been in the rain twicw and never saw snow when I bought it. Beautiful Car. I wish I still had it.
The pic is not the one I owned, but same color and different wheels.
chromacolor
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2006
- Messages
- 137
Mine was a 1972 Pontiac Bonneville. I LOVED that car!
Here is a pix from the Pontiac brochure. Mine was a 4-door in this color.
Here is a pix from the Pontiac brochure. Mine was a 4-door in this color.
cycla-fabric
Well-known member
My first car was a 1977 Ford Granada sport coupe, mine was black and when it was clean WOW it was a good looking car. It had a 302 V8 and was loaded with just about everything at the time. It was a very dependable car and never left me stranded. I wish I had that car back today, ugh!
Doug
Doug
franksdad
Well-known member
My first car
was a 1959 Ford Ranch wagon that my brother picked up from his brother-in-law. It was white. It wouldn't run and we tried to repair it - but it never made it to the street. I sold it about a year later to a scrap dealer for $25.00. I graduated from high school in May 1973 then in June 1973 I bought a brand new 1973 Chevrolet Impala sport coupe 350 4 bbl. I kept that car for 11 years. An Impala was not my first choice, but I had an aging father and felt I needed a car he could get into and out of. However, it was a GREAT car!!!!! Many happy times and fond memories with that car! This picture is not of my car but it looked just like it - same light copper metalic and black vinyl roof.
[this post was last edited: 6/7/2012-13:46]
was a 1959 Ford Ranch wagon that my brother picked up from his brother-in-law. It was white. It wouldn't run and we tried to repair it - but it never made it to the street. I sold it about a year later to a scrap dealer for $25.00. I graduated from high school in May 1973 then in June 1973 I bought a brand new 1973 Chevrolet Impala sport coupe 350 4 bbl. I kept that car for 11 years. An Impala was not my first choice, but I had an aging father and felt I needed a car he could get into and out of. However, it was a GREAT car!!!!! Many happy times and fond memories with that car! This picture is not of my car but it looked just like it - same light copper metalic and black vinyl roof.
[this post was last edited: 6/7/2012-13:46]
kevin313
Well-known member
Mine was a 1979 Dodge Diplomat 4 door sedan in Cadet Blue with a dark blue vinyl roof. It had a 318 V-8 engine and it ran well. It virtually the same car as a Dodge Aspen, but upgraded with some nice features. It rode well - had torsion bar suspension and I had a lot of fun driving that car around. It had one of the early electric rear-window defoggers and I just thought that was the best thing ever. I traded that car in for my first brand new car - a Dodge Aires K Car! I thought I would help Lee Iaccoca save Chrysler, and he wrote me a letter thanking me for my purchase.
Here's a picture of a 1979 Diplomat 4 door in brown.
Here's a picture of a 1979 Diplomat 4 door in brown.
franksdad
Well-known member
This
is what I drive now. Sorry guys, I just figured out how to post pictures here.
is what I drive now. Sorry guys, I just figured out how to post pictures here.
westingman123
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- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 1,541
Mine was a '76 Mustang II, brown with a tan Landau roof. It was a manual transmission, which I knew little about except for driving the "three on the tree" truck on the farm. Mama and Dad paid for it, and I paid them back each week from my part-time job proceeds.
That little 'stang took me EVERYWHERE. I drove it until the wheels fell off, then moved up to a Cutlass, which is another story. My high school chemistry teacher used to switch cars with me when he needed a "bigger" car to drive, and I'd take his MG to work. Talk about sitting on the ground.
That little 'stang took me EVERYWHERE. I drove it until the wheels fell off, then moved up to a Cutlass, which is another story. My high school chemistry teacher used to switch cars with me when he needed a "bigger" car to drive, and I'd take his MG to work. Talk about sitting on the ground.
65 Mustang
This was the first car I ever had. Back in 1976 when I bought it these cars were all over the place. Every used car lot you drove buy had several Mustang's for sale but typically lots of 65 through 68 models of all types were most abundant.
I fell in love with the Mustang after seeing the commercials on TV when they first came out. When my parents decided my mom needed a new car I suggested a Mustang. Of course that was vetoed as being "not practical" for a family with 3 kids.
When I got mine I looked in the paper and saw the ad for this convertible listed at $199.00 (This was 1976, Bloomington, Minnesota. The land of rusted out cars) My mom went with me and talked the guy down to $175.00 as she said you never pay what they are asking! I drove the car for a year before getting into a wreck and then selling the car as is.
This is a good example of what the car looked like. Wimbledon white with a black interior.
Patrick
This was the first car I ever had. Back in 1976 when I bought it these cars were all over the place. Every used car lot you drove buy had several Mustang's for sale but typically lots of 65 through 68 models of all types were most abundant.
I fell in love with the Mustang after seeing the commercials on TV when they first came out. When my parents decided my mom needed a new car I suggested a Mustang. Of course that was vetoed as being "not practical" for a family with 3 kids.
When I got mine I looked in the paper and saw the ad for this convertible listed at $199.00 (This was 1976, Bloomington, Minnesota. The land of rusted out cars) My mom went with me and talked the guy down to $175.00 as she said you never pay what they are asking! I drove the car for a year before getting into a wreck and then selling the car as is.
This is a good example of what the car looked like. Wimbledon white with a black interior.
Patrick
Patrick! I LOVED my '65 Mustang. The favorite out of all cars I've owned. That car took off like a shot and the steep streets of San Francisco were no match for it. It didn't have power steering, and I liked it that way. Wimbledon white with blue interior.
I purchased it in spring of 1978 for considerably more than you paid. Early Mustangs have almost always been a hot commodity here on the west coast.
I purchased it in spring of 1978 for considerably more than you paid. Early Mustangs have almost always been a hot commodity here on the west coast.
Ralph-
Used cars were (and probably still are) much cheaper in the snowy area's that use salt on the roads during winter months. The cars rust very quickly and some people even have 'winter/beater cars' and store the good car to be used only during the dry summer months.
I too love Mustang's and always will. I currently have a '72 hardtop and a 2000 GT.
Patrick
Used cars were (and probably still are) much cheaper in the snowy area's that use salt on the roads during winter months. The cars rust very quickly and some people even have 'winter/beater cars' and store the good car to be used only during the dry summer months.
I too love Mustang's and always will. I currently have a '72 hardtop and a 2000 GT.
Patrick
I'm not kidding here folks!
I know it's not a car but what the heck. I joined the Army when I was 17 back in 1980 as a tank crewman. My MOS was 19E, or 19 echo as the Army would have called it. I completed basic and A I T at Fort Knox Kentucky and was issued my very first drivers license ever, and the only vehicle listed on that license was the M60A1 main battle tank. At Fort Hood Texas I was assigned to Alpha Company 2/67 Armored and placed in 2nd platoon were I became the driver of Alpha 24(read Alpha two four)meaning 2nd Platoon, fourth tank. It looked pretty much like this one you see here, except it had the obligatory two by four on the front slope between the two headlights. I spent a great deal of time working on that tank, getting it back into shape after years of neglect. To this day the smell of diesel exhaust takes me right back to its drivers seat.
I know it's not a car but what the heck. I joined the Army when I was 17 back in 1980 as a tank crewman. My MOS was 19E, or 19 echo as the Army would have called it. I completed basic and A I T at Fort Knox Kentucky and was issued my very first drivers license ever, and the only vehicle listed on that license was the M60A1 main battle tank. At Fort Hood Texas I was assigned to Alpha Company 2/67 Armored and placed in 2nd platoon were I became the driver of Alpha 24(read Alpha two four)meaning 2nd Platoon, fourth tank. It looked pretty much like this one you see here, except it had the obligatory two by four on the front slope between the two headlights. I spent a great deal of time working on that tank, getting it back into shape after years of neglect. To this day the smell of diesel exhaust takes me right back to its drivers seat.
d-jones . . .
I hope they didn't make you pass a parallel parking test to get that license!
I hope they didn't make you pass a parallel parking test to get that license!
my first car was an Austin 1800 MkI.
It was standing unused on ther roadside near home, I asked the owner if it was for sale, I got it for $50. It needed a few minor repairs for roadworthy certificate, all up it cost me about $500. It was a great old car. Synchro on second was tired so I had to learn to double-declutch.
It was white with red interior.
The Austin 1800 had the hydrolastic suspension, which had no springs or shocks, but a rubber-cushioned cylinder ("displacer") over each wheel, the displacers were connected front-to-rear on each side.The displacers were filled with water, with a rust inhibitor added. The It gave fantastic handling and a very soft ride. Performance was...leisurely. But once you got it up to speed, you didn't have to slow down for corners...
Vey good memories of this car.
In the attached link, there are a number of versions shown. Mine was the Mk I, the same as the white car left column, three down from the top. (GA107) Rear of my car was the same as the grey car,middle column, second from top.
http://www.elevenhundred.com/austin1800/photo.php
It was standing unused on ther roadside near home, I asked the owner if it was for sale, I got it for $50. It needed a few minor repairs for roadworthy certificate, all up it cost me about $500. It was a great old car. Synchro on second was tired so I had to learn to double-declutch.
It was white with red interior.
The Austin 1800 had the hydrolastic suspension, which had no springs or shocks, but a rubber-cushioned cylinder ("displacer") over each wheel, the displacers were connected front-to-rear on each side.The displacers were filled with water, with a rust inhibitor added. The It gave fantastic handling and a very soft ride. Performance was...leisurely. But once you got it up to speed, you didn't have to slow down for corners...
Vey good memories of this car.
In the attached link, there are a number of versions shown. Mine was the Mk I, the same as the white car left column, three down from the top. (GA107) Rear of my car was the same as the grey car,middle column, second from top.
http://www.elevenhundred.com/austin1800/photo.php
IIRC the 1800 "Landcrab" also had a notably strong unibody for the era, no doubt part of the reason for the excellent road manners, along with the Hydrolastics and long wheelbase. Issigonis may not have known much about styling or marketing but he damned well knew how to make a safe, good handling and economical car. It's ironic that once BMC and Leyland merged to form British Leyland the best engineered small cars they made were Issi's sedans and not the MG and Triumph sports cars they were famous for. They never bothered with the Landcrab here in the US but sent the Marina instead, which was a huge sales flop regardless of the ads bragging about it having the same engine as an MGB. I don't know that the Landcrab would have done better but at least it would have offered a really good driving car, something that the Marina couldn't give in any way or form.
58limited
Well-known member
I hope they didn't make you pass a parallel parking test
Parallel parking an M60A1 is easy - just drive it to where you want to park it, irregardless of what is already there!
Parallel parking an M60A1 is easy - just drive it to where you want to park it, irregardless of what is already there!
1952crestwood
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2008
- Messages
- 252
Grandpa bought it new, then Dad got it in 78...
then I got it for my first car in 1980. 1968 Mercury Monterey 4 door sedan in Wimbledon White. I think this is a Montclair but it's just like mine from all I can tell. That 390 was wicked fast, and I startled more than one of the "cool cars" of the time by striding right past them in, causing some shocked faces. Never judge a book by it's cover.
then I got it for my first car in 1980. 1968 Mercury Monterey 4 door sedan in Wimbledon White. I think this is a Montclair but it's just like mine from all I can tell. That 390 was wicked fast, and I startled more than one of the "cool cars" of the time by striding right past them in, causing some shocked faces. Never judge a book by it's cover.
dirtybuck
Well-known member
1974 Chevy Vega GT
My sister owned the car at first and I took it over. The car was medium blue (an "exclusive" Vega color). I took it over in February of '75. I got out on my own when I was 19 and kept it until October of the same year There was ALWAYS something wrong with it (basically the carburetor and then the clutch, as it was a standard 4-speed) until I finally got it to one of the BETTER Chevy service departments. It costs me an arm and a leg, but after the bugs got ironed out, it did it's job until I bought a '75 Nova coupe.
The only thing missing on this picture is the white GT striping.
My sister owned the car at first and I took it over. The car was medium blue (an "exclusive" Vega color). I took it over in February of '75. I got out on my own when I was 19 and kept it until October of the same year There was ALWAYS something wrong with it (basically the carburetor and then the clutch, as it was a standard 4-speed) until I finally got it to one of the BETTER Chevy service departments. It costs me an arm and a leg, but after the bugs got ironed out, it did it's job until I bought a '75 Nova coupe.
The only thing missing on this picture is the white GT striping.
washernoob
Well-known member
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- Jul 3, 2010
- Messages
- 1,446
Robyn! That Mercury looks like a gorgeous car. I have never seen that model.
1968 Mercury...
Hey Robyn, those Mercurys are great... and Brandon, this relates to the tv show car thread... if you like them, look for some of the original Hawaii 5-0 episodes, McGarrett drove a 68 Mercury for several seasons!
Hey Robyn, those Mercurys are great... and Brandon, this relates to the tv show car thread... if you like them, look for some of the original Hawaii 5-0 episodes, McGarrett drove a 68 Mercury for several seasons!
1981 Dodge Colt
It was the Colt made by Mitsubishi and was red. Wonderful first car. It had 49K miles on it when I got it and over 200K when I gave it to a neighbor who was going to overhaul it. Got me all the way through college with only having to do brakes, tires and replace the starter.
It was the Colt made by Mitsubishi and was red. Wonderful first car. It had 49K miles on it when I got it and over 200K when I gave it to a neighbor who was going to overhaul it. Got me all the way through college with only having to do brakes, tires and replace the starter.
blackstone
Well-known member
1965 Pontiac Catalina
I was still in college, with no intentions of buying a car, but at a Thanksgiving dinner, a family friend was selling the Catalina. He was a traveling salesman, and the car had just been slightly damaged, with over 120K miles. He was selling for $100; my father jokingly suggested $50, and the deal was unexpectedly done. After college, sold the Catalina (for a profit), and moved onto Suburbans. Can't very well deliver a washer in the trunk of a Catalina, no matter how big it is.
I was still in college, with no intentions of buying a car, but at a Thanksgiving dinner, a family friend was selling the Catalina. He was a traveling salesman, and the car had just been slightly damaged, with over 120K miles. He was selling for $100; my father jokingly suggested $50, and the deal was unexpectedly done. After college, sold the Catalina (for a profit), and moved onto Suburbans. Can't very well deliver a washer in the trunk of a Catalina, no matter how big it is.
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