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Folks Of Interest Who taught you to drive and what was the car?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Jun 29, 2018.

  1. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I taught myself to drive in the car I bought with my own hard earned money when I was 16 which I still own. 1949 Chevrolet Deluxe coupe. 261 and a 3 speed. did it all with no help from anyone.

    pop wasn't around and my Mom made it very clear I was never going to drive her car.:)
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2018
  2. xhotrodder
    Joined: Jul 2, 2009
    Posts: 1,665

    xhotrodder
    Member

    My brother in his 57 Chevy Bel Air 3 on the column.
     
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  3. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    ... my Grandmother learned to drive in a Model T and drove it right into a ditch and never drove again... it would have been a new or near new car at the time. :)
     
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  4. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 9,397

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska
    1. Central Nebraska H.A.M.B.

    First thing I drove was a Ford tractor around the farm yard followed by a 47 Chevy 3/4 ton pu with a granny 4 speed then onto a 53 Chevy to get my drivers license.
     
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  5. AVater
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,148

    AVater
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Connecticut HAMB'ers

    My dad. As so many before--started with tractors and farm stuff when I was 10. John Deere Model A with the stick clutch. "Graduated" to a 1949 Chevy Pickup that had a pretty bad knock. Tough to learn on especially on a hill with the starter pedal and an emergency brake that did'nt really work. Thankfully that was also on the farm roads. Graduated to a 1959 ford station wagon with a 352 and four barrel. Wold of difference. Sure miss my Dad!
     
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  6. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    My older brothers 64 Chevy pickup, 292/4 speed (compound), went from the standard after hours, wide open parking lot then directly to the steepest hill in town where he stopped half way up and got out and told me to scoot over and drive, that first gear was something else for this beginner, after that everything else was easy.
    It felt like being thrown into the deep end of the pool and told to SWIM.
     
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  7. winduptoy
    Joined: Feb 19, 2013
    Posts: 3,330

    winduptoy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have my first drivers license around here somewhere
    Its from the State of Confusion......wait a minute, now that I recall......... that was a Back Seat Drivers license grandma gave me....I was about 7 or 8 years old. That's what she got for giving us all that candy and soda pop. Loved that woman. She had a '58 Ford Fairlane 500. Mmmmm, mm, mmm
     
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  8. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,188

    clem
    Member

    Driving tractors at age 6, agricultural contracting for neighbors at 13, first drive in a car at 15, when I got my licence. 1974 HQ holden.
    10 years ago I offered to teach my 13 year old daughter to drive in a ‘32 ford Flathead V8. She declined, preferring her brothers Jappa.
    Probably just as well - she drives like her mother !
     
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  9. Like a lot of others I was driving my granddads old 8N ford tractor long before I had a drivers permit. HRP
     
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  10. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    "Mostly" by my Father, in a 57 Chevrolet, model 210, Townsman 4 door Station Wagon; my older sister was also learning at the same time. The real kicker was, after my Father retired from the USAF, he became a Washington State Drivers License Examiner! This was when they were still aligned with the Washington State Patrol. I had had a go cart I bought with my paper route money, so I had that "driving" advantage over my sister. My Father came home from work on one Friday afternoon, and announced he had my sister and I scheduled to take the drivers test Saturday. I was't ready, my sister could't wait. My sister barely passed; I did a whole lot better. She would't leave me alone trying to find out what my score was; she finally grabbed the form out of my hand, looked at it, and tore it up. She and I were to "share" the Wagon. I'd wash and wax the car, clean the interior, fill it with gas, and then she'd grab it and go to the drive in movies with her friends. And they would basically trash the car. After I had enough of that, I bought a 56 Chevrolet, 210 Delray; and now I'm on my TENTH 56 Chevrolet. My sister wrecked the Wagon while working for Boeing after she graduated high school; a girl in a "Datsun" pulled out in front of her. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  11. H380
    Joined: Sep 20, 2015
    Posts: 483

    H380
    Member
    from Louisiana

    3 on the tree F100 with a 240 4 wheel manual drums, manual steering and emergency brakes that never did work. Learned backing up boat trailers. Nothing like trying to keep that pile from sliding down the ramp into the lake. My old man had a mental block on trailers. So I started when doing it when I was 11-12.
     
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  12. partsdawg
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,503

    partsdawg
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Minnesota

    Tractors early.
    First car 1964 Chevy truck,6 cyl with 3 on the tree.
    My Dad taught me. Age 14.
    His favorite trick was to pull up to a stop sign at the top of a steep hill then shut off the truck and set the parking brake.
    I had to start the truck,release the brake and turn right or left.
    Instructed not to roll backwards or slip the clutch.
     
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  13. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 4,755

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Started with go carts in Jr. High. Mr. Iverson was my driver training teacher my sophomore year. The school had early to mid '60's Ramblers, both stick and auto. I can still parallel park to this day thanks to him. Taught my son to drive a stick (no driver training at the high school anymore and the private classes are automatic only) when he turned 16. When he was in college and pledging a fraternity he got to drive a lot of frat brothers fancy cars with sticks who needed a designated driver because none of the other pledges could drive a stick.
     
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  14. HarryT
    Joined: Nov 7, 2006
    Posts: 722

    HarryT
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Five or six years old sitting on my Grandpa's lap helping to steer his old Case tractor. First car I drove was with my brother inlaw in his John Deere green (brush painted) '41 Chev sedan. I was about 12 years old.
     
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  15. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,269

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    My uncle in 1958 when I was 11 years old. Please don't break my chops, it was in a Renault Dalphine.
     
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  16. Dad. '63 Impala SS.
    Impala 1.jpg Impala 4.jpg
     
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  17. Coach Stimeil and the drivers ed. 61 Chevy 4 dr.
     
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  18. My uncle's shiny new '54 Olds.
     
  19. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

  20. 7 years old behind the wheel of a turquoise 67 Catalina wagon (I know, not HAMB friendly) on OLD highway 51 with Mom, goin for donuts, in Arbor Vitae Wisconsin. That was livin.....Mitch.
     
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  21. At 14 I bought a 38 Ford from a neighbor and taught myself by driving around the yard.
     
  22. billsat
    Joined: Aug 18, 2008
    Posts: 418

    billsat
    Member

    I learned to drive in our family's 1971 Ford van. My dad was a great teacher, never got rattled when I would screw up and always thought up clever ways to test me, like having me turn the key off so I could feel what the van would do if I lost power. We lost dad back in February at the age of 84. One of my great regrets is not having my '40 Ford done in time for him to drive it.
     
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  23. superleggera
    Joined: Nov 16, 2005
    Posts: 181

    superleggera
    Member

    Go-karts on the racetrack and farm tractors as a kid as we were "free labor". I learn to drive on the road in a '49 MG TC (righthand drive) outside of Tacoma, WA. Uncle was adamant I master double-clutching as well as shifting without a clutch (and meshing the gears perfectly by throttle alone). Final test was how to drive without a clutch period -- car in gear (off) and with 1st gear engaged and using the starter to get going and do it smoothly and be able to drive about town with stop signs and traffic lights. Took the driving test itself in that MG TC and the driving tester didn't know what to think about sitting on the left side! We only made it a few blocks before he had me head back to the testing facility. I thought I had failed as we hadnt completed the course. Apparently he decided that since I could shift that old British gearbox without using a clutch and do it smoothly -- it was pointless for him to actually test me. I passed with a perfect score. Ironically about twenty minutes later my best friend driving an automatic gearbox Chevy station wagon -- he backed up (without looking over his shoulder or with the mirror) and the tester had him pull back in and failed him immediately.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2018
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  24. Dick Stevens
    Joined: Aug 7, 2012
    Posts: 3,710

    Dick Stevens
    Member

    Self taught when my folks would go out, I borrowed the keys for dad's 49 Dodge fluid drive and away some friends and I went! I guess the fluid drive made it easy for learning to start off with a clutch. :rolleyes:o_O:D
     
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  25. I already had my restricted license but the local insurance told my dad if I took drivers education at school he would get a break on my insurance premium.

    So dad enrolled at the Jr. High school and the history teacher was also the drivers ed instructor,Ronald Culbertson and the local Dodge/Plymouth dealer supplied the car, A 1966 Plymouth Satellite with a 440 and a automatic transmission.

    My first day in drivers training was a hoot, there was a older guy by the name of Donnie how had failed a couple of grades and was using this to get out of taking classes was the first driver,Mr Culbertson instructed Donnie to drive through the bus circle and turn right,he looked in the back seat and winked at Larry who was seated behind Mr Culbertson, gave the signal and nailed the gas pedal and the cars tires went up in smoke and Mr, C was screaming and cussing and holding the instructor brake but the car kept blistering tires.

    When the car finally stopped Mr. C. told him to get out and walk back to school, after he had calmed down it was Larry's turn behind the wheel,what happened next was a shock, Larry stabbed the pedal and we did the same thing again,tires spinning and Mr. C. cussing, Larry was also told to get out of the car

    Next up was yours truly and Mr. C said before you crank this car you know what those to idiots did and he knows my dad and he is pretty sure if I acted like a fool I wouldn't be driving for a long time to come.

    I cranked the car and never ever acted like a fool,for the next six weeks I was the only student driver for that period and had a great instructor.

    I'm not sure if my dad saved much on insurance,I got a ticket on my first solo driving experience.HRP
     
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  26. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,709

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    My Mom taught me in a 67 Ford Custom 500. Taught myself how to drive a manual in the old man's 71 Chevy pickup. An old friend let me ride along on a trip to a papermill, on the way back he let me drive the 13 speed GMC General and log trailer. I had already been yard driving the trucks, loading and unloading them, so once I got the feel for changing gears, it just came natural. 34 years later, I sometimes wonder why I ever wanted to drive a truck......
     
  27. GeezersP15
    Joined: Dec 4, 2011
    Posts: 555

    GeezersP15
    Member
    from N.E. PA

    My parents taught me how to drive when I was 12 years old. Car was a 1953 Ford with 3 on the tree. When I took my driver's test at age 16, it was in a 1948 Plymouth (a twin to the one in my avatar). At the end of the driving test, the officer riding with me asked "How long have you been driving"? I told him only since I got my learners permit! He kinda smirked and said "Yeah, right". I did my best to make the ride as smooth as I possibly could !!!!:D:D:D:D
     
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  28. X-cpe
    Joined: Mar 9, 2018
    Posts: 1,958

    X-cpe

    About 15, If I 50 Merc., 4dr, flathead, 3spd OD. Dad backed it into the street, explained what to do and around the block we went. Almost home he said stop. After he calmed down from bouncing off the sunvisor I got the complete explanation of other times to use the clutch. Driver Ed in summer school with a 58 Chevy 6 cyl., 3 spd. Cool teacher. Football coach from Oxnard. Traded off a day with his other class and took us to L.A. to teach us how to drive on the freeway. Then took us out night driving. Part of the night we basically cruised A & B (?) streets. Both of these were on the no-no list. His attitude was "I want you idiots to be the best you can be because shortly you're going to be aimed at me."
     
  29. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    I learned on tractors and could drive a 420 John Deere bulldozer when I was 12 . Someone had to pull the drays while the older guys loaded the logs. My brother left me his 49 Chevy when he went in the Army and we had about 20 miles of logging trails behind our house. Got in trouble for driving to school on the last day in the 8th grade. Things were different growing up in the U.P. of Michigan. in the 60's.
     
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  30. louisb
    Joined: Oct 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,126

    louisb
    Member

    Learned in an old Ford F100 with a straight six and 4 speed over drive. No power anything, lots of rust and ugly as sin. Drove it to high school. First time I did I had to stop at a light going up a steep hill. Kept stalling it out when the light changed. Guy behind me started honking his horn. So I let the truck roll backwards until it was resting on the bumper of his shiny new sedan and then floored it. Had a lot of adventures with that old truck. :)

    —louis
     

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