'53 Ford 2dr Mainliner. OHV 6 FordOmatic. Off the line, it could only beat Beetles! I gave it a valve job, ( big improvement ) Mooneyes decals on the vent windows, A comic style decal of a T coupe/w a Hurst stick through its roof, on L. R. window. Monroe load levelers to hold up the rear. Dad said the Mooneyes weren't legal, OFF. Then he had a conniption fit, the day he found that I'd removed the grille bar and bullet, stashed the wheel covers and painted the wheels and the grille opening black. "The neighbors will think you had an accident!" I blew the motor before I could wreck it. Would love to have it today. I'm jealous
My dad bought a new Olds 88 and gave me the family truckster, a maroon red, 68 Ford Country Squire. I added air shocks, stereo, ET's and good year RWL 60's. Made a lot of memories in that long roof.
First "old" car was a 1930 Ford Model A Coupe in 1971 (still have it). First "new" car was an OT 1970 Corvette big-block roadster in 1970 (still have it).
Growing up, at my grandparents place there were two pedal cars, a blue one and an orange or red one. The second mentioned had “Mercury” on the side. My dad was the youngest kid and born in ‘36. Those two pedal cars had to damned old. I remember looking for them as we were cleaning out the place in the late 70’s to sell it, never found them. Always wondered what the heck happened to them. Oh, ‘57 Chevy PU my dad bought new and handed the keys to me at 15 1/2 when I got my permit.
This topic is kind of a sore subject with me. At 16, my first car was a '62 Impala identical to the one in this pic: 2dr hardtop, 283, auto, still had the original pinstripe upholstery, and factory AM radio. It originally belonged to a family friend who held onto it for me while I raised the cash. I was the second owner. loved that thing. . One day, as I was pulling into the driveway, the rusty brake line on the rear axle gave way in the curve just above the diff. The pedal went to the floor and BAM!!! I hit the corner of the garage. Not bad. Didn't hurt the car at all but tore the corner trim off the garage. My POS, abusive mother (long story) got uber pissed, screamed EVERY obscenity known to man, whacked me real good upside the head, put a for sale sign on it, then kept the cash when it sold. I worked my ass off for two years to get that car. I painted, mowed grass, had a paper route, sold The Grit magazine (got kinda ripped off there) and, any other odd job a 14-15 year old can find. That old bag (who was in and out of my life as a kid, leaving me to be raised by my Grandparents) took the money and ran. The shittiest part of it all was she made double what I paid for the damned thing. So... that's the story of how my mother stole my first car, profited, and bore ZERO consequences. As an adult, she came back into my life but we're still somewhat estranged. Bitch fucked up when she gave me power of attorney (I'm the only person she has left) cuz I get to pick the home the old bat gets to rot in. I'm not bitter or anything.
1949 Chevrolet coupe at age 16 in 1976. I was the only kid I knew who bought his own car. I was also the only kid I knew who was poor, but did not realize it at the time.
1954 Mercury Convertible that was setting in the weeds next to Sparling's Brake Shop. After a lot of wedeling, I was able to get the owner down to $40.00. He was asking $70.00 but felt sorry for me after I asked about including my model train set and one bicycle; I was only 14. Going in I knew it had a bad rear main seal, didn't know it was going to take a crankshaft to fix it. Got a re-ground crank from the local machine shop for $75.00 that my dad and I installed. Mom drove it for 2 years until I got my license.
In 1969 I traded a 175 Bridgestone motorcycle for a 1964 Cyclone 289 4 speed 410 gear. I still regret selling it.
First car was a OT 69 nova, was a drag car when I bought it. My dad did not want me to buy it ,he said it was a piece of shit. He went with me to get the car and had to sit on the floor on the way home, It only had a drivers seat. It was a real street strip racer, 327, 2X4 barrels, 4:56 gears and a 12 point roll cage. M22 four speed and crappy brakes. I quickly became a street racer at the age of 16. Parents were not impressed. LOL.
My very first car was much like the OP's car, but it was a 1956 Ford Fairlane 2 door. My dad bought it for me and my sister to use to drive to school since it was too far to walk and there were no school buses in my little town back then. When she graduated, I inherited it and used it until Uncle Sam sent me overseas. Loved it, couldn't kill it, sometimes I wish I had it back, but I loved my second car better cause it had a 390 4 speed in it.....varoom vroom!
In 1977 when I was 14, I bought a 63 Galaxie 2dr with a 390 3 speed, black with red interior. I bought it for $35. I sold it for $50 after I turned 15 to buy a 65 Mustang fastback.
I guess I'm just too young. Even though it was 10 years old, my first car was a not to be spoken of year
My first car was supposed to be a 70 monte carlo, but was sold before I could get there after work. I ended up with a 65 Plymouth Savoy, might be a Canadian only model- 2 door, silver with a black roof and red interior. Leaning tower of power under that long hood, 6x9 jensens in the back window, often playing Toys in the attic on the front lawn of our high school.
1951 Ford tudor, six with three on the tree. 1961. I had drug my a Dad all over town looking at A’s and 40’s. He was totally against any hot rod in his drive so he took my money and bought the 51. It was a one owner cream puff and the guy who owned the station where I bought gas did his best to convince me to hot rod the 51, but I wanted a 40 coupe like his. Drove the 51 about a year and sold it to buy a 40 sedan.
My first car was this 1929 Ford cabriolet I got in 1958 or 59. I fixed it up and it was my high school car in 1963. This is a current photo after a multi year rebuild to bring it back to close to its earlier (1963) appearance. It was originally purchased by my father in October 1929. It is still the original Andulusite Blue color, though it was painted a greenish blue in 1963. It has a hopped up four cylinder Model A motor.
First car was a $50 54 Buick Special when I was in the 8th grade. Worked on that old Buick many hours, probably kept me out of a lot of trouble back then. The next year Dad was trading cars and he gave me the choice of trading in the 54 or the 55 Buick he had bought new and I had to take the 55, The 54 was traded in with bald tires, no spare or jack, no radio, junk battery and about a half gallon of gas in the tank
Oh no! Unh uh. I ain't fallin' for that one again. Last time I went to the therapist, my ass hurt for a week. Kerning kills. If you get this reference, you and I should be friends.
This question comes up from time to time so this is from the last thread dealing with that first car. Back in 1962 we had a neighbor that lived behind us on a corner lot,,Mr.Burton was his name,,never knew his first name and from the time I was 11 years old I cut his grass during the summer. He drove a 53/56 Ford truck to work and had had some kind of accident and walked with a bad limp that's probably why I cut his grass. Anyway,I would go to his barn and get what I needed to do his yard work and there half covered with a old canvas army tent was a 32 Ford 5-window coupe, I always looked forward to entering that sacred tomb each summer until that day in early June he told me that my services were no longer needed,,,he explained that he was moving up north to live with his sister,,,he ask me did I want the lawnmower to go into business cutting other folks yards,,,I gladly went to the shed to retrieve the mower and gaze one last time at the coupe,,which had not moved the whole time we lived next to him. I ask him was he gonna drive the old car to his sisters or pull it,,,His answer was,,No,son,I'm gonna have to sell the old gal,,,with that reply,,I fired back how much? His answer was already established because 75 bucks came back as quick as I ask.,,,I'll buy it,I said. He looked at me and said we need to talk to your dad,,,not wanting my dad to say no,,,I told Mr. Burton I would talk to dad tonight when he gets home from work,,, Next day I sat outside Mr. Burton's front door,it seemed to be forever but I knew he worked second shift and I didn't dare wake him up,It just might screw things up. Around noon he exited his house and ask how long had I been there and if I had discussed the sale with my dad, I told him I just came over a few minutes ago and dad said it was OK with him. BTW,I never once said a word to my dad,I really didn't need the money,I robbed my cigar box and with my grass cutting money,birthday money and my entire life savings I had enough money and some change, I had enough money to buy the coupe and fix it u,Hey ,I was 12 years old, I didn't know what I do today. So,I handed Mr. Burton my hard earned cash and we proceed to unearth the coupe,,man,That car was nice,,original black paint,flathead V8,and all 4 tires were shot and rotten but I had the biggest grin on my face as I fought with all my might trying to guide it as Mr. Burton pulled it behind his truck across his yard into my parents side yard. I was the happiest kid in the world for about three hours. That was when my dad got home,the first words out of his mouth was what was that junk car doing in our yard?, from there it got ugly dad called Mr. Burton and woke him up,remember this man worked 2nd shift, to say he was a little more than annoyed would be a understatement. dad got into a debate about not clearing it with him first and that I was 12 years old and had no business with a car and for him to come and get it out of his yard and if he wanted to keep the money Danny gave you for lying to us both and he would take care of me, I knew what was gonna happen because they don't call this part of the country the Bible Belt for nothing. Heavy on the belt! long story coming to a end, Mr. Burton gave me my money back and had a big laugh and a few days later both he and the car were gone never to be seen again. Many years later my dad and I talked about what had now become known as the ol' ford coupe incident and how he never dreamed that I would ever be able to restore and build cars from the ground up and how badly I wanted that car and how he was proud of me when people would stop by our business and ask about the different cars that I would drive to work. At that time the 32 Ford coupes were already reaching unheard of prices and he just couldn't believe the prices. A few weeks before he passed away the subject came up again, Dad said I sure hope you find a old coupe like that one someday,I told him it was probably a good thing he didn't let me keep it,I would have tried to made a hot rod out of it and gotten myself killed . he smiled and said,Nobody will ever know son,we can't go back but if I would allow you would let to keep that car. All you guys got is my word on this ,all the players are deceased with the exception except of me and nobody knows what happened to that 32 coupe. but I'm willing to bet the owner ain't 12 years old! The first car I got to keep was a '54 Ford. HRP
in 1966 i bought a 1940 ford 2 door sedan for 50.00 that had previous studebaker drive train. my dad took that drive train out and put in a 221 v8 with 260 heads a c4 auto and a 57 ford nine inch. i had it done in white primer with light blue interior and chrome reverse with black walls. nice driving car
The 1st car I bought was a 69 Buick in 1974. It was a nice car before it came into my possession. In a year I installed 3 motors, 2 sets of rear wheel bearings, ruined the original posi, and had a slipping trans. It didn't hold up nearly as well as my Dad's 64 Olds I started out driving, nor the Plymouth that replaced the Buick. It was just before I turned 18 when I bought it, and was just before I turned 19 that I traded it in. That Buick was the last GM that was ever titled in my name. Gene
It is the avatar- kind of. Well at least it has the chopped top, frenched headlights, shortened top grille bar, spotlights, and wide whites. Purchased on January 1 1971. That really is an oil painting I did of the car back in 1988 from another that was featured in American Rodder at the time. It has sat collecting dust in my brother's garage since 1996. It is going to be my "own" barn find if I ever get back on it.
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