cool thread... my first car was a 59' ford, paid $20.00 for it and drove it about 6 months, till it overheated. i was in high school autoshop at the time and thought it was a good time to pull the "6" and rebuild it. built it in the back yard on our picnic table.. lol (what a clean enviroment) while the motor was out i found a 60' ford, two door station wagon that i thought was pretty cool, with a rod through the side of the block. i got that car for $5.00 and put the rebuilt into it.. drove it about a year... not bad, my first two cars cost me only $25.00... and the only fords i've ever owned, i've been a chevy man since (close to 40 years now)
my first car was a 1968 pontiac firebird 350 2bbl powerglide that my mom bought brandnew and my dad turned into a hunting /fishing creek /puddle jumper yes he is a redneck he had put soo many spring nuts in the front coils the car didnt bounce and had a pair of shakels extended to the max out back by the time i got it when i turned 16 literally every body panel needed replaced including the front subframe and the rear rails yes it needed the radiator cap lifted and a new car installed under it it was junk but i had grown up in that car and it was finally mine and dammit i was going to rebuild it and make it the baddest bitch in the area ........... i bought a 455 h.o and a tri-power setup from a 67 gto and a 4.30:1 10 bolt and a b&m rebuild kit for the turbo 350 i had the trans rebuild shop put init before i could start driving it had the engine and stuff sitting there waiting for the perfect time and then one day after school im driving down the road and hear this loud bang from the rear end and the car stopped gaining speed and slowed to a stop everytime i gassed it the speedo jumped like a tach...... i blew the spider gears out of the original stock 10 bolt so i decided (well the car decided for me) it was time to tear it apart to build my bitch remember i was 16 no garage, not really any tools, no experience, no help , no skills, and no real idea how to rebuild a car . got it all apart it sat on my driveway for about 4 years my friends dad bought a 68 firebird that had a rusty roof he made me an offer and he got the car most of my first car is still sitting in his basement someday ill find another 68 in better condition and i WILL build it ........
'55 Chevy BelAir 2 door hardtop. Worth every penny of the $200.oo I borrowed from the Bank of Mom. I had credit 'cause I was working the rides at the Woodland Park Zoo for $1.40 an hour. Unlicensed and uninsured at the age of 15, I drove the tires of that thing all summer long.,, What was my Mom thinking???
winter of 75..........i was tired of getting wet and cold on my motorcycle.......so i bought a 1956 split screen Morris Minor the thing was a real power house 803cc side valve....... transplanted in a massive 1098cc engine, and i re-painted it on my old mans drive....... It had buttoned draylon interior and 'fur' headlining ................ oh............. to be 18 again................... . .
No pic thatI can find. '47 Chrysler New Yorker, strait 8 and "Fluid Drive", a family friend gave it to my mom. She drove it until it stopped running and gave it to me. I was about 12 at the time, knew nothing about cars and had no money. Managed to hang onto it for several years and through several moves. Used to go sit in it to read or do homework, more comfortable than any of our furniture! Finally tried to get it going, engine was OK, had just lost the fuel pump cam. But I could not find anyone willing to touch the trans. Sold it for $100, which I put toward my second car, A project Jaguar XK-140MC Drop-head coupe. Saw the 47 on occasion for the next several years around San Jose. Some one got it running, last I saw it was on a car lot, still in it's original paint and upholstery. Considered buying it back, but for $1,800 I could have bought a LOT of parts for the Jag, so I let it pass.
First car I drove was a RHD '65 Morris Mini in 1977. It's in my driveway (thanks Dad) First car I bought was a '61 Olds 88. That's the one I wish I still had
1956 Ford Fairlane...bought when I was 15 and restored with the help of my Dad who rebuilt the engine, upholstered and painted it in our garage. It was ready to drive at 16 and the envy of all my friends for decades. Had a 351 Cleveland with a 4 barrel and man could that car fly.
1958 Opel Rekord..... Looks like a mini 55 chev. My cousin gave it to me with a broken timing gear when I was 13. I saved my paper route money, bought a used camshaft with a gear on it and installed it myself. My dad couldn't believe it when he came home from work one night to find me driving it up and down our alley.
I951 Vic Shoebox, then a 49 Business Coupe Shoebox, then a 1949 Olds 88, then a 1934 Ford 2 dr sedan, then a 1957 Chev Belair coupe followed by a 57 210 coupe altered, it's a blur after that. Now i'm working (slowly) on a 37 Ford Truck Lovin it Started at fourteen /sixty three now, still having fun.....
1972 chevy caprice coupe with the 402 bb. got it from my grandma for $1. took the motor and tranny out of it when i got my 65 impala but never used it in the impala. gave the 72 to a guy to use in a derby, still have the motor and tranny though. i wish i wouldn't have tore the car apart now, but when your 15 and you buy a 65 impala ss from your uncle which would you pick. no pic but i remember like it was yesterday
63 impala ,blown motor given to me for my 16,th birthday rebuild the motor son and you got a car no problem
69 camaro. got it when i was 14. my dad and i rebuilt it before i was 16. had a built 350 , 4.11 pois and the stock power glide. i always wanted to convert it to a manual but i just didnt have the money . probabily was cause of the those 4.11 gaers. that little power glide would shift into high in 5 feet.
69 Mach 1 Mustang, meadowlark yellow, black interior. Dented front and rear! Had a 351W and 3 speed. Got into plenty of trouble in that car. Chrome reverse wheels, glasspacks. Shag carpet covering the cracked dash pad and an 8 track...great memories! Got stolen while I was in the Marines. Still have the old title hoping someday I might find it somewhere.
My first was 62 corviar monza. Paid $30 for it and worked on it a year to get it driving and my first paint job real candy blue over silver base my high school ride
It was 1969, freshman in college, out for a walk when I saw the fins of a 51 Henry j sticking out of a barn. The retired school teacher said she would take 100 bucks for it! I drove to the nearest car wash to get the chicken shit off her and I was the proud owner of my first car and and AA/GASSER want to be ! Lol. Ps no the one I own is not her! I wish !!!
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 dad 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,,enough money to buy the coupe and fix it up,,,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,,,he called Mr. Burton,,,woke him up,,remember,,2nd shift,,he was a little more than annoyed,,he and 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,,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,,,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 it. A few weeks before he passed away the subject came up again,,he 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 could,,,I you would let to keep that car. All you guys got is my word on this ,,,all the players are deceased,except me,,,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
Pretty old thread but what the hay, I'll throw down on it. '39 Chev two-door, I was the proudest car owner at 12 in 1962. The farmer's widow next door to us wanted to give it away and I was first in line. Moved it deep in to the woods to hide it from the old man. Had a morning paper route to buy a battery, a couple tires and gas. I'd ride my bike to it after school to mess with it and occasionally drive it around on the dirt roads shielded by the corn fields to keep from view our farm. A couple years later at a very mature 14, I traded it plus 20 bucks for a '46 Ford, I needed that V8 rap!
His Dad's 33 Chevy was the first Hot Rod I got a ride in over 52 years ago. I never forgot that ride and the sound of that solid lifter small block. It made me the hot rod nut I am today. And this is my 5,000 post on the HAMB (how fitting)
My first car was a 1930 Ford Tudor that was modified into a pickup. I never actually got it on the road, but technically, it was my first car. The first car that I owned, and drove, was a 1963 Split-Window Corvette. I kept it from 1968-1973. I really liked that car, but rain leaked into it from some unknown spot behind the dash. It would put an inch or so of water into the passenger footwell. I eventually drilled an 1/8" hole onto the floor so it could drain out. It would still get wet, but I didn't have to listen to the sloshing. Good thing that the carpets came out easily.
57 chevy 150 blue. It didn't have a radio, I didn't care. The payment was $35.00. Those were the days.
54 ford F100. Got it at 15 1/2. Drove it through high school. No one else could drive it because the steering box was so loose. The wheel had to be constantly in motion from 10 to 2 to keep it going In a straight line. Parked it after locking up the steering when making a squealing hard right turn out of the parking lot of my summer job and bouncing off a firebird parked along side the road. Come to find out my dad had let the insurance lapse cause he was broke. He settled with the guy.... Never did talk about how much that cost. The truck sat in my folks back yard In Tacoma for 15 years. Finally my dad brother and uncle dug it out and trailered it down to San Diego where I settled. It has been torn down to the frame by a friend who I barter with. Hope to have it back on the road in the next couple of years. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
15 years old and bought a 1950 Chevy 4-door that was 8 years old at time ( it was is great shape with low miles); tried to make a mild custom out of it. I was reading every "little books" that I could get my hands on. Two years later the '50 was traded for a '55 chevy 2-door. NOW 56 years later (I'm 71) I have another '50 Chevy, this time it's a coupe with the factory back seat and it is slowing becoming the mild custom that I wanted back in High School and this '50 is not going anywhere.
At age 15 I was offered a 63 1/2 Ford Galaxy Police Special for nothing if I could start it! Fifteen minutes later I was driving that Black and White home.
Started off "un-American" but first one I owned myself was my '67 E-Type Jag roadster. Now adays that might sound like it could be a bit exorbitant but back then in excellent condition it was a somewhat reasonable $2200.
I have never come across this story before Danny. That has to be one of the best stories of a first car I have read. Thanks for posting! I guess I was fortunate. I got my first car when I was 12, but my dad drug it home for me on a trailer and a couple of truckloads. It wasn't HAMB friendly, but was a 67 Camaro RS/SS convertible back before it was worth anything. We restored it together and I ended up selling it when I was 17 because I was more into hot rods than a classy convertible...
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