Got my restricted DL in 62 after taking drivers education in the summer. My first car was a 53 chevy coupe I got for$100. Drove it pretty hard, and then moved up to a 55 chevy that I pretty much drove in the ground. Traded for 59 Pontiac that had been shaved (used lead in those days) and lowered. That car was pretty quick but I fried the motor by putting aviation gas in it. Uncle Sam came calling and after a extended vacation to various bases around the world I came home and went through all kinds of muscle cars which I raced along the way.Drifted away while raising my boys (they were into sports) and am now back to working on a 31 ford truck. Just retired and plan to drive my 53 ford pick-up for running around and park my new one as it will probably be the last new truck I will ever buy. Had cancer a few years ago, so every day is a gift. The hardest part of this stage in life is seeing so many of your friends in the obituaries. Had a great professional career but turning wrenches in the garage is still in the blood after all these years.
Got my license in 66 (also lost it for awhile in 66, but thats another story). Had a couple 56 Fords then graduated to a FE 63 Ford 406 just before I got drafted. Raced it a bit after I got out then drifted from hot hods to motorcycles for 30yrs. But I've always had a Ranchero since 71. Never a daily driver, just something to putz with. Got the bug again a couple years ago and went out and got a 57 Ford. Had the bug so bad last winter I did a T5 trans conversion on it at 60yrs old in a basically unheated garage. I guess I'm an old hot rodder, just move slower.
Got my license in 1971, not long after I turned 16. My first car was a '56 Olds 88 that I paid $5 for. Viet Nam was winding down, Jimi Hendrix had died not to long before and muscle cars were the rage, but the fastest car on the island (Guam)at the time was a blue and black '55 Chevy sedan delivery.
Got my license at 14 (1949). My first car (at 15) was a 1940 Ford convertible and the first hot rod I built was in 1954...'32 Ford pickup.
got my 41 chevy coupe & drivers license in 64, still got my 41 coupe & my drivers license too, learned how to drive, drag race, drink beer, etc etc etc in this old coupe, guy offered me 54,000 dollars for it turned him down, grandfather bought it new in 41 will pass on to my son......
My first car was a 41 Chev in 1957 I didn't have a drivers license and still drove. in 64 I got my license suspended,still drove. got my license revoked, still drove. but I learned not to burn rubber at every stop light. got 51 tickets and ran from the cops and avoided probably 10-12 more by the time I was 25. only had 6 since and I'll be 69 in april. I still drive fast and crazy with the lights out. but I pick my spots a little better.
Got my drivers license, first car, first ticket and suspension all in the summer of '54, at which point I hopped up the car while I was suspended. Didn't please my dad too much. That was the beginning of my love affair (sickness) with cars
Got my license in 1958--40 ford coupe was my first car. Just finishing up my 5th 40 ford. Wish I had 'em all back--probably miss the Hawk-powered 40 4dr the most folllowed by the 60 vette. Or maybe the......................................
Learned to drive 4-speed double clutch 46 Ford Pickup, got licence in '59...built and raced hot rods and dragsters until I got married in '68...haven't had a wrench in my hand for many years. I remember when we thought that old-style hot rods and customs would die out in the '60s....this site is proof that the younger guys are keeping it alive...
I was out the door yesterday jumped in the 68chevelle, need the trunk space, & the engine was tapping. That's right, last time I drove it, we were punching it on freeway, madddd!!! I jumped out, popped the valve cover, adjusted the valves, put the cover back on, & I was on my way. That's the way old Hot Rodders roll, no matter how old.
Had 3 cars before I was 16. Got my license 1963 dropped my mom off at the house and went straight onto I-95 a new highway in Ct. back then.
I would but the street rodders on the board might bet their panties in a bunch. I loved it in the '70s when the V-8 dinosaur was going to be a thing of the past. I snagged all the high performance parts I could from everyone who bought into that 4 banger restorod craze. I didn't build my first engine on my own until 1968 that would be 43 years ago. I am not sure if I count as a hot rodder and altough I feel pretty old most days I don't own up to it. Anyway I have been building cars and bikes for a little over 40 years. I still build 'em pretty much the way I always did. My cars don't run EFI although I do normally run electronic ignition because I am lazy.
Bought my first car 52 years ago at age 14 and got my drivers license two years later. A much simpler time.
Got my license in '63. Drove my buddy's parents '61 T-Bird for my test. Since then I have had plenty of hot rods, some I built and some I bought. I am still going strong.
Wow! I almost feel young again! got my license in 1958! bought the 32 in my album shortly after that. been a few cars and a lot of life in between! proud to be a member of the OFC!
Living in a farm community...we usually started driving as soon as we could reach the pedals..about ten driving tractors..about twelve driving trucks...we used to go trick or treatin' on a tractor...boy the good old days...d32
Got my driver's lic. in '58. !st car was a '49 Pontiac fastback straight 8 automatic. Removed the fender mirrors, the windshield visor, and the hub caps and the fender skirts. Installed porta walls(fake white walls) and painted the wheels red. Dyed the headliner red, bought red floor mats and opted for red seat covers instead of a class ring. Oh yeah, and hung some fuzzy dice off the RV mirror. The car was black. We lived in apt and my dad was long gone, no garage, just a crescent wrench, hammer, scewdrivers and a plyers for tools, and a head full of common sense. Been a motor head all my life and lovin' it.
Seems like a thread on this before, Bought my first car when I was 15, 49 Dodge wayfair convert with manual top, slip in plexaglass side windows. Choped the top and put a carson top on it. Dual 97's, split exhaust, took the flush a matic out. Great car. started in 1955
Got my licence in 1962, my first hot rod a year later. It was a 26 T tourer fenderless on an A frame and flathead V8 running gear. Then a 34 coupe, 36 coupe, 36 sedan, 37 sedan, 38 coupe and so on and so on.......
We are the same age. however all my first cars where fifties models I couldnt afforde the chevells ect. Im in agreement about often wishing I had been around ten years earlier. there is a guy here who Ive known for 40 years he is 72 has a junkyard full of mopars studebakers. His name is J D Haygood. He used to race a hemi powered rail dragster in the early sixties his car&picture where on the cover of hot rod magazine once. I really enjoy hearing his stories. I believe He still has the rail dragster. he let me see it once many years ago. OldWolf
I'm another young'un I guess. Born in 70, but It's not just about me, I learned from my dad.When I was born he traded in his 1966 Olds 442 for a New Ford Country Squire Station Wagon "The Green Submarine" it had a 429 . When I was 2 he bought a 1957 F-100 with a 6 cyl 3 on the tree. When I was 5 I helped him swap in a 292 (prolly more of nuisance). We were always working on that truck, body work, adjusting/bleeding the brakes, brazing the radiator until the top tank finally collapsed, tune-ups, you get the picture. I was driving that Ford by the age 10. I bought my first car in 1985, a 1964 NO-POST Ford Fairlane 260 2 spd. for $650. Me and the old man rebuilt the front end and dropped a 460/C6 in that I picked up for $200 (those weree the days, but then again I was only making $3.45 an hr) I worked at Super Shops Warehouse in San Bernardino CA. Eddie Hill Broke 300 mph. It was the beginning of the end, fuel injection/computerchip vrs. carb/points. By the mid Nineties with environmentalism, silicon valley, microsoft, ect. for me it seemed like people lost interest, or were afraid, or for whatever reason had moved away from Classics, Rods, and Customs. i work for the school district, there about 12 kids in the auto shop in each period, if your lucky 2-3 of them are actually doing something while the rest are playing with their i-whatevers, cards, or sleeping. I'm glad there's people still out here doing what we do.
Got my first driver when I was eight (1930 Ford2Dr). Got legal in 1954, been driving for 57 yrs. Still drive a 29 Ford Pk Up every day. Had many Rods and Customs. Iceman
I started driving and got my license in 1976. Only a young fellow by comparison to others. Didn't have my first rod until 2000 when I built it @ 41. I've however had plenty of other cars in between. At 52 now building my second rod.
Got my license in 58-am 68 now and ALL our vehicles (6) have V8's. Have been playing with cars since 58 as well-lost count of how many over the years but still have my 57 Fuely after 34 years and my wife has had her 55 the same amount of time.
If you're an old racer/hot rodder, then show up at the Old Country Buffet in South Hill Puyallup for the Old Racers brunch every first Wednesday of the month. http://www.oldcountrybuffet.com/locations Belly up to the breakfast bar and hit it with the gusto of the hound-dawgs.. I ain't too proud for my senior discount and seconds, thirds and fourths on stuff I ain't s'posed ta eat.. 11 am
the year was 1962 my car was a 41 ford business coupe. I also had a 55 ford 272 3spd both cars cost a total of 100 dollars. I was 16 and working part time at a gas station just to support my car cost. Those were the days.
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