History OK - This will be Fun - What was your very first vehicle ?

Well, it's a vehicle, and our father bought it for us to eventually pull gang mowers so we could cut all of the fields down into lawn. I was 12, and my older brother was 16. The vehicle? It was a pre WW2 airplane tug.
Not a good picture, but that's it and a 12 year-old me driving it. It was a beast, weighed 12,000 pounds give or take a ton. Late 30sDodge flathead 6, 4 speed, truck rear axle bolted solid to the frame plates. 1 inch thick steel plate roughly a foot tall front to back. Even the hood was massive. 1/8 inch steel plate, took both of us to get it off and on.

It was a blast to drive. Want to make a new snowmobile trail thru the woods, no problem just knock the trees over!

 

I'm in on this!
Sorry no pictures, I didn't own a camera in 1961! or 1966 for that matter!

My long ago, deceased pal Jerry and I were avid model car builders.
We lived on the same street. It was 1961, we were 11 or 12 years old.

I found a newspaper ad for a 1951 Ford sedan for sale and I jokingly
said to Jerry," lets ride our bikes and take a look at this car."
It was at the other side of town but it was only $30 so we went.
Sure enough it was parked on the street with the sign, $30 does not run.
We asked the guy if he would sell to us and he said get the money.
We quickly rode home to see if we could dig up the $.
I dug up half and Jerry showed up with the rest, we rode back, paid the guy,
and he said, "now you have to get it towed home!"

We didn't figure on that! We couldn't get it home until we came up with a tow.

Jerry said his dad knew a guy with a tow truck, so we rode over to him
and said "how much?" He said " $30!" His dad and mine didn't know,
yet, we had bough the car!
So we went to the bank with our school savings accounts and got $15 each!
we were actually getting 4-1/4% interest!

We went back to the tow truck guy, and went to get the car.

We got it to Jerry's house just as his dad got home and he said,
" Just hide it in the back yard!"

Yes it actually happened!
We almost got it to run too, then gave up and sold it for a demo derby car for $60!

The one I actually bought to drive was a 1961 Renault, just like the pink one above.

I bought it in 1966 when I got my license.

I had to buy it because my dad said I couldn't drive his '62 Pontiac, because
I would ware it out in 6 months after he came home after my first day driving
and he said "where the Hell did you drive today?" I said "Me and Pat, (girl friend)
Just rode around." He said "road around!, you went about 250 miles!"

I started looking and found the Renault for $125, bought it, paid for it,
and paid the license and insurance!

He said, "you grew up fast!"

My dad loved cars as much as I do! He's been gone 50 years, I still miss him!

 

First car was a couple of years too new for the HAMB, 67 Ford pony car. First HAMB vehicle was a 65 Chevy pickup I bought to flip, only drove it twice. Gave $300 for it, got $600 three days later! Then I got a 27 T sedan, then a 36 Chrysler Royal coupe, then a 35 Ford pickup, then a 48 Ford coupe, none of which ever ran and never drove.
Only HAMB friendly car I've ever owned any length of time is my 47 Lincoln.

 

1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe. $250. In 1952.

Ben

 

in 1973 my father gave his 1935 Dodge sedan for my 16th birthday. It was the family car through the '60s but had been in storage for a few years by the time I got it. It needed a lot of work., rings bearings, brakes etc.
I did get it running and drivable but lost interest when I bought a '56 New Yorker the following year for $50.00. I drove that for a year or two till something else came up.
I kept the old Dodge, dragging it from home to home for 35 years, never finishing it.
finally sold it here in about '08.. wonder what ever happened to it..?

 

It's closer than your Shovelle

 

There was progress today ( in theory)

 

1955 Chevrolet 210 Del Ray 2 door post with a 300 hp 327 and Muncie 4 speed. I got it in 1970 just before my senior year of high school. I still have it.

 

When I was 16 I scraped together $300 and bought one of these-

Except mine had more rust than sheetmetal, and more leaks than a Welsh allotment. 313 V8, push-button 727, power steering and brakes. I got it roadworthy (in primer), and used it for about 3 years. It taught me one important lesson though- don't look past the faults and fall in love with the style, because you will be the poor sucker who has to fix it all!

 

My first car was a 1956 4-door Chevy, 6 cylinder POS, in 1962 when I was 15, for $15.00. It had wheels without tires and no brakes and was painted flat gray. I bought 4 used tires from a junkyard for $20.00, rebuilt the brakes and fixed a bunch of miscellaneous problems. I licensed myself as soon as I hit 16, then the car about 2, months later.
Drove it for a couple of years and sold it for $25.00 for scrap metal and bought a much better '57 Chevy for $400.00 !! I was moving on up..........

 

I'm 70 now but this was my first. 39 Deluxe tudor bought for $100 in about 1970. A friend of my dad rebuilt the flathead and brakes. That was my friends Mustang. Later in life I became obsessed with first gen Camaros and looking back, our neighbor across the street had a 69 Pace car. Didn't even give it a second glance then....

 

Some of you actually had some nice first cars.
At 16, I blew my entire $150 savings on this beater A coupe.
Turned out to be the first installment of an automotive education.

 

A '57 Chevrolet 210 two door sedan, six cylinder stick. Purchased for $150.00 in 1976. The seller promised that the battery was good, but it wasn't, so I went back and complained and he refunded me $20.00. I drove it home sitting on an upside down galvanized pail (a true bucket seat!) since the front seat was missing. Spied a really rotten '57 hardtop in someone's back yard and bought the front seat out of it for $3.00 (price one today), and a working radio out of another '57 for $5.00. Got my older cousin who had some body shop experience to help me with that, and painted it a medium metallic blue. Added some chrome reverse wheels from Sears. Eventually, it got a 283.

 

That's what I call sweat equity!

 

In 1953 our whole family went to the Chevrolet dealer and came home with a beautiful 1953 two tone brown/beige station wagon.....dad traded our old 1947 Suburban. Fast forward to 1960.....the wagon had some minor engine problems so it got parked behind the barn. I was complaining to my dad that at 14 I had my school permit and needed a car. He said......"it's behind the barn if you can get it running". Got a battery......fresh gas.....points.....it fired up. My uncle was the head mechanic at the dealership and he taught me how to adjust the valves......and I had just got a Motors Manual for Christmas......along with and SK socket set.....life was good. Already starting to discover drag racing thru my hand down Hot Rod mags. We would go down to a dirt lane with big puddle.....get the tires wet....back out onto the street.......dump the clutch and get the rear spinning and chirping when it launched........life was good !!

 

First car was a 64 ford 6 cyl. 4 door. blown engine. Gave to me from my sister.
I was 14. This would have been around 1980. sold it for $50.
My brother found a 63 bel air 4 door for $100 that run.
It had a 283 powerglide. He taught me firing order and tune up. Had a blast driving in the country on back roads.
When I turned 16 dad had me buy a 73 olds omega. I traded it for a 73 cadillac sedan deville.
Since then I have owned over 250 cars and trucks. most ran. some were parts cars.
I still some how manage to buy at least 3 cars a year. It's a sickness.
Currently own 11 . 7 are registered and licensed.

 

My first car was 61 Willys Jeep 2wd wagon, my dad gave me when I was 13 in 1969.
he bought it new and used it for a work vehicle,
he started using dodge vans and the Jeep needed some work



That’s me on the right, a ring bearer for my big brothers wedding August 1, 1964

 

My 1st car was an off topic car. My 1st HAMB era vehicle was a 65 Dodge 3/4 ton pickup I got from my dad, but it was just a work truck at a time I needed a work truck. I was dirt track racing at the time.
The first real HAMB car was a 35 Dodge 2 door sedan, basket case. I paid $75 for a pile of rusty sheet metal with a good title and built a car. It took around 7 years to accumulate enough knowledge and experience to actually get it built. I got a good start on the build, but then it sat for a couple years. It wasn't until 1994 that I was actually able to get serious on the build, and then it was on the road in about 9 months! While we were driving it, body work and paint followed, and took another couple years to finish. In the 7 years we owned the car, we put 77,000 miles on it. I sold it after its replacement was road worthy.
This pic was while it was waiting its time, just before the 1st round of its build. The little guy in the pic is now 40. This pic was just before we sold the car.

 

My first car was a '28 Model A CC pickup (28phonebooth) that my Dad surprised me with when I was 13 or 14 years old. He paid $45 for a non-runner, OK shape, but needed A LOT of work!! I think he got it for me thinking it would keep occupied and out of trouble, plus he and my Mom encouraged me in my mechanical interests. It was even titled in my name! Did an off-frame resto on it, but only got it to about 50% complete before college, job, marriage, house, etc. got it set aside, and I eventually sold it .... in running, but disassembled condition. I really liked that little truck but looking at it from a 75 y/o perspective, aside from the fun factor, I don't think it would have been anything I'd like to spend too much time driving.... they're kind of cramped, even for a small guy like me. Gotta admit though, I still get a bit of a woody when I see one on the street or in a show. Like they say: "You never forget your first one."

 

my first car was a 1954 Morris Minor 850 2 door sedan in 1966
My mates and I were surfboard riders and it would get us to the beach and back with a few boards on top
It even had room to take some girlfriends to the drive in

 

Bought this 1953 Willys Jeep PU for 100 bucks when I was 16. Was a ranch truck that had 4200 original miles on it. Everything all original with a L6 226 Super Hurricane.

 

I'd wanted a 55 Chevy since first seeing 2 Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti. I bought my first car in 1975 at age 15. $400 of hard earned lawn mowing and paper route money got me a 55 Chevy 2 dr. sedan Bel Air. My Dad drove it home. Primer gray with primer black hood, roof and trunk. 283/muncie 4 speed and a 12 bolt posi (with 5:13 gears) from a Chevelle powered it. I worked on it the entire school year in our 1 car garage, adding traction bars, headers w/ glasspacks bolted right to the collectors (loud!). New clutch and the ugly dark green interior got spray bombed with black vinyl spray. Black paint for the dash and garnish, added an 8 track player. Had it ready for my 16th birthday which was the last day of my Sophomore year. My Mom picked me up after school and we went to the DMV to get my driver's license. Next morning I started my first real job at a restaurant ($2.00 hr. and all the beer I could sneak) and drove the 55 there. All the world was right!!! The bicentennial hit a few weeks later, I was driving everywhere in the 55; car shows, the beach, parties, cruisin, dates, Drive In, etc. My best friend got a 55 Bel Air that summer-for free. His Grandmother gave her (original owner) 55 to him. He and his Mom drove to Iowa to get it and he drove it back, so we both had 55's. Good times!

 

'39 Deluxe Coupe, $220 in 1959.
255 merc, 25 tooth Zephyr gears,
interior was all done up.

Later on replaced the flathead with a 324 Olds.
Broke a few trannys and axles with that!

It was just an old car, back then...

 

Had a classmate who got drafted, 82nd Airborne. While stationed at Fort Bragg, he bought a 1962 Corvette. Shortly after he got out of the service, I ran into him in a local store. He said he was going to sell the 62 and buy a newer Corvette. I asked him how much, he said $750, I said sold. That was in 1972 and was the first car I ever bought and I still own it. Here is a picture from the day I bought it:

 

my first ride was 60 chevy convertible,black with red and white interior, given to me by my sister when she bought a new 66 Charger. What a looker, I had the first set of Cragers SS wheels in Bergen County( bought from J&F Speed Shop) I'd wax that car 2 times a week, when weather permitted.The only downfall was it was a 6cyl Automatic. Wasn't long before I had to get the trans rebuilt, too many neutral to drive tire chirps ,LOL

 

I have mixed emotions every time this kind of thread pops up because this is the only photo I have of my first car, somehow they were all thrown out with the newspapers in the eighties during a move.


The kid that I sold it to only had it a short time before he wrecked it.
Bought this 61 Impala Sport Sedan in 1969 when I was 15, had a 348 with a column shift three speed, it had five spokes and the requisite Gabriel Hi-Jacker air shocks to give it a rake, looked pretty good for a four door.
I had it a week and put a Hurst Syncro-Loc shifter in it, also put a pair of speakers in the doors and that was about all I did with it, was a fun first car.
I sold it after about six months when I spotted this 57 BelAir, my second car.

 

the classic "taking up too much room" excuse for parents to make you miserable. im so glad my parents dont do that.

 

I had mentioned this on here, my deal on the '56 Olds didn't pan out. I looked at a bunch of cars locally and in the Buy Lines. I got roped into a deal with a '64 Olds 88 that a guy my dad worked with was selling.

More than I had wanted to spend at $275, mom lent me some cash. Right off the bat, the transmission would give the Exxon Valdez stiff competition. Also it needed a valve job. The Bank of Mom came through once again.

I drove it for a solid year, it liked to blow through distributor caps. It left me stranded a few times, my birthday gift at age 19 from my folks was a fuel pump.

 

At age 20, I came within a hair of buying a '62 Caddy hearse, I was at the lot with my hand on the $600 I had in my pocket and bailed. They also had a '62 limo for $300 I was considering.