Share your fondest influential auto-related memories from childhood

As a little toddler sleeping in the back seat of my dad's 52-53 Ponts, wool mohair scratching my cheek and the good dusty smell of the old fashioned wool upholstery.
Half a century later i visited Lowell, Mass, and read in a museum that the year GM went to vinyl seats was the beginning of the end for that mill town, thousands lost their jobs overnight as at big mills lost their car contracts.
Hadn't thought about the experience of sleeping on that mohair for years, but standing in the empty factory (museum) it all came back.

 

So cool!!!...in more ways than one.

 

In 1950 my mom drove a '39 Dodge. One day her boyfriend rolled up in a brand new '50 Olds. He gave me a ride and got on it full bore. I thought I was in a F-86 Sabre Jet.

 

The memory I'd like to share began with a gentleman named Roland C. Bower, who rented a building from my grandfather. This occurred around 1959 or 1960. He located his fabrication & welding shop in the building. My home was just a short distance from his shop, and he didn't mind a 12 year old hanging around. This guy was an absolute artist with a torch & a welder, and I was fascinated by his creations. He built a Crosley based miniature American LaFrance fire truck (that fire truck earned a photo in the December 1960 Popular Mechanics magazine) , a Crosley based miniature Jeep, garden tractors using Studebaker transmissions & rears, etc., etc.
I even was allowed to ride along on the fire truck's maiden voyage. All this cinched it for me. Even though my career led into the electrical/electronics field, my love of cars & fabricating things mechanical was firmly planted in my mind. Even now, the aroma of a welding shop is like an air freshener to me. And yes, I now have a hobby based hot rod/welding & fabrication shop where I spend a great deal of time. So all this is a tribute of sorts to Mr. Bower. My exposure to his skills & creativity are precious memories for me. Sadly, Mr. Bower passed away many years ago, but I often think of him and how he helped shape the interests of an inquisitive 12 year old kid. RIP Rollie! I miss you.

 

Ridin in the back seat of my uncles 70 Mach 1 428 scj 4 speed with him driving and my dad ridin shotgun. He had just bought it. Grabbing fourth about 95. Runnin sob. Btw there was a boss 429 on the lot too. He bought the Mach cause it had an 8 track. Wow. It was a badass. Faster than the boss in street tune. We ate up a sd 455 t/a like it was on skids. Great memories!!!!

 

What a great thread! I have a lot of memories from the early 60's as a little kid, but the one that always sticks the most is one of my uncles bought a 2 year old '62 409, 2-4's, 4spd, posi. It was beautiful metalic blue.

He had a big roller cam and fenderwell headers and we would go from one drive-in to the other in town looking for some fun. He'd put in $5 of Sonoco 260 and we could drive all night.

On our way home he'd uncork the headers and tell me to look out the window to see if I could see BLUE flames. He'd rev it up and pop the clutch and I'd try my best to see the blue flames, but couldn't hold on! He'd laugh and I'd try it again! We had a lot of fun! Those days are long gone...

 

Not long gone as long as they're in your memories. Share those stories with the younger ones. That way they live on!!!RS59

 

Even though my dad wasn't a hot rodder, I enjoyed hearing the stories of his 57 Chevy. He loved that car and missed it til the day he died. I hope to build a tribute car to it one day. I even have his old stuffed animal that rode on the rear package tray. I have a picture of that car that was hand drawn by an artist years ago hanging in my office.

I used to ride up front on the armrest of my parents 76 Olds wagon as a kid and ask him about all the old cars I saw going down the road and he'd do his best to tell me what they were. Us kids enjoyed riding in the rear facing 3rd row seat and waving to people as they got near or went to pass us.

My grandpa was a mechanic and would tell me about all the old cars that had passed through his hands. The one that stood out the most was about a coupe that you could pull the back out and make into a pickup. He mentioned Star and Chevy. Don't remember which one it was.

I used to ride around with my grandpa out in the country in his 61 Stude pickup. Thought it was pretty neat. I remember telling him "Gramps, if you ever decide to get rid of this ol truck I'd like it." 20+ years later he gave it to me. Not nearly in the same condition but I'm going to fix it up one day and pass it down to my kids.

We also went to the racetrack often. My mom loved it. She'd get so excited when she saw a wreck. She said I was in her womb when she was going to the races. Must've been the sounds that got me started.

 

I also remember hearing stories of the neat old cars my parents had. They dated in a 53 Chevy, blue with white top. My mom worked at a Chev garage so once they got married they purchased a brand new 66 Super Sport. (Really wished they'd have kept it).
I also remember ogling over a late 60's Super Bee that was in a driveway on the way home from school.