Great old cars we have owned

[hushpuppy]

69 Mach 1- Met my wife of 40 years in it.-- still have the wife- wish I still had the car.

Richard

[Prairiehammer]

My first car:

1966 Fairlane 2 door hardtop with a 390 2bbl and three on the tree. Paid $400 for it in 1971. Before a year had passed, I had dropped almost $2000 into it. Blueprinted the 390, installed 12:1 pistons, Hooker headers, Holley 780, then a Holley three bbl, big .500" lift with 300° duration cam, extra heavy valve springs and push rods, aluminum high rise manifold, Accel ignition, a very stiff competition clutch and a Super T-10 Borg-Warner four speed transmission.

 

Installed air shocks and spring shackles to raise the rear enough to fit L60-15 Goodyear PolyGlass tires on American Racing aluminum 'mags'. Retained the 3.00:1 open rear end because I never had enough money to get a lower ratio, but boy, could I light up that right rear tire! And I did a calculated (rpm, overall gear ratio, tire diameter) 138 mph! Scary fast! I could turn that old FE 390 to 8000 rpm.

 

Swapped out the bench seat for black buckets from a Dodge Charger, swapped the back seat for black seat from a Dart, changed the interior color from tan to black, installed a Sun tach on the column, Hurst T-handle shifter, full Stewart-Warner gauge set into the dash, new black carpeting, eight track tape player.

 

Boy, oh boy, did I have some fun with that car during the Summer of '72! Worked on it a lot (head gaskets were prone to blow, and the starter wasn't very long lived. In order to change the starter, one had to remove the header; in order to remove the header, one had to remove the starter! Got pretty good at changing starters, even changed it out without jacks. I drove up on a snow bank once and dug out the snow to get under the car to chang the starter.)

 

Ah, yes! The memories of the young and dumb. Thanks for reviving them.

[KIC]

Wow... this opens a sore spot for me... If I knew back when, what I know now about the cars I had... It would be cool...

 

I had:

1957 4-door Chevy

1936 Chevy ( okay this one needed work) but complete except on tail light.

1966 Chevy Chevelle station wagon

1968 California Special Ford Mustang ( poor man's Shelby at that time)

1969 Mercury Cyclone with the 429 package

1966 MG convertible

1960 Dodge Seneca with the dash board push button auto transmission

1966 Buick Skylark

 

but my best...I still have... my father purchased a 1960 GMC Suburban brand new. I have all the original documentation, sales receipt, window sticker, sales brochures etc.

 

Being restored ( 6 year project so far) to a good driver as I type. Hoping the paint will be finished by this weekend.

 

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=276787&highlight=1960+GMC+Suburban

[KIC]

And then there is this...

 

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/05/14/incredible-car-collection-uncovered-after-61-years/?intcmp=features

[Sailor]

My first car was a 1 year old 62 Acadian convertible with bucket seats. I had it about 6 hours before some girl who had turned to talk to her friends in the back seat ran a red light and broadsided it. One of the cops responding to the accident told me he would turn his back while I grabbed his gun and shot her. He was joking....I think.

62 Acadian

65 TR4A

56 MGA

57 MGA

65 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III

56 Lincoln Continental Mk II

65 Corvair

53 chev 5 window P/U hot rod

51 Merc lead sled. chopped, dropped, shaved and candy apple red.

 

current crop

2002 Dodge Ram 1300 4X4

46 Chev rat rod rebuilt I6 with triple carbs.

 

In between have been a lot of very ordinary rides. For the first few years on Saltspring I had very little money so I would pick up a car for $100.00 and run it until it dropped then get another one. Most of the junkers lasted a year or more.

[Prairiehammer]

 

I also had a 1968 Saab 96 Wagon with a V4 a silly 200 cubic centimeters bigger than a Gen 1.2 and four on the column.

 

My first new car was a 1978 SAAB 99 Turbo. Fairly rare car in the States. I still have it.

[BratmanXj]

My first new car was a 1978 SAAB 99 Turbo. Fairly rare car in the States. I still have it.

 

Worked for a local Saab dealer right out of high school in the mid-90's. Still a few of those on the road around Chicago with 250k mile or more. Really nice driving car for the jelly-bean that they were, and that goes for quite a few Saab vehicles.

 

Speaking of...buddy and I went in on a 1972 Sonett III. Cool little car that intrigued people when we took it to car shows.

 

Also had a 1981 Callaway (as in the Corvette tuner) VW Scirocco. 1.7L SOHC inline-4 with a 20psi turbo. Thing was a dog off the line but once you hit 2k rpm it was a rocket beer-can. Three different colors of primer, great street rat till it blew an oil line and caught fire.

 

Then a 1998 VW Scirocco with some go-fast goodies on it...till it went under in a flood.

[Flyinfool]

My first car was a 71 AMC Sportabout.

I never went down the muscle car road as a youngster. I always went for practical to carry my toys.

From that I got a 70 Buick Estate Wagon with 454.

 

Later on I had a 76 Chevy Laguna That one had a very well built 406 motor that was tested at 625+HP on the dyno. Had to run 124 octane Blue Thunder gas. The ignition had a rev limiter set for 7500 rpm and I bumped it almost every time I had it out. Tires seemed to only last a couple of weeks.

 

My last fun car was a 91 Firebird Formula with all of the factory goodies. That is the one I most wish I still had. I only sold it because there was no way it was going to get thru emisions testing one more time, The stupid state stopped doing emission testing on pre OBDII 4 months later.

[Pic]

Bought all of these used and paid cash for them.

 

My first car was a 59 Beetle. No gas gauge or AC with the big 36 HP motor but got around 35 MPG. Could put $3 in gas and drive for 2 weeks.

64 Impala 4 door. Bought it used, was DR Pepper Vice Presidents company car. Special ordered with every available option including AC, Power Seats and Windows, AM/FM stereo with 350 HP 327 they put in the Vets and Power Glide transmission. Loved that car.

After High School.

72 Lincoln 460 4 BBL. Best ride of any car I have ever owned. At 120 MPH just floated down the rode. Could not keep back tires on it though.

69 El Camino SS with 350.

 

Then I went to Pickups.

65 Ford Shortbed 360 3 speed converted to floor shift.

69 Ford Shortbed 360 3 speed converted to floor shift. Painted UT Orange

70 Ford Longbed 360 Auto with AC.

[BigLenny]

My all time favorite car I owned was a 1978 Royal Blue Pontiac Trans AM. I met and dated my wife with that car. After we got married and had a baby coming, I traded it for a 4 door Honda Accord. Stupidest decision ever. When I look at the value today of those old 78 Cat Eye Trans Ams, I get sick at my stomach that I didn't keep it.

 

BTW, my favorite show on TV is on the Velocity Channel, it's called Chasing Classic Cars. I love watching Wayne Carini buy, restore and sell the old classics. Some of these cars y'all are mentioning have some very strong value today in the collector car world.

[GAWildKat]

Does it count if my Dad owned it? I still remember the '67 caddy Daddy bought new, purple with a white ragtop and white interior. I owned an 84 olds firenza, 84 cutlass sierra. Between Mike and I, we own/owned an 84 s10 blazer, 86 s10 blazer, the caprice, 79 f150, g20 chevy van, and the traverse. And of those the caprice is my fav next to Daddy's caddy. And I will take my caprice to that ^%$^%^$%^%*&^( traverse anyday.

[jonesy]

Speaking of Saabs, had a '63 saab, 3 cylinder, 2 stroke engine, front wheel drive when I was in service 70-71. buddy had a 67' , 3 cylinder, 2 stroke, 4 speed on column. Should have seen people laughing when we burned out side by side, front wheels smoking, not many front wheel drives at that time. Had to put gas in the tank, qt. of oil after that, shake the car to mix it, and you were set to go.

[Prairiehammer]

My first car was a 71 AMC Sportabout.

I never went down the muscle car road as a youngster. I always went for practical to carry my toys.

From that I got a 70 Buick Estate Wagon with 454.

 

 

It seems you liked the 'wagons, Jeff. My old man (with nine kids) had a station wagon during all my 'formative' years. When I got a license, I didn't have my own car, so I had to drive the family 'wagon (1956 Chevy, 1959 Plymouth, 1960 Ford, 1962 Chevy (two of them), 1967 Mercury Monterey (with a 390), 1972 Ford (with the woodgrain sides). All wagons.) I remember my first, ummm, girl/car experience was in the back of that Mercury; with the seats folded down, it was plenty comfortable for two in the supine position.

[adventurer 08]

Have had quite a few but best was

59 Fiat with 4 on the tree

56 belair built 283

58 belair

68 Chevelle SS396 350hp 4 speed posi

63 Chevy PU stepside 454 4 speed

[uncledj]

Well, let's see.

48 Willys CJ2A

69 Rambler American (I beat the pi$$ out of that car)

69 Mustang (Fastback)

73 Vega. (So slow it couldn't get out of it's own way)

73 Pontiac Catalina

65 Tempest (Put a 326 out of a 67 Lemans with a TH400 behind it)

68 Jeep Commando. (Buick V6 ran like a raped ape)

77 Jeep CJ5

VW Rail buggy

75 Cutlass. (Known as the Blue Streak)

76 Cutlass (No slouch either)

79 Lincoln MK4

77 Chevy K20 pickup

74 Chevy K5 Blazer

Another 77 Chevy K20 pickup. (Sitting out in the woods, but I still have it)

Corvair powered Rail buggy.

77 Camaro. (project that never got off the ground)

87 Honda CRX (48 mpg)

94 Sunbird (The only new car I've ever bought)

88 Ford Bronco II

94 Toyota 4 Runner

98 Jeep Grand Cherokee

94 Chrysler New Yorker

01 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 pickup (Still have that one)

2008 Ford Taurus (Still have that one too. 140k and drives like new)

01 Chevy Express 3500 (Beater work van)

In the interest of full disclosure

74 GMC Motorhome. (Like the urban assault vehicle in the movie Stripes)

01 Damon Challenger Motorhome (Still have it)

69 Chevelle (project in garage)

Reading this list makes me feel old. lol

Hard to say which one I loved the most...probably the Willys CJ2A. That thing would go anywhere....as long as you didn't have to go over 50mph...I had a lotta fun in that thing. Heck, a 16 year old kid with an old Jeep, ...makes me smile just thinking about it.

The most reliable by far would have to be the 08 Taurus. Great car...comfortable, and with 260 hp, it gets up and goes when you want it to.

[Flyinfool]

It seems you liked the 'wagons, Jeff. My old man (with nine kids) had a station wagon during all my 'formative' years. When I got a license, I didn't have my own car, so I had to drive the family 'wagon (1956 Chevy, 1959 Plymouth, 1960 Ford, 1962 Chevy (two of them), 1967 Mercury Monterey (with a 390), 1972 Ford (with the woodgrain sides). All wagons.) I remember my first, ummm, girl/car experience was in the back of that Mercury; with the seats folded down, it was plenty comfortable for two in the supine position.

My thoughts and experience exactly.......

[MidlifeVenture]

My bike next to my 66 Mustang, someday I may finish it.

[Oldodge]

A friend of mine used to bore us to tears with his Saab stories.

[Pegasus1300]

I had a 1953 Jaguar XK120M Coupe, with the 'Red Head' big valve motor, British Racing Green with white wire knock-off wheels. That car was FUN...blew the doors off an early TransAM 400 among other 'thought they were in a fast car' types. Easily cruised the superslab at 150mph, and one time trip Tacoma to Vancouver B.C. in 90 minutes......with my mother in the pass seat, and she had the speedo in front of her. She kept asking if we were going too fast and I replied the speedo was wrong (it wasn't). Nother episode had me passing a State Patrol car going opposite direction at night going almost full throttle at 140mph and watched it make a 'u' turn to chase. I pulled over and waited as I recognized their radio was faster than my car. When the patrolman pulled up, he wanted only to learn about the car and look at the engine. Had to write me a ticket for something, so wrote a warning for loud pipes. I was shaking in my boots as I thought I was going to jail!!!

 

Finally got tired of looking at it and swapped for a black '58 Vette with '65 350hp 327 and posi, muncie 4-speed, and boy could that burn rubber and go fast!!!!. It rather alarmed me that it couldn't hold the road like my Jag, and it tried to kill me, so I sold it to someone that it did kill. Read about it in the papers. The car was totalled. It was sold for enough $$$ that I could pay to finish my final 2 yrs. of college. All the rest of my my cars have been quite pedestrian.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

 

Added an image from the internet of the Jag, mine had white wire wheels.

 

I loved those old Jags. They were so comfortable at speed didn't really come into their own until about 100.

 

I started with a 48 Chevy Fleetline convertible that I put a 301 Jimmy 6 cyl in with a 3speed floor shift from a 1936 Chev sedan. Painted it Iridescent Plum Metallic I found in the 1956 Dodge color book with a white top and a Rose Naugahyde with white. I loved that car but my dad sold it while I was on a mission for my church to keep me out. After I came home and got married I tried to track it down but lost it after the second guy to buy it.

 

Next 1964 Valiant v200 with the 273 V and a 4 speed

1968 Roadrunner (1st year) I drove it from New Orleans to Salt Lake City about 2000 mi

in 22 hrs. What a trip. New freeways no traffic and no cops.

toyota corona

VW Bus

Chevy Blazer (72)

Thunderbird (69) Black on black on black 429. Great car fast and comfortable

Chrysler Town and Country 8 passenger wagon. piece of junk. but very comfortable

Cad Eldorado (78 last of the tuna boats) great car, fast comfortable and economical. Over 300k on the original transmission/engine. Still looked good when i sold it with over 300K on it.

Buick Riviera (84) nice car but not what the early Rivs where.

Tornado (78) great car but badly abused before I got it.

Dodge Mirada(80). nice car good looks but basically cheap. Turned it over to the kids,they thought it was great.

Taurus SHO (89?) ugly green but very fast and a good handling car and comfortable. Was coming up on major maintenance that I didn't want to get involved in so I sold it.

Suzuki Forenza (06) first new car I bought since 1973. Still have it, Runs good, costs me almost nothing to drive and looks ok typical small car comfort ie little to none.

Jeep Grand Cherokee (2000) I bought an Harmonica for $6000.00 and they gave me the Jeep for free.:rotf: Still have both, but the Jeep gets more use.

Mustang GT convertible (1994) first year they put the running horse back in the grill. Loved that car. Bought right after the last wreck when I thought I was done riding. We know how long that lasted. Anyway no one liked it or would ride in it with me so I sold it to an enthusiast who will love it as it deserves. Only had 84k on it.

[Barrycuda]

used to be 100% MOPAR.

this what I used to have, and mind you, I'm a bit younger than some of Y'all. And at that time, a CRAP load poorer

 

1971 barracuda 440 six pack with stick shift, no clutch. Orange color

1967 dodge coronet 440, 2 door, blue with white top

1966 dodge coronet from original owner, who was a priest in Pennsylvania. 4 door. gray. special two tone woven bucket seats when I bought the car some time in 1983?? it only had 65,000 miles

1973 piece of sh*t Duster, which I called a RUSTER because it was a hunk of crap...

[syscrusher]

 

Speaking of...buddy and I went in on a 1972 Sonett III. Cool little car that intrigued people when we took it to car shows.

 

 

I see one of those teeny Sonetts at car shows occasionally. In today's world of huge pig-up trucks and SOWs (like an SUV but porkier), I would be afraid to drive one since it severely lacks height as well as the other dimensions.

[Ron Melby]

This was my 1972 super Cheyenne 4x4, I built it from the ground up in 1997. One of the prettiest trucks GM ever made

It came with all the options for the year including - power steering, a/c , tack, and a tilt wheel. It rode like a lumber wagon, and got 12 mpg. on a good day, but man was it a pretty truck truck

 

 

 

 

[ATTACH]84245[/ATTACH]

Edited May 15, 2014 by Ron Melby
mispelling

[Freebird]

WOW...mine was almost it's twin. Maybe the vehicle I would most like to have back.

[Sailor]

Forgot about the Renault Gordini I had. Toughest car I ever saw. Rear engine Highly tuned. Full belly pan. When we moved to Saltspring my wife at the time took it to north Vancouver to say goodbye to her friend. I later got a call from her saying there was a red light on the dash. I told her to pull into a gas station and have them check the oil and water. The idiot at the station told her it was an air cooled engine ( it wasn't) so it did not need water and the oil was fine. When she got home I heard it a block away and could see the heat waves coming off the car. It had blown a water hose then overheated and burned up all the oil. I waited about 4 hours then fixed the hose and filled it with oil and water and drove it another two years with no problems.

[bj66]

Wow... this opens a sore spot for me... If I knew back when, what I know now about the cars I had... It would be cool...

 

I had:

1957 4-door Chevy

1936 Chevy ( okay this one needed work) but complete except on tail light.

1966 Chevy Chevelle station wagon

1968 California Special Ford Mustang ( poor man's Shelby at that time)

1969 Mercury Cyclone with the 429 package

1966 MG convertible

1960 Dodge Seneca with the dash board push button auto transmission

1966 Buick Skylark

 

but my best...I still have... my father purchased a 1960 GMC Suburban brand new. I have all the original documentation, sales receipt, window sticker, sales brochures etc.

 

Being restored ( 6 year project so far) to a good driver as I type. Hoping the paint will be finished by this weekend.

 

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=276787&highlight=1960+GMC+Suburban

 

I dont remember the Mercury Cyclone, I was only 3 in 69. But I looked them up, and I'd like to have one of them.