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What was your first car?

Year, Make, Model. How much? Unusual Features? Fondest memories in it?

Share.

Berlin, Germany, early 80's, Volkswagon Van, spray painted flat black, Alpine stereo system easily worth twice to three times as much as the entire vehicle.

3:00AM somewhere in the Western part of the country, vanload of people, all drunk, music so loud you can't hear anything else (Men at Work, 'I Come From the Land Down Under'), big sliding side door falls off of the van and goes cart-wheeling down the street. No one stops singing, no one shows any kind of real surprise, just another drunken night of revelry & debauchery. I kept on driving.

(The next day we had to drive through Russian checkpoints to get back home, we set a huge easychair like you'd see in someone's living room facing out the huge gaping hole in the side of the van. The person in the chair calmly handed all of the documentation to the Russian guards as we pulled up to the checkpoints.)

Great topic.

A '73 volkwagon bug for $900.00, race car orange, roll back moon roof and a good sterio.

(that is until I moved to southern cali where I couldn't find anyone to repair on it unless I took it to the LA area)

First "legal" car was a 1968 Rambler American with "3 on the tree" - the only real feature besides heat and an AM radio was the rubber bulb on the floor to squeeze water to the wind-shield wipers.

Funny thing about that Rambler, it had an in-line "SIX" and there was so much room under the hood, you could crawl inside and stand INSIDE the engine compartment to work on it.

2 years ago, when I bought the Jeep Grand Cherokee, it STILL HAS THE EXACT SAME IN-LINE "SIX" lol!!! (of course with all the power stuff like a/c, power-steering, etc etc, the Jeep engine now takes up the entire engine compartment)

I say "legal" car (licensed) because we grew up out in the sticks of very northern indiana and southern michigan and we all had what we called "field cars" - an unlicensed junk that couldn't legally be driven on the roads (instead of roads, we went "cross country" to each other's houses, lol)

My first field car was a 1963 Ford Falcon (considered THE PRIMO field car because of it's unstoppability)

The first car that was considered mine was actually a hand-me-down from my dad: A 1982 Toyota Celica Supra (I think he paid about $12.5k; he gave her to me for a grand several years later), silver & black, stick, hatchback, moon roof & I put Pirelli tires on 'er. She accompanied me to college, so there's not enough space for my musings on 'fondest memories' lol. But what a looker. And fast, too - she facilitated my first excessive-speeding ticket (95.5mph - good thing I slowed down before he clocked me!).

Thanks H_W for the fun forum; I hope you'll share yours eventually too.

car????...nah, my first vehicle was a baby blue and white chevy dually truck. What a surprise it was to see it with that BIG RED BOW...on my 16th birthday. Of course, it matched my horse trailer perfectly!!! From that point on I could rodeo on my own without my Dad driving!!!! As far as fond memories....hhhmmm....rodeo girls have way to many to remember...or is that because of all the beer drinkin tailgate parties, we just can't remember???? lol

OMG....to be 16 again and know what I know now!!!! lalala

Well, ok. If you insist!

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria 2dr Hardtop. Fiesta Red and White, with 292 cu in Thunderbird engine.

Bought from Dad with my entire fortune of $1.00. Old, but great shape and it was all mine. That is until Mom borrowed it. As she told it, " I was just driving it into the garage, when the garage suddenly lurched and viciously attacked the right rear quarter panel."

Things got worse when showing off to high school friends, I pulled in a little too fast at a drive-in "Happy Days" type restaurant. I remember seeing the order speaker, hearing a crunch, then laughter...........then, there was this other time.....oh, never mind.

1st car 1964 Plymouth Valiant Barracuda. It's 1971, 18 yrs old, cruising along with a car load of friends, and I mean a car load. I think I counted 11 total. That model had a big rear wrap around window and trunk. Also had the push botton transmission with a small lever to put it into park.

We have a lookout point here in Montreal called Mount Royal. So it's a steep, winding drive down. Once you hit botttom 2 sets of lights. 1st set not too busy an intersection. 2nd set major boulevard. So all seats and trunk full of bodies, I'm pushing hard on the brakes, and you guessed it, didn't stop at that 1st red light. 2nd red light coming up, and yikes, major traffic. So being the calm, quick thinking person I am...cough...I gently pull down on the park lever. After a few seconds of gears grinding and several feet later we come to a complete stop at the red light. No one noticed the frightened look on my face or sweat coming down my forehead. They were all busy having a good time. So in my calm self, I put the car into drive, no the car didn't stall, and at the green light drove off as if nothing had happened. Not even noticing the slight slipping between gear shifts till weeks later. Hey it was still running, what more would I want.

Same car, young guy gets lucky and lands a date with older 21 yrs old hot pants drive-in waitress at our local Orange Julep. After a fun evenning of dancing I stop by what I didn't know was a high class restaurant where I accidently slip a 20$ tip to the maitredi because it was dark. We surprisingly get the best table in the place, then realize what I had just tipped him, and don't have enough money left for the expensive meals they serve there. Hey this is 1971 ok, I'm 18 and on a budget. My date was very very nice about it, so before ordering we leave the place, waiter and maitredi staring at us. What next? Hey place to go, where else, lookout point Mount Royal. Stop at the bottom to pick up a snack with the money I had left, before our drive up. Halfway up, yep, I run out of gas. Leave my date in the car, walk back down to a gas station, only to argue with, and finally convince the gas attendent not to charge me for the container and put the 2 dollars I have left for gas into it, promising him to bring back the container. I get a ride back up to the car,it's an hour later by then, put the gas in, drive the container back down, drive back up to lookout point, give my date her snack, look at her and ask, are you finished? She says yes, start the car drive back down, no I don't run out of brakes, drive her back home, she says we should this again sometimes, I say, no we don't, goodnight and went home.

Wow.. very good topic... 1993 Ford Escort! Hand me down from my Mommy.. fondest memories.. riding around with my girls until I had my first daughter then it was taking me and her back and forth to the docs!

thinkin....she must not have been a REDHEAD!!!!!!

but will NEVER forget when my mom test drove a Barracuda...when I was a kid...and it was sooo different from the VW bug..we got stopped for speeding and hauled into jail..because she didn't have her driver's license in her purse......gotta watch out for those Barracudas....no tellin what kinda trouble they'll get ya into!!!!!

1971 Mercury Montego GT, with a 302 and dual hood scoops, gold.

I remember it well, because my father had gotten a "steal" in a back alley of Detroit, buying some "new" tires for it that turned out to be retreads. I was on a date, flying down the expressway after going to a drive-in movie, and one of the back tires started unravelling, and making a hellacious noise. By the time I stopped the car and got out, my whole rear fender was gone. It had been bondoed from a previous accident, and it all got ripped off by the scraps of tire flying around, lol. I never asked her, but I'm sure my date was very impressed!

I hope that none of you used as an answer for password retrieval of an email account, the name of your first car .

H.W. does your car have a good turning radius?

I ask, because I live in a building built in 1929 and the original garages are still in place. Besides being too narrow to park anything out side of an old sports car (like an MG or TR3) or the Model A that it was built for, I also noticed that it would be real hard to just make a turn and drive in or out of them. A modern car would have to do a 3 point turn about, to get lined up with the entrance to drive in.

P.S. I would contribute the name of my first car, but I would have to go and change the password retrieval on my email accounts.

I will only say that I bought it for $100.00 when I was 16, they don't make it anymore.. and I used to take it up on some winding dirt roads overlooking L.A. and get it sliding completely sideways, without going over the edge.

corvair eh?

Very funny! I forgot about that car!

Monza?

"H.W. does your car have a good turning radius?"

Cimm, my 31' Ford has a turning circle of 31' 9", with my biceps increasing proportionately due to lack of power-assisted steering.

I'm enjoying these stories. Keep em' coming.

Should I tell you all about this absolutely hottttt chick in a 1982 Toyota Celica Supra that picked me up hitch-hiking near Chicago many years ago?

Maybe another time, lol.

(But you wouldn't believe the positions obtainable in that small car's space.)

I wish my first car was as cool as a 60ish Plymouth Fury but it was instead a 1974 Datsun 710. My parents bought it for me (they said) because I'd finished high school the year before but they actually needed a chauffeur and reliable transportation, and I had good references. It was 2 years old when they bought it for $2200 Canadian and it ran for 13 years. Ugly little car but a tank.

First road trip, took it to Calgary on a cold January Saturday morning with a buddy as co-pilot offering me the wealth of his superior driving experience. Halfway to Cowtown, we hit a chinook but didn't know it. Next thing I know, we're doing 360's down highway 2 and I'm yelling, 'We're gonna roll, what do I do?', and my more knowledgeable friend yells back, 'Let it roll'. So we hit the ditch backwards and sideways and we're fine, if a little stuck. So I look at my friend and ask, "LET IT ROLL???" He tries to push us out but can't, so he gets to hitchhike to the nearest gas station to get a tow truck. (Remember the good old days before cell phones?) I get bored so I start rocking the car back and forth just switching between first and reverse, and next thing I know, I'm almost to the top of the shoulder. A VW van full of longhairs stopped and helped me over the top, then they continued onto the next Grateful Dead concert before I could properly thank them. It cost us $40 for my friend to ride in a tow truck back to my car and he said when he saw me posed outside the car and grinning like a fool, he almost wanted to push it back into the ditch.

'70 Buick LeSabre, 350 four-barrel. Took us to a lot of concerts, on a lot of road trips... into a few ditches. A decent high school and college party mobile. I bought a '69 after that, not a bad ride.

1976 Dodge Dart, gold... my doberman (Napoleon) in the back seat, MT or Elle (or both) as passengers... cruising around, racing the guys, playing catch me if you can!

Did you know that cars and beaches don't mix well?

1978 Granada Ghia off the showroom floor with a whopping 12 miles on it- sweeeet- lol.

*laughing* Great topic, great stories. Cheese, your story was great, I could picture it perfectly as I have come down that hill from Mount Royal a few times. I will have to take H_W to lookout point next time we go :-)

I must admit though that my favourite car is the '31 Ford, we don't go fast but we go in style, have a great time, adventures and even breakdowns are interesting because everyone wants to help. I can't wait for the season to start!!!! Is it Spring yet?

76 Dodge Charger... drove the wheels off literally, topped out at 165 miles, and hour and still had pedal! Traded it in the parking lot I lost the front wheel in for a rice rocket (Suzuki GSXR 750) that need some cosmetic work! I have never driven faster then I did in that car... it was an amazing machine!

twas a 62 ford falcon stationwagon ... with a holley ... i repainted it burgundy ... put my girlfriends name in GOLD over the gas tank lid ... had a cherry bomb muffler and raised the back high riding ....

Yes, great topic! I bought my first car in 1981 and it was a 1974 Subaru DL, Turquoise with a 'sewing machine engine'. I was living in Breckenridge Colorado as a ski bum at that time. January, 1982, cold, snowing and my alternator goes out. I found the part but no place to put it in. So I did it. Granted, it took all of about 20 minutes, 3 screws, a few wires, but it was empowering!

an 80 toyota tercel 2 door hatchback. fondest memory was a blonde in the back seat

Cheese, its good to see you again.

I started in to this topic a few times. I couldnt contain myself to a "first" car. I had suh a fascination with cars from early on that I still have memories of raing HO cars and my first Model I ever built was a 63 Vette split window paitned it balck and tan interior.

My Father got me a 66 Impala SS with a 283 Auto tranny(yuk)for$600. That car was just to get to my first job and for that I was eteranlly grateful. Somewheres around two yrs later, in 73 I bought for myself a 71 Corvette for $5195 cash,350 CI with four speed Muncie tranny.

The following yr I bought my first Motorcycle , a 74 Harley Sportster. They were made by AMF then and really trash to be quite honest but I loved that bike. I even ran two different sproketes with different teeth. One for around town and one for the Highway. I had to have two different chains to do that also.

Then, I bought a 59 Dodge 1st truck. That was just a beginning. but thanks for the memories.

I finally did dump that Harley for a 69 900 Sportser., The 74 had electric start for sissies and the 900 had a magneto which you had to advance to start but boy , if you didnt set it right and it kicked back, you could literally break your ankle starting it or get trown off the bitch. Once it started, you reached downand retarded the timing.

I would say one thing about the Bike, I had without question the finest Sissybar in the tri-county area. I borrowed it from a friend whose bike I stored in my garage. All I asked for this service was to borrow that bar.

It had two Chrome tall bars and a Bayonet that was also Chromed and welded in the middle, oriented pointed down. Every cop that ever stopped me tried to figure out if it had a release to it, it was so freekin cool. Plus, it was useful and not just for dress. However, when My future wife used to lean back into it witha nice tan it looked so cool laying against her skin.

Somewhere in the 90's I lived down the shore and we rented the downstairs to a young woman who ownd a 883 hugger, so hot but attached. I still had my old wings from the 70's so I gave them to her. I hope they are still on her jean jacket and shes riding safe. I was lucky and never had an accident.

As a side story to the 74 Sportster. I bought it as a reconstruct from a friend. He and another were riding side by side and someones chain broke and both bikes went down and a young girl named Tracy went sliding face first down the road. she wasnt disfigured but she was so frighteneed of that bike. When I owned it I tried to help her over come her fears of riding and said do you want to just go down the street like 10 miles an hour....She said I will never ever sit on that bike again. I wasnt superstitious but I had some close calls on that thing.

A blow out in the back doing 70 with my wife on the back. There is nothing more strange then have your ass end just start coming around sideways, and not much time to figure you've got a flat. My wife could feel it before I really knew and she could ride very well on the back. she never even flinched , which is probably why we didnt go down.

Christo, I remeber a kid in the neighborhood who had I think had

the Javelin in that time????nice car.

My first car I ever totalled wasnt even mine but a friends. thank God My insurance paid for it and he was going into the service. A dodge dart swinger. Purple 340 with a six pack carb. Quite a Monster.

Nowadays, my first and only loyalty and love for a Car is the 5.0 Mustang. I might get some pix online of these vehicles, this pc is so old I dont scan or anything. I think CVS has a scanner that can put them on flooppy or disk from a photo.

To be quite honest, I had such a love of riding horses as a mode of travel when I was a kid. Growing up with the Westerns.

I would go Horseback riding by myself on weekends.

"Once it started, you reached down and retarded the timing"

Isn't it the other way around, Scorp? Retard the spark to start, advance once running?

I'm the same with a passion for travel. Cars, Trains, Planes, Harleys, Boats, Horses.....got to keep moving, before they start throwing dirt on me. *l*

First car I drove was my mothers car. A citroen 2cv6. Great car to drive in the city no car could go that fast over all the speedbumps . It had a top speed of 65 miles.

First car a bought was a porsche, a 944. After a few years I totalled it on the german highway only going 75 mph.

You could be right but why such kick back? I cant really remember acurately so ok but, even in my Mustang, they had the factory operated retarded, I advance it to just about what you would haear the exhaust twinkle in the cats at full open speed, then back it down. Factory settings allowed it to run on lesser fuel grades.

You could be right, its been alot of yrs H_W its nice to know someone else knew aboutthose mags. The 900 sportsers were nice.

I have a friend who has an 883 hugger for sale. I wanted to buy it last summer for 2 g's but he has title problems. It's legal but His cousin is listed on the title. hes also doing time in federal system, never coming home and its in his name. Hes married but his wifes name isnt on the title. He isnt in touch with his cousin. I said just take it to someone for storage and have them seize it for an unpaid bill no? Then have them get the titlte turned over, even if its a salvage title. There has to be a loophole there somewhere.

Im 6-4 so I will look a bit goofy on it but, I would extend the forks and like I said its a hugger so its low to the ground. I like to have to just go round twon. I still have my Lic. Harleys are an expensive hobby.

Last one I owned was a 1340 FXRT. last yr for a chain and it was enclosed in a rubber boot with oil. Nice set up for a chain drive scooter, quiet too. I had to go inside the clutch cover and the new gasket was somewhere over 30 dollars. I said you have got to be F*kken kidding me right?

The one thing I wanted to do was go up in a glider. I uswed to travel to Vermont alot and across fromm Sugarbush Mtn is a great Thermal area where you can be taken for a ride. It rained the day I was going to go and I hasd to return home.

I am not all that big onn flying and I am not sure why. I worked on high buildings and bridges and loved the adrenaline..

I even did the sky diving thing. I admire Cimm for that, its a such a rush. At work I used to think if I fall what would I feel, or even think so I had to go find out.

You mentioned trains. When I was a child, I had a fishing spot where a freight train ran across. We could slip down under the trackes onto the bridge abutment and watch it go over top or, we would jump on to the train and then on the other side of the bridge get off and run back over the side trestle.

Wow, I am glad I didnt have a Son and have to keep up with all that dangerous shit. I have a a daughter, so I had all that other stuff to worry about.

sorry for the typos but its way too early or late at night to worry bout those...lol.

Scorp, my Harley's were from the 80's and did not have magnetos. I know about the spark control from the Model A.

You have to retard the spark when starting, otherwise you break the bendix starter spring from the kick-back.

If you break the bendix starter spring, you have to use the hand crank to start, in which case you only break your thumb from the kick-back. *l*

1971 Chevy Camaro, blue, black interior, 400 small block, turbo 350 trans, ps,pb, typical Ohio car was rusty but had been fixed. Real fun car until I wrecked it winter of 1984. Fixed it took it to Texas when I was in the Army there found a rust free 70 in a junk yard and used the 71 for parts.

For those interested in what their first car would be valued now, if it was rated #1 (excellent condition or perfect condition show car not driven) per "Old Cars Price Guide" 2006:

Tck_beachbum - Volkswagon Van (guessing 1970 or so?) = $25000

crazykris - '73 volkwagon bug = $16000.... or $18000 for convertible

Cristobalito - 1968 Rambler American - $6700 - 1963 Ford Falcon = $8600, unless it was the convertible = $21000

Lisa4631 - 1982 Toyota Celica Supra = $7500

Freezin - chevy dually truck (year, model??)

H_W - 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria 2dr Hardtop = $30000 / 1931 Ford Roadster = $36000

cheese - 1964 Plymouth Valiant Barracuda = $25000, or $32000 if convertible

Ambee - 1993 Ford Escort = $4300

CaptainCorelli - 1971 Mercury Montego GT (MX?) = $9400

cimmaron - 1916 Corvair Monza = calculation based on Cimm's listed age of 106 = Priceless

biffled - 1974 Datsun 710 = not listed, however found one ($1600) for sale http://www.motorbase.com/classifieds/viewad.ehtml?a=514684176;

keerok - '70 Buick LeSabre, 350 four-barrel = $11400

Starfire58 - 1976 Dodge Dart = $4800

WebCamMostie - 1978 Granada Ghia = $4700

Plzd2Liquor - 76 Dodge Charger = $6200

Appaloosa51 - 62 ford falcon stationwagon = $9800

spunkyanna - 1981 and it was a 1974 Subaru DL = $5600

Hunter_Rep - 80 toyota tercel 2 door hatchback = $5500

Scorpio45 - 66 Impala SS with a 283 = $28000

easyman - citroen 2cv6 & 944 Porsche (need model year)

BigJohn1967 - 1971 Chevy Camaro, blue, black interior, 400 = $19000 (add 35% for Rally Sport or Super Sport options - 25% for 402 (396) engine option) Z28 = $30000

Actually, I don't trust these guides, especially for the 60 - 70's muscle cars, which are commanding ridiculous prices on the auction block.

1973 Austin Mini 1000cc that a buddy and I "Cooperized" to the max complete with a fiberglass 1-piece front end, roll cage and split Weber D40COE carbs, 12.5:1 compression and a 649 grind cam. Can you say fun?

1970 Porsche 914- bright yellow, targa top, nice rims, loud stereo.. It was my bumblebee.. I love driving that car to Lake Berryesa since it is a pretty winding road. I guess this would be my fondest memory..hhmm getting putlled over 9 times before ever getting a ticket..LOL

1997 Honda Accord and she's my baby...gotta love the Vtech engine....wooohooo!!

H-W wow I knew that car could be worth something of value but just not rate at that price. I agree some of them are over priced and if I were to choose any muscle car of any period it would be the 63 Corvette split window, one of a kind. It was the only one produced and in exceptional or orignal condition I cant fathom what someone might want to give for it.

I loved the Electronic Fuel Injection tech. It took a while to catch on but in the Mustang 5.0, its so esy to bump up the horse power and tweek the motor by changing factory preset settings and the by-passing the smog pump which I did to grab more HP. Also ripping out the air reduction in the intake and opening the throat and going cat backs, swap outthe rear for a 355 and you have a car that can run with a vette for the first two or maybe three gears until the vettes horsepower overtakes you. LOL...I loverd giving those vette owners a heart attack out of the chute...

Mustangs a so light that you cant dump the cluth, you just sit and burn rubber. I had to ease into the clutch and then slam the pedal to avoid that.

Smog pumps do nothing but dump fresh air into the cats for burning unburned carbons. drag on the motor is all it does, its not likr your lighting up some after burner burst.

Nitros Oxide or No^2 is scary for alot of poeple also cause they hear it blows the motor up but that is because the timing isnt reset. I think it need retarding, HW could probably speak to this...timing is sometihn I forget easy.

ottom line is for a few thousand dollars and a few tweeks, anyone can have an arrow to shoot down the road. My Ex had an 87 IROC....great car better than the early 'vette but drove like a truck and we in the Ford family call IROC I-Run-On-Credit. They cost so dam much to keep going and redo but back then then were noteworthy.

I'm not sure wht V tech is Dev but if you say I will believe it.... Feeling any better?

V-Tech is Honda's variable valve timing technology. And it does rock.

What you see on Barrett-Jackson is over inflated pricing. Some auctions are run up by proxy bidding and others have been run up by the owners themselves. The muscle car market kinda burst last year. Prices were down from previous years. At all the auctions restored stock muscle cars were getting less than modifided or "recreation" or clone vehicles.

I also have now:

1970 Plymouth 'Cuda 383 auto,ps,pb,black vinyl top,black stipes,all the available moldings,hood pins,6 way drivers seat

1970 Dodge Super Bee 440 six pack,auto,ps,4:10 Dana,Plum Crazy purple,hood pins,white vinyl top,white stripes

1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440,auto,3:54 Dana,ps,pdb,dark met green,white vinyl top

1969 Dodge Charger 500 (car specificaly made by Dodge to run NASCAR at Daytona and Talladega) 440,auto,pdb,ps,silver with red interior and stripe-392 of these built

1970 Plymouth GTX 440,auto,4:10 Dana,ps,pdb,black,black interior,gold stripes

1972 Dodge Charger SE 400,auto,ps,pdb,black,black interior,black vinyl top,factory sunroof- 364 1972 Chargers built with factory installed sunroof

1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440,auto,ps,pb,A/C,red with black vinyl top and interior

I have had many others of the years and actually have more than this now but these are the most desirable of the ones I have.

I can tell John's a Mopar fan. Too bad the marque isn't what it used to be. Viper is a helluva car but what else do they have?

Feb 13, 2008 the return of the Dodge Challenger. 6.1 HEMI, 6 speed manual, functional air induction hood(carbon fiber to boot), hi impact colors like lime green, plum crazy purple.

Also the SRT-8 Charger isn't bad. I wouldn't mind having one but not gonna pay $40,000 for it.

No car companies are really making good performance cars anymore and with the new energy bill enacted the current ones will be gone before most will ever get a chance to get 1 or 2 or 12.

I loved the Dodge Dart Swinger when it came out. 340 6pack I think. Purple.

John dont hemi require a notched piston to clear the valve in the head?

ok H_W..that dually was a '83..now make me cry or laugh..sure the value isn't that great on trucks like the above listed hottttt cars!

Does anyone recall a black artist named Rudy Ray Moore? he was a foul mouth SOB who was like Redd Foxx. Well the first stereo I put into a car was in the family car. I left the 8 track in and my Father was with my Mom and he pushed it in....lmao

He got hold of me and said WTF is wrong with you and then started laughing. Rudy Ray appeared in some rap songs and mvoies. He developed the character , Dolomite!

wow a porsche 914 must have been a fun car. Not very partical to take something with you bigger as a handbag.

My mothers 2cv6 was from 83. I checked the register and it was last sold in oktober last year. However the same register says it is not road legal anymore since 2002.

A 2cv6 was almost the cheapest car you could buy in 83. In prime condition its value now is higher as of a porsche 944 from 87.

Yeah the pistons need valve reliefs cut into them. Tons of tire shredding power though. Dart Swinger could have these engines 225 slant6, 318 2 barrel,340 4 barrel. The Six Pack was never a factory option on a Dart but was a real easy mod. Several dealers would install it realaively cheap.

There are some very hot performance vehicles hitting the roads in coming days. The ZR1 Vette is in my opinion the best-looking and best performing corvette in years (pricey though). And if you don't mind going off-shore, watch for the Nissan GT-R. I work for NNA and I can tell you the hype is worth it!

I was at the international auto show in detroit and there are lots of cool new cars coming out. I like the new Shelby Cobra KTR. As for my first car. I had a 1978 ford fairmont futura. It was a good 2 door car w/ a 4 speed on the floor.

Hey Ron, what IS the NNA?

National Ninja Association- lol

Mostie, you're just messed up.

Nissan North America. . . no ninjas here. LOL

I never denied it, hahaha

http://www.gtrnissan.com/

Wow, the GT-R DOES look awesome!

http://www.shelbysupercars.com/press.php#official

First car......1962 Ford Galaxie 500....292 c.i.......Worked on it for months til I got my drivers license....registered it and totaled it within a week of being on the road legally. Couple of months later bought a 65 Chevy Nova...327, 4 speed called the "Street Cleaner"......fast car that had been worked to the hilt.....sold it a few months and about 6 tickets later......went into the service....switched to motorcycles for a couple of years.......lol

1962 Ford Galaxie 500 4dr Sedan = $8700

1962 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible = $22000

1960 WebCamMostie = messed up

lol, butthead!

1960 Mostie_again profile = $100

1960 Mostie_again profile w/password = priceless

Freezin, didn't mean to forget you, but I can't locate the "83' dually" in my guides.

BuildingsGuy: 1978 ford fairmont futura = $3600

OMG....RON...the vette ZR1????? lol, I was an engineer at the MerCruiser plant in Stillwater, OK..when the Lotus engine was developed and mfg for the vette...at our plant! We had 2 ZR1 vettes that could be checked out by employees for driving around...and of course, we all had apparel that said "LIFE BEGINS AT 180MPH!..that is one awesome car!

lol...thanks H_W...doesn't really matter about that dually's value today, it's the memories that are PRICELESS!

The only memories more priceless than rodeogirl memories, is rodeogirl cheesehead memories.

Not the old ZR-1, Freezin. The NEW 2009 ZR1 (notice the lack of a hyphen). Brand new 6.2L engine pumping out over 600bhp (approx 620 according to Road and Track) and capable of 200+mph. It is apparently the most powerful production engine ever manufactured by GM.

http://www.chevrolet.com/corvette/zr1/

LOL. my first car was Pink . Need I say more ?

The Vette is a nice car, too bad they went so far as to out price it for most people. When I owned my 71, it had 30,000 and was 5195.00 or roughly the same cost of a new Cuda or some other H/P car.

I do like what the Vette did with sensors though. In the tires for air pressure and at the throtle too....no cables if I am correct. I believe you can rent lap time at Pocono Raceway in PA to really open a car up. Having said that, give me a Mustang Shelby new 500GT any day on any road. And a bottle of Nitros Oxide.

I was in Camden County Harley a few weeks ago. Apparently Harley is going to rent them out here. For foughly Hundred a day. I still have my lic too, this could be fun to beat the hell out of Sporter for a day.

Ahh..first cars:

First 'vehicle' was an old Army jeep. Thing couldn't go over 45 downhill with a tailwind, but could do 25-30 over a field, cross a stream, climb halfway up a tree. Used to win races with non-local knuckleheads to an ice cream stand - 5 miles by road - 3/4 mile if you use the trail.

First car I bought from lot - Ford Probe with V-6. Great little car, sold it 2 years ago, and the little thing is still running. I put 350k on it. (original clutch finally needed replaced at 320k)

Now - CJ-8 Scrambler. there may be more than one, but there are not very many, and mine is in great shape, soon to be outstanding.

http://www.shelbysupercars.com/press.php#official

1100 plus HP...thats gusto. I found speed to be relative.

You get some and get used to it and then you want more. 254 MPH is much faster then anyone will ever get the chance to go.

I'm just bumping this thread to keep it alive.

so...having said that heres a tip to save a few bucks instead of paying out of the wazoo...cars today enjoy alot of plastics and some of the door handles on cars are of this type. Fox body Mustangs are prime example.

In the cold and over time the handles cant take too much stress and in a real cold snap they are prone to break. However, its an easy fix but you need a special pop rivet gun. Take the door panel off drill it out and pop rivet the new one on.

Take that to Ford and you'll pay out of your back pocket. For nothing. Ok, theres one hitch, most store bought pop rivet guns arent of this size and the tool that is needed cost about 150 dollars but, I went to a local garage and tossed a mech a 20 and he let me use it for approx 5 mins. Pop it and drive home.

Unless one is independantly wealthy, of course.

Big John...it doesnt surpise me that you're a Hemi Head.....they rule and I love the rumble. The 302(5.0) Ford Engine just has so many variations that I like that.

*****LOL. my first car was Pink . Need I say more ?***A Caddy Lisa?

Actually Pink is in vogue for men...haha I love it when I see men in pink, I just wanna buy them a flower or something.

What year is the CJ-8 Scrambler, QuietHunter? Are you restoring it yourself?

I have a TJ... of which I like the performance, but again it's half plastic.

If we crossed each other on the road, I guess I would be obligated to perform the "Official Jeep Wave" first, as a token of respect? *l*

"Official Jeep Wave" I didnt know they even had that. I do recall the Harley wave. Sometimes the finger too. Arrogant bastards some of those Harley riders, riding AMF trash. Mine never stopped leaking oil. Not until the evolution engine came out were they worthy again. One exeption, hope Im not repeating myself. (I think)Evil Knevil rode a 750 Harley, double carbs from the factory. I dunno how his was set up. I heard one in the shop one day....I was like whats that sound? Its a 750 so I went in the back to have a look.

I got caught in a crosswind on a Bridge in New England. Dayum I almost was blown off the SOB.

You'd get a real kick out of my next door neighbor. She bought her Grandson a brand new taxicab yellow Monte Carlo. She had to take it back he was so irresponsible.

Oh yeah, shes 92 y/o 92 and still going. And looks so cute in the car.

<laughing> Well, don't know if there is a 'rank structure' to the Jeep Wave thing, but I do wave at the others!

83, with 258, dana 300 and t-176. I bought it from a young fellow who did his best, but I think the maintenance just was getting too much. At least he didn't do anything stupid! I will do most of the work myself, and repaint it back to the original midnight blue color. (Painting by someone else though, I suck at it)

Engine is back to what it should be, and actually *NO LEAKS!* Steering needs a little work, and will upgrade the axles (one-piece axles, and air lockers) but am pretty much keeping it either stock, or easy to return to stock.

Oh, My! Hunter...as owner of such a fine vehicle, it is your responsibility....no, it's your DUTY to familiarize yourself with The Official Jeep Wave:

"An honor bestowed upon those drivers with the superior intelligence, taste, class, and discomfort tolerance to own the ultimate vehicle - the Jeep. Generally consists of vigorous side-to-side motion of one or both hands, but may be modified to suit circumstances and locally accepted etiquette. Examples of commonly accepted modifications:

Top off: One handed wave above windshield or outside body tub

Top off during blizzard: Shiver and nod, hands may remain frozen to steering wheel

Southern/rural locations: Raise fingers from steering wheel, nod"

In keeping with this cardinal rule of Jeeping, categories have been established to account for each part of the equation.

These categories are:

The Jeep Waving Hierarchy: Based on the vehicle itself. Takes into account the nostalgia factor, the discomfort tolerance quotient, and the amount of owner dedication required to maintain the steed.

The Modifying Sub-categories: Based on what you do with your Jeep.

Equipment Adjustments: What you build.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

General Rules:

1. All Jeepers are responsible for upholding the tradition of the Wave. Upon contact with a higher scoring Jeep, a Jeeper is required to initiate the Wave, and continue the Wave until:

The Wave is returned

The Wave is blatantly disregarded

The higher scoring vehicle has passed by and is out of sight

2. All Jeepers are required to return the Wave, unless the initiating vehicle is clearly has a negative (below 0) score.

3. All Jeepers are encouraged, but not required, to return the Wave to negative balance vehicles, and take any opportunity presented to guide and mentor them about their responsibilities to their Jeeps in the hopes that they can correct the error of their ways.

4. When unsure of status or wave requirements of a particular encounter or unable to completely assess the other Jeep's score quickly enough to ensure that the proper Jeep Wave Etiquette rules are followed, immediately initiate wave.

"When in doubt, WHIP IT OUT!"

http://www.jeeptalk.org/jeep_wave.php

A plymouth valiant. What a car. I miss it. 30 to the gallon and room to screw even in the trunk. Never tried that. I would not mind having one to pimp.

Gutterbarbie - Hey my first car was pink also! ... a 1960s Pink Lincoln Continental with suicide doors. My dad gave it to me during my senior year of high school. My buddies thought it was great because we could go to the drive up liquor store and get a case of beer with no questions asked! but don't tell anyone I did that ok? I don't think my dad ever knew ... may he rest in peace.

H_W;

Well then, by those tables, I would easily score well into the 50s most days, and occasionally as high as 70s!

I do (well-deserved) have Ford and Toyota Recovery Team stickers, and 1/2 of a Hummer Recovery Sticker. (Another Jeep had the winch, I used mine as a anchor point to get the pull lined up. We should have let it go into the surf, it would have been a kindness to the owner.)

Oh...and big black dog (think German Shepard/Wolf) that rides in the back most anywhere I go. The perfect self-portable anti-theft system!

1998 Nissan Pular N15.

best thing about the car is that the engine redlines between 7000 & 8000 rpm, it came with a 12 stacker cd player, and good with fuel consumption!

When i got it about 2 1/2 years ago, its was already 7 years old and only had 80,000 on the clock. It was nearly new!

I love my baby

hmm...had other cars that weren't mine, but my FIRST car, my OWN first car is the one I have now.. '07 chrysler 300 touring...lol took me 30 years but dammit I got my own car now..hahahaha

QuietHunter: I used to be owned by a German Shepherd, but unfortunately he passed on.

I am currently owned by a Chocolate Lab, who goes by the moniker of "Bob", unless he's naughty, then it's "Robert!".

As you can see in the photo, "Bob" rides in the back of the Jeep. He also enjoys the rumble seat of the Model A.

65 International Scout, I worked at a junkyard for it, and me and my dad rebuilt it

My dad bought me my first car for grad. It was a 1965 Ford Galaxy 500LTD; Money green leather interior, panel dashboard, superior engine, white - best car I ever owned to date, could fit 8 people in it, it was HUGE...did a lot of first in it...1st job, 1st college ride, 1st road trip...but then again, living on a small island, you'd think a 1 hour trip around the island in a Galaxy 500 was like taking over the world...lol.

I think my dad bought if for under $5000, he said I didn't have to worry about price - that's my daddy! :-D But he did A-okay!

my cousin had that exact same land boat guam

My first car was a grad gift too. A 1979 Datsun 200sx...all rusted and missing pieces lol. I loved that car!

First vehicle I bought 'off the lot' brand-new

91 Ford Probe LX with all the features available. Turned out to be a damn good car. Local college girl is still running it.

When I sold it - I had 320k miles on it. Original engine, clutch had been changed finally at 290k. Enjoyed that little car.

btw H_W

Offer still stands. If you want to get rid of that old jalopy you got, I will tow it out for you, no charge.

you're not talking about his Most are you?????

(besides, I think you need some special permits to get her across the border these days)

Very gracious of you, QuietHunter. It is apparent that you have interest in my Jalopy.

I might consider selling the 77 year old, all original vehicle in the fall. It has lived a very sheltered life with absolutley no rust, no body filler anywhere.

I would have to get about $65,000 CAD. Still, interested?

LOL

My first car was a 71 ford 2 door hard top w/ a 302 V-8. It was a great car that was handed down from my parents. I hated it because everyone knew it was my parents old car. I traded it for a 68 mustang that was junk from the day I bought it. After spending way to much money fixing it up, it was real nice. I kept her for several years and drove it all the way to New Mexico when I joined the military. My Dad helped me get the pony fixed up when I got it. It was and still is a family tradition. My brother started with a VW bug then went to a 65 fast back mustang. My sister started with a 66 mustang coupe. I dont think it was fair that my brother and I had to start with something else before we were trusted with the mustangs. When dad finished my sisters coupe he took it for its first test ride. After he finished the ride he pulled it straight back in the shop and cut about 3 inches off the gas peddle linkage.......lol..........she never could figure out why her mustang would'nt burn the back tires like my brothers and mine would do.....lol

Crane: You crack me up dude. You are 30 years old and this is your first car, lol lol!!!!!!! I don't understand! You are a military man and appear to have a good job. Why no car until now man? Here is what I think, lol! You was a coward, hell we know your a coward now. My guess is you were probably afraid to drive, what a pu.ssy! Or you ain't what you say you are and you just freeloaded off of woman so that you had a ride somewhere, lol! My first car came in 1992, going into my junior year of high school. It was a 1991 Toyota Camara. I used to like cars alot, I have probably had about 9 or 10 cars in my lifetime. Nice ones, junky ones, it doesn't matter as long as its running. I got a 91 lumina now and a 93 tracer, the best car and great on gas, and a 03 Jeep Cherokee

If you still had those cars today, values if in #2 (very fine) condition as of 2006:

1965 International Scout 4x4 = $6930

1965 Ford Galaxy 500LTD = $13650

1979 Datsun 200sx = $5460

1991 Ford Probe LX = $3850

1971 ford 2 door hard top = $5950

1991 Toyota Camara - No such car = worthless

The car with memories?

My father's 1968 VW type 3 variant. Bought for 2000 Rand then. She was sold just before his death in 2001, and I know she was still around in 2006. New Rims and tires which looked horrible, because they don't make the original tires anymore. Learnt to drive in her, and a blonde hottie climbed in without me forcing her. No, nothing happened, I was shy then. Yes Lisa, I am afraid there have been other blondes.

My first own car? A 1985 demo model Opel Cub 1.6 GLS. Could outrun a merc on the open road with 5 people and luggage in the back. Fastest I ever drove from Swakopmund to Windhoek was at 180 km/h. The absolute top speed considering that is the steepest incline in the Southern Hemisphere up until Usakos. (Sea level to 1600 m above at Windhoek)

I remember giving a Merc owner a lift at 170 km/h and he could not believe it when I showed him the speedo.

Well I was 15 and had been working my ass off at KFC for $3.25 an hour since age 14 and picking berries and babysitting prior to that, I had saved up $1000.00 and I bought a 69 Red VW Bug. The heat never worked, lol.

Favorite memory in that car, cruizin with my friends. Got my first ticket in that car out cruizin the first weekend after my 16th birthday, lol. I just remember the cop coming up to the window and as I rolled the window down(hand crank), smoke went billowing out into the cops face it was my friends in the back seat smoking pot and laughing their ass off. All the cop said was now girls I think its about time for you to go home now. All I got was a ticket for unlawful lane change, lol. Lucky I guess.

Cars were not that interesting to me. My first combustion engine powered vehicle was a motorcycle, almost as old as I was: a 1954 BMW R 25/3, 250 ccm, one cylinder four-stroke engine. Paid 600 Deutsche Mark for it. I added a sidecar (Steib LS 200; an additional 80 DM) for wild winter rides in snow and ice.

After graduation in 1972 ("Abitur", West Germany), I loaded this forest-green / fire engine-red contraption with a tent and aimed straight for Paris. Circled around France until this thing broke down during a heavy thunderstorm in Lyon. Since I needed a part that could have taken a month to acquire, I decided to ship my BMW home via train and hitchhike myself.

At 11:00 pm, a random French guy helped me push my evil iron monster to the train station, he woke up the station manager, handled the paper work for me, and offered me--the long-haired, unshaven, wet and dirty German foreigner--to take me home to wife and baby, for dinner and a bed.

One of my sweetest travel experiences ever (always crosses my mind when I hear someone bitching about the "awful French"!

a 1962 ford galaxie 500 convertable.

then a 1958 harley.

74 Volkswagen Sunbug...gold w/a sunroof...that you had to crank open by hand. Which wasn't bad compared to scraping the ice off of the inside of the windshield in the winter.

A battery operated Bat Moblie that I won from a local television station. I drove that bad boy all over the neighborhood

Galaxy 500 Convertables were to die for!! wayyy cool, bikerdude..

My first car was a 16th birthday present. 1965 Red Mustang. Lic# SHEBOP I don't have any one particular *fond* memory. Every day driving that car was special! I came home from a date about 2 years later to find that it had been crunched by a hit and run creep and sitting in the front yard. Devastating. Some of my fondest crusing around memories were in an International Scout (ileen!!) it had a hard top that the guys had to remove before we all squished in so they eventually just left the top off and covered it with a tarp...anyway...fun times, eh? Love the forum, HW! am

wanna go for a ride guamgal? (please feel free to insert an evil grin here.)

LOL...If I knew how to "insert the evil grin" I'd do so...consider it a done deal..lol.

rep...though a land boat...a powerful one at that.. lol.

$13,650??? Dang it, that's just about as much as a used 2005 Toyota!

1971 Dodge Charger 500. Bought it with a 425hp 383ci magnum engine. Promptly blew that motor up and bought a 426 Hemi from a guy that was outta work. That was 1981 I paid like $2000 for that motor. Paid like $500 for the whole car. Back in the 80's those cars were a dime a dozen. IT was the fastest car I've ever owned and if I had that same car now I could pay off my house. *kicking self for selling it*

1975 Ford Pacer, red, and my dad bought it for me for $200. It had horrible power steering and at the time, though I was 16, I wasn't ready to get my license, so my dad sold it.

H_W 65K CAD just to help a fellow out? "ell - I just wanted to make sure any neighbors wouldn't complain about such an old thing hanging out. But then I suppose I see your point. You are there, and they haven't complained yet...... <grin>

So - what is an 1983 258 CJ-8 - original condition - #2 roughly worth now days ?

QuietHunter: Even in very fine #2 condition, your Scrambler goes for $4200. And no, I won't trade. *l*

Miss EEEEEE! Glad you are enjoying. Thx!

I loved that thing MissE with the fold down window and all

Gith, I'm crushed

first car,...- I was a student in Chicago, i got good grades and so I got a BIG scholarship!.... which i used to buy a 1969 Fiat 124 Spyder,... white, soft top, double overhead cams,... sounded sweet driving thru Wisconsin hills,.... mmmmm.... but. .. needed LOTS of attention!...as in $$, .. so eventually it was gone,... and i've been more rational about cars since,.... cars,... love'em and hate'em!...

1969 Fiat 124 Spyder = $8750.

Wisconsin Hills for "top-down" driving = Priceless!

Speaking of convertibles....what's with peeps that have the windows rolled up with the top down?

There should be a law against that.

pauldabiker:

1971 Dodge Charger 500 = $20300

A 1965 buick special. It actually rusted so bad there were holes in the floor pans. But that was good because then the water that leaked in around the windshield could drain out.

The first car I owned that I actually LOved. 1968 Firebird I fixed up. Many special parts and tweaks went into that car. Don't get me started.

1960 Mercedes 220S, "Three-on-a-tree" and an A/C that dripped icy cold water on your toes...lol.. great car. It gave its life up for me..I had a short love affair with the steering wheel at 16 (had nightmares about hitting that thing with my mouth for years) when I hit a parked truck after swerving to miss a cat! I was so scared my dad was gonna kill me!! I remember the paramedic telling me not to worry, that I was lucky to be alive. Those cars were built like tanks. After that I didn't get another car until I was 21 when I bought a brand new 1979 Audi Fox GTI. Drove that thing til its death...lol. Have had many, many cars since...now I have a 1966 Mustang Sprint and a Jetta....JoJet in the Jetta... go figga...lol.

my first car was a 1963 Pontiac GTO .. red with red interior.. ha.. I had to work real hard for this car.. too ! I was 16 when I got my first car.. was a real gas guzzler too . ha.. but lots of fun in it ..

1991 Red z28 T-top Camero,305-Fuel injected engine,with forward air-intake jet, Ram Air II Tech-Hood and 17" ROX Int. Rims on LP tires ,with red interior and Bomz 5-point racing seats in the front,and the standard body kit that came on the model.

nice and loud =] love to drive by people and just tap the gas to revv it up =D

I went to the Concours d'Elegance last weekend... wow so many gorgeous machines!

Great subject Horse !! Wish I'd thought of it !! And don't you wish you had that '56 Vicky back ? My first was a Marina Blue '66 Super Sport Chevelle. Original solid lifter 396 with a Muncie "Rock Crusher" 4 speed transmission and a 4.11 Limited Slip rear end. Bought it used as soon as I saved up the $1200.00 it took to buy it back in 1970. I drove it one week and blew the rear end out showing off. Gears and grease ALL over the highway. Went to the junk yard for another rear end for $75.00. Two weeks later I blew the engine. From then on whenever I left the house I never knew if I'd be pushing, pulling or hauling it home. After a couple years I traded it and $200.00 to a 1966 Caprice 2 door hardtop. One of the best cars I ever owned. Thanks H_W for a fun subject!

The 66 SS.......what a ride that car was. I remember many friends owning one at one time or another. Some air shocks and L50 tires on the back with Krager mags.....sharp machines......

YW, Slow.

I cannot locate my classic car values book at the moment, but the 66' SS Chevelle has to bring big bucks.

Lisa, which Concours d'Elegance were you at? There's many shows by the generic name.

I would imagine she's referring to the one that was in the chicago area at arlington race-track this past weekend (I had a bunch of friends go to that one)

Yes, that's the one. It's officially called the Barrington Concours but it's at Arlington Park. We got a little drizzle near the end, but it was quite the spectacular beauty contest! And so many owners were more than happy to chat about their lil' babies. Of course I had my pic taken next to one of my faves, but there were umpteen amazing cars, like early-30s Packards decked out like my living room, etc. Awesome.

Oh, and the "Concours Cocktail" packs quite a punch!

A 1996 Nissan Micra. Bright red and rusted all on one side

The steering wheel's broken, and the clutch is stiff, but it raced well!!

Mine was blue and it cost a 100 bucks.. and they don't make it anymore and I'm the only person I know that ever owned one and it's not French. .but it sounds like it could be and I think this thread is a trick thread to get into our password accounts, since "what was your first car" is one of the security questions and that's all I'm going to say..

My first car was a POS (piece of shit). The front seat had to be propped up with a broom that I kept in the car to remove snow in the morning, and after work. The throttle plate would always stick in real cold weather, so I kept a frozen orange in the car (it had no heater by the way) to adjust the plate until the motor warmed up a bit. My Dad was always complaining about that crappy car being parked in front of his house, until one cold morning, his fine new automobile would not go. I took him to work in the shitbox, much to his chagrin.

Lisa, those 30's Packards are awesome. Which one did you have your pic taken with?

And will it appear on your profile?

And, Cimm.....what was the name of your first pet?

Fans of old Packards...check out:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=188063

Duesenberg, My favorite:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_categories.shtml?cat=30501

Jay Leno's website is good stuff.

Cimm: What is your mother's maiden name?

They sure are, H. A real glimpse into the past of the true luxury touring vehicle.

There were 7 or 8 Packards there that day; I was snapped gazing into the back-seat interior of one (a 1933) - I will post that pic & the pic of the interior here today. One of them (might've been that one, might've been another - I forget which was which) had a V-16 in it! Not two V-8s, a V-16! I'd never heard of such a thing. It was ginormous. I bet there was some serious rumblin under THAT hood!!

Cimm's new pic reminds me of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions. BTW Cimm, what is the 3-digit security code on the back of your Visa? Oh never mind, I'll just flip it over and look myself.

I'm a big fan back-seats and serious rumblin. *l* Look forward to the pics.

Cimm: What was the name of your High School?

i had a black bmw... but had to share it with my twin sister. boy, did we think were all that in high school haha... then the northridge earthquake hit in '94 & crushed my baby... then we had to drive my dads old babyblue oldsmobile... so he can get the bmw fix for him! WTF!

LMAO @ H_W! Bad!

<looks up & whistles innocently>

Thx for uploading the Packard pics, Lisa. The 33' is close to the 32' in Leno's garage.

Nice headlights!

Cimm: What was the name of the street you grew up on?

I dunno' cim - you look like an Opel Kadett kinda' guy....

(that - or a gremlin, lol)

but then again, for a man who jumps out of perfectly good aircraft for no reason, you're also in the Corvair category

<Looks down, a la Teri Garr> - Oh, thank you, H_W!

a two toned turd brown ford maverick lol.. i used red paint and splattered the whole inside it looked like someone was killed in it .. everytime i would get pulled over id be slammed in cuffs lol

H_W says, "Y_W", Terri. So...what is the best route heading north through Chicago, towards land of the cheeseheads? I-94 or I-294?

And Cimm, what was the name of the football team that was trounced by the Packers this last Sunday? You will not be able to access your account if answered incorrectly.

And soon, as I will be offline for a bit.

Ok, thanks a lot!

I wish SOMEONE would have answered my question regarding the best route through Chicago.

It's definately NOT I-294, with all the construction.

Cimm's secret security answer must be "DA BEARS".

Dude. My bad (I guess). Haven't been in in a few days.

Anyway, they both pretty much go in the same direction; it really matters more WHERE you are coming FROM. If you're heading into Wis from, say, southern Illinois, definitely hook up with 294. If you're coming from the east, 94 will guide you in. Construction seems to simply be the way of the Chicagoland highway, all year 'round - sorry. Best bet: www.mapquest.com.

But, wait a second - aren't you FROM Wisconie?

I have just returned to being a Cheesehead after being a Canuck for the last six years.

I'm hellbent on hassling Da Bear "fans" and the Illinois Dept of Transporation.

Good gawd, what a grueling drive. 14 hours through four separate snow storms.

Would you please send me Cimm's credit card when you're done with it?

DOH!!!!

ahhhhh then by cheesehead mileage, I'd expect to share a beer with you in the next few months......... I'm heading back up to the "southwest-side" (Richton Park, Park Forest, Mokena) sometime after the holidays for a little vacation time with friends.

be sure to hang onto Cim's card - we can go to dinner at ALL the finest places - in fact, by using Cim's card, we wouldn't have to share a beer; we could each get a few of our very own!

Could you possibly vacation on the northwest side?

I'm never, never, never, ever making that drive again through Chicago, again.

Wait,.....did you say beer?

Heck, with Cimm's credit card, don't just buy a beer, get the entire brewery. True, since it's Cimm's credit card, it would be rude to try and purchase Annheuser-Busch but there must be smaller breweries available. Or go for a six-pack of microbreweries, your choice.

H_W, I'm sorry to hear that Canada is losing you. The Canadian language is such an intricate dialect to learn much less master-- for example, this willfully Canadian insistence to conclude any recitation of the alphabet with 'X, Y & Zed' (although to be honest, I stopped referring to that famous Texas band as Zed-Zed Top sometime in June. Although Tsetse Top sounds kind of weird, too). May the Packers make the playoffs.

Thx, Biff. I enjoyed my stay in Canada and I'm going to miss the friends made there.

Yes, I never got used to substituting "Zed" for the letter "Z". It never felt right saying, "I used to have a Zed-28 Camaro."

As far as the Packers, they sure didn't help them selves last light. The Saints sure came to play......eh?

Actually, H_W, I don't think I'll ever be able to pronounce some car names other than Camaro IROC-Zed or Zed-28 or Datsun 240Zed. But Zed-Zed Top, yeah, that always sounded a bit clunky even for me. And considering the Packers last night on MNF, well, the good news is at least they weren't blanked.

HW - lesson one about chicago........

GO AROUND idiot, GO AROUND!!!

Bif, when I was young and didn't care about insurance rates, I owned every Datzun Z car from the 240 up through the 300Z

(then, my peniz finally grew so I didn't need sports cars anymore)

Go around Chicago? Like go around where? The state of Iowa?

ah'yup....... sometimes it's faster

(don't try to drive around the east side though.... )

My first car was a '76 Chevy Montecarlo. I paid $900.00 I couldn't get over how long and wide the hood was. It was like a beige/yellow color. I thought I was driving a bus. Loved the 350 in it. My fondest memories in it .....that is between the ex and I.

While having a brewery on my card looks better than the pantyhose, lipstick and manicure jobs that the women were charging up on it...

You're still seriously cutting into my cigar money! Cohiba's and Epi #2's are cheap you, know!!

In Ontario, a Cohiba Siglo IV was priced about $54 a stick. Tobacco is taxed at 56%.

I was always leery of firing up a cigar in the A, as the gas tank is part of the cowl and dash, and right above the knees.

What was Henry thinking?

HW, I have a '91 New Yorker sitting idle you may be interested in. The gas tank is in the proper place, under the car, and the trunk is properly filled with homemade Frankenmuth Ale. Whenever the car breaks down, all you need do is pop the trunk, and you have an instant party to tide you over until it starts again. A true emergency road kit. Henry didn't think of it though, not even Lee...it was good old Michigander ingenuity. Or maybe ENgineuity.

While I'd like to try the Frankenmuth Ale, there's probably as much chance of finding it in Wisconsin, as the Lions have winning a football game, eh? *l*

Hey H_W. I was reading about the "jeep wave". I've owned a CJ2A, 3A, 3B "high hood", a 1957 CJ5, a CJ6, CJ7, a 1948 & a 1950 station wagon, a 1950 & a 1952 panel delivery (rare), a 1978 CJ5 304 V8 renegade and a 1979 Golden Eagle pickup with a 401 V8 auto w/buckets, tilt, cruise and air. So do I wave first?

There is just something odd about being able to get smokes from the "island" for less money here, than a country where they're sold legally.

You can get a good Monte A for $50.00 here. And Cohiba has a new cigar out called the "Behike" (I think that I spelled that correctly). It's like the size of double corona but with the ring gauge of a robusto.

Smoking a cigar is like burning money now.

I think old Henry figured that you couldn't blow smoke rings while driving a model A.

Remember the Bricklin? Wasn't it that the designer of the car didn't smoke, so those cars were built without ashtrays?

Ah yes, Canada's sin taxes. I always thought it was weird that in one year the price of pipe tobacco doubled with the reason given that the price would make smoking more burdensome for kids, like you see so many youngsters hanging around 7-11 in smoking jackets and slippers puffing on meerschaum pipes and cherry cavendish. Frankenmuth? Sounds like something Frankenbiff should keep shut every so often.

The Bricklin had no ashtrays? I don't know about that but didn't it come with a key of Peruvian nose candy in the spare tire compartment and an FBI sting operative riding in the shotgun seat, or am I confusing the Bricklin with the DeLorean?

Christo, I'm envious about the Datsuns / Nissans. The furthest I got from the Z's (or Zed's as I would say) was the Datsun 710, my first car that would never ever be mistaken for a high-performance vehicle. The closest I ever got was an 1981 Nissan 200 SX that was five years old when I bought it but in cherry condition. I made one car payment on it before some yahoo drove into the back of it while it was parked and totalled the vehicle (the other car, however, was able to drive away and was never identified. I'm hoping the culprit was like a five-ton truck and not a Yugo or something).

Great Googley, Moogley!

No Slowwalker, you do NOT perform the "Jeep Wave" first when approaching another Jeep.

With all those CJ's, etc., you had, other Jeepsters are required to stop, get out of their Jeep, bow down in respect and feed you grapes. Sheesh!

Jeep Wave Rules: http://www.ilovejeeps.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-513.html

Would those be sour grapes??

We just do the shiver and nod here. But Libertys don't count.

I used to hate the drive through Chicago...until I drove the SoCal freeways. Chicago ones can be long and annoying, LA ones can be long and anxiety producing. When I pick up friends and/or family from LAX I warn them that they may want to close their eyes until we get to at least Calabasas.

H.W. if you do figure out the name of my first car and I see that my email accounts have changed, I know how to find you.

That's some pretty interesting email you have in your inbox, Cimmaron. *l*

Cimm, use 88 to get north to Wisconsin; avoid I-80 at all costs.

Sure, give Cimm directions...but, when I was trying to get through Chicago......

He had to wait a few days, too, y'know.

Sorry for throwing you under the 75-year-old bus though - are the headlights intact?

They could use some adjustment.

RIP Pontiac...............

Highlights of Pontiac's history

By The Associated Press 20 hours ago

Two people familiar with the latest developments in General Motors Corp.'s restructuring plan say the automaker will announce Monday that it is eliminating its storied Pontiac brand. Historical details about Pontiac:

_ The first Pontiac car was introduced in 1926 after GM acquired the Oakland Motor Car Co. of Pontiac, Mich., in 1909. Pontiac was meant to be a low-priced companion to GM's "Oakland" line, but Pontiacs proved more popular. By 1929, half a million Pontiacs were sold.

_ Oakland ended production in 1932 but Pontiac lived on, from the early models like the Chief and Master Six Coupe to the Star Chief and Catalina.

_ Just before the 1949 models went into production, Ford Motor Co. obtained spy shots of the new Pontiacs, and both companies had created nearly identical grilles. After a phone call from Ford, Pontiac reluctantly redesigned its grille because the Ford was debuting first.

_ John Z. DeLorean joined Pontiac in 1957 to head up advanced engineering. DeLorean, division general manager Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen and chief engineer Pete Estes inspired the cars that soon would reshape the division.

_ Pontiac built a reputation for performance in the 1960s and 1970s with offerings like the GTO, one of America's first muscle cars and the inspiration for Beach Boys' tune "Little GTO"; and the Firebird and Firebird Trans Am.

_ Efforts in recent years to revive Pontiac as a performance-oriented brand failed to work. The company had said it wanted to keep Pontiac as a niche brand with one or two models, but is buckling under government pressure to consolidate its eight brands, several of which lose money.

...................................................

I hate to see the storied cars go....

I wonder how member GTO feels about this?

Well if rumors are true, we'll be saying goodbye to Mercury soon as well. Its sad, but the Big Three do need to slim down.

1980 Ford Thunderbird that my mom made me buy off of her for $700. Before i could drive it, my mom made me learn how to change a tire, how to check the fluids, how to pump gas, how to tune it up and give it an oil change, and i had to explain to her, the basics of a combustion engine. I hated her for it, but let me tell you, i've never been a damsile in distress on the side of the road for very long.

Favorite memories? lol lets just say that i went EVERYWHERE in that car, till i introduced it to rail road tracks at 95 miles an hour after a night of partying...

I miss that car

My first real car was a Buick Special -64 with a 300cui and PG. Me and a friend bought it smashed into a tree when we where 16. It took two years to restore it.

H_W, What would the price be for a Olds 98 convertible -68 -69 be in america today?

59 Rambler Station Wagon 2DR,Straight 6cyl, Brown on Brown, We called it the "Sopwith Camel" Rusted out. Could see the road thru the floorboards. LOL, Good for dropping incriminating evidence out. The memories in that rust bucket. If it could talk I would have had to used dynamite. First "Real" car: 1965 Pontiac Lemans Convertible, 326cid, powerglide trans.

A sick green yellow with green interior 74 Mustang. You had to put a quart of oil in it before even starting it. Had to stop on long trips to put in more. The driver's seat belt had to be tied to the clasp so it wold look like it was on. My, then boyfriend, now, ex-hus bought it for my 18th birthday and we just beat the hell out of it driving all over So CA. If I had known then...

My ex was good with disposable cars, best buy was a Chevy Chevette "Blueberry" that I picked up for $75 from someone trying to make rent. Never changed oil or had it serviced. Ran for 3 years. LMAO

Thanks for the memories...

1964 Chevy Impala 4 door with typical faded paint, roof and trunk. It was a hand me down from my older sister. My favorite car was my 1972 Buick Electra 225, white with a black vinyl roof and black leather interior and FAT white wall tires. I was the Pimp of my neighborhood and had no need to rent a limo for prom. :0)

My apologies, Stetor. I am unable to look up the value of that Olds 98, as my automotive "library" is currently buried in storage.

I can tell you that a 67 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 2d Conv., 400 cid, 360hp, #1 condition, went for $61500 USD at a recent auction in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

I have not seen any auctions for jumpnjive's vintage "Big Wheel".

If you tour in these old automobiles, it's advisable to carry spare parts and tools; the most important tool being a cellular phone programmed with DorkFishKatie's phone number. She knows combustion and can help in time of need!

I enjoy these stories. Keep em' coming.

I look at some of those older cars now, and I can't imagine how I learned to parallel park that huge monster when I was 16.

Hm, It sounds very expencive to me. But ok, If it is #1 condition, then it make some sense. Any good website you can recommend?

It sounds like a good idea to have Katies number programed in your cellphone. Just incase the engine breaks down. I have no idea of how a carengine or "combustion engine" works! I know some words though. Like "pistonupjumper" and so on, But I have no idea of what it is. And is it really oil inside a car engine?

Stetor, a freebie online pricing guide:

http://www.nadaguides.com/

It has a classic car section, where you can plug in your specific Olds 88 (or other vehicles) with various options and get some general idea of value.

A more accurate guide would be the Old Cars Pricing Guide Magazine:

http://www.oldcarspriceguide.net/

Of course, the best would be a professional appraiser if purchasing or insuring.