First Car Stories

[Steven Hockstein]

Originally posted by Gerry Beaumont

Hi to all

"Chick repellent" I gotta remember that one Jim

My first car was a 1967 Triumph Herald sedan (yeah one of funny little Brit cars) it had a 1200 cc (about 3ci) engines putting out a stump pulling 40ish horse power. I span it on ice and then learned how to replace drive shafts that got bend, it vibrated quite a bit before that job got done!!

I have to admit things got better after that and having been a "Petrol Head" all my life has meant that I've had some interesting stuff over the years, from the sublime to the rediculous, a 1967 Jaguar/Daimler 420 (pure class and goes like hell) and the other end of the scale goes to a 1959 Isetta Bubble-car (one door right on the front).

I am currently classic-less at present, but I do see a British sports car in my future again sometime soon.

Just for laughs, the image is of a Herald as many over here would not know them. this one is the delux version with round wheels and "see through" glass [:-magnify

Regards

Gerry

****************

Gerry,

I have decided to sell my 1971 Mercedes. Not a British sports car but a classic German workhorse. Anyone interested?

My truck wants the garage back.

Steve H.

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[Brian G]

I don't count the decrepid Ford Galaxy my Dad bought me when they got tired of loaning out the ole' station wagon. After a good meal I had more compression than it did.

MY first was a 1970 Chevy C-10 stepside pickup I bought from an uncle ($700 in great shape, but well after 1970). It had a 307 8 cylinder with a two barrel carb, but it ran like a scalded dog. That truck was my friend, at least as far as I was concerned. I drove it for several years, it sat up in my grandpa's barn for several more (don't ask), and I finally parted with it because it was too hard to watch it go to pot. I still know where it is, and if I hit the lottery tomorrow I'd go over there and make both of us very happy men. Ah the memories...

Brian G.

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow [:-weepn]

[mwg27]

1973 Gran Torino Sport

351 Cleveland

Copper colored hardtop ... nicknamed "Brown Sugar"

Fast as hell... Bought for 1400.00 in 1978 sold for 1800.00 13 months later...

Should'a kept her...[:-weepn]

[Les]

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This is my grand-daughter's first car. It is what she wanted! She drove it abt 50miles and parked it in the garage and bought a '96 Subaru. She will likely keep it 20yrs and make a fortune.

[Gerry Beaumont]

Hi to all,

Nice cars Steve and Les, I remember the older Mercedes sedans in North Africa, we called those Beruit taxis. Steve I had a 1973 I think 280CE for a while back in te UK, boy those thinks are well built, boring, but beautifully put together. LOL I have owned a couple of Mercedes over here as well including a grey market 560SEL that was rediculously quick for a 2 ton car.

Regards

Gerry

[Richard Moore]

OMG...

Not only do Gerry B. and I share this Brit thing but now I find out that our first cars were both Triumph Heralds. Mine was in 1967, baby blue and white (1960 I believe). I "souped" it up by adding stick on racing stripes and painting the rear bumper red.

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Thankfully, I have hair. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to tell us apart!

In the period from 1967 until I left the old country in 1974 I went through, the Herald, a much modified Mini Cooper, two MGBs, a new Ford Escort GT, a V6 Ford Capri, a MkII Jaguar, and my favorite, a 1963 Lotus 7. The last was nothing but an engine and four wheels that accelerated and cornered like an overpowered go-kart.

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Mine was bright blue. Love this nostalgia trip...thanks.

[hausdok]

Ah, those European compacts.

Rich and Gerry. Do either of you remember the Bijou?

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Richard Moore]

Had to look that one up...

The Bijou was built at the Citroën factory in Slough, UK in the early 1960's. It was a two door fiberglass version of the 2CV. The design was thought to be more accessible in appearance to British consumers than the standard 2CV sedan. Incorporating some components from the DS (most noticeably the memorable single-spoke steering wheel,) it did not achieve market success, possibly because it was heavier than the 2CV and thus not a brisk performer, reaching 60 mph only under favourable conditions. Only 207 were built. My bold

Nope...don't remember ever seeing one, but lots of the ol' 2CVs.

[Robert E Lee]

Looks like I get the prize for the oldest car. My first set of wheels was a 1948 Ford 2 door coupe, flat head V8 with a three speed. Was really proud of that little car. I was away on a trip and when I returned 2nd gear didn't work anymore. This past year (45 years later) when the whole family is back together at my Fathers funeral my brother who is a year younger than I told me the story of the drag race he lost when he speed shifted into 2nd and peeled off the gears. Not that I didn't suspect him all along!!

Robert E Lee

GENERAL Home Inspections, Inc

[Gerry Beaumont]

Originally posted by hausdok

Ah, those European compacts.

Rich and Gerry. Do either of you remember the Bijou?

OT - OF!!!

M.

Hi Mike,

I remember seeing one of those at a car show in the late 80's. Are you actually admitting to owning one of those[]

here is a beautifully written article about the Bijou explaining its short comings.

http://www.bltin.com/citroen_bijou.html

Regards

Gerry

[hausdok]

Nah,

I was a 4th grader who had a fascination with the UK when they came out. I remember reading about the darned things in a Popular Science or Popular Mechanics magazine that year. My Dad had just bought one of the first Corvairs to hit the local showroom floor and my Uncle had bought his wife a Renault Dauphine. It was a special issue devoted to the "new" compact cars. They even had a spread about all of the ones in the UK and Europe. I remember it because I couldn't understand why anyone would want to name a car after a movie theater and I thought it was pretty silly to ship a car to another country minus the body and then build a plastic body for it in another. Huh, what did I know? A few years later I cut a VW bug in half, shortened it and worked my tail off for an entire summer to get enough to buy a plastic Myers Manx body to plunk down on it.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[charlieb]

The first was a 65 mustang. Inline six, dark green, A set of 60 on SS's. It would shake you silly as it maxed out at 75. My dad knew me!

I grew up in my grandpa's salvage yard. I racked up 29 rides over the years. My favorite was a '71 Firebird. I built it before my senior year. Parts were free. 389 and a M-21. 50's and 60's on magnesium rims. I'd yank the front off the ground.

Flash forward. I open the hood and stare. Just drive on down to Scotty's for an oil change. But who knows? My boy is starting to want a car. I'm thinkin Scotts vega may be about right!

It's a 99 silverado now. I'm watching Ebay for an 04 or 05 Tahoe for the right deal.

[mgbinspect]

I used to love going through the auto salvage yards to restore vehicles. It's a great way to go and so few do it. I completely restored a 1984 Ford Ranger that way. It was a blast. It's too bad a lot of yards won't permit you to simply roam the yard with your toolbox anymore.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by charlieb

My boy is starting to want a car. I'm thinkin Scotts vega may be about right!

I dunno,

My brother Hugh and I wedged a Buick V-6 into a Vega station wagon he had somewhere around 1981 or 1982, long before there was such a preponderence of available V-6's. Big ol' set of Hooker headers on that thing and added a different manifold and a 4 barrel carb. I think there was just about enough room under that hood when we got done to slip a feeler gauge in here and there. That thing used to run like a raped ape!.

Give a boy (girls now too) and turn 'em loose with their imagination on the darned things and you never know what you're gonna get.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

P.S.

Hugh's had this ongoing love affair with '55 and '57 Chevies for as long as I can remember. I don't think there's ever been a time over the past 20-25 years that he hasn't owned one and been actively in the process of restoring it. A few years ago he was out here and dragged me around to every single car lot within 20 miles to look at 'em. Unbelievably picky and won't touch half the stuff that I'll salivate over. (He's employed as an Air Force QA inspector in a South Carolina Boeing plant.) I'll see if he's got some digital photos and post 'em here.

[charlieb]

There used to be a kid (I watched in the rear view) who put a vega body on top of a novaII frame. Everyone could see the frame but I never saw the logic or performance[^]

My 8 years expects a 72 LaMans convertable when the time comes. We watch the pontiacs on ebay and that is her pick.

[StevenT]

MY FIRST CAR - 61 chevy, I wanted a floor shifter, disconnected the column, never got the floor shifter right and had to shift gears through a hole in the floor.

MY BEST CAR - 63 Corvette Split Window, swapped a 60something Fiat Cabriolet and a 70 something Caddy (my total investment $500.) Car was set up for 1/4 mile, I drove it all over and ran it into the ground. Sold it for $1,500, I wish I had it now.

MY NOW CARS - I have a '58 Caddy, just had it painted, am waitng for the bumpers to get chromed, and put it back together. Also have a '60 Caddy, engine was making a noise, drove it to a reccommended mechanic, brought it home in a basket. One of these days I'll have the motor rebuilt.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO SELL or TRADE - '67 Pontiac GTO Clone (LeMans) Convertible. 400 engine (runs very well) top in great shape and operates, needs restoration, includes all sheet metal body parts(still in box).