Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Other Telephone Information => Off Topic => Automobiles, Trains & Similar Things => Topic started by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 06:56:05 PM

Title: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 06:56:05 PM
So today I got my first car. It's a Subaru Outback Legacy. I just love it, it's my favorite color, green. It's got tons of room for my dog Reba and I(My dog goes everywhere with me, and she's a German Shepherd.) It's an original owner, very clean, low miles car, w/ a lot of extras like a cold weather package, upgraded sound system, etc. And best of all, it gets like 30+ mpg on the Freeway.

Looks like I'm going to be going to a lot more places now that I'm mobile, antique stores, thrift stores, flea markets here I come! Also, I will be going to the Northern and Southern California Phone Shows from now on.
Now I just need to figure out were I'm going to get money for gas!

Also, feel free to share your "first car", and let me know what you think of mine! ;D


(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x348/tetrapod_herpetological/Other/outback1.jpg)

(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x348/tetrapod_herpetological/Other/outback2.jpg)
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: JorgeAmely on April 15, 2012, 07:43:18 PM
The first car I bought was a 1980 Volvo GL. I gave it to a friend when it was 28 years old and had 300,000+ miles. It still runs in Tucson, AZ, now as a student car. Original engine, transmission and rear axle.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 07:56:14 PM
That's a great car Jorge. Sound's like you got a lot out of it!
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: canuckphoneguy on April 15, 2012, 08:15:58 PM
A very nice first car Reptile Master!

Here's a picture of my first car that I inherited from my parents when I was 17. A 1980 Toyota Tercel liftback. It wasn't as fancy as this one - no back wiper and it had AM radio only.

It was a great little car - I still drive Toyotas today - a 2000 Toyota Echo (321 000 kms) and a 2006 Toyota Yaris (137 000 kms.)

Both the Echo and Yaris are "offspring" of the Tercel.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: DavePEI on April 15, 2012, 08:18:26 PM
My first car was a 1970 Fiat Sport Spider 850 which I bought in 1971. Still my favorite car of all those I have owned. It felt and sounded like a race car gearing down on the off ramp from the 401 highway! (not a photo of my car - I don't know if there are any photos left, but it is identical) That car got polished every sunny day. I'd park  it on the front lawn and spend hours waxing it to impress the neighborhood girls!

Dave
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 08:19:54 PM
Quote from: canuckphoneguy on April 15, 2012, 08:15:58 PM
A very nice first car Reptile Master!

Here's a picture of my first car that I inherited from my parents when I was 17. A 1980 Toyota Tercel liftback. It wasn't as fancy as this one - no back wiper and it had AM radio only.

It was a great little car - I still drive Toyotas today - a 2000 Toyota Echo (321 000 kms) and a 2006 Toyota Yaris (137 000 kms.)

Both the Echo and Yaris are "offspring" of the Tercel.

That's a cool lookin' ride. I hear really good things about toyotas.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 08:26:15 PM
Quote from: DavePEI on April 15, 2012, 08:18:26 PM
My first car was a 1970 Fiat Sport Spider 850. Still my favorite car. It felt and sounded like a race car gearing down on the off ramp from the 401 highway!

Dave

Lucky! That's looks like a fun car! My dad actually wanted me to get something a little more sporty, like a Camaro or a Firebird(I think mainly because he wanted to drive it :D), but it would be a little difficult to fit a Adult German Shepherd in it with any room left for phones! I could fit 2 switch boards and about a hundred 500's in my outback!

Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: DavePEI on April 15, 2012, 08:29:04 PM
Quote from: Reptile_Master on April 15, 2012, 08:26:15 PM
Quote from: DavePEI on April 15, 2012, 08:18:26 PM
My first car was a 1970 Fiat Sport Spider 850. Still my favorite car. It felt and sounded like a race car gearing down on the off ramp from the 401 highway!

Dave

Lucky! That's looks like a fun car! My dad actually wanted me to get something a little more sporty, like a Camaro or a Firebird(I think mainly because he wanted to drive it :D), but it would be a little difficult to fit a Adult German Shepherd in it with any room left for phones! I could fit 2 switch boards and about a hundred 500's in my outback!


Its only disadvantage was it didn't have a back seat! But you are right it was a fun car, and a perfect car back when  was young!

Your Outback looks great. Your dog will love riding around in it!

Dave
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: twocvbloke on April 15, 2012, 09:09:39 PM
The 2 things I know about Subarus is their engines are based on the same technology as 2CV engines (Horizontally-opposed pistons, or "Flat" engines, the 2CV being a Flat-Twin air-cooled engine), and that if you reverse the name, it becomes "U R A Bus"... :D

Even though I don't drive, I have owned a car, it was a Citroen BX TGD (diesel) 1.9L "Meteor" estate, which had a dead engine, though if I had it now I could probably have revived the engine as it was only the timing belt that had snapped, and non-turbo Citroen diesels are pretty long-lived lumps, even with little maintenance... :D

The main reason I wanted it was cos they have the famed Citroen Hydropneumatic suspension, meaning you can cruise like it was a low-rider, or offroad it like a 4x4 (especially if it was a 4-wheel drive model!!), as you have a little lever by the handbrake which you can lift or lower to raise and lower the car, and, the car is self-levelling, so even when parked on a hill, it's all very nice and level, so no spilling your coffee in the cupholders... ;D

And the ride in them things, just like the 2CV, is lovely and smooth, a bit wallowy in places, but ultimately a great ride... ;D

This is an example of one, not mine, never got photos of it, and mine was a dark metallic charcoal colour:
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on April 15, 2012, 10:30:20 PM
Quote from: twocvbloke on April 15, 2012, 09:09:39 PM
if you reverse the name, it becomes "U R A Bus"... :D

Car names have other meanings as well. For example, Yugo is what happens to you if you are in an accident in one.

NSU (am I dating myself? Do these still exist?) of course stands for "Not Suitable for Use".

Everyone knows that FIAT stands for "Fix It Again Tony". Fiats have just been re-introduced to North America but apparently they thought that everyone had forgotten what FIAT stood for when in fact people haven't. Sales have been much lower than anticipated.

Terry
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 10:32:07 PM
Quote from: AE_collector on April 15, 2012, 10:30:20 PM
Yugo is what happens to you if you are in an accident in one.

That's ah fact!
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: TelePlay on April 15, 2012, 10:52:18 PM
At the risk of dating myself, here's my first car, and I wish I still had it. Built like a tank and powered by a 100 HP flat head V8. And gas was 28 cents a gallon. It was a hand me down from my parents when they upgraded to a brand new Chev. I got my first lessons in rust removal and fiber glass repair while I owned that car, a long time ago, far, far away . . .  They go for about $14,000 today.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on April 15, 2012, 11:07:21 PM
Quote from: TelePlay on April 15, 2012, 10:52:18 PM
At the risk of dating myself, here's my first car, and I wish I still had it. Built like a tank and powered by a 100 HP flat head V8. And gas was 28 cents a gallon. It was a hand me down from my parents when they upgraded to a brand new Chev. I got my first lessons in rust removal and fiber glass repair while I owned that car, a long time ago, far, far away . . .  They go for about $14,000 today.

Man, that's a cool looking ride. Some day I hope to get an older car like that. 28 cents a gallon!  :o
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: twocvbloke on April 15, 2012, 11:07:59 PM
Quote from: AE_collector on April 15, 2012, 10:30:20 PMFiats have just been re-introduced to North America but apparently they thought that everyone had forgotten what FIAT stood fo when in fact people haven't. Sales have been much lower than anticipated.

Well, Fiat owns Chrysler these days, so, they already have a large market share in cars over there, but that doesn't make their cars any good, for either brand...... ;D
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Greg G. on April 15, 2012, 11:24:33 PM
I have a picture somewhere, but not real handy.  My first was a 61 Ford Fairlane, 6 cyl. with 3-speed column shift.  I paid $100 for it when it was 10 years old.  I found this pic on the internet, comes close, except mine was a darker blue with a white top (and no tacky dice hanging from the mirror!)
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: McHeath on April 16, 2012, 02:33:10 AM
Like your Subaru, and I even like the color.  What's a cold weather package?  Engine heater?

My first car was a 1960 Chevy Bell Air.  This is not it but an internet pic, but it's exactly the same color, number of doors, and look.  283 V-8, 3 speed column shift, no mufflers!  The exhaust system ended right under the passenger compartment, so it's was crazy loud.  Smoked like a forest fire!  I'd carry several quarts of oil with me in the trunk, the old paper quarts, and usually had to add one every 30-50 miles.  You'd stop at a light and slowly vanish under your own self-created fog bank of oil smoke.  Eventually I rebuilt the engine in shop class, pretty much had no oil seals left. 

Paid 400 dollars for it.  Wish I still had it, sold it for 150.

Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Just4Phones on April 16, 2012, 06:35:31 PM
Oh so many fond memories of my youth in these photos.  I was only 17 at the time and I had to beg my parents to cosign for a loan.  We were living In NJ at the time and I dragged them all the  way to Penn. (Reedman for those of you near  ;D) to get it . It was a '75 Monte Carlo Red with a white vinyl top and white interior.  darn that car was HOT.  I too washed and polished it every weekend.  I cried when I traded it in for an 83 Toyota Celica.  To this day that is and will always be my favorite car and a definite chick magnet.  I beg to differ about the "tacky" dice.  Mine had the red ones and I also had the playboy bunnies in the back side windows.  Gas was .55 a gallon at the time. 
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: JorgeAmely on April 16, 2012, 06:42:15 PM
Quote from: Just4Phones on April 16, 2012, 06:35:31 PM
... Gas was .55 a gallon at the time. 

Aaah, the good old days!
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: JWatler on October 15, 2012, 08:35:22 PM
Mine was red.  My second car was also an Austin, a Mini from of the mid 1960s.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on October 15, 2012, 09:38:43 PM
Quote from: Reptile_Master on April 15, 2012, 06:56:05 PM
Looks like I'm going to be going to a lot more places now that I'm mobile...
Now I just need to figure out were I'm going to get money for gas!

Looks as though Reptile_Master is enjoying the freedom of his first car AND he figured out where to get the money for gas. He hasn't been heard from here since June! Or I guess a snake might have him trapped in his vehicle, someone want to check?

And Just4Phones, I love that Red 75 Monte Carlo! A cousin had a Gold one with every bell and whistle known to mankind. It was a beauty.

Terry
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: McHeath on October 15, 2012, 10:40:13 PM
Ha!  Glad he figured out where to get money for gas, I keep wondering myself.  Paid $4.69 a gallon tonight. 
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: twocvbloke on October 16, 2012, 09:45:21 AM
Quote from: McHeath on October 15, 2012, 10:40:13 PM
Ha!  Glad he figured out where to get money for gas, I keep wondering myself.  Paid $4.69 a gallon tonight. 

Cheaper than here, on average it's about £1.40 a Litre here now for Unleaded (more for Diesel), and a quick conversion with average figures comes to about $8.50/USGal for what we pay at the pumps, so, be thankful you have such cheap fuel over there... :o
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: old_stuff_hound on October 17, 2012, 07:39:54 PM
Mine was a '69 Buick Skylark Custom. It was blue with a black vinyl top, and most of the "sheetmetal" was in actuality Bondo. I found out the hard way why you don't put ArmorAll on vinyl bench seats!

Here's one from the internet. Mine looked similar, but imagine this car with about 100k more miles and a value of about $300.

(http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa246/Regal_86/P7060030.jpg)
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: twocvbloke on October 17, 2012, 07:53:46 PM
Quote from: old_stuff_hound on October 17, 2012, 07:39:54 PMimagine this car with about 100k more miles and a value of about $300.

The only thing I can imagine is this....  :D
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: old_stuff_hound on October 17, 2012, 08:02:08 PM
Put four wheels under that and you're not far off! ;-)
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: jsowers on October 19, 2012, 11:25:44 AM
Mine was a 1969 Olds Delta 88 4-door sedan painted Nassau Blue. It's very similar to the one in these pictures which were taken from an auction. The interior and trunk were exactly the same. Mine didn't have a vinyl top. It had belonged to my Uncle Harold, who was an Oldsmobile man, as they said in A Christmas Story. I got it for $750, which was a great deal even then. It had about 66,000 miles and ran fine. I got it after graduating high school and drove it all four years of college. Everyone who rode in it had a relative who owned one, it seems.

It would fly. It had a 455 2-barrel engine. Got about 15 mpg on average, though most of my miles were highway miles. I remember buying a 6' Fraser fir Christmas tree in Chapel Hill and I just put it in the trunk and brought it home on the weekend with the lid shut. I could fit everything from my college room in it on one trip. Dorm fridge, stereo speakers and all. Wish I had it back. I sold it in 1983 because I needed a station wagon in my business. By then it had gone over 100,000 miles and was still chugging along without the AC ever needing to be recharged.

I could work on that car. It wasn't hard to replace things.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: old_stuff_hound on October 20, 2012, 10:24:04 AM
Quote from: jsowers on October 19, 2012, 11:25:44 AM
Mine was a 1969 Olds Delta 88 4-door sedan painted Nassau Blue. It's very similar to the one in these pictures which were taken from an auction. The interior and trunk were exactly the same. Mine didn't have a vinyl top. It had belonged to my Uncle Harold, who was an Oldsmobile man, as they said in A Christmas Story. I got it for $750, which was a great deal even then. It had about 66,000 miles and ran fine. I got it after graduating high school and drove it all four years of college. Everyone who rode in it had a relative who owned one, it seems.

It would fly. It had a 455 2-barrel engine. Got about 15 mpg on average, though most of my miles were highway miles. I remember buying a 6' Fraser fir Christmas tree in Chapel Hill and I just put it in the trunk and brought it home on the weekend with the lid shut. I could fit everything from my college room in it on one trip. Dorm fridge, stereo speakers and all. Wish I had it back. I sold it in 1983 because I needed a station wagon in my business. By then it had gone over 100,000 miles and was still chugging along without the AC ever needing to be recharged.

I could work on that car. It wasn't hard to replace things.

My roommate in college at NCSU (go Pack!) had one of those. Not sure of the year -- he'd sold it by the time we met -- but he said he and ALL of his friends could pile in it at once and go out on the town. He'd take up a collection to put gas in it, drive across town, take up another collection for more gas, and drive back. ;-)
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: DavePEI on October 20, 2012, 10:45:42 AM
When my wife and I got married, she had an old Laurentian green (?) 4 door Pontiac Laurentian she affectionately named Bessie. The reason for the question mark, is that it was a mix of red primer, red, black door, blue hood - well, you get the idea. A $300 beater.

One day while driving to work, she heard a noise, and the car rolled to a stop. The gas tank was found on the road a quarter mile back. Well, eventually, it was strapped back on, and she continued driving it until after we married. By then, the car smoked so badly, it kept the property clear of mosquitoes  (probably for miles around) when it was running. Despite this, and the fact you needed an oil tanker behind  to supply it, you couldn't kill it.

Finally, scared to drive it, we parked it out back, where it sat for 5 years. During that time, we stripped the tires off it, stripped lights and brakes off it to use on other vehicles and ended the world-wide oil shortage by not driving it.

When the day came to get it towed away, for fun, I put the battery back in and turned the key. Vroom, it roared back to life! One turn of the ignition. Amazing, in terrible shape, and sitting for 5 years, and it started!

I was glad to see it go, but will always be amazed how it started the day we got rid of it!

Bye, Bye, Bessie!

Dave
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on October 20, 2012, 11:52:44 AM
Did you leave it idling as it was hauled out the driveway and down the road! I'm not sure if "Laurentian" is one of our Canadian models that others may have never heard of before. There were several models of cars that got different names for Canada than they had in the USA. I don't know if that marketing still goes on now between Canada and the USA but it seems to still happen between other countries.

Terry

<edit> Just looked it up on Wiki. A Pontiac Laurentian is a Pontiac Catalina south of the 49th....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Catalina

Here is a "relatively" small excerpt from the bottom of the above posted Wiki link specifically about the Canadian versions of Pontiacs from the 50's through the 70's:

Strato Chief, Laurentian, Parisienne and Grande Parisienne (Canada and Canadian export only)

1956 Pontiac Laurentian ConvertibleFrom the 1950s through 1970s, GM of Canada offered a unique hierarchy of full-size Pontiac series different from the American Catalina, Star Chief, Executive and Bonneville lines. In Canada, Pontiac was marketed as a low priced car, rather than a medium price make as in the U.S. Closely paralleling Chevrolet's Biscayne, Bel Air and Impala series, by 1959 the Canadian models were named Strato Chief, Laurentian and Parisienne. When Chevrolet introduced the "Super Sport" as a distinct model line in 1962, GM of Canada soon made available a similarly equipped Pontiac "Custom Sport" (rebadged Pontiac "2+2" in 1967 to mirror a name used by Pontiac in the US for a sporty model based on its Catalina series). And when Chevrolet rolled out its topline Caprice model in mid-1965 to compete with Ford's newly introduced upscale Ford LTD, GM of Canada introduced the "Grande Parisienne" trim series for the 1966 model year.

Like all Canadian Pontiacs built from 1955 to 1970, Laurentians used full-size Chevrolet chassis, drive trains, and other parts, but using a body shell similar in style to, but not interechangeable with, the U.S. Catalina. For example, a 1964 Pontiac Laurentian looks like a Catalina, but has more in common with the Chevrolet Bel Air. Through at least 1967, however, the Laurentian wore the three "stars" normally associated with the Pontiac Star Chief/Executive series, even though other exterior trim pieces were similar to the Catalina.

Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: DavePEI on October 20, 2012, 12:00:21 PM
Quote from: AE_collector on October 20, 2012, 11:52:44 AM
Did you leave it idling as it was hauled out the driveway and down the road! I'm not sure if "Laurentian" is one of our Canadian models that others may have never heard of before. There were several models of cars that got different names for Canada than they had in the USA. I don't know if that marketing still goes on now between Canada and the USA but it seems to still happen between other countries.
If I remember correctly, it was either a step up or a step down from the Parisienne. IT was one of the Pontiacs made in Canada for domestic use and export, part of the Strato Chief, Laurentian, Parisienne and Grande Parisienne line. No, I didn't leave it idling as they winched it onto the hauler - they couldn't have seen through the smoke to do their job.

She still loved it, as it was her first car, but I was glad to see it go!

Dave
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: K1WI on October 20, 2012, 06:40:21 PM
    Please don't laugh ... but my first  (and worst)  car I ever owned was a...
        1952 Sears Allstate
                           Yes a CAR not a scooter.
As seen on the back cover of the 1952 Sears catalog.  Mine was faded "smurf blue".
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on October 21, 2012, 12:15:38 AM
So what is a Sears Allstate....really? :) (who made them and labelled some for Sears)?

Terry
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: DavePEI on October 21, 2012, 12:17:31 AM
Quote from: AE_collector on October 21, 2012, 12:15:38 AM
So what is a Sears Allstate....really? :) (who made them and labelled some for Sears)?

Terry

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allstate_%28automobile%29

Dave
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on October 21, 2012, 12:28:56 AM
Okay...Kaiser.

From Wiki:
The Allstate was the brainchild of Henry J. Kaiser, who saw Sears as another means to mass-market his slow-selling "Henry J" two-door sedan, introduced in 1950.

The Allstate was essentially a Henry J, but with a number of unique differences including Allstate badges on the hood and rear deck, a more upscale interior of Saran plaid or occasionally leather or smooth vinyl, special hubcaps/wheel covers, horn buttons and instrument bezels, a locking glove box and trunk lid, special engine color (blue), custom armrests and sunvisors, revised door locks and keys, and special parking[1] and taillamp assemblies. Most notably, the Allstate featured a unique two-bar grille and jet-plane hood ornament designed by Alex Tremulis, who had come to Kaiser-Frazer from the Tucker Corporation.

Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: K1WI on October 21, 2012, 01:23:51 PM
    Those were "real" upgrades , some how a different color motor was not truly a reliability improver.  They still used SOFT lead babbitts for main bearings and connecting rod journals , a head gasket that traditionaly blew every year , along with a cylinder head that warped so bad that milling was always needed.  Then there was the driveshaft assembly that disintergrated every fall , and brakes that seemed to forget there purpose was to stop the car.   They used to say " It's a Henry J.... so get out off the way"!
    AH the good old days !!    I think they could have used a few pointers from MA BELL and the 500 set.
   I bought mine when I was sixteen , guess I didn't know any better. I remember the ladies at the DMV laughing at me when I told them it was a Sears coupe , they kept giving me the forms to register a motor scooter .  I had to come back a few days later with picures of the car and the owners manual , they wouldn't believe there was such a thing as an "Allststate"  , they joked that I was confusing my JC Higgins bicycle with a car.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: K1WI on October 21, 2012, 08:45:13 PM
   DAVE PEI ,

     Thanks for the Wikipedia refference , brought back some real memories , not all fond.  The car I owned was in that the odd shade of blue shown on Wikipedia but didn't have those fancy chrome pieces on top of the front fenders and my grille opening was chrome pot metal . I seem to recall my  seats were a drab gray made out of some very weird shiney woven vinyl. I was suprised at the Horsepower shown , felt like it had less HP than an early VW beetle.   But when you're a kid it beats walking and was super on fuel.
   Some day I'll tell you about the next car I owned which was MUCH better than the Sears , but even (MUCH)   more unusual.
   Andy F   K1WI 
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: McHeath on October 23, 2012, 11:26:52 PM
I've seen the Allstate scooters (vespas renamed) but did not know they did a car as well.  Pretty cool methinks. 
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Snake on December 06, 2012, 01:00:40 AM
Quote from: AE_Collector on October 15, 2012, 09:38:43 PM
Looks as though Reptile_Master is enjoying the freedom of his first car AND he figured out where to get the money for gas. He hasn't been heard from here since June! Or I guess a snake might have him trapped in his vehicle, someone want to check?

I'm back!
No, I wasn't strangled by one of my snakes  :D :P. I've just been really busy, but I have time for phones again. I was enjoying the freedom of my driving my own car however!

Update on my car: Right after I started this thread, I got into an accident:



(http://i.imgur.com/ncQfv.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/a6uIR.jpg)



A lady hit me while stopped in traffic, she must have slammed on her gas behind me because the impact was tremendous! Glass from the back flew all the way to the dash! Luckily I wasn't hurt at all. The Insurance ended up totaling the car and giving us quite a bit of money, which we used to buy back my car and have it repaired like it never even happened. The majority of the insurance money was left over after the repairs. It actually worked out good for me, because that's the money I use for gas now...
(Not the way I saw it when it happened, but I was a little upset at the time!)
Other then that, I've been having a lot of fun running around putting several thousand miles on my car.

Also, thanks for the sticky AE_collector!
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: twocvbloke on December 06, 2012, 01:18:29 AM
Insurance co's are lazy when it comes to accident damage, that damage pictured is what would be referred to as a Class D write-off over here, meaning that it is cost-effective to repair (I.E. the repairs would cost less than the car's worth) and put back on the road, but because insurance co's can't be bothered to deal with getting quotes, arranging pickup & drop offs of the car to and from the repair shops, and of course actually paying for the repairs themselves, so they just say "Here's the money, go away", and they're done with you... :-\

Still, at least you bought the car back and have got it repaired, proving it's possible to repair a minor scratch... :D
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on December 06, 2012, 01:44:30 AM
Good to see you back Reptile_Master! I knew you would be back...

Yes I did some rearranging here in the Off topic area since we like to talk cars and communications here on the CRPF. Been stickying and merging some topics together into one big discussion though I can't decide if I should have put "My First Car" and "What are your Favorite Cars" together as they are usually THE SAME! Oh well, will leave them as is. Both topics have sprung back to life recently!

We had a 1984 Honda Accord for 22 years before we repalced it with a new one and sold it to a friend to restore and give to his daughter for a few more years of use. My wife was sideswipped in it when it was 11 or 12 years old and they wanted to write it off. We argues and carried on until they fianlly agreed to fix it rather than writing it off. I just can't stand the waste of writing off what was a good car whe nit could be fixed and i nthis case we got another 10 years use out of it. Some people would have driven 3 cars into the ground in the time we went through one car.
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Nick in Manitou on December 06, 2012, 09:31:08 PM
This thread got me to looking for some old photos...I found some next to my draft card in an old wallet!  Others I dug out of a box marked with "EVACUATE" (it was labeled during the fires we had here in Colorado last summer).

My first car was a Model A Ford body with parts from here and there and the engine out of my brother's 1959 Corvette.  It had about 400 horsepower.

The next car was one I owned while going to college in England...it had 45 horsepower on its best day.

The contrast was dramatic!
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: flybynyte on March 17, 2016, 11:51:58 PM
Okay, I might 'NOT' know much about phones but I can hold my own when it comes to cartalk ;D
First car was a 1961 MG-A 1600 Roadster, Black ext./Red int.  I had just begun my career but
couldn't resist going into debt in January 1962, to satisfy my automotive cravings.
The car was barely mechanically broken-in @ (13,000 miles) with an almost flawless body.
The MG hadn't been driven much since it's being traded-in at the dealership and combined with a sudden
drop in temps the day following the purchase, ("we are talking Manitoba early-January temp values here!")
my recently-conceived automobile love relationship sustained it's first trial.
I went outside my brother's apartment where the car had been parked during the night in order to start
and warm it up for my return to my home-base and workplace.  I had plugged-in the cooling system
engine heater as a necessary precaution and was entirely confident that the car's four little cylinders would
spring to life instantly when I pulled on the starter's dash cable.  Instead,....DISILLUSIONMENT!
Only a faintly audible, slow ticking  from the electric fuel pump.  Long story short,....batteries had almost frozen
during the night (twin six volt units) 12 volt system.  Not to worry though, stiff British upper lip and all that....
Lo and behold, what is that thoughtfully provided tool stowed with a few sundry others in the compartment under that curvaceous little boot lid?,.....a starting crank of course. The whole event merely delayed my departure by 15 minutes, starting was a simple procedure  I dealt with on my own---pull out choke---pull out throttle, one-quarter---turn on ignition---spin crank two turns--- Sweet, Sweet Recompense, joyful sounds breaking the frigid, still, clear, fresh 'Moody Manitoba Morning' air.
Here she is, as it was then, flaunting her sweet, black and glamorous little body.
  Oh yeah it's true,..... the first cut is the deepest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPygR80OOmM
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Nick in Manitou on March 18, 2016, 01:14:18 PM
Good story, well told.  Nice looking vehicle too!

Nick
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: flybynyte on March 18, 2016, 08:17:47 PM
Thank you for your complimentary response Nick, when I first saw your handle I thought we might be next-door neighbors!
The Manitou I'm familiar with is a small south-western Manitoba, Canada community situated approx. an hour's drive away from the tiny hamlet in which my post office is located.  Thanks again for acknowledging my post, best regards. 8)
*Saucy looking 'Lil Model A you had there.....
Bert

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Manitou,+MB+R0G/@49.2406661,-98.5411269,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x52c2efbf04c94393:0x99363ba0f75e61f8!6m1!1e1
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Dennis Markham on March 18, 2016, 08:46:13 PM
I too enjoyed your memory.  Nice photo of the car too.  Do you still have it?

~Dennis
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: Nick in Manitou on March 18, 2016, 10:29:15 PM
Bert,
Google Maps says that the two "Manitou"s are only a 16 hour and 5 minute drive apart!

Nick
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: AE_Collector on March 18, 2016, 11:09:07 PM
Quote from: Nick in Manitou on March 18, 2016, 10:29:15 PM
Bert,
Google Maps says that the two "Manitou"s are only a 16 hour and 5 minute drive apart!

Nick

16 hours and 20 minutes. I dont think Goggle Maps knows about crank starting a car....

Terry
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: flybynyte on March 18, 2016, 11:23:25 PM
16 hours and 20 minutes. I dont think Goggle Maps knows about crank starting a car.... ???

Cranking can also be good exercise, just don't let your thumb get in the way if the engine is in
a cantankerous mood about having to be made to wake up in such a hands-on manner and decides to
throw the infernal device back at you.  Has been a cause of innumerable broken or dislocated wrists, elbows,
arms and shoulders too... :'(
Title: Re: My First Car
Post by: flybynyte on March 18, 2016, 11:49:07 PM
"I too enjoyed your memory.  Nice photo of the car too.  Do you still have it?"

Unfortunately not Dennis, it was replaced by one of many automotive paramours.  A brief affair with a Porsche 356 in 1963,
then a return to the MG fold in late fall of 1964 with the acquisition of  a "B". :-\