Car Talk I & II

[jsowers]

My first car was a 1969 Rambler with 33,000 miles. The seats didn't fold down to the floor into a bed (nor did I know the older ones did) and I had to show Bob (my first girlfriend's dad) that they couldn't. Then I could go on a date.

Grandpa Sowers' last car was a metallic turquoise '64 Rambler Classic 660 four-door. He bought it used in the late 1970s. It had the reclining seats. I don't know what happened when he and Granny went to the Winn Dixie together, but I think they probably remained upright.  By then they were in their late 70s. I may have been the only one who knew the recliners were there. That was a very unusual and simple car. The only thing I didn't like about it was the vacuum wipers. It had some other unusual options like a flashing brake release warning light and a foot pedal operated windshield washer.

The older lady who got the car (after Grandpa could no longer drive) tied a string to the wipers so she could pull them up and get them going.    She ran it in the vent window.

[bingster]

That reminds me of a not-so-fond event from my motoring past.  I had a 1959 Buick Electra, and on a very rainy night, with a bunch of friends in the car, the wiper motor decided it had been through enough and took a permanent rest.  I had some twine in the trunk, so we tied an end to one wiper, and the other end to the other wiper, running it through the vent windows.  We spent the rest of that ride pulling the cord back and forth to operate the wipers.  Since it was that loosely constructed twine, it kept wearing out and we had to replace it three or four times to make the two hour drive back home.  What a nightmare that was.

[Dan]

I had the footpump washers too. The vacuum wipers were great because you had infinately adjustable speed.You could literally make them sweep accross the windshield a quarter inch at a time, creeping..... It was a precursor to todays delayed wipers. Mine had an aftermarket A/C unit that froze you, along with Jensen Triaxial 6X9  speakers and an audiovox 40 watt power booster hooked up to an 8-track player (Yes, this was a KILLER  stereo set up in 1978).

[Phonesrfun]

Not to be outdone, I also had a great car.  My dad bought a 64-1/2 Mustand when I was 13.  He drove the pee out of it, and did not take very good care of it.  When I was 18 I bought it from him for $300.  I drove that car until about 10 years ago and I sold it to my son's friend.  It came stock with a 170 cu in 6-cyl. and a Daggenham 4 speed manual transmission.  Had a console and a Rally-Pac.

Under the horn ring was the name Falcon Sprint, and a Mustang horn ring overlay.  During the early days, Ford had done what WE did with 5302's by making a Mustang out of Falcon parts.

My son's friend has totally screwed the car up by putting an 8-Cylinder in, changing the suspension and putting in disc brakes.  Now it is kind of a Franken-car.  But it still looks the same.  Last time I was in Portland, I saw the car at his house.  So, in all these years, that car has had three owners.

When I sold it the thing had about 300,000 miles on it.  Not a terribly lot of miles by today's standards, but for a '64 that is a lot.

I once took a body shop class at the local community college and worked on all the dings and had it repainted.

Isn't it interesting about the parallels between car collectors and telephone collectors.  What I found in the later years of ownership is that I could not keep up with the cost of using it as a daily driver.

Now, I notice that most old car collectors are in their 50's or 60's.  I guess it is because at that age we finally have some time on our hands and a little more discretionary cash to spend.

-Bill

[JorgeAmely]

Some cool rides from the past:

My most reliable car, a Swedish brick: a 1980 Volvo GL with a stick shift tranny and electric overdrive. Drove it in 1986 from California to Florida, New York and back. Just a few years ago, I gave it to the son of a good friend from Tucson Arizona. It had 300,000 when it left home. Still running like day one.

Another very reliable car: a 1965 VW bug, which I bought with 250,000 miles in the odometer for $500 from my brother. I used it to commute to college every day until I graduated. I sold it for $500, not running.

My best American car: a 1972 Chevy Nova with a L-6 cylinder engine and a Powerglide transmission. It was a dog until I replaced the tranny with a Turbohydramatic 350, a set of headers and a free flowing exhaust. I used to race it against my friend's Buick Skylark with a 350 engine and same transmission. I always beat his pants. Amenities: cassette, 8 track player and a Heathkit cruise control.  My mom still has this car.

[Dennis Markham]

You guys have described some great car memories.  I'm afraid I didn't have anything nice like a Mustang or a 59 Anything.  Bingster, the wiper ordeal really sounds like it was fun and a good memory.

My first car I bought while still in high school.  It was a 1969 Ford Falcon that I bought from my father's work associate in 1972.  It had only about 28,000 miles on it but was a frumpy 4-door.  But it had a 302 V8 in it and in 1969 there was little or no emission stuff on it.  It was pretty fast.  I tore it up, sad to say.  But it was my second car that I remember more fondly.  An earlier Falcon from 1963.  It had the same engine that Bill mentioned, a 170 cubic inch 6 cylinder.  It was that light Ford Baby Blue, more like an Aqua 500.  Really a nice little car.  The higher end Falcon as it was a "Futura".  That car was great in the snow because it didn't have enough power to spin the wheels.  It also had a foot controlled windshield washer, but the wipers were electric.  There was a little bulb like pad on the floor that filled with water and when it was stepped on it would squirt fluid on the windshield. 

A friend and I hitch-hiked from Michigan to Alabama in the summer of 1974 to visit my sister.  It was quite an experience but we had enough of that.  My sister had the Falcon gathering dust in her garage and sold it to me for $50 and we drove it home.  She had bought it used in 1967.  I drove that a few years before it finally died.  I sold it to a guy that dropped an 8 cylinder in it after chopping up the frame, similar again to Bill's Mustang.  I saw it a few more times after that.  It was a great little car.  I believe the Mustang was built on the same chassis that they used for the Falcon.

[AET]

I was driving my Bel-Air in the pouring rain once, when the tips of the wipers decided to catch on eachother, so they wouldn't move.  I had just gotten my license and it startled me.  I had to climb half out the car, while driving, trying to see where I was going down Highway 33 and try to pull the dang wipers apart.  Luckily they came apart.

[jiggerman]

here's my '58  one of these days she'll be restored to her original beauty.  soon as i get done with all the phones

I like the old gravity flow gas pump in the background.......you just don't see them anymore up here in Quebec. Adds a nice touch to any garage. Jiggerman

[bwanna]

not so much the car, but how do you like the train in the front yard

thx jiggerman. the gas pump is another thing on the project list.

[jiggerman]

Finlover, you have one beautiful car.....must really turn heads when you're driving around town !!  Jiggerman

[finlover]

Finlover, you have one beautiful car.....must really turn heads when you're driving around town !!  Jiggerman

I WISH that were my car, Jiggerman!  This one's mine:

[Bill Cahill]

I'm jealous! I want that car!
Bill Cahill

[jiggerman]

Your Olds is just as beautiful! Love the color! Must give a real smooooooth ride..... the body is absolutely gorgeous. Jiggerman

[Phonesrfun]

What year is the Olds.  Looks roughly '59-ish.  My parents had a 59 Pontiac when I was a kid, and it resembles it greatly.

Whatever the year, it, too, looks absolutely great.

[JorgeAmely]

finlover:

That is one fabulous set of wheels. Congratulations!!!