Curt Dalton
138 posts
Jun 15, 2009
6:42 PM
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I did not get my driver's license until I was 18 years old, having been too poor to buy one before then, plus going over to Brazil as an exchange student for 6 months right out of high school. But you never forget your first time...
Mine was a 1965 Buick Special. It was the ugliest green you've ever seen, shock absorbers were shot in the back, so that every time I'd hit a bump, or a shadow on the road for that matter, my head would almost go through the roof as the car bobbed up and down. My friends called it the "Grasshopper", sort of making fun of the show "Kung Fu", with David Carradine. It had cost me a whole $50 and lasted about five months before the springs busted through the trunk floor and I junked it for $35 scrap.
Last Edited on 15-Jun-2009 6:43 PM
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Becky73
127 posts
Jun 15, 2009
8:24 PM
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My first car was my Grandmother's car. Before you groan, my Grandmother's care was a red '66 Olds Cutlass and boy could that car move. Of course, it was 70MPH highway speed and everyone went over 80 in the fast lane. It was a hot looking car and it got me a few looks. But when the transmission started acting up, it was never the same. Then the seals on the windows started going and it would freeze up on the inside of the car in cold weather. My Dad then sold it out from under me ( it had his name on it when my Mother died since I was underage. ) to his current girlfriends daughter. Hope she had the same problems I was having. I then bought myself a powder blue '75 Nova with what little money I had.
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rodat6
36 posts
Jun 15, 2009
10:11 PM
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I paid $95. for a 1950 Chevrolet that had a PowerGlide transmission, first year, experimental. I bought it from SWS Chevrolet on Main street near the train tracks, the salesman was a Mr. Gunn. I souped it up by removing the hood ornament and throwing away the oil filter, boy it sure was black and gunky, the color of the car was green, it was a coupe, the year was 1958. The vehicle lasted for about 2 months when the transmission went out. My brother was going to put a manual transmission in it, we bought a bell housing, that's as far as I got. I saved the money for it by working at R.L. Kennett Photostats, it was located on Ludlow almost next to the train station. I earned 75. cents per hour, worked full time, delivered photostats to ad layout people around the downtown area on a bicycle. A few months later the photostat operator was drafted, I then made photostats, mixed the chemicals each morning, had a large drum of alum, made developer and stopper. Got into making silk screens for early circuit boards, wow they were large when compared to now. LOL No micro circuitry there. Also opaqued negatives and made copy prints and enlargements. I did get a nickel an hour raise with my new position. I cleared $26. per week. At the time I thought that was a lot. I quit Colonel White for this job at the beginning of my sophomore year. My girlfriend at Colonel White was Carol Hastings, she lived on Fountain near upper Riverdale, I wonder what she is doing?
Last Edited on 15-Jun-2009 10:15 PM
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tlturbo
114 posts
Jun 16, 2009
5:37 AM
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During my Beavercreek High School years, 61-65, several 'older' guys in my plat (housing development) had 57 Chevy's with 327 chevy's, 4 speeds, 4 barrels, etc. I used to hang out over the fender and watch them work on the cars. By the time I graduated High School, went to Ohio Univ for 6 months (hated it), and worked for a while at Data Corp in Beavercreek, one of those guy had exchanged his 57 Chevy for a 61 light blue Pontiac - the model with the big back window. This was about 1966? His name was Klaus Huber, he lived at the end of my street and was getting married and selling the car. I bought it - have NO idea how much. It was light blue, outside dechromed, 389 punched to 401, cam, heads, pistons, tri-power off a GTO, 430 posi rear, Hurst 4 speed, dual exhaust, gauges, the 8 bolt finned Pontiac mag wheels, etc. ALL the good stuff. The car had been built (not sure if for him or someone before him) by 'Ohio' George Montgomery. I talked to George a few months ago and he remembers the car. Back then it was FAST - I tore up the fairly new SS 396 Chevelles, GTO's etc. For some reason, a guy N of Dayton wanted it real bad and traded me a 427 425hp 66 Corvette silver conv with black interior for it. He must have sold it a few years later because around 1970-71, some guy called me and asked if I used to own a light blue 61 Pontiac with tri-power. I said Yeah and he asked - 'What the h... is in this car - I just raced my buddy in a GTO and walked away from him. It is really fast'.
This blue Pontiac was the car that started me hanging out at Parkmore on Airway & Woodman, Frisches on Keowee, Parkmore on N Main, and of course the Country Kitchen on Dorothy Lane in Kettering. If we're talking about cars of our parents we drove after we got our license, mine had a 57 Ford Fairlane, a 65 Olds F-85 that somehow had an aluminum V-8 in it, a 64 Ford Galaxy 500 XL, and a 67? Mustang.
Last Edited on 16-Jun-2009 10:50 AM
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RickD
24 posts
Jun 16, 2009
10:20 AM
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1963 Mercury Meteor (acually owned by my parents). Light blue. Three on the tree. 6 cylinder. Looking back it seems like a girl car, but it was wheels. Wrecked it a few times. My dad was very tolerant of my immaturity, every crash was from carelessness. First that I bought was a '71 Opel Cadet, medium blue with a racing stripe. Fun car. Wrecked it too.
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Keugene48
39 posts
Jun 16, 2009
7:52 PM
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I didn't get my driver's license until I was 20 and my father in law taught me to drive. Before my husband left for the military he bought me a chocolate brown 1964 Corvair at Boose Chevrolet in Eaton. I put my two year old daughter in the child seat that hung over the adult seat and off we would go to Dayton (from New Lebanon) to see my family or to Richmond Indiana to the JC Penneys there to shop. That car would go anywhere, except in the rain. When my husband came back we sold it and I cried.
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Keugene48
40 posts
Jun 16, 2009
7:59 PM
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I have to add a foot note to my post... When I went for my driver's license test we had to drive around on streets and then parallel park. I passed the driving but when it came to parking I tried 3 times and could not do it. So the officer told me to park the car and come in and make another appointment. I tried to park in the parking lot, got too close to the car next to me and smashed in the whole side. It turned out to be the car of the officer who gave me the driving test!
Needless to say I had to take the whole test over. The same officer gave me the retest and after I passed it he told me to take the car into the middle of the field next to the station and park it.
It took me 40 years to realize that I had just flunked my PARKING TEST!! What made him think I could park??
LOL
Last Edited on 25-Jul-2009 12:51 PM
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Marck1957
37 posts
Jun 17, 2009
8:52 AM
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Oh, the memories of the first car! They were our tickets to the outside world, were'nt they? No more asking the folks to drive me somewhere, or pick me up, or even know where I was, and what I was doing. Mine was a 1973 AMC Gremlin, red with a white stripe on it.I purchased it in 1976. The engine was a "straight six" and I could stand inside the hood compartment and work on it! Nowadays you can't even get your hand inside and engine compartment. Most people scoff at the Gremlin, but it was a thing of beauty to me. I waxed it until it shined like a diamond. It was also a traveling party, being the 70s, plus a few romantic encounters occured in it. It had an odd bad habit of getting stuck between 1st gear and reverse. I carried a hammer with me and would crawl under the car and bang on some pins under to shifter to get it rolling again. Of course this was always in the rain, snow, or sub-zero temparature! In spite of that, I have many fond memories of that car, and the launch to freedom that it provided!
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SeeDavid
275 posts
Jun 18, 2009
12:02 PM
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First Cars: Loaned by Dad: 1966 Chevy Impala Station Wagon, with no perks. I could fit 22 girlfriends in it whenever we went to the Salem Mall or downtown. It was white, had no muffler, but the first "short bus". Owned: $25.00 1962 Olds Cutlass White top with light blue body. Added air conditioner. Drove like a dream. Friends called it the "blue goose". Purchased New: 1973 Gremlin red in color Grad money for down payment. Priceless car!! Someone stole it!! Marck- from where did you obtain your Gremlin?
~Cindi
Last Edited on 19-Jun-2009 11:11 AM
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Pushall
6 posts
Jun 19, 2009
4:27 AM
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first car 56 chevy 6 cylinder, three on the tree. First new car 1971 ford maverick, paid 1900 dollars for it, it had 20 miles on the odometer, when I took posession. The bolts they used to hold the carb to the intake manifold were a lot stronger then the steel of the intake; after 40,000 miles they had stripped themselves out and the carburator sat loose on top of engine, until rebolted on.I was stumped as to why the car was running so badly. It was moment of revelation when I first bent over the engine resting my hand on the air cleaner and pushed the carb off the intake. After that about every 1000 miles I retightened or replaced the bolts holding the carb to the engine.
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Marck1957
39 posts
Jun 19, 2009
8:45 AM
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SeeDavid...I bought my Gremlin at Becker Motors on Salem Avenue in the spring of 1973, for $3,000. It was my first major purchase in life and it about made me sick to my stomach spending all that money at one time! I was 17 years old, and it took many years of delivering the Journal Herald at 4 AM to save the money for it. Truly, I loved that car! Do you remember the gas cap on the back that was a chrome metal Gremlin? I wish I had that now.
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SeeDavid
277 posts
Jun 19, 2009
11:10 AM
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Marck1957: I HAVE my gas cap. I had to keep buying new ones, as someone kept stealing mine, and finally I wised up and saved my gas cap, bought a key lock one and then they stole the whole car. Mine - 1973 June, The dealer was in New Carlisle...forgot the name, but maybe one of my "car guys" can help with the name. $2300. incl tax/title. Marck I am happy that you purchased yours from a reputable dealer. I was making sure it wasn't my car theif guy. I will send you a pic of my gas cap, or leave it to you. It is chrome with black background in the center and the Gremnlin sorta waving at me. I worked in a predominately male field and one day after work, I found a giant suction cup on top of Gremmy with a cut out that had been painted silver and looked like a giant windup thing from a toy. I kept it on the top of my red Gremlin with gold and white racing stripes and big fat wheels. (see, I am not a car girl). ~cindi
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Marck1957
40 posts
Jun 19, 2009
4:51 PM
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SeeDavid...That's a hoot that you still have the Gremlin cap, but lost the Gremlin itself! I would love to see a picture of it! I actually waxed and polished the gas cap on mine!
liveandlearn@woh.rr.com
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JohnC
82 posts
Jun 26, 2009
2:50 PM
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1972 Plymouth Roadrunner. 400ci Torqueflite three on the tree auto. Red with black vinyl tonneau top and white strobe stripe over the roof. Bought it new in the fall of 1971 from Cantrell and Guy Chrysler Plymouth in Moraine.
Last Edited on 26-Jun-2009 2:51 PM
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smurfnana
15 posts
Jun 28, 2009
7:55 AM
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I had a 61 Falcon wagon, black with red interior, and standard shift. I didn't know how to drive it, so my dad took me out in 54 International pickup to teach me to drive a stick. I put daisies all over it (hey, it was the 60's).
I used to hate it when my mom and dad would decide we would take my car every so often on family outings, and I had to sit in the back seat. Imagine having to sit in the back seat of your own car!! Total humiliation!! His excuse: checking out to make sure everything was working right. Yeah sure.
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Mike C
45 posts
Jul 14, 2009
7:50 PM
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Mine was a 1963 Chevy Impala convertable. It was bright red with red interior. I replaced the white top with a black one. It originally had a 6 cylinder and a three speed on the column. I put a 327 and a 4 speed in it. I LOVED that car. I wish I still had it. Of course life, wife and strife comes along and I had to sell it.
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driver62
193 posts
Jul 15, 2009
2:48 PM
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Mine was a 1955 Chevy convertable. I sold it when I joined the AF in 1959.
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Doug68
31 posts
Jul 22, 2009
6:55 AM
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To Keugene48......your story was a riot! Reminds me of an old Columbo episode when he had to be retested after he let his license expire. The actor who played the examiner also appeared in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." That is a CLASSIC scene!
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Jeff59
4 posts
Jul 24, 2009
5:09 PM
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Not in Dayton, but it was a 1969 Simca station wagon (if you could call it that). It was imported to the US by Chrysler for a very brief time, and I had one of maybe four or five in Louisville. You can imagine how tough it was to get parts, but it certainly was "unique".
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samstone
21 posts
Jul 25, 2009
12:26 PM
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1954 Plymouth. Pink and white. Hey! what ya want for $55.
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jan26
1 post
Jul 30, 2009
9:35 AM
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Mine was a '53 Chebby convertible, white w/navy blue leather interior. Auto. Purchased from a used car lot on North Dixie near Ridge. Later in life my husband purchased for me a '72 Gremlin X (first one in Dayton). Looked like a small cop car - blue w/white stripe. Stick. Loved it!
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Cindy55
4 posts
Aug 08, 2009
5:42 PM
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It was a 1969 Chevy Nova. I paid $400 for it. Loved it until my(Ex.) husband made an accordion out of it! LOL
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RIVERDALE RAT
8 posts
Aug 23, 2009
12:44 AM
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1959 Studebaker. bought it in 67 for $50.00
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mem
11 posts
Oct 27, 2009
7:24 PM
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I bought my first car in July 1956, a 1949 Cadillac for $500 dollars. I worked all summer in a tool & die shop for the money. See my cars through the years at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhsalumni/sets/72157619381348903/
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Curt Dalton
218 posts
Oct 27, 2009
7:28 PM
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mem - Your link does not work. It says it is a private link.
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mem
14 posts
Oct 27, 2009
7:54 PM
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Try it now. I forgot to change the privacy setting. Thanks for the notice.
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JeffN
257 posts
Oct 29, 2009
1:22 PM
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1969 Camaro, 350, orange with black stripes. I miss it.
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newsnot
160 posts
Oct 30, 2009
5:31 AM
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mine was a 1954 chevy convertible stick shift. i learned to drive on this one.
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Mikey
69 posts
Oct 31, 2009
7:57 AM
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A 1949 Dodge Convertable, in fair condition, which we painted red. I paid $95.00 for it in 1957, and it was only eight years old!.. fluid drive what a hoot! Flathead six. Even in 1949, Chrysler was setting a new low in quality and technology. I'm sure that the seller thought that I was a real sucker at $95.00! Fun, but slow. 0 to 60 in two hours! Anyway, it beat riding the schoolbus from "Moraine City" to West Carrollton.
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Mikey, Gatlinburg, TN
Last Edited on 2-Nov-2009 3:12 PM
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Doug68
42 posts
Nov 01, 2009
12:40 PM
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Mine was a black 1962 Pontiac, 3 speed on the floor. Bought it for $300 from a guy named "Curt." It was so big it should have come complete with sails.
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Northridge Kid
29 posts
Nov 03, 2009
1:57 PM
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My first car was a 1951 Black Cadillac. Right after I got it the Transnission went out except low gear. I drove it over a year in low gear and no reverce lol. Till I got the mobey to fix it. $75.00 WOW
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hunt69
26 posts
Nov 03, 2009
4:05 PM
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A 1954 Chevy with Power Glide transmission.White top over green 2 door.
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hunt69
28 posts
Nov 07, 2009
9:17 AM
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Hey Jeff59; My brother had a white Simca around 71 or so.I'd forgot about the make of that car.
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mem
19 posts
Nov 13, 2009
6:29 PM
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My brother had a four door Simca, five speed on the column. Drove it to Lake St. Marys and the wiper blades flew of just north of Vandalia in a rain storm.
The front driver's seat could go back against the rear seat and it made other drivers do a double take when they seen you looking out the rear door window at them.
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bevy
29 posts
Nov 16, 2009
3:16 AM
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I paid $99 for an old 57 chevy from Stengers Ford used car lot , I think it was called the "bullpen."
This was around 65'.
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