The cars we drove back then.....

[Adam Helmer]

I recall my first car when I got my driver's license in 1961. My first car was a 1949 Chevy "fast back" with mud flaps and cost $110. Ok, that was cheap for a bedroom -on-wheels.

What were the first cars for other folks, Way-back-when gas was 24.9 CENTS per gallon?

Adam

[muledeer]

1956 Chevy. Paid $400.00 used and my payments were $20.00 a month. Put in a three speed (on the floor) close ratio trans out of a vette, four barrel carb, and cheater slicks. Wish I had that car now!!! I do have a 1965 Mustang fastback that's a time machine. Every time I drive it I turn 18.;)
muledeer

[toxic111]

Ok I can't go that far back.. but my first car was a '71 Mavrick... $150.. my second (and just about still my favorite car) a '73 Comet with a 302 V8... 95mph in the 1/4 bone stock...

[Rabid Rich]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,
Thanks for draggin up good OLD memories...
My first car was a 1955 Ford Custom 4 door with a factory 2 inch lowered rear end, a Continental kit, "three-on-the-tree" and manual overdrive.( there was a pull lever under the dash that you pulled out for over drive) It was "Fawn Tan" when I bought it as a Re-po from my local bank. The year was 1958. I had my drivers license for 5 years prior to making enough to make car payments without having to scrimp. I was out one night "carousing about" in another town and went to sleep at the wheel trying to make it back in time for work. The resulting wreck ended up being great as along with replacement fenders and such I had it painted Black on bottom and White on top. I bought some chrome headlight covers from "Western Auto" that help trick it out to my liking. I added black and white carpet that I cut and laid myself. As you can tell by now I was quite thrilled with it all.
One thing I remember most about it all. That was the feeling of being totally FREE to go and do as I wanted, when I wanted. What a "RUSH". You folks remember that feeling???
And how many of you ever went around after hours to "filling stations" and drained the hoses on the gas pumps? It probably wasn't worth the trouble gas wise but it SEEMED like it! I even had a LEO help me once! HA!
Thanks again for this post and thanks for lettin to an ol codger
re-live some great times!!
Oh yeah, I almost furgot, It was a Jack Rabbit huntin buggy. It had fenders and a hood ornament you could hold onto while shootin rabbits in the headlights!!!! HAW!
Now hows that for OLD!!!
My best to you all!
RR

[DogYeller]

In 1962 I bought a 52 Chevrolet Coupe Delux, It looked just like this one.
http://images.streetrodderweb.com/events/0803sr_16_z+goodguys_1st_peak_chicagoland_nationals+.jpg

[BILLY D.]

1st car. WOW. 1940 Plymouth Club Coupe. Gas was 17.5¢ a Gallon. Wages $1.25 an hour.

Fastest thing on the street Ford Flatheads, fastest thing on the highway, Chrysler 300's, Buick Century or a Caddy.

They weren't much out of the hole but once they got to 70MPH they'd suck the glass out of your mirrors.

AHH those were the days.

Best wishes, Bill

[Adam Helmer]

Guys,

Thanks for the nostalgic memories.

When I got to my permanent USAF post of duty in Denver in 1963, I quickly found a girlfriend who also had a car. WHAT a car! Dear Bev had a 1959 Edsel convertable that we gleefully drove all over the Eastern Slope of the Rockies. I wish I had a picture of Bev and the car, but I have only the memories. I wish I could go back to 1963 and begin all over. As the PA Dutch say, "Too soon old and too late smart." I was 19 years old and not too smart, but damn it was fun.....

I had just made A2C (Corporal E-3) and had enough cash on payday to drive Bev up to Cheyenne for Frontier Days in 1963 and 1964. To bad time stands still for no man.

Adam

[Dan Morris]

First vehicle was in 55, a red 1949 Ford PU (ranch special).
First car was a 57 Ford 2dr. My....time does fly!!!!
Dan
:cool:

[Adam Helmer]

Rabid Rich,

I liked Colorado when I was there 1963-1966 in the USAF. I was at Lowry AFB in Denver and then at Peterson Field in Colorado Springs. I left there in 1966 and suppose I would not recognize my old stomping grounds today.

Please feel free to open a thread here on the Good Old Days stuff you lived. I collect Social Security checks, so that dates me. I am in my 4th year as President of my county historical society.

Back in time makes me think of lots of stuff I recall growing up. You, and all others, are free to post stuff here that makes us go back in time.

Adam

[Adam Helmer]

Dog Yeller,

Thanks for the fine photo. I remember when that car was NEW!

Adam

[Dan Morris]

Adam, Lowry is a housing project....FitzSimmons is a civillian
medical park. AFB is Buckley AFB...out east...was a NG area.
Colfax queens are still there.......I think some of the originals...LOL
Area grew FAST...I can remember shooting pistols with some cops
in areas that are now 10 miles in the city of Aurora!!!
Dan

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Adam Helmer
Dog Yeller,

Thanks for the fine photo. I remember when that car was NEW!

Adam

Yup! And I was a Freshman in High school.

Three years later Chevrolet brought out their first V-8, and a year before that Ford produced their first Overhead Valve Engine.

And most Aircraft still had propellers.

Oh my God, I feel old.

Bill

[skeet]

Was a 49($50 ) Studebaker 4 door(Airbrakes??) and that car was a DOG but it got me places. Then 4 months later I bought a used 1960 Chevy 2 door Hardtop. 550 bucks Aaaahhh! best price on gas that I ever remember was 5 gallons for a buck...and they pumped the gas cleaned the windshield and gave you some kinda gift for buying from them. oh well time do fly when ya be havin fun!!:D :D

[Dom]

Man, I can't compete with you old geezers ;) interesting tales here.

My first vehicle, I have to say, was a 1968? or so 100cc Kawasaki cycle, for a car just used my older brothers '65 Chevy Impala.

First 4 wheels was a '71 Chevy C10 pickup, three on the column, V8 307, and I still got it and it runs fine. I'm saving it for a 'retirement' project, will take some time & effort but I like that body style and it's still sound enough to work on. I can't believe my dear old Dad, God rest his soul, sold his '56 Chevy pickup in the mid 60's for $400. Ya, too bad we can't go back in time!

P.S. I have an alibi, cheapest price I ever seen for gas was 17.9 in Detroit, would guess about early to mid 60's, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[buckhunter]

My first was a 53 Bucik two door with a auto transmission. Car was a tank. Would pull the heads and replace them just to see what was under there. Would top out about 110 downhill.

Ended up blowing the transmission. Paid $50 for it in 1963.

Second car was a 55 Chevy four door. Got a great price on it cause the car got caught in a hail strom and was dingged up pretty good. Had 3 on the tree. I believe it was a straight 6. Painted it RED. Chrome wheels. Bald tires. My bro ended up totaling it.

[skeet]

It was a classic(now) 1947 Indian. Needed ether to get it started when it was cold. Plenty power. Plenty oil leaks and HEAVY. Next MC was a 65 Triumph Then I got a WWII German BMW with side car. Never took it out of the crate..sold it and made almost a 1000 bucks profit. God...wish I had that thing now. I'd be rich!!

[buckhunter]

Forgot about our Saturday night race car. 47 or 48 Hudson. Lasted 2 racing season and finally ended up in demolation derby. I remember that had a auto transmission that worked off of clutch pedals. That interior was alway dingy and dirty. That interior was big enough that we didn't have to rent motel rooms. Opps.

[Rabid Rich]

Hay Adam,
Thanks for the "invite". Hope you don't live to regret it as I have a tendancy to get long winded!
I enjoy recalling some of the past and It sure helps coping with the future! (It's supposed to anyway! HA!)
BTW, While you were in Lowry in the 60's I spent some time at Buckley Field in the fall of 1965. I was attending the Colorado State Patrol Academy there. After graduating I was stationed in Gunnison. My first Patrol car was a 1964 Ford Fairlane with a stock 390. No power steering! Didn't get Power steering till Plymouth won the bid to supply cars in 1965. Talk about changes!!!! Oh, and since this is a Gun related forum, my state issued duty arm was a S&W Military & Police .38 Special. The "Brass" was getting new Colt Pythons as were some of the older Patrolmen. They were under strict orders to only shoot 38 Special ammo though.
Whoops, I digress, this is supposed to be about AUTOS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SORRY!
RR

[Adam Helmer]

Rabid Rich,

Chat on as I like your posts. The is BACK IN TIME so guns may, or may not be, what we are chatting about as we sit on stumps around the campfire.

I gotta tell you about our 1949 Pontiac 8 cylinder 4-door "tank." In the Summer of 1961, betwixt my junior and senior years in high school, a neighbor gave us the aformentioned 1949 Pontiac. It was a great car for me and my twin brother to run over the farm. We learned to shift gears, run over chucks and play car tag with the neighbor lads who also had farm cars.

Brother and I pooled our yard mowing funds to buy gas and we used dad's drain oil to top off the Pontiac's bloc. Our "Grey Ghost" was the terror of the outback! The neighbor kids had a 49 Ford,a mini Anglia and a 48 Studebaker and when it came to car tag, we had a PANZER VI in that old Pontiac, bald tires and all. As I recall, we demolished all the other farm cars before we totaled the 1949 Pontiac. Yes, it was a sad day when we saw it go for junk and all we got was $25.00. Damn, and that car did not have seat belts. How did we kids survive them bad old days?

Adam

[Dan Morris]

Rabid...if you are hanging out where I think you are.....does Billy Boyd still live there...after he sold his body shop???????????
Dan

[DogYeller]

We had one of those farm cars. It was a 1936 Oldsmobile. It had Lovejoy shock absorbers that hadn't been able to hold fluid for 15 years. Driving over a terraced field was better than any rollercoaster.

[Rabid Rich]

Dan,
Billy is still in Norwood last I heard. He and his wife have divorced. (boo-hiss) I had 2 or 3 vehicles in for repairs thru the years and hated it when he closed his shop.
I am actually located West of Norwood BTW. And North of Naturita! HA! Next time I see him I will tell him "Hello" for you.

Adam,
Again Sir, I thank you for posting this topic.
I have been blessed with a lot of "HAPPENINGS" and "FIRSTS" In my life........JUST LIKE ALL MEMBERS HERE HAVE HAD at one time or another!
It's not that we want to live in the past, It's just It is so pleasant to remember the fact that ...."WE EACH ARE SOMEBODY THAT GOD LOVES"
(Okay, I slipped that in.......)
RR

[Dan Morris]

Dang, I hate to hear that,,,,I've sold and sent Billy body parts
for years, then he just kinda dropped out of the loop....then this dude..Theren....said he had bought the place. He's not as easy to deal with.Well, give him my best.
Thanks,'
Dan

[Jonesy]

Mine was a 57 chevy shortbox stepside pickup. Had a really built 327 put in it with glass packs. The thing was primer grey and had a set of old american racing slots on it. Was cammed to the hilt and had a really deep throaty sound, parents worst nightmare. I'd pick up girls and you could see the terror in their parents eyes. lol I loved that truck. Unfornunately the brakes and handling couldn't withstand the power and wrapped it around a power pole one night. But man was it fun while it lasted, just stomp on the pedal and fight to keep it on the road. Having a 3,000 RPM stall converter really slammed it into the next gear and the 12 bolt posi pontiac rear end in it always seemed to throw the back end to the right when it did it. I'd sure like to get another some day, but have a big block in it!

[gumpokc]

I fell like the youngin here :P

first car i owened was a '72 vega in 1982 ( only one that did not make it's own smokescreen. it did leak oil, but it didnt burn it :P)

First car that was mine to drive was a 1967 sunbeam minx deluxe 4 speed that my grandparents had. that was in 1980, it looked dorky but hey! i had wheels before anyone else in the class, and some of the ladies actually thought it was cute :)

[muledeer]

I was stationed at Lowry in '67. Was the "Black Shack" there when you were there? That's where I did my weapons training before VN. Do you remember the "Baja Club" in Denver?? It's where all us 18-20 year olds drank "3.2" beer and G.I.'s could drink beer
:p
muledeer

[BILLY D.]

Hey Guys having a brain fade. What was the name of that Country Bar on the South/West side of town? The place was huge, at least it seemed that way to me.

Good thing my VW had a Homing Device or I'd a been AWOL most of the time. Oh well if they can't take a Joke :eek:

Best wishes, Bill

[Adam Helmer]

muledeer,

I recall the Lowry firearms range. It was all sand underfoot and there were overhead baffles of heavy lumber so ALL bullets stayed on the range.

I don't recall the Baja Club. I was in barracks 689, 3415 M&S Squadron. I could look North off the fire escape and see Quebec Street and Denver in the distance.

I know I would not recognize the place today. I left Lowry in March 1965.

Adam

[dakotah]

1949 Buick 2 door straight stick and straight eight. I used to drive it down the railroad tracks. The wheels/tires fit perfectly and no-one bothered a person when they wanted to stop and just park.

[dakotah]

that 1949 cost me $60. The last tank of gas I bought for my pickup cost me $120+

[Hoyt]

I remember one day getting the filling station attendant to put in 25 cents of gas in my 55 chevy. Back then a lot of filling stations or service stations gave free maps away. He ask me if I wanted one.

[Mad_Jack]

I graduated HS in 1966. In 1969 after graduating FairburyJuCo in Nebraska, I bought a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe. $650. A two door, 3 speed, 283 cu engine with a racing cam, Chrome wheel, Mickey Thompson standard size front tires and J-78x14 rear tires just to jack it up a little. Candy Apple Burgandy with metal flake exterior and a black and burgandy cloth interior with red underdash lighting. It had that now famous 8 Track tape player and booming Pioneer sound system. Holly 4 bbl carb and a high speed rear end, duel cherry bomb exaust system. I couldn't lay down rubber because of the rear end (It was a 5--something RE can't remember which, but, in Nebraska and Missouri I buried the speedometer and kept accelerating several times a week for most of the early summer. A friend of mine had his brother die in a car crash at an estimated 80 MPH accident when he rolled his car after hitting two large sized dogs on the highway. His 327 cu '67 Chevelle disintegrated when he hit the dogs and the rest of the car rolled. That's when I grew a whole lot of functioning grey matter. The proof is I'm still lucky enough to be here. I had that car until 1972, 1 year after I got married. Most of you know why I let it go. Oh yeah. Nice memories.