Are we dinosaurs?

[Tom]

The back seat of my motorcycle didn't even have a roof on it. The cold and rain meant the passenger kept her crash helmet on 

Any minute now Betty will slap us all for TMI  ;D

 

[Ron]

I mentioned before that I had a 1928 Model A coup. It had a rumble seat.  One time we had two couples in the front seat, little tight, and two couples in the rumble seat, real tight. when it started raining while we were cruising State Street in SLC.  So being normal teen agers we all, yes four couples, piled into the front seat, VERY VERY TIGHT and proceeded on down State Street.  Would you believe some SLC police officer actually pulled us over and began writing a ticket for having too many persons in the front seat.  Well he probably figured I could not get my license anyway so he didn't even ask till he came to that section of the ticket then he said "OK kids pile out so I can get a count on just how many you have in the front seat"  We started getting out.  The officer stood there scratching and shaking his head and before we were all out of the car he said "never mind they wouldn't believe this anyway.  Go ahead get back in, turn right at the next street and redistribute your load."  He never did ask for my drivers license and never did issue the ticket.  Now if you are familiar with a Model A coupe you know that even four in the front seat is tight but eight of us.  Might say it was little cozy. ;D

 

[Carl L]

Maybe I'm too young to join this conversation, but my first car was a 1981 ford F-150. I remember it had a leak in the gas tank, so i couldn't fill it more than half full. The gas guage didn't work either so you can imagine how many times I ran out of gas. I had that truck for four years and never changed the oil, heck I don't think I ever checked the oil in that thing. That truck never gave me one day of trouble, well except for the running out of gas once a week.

Steve

Just like you do not have to be old to be a dirty old man, you do not have to be old to be an old coot.   It is all in the attitude...and having driven a really crappy car like your Ford.  My contribution was a 1954 Studebaker Commander.  The damn thing had the fuel pump on top of the engine!  I used it to commute back and forth between El Paso TX and Sierra Vista, AZ.  In the summer, I live with continual vapor locks.  I tried everything, including wrapping the stupid pump in asbestos pulp.  Finally I got an electric fuel pump installed at the tank.  That worked tho I was constantly entertained by the brrr of the electric pump kicking in on the highway at 70 mph.

 

[Tom]

My first 4-wheeled vehicle was a Hillman Husky, something like a small station wagon. Vintage circa 1954/5 that I bought in 1967. That was all I could afford, but it was a great car. Kept it for several years, then took up the offer of the guy who sold it to me (he was the original owner) "If you ever sell this car, I'll buy it back from you". He did.

 

[Betty Brewer]

Any minute now Betty will slap us all for TMI 

Tom,
Not so!  I am enjopying the nostalgia of an era gone by. Many many giggles withthe pictures I see in my mind's eye.  I think the phrase I would use now is "I won't tell if you won't tell."

Betty

 

[Tom]

LOL Betty.

 

[Tom]

I mentioned Dad's first car, a 3-wheeler made by a UK company called Bond (no relationship to James or his cars). One of their early vintage models, something like the one shown in the top photo.

It was powered by a 197cc motorcycle engine with a kickstart. When it stalled, Dad had to get out and start it just like the old motorcycles. The only door was on the passenger side so, if someone was sitting in the passenger seat when the engine stalled, Dad would remove the driver side window (it didn't roll down) and climb out.

There were only two seats, both in the front, and I sat in a small luggage compartment behind. But heck, this was luxury after growing up on the back of a motorcycle.

With two wheels in the rear and one in front, this was a pretty unstable drive.

 

[Wendy]

Tom,
Not so!  I am enjopying the nostalgia of an era gone by. Many many giggles withthe pictures I see in my mind's eye.  I think the phrase I would use now is "I won't tell if you won't tell."

Betty

Besides, Betty, didn't you used to have a VW beetle in your younger days??

 

[slumbert55]

1958 olds rocket 88 had to pull the heads and grind the valves but ran good after that. wendy i grad. in 73

 

[caltex]

OK, I will add my entry.  My first car was a 1931 Chevrolet, paid $50 dollars for it and wasn't old enough to get a drivers license. It served me well for several years.  This spring, I stopped at a mini car show in Phoenix and saw my car (not the same one but one just like it).  Tried to buy it, but the owner was going to will it to his son. I had to be satisfied with a picture.

 

[Jim Godward]

That was a was a great one!!  I had a '32 Chev 2 door sedan.  Nowhere near as good as the coupe!!  Next one was a '39 Chev 4 door Deluxe sedan!!  VBG  While I was in the service I had a '47 4 door Chev Sedan Deluxe and after I got out of the service, I commuted to college in a '51 Chev sedan turtle back Deluxe. Changed to Chrysler products after graduatuion and it has been mixed, Plymouth, Dodge, Chev, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Saturn and now a Jeep ever since.

 

[Ron]

Sam & I still have the Jeep J4000 pickup we bought new in 1973.

 

[Ray D]

Caltex: What driver's license? Growing up in the foothills of the Ozarks, didn't need one until you turned 16. Up to that time, I drove without one! Then, I went into the the DL office, stood up to prove I was taller than the counter, plunked down my quarter and walked out with the license.  :

For the youngsters, no, there was no test, other than being taller than the counter and swearing you were over 16.  :-\

And, if I had that beautiful car, I'd be willing it to one of my sons, also. Some things just aren't for sale.  ;D

Ray D  ;D

 

[Chet18013]

Gee, with all you folks getting those ultra modern cars as you first one, you really make me feel old. My first car was a 26 Chevy with wooden spoke wheels.

Chet18013

 

[Lorna]

No picture Chet??  Hi to L. for us.

 

[TCayer]

Since I'm younger than most of your first cars, I'm not going to chime in, but I read a cartoon the other day that struck me funny:

    2 old ladies sitting in rockers and one says to the other: "I'm so old, all my friends in Heaven will think I didn't make it!"

 

[Tom]

Robert,

That old Chevrolet looks like a wonderful car. I can see why you'd want to buy it from the guy.

 

[Wendy]

That '31 Chevy looks nice but, man, look at that red convertible behind it !! Now, that's my kind of car.

Wendy

 

[KodiakRV]

Caltex: What driver's license? Growing up in the foothills of the Ozarks, didn't need one until you turned 16...

My sisters got full drivers licenses in South Carolina when they turned 14.  They changed the law before I made it, though, and I had to wait 2 extra years.   

 

[PancakeBill]

First car was a 61 Plymouth Valiant with the push button trannie.  Got it in 67.  Only 6 years old, had holes in the floor from rust.  It had high miles though, almost 70,000.  Auto choke didn't work all that well. 

When you really remember the old ones, and all their foibles, (old coot word), they weren't all that great.  Then again, you coould find and rebuild a carb in about an hour.  Now try to find one!