Do You Still Have Your First Car?

[Fred Mertz]

My Dad and I built a VW Manx dune buggy that became my first driver in '69.  But my first real car was a '68 Z/28 that I bought in '71.  I had it only 2 years.  When sold in '73 I bought a '56 Nomad.  A few others over the years. I bought my current '69 Camaro in '2005 turning a gramdma car into a Z/28 clone.  ZZ383, Autogear M22W. Moser 12 Bolt.  All the good stuff.

[Ue]

1970 Holden HG Belmont sedan. The only thing I still have is an emblem.

[BULLITT65]

You guys are looking tough in that thing. Looks like the police car in MAD MAX

[TooManyReels]

My first car was a 1953 Flat Head Ford.  Paid the guy $75.00 and the car actually ran, or it did for a while; then it became a royal pain in the pocket book.

The guys do look cool. At first glance, I thought it was Elwood and Jake - the Blues Brothers...

TMR
Eddie

[camaroboy68ss]

My 68 Camaro is my first car. its been with me since I was 8. My grandfather found it in the paper and bought it. we spend the next 7 years restoring it. He only worked on it when I could after school and sports. we did all the bodywork, engine work. had a guy shoot the color on the car and then we did all the reassembly. Got it finished right before my 15th birthday. I learned how to drive a stick in the car. Im now in the process of putting original parts on the car to replace some of the cheap stuff I threw on when we put it together originally to get it on the road. My car will never got back to 100% original. I hate the factory colors (Matador Red with a black vinyl top) but I love the factory 327 ive just dressed it up like a Z/28. Kinda doing a what if chevy built a L79 Camaro.

[ko-lek-tor]

My 68 Camaro is my first car. its been with me since I was 8. My grandfather found it in the paper and bought it. we spend the next 7 years restoring it. He only worked on it when I could after school and sports. we did all the bodywork, engine work. had a guy shoot the color on the car and then we did all the reassembly. Got it finished right before my 15th birthday. I learned how to drive a stick in the car. Im now in the process of putting original parts on the car to replace some of the cheap stuff I threw on when we put it together originally to get it on the road. My car will never got back to 100% original. I hate the factory colors (Matador Red with a black vinyl top) but I love the factory 327 ive just dressed it up like a Z/28. Kinda doing a what if chevy built a L79 Camaro.

Lest we old timers forget, we have a young lad among us. My friend, you already have what us older guys/gals have, and that is memories! Keep up the good work and cherish the moments and friendships your car will produce.

[BULLITT65]

My 68 Camaro is my first car. its been with me since I was 8. My grandfather found it in the paper and bought it. we spend the next 7 years restoring it. He only worked on it when I could after school and sports. we did all the bodywork, engine work. had a guy shoot the color on the car and then we did all the reassembly. Got it finished right before my 15th birthday. I learned how to drive a stick in the car. Im now in the process of putting original parts on the car to replace some of the cheap stuff I threw on when we put it together originally to get it on the road. My car will never got back to 100% original. I hate the factory colors (Matador Red with a black vinyl top) but I love the factory 327 ive just dressed it up like a Z/28. Kinda doing a what if chevy built a L79 Camaro.

Great story and a experience you will remember the rest of your life..

[firstgenfever]

My 1st car was a '65 Chevelle with 230 and a power glide. I bought it just before I turned 16 in July of  '94 (most of my friends didn't understand why I would want an "old" car). I drove the car through the summer and fall. When winter came my father couldn't bear the thought of me driving it and offered to buy it with the option of me buying it back at anytime for the same price. I took him up on the offer as I found a '77 short bed 4X4 with a 400ci engine it for the same price.  To this day my father enjoys driving the car and really likes to see people's reactions to a 6 cylinder in the engine bay at cruise night. While I currently don't own my 1st car, it's in good hands and will most likely be mine again someday.

[janobyte]

My 1st car was a '65 Chevelle with 230 and a power glide. I bought it just before I turned 16 in July of  '94 (most of my friends didn't understand why I would want an "old" car). I drove the car through the summer and fall. When winter came my father couldn't bear the thought of me driving it and offered to buy it with the option of me buying it back at anytime for the same price. I took him up on the offer as I found a '77 short bed 4X4 with a 400ci engine it for the same price.  To this day my father enjoys driving the car and really likes to see people's reactions to a 6 cylinder in the engine bay at cruise night. While I currently don't own my 1st car, it's in good hands and will most likely be mine again someday.

Good story !  Talk about win/win.  Pretty smart of your Dad, all in all probably had more fun with the truck. Sort of along the same lines...winter was coming and my dad talked me into getting rid of a 68 GTO convertible I bought ( something how cheap they were back then ,think I paid around 1800.00 for it) and bought a 78 CJ5....way more fun. Great days, was going through cars like girlfriends  LOL.

[68L30]

I still have mine. I like to think of it as my time machine. I'm a 16 year old punk everytime I get behind the wheel. Feels good!

Steve

[hotrod68]

  My first car was a 1964 Impala--327/300 with a Slip-O-Matic (Powerglide). I drove it all through high school and cut my teeth on the art of hot rodding with it. My dad promised to buy me my first 1968 Camaro for graduating high school in 1975. The catch:   Sell the '64 to help offset the cost of the Camaro. I graduated and he bought the Camaro for $900. I sold the '64 for $350 and gave him the money. To this day I'd love to have that land barge back as nostalgia.
Unfortunately, the guy I sold it to didn't know much about tuning a hot 327 and it backfired on him and burned up under the hood. The Impala wound up in the junkyard. What a waste.

[Frosty69]

I was one of those unappreciative brats who was given a '69 Camaro for their 16th birthday. Wrecked it shortly after my 17th birthday. Funny thing is that was probably the best thing that ever happened. My dad had the space to store it until I could do it right and now I appreciate it and the connection to my dad every single day.

[ko-lek-tor]

I turned 16 in Dec of 76. I could not wait to take driver ed. at school because I would not get my license until the end of school year, so I went to a private driving school and got my license in Jan. of 77. Dad dictated what we could drive and bought us cars because he wanted something safe. I did not like my choices. Ist I got my older brothers car, a Mercedes 220 Diesel. A uncool slug of a car. Then, a 69 Cutlass 2dr 6 cylinder that dad got from his insurance guy. It was his son's car. It was Robin Egg blue(yuk). I worked at gas stations and tire stores because I wanted to learn how to work on cars. I bought air shocks,painted the rear axle yellow,cut off the NEW exhaust to make it loud(although a sick sounding drone) and put bald wide tires I took off a "hippie van" at the tire store on ralleyII wheels also freebies from the store. After working the second summer and now, 17, I bought my own ride, a 67 SS Chevelle 396. Dad was not happy at all! That fall, he sent me to Military School. Upon graduating in 79. I bought the 2 69 Camaro I still have and another 67 Chevelle SS (Maroon). Sold that when I married, but still have a soft spot for 67 Chevelles and would like another someday. Green P.U. in background is a 71 Chev 3/4 (still have it as well!). Cutlass in background in 1st pic. Dad got rid of it when he found out I was going to put a 389 tri-power in it that I was dealing on. Wish I had kept a set of those Cragars.

[69Z28]

I was one of those unappreciative brats who was given a '69 Camaro for their 16th birthday. Wrecked it shortly after my 17th birthday. Funny thing is that was probably the best thing that ever happened. My dad had the space to store it until I could do it right and now I appreciate it and the connection to my dad every single day.

Ouch!!! Knew a few of those guys in high school in Atlanta...always thought they were hot because their dads owned a dealership. Wreck a car today and get a new car the next...they didn't care, oh well. I always appreciated every car I bought. My parents would just laugh if we asked for them to buy. My dad always told us to buy a piece of crap $100.00 car and beat the crap out of it. We all learned on dirt back roads in Atlanta and tore some cars up. My first car is in my post up top. I didn't take care of it and I payed for it.

[69Z28]

I turned 16 in Dec of 76. I could not wait to take driver ed. at school because I would not get my license until the end of school year, so I went to a private driving school and got my license in Jan. of 77. Dad dictated what we could drive and bought us cars because he wanted something safe. I did not like my choices. Ist I got my older brothers car, a Mercedes 220 Diesel. A uncool slug of a car. Then, a 69 Cutlass 2dr 6 cylinder that dad got from his insurance guy. It was his son's car. It was Robin Egg blue(yuk). I worked at gas stations and tire stores because I wanted to learn how to work on cars. I bought air shocks,painted the rear axle yellow,cut off the NEW exhaust to make it loud(although a sick sounding drone) and put bald wide tires I took off a "hippie van" at the tire store on ralleyII wheels also freebies from the store. After working the second summer and now, 17, I bought my own ride, a 67 SS Chevelle 396. Dad was not happy at all! That fall, he sent me to Military School. Upon graduating in 79. I bought the 2 69 Camaro I still have and another 67 Chevelle SS (Maroon). Sold that when I married, but still have a soft spot for 67 Chevelles and would like another someday. Green P.U. in background is a 71 Chev 3/4 (still have it as well!). Cutlass in background in 1st pic. Dad got rid of it when he found out I was going to put a 389 tri-power in it that I was dealing on. Wish I had kept a set of those Cragars.

Hey B, now that is a car I would love to have at 16. That car would be beat for sure. A friend had a 66 SS, Green, he was chased by the Atlanta cops one night. Slammed into a pole head on and ran after that. Later somehow the car got towed and sat at another friends house in the front yard with the head lights looking at each other but he was nowhere around. Turns out he joined the Army to get away from that accident and the cops chasing him. Never did see him again. Of course this was during Nam, so he may have not made it out. THe day I turned 18 the government stopped the draft. Boy was I relieved as well as a few other friends.