Earliest memory of cars.

[commando1]

My family didnt own a running car until 1955.
My first remembrance was a 48(?) Olds(Pontiac?) woody wagon non runner sitting at the end of the driveway. Towed away when dad bought a new 55 Pontiac wagon.

 

[bluefury361]

My first cognizant memory of a car was in 1953. My Parents bought their first NEW car, a two tone blue 53 Dodge two door sedan. While they were busy with the salesman I wandered around the showroom. There, in all it's brilliant red glory, was a 53, (maybe 54), Dodge Coronet convertible. I remember the huge WWW tires, chrome spoke wheels, continental kit n the back bumper and loads of shiny chrome. I was to short to see inside.

They told me I ran into where they were and demanded they get "THAT CAR".

 

[Zymurgy]

I don't remember any previous family car until our '71 Vista Cruiser, it was the first new car our family owned. This looks just like it.

I remember riding in the rear facing 3rd row and folding down all the rear seats and throwing in a foam mattress to take to the drive-ins.

I also remember my neighbor drag racing his Malibu against his friends road runner. The stock road runner always won, no matter how he modified his Malibu.

 

[Big_John]

I was just thinking about what I wrote about when we bought my Dad's Windsor.... That is my first memory... period. It's like I was plunked down on the earth that day.

I never thought about that until just now.

 

[300rag]

To this day, whenever I smell the leather interior in a car, this is what it brings me back to.

 

[live4theking]

My father owned a '71 Fury III that was light beige with a green interior. There were too many of us to fit in one car to go to church so my oldest brother would drive. On the way home him and dad would race up the back road that we lived on. Going to some of my parents friends house there were two narrow bridges that my mother didn't like crossing. One time my dad reached down my the floor and pulled an imaginary lever that supposedly raised the wheels from the ground so we could fly over the bridges. I'm told I continued to do that for years sitting between them in the front seat, must have been the late 70's.

 

[bluefury361]

Is that an Austin.....?

 

[Big_John]

Looks like an A30 Austin to me.

 

[300rag]

Is that an Austin.....?

Sure is.

 

[300rag]

Looks like an A30 Austin to me.

A40 Somerset

 

[Big_John]

The Austin was properly modified just yet.

BTW, some of you Northeastern guys might recognize that car. It sits out behind a barn near here... One of those "some day" cars.
BILL DRAKE

 

[mopar_4life]

My first memory happened in the late 80's. I wasn't but 3 or 4.... My dad had a Red dodge ram and he brought home the coolest thing ever a new lawnmower. He got rid of the truck shortly after that, the lawnmower he still uses (it is the best thing I think he ever bought, Ingersoll).... Don't know why I remember the day he got it

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

I remember my Dad had ah '38 Chebby thru' the war yearz up until '49 and when we'd go over the river and thru' the woodz to His folks place. 3 milez from that homestead farm we'd come up to this hill where they'd asphalted the road rite thru' a dry wash rather then Putting in a culvert just off the bottom of that hill, where there waz no way to get ah run at the hill without hurting the under side of that 'ole Chebby.( Remember the war yearz, remember saving all steel including all your tin canz on the back porch to be picked up for the war effort?) He'd drive past the dry wash stop and turn around and we'd all pile out including Mom and he'd back all the way up that hill(lower reverse then first) and we'd walk up and he'd have turned around by the time we got there and we'd all pile back in and continue to Grandpa and Gramz. FYI, In '49 Dad broomed the Chebby and bought ah brand spankin' new 1949 fast back Pontiac. That Straight 8 never turned around for that hill EVER, We just boogied rite on up, Jer

 

[rapidtrans]

"live4the king", we did the same thing for church. I had just received my license and was driving dads 70 Coronet 500 home as he drove his new 71 Sebring Plus. He was laughing his butt off as i coasted into the Clark station out of gas. Three older brothers had a habit of leaving dad with an empty tank for his drive to work. He finally got his turn to laugh. Trust me, i never left him with an emty tank!

 

[Snotty]

My earliest memory of a car was when I was around 3 years old. My parents had a '60 Chevy. One day when I was riding in the front (no child-safety seats required then) I noticed the signal light blinking. If you can picture the '59-'60 Chevy dash, everything was round, including the signal lights. I was fascinated by that little green light flashing in its own little circle. I have loved that dash to this day!

 

[thrashingcows]

This is an amazing thread....really enjoying reading everyone's stories!

 

[Dana]

When I was 7 or 8 dad had a 72 valiant 318 2 bbl. It was an ex city cop car, the rear doors only opened from outside. One nite not far from home I asked if I could drive again. So I get on his lap and steer. When we pulled in the driveway instead of slowing down, the car sped up a little and was heading straight for a telephone pole! Then unbeknownst to me, he grabbed the wheel down low and screamed "LOOK OUT BOY!". Then BAM! the hood buckles, steam flies and I'm screaming it would'nt steer dad! And he's saying what did you do to my car boy?! He played it out for a couple minutes while I made excuses. Then he started laughing. I was relieved!

 

[rapidtrans]

Being among the oldsters here my first car memories are the 50s. One grandpa had a 55 Chevy the other had a tri-tone 56 Dodge. (Can probaby find pics of these) Dr. living across the street had a white Continental MkII. Then in 60 one neighbor down the street bought a new Bonneville conv. and another a new Desoto. That Desoto tailfin was right at forehead level, and kinda sharp! This was all before i hit kindergarten but these cars were gorgeous then and to this day classics.

 

[72Fury]

My earliest was when I was around 3. A seafoam green Nash Metropolitan that my Dad had. I can remember riding in the back of it as well. My first real muscle car ride came from a friend's dad. We always talked about cars at church & the guy was like the original Jay Leno. A 60 Corvette, 57 Chevy, a 66 Chevy II with get this a tube chassis and a blown Hemi. Anyways he showed up with a 67 Camaro. LT1 4 speed & it was built up. That car only had about 20k miles, and looked it. He asked me if I wanted a ride & of course I did. He took it easy for sometime, then turned off the main road and onto a less traffic side road. I remember looking over at him, and he slicked his hair back at the same time that clutch went to the floor as well as the gas pedal. Slammed into first & he dumped it. Holy ****. We took off, running sideways in 2 lanes. The car straightened up and bam, second. The Sun tach jumped up past 6500, and the car was again using both lanes. Grabbed third, slowed down into a left hand sweeper, and we ran up on a blue Olds 98. Running way up still in third he slammed it back into second and we flew past that car. He kept the steam on into third & then fourth. I was frickin scared. He slowed back down & we got back to church. "Don't tell your Dad!"

 

[BigFury]

Started in '74 when my uncle John would take me for fast rides to the A&P in his '69 Coronet. Factory bench seat 4 speed 383, T5 Copper with Ansen slots. I would stand up laughing in the front seat as he ripped through the gears. Branded Mopar for life in those years. Mom also had a 68 Polara white hat special that I was fond of as a kid also. It's my hope to build an exact clone of Uncle John's Coronet one day.