We all had that "first car" what was your first car and compared to today what do you think?

[akirby]

First car: 1977 Cutlass.

 

I think that was the same bodystyle as the 75 but with square headlamps.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

A far cry from the GM days ... The only theft issues we encountered, luckily, were with the '84 Mustang whose wheels were stolen with the body left up on blocks.

[akirby]

Remember having 2 separate keys?

[TheWizard]

Yes, I also remember when you could use a screwdriver instead of a key.

 

I wonder how long it will be before young people will have no idea that a cranking motion with your hand means "roll down the window"?

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

I thought it meant "play the reel"

[J0J0]

Some say that I am going through a mid-life crisis. Yeah right ... I just love cars. If that is the case, I've been going through this "crisis" since I was 26. I sat down and counted all the cars I had since I started driving. From what I can count and remember, the total is 22. I bought and sold a lot of muscle cars during my years but these are the cars that I am keeping. Thank goodness for my parents having a house with over an acre of land so I can store these babies there. I think we got it from my dad. Between him, my brother and myself, the house looks like there's a party every day with all the cars parked there. LOL

 

 

This was my first new car purchase. 1996 Impala SS DCM (Julie). Still have it. Only 21K on the odometer. All stock

 

This was my second new purchase. 1999 Tahoe Limited (Tami). Only 7200 made. 2WD Vortec L31 engine and Federal edition Pursuit package. No options. Only OnStar, Towing Package and Engine warmer were options. It only came in Onyx Black.

 

This was my third new purchase. 2006 Z06 (Betty) with 3LT package (fully loaded). This was a "post divorce gift" to myself after the first wife.

Wifey and "Betty"

 

This is what happens when you walk away from the car to go get a beer ... OY VEY!

 

Me and the wifey with "Brandi" our 72 LeMans

Edited March 18, 2015 by J0J0

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Beautiful collection (cars)! Like every one of 'em. Glad your wife puts up with it

[J0J0]

Beautiful collection (cars)! Like every one of 'em. Glad your wife puts up with it

She "tolerates" it. I use that word loosely. She can't stand driving in the Vette. Says it's too fast, too loud and too low. I can't blame her. It is a kindney buster and not really intended for extended driving. But she knows this is my joy and says "At least the women you're fooling around with are heavier than me." LOL!

[J0J0]

Yes, I also remember when you could use a screwdriver instead of a key.

 

I wonder how long it will be before young people will have no idea that a cranking motion with your hand means "roll down the window"?

They don't know what it means. They roll down the window to say WTF are you doing?

[TheWizard]

They don't know what it means. They roll down the window to say WTF are you doing?

 

That's the best answer I've heard for that comment yet!

[PrinzII]

 

I think that was the same bodystyle as the 75 but with square headlamps.

 

....and different taillights.

[PrinzII]

Remember having 2 separate keys?

 

Yep. I remember that for three of my cars.

[PrinzII]

My 2002 Maxima SE:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200702430216244&l=bb0385ccb6

 

 

My 1994 Maxima GXE:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200702433376323&l=560e09d59c

[TheWizard]

Other than my pony/muscle cars, one of my all-time favorites was my '72 Opel GT. There were called the "poor man's Corvette":

 

 

This is not mine but it's the same except I had the light "buckskin" interior instead of black.

Edited March 19, 2015 by TheWizard

[fishx65]

Other than my pony/muscle cars, one of my all-time favorites was my '72 Opel GT. There were called the "poor man's Corvette":

 

 

This is not mine but it's the same except I had the light "buckskin" interior instead of black.

I had a buddy in high school that had a built 350 Rat in his Opel GT. Really really fast!!!! I think it was a popular engine swap for the Opel back in the day.

[XB70]

It was a 1962 Pontiac Catalina sports roof with a 389 and full power everything including AC. It was just a cruising machine. Geared for the autobahn apparently. It wouldn't light the tires up even on a rain slicked road. But if you put the pedal down and waited a few seconds it would gather itself up and run well past the speedometer limit. However it wasn't a great handling car at that speed. At normal highway speeds it was smooth and quiet. Much like the later Panther class Ford and Mercury cruisers.

 

JOJO, I always thought that the Impala SS of that era was a great car. But if I recall correctly it was not a good selling ride. Too bad. You don't see many of them anymore.

[J0J0]

JOJO, I always thought that the Impala SS of that era was a great car. But if I recall correctly it was not a good selling ride. Too bad. You don't see many of them anymore.

You are correct. At the time they were introduced for production by Jon Moss for the 94-96 production years, it wasn't really on anyone's radar as a "must have." Only the gear heads really knew about it. After all it was a land yacht weighing in at over 2 tons but a 4 door sedan with an LT-1 ... it surprised many unsuspecting cars at the stop light. It still retains its popularity with collectors. I just love the car. It's not a "sports car" but it sure can boogie down the road! It's a car that exudes attitude in a subtle way.

[twintornados]

My first car was a 1970 Ford LTD Brougham 2 door formal roof sedan. Bought it used in 1982 and the rotted frame broke three months after I bought it while trying to pull a "hole shot" in front of my buddies house....I took the motor and transmission and front clip and put it on a wrecked 1969 LTD XL sportsroof.....

Pulled the motor and trans as one using my dads 1975 F250 Hi-Boy that had a Western all hydraulic snow plow on the front. The ram lifted the motor and trans enough to slide it out after I pulled the front clip off. Backed out and then drove it into the XL, then installed the clip....ahhh, those were the days....

[JOEHIO]

XB70, yes, a sport roof - made to look like a convertible, only not a cloth roof. Were cool cars back then. I loved my Ventura, had a trunk bigger than a efficiency apartment.

[XB70]

XB70, yes, a sport roof - made to look like a convertible, only not a cloth roof. Were cool cars back then. I loved my Ventura, had a trunk bigger than a efficiency apartment.

That's the one. It had all the right creases in all the right places. If vinyl tops had been in vogue back then you can be certain the sports roof models would have had them. Thankfully this car had a painted roof. The trunk was enormous!! Yet the size of the car didn't seem out of place in that era. Cars were just big. They rode around on 14" tires but those tires filled the wheel wells.

 

To the question asked by the OP about comparing the first car to the present car. We've come a long way in build quality, handling, economy and performance. We view safety as more accordion than battering ram. It would be interesting to drive one these old cars again. The memories will always be there of the feeling of freedom of mobility. But I'll bet the driving experience would be a blast into the past. That's especially true when it comes to hauling one of these four wheel drum braked tanks to a stop.

[XB70]

My first car was a 1970 Ford LTD Brougham 2 door formal roof sedan. Bought it used in 1982 and the rotted frame broke three months after I bought it while trying to pull a "hole shot" in front of my buddies house....I took the motor and transmission and front clip and put it on a wrecked 1969 LTD XL sportsroof.....

 

Pulled the motor and trans as one using my dads 1975 F250 Hi-Boy that had a Western all hydraulic snow plow on the front. The ram lifted the motor and trans enough to slide it out after I pulled the front clip off. Backed out and then drove it into the XL, then installed the clip....ahhh, those were the days....

The image of that engine swap in progress is way too funny!! Oh man, the stuff we did when we were younger. But hey, it worked!!

 

My dad had a 1970 LTD with some monster motor in it. The power steering was so over boosted that at first I thought the steering shaft had broken in two. Before actually driving it I got out of the car and looked at the front tires while moving the steering wheel. Everything worked but it didn't inspire a sense of confidence. Dad called it a one pinky driving experience. The car was so quiet that it was almost disconcerting. Marshmallows were substituted for springs and shocks. You had no idea what the road surface was like. The most unique design aspect of that car was the four door hardtop structure. it had no B pillar. It looked pretty neat when the windows were all rolled down.

Edited March 24, 2015 by XB70

[XB70]

I remember my first car I ever bought. 1973 chevy vega. 70 series wheels on the front with 50 series on the rear. That engine was so bad that I actually found other working engines and trannys kept two of each on hand so I could change out the engine or tranny when they blew. I must of went through a dozen engine and at least two trannys in that car. I kept used oil in milk jugs in the back just to keep her topped off and running. I also got so good at engine changes that I could come home friday after school and change the engine out in time for my date that night.

 

That being said I have never had a vehicle like my orange crush ford edge that I have been able to put so many miles on. The work the manufacturers have done with engines today is hands down a display of engineering and fabrication process improvement examples that can not compare to the old days as they say. The manufacturers have learned a lot about aluminum and steel combinations that have opened up many doors.

 

Imagine having a Ford edge sport with the 2.7 back in 1973?! Nothing would beat it and people would be in awe.

Putting a lot of miles on a car today isn't considered a big deal. But back in 1959 Pontiac placed a small badge inside the Bonneville that said "Pontiac, the 100,000 mile car" as if it were a major accomplishment to roll the odometer over once. The expectations of sub 100K lifespans were matched by the manufacturers build quality. If you lived in a climate with road salt added during the winter then chances were good the body would rot away before the engine failed. So it really wasn't out of line to brag about a car capable of reaching 100,000 miles. Contrast that to your present ride.

 

Your Vega experience cracks me up!! During the early 1970s I was stationed in California. Nothing rusts out there unless its right on the coast. We were inland. One of the guys on base went through about half as many motors in his Vega as you did. He finally pulled the plug on the four cylinder slug and transplanted a small block V8 into the car. Needless to say, it transformed the car. It was a hatchback model. After the V8 swap the only way he could keep the hatch closed was to weld it shut. It wasn't exactly an engine swap performed within a Jay Leno budget. I forget where the guy was from but he called the swap "hillbilly engineering". The car was quick but you can imagine how difficult it was to keep the tires in some reasonable state of traction. Was the tire size only 13"?

[macbwt]

13" all the way baby, my bike had bigger tires.

Putting a lot of miles on a car today isn't considered a big deal. But back in 1959 Pontiac placed a small badge inside the Bonneville that said "Pontiac, the 100,000 mile car" as if it were a major accomplishment to roll the odometer over once. The expectations of sub 100K lifespans were matched by the manufacturers build quality. If you lived in a climate with road salt added during the winter then chances were good the body would rot away before the engine failed. So it really wasn't out of line to brag about a car capable of reaching 100,000 miles. Contrast that to your present ride.

 

Your Vega experience cracks me up!! During the early 1970s I was stationed in California. Nothing rusts out there unless its right on the coast. We were inland. One of the guys on base went through about half as many motors in his Vega as you did. He finally pulled the plug on the four cylinder slug and transplanted a small block V8 into the car. Needless to say, it transformed the car. It was a hatchback model. After the V8 swap the only way he could keep the hatch closed was to weld it shut. It wasn't exactly an engine swap performed within a Jay Leno budget. I forget where the guy was from but he called the swap "hillbilly engineering". The car was quick but you can imagine how difficult it was to keep the tires in some reasonable state of traction. Was the tire size only 13"?

[JOEHIO]

Had a '70 Ford Galaxie "XL" Sportsroof with a 390 in it. Moved pretty good, and was roomy as hell. Even at 6' 3", there was still plenty of back seat legroom. Never bothered to check gas mileage, gas was cheap, didn't matter. It had a "cockpit" designed dashboard, it kind of wrapped around the drivers compartment, pretty cool back then.

[PrinzII]

You are correct. At the time they were introduced for production by Jon Moss for the 94-96 production years, it wasn't really on anyone's radar as a "must have." Only the gear heads really knew about it. After all it was a land yacht weighing in at over 2 tons but a 4 door sedan with an LT-1 ... it surprised many unsuspecting cars at the stop light. It still retains its popularity with collectors. I just love the car. It's not a "sports car" but it sure can boogie down the road! It's a car that exudes attitude in a subtle way.

 

a) Even to this day, I still want one of those with a few "tweaks" including a TT427 backed with a 6L90E.

That car was based off the 9C1 Caprice which was the police package. I liked the 9C1s even from a looks standpoint. Cops I knew loved them so much that some municipalities in Chicago actually sent them to a place in Jersey that would refurbish them.