Show off yer Vintage thingy with wheels

[Rockydoc]

The first car I ever drove was a ‘51 Buick Super with a straight 8. All of my experience driving it had been with my dad in the car with me until one night when he and I, in the Buick and his truck driver in an IHC truck/trailer went to a cattle auction 110 miles from home. After the sale when it was time to load up the cattle he had bought we discovered that the truck driver was drunk as a skunk. So that meant that dad had to drive the truck and there was no one else to drive the Buick but me. I was 13 years old. It was 10‘o’clock at night with 110 miles to go.

What a “first time driving by yourself experience” that was. Actually, it was uneventful. It was way after my usual bedtime and I nodded a time or two but I kept it on the road.

After that I got to drive that car on dates, at night. But I was older by then, 14 years old.

Ya, got my DL at 13 with restriction of no night driving unless adult in front seat. Learned on 49 ford v8 stick.

I d’n‘t have no DL. You got to be 16 to get a DL.

 

[RicinYakima]

In the '50's in Ohio, you could drive a "farm" licensed vehicle at 14 with a permit. However, you were limited to trips involving the farm and not pleasure driving. Started driving a "ton and a half" Diamond T with a four speed on the tree and a two speed rear end. Top speed with a full load of hogs was about 25 in 4th and low range. Barely fast enough to keep ahead of the smell!

 

[Snakeoil]

The first car I ever drove was a ‘51 Buick Super with a straight 8. All of my experience driving it had been with my dad in the car with me until one night when he and I, in the Buick and his truck driver in an IHC truck/trailer went to a cattle auction 110 miles from home. After the sale when it was time to load up the cattle he had bought we discovered that the truck driver was drunk as a skunk. So that meant that dad had to drive the truck and there was no one else to drive the Buick but me. I was 13 years old. It was 10‘o’clock at night with 110 miles to go.

What a “first time driving by yourself experience” that was. Actually, it was uneventful. It was way after my usual bedtime and I nodded a time or two but I kept it on the road.

After that I got to drive that car on dates, at night. But I was older by then, 14 years old.

The first car I remember my Dad driving was a '47 Buick Roadmaster with a straight 8. The hood was the coolest part of the car. Not sure if the '51 had the same feature. It raised from the side, rather than the front. The cool part was you could raise it from either side. That hood probably weighed more than most cars weigh today.

 

[Winelover]

Dad's first automobile was a brand new 35 Chevy. IIRC, paid $500 for it and it came with a toolbox and tools. Then he purchased a 52 Pontiac Sky Chief. Was originally ordered by a doctor in Pennsylvania but at the last minute, he opted for the eight cylinder. So Dad bought the six cylinder in a dark green, which the three of us, relocated to Michigan in. He kept that til he bought a new 60 Catalina, no power steering or brakes. In 67 he purchased a new Buick Lesabre with a 340-2 BBL. That's the boat, I learned to drive on.

Never a used automobile in our household.

 

[Bret4207]

Huh, I don't think my folks ever had a new one, all were used.

 

[Rockydoc]

The first car I remember my Dad driving was a '47 Buick Roadmaster with a straight 8. The hood was the coolest part of the car. Not sure if the '51 had the same feature. It raised from the side, rather than the front. The cool part was you could raise it from either side. That hood probably weighed more than most cars weigh today.

The car Dad bought to replace the’51 Buick was a ‘53 Pontiac. It also had a straight 8. The Buick had overhead valves, the Pontiac had a flathead. The Pontiac was replaced by a ‘55 Buick Super with a V8. Buick’s first V8.
It seems that many people replaced their cars every 2 years back then. Planned obsolescence, the appearance of the cars changed every 2 years. I could tell what year model a car was back then. Not now. Significant changes only occur every 8-10 years now.

 

[L Ross]

 

[RicinYakima]

View attachment 28147

Oh! '57 Oldsmobile. 88 or super 88?

 

[Snakeoil]

The car Dad bought to replace the’51 Buick was a ‘53 Pontiac. It also had a straight 8. The Buick had overhead valves, the Pontiac had a flathead. The Pontiac was replaced by a ‘55 Buick Super with a V8. Buick’s first V8.
It seems that many people replaced their cars every 2 years back then. Planned obsolescence, the appearance of the cars changed every 2 years. I could tell what year model a car was back then. Not now. Significant changes only occur every 8-10 years now.

You are not going to believe this. Not the next car, but the 3rd car Pop had was a '53 Pontiac convertible with a straight 8. That was a gorgeous machine and the hood ornament lit up with the headlights. The car was bright red. Began my love of convertibles with that car. I was 10 when he sold it and bought a new Impala.

 

[L Ross]

Oh! '57 Oldsmobile. 88 or super 88?

Super 88 J-2 package, runs but is tired. We drive it yet.

 

[Rick]

I too had a 57 Olds 88 371 J-2. Was the fastest factory stock car I've ever owned. The thing would pass anything on the road except a gas station.

 

[RicinYakima]

My Uncle Jimmy had one when he moved from KY to CA. Always wanted one, but never had the chance to get one.

 

[fiver]

i always wanted a black and gold 55 like Burt Reynolds drove in W.W. and the Dixie dance kings.
even as a quite young kid i almost cried when he trashed that car.

see if i can find a pic.

 

[glassparman]

I had a '55 98 coupe . . . I still hate myself for selling it.

 

[RicinYakima]

My Dad bought me a '54 98, emerald green and white for my 16th birthday. I said my brother could use if for a date a week before I could drive. He rolled it two times and totaled it, and I have never forgiven him, 58 years later.

 

[Rick H]

I said my brother could use if for a date a week before I could drive. He rolled it two times and totaled it, and I have never forgiven him, 58 years later.

That must have been a hell of a hot date! Distracted driving will "bite you" most every time.

 

[Rick]

I had a '55 98 coupe . . . I still hate myself for selling it.

I didn't sell my 57. Parked it behind the house and left for boot camp, 6 months later home on a 30 day leave to discover Mom had sold it. That was in 1968, haven't gotten over that yet.

 

[L Ross]

I didn't sell my 57. Parked it behind the house and left for boot camp, 6 months later home on a 30 day leave to discover Mom had sold it. That was in 1968, haven't gotten over that yet.

Has she ever gotten flowers for Mother's Day since?

 

[Rick]

Yeah, its mom, what ya gonna do?

 

[Snakeoil]

As great as those cars look, they are really no fun to drive, unless you drive like Grandpa. Power steering and power brakes helped, but they still wanted to roll over if you went around any corner at over a crawl. They are gorgeous creatures, though.

Buddy at work had a '57 Chevy hotrod with a small block. I'd dropped my car at the shop on my way into work and needed to go look at something that they found. Larry had a Scirocco and the Chevy. He rarely drove the Chevy to work. I asked if I could borrow his car and he tossed me the keys. I figure the Scirocco is out there. Nope. No problem, I drove cars like this when I was younger. I drove the car out the lot and down a back road from the office with a pretty tight right hander. I went into that corner and I really did not think I was coming out of it alive. I know all 4 stayed planted, but at the moment, I was sure I was on 2 wheels doing a bad impression of a Joey Chitwood show. Ran my chore and got the car back unscathed and never asked to borrow a car again. I was getting a slight pucker as I was typing this, just thinking about that moment.