I got that at D-listed, and it brought back memories. My first legal car was a Ford Maverick. My brother found it in a junkyard for $25 bucks and he put a new used engine in it. It was fairly fast for a Maverick and toped 130 quick as a wink. It had a three speed on the column. When's the last time you saw a column shifter?
Yeah, like that. Pull back and up for reverse, back and down for first, etc. That ugly faded brick red Maverick eventually had trolls glued all over it. I drove it for years. It was parked at the art building one day and someone glued a troll to it as a joke, I guess. After that, I somehow managed to collect enough trolls to make it look like a rolling porcupine. It was so messed up from all the miles I put on it that the starter went out and I always had to park on a hill and pop the clutch to start it. Which oddly, wasn't that much of a problem back then. My idiot savant brother overhauled it again and he even drilled a hole in the floor and made the shifter come out there. Which looked much cooler and gave me a 4th gear. It had a silver skull as a shift knob. But, then the gears kept getting locked in neutral and sometimes you actually had to crawl under it and fuck around with the gear box to get it into first for the trip home. I kept a hammer and other tools in the glove box. It had a name. It's name was Trout, after that book 'Trout Fishing In America" by Richard Brautigan. I can't remember what happened to it. But, by the time I got rid of it the trolls were matted and moldy and it smelled like a dorm hamper. My next car was a beige Comet that looked exactly like the Maverick and had the same problems. Dependable, but, you could barely out run a snow plow in that fucker. But, it already had a floor shift. I drove it all the way to NYC and back twice. That one became The Kool-aid Wino. (Also a very good book.)
There we go! 1972 Comet or Maverick. I don't think anyone knows the difference except my poor mechanically gifted brother. I nearly lived in that damn car. It reluctantly made a 70 mile trip to school every day for three years and never once stranded me. It had so many miles on it, the odometer had flipped over and started all over again. Probably twice. It had a cool 8 track player too.
So, what was your first car or most memorable car? Got a story to tell?
My first car was a 69 ford Torino. It was a nightmare to look at but it could GO. Fastest car I've ever owned.
ReplyDeleteI hated it at the time. I wanted a little 4 speed honda or toyota and instead my dad bought me a muscle car at an auction or something. I'm sure he thought it was funny.
The boys at school all wanted to drive it because it was so fast. They thought I was cool but the girls thought I was a weirdo.
I was gonna say! Torino's were hot stuff for boys back in my day. Most of them had that sloped (almost hatch back) look and were all souped up. What color was it? I'm hoping green!
ReplyDeleteMy best car and the only car I ever picked out myself was a Mustang 5.0 XL. Silver with black interior. It had the gill things. Man, that sucker was fast. My brother tweaked it so much it topped out at 150mph. I won a lot of bets with that car. I loved it.
Your Maverick went from 3 on the tree to 4 on the floor! My first car was a 1970 Plymouth Fury, huge muscle car, the boys liked it. "That thing's a boat! What kinda engine you got in there?" they would always say. It had a 383 V8, it was an automatic. I almost bought a Mustang once but it had the 3 on the tree and I had only ever driven automatic and I was scared so I didn't do it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard 3 on the tree in ages! A Fury WAS a boat, usually a fast one. I'll bet you wish you still had it. I wonder what they go for now?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite car was a 73 mustang. It had a long hood and short trunk--looked a little corvette-y. I loved it. Had an 8 track, and a 302, automatic. It was fast as well. Had a lot of problems though. It was sparkly brown paint with brown vinyl interior. So cute.
ReplyDeleteMy 69 torino was dark green. I had another torino though, a 72, it was powder blue. I hated that one as well! hahaha! It was fast too. Ran well. Had comfy couch seats.
My first was a Plymouth Valiant. Used, probably a few years old, I don't remember how many years old, but very stripped down. Literally no options on it. Maybe a radio. It served me well for years, though there was nothing fancy about it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite had to be the 86 Honda Prelude Si that I bought new from the dealership. It was a truly hot little red car. Very zippy, with every possible option. I loved driving it, and got lots of compliments.
Currently I drive an 06 Passat that we bought new, in 07. I think the dealership forgot they had it because it was in the back lot, hemmed in with a dead battery. It had 14 miles on it. It's been a great touring car, and we have done a road trip to San Francisco several times, as well as Los Angeles, and Seattle. Currently we are planning a road trip to SF, LA, and then Las Vegas in the early Fall. I hope that it is still reliable enough for such a trip. It would be a bummer to break down somewhere in the desert.
Christina
I had a 1968 Ford Country Squire Station Wagon that my grandma gave me after my grandpa passed away, in 1997. I drove it until 2001 when I sold it.
ReplyDeleteI currently drive a 1995 Ford Taurus (shift on the column)
I had a Comet, by golly. It was turquoise since my dad wouldn't co-sign for a red one. He called the red one a cop attractor.
ReplyDeleteMy BFF has an old El Camino and a classic Trans Am, so it hasn't been long since I've driven a column shifter (on the El Camino). She looked at me in horror when I verified where reverse was first, but heck I was in her garage and sure didn't want to get it wrong and drive into the wall. How could I forget? Easy. I hate to think how many years since I'd driven a column.
I had a GTO, 67 as I recall. It sure as hell went fast but wouldn't stop. Had everything replaced or thoroughly checked and it would still give you heart failure by refusing to even slow down let alone stop from time to time. Glad to get rid of it but there was nothing like it for acceleration and dirtying up the air with all the smoke pouring out.
ReplyDeleteI do wish I still had my old Fury, I had a lot of fun with that car, and it was fast too. But I smashed it :( and none of the cars I got after were ever as cool. I drove a Plymouth Valiant for a while and a also a Dodge Dart. My dad liked the old Mopars and was always buying them for the family, we never drove new cars.
ReplyDeleteI just found my hysband's very old copy of Trout Fishing in Am. a couple of weeks ago. It was packed away in a box. He'd kept it all those years.
ReplyDeleteMy first official car was a 1974 Cougar. It had too much engine and gave me trouble all the time. Traded it in for a Datsun 280Z---last year for Datsun. They then became Nissan.
Believe it or not, my most favorite, best running car I ever had was a Saturn. Nevr gave me a bit of trouble. I kept it for 7 yrs. and was sorry to get rid of it but I am on the road by myself and was afraid it would start to break down. The person I sold it to is still driving it and has had no trouble with it.
ReplyDeleteIronically, while we are talking about cars, I got in mine this afternoon and it would not start. Didn't make a sound. I hope it's just the battery. I feel like I'm stranded on an island when I don't have my car.
My first car was a '66 Mustang - totally stock with a 289 V8 engine! It was the classic avocado green with the same interior - bucket seats/2 dr.
ReplyDeleteMy pops and I had it painted white with just a tint of the avocado green mixed in with small metal flakes. It was so bitchen'. The timing chain broke on it when the engine seized and cracked the block. Sold it to a neighbor with a rad engine sitting on blocks in his garage. He was happy, we were happy because after that I bought a '69 El Camino silver wagon. Vroom Vroom!!!!
Good car stories. I will probably remember the details of every one in my odd brain. I knew that first Torino was green!
ReplyDeleteHi, Theresa, welcome to the nut house.
Mary, I totally could have guessed yours too! What else would it be?
Jane, have you read it? You should read it.
ReplyDeleteI've been around signing as Theresa in Texas, I read more then I post.
ReplyDelete