First Car ?

[beagdog]

Yep, the infamous Mopar ballast resistor. The GTX never had a problem with them, but a couple years after I got it I added a '70 Road Runner, 383 auto. That thing ate 'em. Picked up a '70 SuperBird, 440 6 pack, auto. It never had any problem with them either. Wish you hadn't got me thinking about it, what an idiot I was to let it go. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[ScottAR]

First vehicle was/is a 76 bronco. 302 auto....Still got it...

Vehicle I learned to drive in, My dad's '68 F100. 390 auto... long wheelbase, manual drums... Still in the family... Needs work now, but give me time!!

 

[yonahforge]

My first car was a 1974 Nova (in 1989) 2 door, 400 small block, slightly modified. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I went through enough tires in the couple years I owned it to fill a tractor trailer. Traded it for an '84 Datsun Sentra /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif to commute to college.

A few years after I got rid of the car, I saw it in a parking lot, and it tore my heart out. Cracked windshield, one of the dual exhausts was dragging the ground, and a good deal of damage to the passenger side. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The only bright side was I heard them leaving the parking lot, and it still sounded good.

 

[California]

First car? '36 Ford Coupe. Here's a picture of one:

http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/dealers.detail/hmn_vehicle_id/197419

I read an article in an old Popular Mechanics showing how they modified an old clunker Ford to make it faster than any production car of the early 50's. Then I found one of that model, in a local ad.

But I was only 14. (1959). I got on my bicycle, took a month's newspaper delivery earnings ($50), and went to see the Ford. The paint was good, no dents, and the upholstery, instruments, glass etc were fine. I instantly felt this model was destined to be a classic. I could fix the bad axle key and grind the valves, and it didn't seem to need anything else to be a good driver and look good as well. I bought it and had the seller drive me home.

You can guess the reaction - I was a year and a half from minimum age for a license and I caught hell. There was no place to put it, it blocked the driveway and made it impossible to get the family car out of the garage. And no insurance. "But Mom, can't you see? That car is a true American classic and some day it will be worth thousands and thousands of dollars..." No luck, parents put it in the newspaper and I got my $50 back.

If you haven't looked at that Hemmings ad: Asking price for the '36 Ford is $27,900!

 

[RichZ]

Whoa, Gary!!! My first car was exactly the same!!!

Black 1959 Pontiac Catalina with red interior!!!!! Bought it from my father in 1972, he bought it new, and it was his favorite car ever (mine, too)!!! The double tail fins were really cool!!! After that, I just had pick-ups and vans, but that Catalina was great!!!

 

[GaryM]

I never did find out where the water was coming in. But as I said a few holes punched in the floor let it out again. Solved the symptom if not the problem.

Can't remember the engine size though. But it went pretty good. Didn't corner like Wrought'n Harve's Triumph though. Had to wait 'till I got my Sunbeam Tiger for that kind of fun.

 

[Dozernut]

Hey Gary, you didn't do like a friend of mine did. His trunk leaked and had standing water in it. So he got a hammer and a spike nail and drove holes in the trunk floor to drain it. Unfortunately he also punched holes in his gas tank /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. Sorry I just couldn't resist! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[GaryM]

Naw, I'm not that dumb, most times anyway. If you remember the cars back then often had really deep footwells in the back. As I remember this Pontiac's were about 5-6" deep. I just knocked a few holes through the carpet and floor pan with a tapered punch. I was sure suprised the first time the water came rolling out from under the seat though! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[RobertN]

Yup, that was it. Never had any other problem with that car, till a guy t-boned me in the passenger side.

It was a $2 part for sure, and hours of fiddling. It was not bad, except it like to do it in traffic, where I had to push it to the side...

Fortunately, my Dad had access to spares, so we were able to swap some parts to pinpoint the issue.

 

[dmccarty]

It ain't only "old" cars that had water in 'em. My moms 1977
camaro would leak like a screen door on a submarine. And we
lived in south Florida which has been known to have some pretty heavy rain from time to time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I found that thing filled up with water more than I want to think
about. I never was smart enough to punch a hole in the floor
to let it drain. Sure wish I had thought of that trick! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later,
Dan