Do you remember your first car?

[Lacessit]

11 minutes ago, bluemoon58 said:

My first car was in 1978 and was a Ford Taunus lhd 1500 and "I think" it was a 1966 model. 

One unkind critic said the Taurus looked like a car that had melted in the sun. He may have been talking about a more recent model.

[Lacessit]

11 minutes ago, PaoloR said:

My first 6 cars were Mini's

I would buy MOT failures, patch them up (they always had floor pans rusted through); get them through my friendly local MOT station then sell them at a profit.

One never made it, sitting on the driveway for spares, and slowly rusting away until parental pressure forced its removal.

The gear sticks in early Mini's were long sticks poking out from the floor. As the car got older and worn, the gear stick would shake and drop out of 3rd gear on corners - for years I still had the habit of tucking my clutch foot under the gear lever on 3rd gear bends.

Any car "activities" with girls had to be in the back seat as the car was too small. I quickly learned to park facing downhill with the seats tipped forward after I was nearly circumcised when the rocking motion of the car caused the front seat to fall back on top of me whilst in flagrante.

Happy days!

At 6 feet tall, I would have found activity in a Mini impossible.

 

IIRC, enthusiasts used to claim it was impossible to induce a Mini to spin.

 

For its time, the Cooper Mini was quite a good race car.

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

On 1/25/2025 at 10:28 AM, Lacessit said:

 

My first car was a GM product, secondhand 1948 FX Holden. A shrunken version of the American Chevrolet, adapted for Australian conditions. One could call it a drunken version as well, it wallowed on any rough surface like a ship in a storm. Steering was recirculating ball, somewhat more vague than rack and pinion. Coil springs front, leaf springs rear. Legend has it racing drivers would corner on the door handles. Terminal understeer.

 

The brakes were genuinely awful. Drums all round, prone to overheating. No ABS. No power brakes or power steering either.

 

The straight six 2.2 litre engine produced 45 KW, a laughable figure these days. The tolerances between piston and cylinder wall were so generous the pistons could be heard slapping on a cold start. No oil pump, splash feed from the sump. It was common knowledge the engine burned a pint of oil every 500 miles. Top speed 80 mph.

 

Generator, not alternator for recharging the 6 volt battery. The low power headlights were changed from low to high beam with a small foot pedal.

 

Gear change was a steering column shift, no synchromesh on first. Air conditioning was via window quarter-panels, the only form of heating was via the firewall separating the engine from the driver.

 

I retrofitted seat belts, a windscreen demister, and turn indicators.

 

The Holden's most positive feature was a bench seat which could be laid back for sexual adventures. This was back in the day when people lived with their parents until they bought a house of their own, and self-appointed morals police were at the front desk of every hotel and motel, demanding proof of marriage. The best alternative was a car, and bucket seats with floor gear shifts required extreme athleticism.

 

I sold the Holden to the brother of a work colleague. He rolled it on a trip to South Australia, got out with a grazed cheek, thanks to the seat belt.

 

I would say with its complete lack of safety features, most people from today's generations trying to drive the FX would end up killing themselves in a very short time.

 

In hindsight, I think the Holden taught me valuable lessons in terms of defensive driving, and also driving within my limitations.

 

What are your memories of your first car?

 

 

FX also, my parents gave me when they upgraded. They were pretty pissed off when I lowered it and put on wide .13i nch rims. The extractors, modified head and can with  twin Stromberg carbies

They had it for 13years, only took me 6 months to wreck it. My parents were disappointed and now that I am older I understand.

[Peterphuket]

Maybe someone can help me with the make of the car, it had one of those half globes on the front, it was somewhere between 1965 and 1968.
After that car I remember the next one, it was a Morris Mini Van.

[phil2407]

My 1st car - great little thing ~ 600 quid but was only 17 

[newnative]

    My first car was a Fiat, bought used around 1968.  I was in high school and we were living on Okinawa, Dad working for the US Army.  It was a horrible car.  The hood of the engine compartment had vents.  Every time it rained hard, something in the engine got wet and the car would not start.  When rain threatened, I had to run out and open the engine compartment and cover the engine with plastic.  Of course, I daren't drive it in the rain, for fear of being stranded somewhere.   There were other problems but, luckily, repairs weren't too expensive.  A very unreliable car, and proof of the correctness of the meaning of FIAT--Fix It Again Tony.

[Dionigi]

Triumph Vitesse, pale yellow with large blue flowers

[Presnock]

right out of 2 years in VN, summer of 1968 out of service and bought a new 1968 Ford Mustang V8 289 great on gas, with that great Mustang roar.  Drove it for several years 155J miles, working or govt and moving to Thailand with no a/c so traded it in on another medium sized car.  Regretted my whole live.  So 15 years later bought a used 1967 V8 289 that needed a lot of work which I did one winter and then as my daughter was graduating, I had for years promised her a new Ford Mustang for graduation just as I was getting ready for the the '67 to be painted and she aked what color are you getting it -RED I said and she then said she would rather have that car than a new one so - she still has it and won't ever return it!  Just love the sound of that roar!

[Rimmer]

Off topic post removed, topic is not about finance companies and borrowing.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

FX also, my parents gave me when they upgraded. They were pretty pissed off when I lowered it and put on wide .13i nch rims. The extractors, modified head and can with  twin Stromberg carbies

They had it for 13years, only took me 6 months to wreck it. My parents were disappointed and now that I am older I understand.

Easy enough to wreck an FX, the brakes, steering and suspension conspired to stomp on anyone who pushed it too hard.

[rwill]

1964 Chevy Nova

[Lacessit]

I never owned one of these, out of my league financially. The dealerships probably advertised it on the basis of how many chicks it could pull in a month.

 

IMO still the most beautiful car ever made - the E-Type Jaguar.

[bluemoon58]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

One unkind critic said the Taurus looked like a car that had melted in the sun. He may have been talking about a more recent model.

Taunus, not Taurus! 

[Suitcase]

On 1/25/2025 at 11:44 AM, Lacessit said:

Oh dear. That spear to the front on the VW, which also functioned as a steering column, could be lethal even with seat belts.

 

No doubt the Buick was luxurious, my father owned a Studebaker of similar vintage.

 

Did you ever bother to check the fuel consumption?

Who cares Gas was dirt cheap at that time

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, bluemoon58 said:

Taunus, not Taurus! 

Ford had the Taurus under that name in Australia. The Taunus was marketed under the names Cortina and Meteor. Performance was far from meteoric.

 

See the difference?

[Yellowtail]

3 hours ago, rwill said:

1964 Chevy Nova

At the same time, my family had a '62 Chevy II wagon, a '63 Chevy Nova, and a '65 Chevy II sedan, a 64 Grand Prix and a 67 Ford van. 

 

The Chevys were all six bangers, but Pontiac was a big-block and would bake the tires for a block. Pass anything but a gas station...

[Lacessit]

18 minutes ago, Suitcase said:

Who cares Gas was dirt cheap at that time

Only in America and oil-producing countries. It has always been expensive in Europe.

[Yellowtail]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I never owned one of these, out of my league financially. The dealerships probably advertised it on the basis of how many chicks it could pull in a month.

 

IMO still the most beautiful car ever made - the E-Type Jaguar.

Wow, common ground. My first real job at 15 was at to tool & die shop. There were three partners, a Brit, a Scot, and an Irishman. The Brit had an E-Type roadster in beige. Never got to drive it, but got a few rides in it. 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, Lacessit said:

Only in America and oil-producing countries. It has always been expensive in Europe.

When I started driving in Southern California it was $0.249 a gallon at the cheap stations. 

[oldestswinger]

On 1/25/2025 at 4:47 AM, Will B Good said:

Austin A35.....

Had the same but in van form (with windows).

[hkt83100]

Volkswagen Beetle 1300, Model August 1967, the first one with headlight standing upright.

[crazykopite]

1959 maroon VW Beetle when I was stationed in Germany as an 19 year old  in the winter the windows would constantly freeze up but loved my little shagin wagon : )

[ChrisKC]

In 1962, I bought a Ford Poplar for GBP5. I was 17

 

I didn't have a driving licence, I can't remember if the car was taxed or insured!! And in any case I couldn't drive it either.

 

One day after my friend and another,  together with three girls went for a spin on the recently opened  M5

 

Not far, my friend lost control of it and the car turned over on its side and I remember vividly the sparks close to my ears - really scary. Minor injuries to all of us  - cuts and bruises.

 

Not long before the motorway police arrived and names and addresses taken and later questioned - no further action for me as the owner but the driver was cautioned I think!

 

My first legit car was a second hand Ford van I bought in 1969 soon after getting married - then I was 24 and I learned to drive in that!

[still kicking]

https://www.for-sale.co.uk/sh-img/4699979918_c47aef8147_b_messerschmitt%2Bbubble%2Bcar.jpg

[Lacessit]

13 minutes ago, still kicking said:

https://www.for-sale.co.uk/sh-img/4699979918_c47aef8147_b_messerschmitt%2Bbubble%2Bcar.jpg

Death traps on wheels.

 

 

[Will B Good]

2 hours ago, oldestswinger said:

Had the same but in van form (with windows).

 

Ha! That was my brother in law's.....grey.

[ignis]

1962 Hillman Minx , it was 3 years old, with clutch burnt out cost £ 30, was aged 16 did it up myself so could drive it as soon as I passed my test at 17  had it a few years, also bought other cars 1953 Armstrong  Siddeley 364 cost £ 12,  also did it up, next was 1960 Armstrong  Siddeley Star with a hole in the piston,  + lots more cheap models and makes to do up

[saakura]

The first car I purchased was a Toyota Soluna in Bangkok in 1996. Followed by Toyota Vios 8yrs later. And then a Toyota Altis and now a Toyota Camry. In 2026 I plan to buy  a Toyota Lexus, the last car before I say my final goodbye.

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, saakura said:

The first car I purchased was a Toyota Soluna in Bangkok in 1996. Followed by Toyota Vios 8yrs later. And then a Toyota Altis and now a Toyota Camry. In 2026 I plan to buy  a Toyota Lexus, my last car before I say my final goodbye.

you are thai ?

[Will B Good]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I never owned one of these, out of my league financially. The dealerships probably advertised it on the basis of how many chicks it could pull in a month.

 

IMO still the most beautiful car ever made - the E-Type Jaguar.

 

Father had three of these (not all at the same time).......think I had to work every weekend of my teenage years helping him keep them on the road....555