Tom_T,

"Fall of `69 I bought a used Red 68 Opel Kadette 1.0L Notchback 2-dr sedan (baseline) for $800"

That is funny. That is almost exactly the same car I had as my first.
It was even red & I paid $800 for it in 82, but it was in perfect shape with low miles.

I considered it a rally car ;-)

It looked EXACTLY like this one, even down to the wheels:



My next car was a 72 Buick Skylark. When it croaked on me I traded it and $800 for a non-running 914. I slapped dual dellortos on it and drove it for ~5 years before selling it to a 16 year old for $1000 in ~95.

I wish I hadnt sold it. To find another in that shape would run me ~$5k now.

Stu

That's quite a Quinky-dink Stu!

Yours was obviously the upscale version & a 4-door, as it has chrome trim & fancy wheels!

I'm glad I didn't sell the 914 when the gal whacked it, but really wish I'd fixed 10-15-20 years ago when parts were readily available & less expensive than today!

Can't say that I miss the Opel or Pontiac though, other than for nostalgia reasons, and as it is EVERY car we own today is technically a "Classic" - even the Kids' Honda.

The first car was a '65 Mustang that I had to share with my brother and sister. My first car paid for by me was a '63 Ragtop Sunroof Bug. I paid $100 for it in 1976. It got lowered and I put a 1776 with dual carbs in it. The picture was taken on I-5 cruising home in the evening after going to one of the Bug-Ins at OCIR.

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Here's my first ride. A '66 Mustang that I purchased at age 14 in 1987 for $1,200.00. It had a 200ci straight six when I got her, but the body was good. My dad and I spent the next two years putting in a 302, changing front end and rear end from 4 lug to 5 lug, trans, the whole enchilada! Probably would have been cheaper to buy a V8 car to begin with, but you can't beat that experience. I still have her today at age 38. Not a daily driver at 8 mpg but she still looks like the picture, but in Porsche terms she's Marathon Metallic Blue now.

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57' chevrolet biscayne 6cyl...blue 3spd on the floor
(picture it in your head)

My 1st was a 80somthing Ford Escort Pony 4speed (85mph top speed ) and second was a beat down 1970 914 1.7.

Tell me thats not weird Doc

1947 ford two door coupe. Flat head V8. "Three on the tree".

55 Ford Fairlane 2 door. 3 on the tree. It had a rod knock from the day I got it, but I wound up blowing 2nd gear in the trans while driving my Mom home from the store. Dad wanted really hard to blame me, but Mom stuck up for me. Too many cars to count after that. One of the local used car dealers came to see me at the High school auto shop to warn me that if I sold one more car that year (74), that he was going to turn me in for selling cars without a lic (turns out I was selling more cars per month than he was).

1- 67 Impala
2- 77 Nova
3- VW Rabbit

46-48 Ford Coupes with the Flattie still in them (as oppsed to the ones sporting the ubiquitous and unimaginative small block chev ) are some of my all time favorites!

OK--here's mine. Mom and dad bought it for me in 1987 for $1865. It was actually a second choice--I had spied a yellow 65 Corvair Monza at the same lot, but the transaxle was screwed up. So my Dad says, "hey--how about this little Ford here? (all 2 door coupes are "little" to my Dad ) Me and this big Ford have had some good times.

Well, I had heard too many folk speak regretfully about selling their first car, so I KEPT MINE! It's back in a garage at my folks' house. I drive it when I visit)

390, 4bbl, center console, stock AM radio. Maybe I'll finally get the American Torq Thrust D's I've been planning to buy for 20+ years

Very nice Brent.

BTW - that WAS a little car - for an American made - back in it's day - Ford Falcon/Fairlane (small early ones like this), Chevy Nove, Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant - only the Corvairs were smaller.

For my first car, I also passed on a 67 Corvair Monza Corsa Coupe with the factory supercharger, because it leaked oil so bad it only go about 10 miles per quart. I had to work for my car money & buy it myself, so I was the one who ended up being more cautious. It was a great driver & fast for those 10 miles, but the owner literally carried a couple of cases of oil in the car, rather than fixing the leaking seals!

Yeah Tom--but this is a full size Galaxie!

First car, 1967 Plymouth Barracuda, 383 Formula S, 4-speed. Embarassed to say, my second car is partially hidden behind it, a 1977 Fiat X-1/9. Got the Barracuda in college, then bought the Fiat after getting my first post-college job.

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Here are cars #3 (the 912) and #4. Then I got married and was soon driving only a beat up Maverick.

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This was my first car, 71 Capri, with a 2000cc 4 banger. I didn't even know where the oil went. Then I realized a V-6 was the ticket. Found one and rebuilt it, Holey 4bbl. then a Paxton Supercharger, then realized I had too much eneine for the car. I then bought a wrecked 914, rebuilt it and put the Paxton blown, Intercooled V6 into it. After 10 yrs $20 k later I sold it for $6k. here are what pics I have.
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Engine ready for the new 914
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The only pict of my first 75 914 circa 1983 or so
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My first car I purchased in 1970 when I turned 16. It was a green with tan interior 1969 Opel GT. I saw a few others posted their first car was an Opel GT. It was a cool car.

The wifey's first car was this PINK X-1/9. Her mom bought it new and special ordered the color.

78 Plymouth Duster with a slant six. She was baby blue with a white top. Leaked a good quart & a half per fillup. Bought it for $70 bucks from my brother. Took out a big cement block doing fish tails at the park. Drove it home but it would randomly make a sharp turn driving down the road. Without turning the wheel . Drove it for a few days until I came way to close to getting in a wreck. Drove it to the junk yard the next day. Sold it for $75 after about 3 months of trashing it

It was 1964 and I was sophomore in high school in Kasierslautern, Germany. Dad found me a 1952 Renault 4CV. Engine was blown but that did not stop us. Dad dropped a Renault Gordini R-8 engine in (900cc vs 1500) and I was off smoking VW Bugs.

First new car was a 68 Cuda Coupe bright yellow, black interior. It was loaded up with black stripes,red line tires and wire wheel covers on the exterior. In side it had buckets and console. Sadly it was the slant six but it was a good running car.

Back in 1982 ... First car was a free 1964 Cireoen 2CV with centrifuge clutch. This car was bought by my grandfather and given to my father who gave it to me... who killed it in one year.
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Then I bought my first rust bucket (150$)! a 1975 Renault 16... This was the top of the range when it was new and the answer of Renault to the Citroen DS... A car for doctors and lawyers, very comfy... last only 8 month.
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When the Renault broke in two I got for free the old (1976 ?) Fiat 127 of my girlfriend (who just bought a newer 127 for her) This one lasted two years.
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Then I got my first cash and bought an expensive sport car (700 $) a 1968 Fiat 850 Sport. I kept it 3 years and this is the first car I have actually resold... I made money with this one ! ... WOOHOO !!!
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Those are not actual pictures of my cars but same models colors I found on the interweb ...

Van Halen - "I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by. . ."

My first car 1983; my '64 Baja Bug and a MUCH younger, more rebellious Nate (photo has been altered as not to offend )

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First car was a 2 door maroon w/ white top 1978 Delta 88 Oldsmobile. Diesel. Loved that car!

Car one - 1976 Lancia Beta HPE
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Car two - 1981 Fiat Spider Turbo
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ha! that brings memories... (same time - early 80's)

can't find my baja pic's but my $150 59' bus constantly saw about as much airborne time, notice the front bumper
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...you(Johannes) got me trippin....had 1 same color diff year 71' 850 sport coupe
...

When living in San Diego during HS in the 60's, I took care of a couple's 3 St. Bernards while they went on vacation. They drove up in one of these Fiat 850 Coupes (yellow IIRC) with the 2 of them up front & 3 huge slobbery dogs in the back, and the entire rear & side windows were coated in slobber to be just barely transluscent! My whole family & neighbors all stood around for a good laugh at that as they unloaded the 3 "pups!"

Mine was in 1983, a 1976 Chevy Nova Concours. That got totaled in 1984 by a lady that ran a read light. Dad bought me a K Car which after two weeks of driving the POS I told dad thanks, but no thanks I will ride my bike instead of driving that POS. Dad agreed it was a POS and sold it. Came home for a long weekend to find a 1975 Vega GT with a small block under the hood. in the garage. Damn that car was fun. I have pictures somewhere around here.

Found the pic of me and my Vega in 1984.

My first car was 1968 Chevelle SS396, 4 speed, dark blue with black vinyl top and way too much power for a 16 year old. Bought for $700 with money I earned working at a restaurant (washing dishes, fry cook, etc.) Sold it after a year or so to a friend for $950, who sold it to another friend that offered to GIVE me the car several years later. It had been thoroughly worn out and beaten up by all three of us by then, and needed a lot of work. I didn't have the money to spend on it or a place to work on it at the time, so I turned it down.

Put me down as #4 Opel GT! Had a Craig PowerPlay Cassette player in it. Had a bunch of work done to it and then a lady pulled out in front of me and it got totalled, bent the steering wheel (unsuccessfully) trying to keep my head from hitting the front windshield. 126 sutures in my forehead, and a week later I got my 1st 914, a white 74 1.8

I really wanted an Opel GT for awhile. I love the look.

...... looks like a miniature Vette!

..... and look at the pic of Steve's below - it looks like it's a blur going by fast - even standing still !!!!!!!

1969 TR6, bought it while I was in VietNam. Actually, I had ordered its predecessor, a TR250, a warmed over TR4 with a six, but TR6 had just come out and I got #239 off the assembly line. The early number showed itself in the number of bugs it had, Lucas electrics included. Drove the crap out of it before I "upgraded" to a 72 914. After all those years, you'd think I'd learned something.

Tom

Great thread!

69/70 Karmann Ghia...drove it sporting a solid mullet in the late 80's. At age 15, I paid $100 and my Dad & I pulled it out of a farmers field. Found out that someone had welded the front half of a 70 to the rear half of a 69. Car was cut in the middle of the rockers and the rear window. Spent a year fixing it up to have it last about a year. Alignment was never right. I wish I had taken pics.

I've had so many 1st cars, but consider my 1953 Ford Cpe my first one!!
It started out with a warmed over Flathead with Jimmy Jones Custom Skirts then later a Black paint job followed by a 331 Chrysler Hemi conversion all done in my Dad's barn. I owned this car a long time and it was fast.
BTW: I left out the picture of me in my Powder Blue big lapel suit with my Blue Swede Shoes with a big head of duct tail combed hair. I was a cool dude in the 50's. I didn't know how much fun the 50's were till later in life. Today I am very conserative & wear Brooks Bros cloths and drive a restored Chrome Yellow 914-4. Life is good with a very quiet life style.

FYI:
I included some of my other first cars, I was into 1939 Ford Conve Cpe & 1940 Cps. (chopped & Stock) plus 1929 Ford Highboys that started out with a Flathead & later a Corvette Eng. Plus 1958 Chev Conv with the 348 Hi Po Plus 1933 Ford Cpe with an Olds Eng. Plus 1962 Dodge with the 413 Cross Ram etc. etc. Plus a few more misc.

Tom

My photo isn't relavant since my first was a '62 bettle but here's what I got with the insurance money after it was stolen out of my driveway less then 6 months after I purchased it. This is a '74 1.8L. Anybody know which color of orange this would have been?

Kev

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Good job hanging on to that one. The '63 XL interior is my favorite from the 60's. Great detailing. Is your interior blue also?

You paid too much!

Now wait just one second.....


What model Alfa is that??? Likes like an Alfasud to me, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.

Is that a Burger King costume you are wearing?

If it was a stock color, either Signal Orange or else the Phoenix Red - see here & click on the Phoenix color 914 silhouette & it goes to our own DanT's old #5!
http://www.p914.com/p914_paint_74.htm

Quite a collection Bliz!

First car...paid 500 bucks for a 1968 Datsun 1600 Roadster...see the before and after pictures. I sure wish I had that car now! Oh, this was the mid-70's!

Before (my wife and I in the pic...although she wasn't my bride until 5 years later):
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After:
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Oh, any my future bride and her first car!
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First- 1973 914 2.0L broken everything - age 14
Second - 1985 Celica GT-S-blown head gasket - age 18
Third- 1972 Pontiac Lemans - age 20

Me at 14 with my 914

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the compliments. For us older guys growing up in the 50's & 60's was a great time with cheap cars & gas. I had a nice collection of 1939-40 Ford when they were affordable. At one time I had (2) 39 conv. cpe's. one chopped (on jack stands) & one stock with built flatheads. I kept one until recently and sold it in a weak moment. No regets, because I love my 914 just as much.

BTW: I know about this 39 tucked away for the last 30 years in dry storage. I am waiting for the owner to call me, he promised.

Tom

Tom,

Always loved the grills on those 40 Fords - a work of art, without being as overwhelming as the full height Chrysler Airflows.

I remember 10-15 cent/gal gas in the 50's as a kid, & thought it was a bad deal at 25-27 a gal. in the late 60's when I started driving!

Tom
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Nice Ford Tom. I had a 1953 also, but ended up restoring this 1952 model because the body was in better shape. This was 1983 - I was the coolest kid in school among camaros, mustangs, and chevelles. The car was named the "Top Banana", and that became my nickname in high school too.

If I still lived near my parents and around those old friends, I would still be into customs and street rods. To this day I can't attend a good oldies car show without fighting back the desire to sell the Porsche and get another custom.

Dion

Okay, I'll come out and say it: No Fair. All you people who grew up in the 50's, 60's, 70's had such cool first cars.

First car I ever drove: My mom's 1983 Chrysler LeBaron convertible. I was 13 or 14, my parents weren't home, and I kept it in the driveway.

Once I got my license, I drove a beat-down 1989 Chevy S-10 Blazer. It was slow, 2WD, and had two options: Automatic transmission and A/C. Completely vinyl interior.

When I changed to a different HS and had a 30 minute drive to school every day, my parents leased a 1994 Nissan Pathfinder (also 2WD). That was a great truck, had a lot of good times in it.

In college, I inherited my grandfather's c. 1991 Plymouth Sundance - not a Duster, but still had some pep and was kind of fun. Handled the Boston winters remarkably well. Used it to pull a U-haul trailer containing a sofa from Atlanta to Boston.

I bought a 1959 Alfa Romeo Guiletta Spyder for $100 in 1964 a couple of months before I got my license. That was a lot of paper route money!

Marc,
My interior is blue, but not original. I know where to buy the original seat covers, etc, but it is down the list of $$$ priorities right now. The family that apparently sold it to the car lot I bought it from had had it recently upholstered when I found it. They also padded the dash, which came out pretty nice, so I kept it that way. I think it was done in Mexico (I found a receipt under the rear seat for it, but it was in Spanish).

The Galaxie is very close to how I got it in 87. I had it repainted and added some missing trim, like the front fender scripts, after wrecking in in 1990--it had been light blue metalflake with a white top (orig 1963 color is a light pastel blue). I also had the engine rebuilt and added dual glasspacks and big chrome tips. I also added some finned aluminum valve covers. Those will go away when I put the stock "Thunderbird" covers, in bronze paint, back on, and at the same time repainting my engine to black as it should be, from the Ford blue it is now. Lastly, I got rid of the random cheapie stereo/tape deck, still playing through the one speaker in the dash, and put a stock AM unit back in. The rims are 15" with 66 Galaxie hubcaps (should be 14" with spinner hubcaps--the 15"s were already on when purchased too.)

First car I bought was my 99.5 Audi A4...but the first real car I bought was 2 years later...my 914