So.... how are the driving lessons going?

[Brad and Vika 129]

'79 Toyota Corolla. 150,000 miles when I bought it, AM radio, 4 speed, no air. $500.

[Satellite 1]

Now I want to hear about what pieces of ####### everyone drove as their first car.

1984 LTD Ford Station Wagon. One of those 1980's semi bight yellow color. It moved like a tank though, with steel bumpers. Retired it for $1000 in 2001 under the California gross polluter law, when it failed smog, better yet the year it was randomly selected to have smog checked by a particular dealer.

[Neonred 3,460]

'71 Dodge Dart. That old slant 6 engine wouldn't quit. Too bad the fenders kept rotting away. This was the car I learned to do body work on. Then I picked up a '64 Corvair which I still have out in the garage right now (restored).

[Turboguy 6]

Ah, you guys are making me feel ancient not just old.

MY first car was a 1950 Pontiac slope back with a straight 8 engine. My biggest toy was a '54 Mercury Convertable that I put a 57 T-Bird Engine in, put a custom top on it, louvered the hood, added three scoops and attempted a candy apple red paint job that was beyond my talents. Of course the stock electrical system in the merc was 6 volt and the T Bird Engine was 12 volt so the darn thing usually didn't start right so I always had to park on a hill. I would have liked to have had a big garage and parked the cars that I traded in for a few hundred including my 57 chevy as well as the 55. My first new car was a 61 Tempest LeMans convertable with the engine in the front and the tranny in the back. It made Motor Trends car of the year that year but I haven't seen any of those in ages. I guess my other favorites were my Javelin and my 78 Z-28 Camero. The car I miss the most these days was my VW Shirocco (SP?) which got 55 miles to the gallon highway and 45 city or so and I could drive for weeks on 5 bucks. The other I liked a lot was the Solstice I just sold to get a clunker (Cougar) for my wife to drive. She would have killed herself in the Solstice.

[slim 1,514]

Wait til she learns to drive.... in a few months you're going to hear, "But now I drive so good. We must buy again this Solstice."

[mox 298]

'71 Ford Pinto. Had a 2000 cc engine I had to rebuild myself...first and last time I ever rebuilt an engine. That car lasted me less than 6 months though, when the transmission finally died and it just wasn't worth getting a new one. Got a Ford Mustang II for a song, and that lasted me through my freshman year in college when I ran it out of oil and pranged a rod through the engine block.

[NavarreMan 10]

Huh... I used to be a Chevy man and my 1st was a 71 Vega Kammback Wagon. I have no tragic war stories though the car was "slightly" modified. Something was always breaking but nothing major. Worst POS I ever owned was a 72 Opel GT. I consider Solex to be a 4 letter word! If you've been there then you know.

[Ban Hammer 12,876]

my first vehicle was a 73 chevy 3/4 ton truck with dual exhaust glass packs. i could drive it like mad and get 11 mpg or take it real easy and get 12.5 mpg. i took the first option

[Okiebollweevil 0]

56' ford bought from lady in hospital for $50 with 48,000 miles. 3 on the tree, but sychronizers went out. Learned to pull that tranny unhang the synchronizers, and slap it back in in 1 hour. First absolutely new car triumph GT6, most exciting porsche 930 turbo over twisty mountain roads. Most overrated range rover piece of you know what. currently 05 chevy ssr with 400 hp motor and 6 speed manual. I am with turboguy in divulging my age via my first car, probably like him have owned 100+ cars in my lifetime and wish I had that warehouse for some of them, 56 nomad, 60 & 61 mercedes 190 sl 61 chev 60 ford falcon. And agree about the slant 6 steadiest running motor that came out of detroit bar none.

[Chuckles 0]

My first car was a 1967 Mustang. I had access to lots of cars because my father owned an autobody shop. This particular needed lots of work, but it was a former bracket racer so it had a close-ration 4 speed and a narrowed 9-inch rear end to get me started. It was a fun project. I started on it when I was 13. I started driving when I was 14 (shh don't tell the policeman!)

Since it was being worked on alot of the time I also drove... a 72 opel GT, a 72 toyota corrolla, an 82 buick regal (very nice car in retrospect), a 70 impala, a 77 chevy pickup, and a 72 Chevy Nova. I don't know what it was about 1972... they just happened to be the cars I had access to buy cheaply... Oh, this was before I turned 18, then I I got rid of those cars and moved on to others.

[Turboguy 6]

Sorry for getting back on subject here but try two at the drivers test was a bust. Try thee will be in 10 days. She has spend more time parallel parking in her 7 months with her learners permit than I have in my life and normally does great. However, I think she was nervous. The pylon that simulates a parked car and her fender sorta shook hands and once again the test ended early. I really thought she would breeze through it this time. The saying is that the third time is a charm. Guess I get to drive her to school for the first week at least.

[mox 298]

Sorry for getting back on subject here but try two at the drivers test was a bust. Try thee will be in 10 days. She has spend more time parallel parking in her 7 months with her learners permit than I have in my life and normally does great. However, I think she was nervous. The pylon that simulates a parked car and her fender sorta shook hands and once again the test ended early. I really thought she would breeze through it this time. The saying is that the third time is a charm. Guess I get to drive her to school for the first week at least.

Here's hoping 3 will be the charm.

For the next exam, might I suggest you buy the examiner some man-chocolate? ...

[Satellite 1]

Sorry for getting back on subject here but try two at the drivers test was a bust. Try thee will be in 10 days. She has spend more time parallel parking in her 7 months with her learners permit than I have in my life and normally does great. However, I think she was nervous. The pylon that simulates a parked car and her fender sorta shook hands and once again the test ended early. I really thought she would breeze through it this time. The saying is that the third time is a charm. Guess I get to drive her to school for the first week at least.

They sure are strict our there in Pennsylvania. I don't recall parking as being part of the test here at my local DMV. More like 5 minutes around the block, one lane change, and a left turn was all that is needed. A few feet of straight reverse and basically normal parking at the end.

[Neonred 3,460]

Got back from our European vacation last night and was checking the mail today. Found an interesting but disturbing piece of mail from the FL dept of Motor Vehicles addressed to my wife.

It says "The documents you provided us in applying for a drivers license (her permit) have been sent to Immigration and Naturalization Services for verification. Since we have not received a response (from USCIS), your driving permit..... will be canceled effective 9/10/2008" It goes on to say that we will not receive any further notification regarding this matter nor can an extension be given for the driving permit.

Thanks again USCIS for screwing us one more time.

[Turboguy 6]

My wife passed her drivers test with flying colors yesterday on the third try. Now I can worry everytime I am not with her and the phone rings. I would suggest if anyone is reading this in Western PA that you put your car in storage. The roads here are no longer safe. I think she was more thrilled with getting the drivers liscence than when we got married, hummmmm.