What was your first vehicle?

[GrizzlysGhost]

Hand-me-down 71’ super beetle for me. Transported 7 skinny runners to a high school track meet when the bus didn’t show up (and seat belts weren’t a thing). I’ve seen a little bit of VW love on this forum, but I’m surprised that bugs aren’t mentioned more often, since they were no frills 2-door transportation. Not a truck, but still.

Maybe it's just me, but I think Beetle Love goes without saying; it's kind of a given.

 

[phidauex]

Hand-me-down 71’ super beetle for me. Transported 7 skinny runners to a high school track meet when the bus didn’t show up (and seat belts weren’t a thing). I’ve seen a little bit of VW love on this forum, but I’m surprised that bugs aren’t mentioned more often, since they were no frills 2-door transportation. Not a truck, but still.

My mother and I shared custody of a '61 VW Beetle, it was hot shit for real. Baja body kit, exposed engine, oversized rear tires, white with yellow/orange/red racing stripe, and the previous owner had put in a Bus transmission for lower gearing, and a slightly newer 1600cc engine. We even converted it to 12V so we could have a tape deck.

She later had several other VWs, but that '61 baja was the most unique for sure. Great example of a super fun car that still struggled to get over 60 mph. Surprisingly good offroad as well what with the weight centered over the rear axle, a concept that is supportive of the Slate design.

Adjusting the valves 3 times a year, constantly chasing down issues with the throttle cables and brake lines, dealing with the battery pan rusting out, etc., all made it harder and harder to own, but the good memories certainly affects my appreciation for a simple machine again.

 

[slate808]

My first car was a ‘76 Honda CVCC hatchback. Bought it brand new from Island Dodge in Kahului Maui for my daily commute 23 miles one way from Makawao to Wailea. This pic is exactly like my vehicle including the side molding and roof rack. Only difference is mine did not have the Honda stripe sticker along the sides. Great car! Had it 10 years until I sold it to a mechanic friend and bought a new Civic.

 

[Ronnie]

Hand-me-down 71’ super beetle for me. Transported 7 skinny runners to a high school track meet when the bus didn’t show up (and seat belts weren’t a thing). I’ve seen a little bit of VW love on this forum, but I’m surprised that bugs aren’t mentioned more often, since they were no frills 2-door transportation. Not a truck, but still.

Right after we got married I bought a 66 beetle for my wife. She loved that car.

 

[RedJoker]

1982 Mustang Fox body. Bought used for 300 bucks. Blew the three-speed auto transmission a month later. Cost 650 more to replace it at AAMCO. Wiped out my savings account.

2.3 liter poor four, two-barrel carb, 88 horsepower. Couldn't get out of its own way. That was a good thing coz handling was atrocious in any season. Junkyard tires were too big for the rims, but all I could afford. The battery was held down with a bungee cord; the tray was rusted through.

That car had some stories.

My 1980 4-cyl! Objectively a terrible car but I loved it and have a ton of stories that will go with me to my grave.

 

[bloo]

You found my car. Even the color.

Mine had a manual glass sunroof. You could flip it open only a couple inches. Otherwise, you pinched a pair of chrome buttons to remove it entirely. Surprisingly, it didn't leak. Although the trunk and doorsills sure did.

There were three tires and rims in the trunk. None could hold air. They were rear-end ballast for winter traction.

The radio was an aftermarket Audiovox cheapie. Someone broke into the car one day and stole only the knobs.

Holy hell that car was s l o w. Getting up to highway speed required patience. Stoplight acceleration was miserable and yet fuel economy sucked. The three-speed auto had no lockup torque converter and was not very efficient. First month after I bought it, the tranny started smoking on the highway. I drove it another ten miles all the way home. Top speed was about 35mph by the end. AAMCO told me the bands were fried and a junkyard replacement was installed. Someone had put a tow hitch below the rear bumper, so maybe the tranny was half cooked before I bought the car.

Half of the MUSTANG lettering fell off the back, leaving only TANG. I sharpied in POON for the missing letters. I had an Anthrax "Not Man" sticker on the driver's door. There was a fuzzy monster FU sticker on the trunklid.

The side air vents were kinda cool. You pushed or pulled a handle to open or close. One or both would sometimes pop open when driving at highway speed into a headwind. No AC, but the heat would blow you out of the car.

The frame and undercarriage were badly rotted in back. The fuel tank was held in place with a piece or rope. After two years, the car wouldn't pass inspection. Even the local junkyard didn't want this thing. They were going to charge me 50 bucks to take it. I gave away the title for a dollar to someone two streets over. He never registered the car or get a new title in his name. He drove it with attached plates until the rear suspension failed on the road a couple of months later. The police called me soon after to say they would charge me with vehicle abandonment. I explained that I had already sold it. I didn't get charged, but I did get a bill in the mail for 75 dollars to dispose of the car.

 

[CorvusCorvax]

1978 VW Scirocco. Slow, but got good mileage. Surprising amount of room in the rear with the seats removed. Installed an interior and 5sp transmission from a MKII Scirocco in the late 80s. Sold it for pennies when it turned over 323000 on the odo - still running and driving everywhere. Always wanted to drop in a 16v or 1.8T motor in the thing, because 75HP is a damn shame. 150 or 200HP would have made this car a complete beast.

 

[Shrink36s]

Used 1986 Buick Skyhawk. Totally POS. Hand-me-down, and I was just happy to have wheels.
First purchase of my own was a used 1989 Ford Escort GT. Another POS. I learned a lot about fixing cars though.
First new car was a 2006-ish Scion xA. Then I moved out of the country 6 months later and had to sell.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Used 1986 Buick Skyhawk. Totally POS. Hand-me-down, and I was just happy to have wheels.
First purchase of my own was a used 1989 Ford Escort GT. Another POS. I learned a lot about fixing cars though.
First new car was a 2006-ish Scion xA. Then I moved out of the country 6 months later and had to sell.

My little brother had an 89 Escort GT. Agreed. It was nice in Red, but a POS.

 

[usbritinusa]

1972 Ford Escort mk1 in an awful maroon colour (UK) - similar to above. Manual of course, rear wheel drive, wind up windows, vinyl seats etc. Fun times!

 

[bloo]

1970 Honda N360. They don’t make them like this anymore. 360cc’s of pure performance. I’m 6’2” and didn’t have any issues driving it. Super reliable.

Is that the one with like a 9000rpm redline?

In any case, the engine looks tired.

 

[bloo]

It was a Ford Pinto. Red. Leaked steering fluid, but otherwise good for a cheap starter car.

"Our doctors did everything they could. But it took them two hours just to wipe the smile off his face."

If you know, you know

 

[bloo]

Back in the late 80s... A Toyota Starlet.

Was that in the US? I've not seen one here.

 

[bloo]

1991 Honda Civic back in '03 almost exactly like this one

I had the '89 in a very faded light brown. The paint looked good in the rain, though.

1.6 liter "dual-point" injection was great on gas. It was kinda slow but never stumbled. That engine loved to rev. On very humid days the "wasted-spark" ignition coils lit up like a Christmas tree under the hood, wasting even more sparks.

The car handled like nothing else I've ever owned, even though it wasn't the Si. It also did surprisingly well in the snow considering the low stance. The passanger side had a Jesus-Christ handle on the windshield pillar. You needed it when I drove.

The four-speed overdrive auto shifted like it could read my mind. I tightened up the kickdown linkage to give it a little more... kick. On cold mornings, a temperature sensor wouldn't allow the lock-up torque converter to engage until it warmed up.

The aircon didn't work when I got it. So I tightened up every fitting, filled the R22 system with R34, and left the high-pressure side open to purge it (I didn't have a vacuum pump). I must've got it right coz it ran great for the next two years without issue.

 

[tubes]

Let's try this again. Accidentally posted it on the battery thread. LOL!

1985 Pontiac Grand Am. Plenty started going wrong at year 3, 50k miles. Power steering morning sickness. Seat falling apart. Heater core leaks (that was fun). Coolant recovery tank cracked. 3 alternators, first one at year 3. And so on. I moved on to the very first Saturn SL2. It was solid. It was so solid, GM had to kill Saturn. Can't keep a good thing going, you know.

That heater core leak was a show. The inlet/outlet through the firewall was this horrible plastic tubing. Everyone's cracked at year 3 or 4. And you know what they say about heater cores. "The assembly line starts with the heater core and they build the car around it."