Let's Talk BBQ
OTHER HOBBIES => OTHER HOBBIES => Topic started by: Smokin Don on August 17, 2015, 11:52:55 AM
-
As many cars and trucks I have owned I would say that was one of my hobbies over the years.
I don’t know how old I was when I wanted a car; probably 12 or 13. Besides the pool hall there were two gas stations that were popular hang outs in the little town I was raised in. I watched them work on cars and by the time I got my first car I could do a lot of the maintenance myself.
When I turned 16 in 1958 I saw a car advertised in the paper; a 1947 Ford Coupe for $150. I had $75 and ask Mom if she thought Dad would give me the other $75. She ask him and he said hell no! The next Saturday he said come go with me and look at that car. It was at a farm and the guy said it was his Dads car. He drove it out of the barn and Dad and I went for a ride. He didn’t let me drive it but told the guy we would take it. I was grinning ear to ear!
It looked a mess and I thought it was a dark blue; the back seat had straw all over, it had 47,000 miles on it. I bought a can of Simonize cleaner and a can of wax and went to work on it. I cleaned out the inside and went to work on the body. It turned out looking almost new; a dark green I think they called Jade Green. Over the next two years I had shaved the hood and trunk and got those repainted; installed lowering shackles, add on white sidewalls, added fender skirts, full wheel covers and fake side chrome exhaust pipes.
I got married in a fever right out of high school and joined the USAF. My first base was in Homestead Florida and the car made it down there. I drove it there until 1962 sometime and sold it for $150. That was the only car I bought and sold for the exact same money! The car I bought in place of it was one I wish I had now; a white 1954 Mercury convertible with a white top. The interior was black with red trim rolled leather that was stock.
I suppose it was only fitting with my love of cars that I would end up working at the Ford Lima Engine Plant for 30 years. I counted up and listed all the cars I had owned before I retired in 2003. It was over 20 I think, I have the list somewhere but can’t find it right now. This included 4 I had bought both kids in high school and college. The last 10 years I worked I leased every two years so drove recent new cars. We always had two vehicles and later the second one was a pick-up truck.
Memorable cars were a red 1964 Corvair Monza, a fun car to drive. I had a Ford Granada, 4 door; Dove Grey with a vinyl roof and a 350 V8, a pretty hot sedan! Mine and my wife’s favorite was a 1985 Mustang GT convertible; silver and black. My wife is a pretty safe driver and drives the speed limit. With the Mustang she had a two mile stretch of back road going to my Mothers were she would put it to the floor. She turned into a little old lady race driver for a moment!
In 1998 I bought a Ford Ranger pick-up truck to drive to work. It had a 2.5 OHV 4 cylinder engine Ford started building in 1973 when I first started with them. It had a 4 speed floor shift with over-drive. It had air but just crank up windows. I drove it to work until I retired in 2003; a 40 mile round trip daily. Since I retired it is used mostly when I need to haul something. It has about 97,000 miles on it. It has never been garaged; always sat out. It has no rust that I can see and very few scratches. Pictured here was after I just ran it through a car wash that does the tires and gives a Simonize hot wax. I would say it is in great shape for being 17 years old.
Our current car is a 2005 Ford Freestyle; we bought it just after the 2006’s came out. I am getting the urge now to get a new one and would get the same model but they don’t make them now. It was a great driving car and a perfect height for the wife and I to get in and out of. As soon as the 2016’s come out we are thinking of a 2015 Ford Edge.
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/My%20Favorite%20Photos/_8145468_zps9b7k6ow1.jpg)
(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/My%20Favorite%20Photos/_8145470_zpsscu2uevs.jpg)
Smokin Don
-
Great looking Pickup Don! We have a 2010 Ford Edge that we bought new in 2011 when the closeouts were going. It already has 110,000 miles on it (my Wife has a huge commute every day so she is racking up miles like mad). We have not had a single issue with it. We love the Edge and she is already talking about getting a new one - although we are hoping to get close to 200,000 miles out of the current. We have looked at the new Edge's and the are amazing. I just bought a new 2014 F-150 Lariat and other than my first car (1976 Firebird - something about your first car that is hard to top) it is my favorite vehicle thus far.
-
They used to build the Ford Ranger in Minnesota up until a few years ago
-
Great story... I learned to drive with a Corvair Monza. I am famous for buying later to be collector cars and selling them for peanuts... ' 65 Corvair, '65 Mustang, '65 Jag XKE (hmmm, something about the 65's...), '77 Datsun 208z (actually that one was wrecked by a friend...)
Excellent pictures!
-
Beautiful truck, and looks in great shape. I miss my '98 Wrangler, but I wouldn't trade anything for my Subaru Outback. I love my Outback.
-
Thanks for the memories!
Like you, I've had quite a bunch of cars over the years and only one or two that I didn't really like. I'll bet just about everyone here has a car in their past that they wish they still owned. Mine would be my 1965 Corvette Stingray. Dark metallic green with a white leather interior. 365 hp 327 with solid lifters and a huge 4 barrel carb. 4 speed close ratio and posi-traction. I never got a traffic ticket in it but it wasn't for lack of trying ::)
My current "senior" ride is my eight year old Nissan Titan truck. Bought it at night not realizing it didn't have power windows and door locks -- still wish it did. I've never kept a car as long as this one and have no plans to trade it -- I'll just keep cussing those crank windows ;D
Hub
-
I have owned quite a few cars in my 40 years on this ball.
My first car was a 1985 Nissan Sentra. I ended up flipping that car... Literally. Lucky I didn't kill anyone.
Then I had a 1991 Nissan Pickup. That was a great little truck.
Also had a 1999 Honda Civic
My first new car I bought was 1995 Toyota Tacoma
Also had a Toyota Echo. And a Dodge Avenger. Then a Chevrolet Trailblazer.
And then I had a Nissan Frontier. I loved that truck.
My favorite was my 2004 dodge SRT-4 that I bought brand new. I just sold that a few months ago. The thing only had 23,000 miles on it and was wicked fast!
And I currently own a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab with a short bed. A great truck!
-
First car was a 65 impala...sold it for a 67 Camaro RS. Currently drive a V8-Chevy Colorado..........
-
Nice truck Don