What kind of car did you learn to drive in and what was your first car

[mrsrobinson]

Learned to drive in a farm truck. First vehicle was a ‘72 duster, which was handed down from my mother and it was her first vehicle.

Hey Duster buddy!

 

[b_arrington]

Mine driving process was a little bit of a progression.

TL; DR:
1980 VW Dasher wagon: started shifting and steering at 8, while dad drove.
John Deer 214 lawn tractor: first "vehicle" driven
Peugeot 505 diesel wagon: first operated car, at 12 on home property
Isuzu Trooper II: car a learned in
1987 Ford Taurus: first car
1998 VW New Beetle: first purchased car

Dad had a 1980 VW Dasher diesel wagon with a manual. He used to let me shift the stick starting when I was 7 or 8, and that was my first foray into operating a car. Later he would let me steer from the passenger seat. One vivid memory I have was going down the highway and he told me "don't trade paint with any other cars - I'll be very unhappy if you do". It incented me to stay in my lane. I didn't want to get yelled at.

The first "vehicle" I drove was after we moved and dad got a John Deere lawn tractor. It was a JD 214 with a hydraulic lifter. We abused the heck out of that thing, making it do way more work than intended. I used that thing to mow 3 acres of grass, plow snow, haul mulch rocks dirt etc, till soil, pull trees, grade hills, etc.

The first "car" I "drove" was at 12 years old: a Peugeot 505 diesel wagon. We were cutting some trees and needed to haul them down the driveway and the tractor wasn't cutting it. We chained the logs to the back of the station wagon and I "drove" while dad and my brother put rollers under the logs. From there I would pretty regularly drive the Peugeot around the property, up the the barn etc.

The car I really learned to drive on was a 4 door Isuzu Trooper II. It had the 6 cylinder and a manual transmission with a shifter about a yard long. That thing was fun to drive but top heavy. My first regular car wasa 1987 Ford Taurus LX. It was my brother's until he got his own first car. Great car - I put a ton of miles on that and learned how to do a ton of work on it. Drove that junior year in high school through my first job.

The Taurus slowly gave up the ghost with various electrical problem that mounted up. I replaced it with the first car I bought: a 1998 VW New Beetle. Black with a manual transmission. Fun little car, and it helped me get my wife because she thought it was great.

 

[El Capitan]

My dads 1972 Porsche 911
First car 1977 Chevy Vega...but hey, it had the GT package!

 

[Tucker K5]

Just a random thought. I wonder if the Baby Boomer generation was linear with an increasing number of automobiles with air conditioners.

 

[Espos4]

Lucas, Prince of Darkness.

Question: Why do the British drink warm beer?

Answer: Lucas makes their fridges!

And, for when (not if) your Jaguar/Land Rover/Triumph loses the smoke out of the wiring harness, you can replace it with this:

Your results might vary...

Don’t forget Land Rover’s motto……

If it ain’t leaking, it’s empty!

 

[Nater Potater]

Don’t forget Land Rover’s motto……

If it ain’t leaking, it’s empty!

Oh, boy. A couple for the joke thread, but they work better with the car crowd. My grandfather's take on your Rover motto: "What does it mean when a British car (or motorcycle) doesn't leak oil? It's out of oil." Then, "Who invented the British motorcycle? BP Oil."

 

[Flyer5]

I buddy of mine had the same car with a v8. I am pretty sure it was the 305 though. It had a bit more power than my 4cyl but not much. Nothing had any real power in those days.

This 350 was about 300 hp. Flat top pistons and mild cam. Hodgepodge of used parts. Fun car. Hard to keep straight. When I broke up with her I really missed the car.

 

[northshore]

An old GF had a 76 Monza originally had the 262. She hit a manhole cover with the oil pan. So I did what any logical bF would do and put a slightly worked 350 in and welded the rear spyders. That thing would leave 2 stripes through all 3 speeds.

My brother is racing one of those things. 350 under the hood and dips in to the 12's in the quarter mile.
He's afraid to do alot more with the engine as the rear end in those things are like glass.