Gentlemen,
In the Vintage Pictures thread, Eman made a great suggestion. This may be a bit off topic at times but the suggestions was to post pics of us and our rides from back in our younger days when we were still Bullet-Proof.
So lets see them , even if they weren't a Ford truck the pics are still relevant as they probably had something to do with the Old Car sickness that we all seem to be afflicted with.

I'll start things out with a picture of my 1st car (well, the first thing I had licensed and titled in my name). This is me in about 1980 with my 1967 Dodge Charger. The car just had a little 318ci and automatic trans but I loved it. The next pic is my 1966 Plymouth Satellite. This car had a 383 with way too much cam and a 4spd. In this pic I was in the process of swapping out the rear axle for a posi unit.



Bobby

 

Here is my first car that I bought the summer of 1974 heading into my sophomore year in college for $500. The 57 Bel Air sedan had the 283 with the Power Glide transmission and optional Power Brakes, Wonder Bar radio and optional rear speaker.

A cool dude with bell bottoms posing at my parents farm.




parking next to the hotel room door to unload at our fraternity weekend:

Then in June of 1977 I bought Grandpa's 54 F100. This is the earliest pic I have of it:

My last semester in college hauling some of the Lock Haven State National Championship soccer team in a parade in November 1977.



In 1978 after I graduated I had a little bit more money, working construction (no teaching job yet) and I saw this beautiful 55 Chevy 210 model on the way to my girlfriend's house. I only paid $1000 for it.


Where are they now? I got a teaching job in August 1979. I got paid $9000. I realized I couldn't afford to rent an apartment, buy food, pay bills and maintain 2 classic cars and an old truck. So I sold the 57 for $1000 since the 55 was in better shape. In 1982 I got a teaching job in Lock Haven PA, met a girl, and since I had no garage for my 55, I sold it in 1984 and used that money for an engagement ring. The car is long gone but I still have the girl! And I still have the truck!

 

I'll play. This is me in about 1967 with my 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury:



My Dad purchased this car for me for $200 for my final two years of college. I was transferring to a college in Seward, Neb. and needed something capable of making a 700 mile 11 hour trip. When we got the car, the compression was so bad that it wouldn't start. There was a fair amount of rust too that I repaired with bondo and metal screen (no welding skills required). We ended up replacing the rings and some other engine work for another $200. My Fury had a 318 with a 4 barrel and duel exhaust--top speed about 115 mph. I got to know my future wife on many long rides together between Wis. and Neb. I loved this car, and wished I had kept it.

Jim

 

Jim, cool story. I wish I had my 57 and/or my 55. When bored I find myself looking for black 57s and two tone 55 Chevy's on eBay.. But I can't afford them now!!

 

So true, Abe. I did keep my next car--the 68 Plymouth in my signature. I guess I need to do something with that before I seriously start looking at 59's.

My 59 Plymouth died Thanksgiving week-end 1969, in What Cheer, Iowa. My wife-to-be and I were coming back from a wedding of a classmate in Nebraska. The timing chain slipped a few cogs, and it wouldn't run right. My Dad and I brought it back to Wis., but we had trouble diagnosing the problem. I needed a car right away because I was teaching in Detroit at the time and ended up purchasing my 1968 Plymouth in Dec. The 68 is the car we had when we were married. My dad finally figured what was wrong with the 59--fixed it--and sold it for $350.

We drove the 68 Plymouth as our primary car for 18 years. We took it on our honeymoon--brought our three children home from the hospital in it--and drove it more than 200,000 miles. You'd think my wife would be attached to it, and want me to bring it home and start working on it, but sadly this is not the case. I've been paying to have it stored since 1988. I haven't seen it for years, but every September a bill for $240 arrives in the mail.

Jim

 

How about the still "bulletproof" among us? Here is a picture of me from two summers ago in front of my parents old house that we renovated and my wife and I moved into last summer.

 

Oh yea! modern "bullet-proof" pics are welcome also. Please forgive me for forgetting about our younger set

Great pics so far everyone!

 

Ok, since this thread started by saying the 'C' and 'P' words, I suppose it's safe to add mine. Remember, this was back in younger days.
The first picture is my first car - a 1975 Mustang II. Paid $800 for it since it leaked oil like a french fry basket. My father wouldn't let me park it in the driveway so out on the road it went. I would kick leaves under it to soak up the 90-weight I was pouring into it. I drove a Ford back then and drive one every day now. But in the middle I had a number of GM vehicles and re-did a '57 Chevy 210 post sedan.
I put in a crate 327 matched up with a Muncie M-21 4-speed. That car looked good but steered like a greyhound bus. The current owner of that car has my name/number and I get first refusal if he decides to sell it. Before anyone asks, no I was wasn't wearing turquoise socks in that picture - I scanned a photograph and it made everything sort of blue.
Also in the middle was my work vehicle.....a 1990's Zamboni. I drove that for 5 years. The rink that owned it bought a new one and kicked the old one to the curb. I have no idea where it went but I think that it would be a fun resto project - since that model Zamboni was the classic design. I drove a newer model that was a different brand (Olympia) and it was not as easy to operate or maneuverable on wet ice as the Zamboni. We have all done donuts in our cars when we were younger, but that Zamboni could do a drifting 360 with precision and grace when the studded tires were worn down enough to spin.





Tom

 

Loving all the tri fives! I just sold my 57 belair hardtop last year, but I still have two 55s. 57 used to be my favorite car but now I like the 55s better.

Here is my first car, 73 nova SS, lots of street racing and changed engines every year to go faster. Had a 454 in this picture LOL.

This car taught me the KISS Keep It Simple Stupid principle.




Couple of my other cars from when I was younger, I still have the 70 convertible. Guy I sold the 69 camaro to 20 years ago still has it.

 

Not my first car, but my first hemi, circa 1959. Wish I still had it too.

 

Here's a couple of more from my history, here's my very first truck;



I bought this 1969 F-250 in 1983 or 84. We used it to haul my buddy's 55 Chevy to the drags;



That's me on the right (I'm twice the man I used to be....lol)

great double exposure


Bobby

 

Bobby, another cool thread. A lot of my rides are buried in albums past and slides stored. I will try to locate some. I recently was looking for something to transfer my slides to digital. I long ago get rid of my projector.

 

My first car was a 92 Ford Escort:







My second car was a 92 Pontiac Grand Am:




Yeah. I wasn't a very good driver back then...

 

How it all started. Began when I was 12 yrs old and built a go-kart out of a lawn mower engine and wagon wheels.

 

That's cool Bobby. Very similar to my first truck, which I purchased for $13 saved from my allowance.



My Mack dump.


And I still have it, albeit refurbished.