I didnt turn 18 til '65 but had been helping my dad do repairs since I was 12
At that time he had a hobby of buying old cars and trucks,fixing and selling them.At the time cars and pickups in the 40's and early 50s could be bought for $20 to $100 with various thing wrong from wouldn't start to needing an engne etc
We could change an engine in a few hrs
By the time i was 16 I had some pretty neat stuff to drive and didn't have much invested,wish I had some of them today
By the time I was 17 I had graduated to F-600s and 700s driving them all day and if something broke working all night if need be to have it back to work next morning

AHH things were simple back then


OT: anybody remember when you could have a crank turned with engine still in the vehicle?

 

Thanks for the great stories guys, I was 18 in 68 and used to go out driving in the desert all the time, my tool kit was a pair of pliers, cresent wrench, black tape, some wire and a hammer. With that we fixed all kinds of stuff out in the dirt.
I remember seeing signs selling land out there for $25.00 an acre and I thought who in their right mind would want to buy this crap land out here. The place is now called Victorville Ca.

 

It's priced a bit higher, but it's still crap land!

 

In the 1940's, my grandmother bought a huge chunk of land in Lancaster for what she considered peanuts. By the mid 1960's, land out there was still selling for roughly the same price. She sold the land to a real estate broker, and was glad to be rid of it...it's where Antelope Valley College is today.

In the 1960's we used to drive out to Jawbone Canyon on weekends which is off 395 north of Mohave. It was a great place to go shooting and camping, until the bikers moved in.

Now a large part of it is the Desert Tortoise preserve: No shooting, no camping.

 

I still wouldn't pay $25 for an acre of Victorville

 

I agree with you guys to a point, however Victorville is starting to boom and growing like crazy. I go by there on my way to Las Vegas and usually stop for a bite to eat. Personally, I'd buy a few thousand acres out there for $25. Haven't seen anything that cheap for years. You can buy a nice 3 bedroom home with lots of property for less than 200K. You might even become a champion lizard racer or snake thrower within your first year of residence.

 

If I was gonna buy a chunk of desert scrub, I'd buy it in the Laughlin NV or Bullhead City AZ area. Close to all the pleasures...or the sins...or both..(!)...depending on your outlook.

 

hmm, lemme see, I was 18 back in.. well 96.. figured I'd help make you all feel old

but no, I know with my first vehical (1980 F-150) I did a lot of stupid stuff to that thing, but at least it kept on running. Basically I learned what NOT to do when it comes to bodywork.. but I know you have to start somewhere.

 

You can read all the books you want but you'll never learn as good as when you screw up and have to do it over. That's one of the best lessons, usually the most expensive, but the lesson will stick with you.

 

Mission accoplished Jon!