I guess my love of everything that moves on wheels began with my grandfather. He drove a Mack truck for a local grain company in Vernon, Tx. When my parents would bring me to visit he would stop by his house to say hello between grain runs. If he was on the way to the shipping yard he would load me in the cab with him and stand me on the seat beside him. On the ride he would point to cars approaching us on the highway and tell me what make and year they were and how to tell the difference between a Hudson and a Ford, or a Studebaker and a Plymouth. Some of those monikers don't exist in the autoworld makers anymore. So it developed into a contest. I would see if I could identify the next car before he could. I think he might have let me win sometimes?
So, very early, I was ADDICTED! It didn't matter what it was as long as it had wheels. Now jump ahead, High school. The coolest kid in school had a '55 Bel-Air 2 door hardtop. Straight axle front end, 396 4-speed, ladder bars, custom paint, I hated him and loved his car. He had "his" parking spot at school next to the metal shop, of course. And nobody parked in that spot even if you got there ahead of him. He was too cool, and he boxed in Golden Gloves, so, better safe than sorry! My first big car crush.
Second big car crush. My sister dated a guy for a while that had TWO cars! Jeez! Car number one:' 55 Chevy 2-door post,327 2-4's,headers, 4-speed and Morbec mags! Car number two: '67 Corvette convertible, 327 4-speed, side pipes, American 5 spokes. Nice guy though in spite of his cars. Oh, sorry, the crush was for the Corvette, but I loved the '55 also.
Third car crush---and probably the worst. It's 1968 and I'm doing my first year of what was suppose to be four years of college. We don't have to finish that story. I have a class with a guy who seems to be just like everybody else, except he's NOT! He and I hit it off and start hanging out together talking, what else, cars and girls of course. So this guy drives a '68 Grand Prix. OK, no really big deal, right? But, this one was special ordered with a 4-speed! Believe me not very many of those. So I'm kinda impressed. But he says he doesn't like it as much as he thought he would and Daddy has promised to help him get into something else. The next week he comes into the cafeteria wearing a Ford Racing jacket and asks if I want to go see his new car? We go to the parking lot and guess what he walks up to? A brand new 1968 Shelby Mustang Cobra! White with blue stripes, black interior, 427 4-speed, posi-track MONSTER! I'm still trying to get my breath and he says "Crap, I'm gonna be late for class!" "Here" and tosses me the keys and says to be back in an hour to pick him up so we can go to lunch! Heaven for an hour. Incredible car.
Car crush #4 While I was going to college I was driving a 1963 Olds Starfire coupe. Maroon, with white leather interior, buckets, console, floor shift. I loved this car and it was a faithful, dependable friend for many years. And it ran good for a big car. It had a 394 Olds motor with gobs of torque and rode like a dream. Good for the highway.
Car crush #5 It's 1970 and I go with my dad to help him look for a used car. Instead I end up buying a 1966 Impala Super Sport. Red, red interior, 396 325 hp 4-speed with the optional console gauge package. Dad buys a white 1966 Impala 2-dr coupe off the same dealer the same day! I loved the SS, ran great and looked good. I had it for 2 years until it was stolen,stripped and left for dead one night.
Well that's my first installment, more in the future. Much more!
Gary -
