First of all, you need to know that driving was not a skill that came naturally to me. Ask my Dad why he was totally bald before the age of 37, and if he's honest, he'll tell you it was because he was the one who taught me how to drive. There honestly were times that I wondered if I EVER would get a real drivers license.
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| My '54 Ford was green just like this one... but it was 16 years old, (just like me) when we met. |
I'm not sure why my Dad finally brought that '54 Ford home for me to learn on. I was even more puzzled when he proceeded to wedge it between two trees in the backyard. after which he dropped the keys in my hand and told me that I could continue my driving lessons after I found a way to get it out.
Was it because he was convinced I would eventually wreck the family car?
Was it because he felt safer within it's tank-like exterior when I was driving?
Or did he just need a 2 or 3 week sabbatical for health reasons? (Ironically, that's how long it took me to get it out of there.)
I'll never know. But I do know that once I freed that old Ford from the trees I felt like a million bucks. There was something about that old rusty car that gave me confidence. I successfully secured my license from the state of Connecticut before my 17th birthday, and I really think I have that funny looking old car to thank. I'm not sure who was more relived to have the whole process over, me... or Dad. And I don't think it was any coincidence that Mom was the one who eventually taught all three of my younger siblings to drive. :)
An old rose and cream deSoto station wagon---now that was a tank!!!!
ReplyDelete72 Toyota Corolla. The add on air conditioner was so cold it would blow frost!
ReplyDeleteMine was a 1966 white Chevy Impala. I grew up on a farm, so driving was a given around the age of 10. The Chevy's automatic transmission was a breeze compared to farm trucks and tractors:) Love your first car!
ReplyDeleteA 1966 VW bug. The only options were the color (green) and if I wanted a radio added for $50. Total for the car was $1850 and it took me 6 months to save up enough to put down a down payment! I loved that car!!!
ReplyDeletea '69 Plymouth, that accumulated water in the driver's floorboard when it rained (so rain boots were a must), and you had to two-foot it and drop into neutral to keep it running in the rain at stop signs, else it'd stall out.
ReplyDeleteOMG, my first was also a '54 Ford, 4 door, well used, used car. But I loved it. Bought it in '62 with my hard-erned $299.00.
ReplyDeleteMy future husband had a green '54 Ford when we got married. What memories you bring back :-) I had a '52 Desoto hardtop that was in much better shape. We put both of them up for sale at the same time and mine sold first :-(((
ReplyDeleteLearned to drive in a Chevy pick-up truck with a fuel guage that read backwards because my dad said I had to learn to drive in a stick shift. I was at a stop sign on a slight incline, I revved the engine, popped the clutch and Dad's big tool box slid all the way to the tailgate. Had lots of fun in that truck the summer of 1963. We tossed inner tubes in the back and spent many days floating on the lake working on our tans.
ReplyDeleteThe first car I drove was my Dad's HUGE Chrysler and we had a telephone pole right beside the drive into the garage-of course we all backed into it a few times but he was cool and would say "it's only metal don't worry"!! My first car of my own was my VW Beetle and I still miss it -poor heater and all-at least I could drive a stick and still do! Margie
ReplyDeleteMy first car, 1955 Medium Green Ford stick shift. I had drivers ED in school, but that year they switched to automatic. My sister taught me to drive the stick shift. No A C.
ReplyDeleteMary
I did not learn to drive until I was in my 30s. Everyone was so happy that I finally didn't need to ask them to drive me here and there. My [favorite] uncle gave me his 1960 Corvette which he could no longer drive because of a stroke. That was my first car! I drove my uncle everywhere he wanted to go and cared for him until he passed away. The car is still a part of my family.
ReplyDeleteV.W. Bug. Don't know the year, I know I was married and had a baby seat in the back for my baby son who was born in 1972. The car was white with a red flash down the sides.
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