Cars we drove in the 50s & 60s

[TheBizMan]

The first NEW car I had was a '64 dodge dart. The first car I had was a used '58 VW bug. I could go between Phoenix and LA in 4 1/2 hours. This thing was souped up. My buddies and I would skip school on Friday and run to LA to play on the beach (and watch girls) and then back in time for school on Monday. Great web site planovet. The only thing missing was some of them pulling Drops.

[angib]

Not a seat belt or air bag in the house. How did we ever survive?

1. Statistics - a lot of people in accidents back then didn't survive, but not everyone got into an accident.

2. Risk compensation - make vehicles safer and drivers will take more risks until they feel they're back at the same overall risk. I understand each of you believes this isn't true about you personally...... but it is. Heck, it's even true about me.

Andrew

[Mike C.]

Loved the slide show, brought back memories of cruising Main Street.

I had a black '57 Chevy, my two best buddies had '55 Chevy's, one was Candy Apple Red and one had a white convertible top, painted Metal Flake Blue. Another buddy had a black '58 Chevy with roll and tuck interior. Man I wish I had any of those cars back today.

When I worked at a gas station in '68 we had gas wars and I was pumping gas and it got down to 15.9 cents/gallon. So there was no problem coming up with enough money to go crusin', even though I was making a $1.00/hour. Could fill up the old Chevy for $3.00. Used to have people pull in and order $.50 worth of gas and want their windows cleaned, oil checked and tire inflation checked.

Those days are gone forever, although I really wish my kids and grandkids could have experienced them.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot..... real cherry cokes, with cherry syrup and coke and going to the A&W for a root beer in a frosted glass mug, on the tray that fit on your car window. Hamburgers that cost .10 to .15 with everything on them and curly fries or onion rings, real onion rings, for a dime.

Darn...just remembering is making me hungry.

[Joseph]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot..... real cherry cokes, with cherry syrup and coke and going to the A&W for a root beer in a frosted glass mug, on the tray that fit on your car window. Hamburgers that cost .10 to .15 with everything on them and curly fries or onion rings, real onion rings, for a dime.

Darn...just remembering is making me hungry.

I gained five pounds just reading it!

Joseph

[angib]

I gained five pounds just reading it!

I gotta buy a new keyboard, 'cos this one has just fused where I drooled between the keys....

Andrew

[BPFox]

Didn't get my license until 1970. I have, however, had lots of cars.
49 Chevy, 54 Chevy, 60 Chevy convertable, 63 Pontiac Tempest, (yes the one they talk about in My Cousin Vinny, it wasn't mint green but it was a screemer, 64 Nova, 67 Nova, 69 Camaro convertable (wish I had that one back) 73 Olds 98, 75 Monte Carlo, 78 Chevy Van, 78 Chevette, 83 Malibu Classic, 85 S-10 Blazer (my first ever brand new ride), 83 Chevy Suburban (pulled my 28' Bunkhouse Travel Trailer with that one) 89 Safari Van (new), 89 S10 Pickup (new), 84 Chrysler New Yorker, 95 Chevy Corsica, 2000 Astro van (new), 2005 Chevy Trailblazer (new) 2006 Chevy Trailblazer (new) And it's time to start shopping for a new one.

It's kind of fun to look at the list. It tells a story. Can you tell when I started a family? How about when I was no longer living paycheck to paycheck? My first car, the 54 Chevy cost me $50.00, my current ride, the 2006 Trailblazer listed out at just under $42,000. It's a crazy world we live in. Peace.

[mikeschn]

You've been working at Saginaw Division (aka Delphi) too long!!!

Mike...

[BPFox]

You've been working at Saginaw Division (aka Delphi) too long!!!

Mike...

Actually, I never worked for GM. Not when it was Saginaw Steering Gear, or Saginaw Division, of Delphi. In fact, I have probably had more jobs than I have had cars, but that's a list for another day.

That said, this is still a GM town and I am still prone to buying that brand.

[Jiminsav]

Loved the slide show, brought back memories of cruising Main Street.

I had a black '57 Chevy, my two best buddies had '55 Chevy's, one was Candy Apple Red and one had a white convertible top, painted Metal Flake Blue. Another buddy had a black '58 Chevy with roll and tuck interior. Man I wish I had any of those cars back today.

When I worked at a gas station in '68 we had gas wars and I was pumping gas and it got down to 15.9 cents/gallon. So there was no problem coming up with enough money to go crusin', even though I was making a $1.00/hour. Could fill up the old Chevy for $3.00. Used to have people pull in and order $.50 worth of gas and want their windows cleaned, oil checked and tire inflation checked.

Those days are gone forever, although I really wish my kids and grandkids could have experienced them.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot..... real cherry cokes, with cherry syrup and coke and going to the A&W for a root beer in a frosted glass mug, on the tray that fit on your car window. Hamburgers that cost .10 to .15 with everything on them and curly fries or onion rings, real onion rings, for a dime.

Darn...just remembering is making me hungry.

I can hear his arteries harding from here..

[Mike C.]

Loved the slide show, brought back memories of cruising Main Street.

I had a black '57 Chevy, my two best buddies had '55 Chevy's, one was Candy Apple Red and one had a white convertible top, painted Metal Flake Blue. Another buddy had a black '58 Chevy with roll and tuck interior. Man I wish I had any of those cars back today.

When I worked at a gas station in '68 we had gas wars and I was pumping gas and it got down to 15.9 cents/gallon. So there was no problem coming up with enough money to go crusin', even though I was making a $1.00/hour. Could fill up the old Chevy for $3.00. Used to have people pull in and order $.50 worth of gas and want their windows cleaned, oil checked and tire inflation checked.

Those days are gone forever, although I really wish my kids and grandkids could have experienced them.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot..... real cherry cokes, with cherry syrup and coke and going to the A&W for a root beer in a frosted glass mug, on the tray that fit on your car window. Hamburgers that cost .10 to .15 with everything on them and curly fries or onion rings, real onion rings, for a dime.

Darn...just remembering is making me hungry.

I can hear his arteries harding from here..

That may very well be true......but they are happy arteries.

[SuperTroll]

My true automotive love...the 64 Chevy Match Box Nova.....Golly I'd like to find another.......I believe I could give up trailers....at least long enough for a Nova rebuild......

[Gage]

So who's not living in the 50's. I think I got lost heading to the new century.

[shoeman]

Ya, waddya mean used to? Here's my old CJ5, a '57 mongrel. Like somebody else said, real steel! I can stand on the hood and it gives not a fig about my 200lbs. Real handy as mobile scaffolding. But one thing about cars of that era is that they smell a heck of a lot more than anything modern. I mean gas fumes, hot engine, and out the tail pipe. Part of that particular stink is the modern gas formulation I think. Not the same as putting a "tiger in your tank" back in the day. Oh yeah... it still uses points in the ignition.
I keep the windshield folded down for that authentic Hatari! feel.

You sit over the tank, with the solid steel steering shaft pointed right square at your chest. Steel channel for bumpers too. Best you can hope for in an accident is that you get catapulted out before you get smooshed. But that's only if you skip using the seatbelt (non-standard back then but I added them) in flagrant disregard of our state law. Hmmm.....tough decision. How do you explain that to Johnny-Law? At least you'd never get busted for speeding in it. 47ish mph and it's all done.

[Roly Nelson]

Learned to drive in 1947, couldn't afford anything but a 1930 Chevy roadster and later a 1932 Chevy 2 door. Both did 70 mph wide open, and gas was 22 cents a gallon. Later bought a 51 ford coupe that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear.......wow. Found out that owning a car was like a chick magnet. Always gave the gals a ride home from the games, along with my sophmore honey, who I married 56 years ago and still have her.
Roly

[Gage]

Some one say "tiger in your tank"? I still have one in my tank.