Fun Monday- Keeping Old Cars

Tiggerlane, the Neophyte Blogger is this week's Fun Monday hostess. Here is what Tiggerlane is requesting, "I wanna see your CAR! It can be your current car, the first car you ever had, maybe your first new car with that new-car smell, a car you wrecked once, or even the dream car you would drive - given all the money in the world! Oh - and if you have a truck, SUV, lawnmower, whatever the local authorities allow you to drive, let's see it!"

My father wished he would have kept his 1937 Willys instead of trading in the car on a new-used 1949 Frazier Manhattan. From that thought, I have always tried to extend the life of my cars (maybe longer than is practical.) Thus, like my father, I like keeping my old cars.

My first car was a 1952 sea-green Oldsmobile convertible purchased in 1961. I was in my junior year at Central High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My brother lent me $250 to purchase the car. Danny likes to claim that debt was never paid, but I paid him back.... Really. This fuzzy picture of the Olds with me and my wife-to-be in the foreground was taken four years later.

My second car was this red 1965 2+2 Mustang fastback. This was a hot car with a 289 cubic inch engine producing 220 horsepower. The Mustang cost $2,000 plus my Olds in trade. I bought this car new-used in the summer of 1966. Since I was just starting my teaching career, my mother graciously lent me the $2,000 to buy the car. I eventually paid her back too...Honest. In the picture taken in 1971, I am holding our first son. He was eleven weeks old. This was a grand and glorious spring day.

In 1976, the Mustang suffered from a rusting undercarriage, a failing clutch, and being driven hard for 96,000 miles so I was in the market for another car. A few miles from our home, I found 1955 210 Chevrolet. The Chevy came with a strong and solid frame. The owner of the Chevy was willing to trade his Chevy for my rusty Mustang and a few dollars more, $900 to be exact. Unfortunately, the new young owner burned the clutch out on his trip home. Standing by the '55 is our youngest son , Luke.

To see other cars and read other car stories visit our Fun Monday hostess, Tiggerlane, the Neophyte Blogger.