Let’s Talk Cars…Old Favorites, Your First, Dream, The One You Wish You Still Had, Car Stories Any Kind, How You Learned To Drive …and more

[Capt MJ]

We had a good car thread a while back, with some good photos and stories posted, and I always enjoy talking cars and hearing others’ car stories. For some, they are a simple means to an end. For others, they are wrapped up in stories and memories and appreciation and nostalgia. By “cars,” I mean any motorized transport, truck and motorcycle and “others” welcome.

I should be over getting “new car lust” by this stage in my life, but I was looking at the redesigned Nissan Z coming out. When I first met DH in the 20th C., he had a silver Datsun (as it was then known) 240Z (“24 oz.”). After we married, we traded it for a 300 Z, then a 300ZX turbo 2+2 with a T-top in an icy metallic light blue. Stick, of course, one of many stick cars, various makes and models, in an unbroken line through today. The new Z has been redesigned as a modernized throw back to those original 240, 260 and 280 Z cars. And they still have sticks!

Here’s what I fell in love with while browsing the new Z web pages. Of course, it’s a tidy 6-speed, 400 hp, twin turbo V6 engine. Yes, there are automatic models with paddle shifters. Finally, our usual daily drivers are eminently sensible, low-maintenance, high safety, practical, high mpg hybrid vehicles which we usually drive into the ground.

It’s the interior that has hooked me on this.

 

[WT Door]

I wasn’t able to drive when Dad bought a Fiat Cinquecento (500) from an officer in his squadron. The family now had two cars. I asked him what that thing on the floor was. He explained it was stick shift. The doors opened as in the image.



I learned the bare rudiments on driving a stick shift on a Ford Pinto in high school from a friend. I don’t think I made it to 3rd gear. Jerk, stall, grind – the usual in learning to drive a stick. As a 1/C I didn’t have any wheels until late into the first semester. Watching TV late one Saturday night in the company wardroom, the duty section was getting hungry. Someone suggested making to Mickey D’s. I wasn’t on duty and got peer tasked. I took the orders and money. The next thing I knew, a key ring with one key got tossed my way. My shipmate’s brand spanking new, metallic brown, Datsun 280Z was in the fate of someone that hadn’t driven a stick since HS. I drove the car around the athletic fields by the seawall before getting the nerve to head out the gate. I returned to a very happy duty section. I gave the keys back to my friend nonchalantly in front of the famished duty section. Before Thanksgiving I bought a Volkswagen near Arlington with a stick. I got a lot smoother and actually made it to 4th gear on the long drive back to Naptown.

 

[THParent]

^ 1961 AMC Nash Metropolitain. Never had this, but I wanted so much to buy it. I was 13 years old at the time and had the money, but my parents wouldn't allow it so I spent the money on flight lessons. I was the youngest pilot in my State for a while, so that was cool.


^ 1970 Chevelle Malibu (Inline 6 not the V8) - Purchased from my Great Aunt for $550.00. It burned through a set of points every 4 months until I switched to an electronic ignition retrofit. I used to run it on 102 octane leaded avgas. It was an automatic and if I held my foot to the floor, it wouldn't shift to 2nd until I hit 55MPH. Her name was "Kate".


^ 1969 Mercedes 280 SEL - Purchased with 620,000 miles on it for $2,000.00 Sold it for the same $2,000.00 after turning over 762,000 miles.
It never burned a drop of oil between oil changes. Nine (9) quarts of oil (5 in the pan and 4 in the intercooler) pumping at 80PSI. It came without seat belts and had factory-installed air conditioning and mechanical anti-lock brakes. His name was "Freidrich".

 

[Capt MJ]

I wasn’t able to drive when Dad bought a Fiat Cinquecento (500) from an officer in his squadron. The family now had two cars. I asked him what that thing on the floor was. He explained it was stick shift. The doors opened as in the image.

View attachment 12206

I learned the bare rudiments on driving a stick shift on a Ford Pinto in high school from a friend. I don’t think I made it to 3rd gear. Jerk, stall, grind – the usual in learning to drive a stick. As a 1/C I didn’t have any wheels until late into the first semester. Watching TV late one Saturday night in the company wardroom, the duty section was getting hungry. Someone suggested making to Mickey D’s. I wasn’t on duty and got peer tasked. I took the orders and money. The next thing I knew, a key ring with one key got tossed my way. My shipmate’s brand spanking new, metallic brown, Datsun 280Z was in the fate of someone that hadn’t driven a stick since HS. I drove the car around the athletic fields by the seawall before getting the nerve to head out the gate. I returned to a very happy duty section. I gave the keys back to my friend nonchalantly in front of the famished duty section. Before Thanksgiving I bought a Volkswagen near Arlington with a stick. I got a lot smoother and actually made it to 4th gear on the long drive back to Naptown.

Great story! I saw my first cinqs (“chinx”) in bella Napoli. Glad you didn’t crunch the gearbox on your friend’s Z! A VW was one of my first learning platforms for the stick. That’s a story I am sure I have told here before, but I may trot it out again if we get bored here too quickly.

 

[Capt MJ]

View attachment 12207
^ 1961 AMC Nash Metropolitain. Never had this, but I wanted so much to buy it. I was 13 years old at the time and had the money, but my parents wouldn't allow it so I spent the money on flight lessons. I was the youngest pilot in my State for a while, so that was cool.
View attachment 12209

^ 1970 Chevelle Malibu (Inline 6 not the V8) - Purchased from my Great Aunt for $550.00. It burned through a set of points every 4 months until I switched to an electronic ignition retrofit. I used to run it on 102 octane leaded avgas. It was an automatic and if I held my foot to the floor, it wouldn't shift to 2nd until I hit 55MPH. Her name was "Kate".

View attachment 12208
^ 1969 Mercedes 280 SEL - Purchased with 620,000 miles on it for $2,000.00 Sold it for the same $2,000.00 after turning over 762,000 miles.
It never burned a drop of oil between oil changes. Nine (9) quarts of oil (5 in the pan and 4 in the intercooler) pumping at 80PSI. It came without seat belts and had factory-installed air conditioning and mechanical anti-lock brakes. His name was "Freidrich".

Classics all. And car names! Yes!

My best friend inherited her mother’s diesel Mercedes station wagon, and it had the same type of longevity. At the end, the engine was still fine, but the body was falling apart. It was Klara. She and Friedrich would have made a great couple.

I don’t think I have ever seen the Nash and knew what it was called. Sporty.

And that muscle car “Kate” - another classic. Hot stuff. What sunglasses did you wear with her?

 

[Capt MJ]

My first car, a stick, as I have mentioned recently in another thread, was a Triumph TR-7. Got her in España, so she was La Cuña, the wedge. That was the advertising on her. Yes, I had the yellow one. With a dark green plaid (!) interior. Odd little “eyelid” type pop-up headlamps. I went to the graduate school of hill-driving with a stick driving up to mountain-top towns all over Spain and Portugal, narrow, twisty, cobble-stoned, hairpin-curved sweat-inducers where rolling backward was not an option.

I PCS’ed in her with my best friend from Rota, Spain to Naples, Italy, taking 20 days of leave. Drove her on the French Riviera corniche roads and the lake/mountain area of northern Italy, autostradas and autopistas, coastal highways and the middle of Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Florence and other great cities. “Epic” is an understatement for that road trip. She and I still talk about it. Two single Navy LTJGs, a yellow sports car, and a pile of paper maps. She could drive a stick just as well, because her car was a red Fiat Spyder.

 

[OldRetSWO]

Wife 1.0 came equipped with a 260Z which we kept for a few years into adulthood. I started off with
a '66 Mustang that I had as a HS Senior and then as a 3/C at USNA (Statute of Limitations are expired).
Later that year, I inherited a '68 Camaro from my mother and drove that till my 1/C car loan when I
moved to a Firebird Formula which I dearly loved and kept until kids and life moved me to more
practical autos. Hung in there with SUVs mostly until a few yrs ago when Wife 2.0 encouraged me to
get a "nice" car and now drive a BMW and really really like it. Two liter engine is less than half the
displacement of a few of the cars mentioned above but horsepower-wise, it is significantly more powerful
and is really fun to drive which also getting decent gas mileage when I'm not hot-rodding it.

 

[Capt MJ]

Wife 1.0 came equipped with a 260Z which we kept for a few years into adulthood. I started off with
a '66 Mustang that I had as a HS Senior and then as a 3/C at USNA (Statute of Limitations are expired).
Later that year, I inherited a '68 Camaro from my mother and drove that till my 1/C car loan when I
moved to a Firebird Formula which I dearly loved and kept until kids and life moved me to more
practical autos. Hung in there with SUVs mostly until a few yrs ago when Wife 2.0 encouraged me to
get a "nice" car and now drive a BMW and really really like it. Two liter engine is less than half the
displacement of a few of the cars mentioned above but horsepower-wise, it is significantly more powerful
and is really fun to drive which also getting decent gas mileage when I'm not hot-rodding it.

I see a trend there, Mustang, Camaro, Firebird. on your Youngster Stealthmobile. No surprise there.

Love these glimpses into youthful car choices.

 

[OldRetSWO]

I see a trend there, Mustang, Camaro, Firebird. on your Youngster Stealthmobile. No surprise there.

Love these glimpses into youthful car choices.

Note that the Firebird was the first car that "I" selected. Mustang was bought for my sister and I by our father
and I spent a LOT of time with him working on it. As previously stated, Camaro was a pass down from my mother.
Yes, my mother drive a four on the floor 8 cylinder Camaro back in the day.

 

[Stealth_81]

My high school vehicle was a 1974 Honda CB360T motorcycle that I bought for $700. I sold it when I graduated HS for $800 which went into my college fund per my agreement with my father. (I agreed because I had no choice when it came to my father).
My first car when I was a college junior was a 1974 Cutlass with a 350 Rocket V-8. That was a very fun car until a pretty young girl who borrowed it decided to play Dukes of Hazzard over the railroad track crossing and totaled it. Hard lesson learned.
First new car purchase: 1985 Ford Tempo with a 5-speed stick. Nice basic car. This was actually Mrs. Stealth’s daily driver.
Then, I got my own first new truck: 1987 Ford Ranger. Regular cab. 5-speed stick. I’ve had practical trucks ever since.

Stealth_81

 

[Capt MJ]

Note that the Firebird was the first car that "I" selected. Mustang was bought for my sister and I by our father
and I spent a LOT of time with him working on it. As previously stated, Camaro was a pass down from my mother.
Yes, my mother drive a four on the floor 8 cylinder Camaro back in the day.

I like your mom’s style. My mom’s was a Chevrolet Nova station wagon in dark green.

 

[Capt MJ]

My high school vehicle was a 1974 Honda CB360T motorcycle that I bought for $700. I sold it when I graduated HS for $800 which went into my college fund per my agreement with my father. (I agreed because I had no choice when it came to my father).
My first car when I was a college junior was a 1974 Cutlass with a 350 Rocket V-8. That was a very fun car until a pretty young girl who borrowed it decided to play Dukes of Hazzard over the railroad track crossing and totaled it. Hard lesson learned.
First new car purchase: 1985 Ford Tempo with a 5-speed stick. Nice basic car. This was actually Mrs. Stealth’s daily driver.
Then, I got my own first new truck: 1987 Ford Ranger. Regular cab. 5-speed stick. I’ve had practical trucks ever since.

Stealth_81

An excellent progression!

I enjoy driving a truck, except in Annapolis downtown. DH had diesel trucks for many years for horse trailering purposes, Dodge Rams at first, and at last, a Ford 450 with dually wheels and a 90-gal aux fuel tank in the bed because he was going to horse shows with 4 horses in Ft. Worth, Oklahoma City, etc. Every time I drove that behemoth, I felt like I had my own fortress traveling with me. He had it all deluxed out with heated leather seats and big sound system. Sadly, his big truck driving trips stopped a few years back, so he flies to the far-off shows and his horses travel with others. I miss driving it. Completely different road feel and experience. I stopped to look at a shiny new Ford 150, gorgeous dark red metallic, in a parking lot the other day. A fine vehicle. Apparently that color on 2022 models is Rapid Red.

 

[MidCakePa]

Every car I ever owned from age 22 to 42 had a stick shift. I made a point of buying only cars with that feature. Then I hit middle age plus a big promotion — and upgraded to a luxury brand, with the trade-off being no more stock shift.

While I like all the nice bells and whistles, I do miss that clutch. I’m a relatively simple person. So if I could have my way, I’d have my same Audi A6 (or an A7, if I’m feeling saucy) with a legit clutch-activated six-speed transmission. Are you listening, Audi???

 

[THParent]

Every car that I have bought that I didn't want my girlfriend to drive, was a manual transmission.
When I met my wife (who can drive a manual just fine) I was smitten.

 

[Capt MJ]

Every car I ever owned from age 22 to 42 had a stick shift. I made a point of buying only cars with that feature. Then I hit middle age plus a big promotion — and upgraded to a luxury brand, with the trade-off being no more stock shift.

While I like all the nice bells and whistles, I do miss that clutch. I’m a relatively simple person. So if I could have my way, I’d have my same Audi A6 (or an A7, if I’m feeling saucy) with a legit clutch-activated six-speed transmission. Are you listening, Audi???

Dream on, but that’s a nice thought to hold.

Speaking of Audi, a few months ago I was visiting our CPA in her office building and parked next to this little Audi. I wondered which of the building professionals or clients owned it. I thought it had merit, and then I looked up the sticker price. Super cars, sigh, won’t go that far. But I’d happily jump at a chance to drive one.

 

[MidCakePa]

When I met my wife (who can drive a manual just fine) I was smitten.

Amen to that, @THParent. I’m impressed by anyone who can drive a manual. So imagine how I felt when my then girlfriend requested to borrow my car, I asked if she could drive a stick, she said yes, and in fact could! Love at first shift! She’s now mother of DD and DS.

 

[Old Navy BGO]

I like to tell Car salesman I am not much into brand loyalty -- in order of ownership I've had

1)Mazda 626 --my Midmobile, until wife totaled it in PCola. (No one seriously hurt !)
2) Volkwagon Jetta GLI (replacement for #1)
3) Suzuki Samurai 4Wd - my first 2nd car; a complete POS but fun -- bought new for about $5K, drove in Maine for 5 years, sold for about $3K
4) Ford Taurus Wagon (for wife when DD1 was born)
5) Buick Park Avenue (nice ride, bought from Dad off a work lease)
6) Jeep Cherokee (another POS, but couldn't stand driving an old man car )
7) Honda Odyssey Van - replacing #4 , Great family wagon and well engineered
8) Chevy Tahoe - replacing #6; wanted something bigger and could haul a load.
9) Toyota Highlander - replacing #7. Great little car -- a very storied life, especially after passed down to daughters. Went to college with younger daughter, then passed on to DD1 -- who got it stolen from the streets of DC, recovered 3 months later, and I have no idea where it ended up.
10) Pontiac Sunbird (I think) -- first car for DD1.
11) Toyota Highlander #2 - traded #8 to my Dad for his used Highlander since I figured his old Highlander would be a better long term car, and anticipating giving to DD2 for HS use. I drove it for about a year. A really reliable car, but not much fun to drive.
12) Mercedes GL350 - "the Panzer" (I think the first car I named). A real tank and great to drive. It was pretty basic --before fancy electronics, etc., and built like a brick ...
13) Jeep Wrangler -- traded in #11 after DD2 went to college. (At the time, we had two Highlanders sitting in the driveway, and I wanted to keep an extra car for when kids were home. I found an old Wrangler, with relatively low miles, and it was my "weekend car" -- there are sometimes when an shiny black Mercedes is not the appropriate vehicle --ie. parking along gravel roads while hunting. Never worried about getting dings or bangs in the door... in fact, doors rarely locked.
14) Volvo XC60 -- DW's luxury car pick (in retaliation for the Mercedes)--still in inventory.
15) Jeep Grand Cherokee - replacement for Mercedes; Actually a great ride -- it was designed when Mercedes owned Jeep, so alot of commonality with the Mercedes SUV's . My current ride, complete with USNA 1985 plates !

Looking back, a pretty strange collection --DW's side of the balance sheet is more consistent and logical, mine a little less. We usually keep cars 6-8 years , 80-100K miles, so not even looking right now. We just got back from a vacation with alot of time in the Toyata RAV, and was great to get back home and drive my own Grand Cherokee.

 

[Capt MJ]

Every car that I have bought that I didn't want my girlfriend to drive, was a manual transmission.
When I met my wife (who can drive a manual just fine) I was smitten.

I picked up DH at fleet landing in Napoli for our first date, in the TR-7, and drove Italian-style through the city using the stick. I always thought that was an early factor, especially when we talked about his Z car back in the U.S.

 

[Capt MJ]

Amen to that, @THParent. I’m impressed by anyone who can drive a manual. So imagine how I felt when my then girlfriend requested to borrow my car, I asked if she could drive a stick, she said yes, and in fact could! Love at first shift! She’s now mother of DD and DS.

We have identified a significant trend here!

 

[Capt MJ]

I like to tell Car salesman I am not much into brand loyalty -- in order of ownership I've had

1)Mazda 626 --my Midmobile, until wife totaled it in PCola. (No one seriously hurt !)
2) Volkwagon Jetta GLI (replacement for #1)
3) Suzuki Samurai 4Wd - my first 2nd car; a complete POS but fun -- bought new for about $5K, drove in Maine for 5 years, sold for about $3K
4) Ford Taurus Wagon (for wife when DD1 was born)
5) Buick Park Avenue (nice ride, bought from Dad off a work lease)
6) Jeep Cherokee (another POS, but couldn't stand driving an old man car )
7) Honda Odyssey Van - replacing #4 , Great family wagon and well engineered
8) Chevy Tahoe - replacing #6; wanted something bigger and could haul a load.
9) Toyota Highlander - replacing #7. Great little car -- a very storied life, especially after passed down to daughters. Went to college with younger daughter, then passed on to DD1 -- who got it stolen from the streets of DC, recovered 3 months later, and I have no idea where it ended up.
10) Pontiac Sunbird (I think) -- first car for DD1.
11) Toyota Highlander #2 - traded #8 to my Dad for his used Highlander since I figured his old Highlander would be a better long term car, and anticipating giving to DD2 for HS use. I drove it for about a year. A really reliable car, but not much fun to drive.
12) Mercedes GL350 - "the Panzer" (I think the first car I named). A real tank and great to drive. It was pretty basic --before fancy electronics, etc., and built like a brick ...
13) Jeep Wrangler -- traded in #11 after DD2 went to college. (At the time, we had two Highlanders sitting in the driveway, and I wanted to keep an extra car for when kids were home. I found an old Wrangler, with relatively low miles, and it was my "weekend car" -- there are sometimes when an shiny black Mercedes is not the appropriate vehicle --ie. parking along gravel roads while hunting. Never worried about getting dings or bangs in the door... in fact, doors rarely locked.
14) Volvo XC60 -- DW's luxury car pick (in retaliation for the Mercedes)--still in inventory.
15) Jeep Grand Cherokee - replacement for Mercedes; Actually a great ride -- it was designed when Mercedes owned Jeep, so alot of commonality with the Mercedes SUV's . My current ride, complete with USNA 1985 plates !

Looking back, a pretty strange collection --DW's side of the balance sheet is more consistent and logical, mine a little less. We usually keep cars 6-8 years , 80-100K miles, so not even looking right now. We just got back from a vacation with alot of time in the Toyata RAV, and was great to get back home and drive my own Grand Cherokee.

Much to digest here!