First Wheels Posting

AJC 9/28/26

While the 1961 Chrysler 300 wasn't my first car, it was my first WOW car. I admired the Windsor that a neighbor had for many years and that later I was able to acquire.

The body panels were almost armor heavy: a 2-ton car. And then there was the AstraDome instrument cluster, which at night was something you wanted to just stare at while parked. (Chrysler used a special lighting technique.)

The red leather seats were stunning.

Shouldn't someone in every big city offer to house these cars we don't want to sell in a museum-like showroom? The alternative is that we sell them and then wish we hadn't. Admission would likely cover some overhead while a nominal storage fee would cover the rest. And couldn't we show up to take them out for a drive and maintenance? Please. . . .

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DAC 9/17/26

During the early 1970s I first had a 1968 Mustang fastback; 289 cu in., 3-speed. My brother shared the car and we each paid into a fund 5 cents/mile each of us drove. When gas was 30 cents/gallon, that paid for gas, maintenance, and insurance. Neither of us would cheat, but we kept a mileage log just for bookkeeping.

It was a great car and we should have never sold it. But we did. He bought a Chrysler and I bought a 1973 Gran Torino Sport which got 8 miles/gallon mileage. It was a beast with a 429 cu in. 4 barrel carb.

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Slsc 9/18/26

My first car was a little red '66 Corvair, a stick shift. Took some time to master the clutch, brake and gas pedals, especially on a hill. Spent many nights cruising from Rex's to McDonalds, the local hangouts at the time.

Chris S. 9/21/26

My first car at 16 years old was 1969 Dodge Dart GT, with a big block 383 Magnum, Automatic Transmission with console shifter. I believe we paid $2400 for it in 1987. Unfortunately, on my way to get new tires installed, the back end got loose in the rain, and sent me backwards into an oak tree, ultimately totaling the car, and ended up selling the remains to a local Mopar club for a whopping $500.

Following the early demise of the 1969 Dart, a first-car replacement was necessary. That replacement was a 1969 Dodge Super Bee that I still own to this day. Built 383 Magnum, 4 speed manual, with a bench seat. I believe the purchase price was $2800 in 1988.

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FDL 9/23/26

In the mid 1930s my father bought a 1930 Ford Model A. It had the optional rear-view mirror and battery starter. It had a four-cylinder, water cooled engine. It also had a throttle pedal that we called a "foot feed" which was to the left of the brake pedal. I think he paid about $400 for it and then passed it on to me some years later. I still have the car among my collection.

Our Model A did not have turn signals and in South Dakota at the time a license to drive was not required. We did not travel outside of town much since most highways were gravel, if there were highways at all.

EDITOR'S NOTE 9/23/26

Probably hard to beat an entry displaying a 1930s purchase. But maybe someone had a first-buy steam car?

Mike F. 9/23/26

My Plymouth Arrow. It cost about $3500. My father and I went to a dealership in Aurora, Illinois. I was looking to purchase a car. I think the Arrow that caught my eye was a '76 or '77, but dad kept pointing to a Dodge pickup. I kept my eye on the Arrow and that was what I drove home. I paid every penny for that car.

Betty F. 9/23/26

My 1969 VW did have heat, but even though there was a big lever between the seats that you pulled or pushed to control the heat, there was just one point where the heat was on or off. No “just a little warm” or “pretty darn hot.” Just heat or no heat.

My weirdest moment was while driving on Rt. 25 late at night. Coming home from work it was snowing and the street wasn’t plowed yet. I was listening to the radio and Tina Turner was singing Proud Mary. During the beginning when she sings “it starts out slow,” the car started to slide. As I started to correct it, the fast part of the song started as the car did a full 360 across both lanes, but somehow ended up facing forward in the correct lane. I calmly continued on home.

The most terrifying moment was when I picked up the kids at daycare. My son, Mike, got in first and sat in the back seat with the girls. Mike said that the seat was hot. I got Mike out of the car and yelled for the girls to get help. Turns out that the battery was located under the seat. One of the dads who was picking up his kids at daycare raced out and ripped the smoldering seat out of the car, tossed it onto the grass, and saved the day.

DAC 9/24/26

I still own this 1970 Suzuki model M15 motorcycle that I bought new for $150. A 50cc, it gets 150 miles per gallon. After probably 20K miles--the odometer recycles at 10K--the only repair it needed was a new transmission since 2nd gear gave out. It runs well to this day.

This machine and I ran all around Milwaukee's seasons except for winter. The next spring it started on the first kick. Always.

One day I came upon a drunk driver who had climbed a street curb. A small crowd had gathered. I stopped, took the car's keys out of the ignition, put them on the roof of the car, and continued on my way.

M15 (right) 1972

Brett M. 9/24/26

Dad bought this ‘79 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 in 1984 or so and drove it daily until he gave it to me when I turned 16 in 1987. I drove it for about a year and we then built a new 355 small block for it and installed it over a weekend. It was a 4 speed car and was pretty damn quick.

The girl who eventually became my wife would cruise around with me all the time. some really great memories in that car!

JJC 9/25/26

This 1965 Chrysler New Yorker family car turned into mine in the mid 1970’s. Its beastly 413 cubic inch 4 barrel V8 engine pushed a nearly 4000 pound car and got a whole 11 miles to the gallon. Over time it rusted out through the trunk and I replaced it with a brown 1976 Chrysler Cordoba outfitted inside with “rich Corinthian leather” that had a 400 cubic inch 4 barrel V8 engine -- it didn’t do too much better in the mileage department.

New Yorker

Cordoba

JJC 9/25/26

I stepped up to a 1974 1200cc Harley Davidson from a 50cc Suzuki street cycle. The dealer thought I was a little nuts going to a nearly 900 pound motorcycle from one that weighed about 160 pounds. The HD was a great ride out west to Yellowstone Park and south through the Smoky Mountains. I replaced it after 30,000 miles with a 1976 HD, then a 1978, and then a 2012 rated at 1600cc that is still going strong today. A friend had (and still has) a 1947 HD that he parked next to mine one day ('74 vs. '47).