| My brother David, 4 years younger than I am, left for Vietnam at age 18, after joinng the US Army. My parents had 2 cars, and My husband and I only had 1. David let me keep his 1950 Chevy while he was gone. He bagged groceries and cut lawns to save up the $500.00 he paid for a car like this one, when he turned 16. Both car photos are borrowed from Google Images. 
I had never driven a straight shift car, and his had 3 on the tree. I learned to use the clutch and was so happy and relieved when he returned in 1968 that it only hurt a little to return the car to him.
He immediately traded it for a 68 Camaro. Several years later, he had married and they had a sweet little baby girl. Alas for him, the back seat was not family sized and he sold the car to me for $500.00
I thought I had died and gone to heaven. This beauty had 3 on the floor, and a clutch. Each time I came to a stop, I went out of that stop ON THE GAS and popping that clutch. My mother as a passenger never failed to say, do you HAVE to go out of every stop like that? You can guess the answer. I was only 25 with two small sons. My best friends husband, was my go to if I needed any mechanic type stuff. Once as I was backing out, I asked him if he could make the car get better gas mileage. I said it seems to use a lot more gas than my other car. His answer was "Sandra, it's not the car, it's the way you take off from every stop" Back off the gas and you will save money. Did I or did I NOT back off the gas.  |
| Not My car or photo |
MadSnapper, AKA Bloviator: "bloviate: to speak or write verbosely, typically not about anything important. Quote in header by Emery Austin
Saturday, March 21, 2020
68 Camaro
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23 comments:
You did NOT. Goo story, I did not know any of this. Another side to you.
You were the wild one with the hot car. They are nice cars. I had a 77 Camaro, my first car. Wishing you a happy day!
Very nice story ... You are a good driver ... always!
I almost missed this post ... I'm getting old! LOL
I'm thinking you kept right on getting bad gas mileage...lol
I had a Trans Am that we had to trade in after my daughter was born. We just couldn't afford the upkeep. We traded in on a Pontiac Sunfire that was a standard. I was all excited to learn how to drive but ended up feeling like my ex only picked it so I wouldn't be able to drive. I finally got stubborn enough to go out myself and learn to drive it.
This sounds so much like my younger years.
Hari OM
wonderful 'snapshot' piece from your history, Sandra!!! Here in the UK, the stick shift is the norm, though automatic cars are now making inroads, particularly for city drivers. A licence can only be obtained on manual cars; when I went to OZ I was surprised to find that many folk could get a licence on autos, but that meant they were not permitted to drive stick - unless they upgraded their licence. YAM xx
Hey, life is to be enjoyed. Particularly when you're young and driving a hot car! Maybe it's on account I'm 'olden', but none of today's cars seems particularly appealing. (Not than I'm in the market, but if I were ….) From the time I was old enough to drive, I was crazy about the looks of cars -- in particular, the Fiat X19 my former hubby bought for my 27th birthday. It's not that new cars are ugly, they just all seem to look the same.
Excellent cherished memories. Did you back off the gas? I hope so 'cause you were probably burning rubber too. My first car was a 2 door 1967 blue Mustang with a vinyl top, leather bucket seats. It was sharp...Fast forward Summer 1971...it had lap belts in the front but none in the back. I could not secure a baby seat with just lap belts. I had to sale it too.
Hugs cecilia
Hi Sandra, I bet you did NOT. You're an adventurous lady. Keep safe. Jo
I had completely forgotten about cars with a clutch and how to drive one. This was a lively story, I can picture the younger you with a muscle car. Must have been fun.
I never had a car of my own, and now I haven't driven in like 20 years. Still have a license, but I would not just jump into a car anywhere and drive now...
what a wonderful memory! lost in your story. so well written. and I love vintage chevys. have a nice weekend!! xoxo
and Sandra, i bet you did not!!
HaHa..definitely NOT...
What a fun car ...I don't blame you for enjoying every minute of "Popping the clutch".
Your comment about your Mom made me smile...
I loved my little Nash Rambler and the manual shift. We literally wore the car out and then bought "Adult" cars after that..(:0)
Sue
Sandra, I would be shocked if you eased up on the gas.
Hey - you didn't want to back off that gas and you didn't. You made your own decisions even back then!!!!!!!!! Good for you.
No you did not ;) I really enjoyed this story Sandra. Great story! I remember when I bought my old rust bucket. It was an old grey mini and I didn't care what it looked like. I saved and saved and saved for it and I was over the moon when I bought it. I didn't care what it looked like, it had four wheels and got me from A to B :)))
Definitely Not, great story :)
Hugs from NYC
I only ever wanted a truck...my first one was 3 on the tree. But I had a boyfriend who had a mustang and boy, I could peel out with it. We have a small SUV now, and am I glad I had it when I broke my leg. Perfect for getting in and out of. But my vehicle of choice will always be a truck.
I learned to drive a stick shift on a trip from Tennessee back to Indiana. One of my brothers was working construction. He was 10 or 12 ft. up and was setting on one beam with his feet propped out on aother working on something and the guy above him dropped a steal beam that came down and broke his leg and knocked him to the ground.
He was not in Tennessee, but not sure where. I think West Virginia. Well, my sister here did not think he was getting good care, so she went and got him and brought him here. Well, when he got to feeling a bit better, he wanted his truck up here...but he still could not drive. Someone drove him down, and when I got time off, I went down on the bus and we both came back in his truck. A Ford 250 with 4 on the floor. He just told me I could do it and told me what to do, and I did it.
A true love story and adventure
Men and their toys!
I love this post. What memories.
That's a funny story. I loved driving stick shift cars.
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