Having recently finished reminiscing about my parents adventures in a 1928 Ford Model A Coupe, I got to thinking about all the cars I have owned over the years and my fondest memories of each. It is truly an eclectic mixture of wheels. Some may surprise you:
1962 Studebaker Lark V8 – One of the best engines and worst suspensions ever. Had some coming-of-age experiences in this beast, so I’ll always have a fondness for the beast.
1968 Buick Opel GT – My first new car and a gift for being the first in my family to graduate college. Lots of history in the car from graduation, to marriage, to the army, and divorce.
1970 Ford Mustang Grande – Near jerk response to surviving the army and a bad marriage.
1972 Porsche 914, 1.8 Liter – A dream come true, a poor man’s Porsche. Fun for two-years before selling it to buy a house in the Chicago Suburbs.
1974 Datsun B210 – This was the worst car I owned, but was a cheap commuter car.
1966 Corvair Van – In 1976 my best friend, a Corvair lover, talked me into buying a van sorely in need of rebuilding. This we did over a couple of years then unloaded it when I couldn’t keep it running.
1978 Buick Skylark – Replacement for the van that saved a marriage, for a while.
1981 Chevy Citation – Along came a son and the need for four doors. This was during the time when inflation and interests were double digits. High fuel cost lead to the creation of smaller, fuel-efficient cars like the Citation.
1982 VW Rabbit – Bought this before relocating to California. This car saw more ups and downs than any other car. It was remarkably reliable.
1983 Volvo Station Wagon – Inherited this along with my new wife.
1972 Porsche 914 (restored) – Same old friend talked me into rebuilding a Porsche like I’d once owned. It was a mistake. Rusted out and got stolen when I tried to sell it.
1984 Audi Sedan – Got this used model in poorer times when the 82 VW was totaled. It looked better than it was. Gave it to our daughter who hated it.
1989 Plymouth Voyager Turbo – Bought this from an employer when I left. This was a great vehicle that covered a lot of miles and a lot of family events, mostly good ones.
1996 Plymouth Sebring Convertible – Late midlife crisis gift from my wife. This was a fun car especially when driving it through wine country with the top down on a Sunday afternoon.
1998 Nissan Van – This replaced the Voyager and never earned a place in my heart for a sad reason better suited to another time/blog.
2004 Volvo S80 Turbo – A beautiful midnight blue that marked the beginning of another phase in my life, a very successful one with much joy.
2010 Ford Escape – The last car. Shortly after buying this, my vision got so bad, that I was declared legally blind. Yet another story.
I’m sure I’ve missed one or two. Oh, I just remembered a 1960 Ford pickup my best friend and I bought for $100. We used it for a year to haul stuff around until it was totaled by a thug while parked in front of my friend’s house. Ah, the memories.
This was a fun exercise and far less painful than making a list of the women in my life. You should give it a try and enjoy the trip down memory lane, or I should say highway.
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