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For us car guys, cars can be very nostalgic to say the least. Personally, there is always a story to tell every time I see an old car my parents owned while I was a young child. There was always something magical about a road trip somewhere, or a trip down to the hardware store with Dad. These days, I have a hard enough time getting my 7 year old to go somewhere with me that doesnt involve toys, or something "fun" in accordance to today's standards for kids. Where has the time gone?
Post up the car you grew up in and maybe share your story!
I will start with one I remember the most..I wish I had an actual picture, but I dont!
1989 Saab 9000 CD turbo. Need I say more? I remember how cool it was to hear the turbo spool echo in tunnels, or under overpasses. The thing i remembered most is going to places of "Business" with my Father. This car left us stranded a few times and I swear my mother was terrified to go anywhere with my father if he was taking the Saab. Repair bills were endless and I remember my father telling me he has invested over 10k into the thing over the span of maybe 6 years. He loved the car so much that he kept wanting to repair it even though he knew it would never be the end of a trip to the dealership..
^ My buddy bought a similar era Saab 900 turbo convertible a few years ago. Similar experience to your dad's, giant unreliable piece of junk. Spent over 5k on repairs/restoration in the 4 years he owned it. Of course I give that car some slack since it had a bunch of miles and was 20 years old, cosmetically it looked great, white with big black bumpers and those 3 spoke wheels. Engine bay layout was really weird as well, 4 cylinder turbo, engine sat North-South in the engine bay, but backwards. Your alternator, water pump, all the accessories were up against the firewall where you couldn't get to them, transaxle was at the front of the engine bay, car was front wheel drive.
Anyways, the car I grew up in was a 1991 Buick Regal sedan. Burgandy with the burgandy velour, fake wood slathered everywhere, digital speedo, digital radio, GM clearly hadn't got the message that the 80's were over. Still though, I loved that velour and seats in that car, so plush and luxurious. Wore like iron as well, I inhereted that car when I was 16, it was 10 years old at the time. Interior still looked brand new. It had been very reliable until I got it, then it seemed like the whole car fell apart within a year or two, its like GM designed everything to last about 10 years/150k miles(guessing on the mileage, the odometer broke at 94k years before). Still it had the 3.8 V6, which was torquey, ran great and didn't burn any oil, its just that every other thing under the hood conked out.
Anyways, the car I grew up in was a 1991 Buick Regal sedan. Burgandy with the burgandy velour, fake wood slathered everywhere, digital speedo, digital radio, GM clearly hadn't got the message that the 80's were over. Still though, I loved that velour and seats in that car, so plush and luxurious. Wore like iron as well, I inhereted that car when I was 16, it was 10 years old at the time. Interior still looked brand new. It had been very reliable until I got it, then it seemed like the whole car fell apart within a year or two, its like GM designed everything to last about 10 years/150k miles(guessing on the mileage, the odometer broke at 94k years before). Still it had the 3.8 V6, which was torquey, ran great and didn't burn any oil, its just that every other thing under the hood conked out.
I'm with you on old Buicks, but not of that vintage (80/90s). I had a (used) 1965 Electra 225 in college, and loved it (love wasn't the word for that car......I adored it). It drove like a magic carpet flowing through whipped cream, with one of the smoothest automatic transmissions/drive lines ever designed. Everything on it was designed for absolute maximum comfort and softness, with zero sportiness or responsiveness of any kind (I had already owned a sport-oriented 1964 Plymouth Barracuda previously). Sitting down on the front bench seat was like sinking down deep into a living-room sofa. That Electra was absolutely wonderful at the end of a hard working day when you were tired and on your way home. (I also worked when I was in college, but not always full-time). I thought it was a nicer car to drive than the Cadillac Sedan De Ville of that vintage, which, like the Oldsmobile 98, was done on the same platform and body-shell, with a different engine and automatic transmission...the Caddy's transmission and Olds transmission were not as smooth. They used the standard GM Turbo-Hydra-Matic, where pre-1967 full-sized Buicks used the all-fluid-drive/stator-equipped Super Turbine 300 automatic.
I'd still probably be driving a restored one today (with a conversion to fuel-injection and electronic ignition), except that it is much too large for my condo parking space, and to maneuver and park in today's traffic.
I always felt, BTW, that Chrysler did some of their best vehicles from 1960-1965, and GM from 1964 to 1970. After that, it was downhill for both corporations.
There were a few I grew up with. But the two below are the two that took me from about 6 years old to the beginning of my teens..The first was a 1971 Buick Electra 225, the same color as the one below except my dad's was a coupe. I just remember how big this car was and taking long drives with my grandparents in this car.
Next was my dad’s first Cadillac, a 1979 Coupe DeVille D'Elegance. His looked like the one below except his was dark burgundy with a white vinyl half roof. Several months later he replaced the Caddy wire wheel covers with Cadillac True-Spoke rims. I still can remember how proud he was when he came home that day telling my mom “I finally got my first Caddy", so far he has had 7 Cadillac's over the years.
1988 Mazda 929 3.0 V6 SOHC 18 Valves with 0-60 MPH in 10.5 secs, and much torquier than today's multivalve engines, which seem to be losing bottom end torque for top end power, eg Lexus 4GS350.
Very rare breed.
[Overseas model shown]
Ours had color coded front and rear bumpers...
There were a few I grew up with. But the two below are the two that took me from about 6 years old to the beginning of my teens..The first was a 1971 Buick Electra 225, the same color as the one below except my dad's was a coupe. I just remember how big this car was and taking long drives with my grandparents in this car.
Next was my dad’s first Cadillac, a 1979 Coupe DeVille D'Elegance. His looked like the one below except his was dark burgundy with a white vinyl half roof. Several months later he replaced the Caddy wire wheel covers with Cadillac True-Spoke rims. I still can remember how proud he was when he came home that day telling my mom “I finally got my first Caddy", so far he has had 7 Cadillac's over the years.
Loved the 1979 Coupe Deville. I really miss how wild Cadillac did some of their interiors, the plaid cloths, the broccade upholstery that looked like a victorian couch, some of the nylon weave cloth they used in the 60's/70's was pretty crazy. Then there was the D'Elgance option which got you extra padding on the seats. Depending on the year, they did a wild button tufted sort of thing . . .
First cars I remember my parents owned were a 83 or 84 I think Olds Cutlass Supreme coupe, silver with maroon interior, it was my moms car but they loved it and we took many trips in it up until I was in first grade when they sold it, very smooth car, good power, nice looking, rwd, pretty sure it had a V8. My dad had a white 240Z that never ran very well, he rarely drove it outside of going to and from work, I remember riding in the back area a few times on quick trips, it had no rear seats and had a unique vinyl smell to it. After those cars my parents only owned Honda Accords and Acura's.
My dad had a white 240Z that never ran very well, he rarely drove it outside of going to and from work, I remember riding in the back area a few times on quick trips, it had no rear seats and had a unique vinyl smell to it.
The original 240Z's triple-carburator set-up could be a nightmare to keep working properly. That was one of the reasons that later 260Z models converted to fuel injection.
After those cars my parents only owned Honda Accords and Acura's.
Honda obviously converted a lot of people to its reliability.
This is the car I came home in from the hospital when I was born.
Yes.....an old Hindustan Ambassador. Some of them, amazingly, are still in use as taxis in India.....somewhat like in Cuba, where they still run around in old American 40s and 50s-vintage cars, and keep them running by ingenious means.
1996 Toyota Camry which we still own. bought it in 96, went from my mom to my dad to me in college. my dad is still driving the car today and refuses to get rid of it, even after the engine blew up and even after I was willing to buy him a used 2008 ES350. He got an engine swap and a paint job for the car.
While growing up in the 70's, my parents had a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. 500 cu. engine. Light blue with a dark navy vinyl top. It also had a factory moon roof. What an attractive automobile! I do recall once, while being dropped off at school, how my friends mentioned "Oh my gosh, is that your mom's Cadillac?" lol.. Of course, back then, if you had a Cadillac or Lincoln you were looked at as "somebody." If you had a Mercedes, forget it, you were the talk of the town! lol.. Nowadays, Cadillac and Lincoln cars are just "runner ups" in my opinion. but, those were the days! My parents also had a 1974 Plymouth Wagon. White with woodgrain and a dark green vinyl interior. I can still remember (although vaguely) the day that I went with my dad to pick the car up on delivery. This was the first time I ever smelled that "new car smell" I will never forget that! Unfortunately, the car did not last long. In 1978 the engine blew. Parents then had it fixed and sold it to neighbor down the street. As all Chrysler products, the car was less than reliable. But, I will never forget it!
09-28-16, 10:09 AM
The car you grew up in..
