What cars did your parents schlep you around in as a kid?

[Revving2Redline]

Pontiac Lemans SS. Big four barrel and after she graduate school a new 1984 pontiac grand prix with another big four barrel on it too. Then it got traded for a Lincoln Mark5 two door couple. Wanted that car badly. Miss the 80s everyday even as a kid. Nintendo was out, Reagan was the President and the Berlin Wall came down. Good years to grow up in.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted by eljefino
...
Eventually he ordered, sight unseen, a new ford fairmont station wagon.

My parents had one prior to my existence, a Mercury Zephyr, but same thing. It was supposed to be their first nice car with AC and features of any kind. It ended up being extremely unreliable and is to this day the car they hate the most.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I was born in 86.

Dad had a 77 Buick Electra coupe with a 350(Buick). It was a light green with white leather. It had a set of worked heads on it. I just remember it would burn rubber.
At the same time, he also had a 1951 Ford truck with a worked up 350 Buick in it. Bright red with cragers. That truck was fast. Also had a straight 8 1950 buick coupe too. I maybe rode in that once. Both the truck and old Buick were gone by the time I was 9.
Dad swapped the 77 Buick for an 84 LeSabre couple. Most comfortable seats ever, velore. 307 with a 200metric trans. Total dog. Trans blew. He swapped in a TH350. Later the posi rear broke and locked the rear wheels up, damaged the trans. He bought a brand new 98 Cavalier sedan to replace it. I still have that car, though it is about toast at this point.

Also, for a while my dad had his parents 79 Nova. Puke green coupe, black vinyl, no ac, inline 6 auto. I was taught how to drive in this car when I was 11. Only had to learn brakes, they'd been putting me on their lap to steer the car starting at age 7.

My Mom, she had a 1985 Caprice sedan with the nice interior (grey), white paint with a dark green top. 5.0L 700R4. She drove it from 1989 till 2004 when it became my brother's first car. She loved it. That car ran better than either of the two caprices I owned. My dad had the timing bumped up and the air breather was opened. The QuadraJet worked great. I remember it couldn't run on regular gas, it would ping like crazy. My mom used that power though, she hauled butt in that car. If we missed the school bus, she would run it down. We were never late for anything. When I was about 8 she ran from a State Trooper who flipped a U turn to go after her for speeding. (probably doing 60+ in a 45) As a car-crazy kid I thought this was the coolest thing ever. When I say ran, I mean ran, pedal to the floor. I was in the front seat sitting on a thick piece of foam to boost me up.

 

[CharBaby]

This is really a good topic!
I've actually owned a few of the vehicles pictured.

 

[Cujet]

My father drove a Sunbeam Alpine (4 cylinder) that looked much like this. Unfortunately, as the family grew, mom made him sell it. I loved riding around in it.

 

[levi]

1959 Rambler Ambassador. Pink. Clear plastic covers on the seats. Push button automatic transmission. Foot powered windshield washer pump.
First car I drove.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

Mom
1984 Mercury Capri
1984 Grand marquis
1990 Lincoln Towncar
1992 Grand Marquis
1999 Grand Marquis & 1999 F150

Dad (Had many old cars as he used to flip them) But his main drivers when I was a kid were
1979 Dodge Magnum
1986 Ram Charger
1999 Dodge Ram

 

[caprice_2nv]

Originally Posted by Gasbuggy
I was born in 86.

Dad had a 77 Buick Electra coupe with a 350(Buick). It was a light green with white leather. It had a set of worked heads on it. I just remember it would burn rubber.
At the same time, he also had a 1951 Ford truck with a worked up 350 Buick in it. Bright red with cragers. That truck was fast. Also had a straight 8 1950 buick coupe too. I maybe rode in that once. Both the truck and old Buick were gone by the time I was 9.
Dad swapped the 77 Buick for an 84 LeSabre couple. Most comfortable seats ever, velore. 307 with a 200metric trans. Total dog. Trans blew. He swapped in a TH350. Later the posi rear broke and locked the rear wheels up, damaged the trans. He bought a brand new 98 Cavalier sedan to replace it. I still have that car, though it is about toast at this point.

Also, for a while my dad had his parents 79 Nova. Puke green coupe, black vinyl, no ac, inline 6 auto. I was taught how to drive in this car when I was 11. Only had to learn brakes, they'd been putting me on their lap to steer the car starting at age 7.

My Mom, she had a 1985 Caprice sedan with the nice interior (grey), white paint with a dark green top. 5.0L 700R4. She drove it from 1989 till 2004 when it became my brother's first car. She loved it. That car ran better than either of the two caprices I owned. My dad had the timing bumped up and the air breather was opened. The QuadraJet worked great. I remember it couldn't run on regular gas, it would ping like crazy. My mom used that power though, she hauled butt in that car. If we missed the school bus, she would run it down. We were never late for anything. When I was about 8 she ran from a State Trooper who flipped a U turn to go after her for speeding. (probably doing 60+ in a 45) As a car-crazy kid I thought this was the coolest thing ever. When I say ran, I mean ran, pedal to the floor. I was in the front seat sitting on a thick piece of foam to boost me up.


Awesome list of cars and cool story. My dad had the 79 Impala and then 83 grand prix both of which really stuck with me and 25 years later I drive an 84 Cutlass and an 83 Caprice. Those cars seemed really old even when I was a kid (they were 14-19 years old in the time that we owned them. Now my cars are 35 years old. Time seems to have gone by so fast.

 

[Red91]

Probably the best thread on bitog in awhile.

 

[chunt]

The first car that I remember was a 1946 Mercury that liked to vapor lock. The next car we had was a 1953 Buick Special with a straight 8. I learned to drive in the Buick.

 

[MrMoody]

Hey, I almost forgot the school bus. My mom drove school bus, which I rode for one year in the late 70s. It was a late 60s model Blue Bird/Dodge, 65-passenger IIRC, with a 361 big block, 4 on the floor. Used oil like crazy, and hard to start if it was really cold unless you fiddled it just right, but otherwise reliable. She'd have me start it to warm it up, which I got to where I could do pretty well, but I never drove it other than to move it a few feet.

 

[miden851]

in this order: 1973 VW Beetle, 1978 Skoda 120LS, 1986 VW Golf MK2

 

[Hall]

Based on the responses from the majority of people commenting, it's quite telling of the age group of this website's members.

 

[caprice_2nv]

Originally Posted by MrMoody
Hey, I almost forgot the school bus. My mom drove school bus, which I rode for one year in the late 70s. It was a late 60s model Blue Bird/Dodge, 65-passenger IIRC, with a 361 big block, 4 on the floor. Used oil like crazy, and hard to start if it was really cold unless you fiddled it just right, but otherwise reliable. She'd have me start it to warm it up, which I got to where I could do pretty well, but I never drove it other than to move it a few feet.


My babysitter for a couple of years drove our school bus and we'd have to stay the night as my parents both worked shift work. She drove a 1983 GMC full size bus. It was a stick shift (I think a 5 speed but maybe a 4 speed, but I recall a lot of shifts). It was more fun when her husband drove because he would speed shift it and rev it between gears. He always kept the engine screaming as fast as he could. He also usually smelled of liquor.

Not sure if it was a 366 or just a 350 SBC. I do know that it ran on propane and had to be plugged in to start cold.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted by caprice_2nv


Not sure if it was a 366 or just a 350 SBC. I do know that it ran on propane and had to be plugged in to start cold.


I'm sure it was the tall-deck big-block 366. They were used in MDT's and school buses.

 

[CR94]

Hmm ... a few unusual vehicles listed.

Dating myself, too, but I can't resist, so ...

1941(?) Willys (made pre-WW2, but not sold until after war due to rationing) Slow!
1954 Chevy 2-door sedan (later handed down to me) I6, 3M
1955½ Chevy pickup I6, 3M
1959 Rambler Classic I6, 3M (1st spin-on oil filter)
1961 Chevy Biscayne I6, 3M
1964 Buick LeSabre (1st V8, 1st AC, 1st power steering, 1st automatic, 1st PCV) Took driver's exam in it.
1966 F100 I6, 4M (still in family; low mileage)
1971 Dodge Coronet 318
1974 Subaru (Close 2nd to '64 Buick for worst engine)
1977 Impala 305
1982? Regal 231
1986? Plymouth Caravelle 2.5L
1992 Dodge Dynasty 3.0L (worst transmission!)
2000 Camry I4 (still in family)

Scarcely any major engine or transmission problems with any of them, except as noted above. I fell out the back door of the Willys onto the road while it was in motion, which was why their next car was a two-door.

 

[edyvw]

1976 Zastava 101.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by Marco620
Pontiac Lemans SS. Big four barrel and after she graduate school a new 1984 pontiac grand prix with another big four barrel on it too. Then it got traded for a Lincoln Mark5 two door couple. Wanted that car badly. Miss the 80s everyday even as a kid. Nintendo was out, Reagan was the President and the Berlin Wall came down. Good years to grow up in.


I agree! I was in high school from 1983 to 1987. The 80s were awesome!

 

[OVERKILL]

When I was extremely young my parents had a late 70's Chevy Caprice wagon, but I don't remember it all that well other than my dad pop-riveting steel into the bottoms of the doors when he was getting ready to trade it. Prior to that they had an F-150, prior to that a Pinto, but I have no recollection of those vehicles. The Caprice was replaced by a 1986 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon, which we owned until the late 90's when they got their first Expedition. In 1992 my dad purchased an 1989 Lincoln Town Car, which was a pretty massive upgrade from the wagon, so we all preferred getting driven around in that

 

[exranger06]

Earliest cars I remember my parent's owning as a kid was Dad's 1985 Chevy S10 Blazer. 2-door, black
And Mom's 1980-something Chevy Camaro Berlinetta. Charcoal gray with gold wheels and T-tops.

They sold the Camaro when I was around 7 years old (in 1995) and bought a 1992 Honda Accord. About a year later they sold the Blazer and bought a 1994 Ford Explorer Sport, 2-door.

I now own the Accord and my mom still owns the Explorer.