Re: [AMC-List] first cars

[Mark Price <markprice242@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My first car was a 64 American 440, 196, twinstick, 232,000 miles on it when I got it. release bearing was noisy, windows leaked and the clutch had that famous not quite locked thing. I remember trying desperately to spin the tires going forward, no matter how I tried the clutch would not bight hard enough to do it!. My dad in a fit of cheapness put two dry rotted radial tires on the front and bias ply sawdust recaps on the rear. I wrecked the thing three times the first winter I drove it. He always blamed me, I figured out a few years later it was his own fault, the mix of the radials and the bias ply tires on bad icey roads just does not work well at all. He still brings it up from time to time and I always reply, "You are the one that put radials on the front and bias ply on the rear"! He shuts up about it then.
   I didn't have any problems in it's replacement, a 63, classic, two door sedan, aluminum 196, auto. It went through one trans and the aluminum 196 while I drove it.
   Third car was my favorite, 65 American, 440 hardtop, 232 auto, engine wore out at 215,000 miles and would eat the arms off of fuel pumps, We lucked out an found an elusive 1971 258 and a 70 model Borg trans. That car ran like it had a small 8 in it. We put it together and I drove it and came back and said, "Dad, you have to drive this car, man does it run good". Seems he bought the engine out of a 71 Hornet and paid like $80 for it off of a scrap dealer. All he had to go on was the odometer showed somewhere in the 70,000 mile range, carb and aircleaner where gone and the oil was clean, so he pulled it and we put it in. Anyway He went and checked either the block casting numbers or the VIN, I forget which. It was then that we discovered it was a 258! 
  Someone torched a rented garage it was parked in around 1982. We lost the American, a 65 351 windsor, 4 speed, Mustang fastback, a 73, 4 barrel cleveland, 4 speed, Torino Fast back, a 66, 289, 4 speed, Mustang Coupe, a 67 289 auto Mustang coupe, A 73 Gremlin and a 75 For F250 Highboy. All gone. The arsonist was never caught. We found out later that the guy we rented the 30X50' building from had been stealing cars and stripping them in the past and it was theorized that one of his enemies thought he was back in business and torched the place.
  Well, enough Wrambling on for now.
--
Mark Price
markprice242ATadelphia.net
Morgantown, WV


---- Wayne E LaMothe <superglider@xxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> Ahhh, the first car.....  mine was a 65 Scout with the 152 4banger and 3
> speed.  Would go anywhere, just not over 50mph.  My first new car was a
> 70 Rebel wagon, 304, auto, tan and priced at $3884.  Think I paid $85 a
> month for 3 years after trading the Scout in on it.  Bought all my cars
> from Natale American in Saratoga Springs NY.  That Rebel lasted for 144k
> and was sent to the rust bin in 1977 while stationed in Michigans U P.
> 
> My favorite car of all time was my 65 Ambo 990 wagon that my father had
> bought new and then traded on a 68 Rebel wagon.  I bought the car back
> from Natale American in 1972 and my mother sold it when I went to boot
> camp in '73.  We never got along too well after that.  My aunt had a 66
> Ambo 990 wagon and I now own one identical to hers.  Same colors and same
> options.  One of these days it will be finished.
> 
> 
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