posted 03-24-2004 02:53 PM         

I envy you guys who had those cool cars as teenagers (today too!). My first car was purchased in 1969 from our neighbor and was a used '64 Volkswagen beetle. $500. It was British racing green. My Dad helped me to extend the seat rails all the way back to the back seat so I could get my 6' 4" frame in it.

I wrecked it while fighting with my best friend over which 8 track tape to play. I wanted to play 3 Dog Night and he wanted to play Alice Cooper. Hit a parked car head on. Fixed it back up and painted it "Big Bad Orange". Called it Pumpkin. Lifted it, put Chevelle SS mags on it with white letter Goodyears. Lace painted the glove compartment door. Put an FM tuner in it. Talk about a Redneck!

Drove it until the spring of my freshman year in college when the engine finally blew due to the climbs up I-40 at the Continental Divide.

Then I got a '69 Chevelle from an estate sale. No SS or anything close. Sky blue with vinyl bench seats. Paid $900. Drove it thru college. Driver's side door got backed into. Hit & run and I had NO money. Borrowed $50 from Dad and got a black door at a junkyard. Painted it close to the same color of blue with spray cans and bought some white pinstripeing from Kmart to finish the job.