What was your very first car?

[bronsin]

As a teenager I constantly read and re read John Muirs opus How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive For The Complete Idiot cover to cover perhaps 1000 times. I even made a complete copy of it on my 1917 Remington typewriter for my girlfriend.

My parents didnt like foreign cars my father bought Chevys and my mother was worried about their safety.

So imagine my surprise one day when I came home from college for Easter weekend when I saw a blue 1969 VW Beetle in the driveway. (I took the bus and was walking home from the station) Wow who do we know who has a VW?

And how would they dare park it in my fathers driveway?

My father was sitting at the kitchen table when I asked him who s VW that was in the driveway.

Its mine I bought it for $300. Its got a blown engine. Put your money where your mouth is and go out and fix it!

I was out the door like a shot and all over that car! In a couple of hours I had the engine out and was taking it apart just like the book said to do.

I didnt need to look at the book though.

The engine was trashed and not rebuildable so we bought a factory rebuilt short block from VW for $400 ( CHEAP EH?)

I think what led to my fathers change of heart was the Energy Crisis. Gas had just doubled from 29 to 60 cents a gallon. This was 1974.

The car was damaged a few months later by a motorcycle passing in a no passing zone doing 80+ mph. Dad liked the car so much he bought a brand new 74 beetle a Love Bug that was safety green/yellow. (there was also a red/orange Love Bug.)

Sorry no pics!