Back in the old days, cars had class!
I'm talking about REAL class! It showed every year in the new styles that the American car industry introduced to the public! We used to look forward to the new models coming out at the end of the Summer every year!
In those days, you could tell what a car was just from a glance...they didn't all look the same. Each company had a very distinctive emblem or style or trademark. Buick had it's port holes in the side, chevy had it's fins, and so on and so on!
My first car was a '49 Chevy. My second was a '54 Chevy, and the third was this classic! A 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Aire two door hard top! Mine was black with a white top...the interior black and silver! I mean, just look at these pictures...
I was just a year out of high school when I paid $700 for my '57! $700 ...can you believe it?
I traded it in for my first Mustang a few years later! The Mustang was a brand new '66, all silver blue...and I drove it off the show room floor! They allowed me $400 trade in for my '57! Being young and stupid...I took it!
The Mustang was just never even close to the Chevy in class!
I never had a Continental Kit on mine, but they did look pretty good, I'll admit!
I guess that we all have certain things we will never forget! Our first car, our first love, our favorite car, our most all time favorite song, our most classy car...did I mention that I loved this car? Actually, I loved all the cars I had over the years for the most part!
To sum it up, I guess I could say that I've been very fortunate in my life so far. I've enjoyed some beautiful automobiles, loved and been loved by some wonderful ladies, enjoyed far better health than I deserve, and had the opportunity to make very many enjoyable memories! It's been a great ride so far! Wouldn't trade it for the world!
Now, my friends, let's get some coffee and sit outside for a bit! We can start making some new memories for the second half of this wonderful journey!
18 comments:
hey unclehermitjim! WOW! and i'd say it again... W-O-W! you sure have beautiful memories to cherish. i'm happy much for you. i have two beautiful memories to share with you. one is when i learned i was about to have a baby! today, still single with aching joints and all, my baby is 16 years (they'll always be "babies" no matter what age!)and she's now falling in love!
another worth remembering is my gentle, loving, accepting, chocolate-loving dad! he passed away in november of last year, and i sure miss him much!
now before i shed this tear...let's have that coffeeeeeee! you sure are blessed!
hugs!!!
Hey W.W....
Want to hear something strange? I love chocolate as well!
I know how hard it is to lose someone, but you will always have the good memories to carry on with.
I have two sons, both grown...so I know what you mean about them always being young in our minds.
I've been single for a long time myself, so you see...we have a lot in common! Pull up a chair and we'll have some coffee while we wait for the others to show up here at the patio!
Thanks for coming by today!
Good Morning Uncle Hermit,
Thank you for sharing such fond memories with us. '57' Chevy's are still one of the best looking cars I've ever seen.
My first car was a high school graduation present from my parents. It was a 1966 Mustang, it had a 286 V8 under the hood and a kick-ass thrush muffler system. Oh that little pony had some get up and go. I had it painted a metallic orchid pink with silver pin striping and it had true spoke wheels with a black leather interior.
I should've kept her. She was mine for 5 years, but I traded her in for a 1989 Pontiac Grand Am.
Oh well, someday I will own another one if not a Stang then a 65 Camaro SS. I sure do like to dream big, muscle cars have always been a weakness of mine. :D
Did I hear coffee mentioned? I'd love a cup and how about some fudge brownies today?
Hugs to ya
~Felinae~
I still drive the GMC 3/4 4x4
stick shift pickup I bought new in 1976. I can work on it. When my neighbor's 2009 Technoblitz fails
he'll have it towed the the dealer. An automotive technician will hook up a $100,000 dioagnostic machine to tell that part nr RT20371MAMB needs to be replaced. It will cost less than four months pay. Thanks a bunch Big Brother you SOB.
Lovely cars. They were works of art. You're right, now they all look the same. My hubby has a mazda that looks just like a lexus from the side. Just sickening how expensive they have become.
Enjoy your coffee Mr. Jim.
Almost like family, our old cars are intertwined in our memories. I love these old cars. My fondest memories are of a baby blue 67 mustang. It was my mom's but I drove her proudly. Thanks for a good post.
Good memories, good rides, as I was passenger in those cars - looks of envy from my friends and "Who's the good looking guy?" The first I bought for myself was a '63 Buick Skylark, back when they were small like a T-Bird. Powder blue, 2 door with white top and white leather interior - Sweet! But I remember my old
(54,55?)Chevy "Sherman" tank, built to be heavy, but sure protected me in a bad crash! Nice to share memories with you, Bubba, anytime!
Big hugs and peanut butter brownies -
Good morning, Mister Hermit, sir.
Lovely ladies you've shown today - I DO enjoy the classics. One of my favorite races to work at the track is the Walter Mitty Challenge, a vintage series. Oh, my, but they're gorgeous. Hundreds of fine old cars come out for the weekend, race and street, and it's a real treat.
My dream car has long been a '57 Chevy Bel-Aire...I even tried to trade my Mum for one, once. The fellow who'd restored the car was game, but Mum wasn't so keen on the idea. Dang.
A Nomad would be a close second. Alas, the closest I've gotten was my beloved '79 Malibu Classic (with a 305 V8 in her...argh, argh, argh) - I could change my own oil, and do some very basic maintenance on her myself. I still miss her...sigh...
Thanks for the memories, sir.
Shade and Sweetwater,
(Who was recently scandalized to learn that a new car now costs half a house! Yikes!)
Felinae made me get rid of my 71 Chevelle when we bought this house.... :-(
My first car was an 84 Ford Escort, so no good memories there...but here are a few I'll share with you (in no particular order):
My first jump after I got to the 82nd Airborne...it was a Division level excercise...it was 2am and there were so many chutes in the sky that when I looked up, I couldn't see anything but canopies.
The birth of all 3 of my kids...the third especially...my wife and I did that one ourselves (not by choice, but still...what a memory).
Sitting on the porch on a hot summer night, drinking the first glass of homemade wine I ever made.
Graduating from law school and carrying my first born across the stage with me.
Making my first bow-drill fire.
My wedding day.
The moment I realized that almost all of my personal heroes were human, just like me.
Have a great day and good coffee!
...for me its all trucks...lol...i've had one car,it was a 74 Buick Apollo,ran 13.10 at my highschool drags,1984,on street tires !...i wrecked it,1985,right after the highschool drags my senior year,it ran a 12.90 best with slicks...small block,4bbl,3spd with a posi....
...sorry...drifting...since then its been Broncos'...full size,four of them...good memories...
Good morning Mr. Hermit,
My first was 58 Chevy, it sure wasn't new and I had a blast with that car, ran it right into the ground (quickly) Then had a corvair that was new I guess it was 63 it was when they rounded the body anyway that didn't last very long got hit by a 53 chevy luckily it was parked and I wasn't in it, it flew down the street and it another parked car looked like an accordine. Then it was a 65 mustang didn't have it to long but drove the hell out of it too. Drove the hell out of a lot of cars until I had kids. Funny how they make you slow down. At least when they are with you. My dad had a 57 chevy boy did that thing have it. It had some huge engine in and well I drove the hell outta that too. Used to love to race her.LOL
Yes I guess I was a terror. Oh the good old days.
This could be an interesting morning on the patio, all the goodies the ladies are bringing, I'll bring some fresh ground coffee.
Good morning Jim;
Ah the memories. I have always wanted a 57 Chevy convert. Could have had one any time, but the dream needs to remain a dream....don't know why.
But as you know I have the 64 Corvette convert...327 and nice sounding pipes. Building the garage at my daughters to keep it in while I'm on the road with the camper.
Had a wonderful lady for 43 years until God took her. Been single now for 6 years. Plenty off good memories all around. You and I have a lot in common. And I like coffee to..so pour me another cup.
See Ya
Hey Felinae...
Somehow I can just picture you in a pink Mustang! I had two '66 Mustangs over the years...one new and one used!
My favorite car without a doubt, was the '63 Corvette with two tops! Later had a '65, but it wasn't as much fun!
The brownies sound outstanding!
Thanks for coming by today...
Hey Vlad...
Funny how the older vehicles can sometimes be a blessing, isn't it? Just like us older guys, with a little TLC we can just keep going and going...maybe not as fast but going just the same!
Thanks for coming by, Vlad!
Hey Kris...
Sad part is that not only do all the cars seem to look the same, but as you said they are so expensive!
Hard to believe that they want $25000 or more for a new pick up...I mean, my first house in Houston cost me $9,000! Of course, back then a new car went for $2600.
Man...I'm getting too old! Hey, thanks for coming by today!
Hey Rae...
How right you are about our old cars being such a part of our memories! I can probably remember every car that I owned! Most of them, any way...
Hey, thanks for the visit today, Rae! I appreciate it!
Hey Sis...
As I remember, you went with me when I picked up my '66 Mustang from the dealership! Ahh...good memories indeed! Thanks for the peanut butter brownies !
Thanks, sis, for stopping by...!
Hey K...
Isn't it funny how something like a picture of a car can trigger such a flood of memories from the past? Just another reason to take a LOT of pictures, I guess!
I sure do appreciate you stopping by today, my friend!
Hey Catman...
That's a bummer, Dude! Maybe if you had just painted it pink, she would have let you keep it...!
Somehow, though, I really can't see you driving a pink Cheville...!
Hey, tanks for the visit, buddy!
Hey Ranger...
Wonderful memories, all! I think that for many guys, memories from our military days stay with us a long, long time! Hell...I can still remember my service ID number and that was before they started using the S.S. number as the id!
No wonder so many older folks spend time sitting on the porch, looking lost in reflection! With so many good memories, it's sometimes better than the real world!
Thanks for coming by, my friend!
Hey Ken...
That's what I'm talking about! So few tyhings in life bring back the memories like the ones of our old cars...unless it would be about our long lost loves!
I don't think we really want to go there, though!
Hey, buddy...thanks for stopping by today!
Hey JoJo...
I don't doubt for a minute that you probably were a terror in your younger years! Probably are still a handfull!
Nothing wrong with being a bit feisty, though! Keeps us young at heart!
Hey sweetie, thank for coming by...
Hey Tony...
We do indeed have a lot in common, buddy! We'll have to meet someday in person and share a cup!
If memo0ry serves me, you have been a Chevy man most all of your life...and we have that in common as well!
Hey, Tony...thanks for coming by today
Dh has given #5 the old car bug too. I can pick out the '57 Chevy cause Dad had one & can now tell a '56 Buick Special from a regular one. Instead of waiting until he was dead, fil has given dh the title to his '56 Buick Special. Under 40,000 original miles - he lived 2 miles from work & worked the same job til he retired. Dh will be the third owner. It needs interior work but he is so happy. Those Sunday afternoon drives would have been relaxing since there is plenty of room inside. Me - I'll take a coffee & brownie to go please.
Hey Stephanie...
I think the love for older model cars is indeed catching from one generation to another!
That's a very nice gift from FIL tyo DH...! I can understand his joy! Think how nice it will be to load up the family and take a drive through the countryside...
Thanks for coming by today...and your order is ready! Please pull up to the patio table and roll down the window!
You know it is real interesting how everyone can remember their first car. Mine was a 69 Camaro. Now of all the rigs I have owned my favorite had to be my 71 Toyota Landcrusier. Tough as nails and the reason behind that choice was that it is also the longest I ever owned 1 rig. I believe I had it for right around 20 years. There were other rigs with it but the old Toy was always there.
Well I don't remember of these babies way back when Jim. I guess for the most part is because I was'nt even hatched yet. But I do have to agree with you, they had class.
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