Your First Car

My first car was a 47 Willys Sedan Delivery that I bought from a farmer for $50 that had sat in a field for 30 years. Engine was rusted solid, as well as the tranny, but it was unique in that it didn't have any windows in the back. Spent that summer putting in a 283 and 4 speed, still get chills remembering firing it up the first time and the smile I must have had when it moved under it's own power. Guess I should have checked the gearing since the top speed at 5000 rpm was a whopping 48 miles an hour, but I could hook on to anything and pull it all day long. It was a blast to drive, just impratical to drive on the highway.

I've always loved Mopars, had a 71 challenger that I'm still kicking myself for getting rid of. My grandfather drove Dodge trucks and AMC cars, still have his 78 truck in a barn, my dad drove Dodges, various vans and trucks when I was growing up. I've always been impressed with the abuse I put 318s through and they kept running.

Also had a couple of Aspens and Volares, and a Monaco. Wish I still had one of my Aspens that I put a 383 in, and a Volare that had a warmed up 360 in. I got turned off Mopars with an Intrepid, great engine, lousy car so went to imports, but trying to get back into older Mopars. I'm hoping my mom's 72 Dart Swinger is still on her old farm, I would love to drag that home and build it up, partly for it being a Dart Swinger, and partly since she's been gone 5 years now and it would be cool to have that piece of her around. I think my son picked a Duster to build to be different from his friends that have Chevelles and Mustangs.