Neat pic

[f6john]

Though not very good quality. Probably just for shows but would be an attention grabber going down the interstate .




Hard to believe these cars that sold for $4 grand now command up to $200,000.

[Serk]

I've always liked the missile balloons.....

[AwesomeDad]

The roadrunner is my all time favorite car...

[vanagon40]

Serk's post reminded me of one of my favorite YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60nC1vg0gYk

I apologize for the hijack. You may now return to discussions of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote.

[f6john]

The roadrunner is my all time favorite car...

When the Road Runner came out in 1968 I was 16 years old and most of the Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars of that period stickered around $3,000.00 Given my financial circumstances it might as well have been $100,000. I loved going to town on Saturday evening just to listen to all the muscle cars cruise up and down Main Street. Little did I know that next year Dad would bring home a new (first new car ever) 1969 Dodge Charger. That was an awesome car to have in the driveway for a new teenage driver. Only picture I have of the car is one of my wedding pictures where my new wife and I are being driven away from the church, so only the back glass and roof surround.

[Oss]

great cars if you did not have to negotiate any turns

[Willow]

When the Road Runner came out in 1968 I was 16 years old and most of the Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars of that period stickered around $3,000.00 Given my financial circumstances it might as well have been $100,000. I loved going to town on Saturday evening just to listen to all the muscle cars cruise up and down Main Street. Little did I know that next year Dad would bring home a new (first new car ever) 1969 Dodge Charger. That was an awesome car to have in the driveway for a new teenage driver. Only picture I have of the car is one of my wedding pictures where my new wife and I are being driven away from the church, so only the back glass and roof surround.

In 1974 I drove my mother's Dodge Charger 383 from Oklahoma to Kansas and back again.  The speed limit was 55 and I was 23.  I got ticketed.    

[f6john]

great cars if you did not have to negotiate any turns

True by today’s standards but was a great driving car for its day. Dads car was a 383 and they came with something like 7.50-15 bias plus so just a switch to better tires made a big difference.

When the Road Runner came out in 1968 I was 16 years old and most of the Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars of that period stickered around $3,000.00 Given my financial circumstances it might as well have been $100,000. I loved going to town on Saturday evening just to listen to all the muscle cars cruise up and down Main Street. Little did I know that next year Dad would bring home a new (first new car ever) 1969 Dodge Charger. That was an awesome car to have in the driveway for a new teenage driver. Only picture I have of the car is one of my wedding pictures where my new wife and I are being driven away from the church, so only the back glass and roof surround.

In 1974 I drove my mother's Dodge Charger 383 from Oklahoma to Kansas and back again.  The speed limit was 55 and I was 23.  I got ticketed.    

By 17 I had accumulated enough points against my license, I had to go to drivers school or lose my privilege to drive for 6 months. In 1970 dollars I was paying $1200 a year for liability insurance, my 67 GTO only cost me $1,200.00. I was a slow learner. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Don't be so hard on yourself. It would be hard for a 62 year old not to get tickets, were I driving around a '67 GTO  at 17 I got plenty of tickets just with a '69 Caprice. (It did have a hopped up 396 though)

[Rams]

I was reared on a KS ranch/farm.   In KS (at that time) a 14 year old could be licensed for school, work and farm activities.   But, it was called a restricted license.

At 16, one could get a full license.   And, that I did.   Within about 4 months, I got my third speeding ticket.   Which meant to keep my license, I had to go to "Driver's School".   OK, that wasn't a problem, I'd actually been driving since I was about 12.

But, as my luck of have it, I was running late to get to driver's school and sure enough, got a speeding ticket on the way there.   When I arrived, the instructors gave me a look that was intended to put me in my place.   They told me to pay the ticket and they would try to save my license.   They did and I didn't get another ticket for about 17 years.   But, when I got one, it was a doosy.   

On the day my lady and I got engaged, that 280Z was just raring to get to our respective parent's homes to show off the ring I bought her.   Thought I was going to have to return that ring to pay the ticket and stay out of jail.    Now, I'm the guy in the slow lane (while in a cage and don't push it too hard on two wheels) and that suits me just fine. 

Almost got arrested on my KZ1000 back then also but, the Deputy Sheriff was into motorcycles and let me go.   Said he clocked me about 140, I didn't argue.
Rams

[Jess from VA]

Wow, it's great that there are so many others who were given the option of going (back) to driver's school (so soon after completing driver's ed), or get their driver's license suspended.  I did too.

I had to drive over two towns to take the class in another HS classroom at night.  They showed those god awful old Ohio State Police films called Mechanized Death, and Speed Kills, and others that included live film of people mangled to pieces in tangled auto wrecks, screaming their heads off, and the worst... a dead baby hanging in a tree.  If you closed your eyes or put your head down, you failed the course (and lost your license).  2-3 people blew their lunch during each film.  I never did, but I never ate anything before class either.  Pure shock treatment therapy for lead-footed youth.

So then when class was over, we all walked out to the parking lot, and it's packed full of the muscle cars of the era (Chevelles, Roadrunners, Cudas, hod rod 57' Chevys, Mustangs, yada), and then the roaring engines, and burn outs and doughnuts started.  People laughing their asses off.

I never told anyone, but those movies gave me some bad dreams.  About 50 years ago.

I slowed down to keep my driver's license, not to avoid terrible accidents.

Schools probably couldn't show these films today.  

https://stock.periscopefilm.com/43804-1961-horrific-drivers-education-film-mechanized-death/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAv1pfJqgU

 

[msb]

Always wanted a 69-70 Charger....my dream car when I was a teen. When I got a job at tbe foundry after high school and bought my first "real" car (as opposed to my First car...a '60 VW Bug), I needed a co-signer in order to get a loan to purchase a decent car. My Dad would not co-sign for the 69-70 Chargers I found for sale...wasn't going to contribute to what he thought would be another  irresponsible young guy racing around town. We both compromised, and  I talked him into signing for this '73 400 Plymouth Sattelite .Not the Roadrunner model, and not a true muscle car by any means,  but I lowered it and added the wheels and tires for looks, and it did have the big block. Turns out I didn't need a true muscle car...I  managed to rack up an impressive collection of speeding tickets in this car, stashing them in the glove box and comparing my pile to friends' piles of tickets. At that time the Provincial government changed  and the more Progressive party introduced ICBC...universal mandatory government-based auto insurance. With that came a suspension of drivers liscences if in possession of a certain amount of unpaid tickets. With me making decent money at the foundry and having paid off a good chunk of the existing car loan by that time, this allowed me to borrow money all on my own now....which I needed to do, to pay off those tickets so I could keep my liscence. Was NOT going back to hitchhiking. If I recall correctly, that sum I borrowed was about the same amount I paid for the car in the first place   Oh to be young and stupid again....it was kinda fun

[Robert]

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

My Mom was an office manager at a car dealership when she retired a few years ago. She had been working in the office at auto dealers since she was about 21. My Dad was a mechanic for many years before leaving the field to become a machinist. In 1971, my Dad left the Ford dealer he worked at because he got a good offer to work at the Dodge dealer across town. That's where he met my Mom. They were apparently had at least one thing in common; a lead right foot. He had a 1970 Boss 429 Mustang. My Mom had a 1969 Charger with a 440. I guess it was meant to be.

My Dad traded the Mustang in for a brand new F250 4x4 in 1972. Needed a truck to plow with and work around the house and yard. Poor Mom got a much worse deal, though. Her Charger went away to get a 1973 Ford Torino station wagon to cart around my brother and the soon-to-be 2nd kid; me.

I know it was many years ago. And the gas crisis wouldn't have helped either, but man, I'd love to have both of those stashed away somewhere.

[f6gal]

When the Road Runner came out in 1968 I was 16 years old and most of the Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars of that period stickered around $3,000.00 Given my financial circumstances it might as well have been $100,000. I loved going to town on Saturday evening just to listen to all the muscle cars cruise up and down Main Street. Little did I know that next year Dad would bring home a new (first new car ever) 1969 Dodge Charger. That was an awesome car to have in the driveway for a new teenage driver. Only picture I have of the car is one of my wedding pictures where my new wife and I are being driven away from the church, so only the back glass and roof surround.

In 1974 I drove my mother's Dodge Charger 383 from Oklahoma to Kansas and back again.  The speed limit was 55 and I was 23.  I got ticketed.    

Ahhh, 1974.  I got 7 speeding tickets that summer.

[Serk]

Ahhh, 1974.  I got 7 speeding tickets that summer.

I was working on pooping in the potty that summer.


 

[Patrick]

Are we talking about first cars ? Hmm.
I was born in a Studebaker parts room and brought up in Studebaker and Ford stores.
My first car at 14 was a 1948 Ford Coupe. The old Flattie didn't last long, we had a 1958 Caddie Barritz and I had to have that engine [ 360 with twin WCFBs]. Since I couldn't figure how to mate the transmission tail shaft to the Ford torque tube the Caddie rear end went in it. It just fried tires, you know those skinny bias tires of the time. So my grandfather had a fix, we narrowed the rear housings made an adapter for dual wheels. Reversed and offset the wheels and away it went.
He took in a 1958 Chrysler and I couldn't take my eyes off those valve covers and the spark plug wires that disappeared into the middle of them. Those AFBs helped too.  So that 392 Hemi went into that car in short order. It wasn't long before I found a 6-71 Detroit and pulled the wind maker off the side of it. Had to work all summer to save up enough for the blower manifold and drive unit. That woke that car up. Pretty good for a 16 yr old.
To the great disappointment of my family, Chrysler offered to pay to race for them. [ I tried to get Ford to do the same] So I ran a couple 426 Super Stocks for them. My first new car was an early 1968 340 Barracuda S. So, the point of this story is that I could have gotten any Chrysler for cheap. That included the Dodges or Plymouths [ which I tended to prefer] with the funny front ends and rear wings. At that time I thought they were ugly and no one would buy any such thing. I guess we all make super big mistakes, that was certainly a big one !

[f6john]

Reading this thread makes me think we were the Kool kids of our day whether we knew it or not!

[Rams]

Reading this thread makes me think we were the Kool kids of our day whether we knew it or not!

Oh, there is no doubt about it, I was just too stupid to recognize many opportunities that were there and I just didn't see them.

Rams

[The emperor has no clothes]

Always wanted a 69-70 Charger....my dream car when I was a teen. When I got a job at tbe foundry after high school and bought my first "real" car (as opposed to my First car...a '60 VW Bug), I needed a co-signer in order to get a loan to purchase a decent car. My Dad would not co-sign for the 69-70 Chargers I found for sale...wasn't going to contribute to what he thought would be another  irresponsible young guy racing around town. We both compromised, and  I talked him into signing for this '73 400 Plymouth Sattelite .Not the Roadrunner model, and not a true muscle car by any means,  but I lowered it and added the wheels and tires for looks, and it did have the big block. Turns out I didn't need a true muscle car...I  managed to rack up an impressive collection of speeding tickets in this car, stashing them in the glove box and comparing my pile to friends' piles of tickets. At that time the Provincial government changed  and the more Progressive party introduced ICBC...universal mandatory government-based auto insurance. With that came a suspension of drivers liscences if in possession of a certain amount of unpaid tickets. With me making decent money at the foundry and having paid off a good chunk of the existing car loan by that time, this allowed me to borrow money all on my own now....which I needed to do, to pay off those tickets so I could keep my liscence. Was NOT going back to hitchhiking. If I recall correctly, that sum I borrowed was about the same amount I paid for the car in the first place   Oh to be young and stupid again....it was kinda fun

It was kinda fun. I'm not sure I want to do it again though. That's a sweet looking Satellite   My Caprice similar to this, but is was maroon, jacked up with fat tires on the back. That 396 with cams, headers, and a Holley was a good engine.

[Jess from VA]

Always wanted a 69-70 Charger....my dream car when I was a teen. When I got a job at tbe foundry after high school and bought my first "real" car (as opposed to my First car...a '60 VW Bug), I needed a co-signer in order to get a loan to purchase a decent car. My Dad would not co-sign for the 69-70 Chargers I found for sale...wasn't going to contribute to what he thought would be another  irresponsible young guy racing around town. We both compromised, and  I talked him into signing for this '73 400 Plymouth Sattelite .Not the Roadrunner model, and not a true muscle car by any means,  but I lowered it and added the wheels and tires for looks, and it did have the big block. Turns out I didn't need a true muscle car...I  managed to rack up an impressive collection of speeding tickets in this car, stashing them in the glove box and comparing my pile to friends' piles of tickets. At that time the Provincial government changed  and the more Progressive party introduced ICBC...universal mandatory government-based auto insurance. With that came a suspension of drivers liscences if in possession of a certain amount of unpaid tickets. With me making decent money at the foundry and having paid off a good chunk of the existing car loan by that time, this allowed me to borrow money all on my own now....which I needed to do, to pay off those tickets so I could keep my liscence. Was NOT going back to hitchhiking. If I recall correctly, that sum I borrowed was about the same amount I paid for the car in the first place  Oh to be young and stupid again....it was kinda fun

Mike, that Satellite was a great car (if not the Charger you wanted).  

I also had a first Volkswagen, and then three more beaters in succession (all I could afford), until I could get one almost that nice.

But looking at you in this picture (from across the street), I could almost have been your brother at that age in my life.  A bit smaller (20lbs), but almost the identical red brown hair, the same length (long but not long enough to get thrown out of the house), and the same big mutton chop sideburns (I couldn't get a decent mustache at that age but my sideburns were extra red, and bushy).

I looked like the son of Scotsmen (and Irish)...... as opposed to today where I pass for a generic old bald white haired guy (with chin hair).    

 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Always wanted a 69-70 Charger....my dream car when I was a teen. When I got a job at tbe foundry after high school and bought my first "real" car (as opposed to my First car...a '60 VW Bug), I needed a co-signer in order to get a loan to purchase a decent car. My Dad would not co-sign for the 69-70 Chargers I found for sale...wasn't going to contribute to what he thought would be another  irresponsible young guy racing around town. We both compromised, and  I talked him into signing for this '73 400 Plymouth Sattelite .Not the Roadrunner model, and not a true muscle car by any means,  but I lowered it and added the wheels and tires for looks, and it did have the big block. Turns out I didn't need a true muscle car...I  managed to rack up an impressive collection of speeding tickets in this car, stashing them in the glove box and comparing my pile to friends' piles of tickets. At that time the Provincial government changed  and the more Progressive party introduced ICBC...universal mandatory government-based auto insurance. With that came a suspension of drivers liscences if in possession of a certain amount of unpaid tickets. With me making decent money at the foundry and having paid off a good chunk of the existing car loan by that time, this allowed me to borrow money all on my own now....which I needed to do, to pay off those tickets so I could keep my liscence. Was NOT going back to hitchhiking. If I recall correctly, that sum I borrowed was about the same amount I paid for the car in the first place  Oh to be young and stupid again....it was kinda fun

Mike, that Satellite was a great car (if not the Charger you wanted).  

I also had a first Volkswagen, and then three more beaters in succession (all I could afford), until I could get one almost that nice.

But looking at you in this picture (from across the street), I could almost have been your brother at that age in my life.  A bit smaller (20lbs), but almost the identical red brown hair, the same length (long but not long enough to get thrown out of the house), and the same big mutton chop sideburns (I couldn't get a decent mustache at that age but my sideburns were extra red, and bushy).

I looked like the son of Scotsmen (and Irish)...... as opposed to today where I pass for a generic old bald white haired guy (with chin hair).    

 

I thought we all looked like that in the 70's ? (Well, I might have been 20 lbs. lighter also) sorry Mike 

[msb]

Mike, that Satellite was a great car (if not the Charger you wanted).  

I also had a first Volkswagen, and then three more beaters in succession (all I could afford), until I could get one almost that nice.

But looking at you in this picture (from across the street), I could almost have been your brother at that age in my life.  A bit smaller (20lbs), but almost the identical red brown hair, the same length (long but not long enough to get thrown out of the house), and the same big mutton chop sideburns (I couldn't get a decent mustache at that age but my sideburns were extra red, and bushy).

I looked like the son of Scotsmen (and Irish)...... as opposed to today where I pass for a generic old bald white haired guy (with chin hair).    

 
[/quote]lol Jess, that's funny. That's an old pic so the colour's faded....so no red hair on this Canuck though. All through school my hair was half way down my back...had to cut it in order to get the job at the foundry, but no way I was getting rid of my awesome mutton chop 'burns  Actually still had 'em when I got married .

 

[Oldfishguy]

My high school car, still have it.  Had 6 warning tickets in high school, all from different LEO's;  I feel lucky to be alive from those years in that car.  Then again it probably saved me, I sold a Kawasaki H1 to buy this car.