What was the coolest car your parents owned?

In reply to AngryCorvair :

So you killed it by being a bad boy!

My dad had some cool cars I wish I still had.

'52? CJ-3A was the first I know of.

'56 Ford Crown Vic. Customized with paint and underbody lights, then a Police Interceptor engine/trans. Drove to California and street-raced it (won a lot) several times, then went off a cliff on the way home with some buddies. Walked to town and sold the car (still at the bottom of a ravine) to somebody for the engine.

'62 Ford Galaxie 500 Sunliner convertible, bought new. 390 engine. Not his.

'64? Corvair convertible. Mom hit gravel, ended up upside down sideways in the ditch. Don't know how we all (her plus 4 kids) walked away. Unsafe at any speed!

1969 Mercury Marauder X100. My favorite car ever. Still mad he wouldn't sell it to me (I was 11) when he got rid of it. I'm still looking for it. Not it, but very close.

'65/6 Jeep Wagoneer, several 1977 Jeep CJ-7's.

Probably more I don't know about. 

My uncles though, they had the coolest cars.

Woody said:

I almost thought that I couldn't play this game, as my parents most certainly weren't car people.

But then I remembered back to 1981. My mother was still driving a 1973 Plymouth Fury III with a 360 four barrel that they had bought moments before the gas crisis hit and my father had picked up an orange 1974 Subaru DL (automatic!), because everyone in America had rushed out to buy a fuel efficient import by then.

The Subaru was E36 M3 and the Plymouth was failing as fast as it possibly could. My mother was working at the hospital and Dad had recently bought a business that was doing fairly well. I think he wanted to show off a bit. I remember looking at Cadillacs, an Oldsmobile 98 Regency and Chrysler Fifth Avenues. I kind of hated all of them, though I was secretly rooting for the dark blue Oldsmobile. My mother, who would be the primary driver, was pushing for something fuel efficient. Our neighbors had just bought a first generation Honda Accord and I really liked it. We test drove one and it was so good that Mom and I were pushing hard for that one.

But Dad's high school friend, who owned a Chrysler Plymouth dealership, had recently started selling Mazdas. My parents drove a couple of 626s and Dad was hooked, even though Mom and I were still trying to convince him to buy the Honda.

They had two Mazdas in stock, both were a beautiful metallic brown, but one was a five speed and the other was an automatic with the sunroof. There was much debate. I wanted both, but Mom said that she didn't really want to deal with a clutch again, so they got the automatic with the sunroof and corduroy interior.

That 1981 Mazda 626 Luxury sedan turned out to be one of my favorite cars ever. 2.0l, OHC, front engine, rear wheel drive. It was a great little car (!). They owned it for about a decade and I'd buy another today if there were any left. It was essentially a Japanese BMW.

After that, there were a couple of Accords that were okay and a 1996 Volvo 850 GLT that was essentially his Swedish Oldsmobile. Nice solid car, but not as cool as the Mazda.

This one belongs to someone else, but their car looked just like this:

That's exactly what our 1980 looked like, other than the steering wheel being on the other side. I really enjoyed that car. 

The fact that it had new tires on the front and not on the rear made it extra fun. I could take it through a wet roundabout without using the steering wheel.

2GRX7 said:

 

This sparks another Dad story. In 1971 he went to the Ford dealership in Brookings/Harbor Oregon, placed his order for a Mustang Mach1 and handed over the deposit. This was the kind of small town where everyone knew each other and my dad being the town milkman was even more known than most. The owner of the dealership called my grandfather when he saw the order and said "Looks like Mike is trying to buy a muscle car, I know he just got married and they have a baby on the way. I don't think this is a good car for a new family" I guess my grandfather agreed and a few months later when my dad got the call that his new car was in he raced to the dealership to find a brand new 1971 Pinto wagon waiting for him. He raised hell of course but the owner called his dad and my 22 year old father was berated in public and shamed into buying the last car he ever would have purchased.

He says a very pregnant woman does not fit well in a Pinto. 

He still wants a 71 Mach one badly yet has never bought one in the hundreds of cars he has had since then.

Adrian_Thompson said:

In reply to AngryCorvair :

So you killed it by being a bad boy!

shut the berkeley up.   i've been living with that guilt for 36 years now, i don't need to hear it from you!

:-P

My pops had a 63 splitwindow with 4 speed 4:11 gears and 365hp 327. 

But my favorite was a Datsun Fairlady they he bought for $500 and could get second gear scratch if shifted right. 

Now he drives a towncar : (

1988RedT2 said:

Being the offspring of parents who had lived through the Great Depression, my parents were both extremely practical.  No car they ever bought was going to be frivolous, impractical, or "cool".  Nothing foreign or sporty would ever be considered.  Once purchased, the car would be driven, maintained, repaired, and driven until it could go no further.  The only cars my parents ever got rid of were taken to the junkyard, never sold or traded.  They were flat slam used up.

In spite of that, I suppose a few things they owned might be viewed as "cool" today.  When I was born, Dad was driving a 50's Willy's wagon.  Got rid of that for the 1963 Ford Falcon wagon with the 170 Special and 3-on-the-tree.  My Grandpa owned a 1965 Chevy Chevelle Malibu Coupe when he passed away.  That car became my mom's, and later my brother's.

And that's about it for cool.  Even today, Pops is driving a Camry.  In beige.  Some things never change. 

The depression did that to a lot of people.  My  grandpa had a trucking company and he would keep running tires even with the cords showing.  How his “frugality” didn’t kill somebody is beyond me.  These were gasoline tankers too!

iceracer said:

'27-32 Stutz sedan.  Not sure of the exact year.   My Dad was a Stutz dealer until the company crashed.

Rode all the way from upstate NY to Montauck Point and back in the back seat.

 This was long before super highways. 

Since I was really young I have very little memory of the trip, just a few events.

My dad became a Willys dealer in 1937 and carried on through all the changes till 1964.

Your father was a Stutz dealer?!  Good lord dude, just how berking old are you?  :-)

Well mom had a '64 Corvair Monza convertible. 4 speed 4 carb. Then a 67 Coronet 383 / 727. Finally a 69 Mustang fastback 302 4spd.

Dads cool stuff was a '58 Bugeye Sprite purchased in Europe while in the Army. Be brought it home with him. Then a big Pontiac convertible, (62?). Finally a 70 Camaro RS Split bumper 4 spd.

All those cars were bought new at the time.

When I was in 2nd grade Dad bought a 1956 Ford "Vicky" with a 312 Y-block, Mallory ignition, and Lake pipes made with pipe caps on the end.  It was black, with no A/C in Columbus, GA, but it was cool.  It had spider web decals around the edge of the windshield and a 3 speed on the floor.  We took it to the drag strip a few times and my 83 year old mom is still mad that he didn't let her run it at the strip!

From where we lived in a trailer park, our road teed into Victory Drive with a Donut shop directly across.  Our favorite line was "spin out Momma!" She'd spin the tires halfway across Victory Drive, and into the gravel lot of the Donut shop with the brakes locked up as the girls working there would run to the back of the shop until the car came to a stop!

Probably mom's '79 Ramcharger. Her '89 Grand Wagoneer is a close 2nd. No pictures of it unfortunately. 

Bugeye Sprite and not too many years later  a Ford Fairlane with a 390, a 4 speed and a posi. The bugeye was before my time, so I’ve only heard stories and seen a few pics of it. The fairlane I rode in as an infant to run errands like go to the grocery store and such. Again, I do not remember it other than stories and pics. 

my mom was NOT a car person... at ALL.  Her cars were a 64 Buick Special, and later a 72 Buick Skylark 

my dad liked a few cars... first I remember was an early 60s 190 sedan, followed by his favorite... 1969 Volvo 164.  After the Volvo it was a 76 Accord hatchback, followed by a pair of Peugeot 505's one 1980, the other 84.  After the Peugeots, there was a 92 Lexus ES300(5 spd), and his last was a Prius.

In reply to A 401 CJ :

Older than I should be.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Cedar Grove NJ. Mom was warrantee clerk for Bekrag Imported Cars in East Orange while Dad was service manager/parts manager/line mechanic. He got an OK pay packet, but Mom's only compensation was the company car. Which changed frequently, it was always a trade-in piece. That is her A40 Austin in the backgound of the Lancia pic. I was nearly born in the A40 All the Bekrag stuff ended when Dad quit and founded The Pit Stop inc. in 1960, financed by his old buddy who got an inheritance and then neaded someone to work on the Ferrari and Bugattis he bought! I was raised in this mileau....

Before I was born mom had owned a Corvair Monza Spyder Turbo & a Buck Wildcat. When I was around 10 they bought a 61 Chevy Belair & she overhauled the engine in our garage with the help of a neighbor  

Dad was never much of a car-guy, though there are 2 he owned when I was old enough to drive that I had zero respect or admiration for them, but wish I could find cheap/good enough to own now: a 77 Country Squire wagon with a 351M/4bbl, and a 78 Town Car. 

A 401 CJ said:

iceracer said:

'27-32 Stutz sedan.  Not sure of the exact year.   My Dad was a Stutz dealer until the company crashed.

Rode all the way from upstate NY to Montauck Point and back in the back seat.

 This was long before super highways. 

Since I was really young I have very little memory of the trip, just a few events.

My dad became a Willys dealer in 1937 and carried on through all the changes till 1964.

Your father was a Stutz dealer?!  Good lord dude, just how berking old are you?  :-)

Birthday: May 30, 1929.  Iceracer may be our most senior member.  

Woody said:

But Dad's high school friend, who owned a Chrysler Plymouth dealership, had recently started selling Mazdas. My parents drove a couple of 626s and Dad was hooked, even though Mom and I were still trying to convince him to buy the Honda.

They had two Mazdas in stock, both were a beautiful metallic brown, but one was a five speed and the other was an automatic with the sunroof. There was much debate. I wanted both, but Mom said that she didn't really want to deal with a clutch again, so they got the automatic with the sunroof and corduroy interior.

That 1981 Mazda 626 Luxury sedan turned out to be one of my favorite cars ever. 2.0l, OHC, front engine, rear wheel drive. It was a great little car (!). They owned it for about a decade and I'd buy another today if there were any left. It was essentially a Japanese BMW.

The only car I ever bought brand new was a 1980 Mazda 626, a blue two door w/five speed.  They were great little cars, I had mine for 20 years before it finally rusted away.  I periodically look around online to see if there are any first gen 626's for sale, but it appears they've all disappeared from the face of the earth.

As for my dad, long before my time he had a Model T Ford touring car when he was in high school in the 1920s, and a 1932 Ford Tudor when he was in college in the 1930s.  Of course, they were just used cars at the time.  The one that made an impression on me was a 1961 Pontiac Catalina - it was a good looking car, and fairly fast for the time.  I remember shortly after the Ford Mustang first came out, we were sitting at a stop light next to one and for some inexplicable reason Dad decided to race the guy.  He beat him, with three of us kids in the back seat.    My first car was also a 1961 Catalina, and I've owned at least one '61 Pontiac ever since.

OjaiM5 said:

My pops had a 63 splitwindow with 4 speed 4:11 gears and 365hp 327. 

might be the coolest.....

In reply to NickD :

My parents aren't exactly enthusiasts. My dad had a Fiat 128 when I was little. My mom had an '85 Civic hatchback that used to amaze me with its futuristic fuel injection that actually started in the rain.

Wow, some of your parents had cool cars. My parents only had transportation cars. Dad had one cool car before he met mom, a very early 50's Pontiac convertible. He did have a Renault Daphene when I was born. Traded in on a new 61 Dodge Dart w/slant-6 and 3-on-the-tree. Mom drove a 62 Rambler station Wagon, again 6-cylinder. Drove both out to CA when we moved there in the mid-60's. Rambler traded in for a new 68 Dodge Polara Wagon with a 383 V8 to tow a camper trailer. Then we got our 1st Class A motorhome, a Pace Arrow 21', the Polara wagon and Shasta camper traded in for it. The Dart was sold for a 69 Datsun 510 Wagon and then bought a 64 Chevelle that may sound cool but it was a 4-door with a small 6-cyl, powerglide and power nothing. Manual steering and brakes. Learned to drive in the Datsun wagon. That traded in for a 71 Impala 4-door. It did have the 400 small block in it and would light the rear tires half a block. The 1st motorhome was traded in on a new 74 Pace Arrow 25'. Helped drive it cross country at 16 years old towing a utility trailer w/2 motorcycles. After I left home, dad traded in the Chevelle for what he called his old man sports car. A 78 Dodge Magnum w/318 and hubcaps. The Impala was sold and a Crown Vic replaced it. After all of us kids left the motorhome went and he got a Ford F250 w/slide-in camper. That was eventually replaced with a couple Chevy trucks and a 5th wheel camper. The Magnum went away when he replaced the 1st Chevy heavy-3/4T extended cab long bed with small block for another heavy 3/4T extended cab long bed with 454. He wasn't happy with the way the small block towed. Mom sold the truck, camper and the Crown Vic and got a Buick Century when dad passed away in 98. Mom still has the 98 Buick, says she'll keep it until she can't drive anymore, she's 83 years old now. 

Dad did give me my 70 Opel GT but he never drove it although he had it 10 years. He bought it to teach my youngest sister engines. He was an aircraft mechanic that started out as an aircraft engine mechanic. All of us kids had to explain to him how an engine works and rebuild one when we were teenagers. I rebuilt the engine in the previously mention Datsun 510 Wagon. Next younger sister rebuilt a 68 Yamaha 350 twin 2-stroke street motorcycle. The Opel was my youngest sister engine project, she rebuilt it but never got it running. I helped when I was home on leave between duty stations in the army. Dad didn't know about the non-op registration in CA plus no smog equipment on the car so with the cost of all that was more than the car was worth back around 93 when it was just a used car so he gave it to me and sent me the paperwork. I drove out from KY/TN where I was stationed at the time in my K5 Blazer and flat towed it home. Got it running and drove it a while before tearing it apart for a complete restoration.

What a great thread. My ol' Paw had 3 cool cars. The early 60's pushbutton trans Plymouth ex state patrol car was before my time, it went away when the torque strap broke and the engine went into the radiator, doing much other damage in the process. I just barely remember the Saab Monte Carlo. Not just the regular normal 2stroke Saab but the hotted up version. The thing was and still is Scandicool. I wonder where it is now. Then he bought a '72 240Z in 1974 and sold it about 15 years ago. If I'd had a place to park it I woulda bought it, dammit.

But our longtime pal Jake might be in the running here... he had a '57  fuelie Vette in Socal that he raced at Riverside and Willow and Laguna and such against Bondurant and Shelby and others. He also had a goldern 300 SL gullwing. Yah. But when it needed 3 grand of work in the mid 60's and it was only a 3500 buck  german sportscar, he sold it. I

Really wonder where those 2 are these days...

My dad was a pretty high ranking guy in SCCA in TX when I was really young.  He had lots Of TR3s, TR4s, and then got into rotary Mazda's.  He had lots of RX2s and RX3s.  He got a 79 RX7 on bank repo from a banker friend.  He complained about how expensive it was a lot.  He built up a nice 81 RX7 from two wrecked cars with custom paint and wheels.  He had one of the first 87 RX7 turbos built and flew to CA to meet it right off the ship.  His company also did durability testing in the TX summer on the 3rd gen RX.

Dad had car / racing friends too and because of them I got to ride in a few Vettes, a Pantera, a bank repo 928 my dad almost bought and a Plymouth Superbird....  I'm still sad my dad's racing buddy sold the Superbirds (he had two) before I started buying cars.  

The recent cool car thing dad did:  he and his racing buddy relocated Benny Parsons NASCAR championship car and took it to Tex Powell to be restored.  It's now in the NASCAR museum.  My dad's buddy bought it and ran it in the mid late 70s. It always was a fast car / chassis.

My father's European, which meant that he's always had an affinity for European cars, specifically VWs. When I was pretty young my parents had a 411 and then a 412, both wagons. I wish I had one of those now.

My mother grew up outside Detroit in a family full of Ford management, which of course meant that her first car was a 63 Pontiac Le Mans convertible (it was sold before I was born). As an aside, her family had all kinds of cool Ford stuff in the 50s and 60s, including some show cars. A cousin still has the early-60s Tbird that my great-uncle had Ford engineering stuff a NASCAR engine in. When I was in high school my mother bought an 88 Mustang GT convertible, which was entertaining in its way. She sold it off after 20 years with less than 50k miles on it.

In 1968, my dad bought a 1966 Plymouth police car.  It had a cop motor, a 383-cubic-inch plant. It had cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It was a model made before catalytic converters so it ran good on regular gas. 

It would also go 120 mph on El Mirage Lake with my dad, mom, my two little brothers and me in it....