What cars you have owned, driven, or lusted after most changed your perception of the automobile? What car or cars made you an auto enthusiast?

My Automotive Milestones

From the beginning . . .

1952 Cadillac Convertible – my uncle’s new midlife crisis-mobile. I’ve never forgotten the smell of the leather interior, the automatic transmission (which Dad and Uncle Bill tried to convince my 8-year old self was built for a one-legged man), power windows, or the quiet authority with which it passed down the road. It was the first luxury car I’d ever seen. In sub-conscious homage, my first three cars were painted to match that beautiful metallic emerald green.


Photo courtesy www.hubcapcafe.com

1955 Austin Healey 100-4 – my introduction to British sports cars in my freshman year at college. As practical as a glass hammer, my roommate's car taught me about a third use for the automobile. First, of course, was racing, next, transportation, but this little four-banger in an aluminum body taught me they could also be FUN! Seven hours in a cold autumn rainstorm in 1961 – easily the most miserable road trip of my life – changed me into a lifelong hobbyist . . . it took a week to get the grin off my face.


Photo courtesy Larry Varley

1960 Jaguar XK-150S – My introduction to the "Gentleman's Express", the limited-edition precursor of the XK-E; with the vastly improved engine, fully independent suspension, and brakes of the E-Type, installed in the gorgeous classic shell of the XK-150 body. It was actually spacious for a sports car, unlike the "E" that followed. Already a classic by 1963, it was the definition of "class" - in Old English White with red leather, I was totally and completely smitten . . . you never forget your first love . . .


Photo courtesy www.classic-touring.co.uk

1964 Sunbeam Tiger – the prototype for the Shelby Cobra, it was a normal, staid British convertible shoehorned with a 260 CID Ford Cobra V-8. Light weight and incredible power made it blindingly fast. It sold for about half the price of a Cobra, had most of the performance, worse brakes, and much improved creature comforts. Was the engine a tight fit? The floorpan was modified at the forward end of the transmission hump to accommodate the V-8 - you changed the rear sparkplugs by removing rubber bungs in the floorpan from inside the car. (Yes, Maxwell Smart drove one in the opening credits of “Get Smart” after the first seasons’ Karmann-Ghia)


Photo courtesy www.ritzsite.net/Tiger

1966 Shelby Mustang – noisy, hot, loud, and smelly, with a punishing ride - the car was as crude as a battle-axe – but what a ride! Somewhere between a NASCAR stocker and a LeMans coupe, this classic got me over my fascination with quirky English cars. For the next ten years, my dreams featured American muscle!


Photo courtesy www.fast-autos.net

. . . . and many others

 

Youre older then I thought!

 

Believe it or not my first car was the start of it all. I had the 2nd gen Mitsu Lancer GSR 1.8 L non turbo engine. In 1983 that was the car to have in my country. Ever since then I was hooked into cars and just became even more invloved with it. I don't have any pics of my ride but that was a sweet car. BTW I like the rims on that Tiger car (Mini-lite magnisium rim) they don't make those anymore just replicas.

 

my first real love was the z32 300zx. i remember back in 1989 receiving a promo book from nissan and fell in love with the car.

 

Porsche 944, Porsche 928 (love it after seeing Risky Business), 83-91 Honda Preludes, 90-96 300ZX

 

I don't think any ONE particular car turned me into an enthusiast. However, a number of models stand out for various reasons. I like Subarus for winter and practicality, big Buicks and the Lexus LS400/430 for ride comfort, The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner and 1970 Pontiac GTO as muscle cars, the Miata for winding roads ( though I can't really fit in one ) , the pre-Chris Bangle BMW 528 for a solid build and wonderful steering and chassis feel, the 1995-1999 Celica as a beautiful coupe, and the Saturn S-series for its many innovations. Oh, and of course, the IS300. I fell in love with a bright yellow one at the 2001 Washington, DC Auto show and ended up getting one a few months later.

 

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER! and TOYOTA CROWN. i love 'em

 

Toyota Supra. I first fell in love with that car in 1996. Found out about it from back in the day when i used to read the New Car Issue of Automobile Magazine cover to cover.

 

1996 porsche 911 turbo. i think it was the only car that went 0-60 in under 4 seconds on the back of the motortrend magazine. i also used to watch motortrend tv on tnn and record it. nowadays i watch top gear which blows away any show in america. when i was a freshman in high school i bought an issue of turbo magazine and learned about the import scene. it was the issue on world's fastest dsm's so the first engine designation i learned by heart was 4g63.

 

the Toyota Supra, still my number one pick, Evolution IV and V, Lambo Countach, my dad's early 90's benz e240, and alot more!!!

 

Ah, I can remember it easy. Back when I was young my dad was really into old trucks. He had one old green one, can't remember what year or make, but then, he but an old grimey red 1957 chevy pickup from a friend at it became our little project. We got a new Chevy small block (350), front discs, Bell Air front suspension, Explorer bucket seats switched out for the bench, digital dash, sound system, and a nice bed with hard tonneau (sp?) cover. We still had to do carpeting and electric windows before we finished up, but he sold it in '95 or '96 and picked up a C4 Corvette. If we woulda had it till now, it would have been my first car.

So last August we went to a big Harley meet (he rides Harleys) and we saw the guy who bought the truck! He'd put new heads on a redid the complete exhaust and this old '57 was running mid 14's which isn't bad at all for the thing! I snapped a pic or two. Here's the best one I took.



James

 

From personal expercience, the car that changed me forever is the SC 400 my father currently drives. Coming from FWD cars in my short driving life, to drive and own a RWD, V-8 car, even with an automatic, I knew that was probably the setup I want for the rest of my life. It changed me forever.

Now the cars as a youth that made me an enthusiast.
K..I.T.T aka the Trans Am
Lamborghini Countach, still a dream car of mine
Pantera
Ferrari Testerossa, those cheese grate sides screamed EXOTIC
Mustang 5.0, from "Jake and the Fatman".
When people used to buy small compact trucks and drop them and put hydralics on them
IROC Camero,
Chevey Beretta GTZ (I wanted one bad)
Isuzu Stylus (I also loved this car)
Nissan 300ZX, I think I will still buy a used one, this car is PERFECT
Lexus SC 300/400
Honda Prelude


Funny but my love for Porsche was not when I was a kid, only very recently.

 

 

Not any one car made me an enthusiast but several incidents caused it. First my grandfather. He worked on his own cars. During the time we lived with him he would call me out to help him fix his cars. When I got my first car he wouldn't let me take it to the shop, we would fix it together.

Another seed planter was my stepfather would tell me to buy a Porsche. He said that kind of car was an investment. When I was a kid in the 70's, we didn't know much about Porsche but he did. He begged me to buy one when I got my first job out of college. He said, live at home, spend all your paycheck on the car. In 10 years the car will still have value. Instead I was in a hurry to move out on my own.

Another seed planter was my cousin who had a Superbee and raced it. Those were the days.

There were many more but I'd be writing forever.

 

it took ONE magazine.


i was in Australia at the time--and i currently don't even remember the name of the magazine. it was a car magazine obviously, and at the end of each issue, it listed every single car currently for sale (new) in the country, classifying them through their brands alphabetically, model, trim, price, and the type of vehicle. i was hooked. i dedicated myself to making the best of this magazine and trying to memorize everything from Bentley to Volkswagen. this was in the 3rd grade.


now i'm 18, more into cars than ever. Motor Trend, Automobile, Top Gear, you name it....