My very first car was a 1978 red Plymouth Volare Station Wagon that I bought with my own money for $500.
I was about to be 16 and about to get my license, at least that was the plan. That car sat in the driveway while I went over every inch of her tightening bolts and cleaning floor mats. The problem was I kept failing my driver’s license test, 5 times in fact. Don’t get me wrong, I was good at driving, its just I was so feral I did not know there was a pamphlet you were supposed to study BEFORE you tried your written test.
Question 4. How soon before your turn are you to use your turn signal? (actual answer 250 ft).
My answer was “in enough time to let the cars around you know that you intend to turn.” Oh, and also “don’t use it yet if there are upcoming turns you don’t plan to make before your desired turn”
Just for your information, there is apparently no partial credit for answers which are technically incorrect even if they are in the spirit of the correct response.
I also got a failing mark for things like ‘taking on hand off of the steering wheel’ while performing my parallel parking. I get it, 10 and 2 was the safe way to do it, but I still maintain my harsh critiques had something to do with my misanthropic malcontent appearance. We will never know for sure.
I had this car tricked out with all the best stickers and homemade stereo equipment.
The windshield wipers did not work so when it was raining we literally had people in the back seat pulling a complicated series of pulley and levers to manually make the wipers go back and forth.
She could easily get 11 people to the party on time, no problem.
What If this bench seat could talk……
I lost this sweet ride and it was my own fault.
Car maintenance is a harsh and pitiless Mistress.
Change your oil folks or it will take from you that which you love.
My second car was a 1977 all white Chevy Caprice Classic with the curved back windshield and all white interior. Everyone thought I was an undercover cop car and acted accordingly, I loved it. I bought it for $700 and was now more mature, so it was not covered in stickers. However I still had not learned my lesson about routine car maintenance and blew the head gasket after only 2 years.
So after 5 years, we have spent a total of $1,200 on cars and will not need a car for the next 5 years or so due to city living and/or extreme poverty.
Next we will flash forward to my life in late law school with my live in girlfriend who will shortly become my wife.
Othala Fehu 