What was your 1st car?

[Bill Rose]

I went thru 3 cars in my senior year in H.S. ... The first was a 65 triple black 442, which was owned by a local gas station owner. I paid $800.00 for it. Had a blast in that car for about 4 months. Then some kid with more money than brains offered me twice what I paid for it, so.....

I took the profits from the 442, and bought a real nice used red 68 SS-396/350 h.p. Chevelle. Same thing happened to the Chevelle after a few months of my pounding that thing whenever the time was right. Some guy REALLY wanted it, and paid me way more than it was worth.

By then I had enough cash for my dream 67 white Vette coupe. Small block, blue interior. Actually I bought the Vette from a gas station owner too. I drove the Vette, the last half of senior year. Then came the wild summer after H.S. graduation.

One hot Sunday afternoon, I was cruising along a country road in my Vette, with my girl friend, and didn't see the 69 GTO slam his brakes on in front of me, to make a turn. The GTO was jacked up in the back. I slammed into his undercarriage, and squashed the Vette, in a cloud of dust, up to the windshield. No one was hurt, but what a mess of tiny pieces of shredded fiberglass, mixed in with antifreeze. This was to be my 1st experience restoring a car. No frame or engine damage, because the GTO sat so high, but I learned at an early age, how to do fiberglass work, and paint. It took about 6 months, but it looked perfect when it was done. Luckily, I haven't wrecked a car since.

Anyway, those were my first 3 cars. All hot rods!