Let's hear stories: how did you get your first cool car?

1990 240sx - highschool project car I raced for the H.S. drag team. I put a lot of money, blood, sweat and tears into that car and learned a ton in the process.

1999 accord - the result of a low ball craigslist offer, dull, but much more practical than the 240 for working in the outdoors.

1970 bmw 2002 - bought it from an economics professor in Washington. Moved to California via highway 1 last summer in the ambition to finish my auto design degree.

 

My first and only 'cool' car - a 1968 Mk III Triumph Spitfire.

But I had more fun in my '01 Sentra than all of the other cars that I've owned combined.

 

Chris - As you can see a 'Cool' car takes many forms - it can be funky, fast, and/or have generated many memories from under the hood, behind the wheel, or one of the other seats! It certainly has to generate passion and create memories, so don't waste time with any pedestrian-type vehicles. Waste not thy life in vain regret! My own cars:

The first - a '67 Sunbeam Alpine bought from an ad in the newspaper for $125. Finally - mobility independent of my parent's car (a '70 Ford sedan, one of the world's most notorious rust buckets). Mobility, until a rod came out the side of the engine block 200 miles later. Then after that was fixed, mobility until I hit a telephone pole at 40 mph. Back on my feet again!

Next - A TR4, bought on a really cold night thus inhibiting a thorough inspection. Next morning I noticed more than a little of the bodywork had disappeared due to rust. At least I sold all the parts from it for more than I paid for it - about the only car I made money on. At the same time I had another Alpine that I patched together and drove for a few years before I got hauled over for a safety inspection. One of the most memorable events with this car was trying show-up a Mustang musclecar driver in some curves on the local strip/hangout and having a cop driving a huge Dodge Monaco ghost car pass me on the inside at approx 60 mph. He cast me a filthy look of disgust before ripping off up the road on his call - I would still be in jail if he had pulled me over.

University Years - Winter driving duties were handled with a beat-up Toyota Corona that had the most perfect engine I've ever had in a used car. Even at 85,000 miles it always coloured the tailpipe tan and never used a drop of oil. After it got wrecked in an accident (about the only one I've ever been in that wasn't my fault) it was followed by an Opel GT, a car I really enjoyed until the heater failed and I just couldn't survive the 1/2 hour drive to school at 0 degrees. I traded it on a Toyota Celica that saw me through to graduation.

Graduation Presents - Shortly after getting my first Alpine I discovered the existence of the V8 powered model - the Sunbeam Tiger. I sacrificed driving for 8 months to pay for a very rusty Mk IA one during my second year of university, a bit of a folly as I never actually got it licensed for the road. Lots of dreams though. So when I graduated I convinced the bank to loan me a bag of money and started my quest for another. I ultimately bought another project car and spent several weeks getting it running, but it was well worth it. I drove this car over 40,000 miles the next 25 years with lots of fond memories including taking it on my honeymoon, driving my young kids in it, and then having my son drive it. I'm now in the process of restoring it. I also bought a MGB GT, my third car that year of graduation. The two most memorable moments with it were when I told my girlfriend about it and she realized I'd just spent her engagement ring money. The second was autocrossing it with the local Corvette club on an open course they set, and ending up with the fourth fastest time of the day behind three very modified Vettes. I only sold it because I had the Tiger and another Alpine, and one man cannot have 3 old British sportscars, a wife, a full-time job, and sleep all in the same lifetime.

Early Married Life - After mistakenly selling the Celica and suffering through the ownership of an AMC Spirit and Ford Fiesta, we finally bought our first really nice car - an Audi Coupe. Another car I loved, but the hidden damage from yet another accident precipitated reliability issues at the time when I needed a reliable family car. So it was replaced by a Honda and then minivans. At least I still had the Tiger and Alpine.

The 911 - After reaching 40 with my sanity intact I decided to fulfill my dream of Porsche ownership. I spent over a year looking for the right car and after looking at several I found a Grand Prix White '87 Carrera. I'll never forget the owner opening the garage door and seeing it for the first time and thinking - that's the one! We went for a ride and then I made him an offer; he declined it and started to ponder his counter offer and I was just standing there thinking 'Just give me a number and I'm going to say yes'. I've never regretted it, and am still enjoying it 12 years and 45,000 miles later. One of the best memories is DE at Mosport and touching redline in fourth at the end of the straight lap after lap - about 125 mph.

Ferrari - Unfortunately not an owner yet, but I'm working on it!

Gary

P.S. - Then there are the ones that got away, perhaps a topic for another thread.

 

Excellent point!

I wanted a real drivers car - but on a budget - so I built one

A Westfield SE - ~500kg, 120hp - what fun
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Then raced it in the Targa Tasmania Rally and won our class
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My first cool car was given to me by my Dad upon high school graduation in 1969. It was a '67 Mercury Cougar XR7. It had a stick shift and a seriously powerful Ford V8. I sold it 2 years later when I needed money to finish college and set up my first apartment. Drove a series of cars thereafter including an MGB, VW Bug, Nova, Impala, Celica, Audi, Acura, Lexus, Mercedes, Infinity. Bought my first toy in '82 - a '61 MGA Roadster. I restored it to near-concours and drove it for 15 years. Bought a '66 Austin Healey 3000 (BJ8) in 2001 - restored it and still own it. Bought a "restored" '68 Jag E-type in 2004 - restored it some more - still have it also. Both cars are in show condition and awesome to own and drive. But alas they spend more time in the garage than on the road.
Randy
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- absolutely!

 

Chris - In regards to the cost restoring a car, it costs a small fortune and a few years of steady work to restore a car to 'driver' status. It costs a large fortune and many years of laborious detail work to restore a car to a concours level of finish. Review Paul Newman's thread on Ferrarichat outlining the restoration he did on his 308 to see the level of commitment required to do this.

I would recommend not buying a car to restore as my first 'cool' car - you'll never finish it. If you spend the time to find a rust-free example, well maintained of what you want and pay the money up front, you'll be able to go down to the DMV and license it immediately. Drive it, maintain it, fix it when it breaks and don't worry about it breaking - enjoy the fun ownership experience to the max!

One last recommendation, given your musical interests. Keep some money aside and get a good audio system installed, then you can enjoy two of your passions together.

Gary