Glen

My first car was a 1967 Dodge Dart GT. It was a 2 door with a slant 6 and 3 on the tree. Purchased for @ 500$ in 1979....

dcpmark

A '71 Porsche 914.....purchased for $3k in 1981.

Phil

1970 karmin kia purchased in 1982 for 500.00

Kevin Reilly

'78 Ford Fiesta. No air, no stereo, no nuthin'. But a good car nevertheless.

Greg Fishman

I had the use of two cars when I turned 16, my dad reminded me several times that I didn't own either one.
1981 Mercury Marquis(LTD, cop car) not a Grand Marquis those had split bench front seats,and plusher veleour interior. This was a stripped model with a real bench seat,crank windows, a two barrell carb (dad wouldn't let me change it to a four barrel, that ownership thing came up again)
Great for running around with 8-10 people in the car, or for those times when you need some extra room, no further explaination needed.
1987 Camaro Iroc 5.7 cool car for the time and way too fast for a 16 y/o. I was joe street racer and thankfully didn't get hurt.
Managed to get three tickets in short order. The most interesting one was "jumping" through an intersection, actually it was more like flying since all four wheels were off the ground, according to the police officer that was stopped at the red light. Car slammed to the ground with spark showers and the tranny (4 spd auto) downshifted from D to 1, two months later the car was having a new tranny installed and dad was still clueless. At least until the Circuit Judge that took care of my reckless driving ticket ran into my dad at a ball game. That was one game I never wanted to end. Car was gone within 9 months and dad got my mom a Cadillac Deville.
First car I personally owned was a 92 nissan Maxima with 5 spd and 195hp engine, very nice car.
$20k or so, I earned it as my dad made me drive a 86 Taurus 5 spd 4 cyl 100hp pos for 6 years after the Marquis died. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Anir

A 1985 Honda Civic, which I painted Corvette yellow (even the windshield wipers) after fixing some hailstorm damage myself. I read a book on painting by Hot Rod magazine, rented a booth, and did it. Even put candy apple metalflake in the top coat (can't believe I'm telling ya'll this!).

If that wasn't bad enough, I lowered it with Tokico shocks and Eibach springs, and then outfitted it with Momo wheels and Pirellis.

Embarassingly, I fear I may have been one of the original "ricers" (no offense intended), and I still get grilled frequently by long-term friends, who kindly remind me of my long lost "canary", "taxi", "tweety", "banana", etc.

I guess I've come a long way, but growth isn't hard when you start off that far down!!!

Eric in Chicago

Circa 1979
1970 Cutlass 442. 15 years old, I used to hang around the local body shop.They had a 442 that got pretty banged up, help the shop owner rebulit it I asked him to take off all the 442 badges and convinced my parents that a "big car" would be safer for a 16 year old. They had no idea! paid my parents back the 1200.00 dollars the car cost and paid the shop owner back the 2500.00 more that it was really worth! Parents would not let me behind the wheel untill my 16th b day. What a car! Street racing in Detroit, no one knew what they were up against!

Jeff96-993

1966 Buick Gran Sport convertible...what a car. 401 V8, 325 hp, 445 ft-lbs, all run through a mickey-mouse tranny called a SuperTurbine 300, which had two speeds plus a two speed torque converter. Quite a sleeper, it would put 327/350 Camaros and 289/302 Mustangs to shame, and did, quite frequently.

Bought it for $400 when I turned 16, because it ran and it was all I could afford. When I was in college my mom borrowed the car, and was so surprised by the acceleration she scared herself. Her first question when she arrived home was "wow, do you know how fast your car goes? if I'd known that I wouldn't have let you buy it." My response..."why mother dear, I had no idea the car would accelerate like that" with a totally straight face.

Flying Finn

'67 VW beetle, painted the whole car black & white checker board (square size about 1 feet x 1 feet).
Next car was another beetle ('71), painted the car same way Then, VW bus (very bright yellow, couple of surf boards on the top etc.). Then finally moved towards little more 'serious' cars...

Always liked German cars with flat engines I guess...

tsky

A '71 VW Bug. My second car was a '73 914 1.7 which I kept for 17 years.

Mr Michael B

Mine was an '73 Audi 100 LS two door sunroof hardtop coupe. It was "German racing orange" with pearl vinyl interior & a 5 speed... I think (might have been a 4 speed). Got it for $300 from one of my uncles. It really was a good 1st car. I could get the front tires to smoke (front wheel drive in the early 80's was rare ya know).

Doug Malone

1967 396 Chevelle SS, 4.56 posi rear, hooker headers, holley 3 barrel, crane roller w/needle bearing rocker arms, Mallory dual point, hurst shifter, M & H wrinkle-walls, prepared by Motion Performance of Baldwin, LI: ate goats for breakfast/lunch/dinner!

Doug

<a href="http://www.dmracing.cjb.net" target="_blank">D&M Racing</a>

Suwipin

My first car was a 1990 Acura Legend 5 spd

B-Line C2S

A blue schwinn

Terry Adams

When I was 16 and in California, use of a '59 MGA and a '60 Citroen 19, the latter better for dates because the seats went all the way flat. First car I owned was a '67 Beetle bought new. One roommate had a 356 Porsche, other roommate a 442 Olds, drill sergeant had the Chevelle SS 396. Close friend for decades has Ferrari Daytona, 512bbi and Cobra. I am delighted with my ride.