This is for us old duffers.

[petejc]

KOB,
The knees are working fairly good. Don't have the bend down like I used to....One thing I will tell you is...The rehab on a knee replacement is a Witch with a B..........

 

[FreeBirdTim]

The best root beer was A&W Root Beer in a frosty mug at the A&W drive in. The girl would come to your car window and take your order. When she brought it, the meal and drinks were put on a tray that connected to your car window.

We still have an A&W in my area. Went last summer and ordered a root beer, fries and a burger. Couldn't wait to get my frosty mug of root beer and for the cute carhop to put the metal tray on the edge of my window. Sorry! She came back with the root beer in a cup and the food in a bag! Apparently, you have to ask for a mug and a tray if you want them! How stupid is that? Defeats the whole point of the experience! The current owners of the place are clueless, I guess...

 

[Cupajo]

My first car was a1937 Chevy coup my dad bought for $100 at a gas station/repair shop in a nearby town when I was 17 years. I stopped at the local post office and the car wouldn't move when I put it in gear and let out the clutch! The prior owner had cranked the worn-out brakes, so they felt OK, but 6-8 miles of driving heated them up and they seized. An older neighbor with years of car repair experience clued me in on what I needed to pick up at a local scrap yard to get the old girl back on the road. A brake drum for 5 bucks, some new brake shoes, a couple hour's of clean-up, re-assembly and adjusting got the old girl back on the road.

My future brother-in-law worked in the oil-fields and kept several cans of "Mid-night ethel" (raw, un-refined gasoline that had kerosine in it (carefully scavenged from the oil fields in the wee hours by some farmers, ranchers and anyone with little or no money and lots of need) on hand and would be used preferably mixed with fresh from the pump fuel. The coupe ran just fine with that mix, but I suspect one of our modern autos would suffer major damage from it. He gave me several cans over the next year, when my tank would be low on a visit, before I joined the Air Force and left home.

I put lots of miles on that old car and only had to make sure I kept oil in her engine and fuel in her tank.

I've owned many used cars, vans, and pickup trucks, and three motorcycles in my years and one new Chrysler van (that I destroyed in an accident with low milage).

CJ

 

[TampaBayBrad]

I've owned many used cars, vans, and pickup trucks, and three motorcycles in my years and one new Chrysler van (that I destroyed in an accident with low milage).

CJ

Remember when conversion vans were all the rage? I had an old Econoline three on the tree that was about half way converted when I bought it. It had shag carpet on the ceiling and floor with paneling on the walls and a full length bench seat behind the driver's seat. Plan was to complete the whole conversion and have beautiful girls wanting to ride in my super tricked-out van.

Never happened. After I took it fishing and surfing a few times the shag was smelly toast and I lost interest in completing it. Bought an old Fiat 850 Spyder and then an old VW bug and then into the Air force for 4 years. Got my first brand new car while in...a 1978 Mustang Ghia. Memorable teenage rides.....

 

[hoser]

You're gonna find this almost unbelievable, but in my entire life I have never ridden or drove a VW bug. Don't ask me why as I have no real answer. I have driven or rode in just about every four wheeled vehicle out there except the Rolls Royce or any of the very expensive rides. I even drove an old Checker once.

 

[Cupajo]

Remember when conversion vans were all the rage? I had an old Econoline three on the tree that was about half way converted when I bought it. It had shag carpet on the ceiling and floor with paneling on the walls and a full length bench seat behind the driver's seat. Plan was to complete the whole conversion and have beautiful girls wanting to ride in my super tricked-out van.

Never happened. After I took it fishing and surfing a few times the shag was smelly toast and I lost interest in completing it. Bought an old Fiat 850 Spyder and then an old VW bug and then into the Air force for 4 years. Got my first brand new car while in...a 1978 Mustang Ghia. Memorable teenage rides.....

During my 81/2 years of Air Force duty and after I bought 7 various VW's. The only new one was their sports model back in the mid 60's. I drove it for less than a year then sold it as money was tight and I just didn't have enough to afford a new car. (Another lesson learned!)

So guess I did own another new car.

CJ

 

[Cupajo]

Remember when conversion vans were all the rage? I had an old Econoline three on the tree that was about half way converted when I bought it. It had shag carpet on the ceiling and floor with paneling on the walls and a full length bench seat behind the driver's seat. Plan was to complete the whole conversion and have beautiful girls wanting to ride in my super tricked-out van.

Never happened. After I took it fishing and surfing a few times the shag was smelly toast and I lost interest in completing it. Bought an old Fiat 850 Spyder and then an old VW bug and then into the Air force for 4 years. Got my first brand new car while in...a 1978 Mustang Ghia. Memorable teenage rides.....

Of the 7 VW's I owned, the first was a 1957, 36 HP and was the first one with a one piece glass window on the rear.
Got lots of use out of that one!
CL

 

[TampaBayBrad]

Of the 7 VW's I owned, the first was a 1957, 36 HP and was the first one with a one piece glass window on the rear.
Got lots of use out of that one!
CL

That Fiat 850 I mentioned was named because it had an 843 cc engine tuned to provide a beastly 49 hp! 90 mph top end! WoooHoo!

 

[markinmichigan]

You're gonna find this almost unbelievable, but in my entire life I have never ridden or drove a VW bug. Don't ask me why as I have no real answer. I have driven or rode in just about every four wheeled vehicle out there except the Rolls Royce or any of the very expensive rides. I even drove an old Checker once.

My first car was a 63 bug, plywood floor boards, zero heat to speak of, had to keep a scraper on hand to get the frost off of the windows,

Mark in Michigan

 

[diggin4clad]

We still have an A&W in my area. Went last summer and ordered a root beer, fries and a burger. Couldn't wait to get my frosty mug of root beer and for the cute carhop to put the metal tray on the edge of my window. Sorry! She came back with the root beer in a cup and the food in a bag! Apparently, you have to ask for a mug and a tray if you want them! How stupid is that? Defeats the whole point of the experience! The current owners of the place are clueless, I guess...

Tim, I've been to the A&W in Rhode Island and it was a huge disappointment. Nothing like what they used to be. It's been that way for quite a while because I was there at least 10 years ago.

 

[diggin4clad]

You're gonna find this almost unbelievable, but in my entire life I have never ridden or drove a VW bug. Don't ask me why as I have no real answer. I have driven or rode in just about every four wheeled vehicle out there except the Rolls Royce or any of the very expensive rides. I even drove an old Checker once.

I rode in one of those old "Beetles" back in the 1960's and from that moment vowed that I'd never buy one. I kept true to my word......

 

[hoser]

I kept true to my word......

I guess I'm glad I didn't take the ride then.

 

[diggin4clad]

I guess I'm glad I didn't take the ride then.

It was like riding in a four wheeled telephone booth. Plus....it had not an ounce of VROOOOMMMM!

 

[Cfmct]

We still have an A&W in my area. Went last summer and ordered a root beer, fries and a burger. Couldn't wait to get my frosty mug of root beer and for the cute carhop to put the metal tray on the edge of my window. Sorry! She came back with the root beer in a cup and the food in a bag! Apparently, you have to ask for a mug and a tray if you want them! How stupid is that? Defeats the whole point of the experience! The current owners of the place are clueless, I guess...

If you are ever down Connecticut way... they do it like you will want and make their own Rootbeer...

Drive-In

Sycamore Drive-In - Bethel, CT | Review & What to Eat

Sycamore Drive-In - restaurant review and what to eat at 282 Greenwood Ave., Bethel, CT (203) 748-2716. See our top menu picks!

roadfood.com

 

[Cupajo]

The VW I bought back in the '60's was a sporty version called Karmann Ghia. It was built by the German factory Karmann to spec's of the Italian designer Ghia and had a VW air cooled rear engine of (as I recall) 50 or so HP. I was at Luke Air Force Base and that car was not very often seen locally in those days. It cost $2,200+ and was a nice r4ide for the price. Google has them listed these days at $7,000+.

CJ

 

[diggin4clad]

The VW I bought back in the '60's was a sporty version called Karmann Ghia. It was built by the German factory Karmann to spec's of the Italian designer Ghia and had a VW air cooled rear engine of (as I recall) 50 or so HP. I was at Luke Air Force Base and that car was not very often seen locally in those days. It cost $2,200+ and was a nice r4ide for the price. Google has them listed these days at $7,000+.

CJ

There were quite a few of those Karmann-Ghia's in my area back in the 60's.

 

[too_pointer]

My cousin next door, had a Beetle, not sure what year, rode in it quite a bit ! It sure would go threw the woods great, but never owned one.
too_

 

[hoser]

The smallest car I ever drove was a, I think Rambler Metropolitan. I do believe that the first Smart Car. Very tiny but was a fun ride. Kinda wish I had one now.

 

[TampaBayBrad]

The smallest car I ever drove was a, I think Rambler Metropolitan. I do believe that the first Smart Car. Very tiny but was a fun ride. Kinda wish I had one now.

Those are cool lookin'! The convertible for sure. I'd like to have one now, too. That would turn some heads.

Checked prices and they are fairly reasonable for a classic car: Auto Trader results

 

[Cupajo]

As an Old Timer I remember seeing model T Fords in regular use when I was very young. A nearby community Shiner, Texas, the home of Shiner Beer, was the home for many farm folks of Germanic heritage who kept quite a few of these old cars on the road in like new or better condition!

Over the years lots of car manufacturers went out of business (Nash and Studebaker come to mind and I know there are more) I owned a Jeep pickup truck back in the seventies made by American Moters. Driving a couple of miles from home one morning I saw a patrol car on the side of the road, and just in case I checked for my wallet only to find I had left it at home. I swung over and slowly turned around and headed home. I had travelled maybe fifty yards when I had the patrol car pulling me over!! After the officer, a young fellow I just happened to know, called in the stop and ran the plate number, walked up to my door and saw who I was. He asked me why I was using plates on my Jeep that belonged on an American Motors car. After assuring him the Jeep was an American Motors car, and that they built lots of them over the years, he sent me on my way, not once asking for my license.

He and I both had a learning experience that day!

CJ