As indicated previously, when I started to put this together, I had no idea how long it would take or the length of the post, because of the amount of content. Therefore, I decided to break into separate posts. This is Part #3. Please click here if you you haven’t already read Part #1 or Part #2.
11-1969-Volkswagen-Karmann Ghia
We decided it was time to be a two car family again. This guy I worked with had a friend who sold cars that had been wrecked, but repaired to as-new condition. This car was perfect, and looked just like the one below. I got it for about half of what I would have normally paid from a private party or used car dealer.
We never had one bit of trouble with it, but did have one harrowing experience on a trip from Orange County to Sacramento to visit my wife’s brother, Cliff. We were going North on Highway 99 late at night. All of a sudden there was a big-rig truck stopped right in front of us with it’s lights turned off. I saw it just in time and swerved to the left, missing it by inches. Why didn’t that idiot have flares out? Talk about adrenaline. I had no trouble staying awake and alert the rest of the way.
12-1970-Chevrolet-Kingswood Estate
One day I was out in our ’65 Chevy and dropped by a dealer to look at used station wagons. Luck was with me, as somebody had just traded-in a very big station wagon in pristine condition. It wasn’t even on the lot yet, but back in the shop being cleaned up.
It was a nine-passenger model just like the one below, with a seat in the back that faced the rear window. Our kids loved sitting back there. It was so big you could fold down the middle row of seats and setup a playpen for the baby, not even thinking about how dangerous that was.
One day a couple minutes after Georgia told me I was driving way to fast and should slow down, I got pulled over for speeding. My two oldest daughters thought it was very funny to look out the back window while I got my speeding ticket. Needless to say, it was very quiet in the front in the front of the car the rest of the way home.
13-1974-Datsun-260Z 2+2
This was a present to me about 6-months after starting a consulting company earlier in the year. Unfortunately, because of smog regulations, Nissan put equipment on this car that caused a lot of problems. In addition to reducing the horsepower, the car would experience vapor-lock at the most unfortunate times. I was almost broadsided once because as I pulled onto the street from a parking lot the and my Z-Car stopped dead in its tracks.
The following year, Nissan introduced fuel injection, which fixed the problem on newer cars. After two years I couldn’t take it anymore. I sold it to a dealer, took the cash, and used it towards my next new car.
14-1976-Oldsmobile-Cutlass Brougham
This was a top of the line Oldsmobile and had all the options. Mine was a creamy yellow though. I loved this car. It had great styling, lots of power and was like driving on a cloud.
I remember the night I sold it to the first person that responded to my ad in the newspaper. I bragged about how clean it was and without a scratch on it, plus nobody had ever smoked in it. When the guy returned from his test drive and said he would take the car, I noticed his wife sitting in the passenger seat smoking a cigarette. It really bummed me out. At that point I really didn’t want to sell him the car, but the damage had already been done, so I wished him the best and took his money.
15-1963-Maserati-Sebring Coupe
Georgia and I owned a second home at Lake Arrowhead. It was a townhouse right on the lake. Unfortunately, many of the tenants argued about the dumbest things and would file lawsuits against their neighbors as well as the association. Before long, we were spending as much on legal bills as we were on the payments for the townhouse. We started renting it out, but had some bad experiences with renters, so ended up selling it. We did pretty well when we sold it, so agreed we would use some of the money to buy a classic car.
We went to an auction intending to buy a Model A Ford with a rumble seat. Then this gorgeous car drove up on the stage. I just had to have it, so told Georgia I would make just one bid. If I got it fine, if not, I wouldn’t bid again. I bid just as they removed the reserve. Guess what, I got the car.
I must say that this car got more looks on the road than any car I have ever owned. You see, it looked very much like a Ferrari of the same year. It was not unusual for people on the highway to mouth, “what is it?” To solve the problem, I decided to get a vanity plate. Maserati was not available, but I was able to get MAZRATI.
It had fuel injection, dual ignition, and was built to really go down the road. It even had knock-off wire wheels. When I bought it I had no idea how much it would cost to maintain though. LOTS of MONEY. After spending some cash to bring it back to original, I decided to sell it. I sold it to a guy who collected cars in Scottsdale Arizona. Wish I would have kept it, that car is worth big bucks today. The photo above is someone elses car, shown so you can see the front of the car. The one below is my car.
Click Here For Part 4
Tags: Cars
I laughed so hard when I saw the picture of the station wagon. Every time I watch the movie Vacation, I think of that car. Also, you forgot to mention in your post about your Mazerati that you never let Mom drive it.
Gee, I don’t remember telling her she couldn’t drive it, but maybe I did. If that is the case, then I was acting like a big turd.
I remember going to Ralph’s with you one day in the Maserati. When we came out there was a fire engine parked next to it. You started to freak thinking something happened to your car. They just wanted to look at it
Didn’t a garbage truck back into the Z?
And that station wagon… we kids had some great times in that huge car!
Forgot about the firemen. Regarding the Z-car, we went to visit your uncle Cliff in Sacramento. While we were away doing guy things, a moving van backed into it. It was silver, so the paint never matched perfectly again.