CLASS RACER FORUM - View Single Post - What was your daily driver in the mid 1960's

Dan Bennett · 04-01-2011, 09:06 PM

First motorized vehicle was a 150 Vespa that started out blue but I got the local Dodge dealer to paint it 64 Cutlass yellow. I can't believe it's the second one mentioned already!

Then on to a 1959 Nash Metropolitan which I bought for $100 when I was 14 using my grass cuttting money. I learned to drive a stick in a few acres next to the house. It would actually bark off almost a car length going into second and I was young and stupid enough to actually race it at Pacific Dragway (AHRA XF/G)

Then a 62 Corvair Monza Spyder with the turbo - could handle 260 Mustangs but not 289s.

67 Barracuda notchback with 273/235. Hated the styling but I bought it at the end of the year and the only fastbacks I could find were 2 barrels.

68 AMX, gold with Go Package. Beautiful car but was an embarrassing slug with the auto transmission and 2.87? positraction.

That takes me up to 1970 and a 340 Duster. I couldn't afford much, so the only options were a radio, 4 speed, and sure grip.

I had a very good friend who had an unbelievable string of cars. He was an only child of wealthy parents but didn't act like it. They bought him a 66 396/325 Chevelle when he was 15 and he had a neighbor kid drive him around.

In 67 he stepped up to an XKE coupe. I'll never forget the day we all took turns with it at Ste Gen dragway. Poor car had its tongue hanging out.

Dad made him cut back to a 68 Catalina but it was verdoro green which was a very hot color. Somehow he got a guy to swap his 69 Grand Prix SJ for it.

The Grand Prix got traded for a 69 Corvette coupe, Monaco Orange with 427/435 and side exhausts. He traded that for a 69 SS396/375 Chevelle because his girlfriend said the Corvette was too hot (side pipes pumping heat up the door) and rode too rough.

Finishing the decade, he bought the first 70 Z28 I ever saw and it had even had a Turbo 400 in it. That's the car where I found out about the turbo's override into second gear.

Fond memories, but we were just dumb kids working hard and never knew how good we had it.

04-01-2011, 09:06 PM	#60
Dan Bennett Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 449 Likes: 875 Liked 609 Times in 140 Posts	Re: What was your daily driver in the mid 1960's First motorized vehicle was a 150 Vespa that started out blue but I got the local Dodge dealer to paint it 64 Cutlass yellow. I can't believe it's the second one mentioned already! Then on to a 1959 Nash Metropolitan which I bought for $100 when I was 14 using my grass cuttting money. I learned to drive a stick in a few acres next to the house. It would actually bark off almost a car length going into second and I was young and stupid enough to actually race it at Pacific Dragway (AHRA XF/G) Then a 62 Corvair Monza Spyder with the turbo - could handle 260 Mustangs but not 289s. 67 Barracuda notchback with 273/235. Hated the styling but I bought it at the end of the year and the only fastbacks I could find were 2 barrels. 68 AMX, gold with Go Package. Beautiful car but was an embarrassing slug with the auto transmission and 2.87? positraction. That takes me up to 1970 and a 340 Duster. I couldn't afford much, so the only options were a radio, 4 speed, and sure grip. I had a very good friend who had an unbelievable string of cars. He was an only child of wealthy parents but didn't act like it. They bought him a 66 396/325 Chevelle when he was 15 and he had a neighbor kid drive him around. In 67 he stepped up to an XKE coupe. I'll never forget the day we all took turns with it at Ste Gen dragway. Poor car had its tongue hanging out. Dad made him cut back to a 68 Catalina but it was verdoro green which was a very hot color. Somehow he got a guy to swap his 69 Grand Prix SJ for it. The Grand Prix got traded for a 69 Corvette coupe, Monaco Orange with 427/435 and side exhausts. He traded that for a 69 SS396/375 Chevelle because his girlfriend said the Corvette was too hot (side pipes pumping heat up the door) and rode too rough. Finishing the decade, he bought the first 70 Z28 I ever saw and it had even had a Turbo 400 in it. That's the car where I found out about the turbo's override into second gear. Fond memories, but we were just dumb kids working hard and never knew how good we had it.