My dad taught me how to drive when I was about 8 or 9 yrs. old. The vehicle was an old pick-up truck that belonged to my grandpa. The time was around 1953 and the truck was already old; it was black with lots of chrome and a weird sounding horn. The steering wheel had a knob on it. Of course, it was stick shift; dirt roads and ditches were the challenges.

My dad was very patient and didn’t mind the stalling and screeching when I changed gears; at least he didn’t show it. So, after several weekends and near misses (ditches…some pretty deep), I finally got the hang of it, sort of. His advice was: let’s wait until you’re a little older.

I do wish I had a picture of the pick-up.  I don’t know what happened to the truck but it sure was awesome driving it.

As for my first car, I was 20 yrs old when I bought it. It was a Toyota Corona; beige and boring; automatic transmission. I couldn’t drive it on the freeway because it would shake when the speed reached 55mph. I could not drive it on inclines because it would not go past 30mph. So I drove it to work through the flat streets of L. A. until I got rid of it.

I ain’t got much, just a whole lot of good memories. Here’s one thing: my dad wore white linen pants in the summer, I had to make sure the car seat was clean. The things that come to mind after so many years.  Thanks for that.

My Cars, my life.

When I was about 15 living in Monroe Louisiana my dad taught me how to drive in his new 1956 Lincoln Continental which was red with a white top two door coupe. I still remember how long, low to the ground and sleek it was with the coolest rear light fins making it look almost like it could fly. It clearly was the sharpest head turning car in the little city of Monroe.  Since my dad was the pastor of several churches there I guess he was able to afford it since he seemed to get a new one every two years.

The first car that I drove consistently was a new light green with white top Mercury Station wagon belonging to one of my dad’s churches. Even though it was a station wagon it was way cool with power steering and a steering wheel that was thin and hard with a chrome horn ring unlike those of today with their softness, Northern toilet paper feel.   I finally got around to wrecking it by getting stuck on a deserted gravel road and ending up in a five foot deep ditch.  I did manage to have the tow truck driver drop my female companion off at her home on the way to the garage.  So I was back to riding my Montgomery Ward motorcycle for a couple of months.

We finally moved to Los Angeles in 1958 where I got my first car that was just mine and mine alone with my dad covering the cost of the purchase.  It was a jet black Thunderbird with black leather interior with a convertible top that hid in a compartment that would rise to swallow it leaving no visible sign that there was a top.  It had the smoothest auto Trans and rather soft suspension which was perfect for cruising.  I think it must have been a 1958 model which I got in about 1960 or 61.  Those were my “bad” years living in the South Central area of Los Angeles with my “piece” conveniently stashed in the glove compartment.  I thought that it was so cool and I was so happy but one dared not show a happy face in my area of travels.

I wish I had kept pictures of that car since I liked it so much but like anything it finally got old and was replaced with a Porsche hardtop which caught fire street racing and was replaced with a series of cars.

My all-time favorite was a 1966 Lilac color with white interior Chevy “unsafe at any speed” Corvair coupe which I purchased with my own military savings while serving in a U.S. Army helicopter battalion in 1966.

Over the years I sort of cleaned up my act and became somewhat boring and dull driving a Ford Edge which is more than enough for me now.  However, I did get it with a twin turbo Eco-Boost engine and occasionally spin my wheels on takeoff.  But my wife is “hot” driving a new three cylinder turbo charged Mini Cooper.  So now I just exist, fun car wise through her.

I was 19 when I learned to drive. My mother taught me. My dad is a very nervous passenger, and being in a car with a learner would probably have given him a heart attack.

I learned to drive in a Nissan Sunny, but my first car was a 1986 BMW 316, an 1800cc Carburettor model, in Bronze. It was fairly basic, but the previous owner had changed the steering wheel for a leather M-Tech wheel.

I loved that car.

I nearly destroyed it and myself when late at night, tired and in an unfamiliar town, I pulled out of a gas station and headed down a dual carriageway on the wrong side of the road. Oncoming drivers were frantically flashing their headlamps at me. After a quarter mile, i finally realized my mistake, and did the world’s fastest three point turn.

Eventually, I sold it to a dealer in part exchange for a BMW 318i Tourer.

Stuart B., Cinematographer