What is Your Earliest Automotive Memory?

"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01) 01/04/2015 at 17:27 • Filed to: None

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When I was 3 years old, we lived in Wheaton, MD. A German couple, the Deans (probably not their real name) lived next door. Mr. Deans had an old Porsche 356 (silver over red). The chrome was rusting off the bumpers, the paint was spotty, and it leaked oil. Mom says she used to come get me all the time, because I would toddle over there just to sit near the car. I still remember what it smelled like (a slight burnt oil smell, and leather) and I remember peeling little pieces of chrome off the back bumper. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was special.

GeorgeyBoy > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 17:31

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Probably the digital dash in my dad's Pontiac 6000. Still cool.

TheHondaBro > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 17:34

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My dad's cherry-red 1986 Toyota Celica GT liftback. Fell in love with that car instantly.

Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 17:37

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My dad's purple Taurus (not pictured). I didn't want him to get rid of it because 3 year old me thought it was a NASCAR since they raced Tauruses at the time. Still haven't seen another one like it since. Even Google could only turn up 2 examples.

DrScientist > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 17:39

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I suppose I was not quite 5 years old. My dad was dropping me off for my first day of kindergarten. He drove a dark blue scirocco at the time, tan interior. I still remember that star shaped gas cap. Anyway, my first day at a school with more than 8 kids, and I was scared shitless. (Not literally, but I may have peed my pants later that day.) My dad had to pry my little fingers from the door pulls because I didn't want to leave him.

That was a cool little car.

shop-teacher > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 18:27

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The first car I fell in love with, was actually my Dad's electric '79 Chevy Custom Deluxe K-10 pickup truck. It had a 350, a 4-speed trans on the floor, and a blue and white plaid bench seat. Dad had modded it with a very slight lift, white wagon wheels with bigger tires, and a Western snow plow. I spent untold hours playing in that truck.

My earliest vehicular memory was also at age 3. Some family friends were moving from Chicago to LA, and my parents offered to drive their second car out for them, with a detour to the north eastern Sierra mountains, to visit my Aunt Susan (Dad's oldest sister). The car was a beige early 80's Buick Park Ave.

I remember lots of things about that trip, my first big road trip. I remember looking out the window, at the endless and beautiful desert. Hiking through the mountains in Colorado, and racing matchbox cars down the incredibly steep driveway of the friends we were visiting there. Stopping at Dunkin Donuts, and munching on the dozen Mom picked out. Listening endlessly to Steve Miller on the 8-track. Playing in the driver's seat at the top of my aunt's steep driveway.

What I don't remember is turning the key to on, shifting into neutral, and starting to roll back down the driveway towards the busy road. My mom said she never saw my dad move so quickly. He managed to catch up with me before I got moving too fast, and throw it back into park. Funny part of that story, a few minutes before I scared the crap out of everybody, my aunt came out to my parents that she was a lesbian (Mom had called it).

It was an epic road trip, that has yet to be matched in scope and awesomeness for me. I'm doing my part to pass on the love of road trips to my kids. Our daughter did great on the 800 mile trip we took her on this summer, at 18 months old.

EL_ULY > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 18:36

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I was 2 years old and my dad was working on our late 70's or early 80's Mustang 4 cyl because it wouldn't start. I quickly grabed my yellow plastic toy hammer and was hitting the battery terminals and the hood adjustment screws....IT WORKED! I totally fixed the car lol. When I turn 15 I got a job at a hole in the wall gas station service center. Since then, i've been a multi brand master technician at a couple dealerships. All because, according to my dad, I fixed the car :]

Steve in Manhattan > shop-teacher 01/04/2015 at 18:39

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An elementary school playmate did the same thing, backing a Dodge Dart out of the driveway, inadvertantly, and slamming the rear tires into the curb.

Steve in Manhattan > DrScientist 01/04/2015 at 18:42

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Scirrocos were cool - I recall driving a forest green mid-80s example. Handled as well as the GTI of that era.

Steve in Manhattan > EL_ULY 01/04/2015 at 18:43

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Nice - I had a rubber hammer for the purpose of banging on my old Volvo's starter motor when it refused to work. Amazing how that works more often than not.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Steve in Manhattan 01/04/2015 at 22:26

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Me sitting on my flat's balcony watching my mum come home in her white Toyota Corona.