What Was Your Father's Old Car?

[Redtiger]

Happy Father’s Day from Redtiger!

Father’s old car often holds a lot of memories — maybe it wasn’t the newest or the most stylish, but it was part of many family moments.
Whether it was used for weekend trips, late-night drives, or just running errands, that car played a role in shaping those experiences. It’s a reminder of time spent together, the little adventures, and the simple moments.

What was your dad’s old car?

Do you have any photos of it you’d like to share?

Are there any stories or memories tied to that car that you’d like to tell?

We’d love to hear from you — feel free to share in the comments below.

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[Greg Chick]

A 59' Rambler station wagon 2 tone, blue with white. A very small 6 Cyl. but push-button radio! We went camping in it, Sunday drives, the glove compartment door had 2 spots for cups when opened. We used a weeping canvas Bag full of water to cool the radiator in the summer. This was a standard thing then, the bags were sold at gas stations. We lived in So Cal. the deserts were all around LA. Wind wings in the front doors sucked out the smoke, the ashtray was big but full.

 

[SDGriffy]

‘86 4Runner. Still his daily driver (he’s 79 so not driven much but I borrow it when I visit). Stick shift, manual windows besides the rear drop window, most basic of the basic model they had at the time. I still remember him haggling over the $12k price at the time. He’s been offered well more than that every time he takes it in for service by the mechanics (these kids are always amazed there’s an ‘86 ‘runner with barely 100k miles on the planet) but I told him we can never get rid of that beast. It has to stay in the family (and one day be my beach truck).

 

[SeattleSteve]

Fun thread, @Redtiger

I have my dad to blame for my obsession with cars. Two of his beauties -- a Caddy and a Corvette:

 

[Greg Chick]

Fun thread, @Redtiger

I have my dad to blame for my obsession with cars. Two of his beauties -- a Caddy and a Corvette:

Fun thread, @Redtiger

I have my dad to blame for my obsession with cars. Two of his beauties -- a Caddy and a Corvette:

My friend bought a new Eldorado Convertible in 1976', Red as hell and drove like one of those chrome pucks on the game table hocky that used a fine saw dust to lubricate the sliding of the heave metal pucks. The car was super quiet as well as powerful. Great gas hog, but the white buttery leather interior said luxury...

 

[Oldcarguy]

My dad had a thing for VW bugs. One time he brought one home that had an engine fire. He cleaned it up with an old tooth brush and wired it with an old lamp cord. He got it started. Ordered new parts for it then drove it for a while. He loved messing around in the garage. That trait has been passed down.

 

[Rade]

My dad was always a Ford / Mercury man. Brand loyal. The first car I remember was a Ford Galaxy 500, then a Montego and into a Monterrey (4,500 pounds of iron that I learned how to drive in). Assorted trucks (F-100, F-150).

I tried to follow in his footsteps, but got really tired of the lacking quality of Ford vehicles.

 

[140 degrees]

Dad had a half ton work truck that he bought on a sale. It had been used for rural electric line maintenance. Faded green and ugly as sin. When he bought it, the engine was shot.

There was a second house on our farm that was rented to a mechanic. He was way behind on his rent payments, so he offered to put an engine in that old beater truck as payment. He had a small block V8 from a Ford Thunderbird. It had been modified for stock car racing. It had a high lift cam, shaved head to increase compression, and I don't know what else. It ran really rough on idle, but at high RPM it screamed. Nothing like today's sewing machine engines. The very definition of a sleeper car.

 

[shamoo]

Cool post. I have a couple of pictures buried somewhere in some albums. I got these pics from Google.

But when he was younger he had a 1960-70s Ford Maverick (not the new pickup haha). He told us he bought it for $300.

At some point he had an old black Cadillac with the fins. It was nowhere as nice as this, but it was this general shape. Don't know the year.

1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in red. This was the first car I remember since I was born in 1979.

After that, the family got a 1986 Honda Civic wagon, and then into more modern cars.

 

[Jabbahop]

No pics but I remember 4 cars my dad had. AMC Pacer. AMC Gremlin. FiatX19 and a VW Westfalia Camper. I hated the AMCs. Loved the X19 but the most memories were the camper. He and my stepmom picked it up in Germany where they were spending the year. My brother, sister and I flew out and traveled camping with them for a through Germany when I was 12 (brother and sister 9 and 7). My father was a professor of Germany history so completely fluent which really added to the experience.

 

[rklopp]

Mercedes 190D diesel. Fred Flintstone's feet had more horsepower. It had a cool mechanical rising temperature scale speedometer, however. Traded up to a 220D with not much improvement. If you could clutch from a stop on a steep hill without stalling, you could clutch anything.

 

[Glembi2]

Ford Galaxy 500. I remember my parents telling me stories that they had seatbelts installed as an aftermarket option.

 

[Duquesne]

I was just a small tyke, , but I can remember how excited my father was when he bought his first truck. He told us it was a beautiful deep blue Chevy, and when he brought it home is when I realized he was colorblind because it was forest green.. i remember Chevy had to replaced at least one fender and both rockers under the door because they rusted with compete holes within the first year.

I also remember when he got a cap on the truck he had no issue throwing my brother and I in the back while he and my mother ride in the front and to drive everywhere with us back there.

I’m not sure how we lived

 

[CharonPDX]

The earliest car I remember my parents having is a 196(4? 7?) Dodge Dart in avocado/peas soup green.

Pictured on May 18,1980 (I know the date precisely, because it’s pictured covered in Mount Saint Helens ash.)

 

[Acoustic71]

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. I wore the tread off the tires in two months after I got my license. That thing was a smaller sedan, but it had a beast of an engine.

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