Dad's car - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JimmyL · #16 03-12-2008, 12:22 AM

I still have the paperwork somewhere where my dad bought a Red Studebaker convertible back in the 40's I guess {possibly early 50's}. I have a pic of him with a different Studebaker a few years later.
My first recollection was of an early 60's Olds, and my mom had a Fairlane. Then, when I was only 4, I can still to this day remember the day he came home with a 1966 Olds Toronado. First year made, and it was like a giant Corvette. Front wheel drive with a 455 cubic inch engine. First "hide-away" headlights I ever saw, and the speedometer was a cylinder laid on its side and spun. Too cool!
I think I have pics of one like it. Added below.

Then '72 Olds Delta 88 {my first car}, '77 T-Bird and '82 Cutlas.
Died in '85

Ara T. · #17 03-12-2008, 12:27 AM

Letssee... he isnt much of a car guy at all. He had a Beatle in New York that rusted out, moved to SoCal and had a Pugeot Diesel, then bought a new Tercel hatchback (silvery blue, and then a Tercel wagon (orange!) for my mom. His midlife crisis car was unfortunately, a Chrysler LeBaron convertible that was a POS. He then got a 2000 Accord that I drive now. Got it after he bought a 10K mile Lexus ES350. Powerful, soft, comfortable... 30 mpg... good car for him.

Palangi · #18 03-12-2008, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I still have the paperwork somewhere where my dad bought a Red Studebaker convertible back in the 40's I guess {possibly early 50's}. I have a pic of him with a different Studebaker a few years later.
My first recollection was of an early 60's Olds, and my mom had a Fairlane. Then, when I was only 4, I can still to this day remember the day he came home with a 1966 Olds Toronado. First year made, and it was like a giant Corvette. Front wheel drive with a 455 cubic inch engine. First "hide-away" headlights I ever saw, and the speedometer was a cylinder laid on its side and spun. Too cool!
I think I have pics of one like it. Added below.

Then '72 Olds Delta 88 {my first car}, '77 T-Bird and '82 Cutlas.
Died in '85

My dad worked in the model shop at A.C. Spark Plug. He would have been the one who hand painted the prototype and pre-production samples of the drum speedometer on the Olds Toronado. In fact, he would have been the one who hand painted all of the prototype instruments in all of the GM cars of that time period.

alabbasi · #19 03-12-2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

iirc, his 99 was fairly reliable. It was pea green with those funky sponge-like material seats.

I had a 900S Convertible when I first moved to the US. It was a nice car but horribly unreliable and slow. The engine was great, but I could never find good people to work on it.

BodhiBenz1987 · #20 03-12-2008, 01:13 AM

My 87 was one of my dad's cars, and definately the first one I remember being his. We had a 1981 diesel Chevy Suburban that shared family duties until 1987, when my mom got an 87 diesel GMC Suburban and my dad bought the 1987 300D new. I remember when he got the 87 pretty well, even though I was five. It was his main driver until 1999, when he bought a GMC Safari van (he just needed more cargo room). Now he has a 2005 Jeep Libby CRD (matches mine other than color ... cheesy, I know). But the 87 was sort of his "big deal" car and I know he was much more attached to it than any of the others. I think he's very happy that one of his daughters was crazy enough to adopt it and take good care of it.
He had a 1975 240D before that, which is now sitting in the back lot of his shop and is now also mine, although not much I can do with it (worst rust ever, hasn't been run for 20+ years). Before that he had a two-tone Ford pickup ... don't know what engine or the specifics, as I don't remember it. I know he drove a VW Beetle for a few years that belonged to my grandfather, but that was long gone by the time I came along. He also had a Jag project car that he eventually ran out of time for and sold (I'll have to update this when I get a chance to ask him what model it was ... it was something really cool). One of his great motoring loves was BMW bikes ... he had two R69s, including one he rebuilt. Also both gone by the time I was born. He had a 1993 Dodge Caravan that he used a bit while he had the 87 Benz, but that turned into a family van.

Now he has a Bluebird motorcoach and a really, really cool Freightliner Renegade custom motorhome with a Mercedes-Benz OM 460. BIG diesel.

Other Benzes in the family: My dad's dad had a W108 (wish that one had been handed down, too!) and my grandmother (also on dad's side) had a nice W123 240D ... think it was an 83.

TylerH860 · #21 03-12-2008, 01:13 AM

My dad just bought his dream car, lucky bastard!

2004 Porsche 911 Turbo, 10k. Looks just like this one. I told him, "I've had a german car with a Turbo for 6 months now. What took you so long?"

He bought the car from a dealer in Denver, and is getting shipped to Wichita. I offered to fly out there and drive it home to save shipping costs. Suprisingly, he declined my generous offer.

The truck had a mechanical problem resulting in a delayed delivery. My dad goes out of town Thursday. If the car doesn't make it before then, guess who gets to drive it home?

My dad's owned various GM Suburban, Tahoe, Escalade, Denali, Blazer, Sierra, Silverado products over the years as daily drivers.

Some of the exotics:
04 CLK 500
02 740i
00 CLK 430
95 328i
86 930 turbo
85 318
84 Corvette
82 308
78 Trans-Am
77 Trans-Am
71 Camaro

Hatterasguy · #22 03-12-2008, 01:37 AM

I love those cars! Its hard to not enjoy driving one.

Matt L · #23 03-12-2008, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

moved to SoCal and had a Pugeot Diesel

I remember my father looking at Peugeot diesel cars back in the seventies, but he bought another Benz instead.

Ara T. · #24 03-12-2008, 01:58 AM

He said it was a great car. He thought my 300D Turbo was a lot faster when he drove it.

JimmyL · #25 03-12-2008, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

My dad worked in the model shop at A.C. Spark Plug. He would have been the one who hand painted the prototype and pre-production samples of the drum speedometer on the Olds Toronado. In fact, he would have been the one who hand painted all of the prototype instruments in all of the GM cars of that time period.

Now that would be an interesting job!

t walgamuth · #26 03-12-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

My dad worked in the model shop at A.C. Spark Plug. He would have been the one who hand painted the prototype and pre-production samples of the drum speedometer on the Olds Toronado. In fact, he would have been the one who hand painted all of the prototype instruments in all of the GM cars of that time period.

Interesting.

Tom W

t walgamuth · #27 03-12-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I still have the paperwork somewhere where my dad bought a Red Studebaker convertible back in the 40's I guess {possibly early 50's}. I have a pic of him with a different Studebaker a few years later.
My first recollection was of an early 60's Olds, and my mom had a Fairlane. Then, when I was only 4, I can still to this day remember the day he came home with a 1966 Olds Toronado. First year made, and it was like a giant Corvette. Front wheel drive with a 455 cubic inch engine. First "hide-away" headlights I ever saw, and the speedometer was a cylinder laid on its side and spun. Too cool!
I think I have pics of one like it. Added below.

Then '72 Olds Delta 88 {my first car}, '77 T-Bird and '82 Cutlas.
Died in '85

That Bill Mitchell had an eye for design. The designs don't wear as well as some with age but they still look pretty great!

Tom W

LUVMBDiesels · #28 03-12-2008, 09:07 AM

Mine had the following:

1955 Ford Crown Victoria Pink over white!

1961 Ford Falcon

1963 Pontiac Catalina 421HO in Navy Blue first car I remember...

1970 Plymouth Valiant the only slant six car to die in three years!

1973 Plymouth Fury (big blue whale of a car -- but it was the first one we had with AC

)

1977 Chevy Impala -- became my first driver

1982 Chevy Celebrity -- Handled well compared to the Impala, but slow with the 2.8

1987 Olds Delta 88 -- LOADED, cushy, and fell apart

(yes, it was my father's Oldsmobile!!)

1990 Ford Taurus LX -- I got it in '92 and kept it to 2000

1993 deceased

Mom:

1953 Studebaker!!
then she drove the "Cat" until it died in 1977
the Impala
1988 Chevy Corsica -- given to my brother in '93

1993 Subaru Legacy sedan -- sold in 2007 with 16000 miles on it!

2007 Honda CR-V

The Swede · #29 03-12-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

I had a 900S Convertible when I first moved to the US. It was a nice car but horribly unreliable and slow. The engine was great, but I could never find good people to work on it.

I had an '87 then a '91 900 coupe. Both were reliable, but the 87 had a oil leak from the split gasket at 80k miles. They had to yank the motor to replace. Thank god it had an extended wty!

The Swede · #30 03-12-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Then, when I was only 4, I can still to this day remember the day he came home with a 1966 Olds Toronado. First year made, and it was like a giant Corvette.

The 66/67 Toro featured a 425- '68+ had a 455.

Neat cars for sure. My Dad's '67 influenced me so much that 15 years ago I bought a '66 and a '70 GT Toronado.