Jane challenged me to write about my first few cars.

My first car wasn't really mine, totally. A young airman who worked under my dad in the flight simulator crew ran into some serious trouble and spent some time in the brig. It involved a girl and being AWOL for a couple weeks. He also owed a lot of money so he signed over his car to my dad who was his supervisor and sponsor, in order to keep from losing it permanently. It was a really hot Celica. Dad told me not to become attached because in a couple months we were going to "sell " it back, but I could drive it around. My dad had a way of teaching lessons so he set up a token "payment plan" and I had to pay for the insurance and up keep too. In those days a Celica was fast and very cool and sports car like. I thought all the " payments " I put into the car were gone but dad gave them back to me when the guy got out , payed his debts and reclaimed it. I used the returned money as a down payment on my second car. ( cool lesson huh )

On my second car I went insane. It was a 1969 Torino Cobra. The biggest fully blown racing engine that was legal made this monster amazing ( 428 ). I kept it two weeks. I was afraid of it. Way to powerful and way hard to handle. I never could keep from burning tires and fish tailing it. But it was uhh wow.. bad. Richard Petty raced one these in NASCAR and liked the monster. But it humbled me.

Next came a 69 Camero SS 350. Still very cool and fast, but much more practical. ( and quieter mom said ) I drove it four or five months and saw 100 plus several times. ( kids really need VW's ) I sold it to my friend right before we moved and within two days he rolled it three times. You just don't jerk a car to dodge a rabbit at 110 mph. He nor his passenger were seriously hurt. The car was.

My first post California car was a '70 Mustang. 1969 and 1970 saw slightly bigger, beefed-up Mustangs. About the size of the Camero with slightly better performance. My first car I ever really fell in love with. I kept it until 2004. It was my sweetie for 28 years. It went from AM radio to 8-track to MP3 with me. Yes it had a big V8 too, and was faster and far lighter than the Camero. A Mustang collector now has my babe. Shined up like new and sitting in a climate controlled room on display.

Currently I am up to driving vehicle number 19 or 20. My lil Zoo. It's not a demon of speed but I love my little pick-up. And it gets 892 miles pr gallon ( kidding..remember Joe Isuzu? ) .

Your turn. Tell us about your cars.