Still have and drive my '59 Willys pickup. The only changes I've made are adding a V8, bigger tires and an overdrive last year. I fried the overdrive a couple of weeks ago unfortunately.

My uncle and I bought it for $250 when I was about 14 or 15 years old. Then we bought another parts truck for $100 and made one good one out of the two. It was a complete frame-off "restoration". I put that in quotes as I only had so much money to spend and it was more like a rebuild and repaint. It ended up costing me less than $3000 with the biggest expense being the actual rebuild on the engine. There were pistons with holes melted right through them.

It was done in time for my junior year in high school.

Makes you appreciate your vehicle a lot more when you've personally handled every nut and bolt that it's made from.

My first car - which is LONG GONE.... was a '56 Chevy Bel Air dr hdtp.... with a 302 (a 327 with a 283 crank). I have pictures of the white "heat painted" headers after someone told me to adjust the valves "hot" --- they just didn't tell me not to adjust them with it RUNNING.... OH.... that was a hot smokey disaster.

The old school snorkel hood, huh? Killer, as it just screams 1980-ish.

Hey that was the scoop to have back then, then again I thought my mullet looked good too!:confused59:

Purchased for $800 in 1978 my first car.

70s - After a repaint

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...7f8a9683cd.jpg

90s - Started to clean-up but ran into problems with the body

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...0d356d6655.jpg

Last Week - Finally have time and money to do it right

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...a2291cb5a1.jpg

But I think I may be going backwards !!

I know you're kidding about going backwards.... but it is ONLY a hobby... And I think that is so kool that you're finally getting to make it the car of your dreams! Good for you!

Thanks Greg. I appreciate the encouraging words.Yes was joking and it really is moving forward the last few months. For the first time in recent memory I may run out of money before I run out of enthusiasm !

Look like you had a Tom Selleck thing going on back then. Lol

Facial hair was cool in the 70s and 80s. Now I am just glad to have some hair left !

:rofl: Even Burt Reynolds is struggling in that department these days but there is still some there.