Before I got my license my grandparents gave me a 1976 Mazda Cosmo.
http://www.mazdacosmo.com/photo-gallery/
13B rotary (the big rotary) with a 4 barrel carb and automatic. The apex seals in the rotor tips stuck, no compression, and I had to replace the engine before I ever got to drive it. Those rotary engines were so weird. All my buddies couldn't believe it had a tach that went up to 10,000 RPM from the factory.
When I sold that, I bought a 1967 Camaro, hugger orange/white rally stripes on a cowl induction hood, 327, Carter AFB, M20 Muncie and 3.73 Posi. Drove that thru graduation, High School and 4-1/4 years of college. While I was in college the 327 was swapped with a BBC 408 (.060 over 396). Wheel hop with that BBC was wicked, even with slapper bars that thing pounded the rear end.
When one of those two cars were dead, I drove a white, 3/4-ton 1969 GMC long bed camper special, 350, 4 barrel and a turbo 400.
Replaced or rebuilt every engine in those before I graduated college.