When did you know you were a "car guy"?

[Cranky]

Can't pinpoint any particular thing except I liked cars. Had toy cars all over the house from a very young age. Used to shift mom's 51 Plymouth while sitting beside her. Based on where we lived at the time, I was 4. Got a pedal car Jeep and drove that until I didn't fit into it anymore. Dad bought mom a demo 56 Belvedere just after the 57's showed up. The dealer's wife drove it mostly. Fell in love with the 58 Edsel when they first came out and pestered dad to take me to the dealership because they were giving away promo models. I played with that until the wheels fell off! Had to pester dad half to death to take me because he hated Ford products and didn't want to deal with the salesmen lol. It wasn't long after that he let me drive the 56 on a road that wasn't open yet but was completed. Drove it for a couple of miles or so but he said to keep it no faster than 30. Man, that was boring! When I was 12, I started stealing the 63 Dart to go mow lawns. All I had to do was figure out the clutch and that was a no brainer. Got in trouble for that and from then on, it was just waiting for the time to pass to get my license and most of that time was spent with go carts, mini bikes and Mopeds....

 

[Tempest 455]

When I was a little kid in MI, my Dad worked at Chrysler and came home a HEMI Super Bee. Hooked since used to ride my big wheel around the cars and look at the wheels.

 

[Darter6]

My folks brought me home in a 53 Chrysler when I was born. Truth be told more that when my 2 older brothers became of age.Go-carts,cars,motorcycles of some sort were in the back yard being worked over of some sort.

 

[YY1]

My first word was "truck".

You can ask my mom.

Do I win?

 

[Ghostrider 67]

When my parents gave me my first model car kit at age 6.

 

[PRND21]

When I heard an engine start and run for the first time. Probably a lawnmower. I was always fascinating listing and watching an engine run.

Grew up on a farm and hearing a two cylinder John Deere running and watching how it made power to plow or pull a log was amazing. I couldn't wait to tear my first engine apart to see what made it run, then put it back together and start it up! What a satisfying feeling and it still is!

Kid, sounds like you're describing me. I know I was probably in the way, but I was always with dad out on the tractors. He drove Mopars, so that's where I got my start.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

X2^ loved driving grandpas tractor all over the fields.

 

[747mopar]

Hard to say? I fell in love with a 1970 Challenger in the 8th grade, in woodshop that year I made one out of wood and still have it to this day. I've been a motorhead since I was a kid, go carts at 3 yrs old then motocross followed by cars.

My parents couldn't afford to buy me a car so my first car was a beat up 1982 Camaro which is where I cut my teeth painting and rebuilding motors and transmissions.

 

[Ranger16]

Can't say for sure when it was, but I recall loving the sound of balloons in the spokes if my bike, always modifying it like a car (mud flaps & dual antennas). And then there where the Revelle model kits, so I'd have to say it was very early and well before middle school.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

When I was 16 and my girlfriend got "hot & bothered" by me driving fast. (her brother owned a '69 Hemi Road Runner.... go figure)

 

[idrivemopar]

When I was 7 and had a huge collection of matchbox and Hot wheels cars, then again when I was 10 and saw my neighbors 63 Vette, then again when i was 12 and had a great collection of slot cars, then when I was 14 I knew I was a Mopar guy when my brother bought a 72 Roadrunner!

 

[Beekeeper]

When nobody worked on my cars, but me and dad. He did it to show me how to save money. LOL!!!!!!!!! That didn't work out exactly like he planned.

I'm with missile here. My dad taught me how to work on them and I was hooked. My first car was a gremlin we put a 304 in and I've been mopar/AMC all the way since.

 

[khryslerkid]

Kid, sounds like you're describing me. I know I was probably in the way, but I was always with dad out on the tractors. He drove Mopars, so that's where I got my start.

In my early teens, my younger brother and I would bring home old cars that someone wanted to get rid of. Dad would got nuts on us. He would tell us "we're going to burn a barn down, working on that junk, get rid of it now!"

Well we got pretty good at hiding them from him. We would get them running and play Dukes of Hazzard before the Dukes were even thought of. We had over 200 acres to run around on. Had some pretty cool cars too. Then we got into fixing them up and flipping them for something better. It's how we both achieved our first cars to drive on the road and make a little money at it too. Wish we still had a few of them now.

 

[joseph p.]

1968 dodge coronet rt.i remember when i was 3 yrs old back in 1974,i loved the excitement of being in the back seat getting my head knocked back and fourth, on gear changes, and take offs,,lol.thats me in my member photo pic.

 

[moparwacko]

Hot rodded my first "vehicle" at 10 years old. An old Jacobsen lawn mower.
It had a belt driven flywheel, so I figured if I cut the slot for the shifter a bit longer it would go faster. It did, but my Dad wasn't too impressed.
Car wise, at about the same time my uncle took me to Raceway Park Englishtown NJ. Walking through the pits I saw a Willys coupe. I knew it was a Hemi with a blower and they sprayed stuff from a bottle to start it. I can still see that car plain as day, shook your insides when it fired.
Been hooked ever since

 

[OH71RRunner]

I basically grew up in a Chrysler/ dodge/Plymouth dealership. My dad started out washing cars and worked his way to parts manager, then warranty clerk. I knew all the mechanics (they weren't 'technicians' then) and they all knew me. I loved going to the shop with my dad.
The body shop guy had a Cuda convertible. He'd let me ride along in some of the parades with him and his kids.
According to my dad, I was content when I was a baby and toddler when he'd walk me around at car shows. I guess the phrase "shiny things amuse small minds" applied to me as a child. Lol

Maybe I was conceived in a car. Haha

 

[TxDon]

Around 1952 or 53 I remember sitting on the fender of a 1930 Model A Ford watching my dad change the spark plugs and wishing I could be doing it. Always loved taking stuff apart but had to learn how to put it back together.

 

[Mike67]

I was about 13 changing the starter on moms 75 Dart. The wrench slipped busted 3 knuckles...said 30 cuss words threw the wrench, then got pissed cause i had to climb out from under the car to go get the wrench to finish the job..., although at a younger age all i played with were hotwheels, smash em up derby, evil kenevil stunt cycle, watched speed racer, speed buggy, the wacky racers, & wheelie and the chopper bunch....

 

[mmissile]

I've been thinking about the initial question of this thread, and have decided there are various levels and descriptions of being a "car guy". Say there's a 100 levels...I'd say I'm in the top 5-10. My other hobby keeps me outta the very top. I guess it's a lack of dedication. LOL

 

[Bladecutter]

When I was in diapers & I ran the Hudson Hornet into the garage door of a house that my Parents were inside of with real estate agents, looking to buy. It was a long driveway,, they parked @ far end of. I managed to release park brake & knock column shifter into neutral & start the Hornet rolling...I was driving!! I remember the sinking feeling approaching door & looking at brake pedal realizing I hadn't thought that one out. Broke all the glass panes across top of door. Parents & Agents flew out of house......Parents bought house & we lived in it 8 years.