Cars That Made You Want One

A brand new In Violet 1971 Road Runner with white stripes and top when I was 8 years old. I will never forget that Road Runner head in the grill. I told my Grandma that day that I was going have one of those one day. Now 48 years later this is my 27th Road Runner. Had it for 17 years and it's not leaving, my boys will get it when I die!

The neighbor girl down the street circa 1982 went on a date with a guy who drove a 69 Butterscotch RR with Direct Connection decals on the fenders and long lug studs through chrome reverse wheels. I later found out that engine was built by Kammer & Kammer, so it probably ran pretty good.

I was 14 and that was the first time I'd ever seen that body style.

My dad had a 68 GTX 440, 4spd. I absolutely loved the idea of having that car... Never happened, he sold it to my uncle and he raced and wrecked it.

When I was 13 a new neighbor moved in across the street and he had a 68 GTX, Hemi, 4spd. I remember taking this picture in 1985 after I begged him to let me wash the car. I loved it and told him that I wanted to buy it, he laughed and said IF I ever sell this car, I promise I will wait for you to buy it. In all fairness, I never dreamed that he would keep his word.


But he did, he kept his word and never sold it. It took me a long time to find him after 30 years, I moved several times as did he. I was in the Marine Corps, traveled the world, but as fate would have it, we ended up settling down just a couple miles from each other (I had no idea). After I found him, the expression on his face was priceless as he realized that the inevitable was near... I had come to fulfill my end of the deal and 30 years later I kept my word and bought it.
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This car is a lifelong love of the 1968 GTX, my connection to a time in my life that will never be broken or memories that have forever been etched. He made me promise that when I am done restoring it that I take him for a ride just as he had done for me countless times as a child. This story makes me smile every time I tell it, and TRULY defines the passion.

wldgtx said:

This car is a lifelong love of the 1968 GTX, my connection to a time in my life that will never be broken or memories that have forever been etched. He made me promise that when I am done restoring it that I take him for a ride just as he had done for me countless times as a child. This story makes me smile every time I tell it, and TRULY defines the passion.

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Wow , that was a great story with a long time coming happy ending! That's one for the books, lol. Thanks!

That is an interesting story.

Richard Petty's 72/74 Chargers and guy in my home town with a red 68 charger.

Wow! No cool story like that....but, I was a car freak very early on from shifting (but not too good at first) mom's 51 Crapbrook while sitting beside her to eventually driving her 56 Plymouth Belvedere Sports Coupe when I was 7 or 8 so that puts the timeline around 58 or 59 and well, that only made me like cars even more. Btw, I loved the 58 Edsels lol and begged dad to take me to the dealership to at least look at them and get a free promo friction motor model. Had to pester him since he didn't like Ford products. Anyways, dad used to let me get on his lap and steer and when he figured I was good enough, he pulled over one day on this newly built but not yet open road, got out and walked around to my side and said 'slide over' and I knew what that meant but then said to keep it no more than 20. The 56 was an automatic and that drive was boring so it wasn't very long before I pulled over to the shoulder. Kinda liked shifting better as I thought it was cool.

Next time to drive was in summer of 64 with a 63 Dart 170 with the 'small' /6 and 3 speed. Bare bones car with a heater and that's it. Was 13 and mowing yards and was tired of pushing the mower all over the place and then trying to drag it with my bicycle wasn't working and being the Dart was sitting in the driveway all day long looked tempting to say the least. Tested out the clutch in the driveway by backing up then going forward.....piece a cake and off I went. Still like stick shift cars today! Can't think of anything that made me like one car or the other but as a newly licensed teen, I drove my sister's 65 Mustang a lot but also drove her 'old' car (66 Belvedere) that dad helped her get. Problem with that was dad drove it a lot too and smoked in it and she and dad was constantly at each other's throat so she saved up enough money for the Stang and gave the 66 back. I ended up with it in mid 69 and never looked back.

I have to say that I have been lucky and have had most of the cars I ever wanted (9 challengers, 3 Cudas, 4 Chargers, 3 Roadrunners, etc.); The problem has always been I wanted them all and then some. Most recently I have gotten the bug to get a Triumph spitfire.

I got into Mopars when I was about 15, I was in HS and while I was interested in cars I didn't really have a preference at that time. My buddy (a Chevy guy) told me that we were going to get picked up after soon by a guy he grew up with, so around 4:30 or so we were standing outside and up pulled a rumbling 69 Roadrunner jacked up in the back, this was our ride. On the ride home I knew that I was a Mopar guy to be sure. About a month later the same guy pulled up in a 70 Challenger and the die was cast, I've been chasing them ever since and I am still friends with that driver today... (the Chevy guy no so much).

Roger63 said:

It was my neighbors big block Dart GTS man that thing was fast. But when your 10 a Honda atc was fast.

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My friend since we were five years old, has a matching numbers 69 Dart GTS 383 4 speed car, that we found in the local auto trader for $900.00 back in 1985! He is doing his second restoration on it now. It reminds me of the 15/16ths Chevelle that Smokey built. I call it the mini Road Runner!

Hey Cranky, Your story sounds like mine. My Dad was into fishing. Mom and I would get bored real fast so she would let me drive around the dirt parking lot (when no one or other cars were around) in a 1963 Chrysler 300.First car I drove.

30+ years ago I was looking out the school bus window waiting to leave school. A guy came to pick up his daughter driving a blue 68 Super Bee. At that moment I had to have one! That guy is also a member here and I believe he still has that Super Bee. (It’s still my favorite car).

I've been blessed having been able to purchase quote a few cars over the years that I lusted after.

These days, I concentrate on my first automotive love; 68 Dodge Chargers.

Cranky said:

-- but really liked the 2dr sedans a bit better than the HT's. --

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-- Mt too. I have had several.