Do you remember?

[oldertruckguy-9225]

When you rolled the windows in your car  down/up  with a handle?  Three pedals on the floor? A clutch, 3 on a tree, 4 on the floor? In line 6?  Oil bath carburetors, hell just plain carburetors? Rotor caps? Gaping spark plugs? Timing belts? Windshield wipers only had 2 speeds. Cars, trucks only had 2 tail lights? Bench seats?  How about, arm straight out was a left turn. Arm out and bent up at the elbow was a right turn?  High beam was a button on the floor you tapped with your foot?  White wall tires, hub caps, wheel covers, fender skirts? Biased tires?   A friend came by this morning driving his way cool, restored, NOT CUSTOMIZED, 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. Every part of that car is 1956 OR 1957. We drove down to Pueblo for lunch at one of our favorite mom&pop Mexican restaurants. I am an old fart, I admit that in the over all scheme of life, a restored 1957 Chevy Bel Air ain't that big of a deal. But driving down the highway and riding around town in one is a whole lot of fun. Brought back memories of 'Wolfman Jack', the big KOMO and WIL late at night just crusin and my first true love;  Nancy Marie. Holy Moly life was good! 

[jalanp]

No power steering. No anti-lock brakes. Had to manually lock and unlock each door separately. No shoulder harness seat belt. Wire radio antenna. Manually adjusting side view mirrors.

BTW, I thought arm bent down was a right turn and bent up was stop.

Good times indeed.

[gr8owl]

46 minutes ago, oldertruckguy-9225 said:

When you rolled the windows in your car  down/up  with a handle?  Three pedals on the floor? A clutch, 3 on a tree, 4 on the floor? In line 6?  Oil bath carburetors, hell just plain carburetors? Rotor caps? Gaping spark plugs? Timing belts? Windshield wipers only had 2 speeds. Cars, trucks only had 2 tail lights? Bench seats?  How about, arm straight out was a left turn. Arm out and bent up at the elbow was a right turn?  High beam was a button on the floor you tapped with your foot?  White wall tires, hub caps, wheel covers, fender skirts? Biased tires?   A friend came by this morning driving his way cool, restored, NOT CUSTOMIZED, 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. Every part of that car is 1956 OR 1957. We drove down to Pueblo for lunch at one of our favorite mom&pop Mexican restaurants. I am an old fart, I admit that in the over all scheme of life, a restored 1957 Chevy Bel Air ain't that big of a deal. But driving down the highway and riding around town in one is a whole lot of fun. Brought back memories of 'Wolfman Jack', the big KOMO and WIL late at night just crusin and my first true love;  Nancy Marie. Holy Moly life was good! 

What no curb feelers? 

Yes, all the rest.  Thanks for the mental blast from past.  Oh, and timing lights, adjusting timing.

But the radio thing was a test right?  You meant KOMA and WLS - I think?

[gr8owl]

36 minutes ago, jalanp said:

 

BTW, I thought arm bent down was a right turn and bent up was stop.

 

I hope you did not drive much!! 

[jalanp]

2 hours ago, gr8owl said:

I hope you did not drive much!! 

Yep. Looked it up. I was wrong. That explains a lot!!

[mustang]

3 hours ago, jalanp said:

No power steering. No anti-lock brakes. Had to manually lock and unlock each door separately. No shoulder harness seat belt. Wire radio antenna. Manually adjusting side view mirrors.

BTW, I thought arm bent down was a right turn and bent up was stop.

Good times indeed.

Arm bent down was the signal for "stopping"

 

[Caressa Duval]

I think my Grandmother or Grandfather throwing their arm against my chest in the front seat, was the signal for stop and that was late 70s early 80s.

[Seeker5280]

I’m so lucky to have a lot of those you mentioned. It’s a 70’ Fairlane 500.
Crank windows, auto transmission, 2 barrel card 302 ci stock, plugs, points, timing CHAIN, 2 seed wiper and bench seats. White walls, hub caps , biased ply tires. I drive it 1200 miles a year. 108,000 now. I was there when it was bought new…………………….

 

Like I said……………I’m LUCKY!

 

so many others will never know

[Hvnaball2]

How about metal dashes (no padding) and no seat belts. And no one saw that as a problem!

[ilovewomen]

My first car, a '51 Plymouth had a straight 6, 3 on the tree with overdrive, single speed wipers, no seat belts and of course clutch, brake and gas pedals.

I remember getting it up to 100 mph on Hwy 285 in 1967...scary thought now of going that fast in that car.

[whosyourdaty]

I remember the days when I had 4-on-the-floor, and a 5th under the seat. 

[average1]

Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.  I remember when seat belts were added.  My first car was a 1960 Ford Falcon, 3 on the tree.  It would drop out of second gear when you took your foot off the gas to turn.  Also had one of the very boxy Opels for a couple of years.  Great car, but no acceleration at all.  But for a small car, the trunk was HUGE.

[Du]

Oh, why didn't I keep it..my first and only HOT car.  64 chevy 2 door hardtop 327--4 barrel 3 on the column and overdrive handle, dual exhaust and glass packs.  So I generally drove it as a 5 speed like a 2 speed axle on a truck and shifted to 5th at about 65mph.  Then I bought a hurst conversion kit for the stick on the floor. Oh, the college days!

[Bigguy]

I don't remember oil bath carbs but everything else anyone mentioned is very familiar. My folks used to go for Sunday drives, and I would lay on the shelf behind the back seat.

[tide32]

On 9/9/2021 at 2:29 PM, Du said:

Oh, why didn't I keep it..my first and only HOT car.  64 chevy 2 door hardtop 327--4 barrel 3 on the column and overdrive handle, dual exhaust and glass packs.  So I generally drove it as a 5 speed like a 2 speed axle on a truck and shifted to 5th at about 65mph.  Then I bought a hurst conversion kit for the stick on the floor. Oh, the college days!

My first car I paid $375. for. 1963 Impala SS-409 with 2x4. Red with 4 on the floor.

Quote

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[HeavenlyBellaCO]

On 9/8/2021 at 10:43 PM, Caressa Duval said:

I think my Grandmother or Grandfather throwing their arm against my chest in the front seat, was the signal for stop and that was late 70s early 80s.

Lol….I still do that to this day if I have someone I care about in my vehicle with me🙏🏼

[Guest]

My 83 year old mom still does the arm across the chest! We both laugh!

[tide32]

Can't believe you forgot eight track tape players, vinyl seat covers, swing out wing window, steering knob on the wheel, points and condenser.

Edited September 12, 2021 by tide32
stupid

[Guest]

And big back seats! Room to, you know…

[Mike940370]

I even remember when I had to get up and walk to the TV to change the channel.

How bout chrome bumpers? 

Trying to kick start your Hatley?

Having to cruise Colfax in Denver or Dale Mabry in Tampa to find a quick companion?

[oldertruckguy-9225]

I really wanted the thread to be one that lots of people contributed too. So far so good. The very first car I owned was a 1953 Chevy 2 door. It had a .....choke.

17 hours ago, tide32 said:

Can't believe you forgot eight track tape players, vinyl seat covers, swing out wing window, steering knob on the wheel, points and condenser.

 

[gnarley_boy12]

On 9/8/2021 at 10:43 PM, Caressa Duval said:

I think my Grandmother or Grandfather throwing their arm against my chest in the front seat, was the signal for stop and that was late 70s early 80s.

I do the same for my dog now in my 1987 synco VW camper. 

[pfunk]

I'm glad you had a good time!

I learned to drive in one of these:

 

[Audrey Astor]

And the headlight high beams were a button on the floor. If you were lucky, you had a CB Raidio in your truck. We had to install positraction and cruise control ourselves. How did we ever make it?

[Bit Banger]

I learned to drive on one of these.

.https://www.militarytrader.com/military-vehicles/buyers-guide-m37-dodge-three-quarter-ton-truck

My first 4x4 experience was in 8” of snow with a full load of ammo. 😁

[CountryGentleman]

I still have a vehicle with the floor button for brights.  By far the best way to do it!  
 

It’s an ‘89 Bronco.  I’m looking for a 68 stang. 

[Kaduk]

 

[ilovewomen]

11 hours ago, CountryGentleman said:

I still have a vehicle with the floor button for brights.  By far the best way to do it!  
 

It’s an ‘89 Bronco.  I’m looking for a 68 stang. 

I didn't realize a vehicle that new still had the floor button for bright lights.