My first car Gladys
The last ride of Gladys Snagley
When I was 18 I was given a gift by my favorite uncle, a 1971, 4 door, Chevy Nova. The year was 1986. It had 52,000 miles. I named the car Gladys. It was the metallic pea green color; it had a 307 cubic inch engine with a 2-speed “power glide” transmission. As a relatively poor teenaged outdoorsman I was pretty happy. It was the Hunting and fishing car I had been wanting. I had pretty much used up all of the fishing and hunting spots within walking distance, and I looked ridiculous riding my bike down the road with a deer strapped to the front bumper, at 18 image is everything.
Gladys, in response to my enthusiasm on becoming a car owner, quit running. I had to replace all the belts, hoses, wires, plugs, points, condenser, rotor button, motor mounts, transmission mount, heater core, and all four tires. Since I was poor this only took about 2 months. I spent most of my time fixing this car.
I took this car to college it became known as the bald tire mobile. The natural state of my tires was that of thinly spaced bits of rubber surrounded with wire. Once I had 3 flat tires at the same time. I found that I could put 10 to 12 people inside of the car if necessary, which was often during my freshman year. For some reason the car did not make me very popular among women at that time in my life.
That car broke down so much I used to carry spare parts in the trunk. I carried a spare radiator hoses belts points and condenser. I was known by my ability to stop on the side of the road and change busted hoses and have the antifreeze and water in the trunk to finish the job.
The first time I took my now wife for a date in the car. I picked her up in the rain. I handed her a towel and told her she would have to be the defroster tonight, as the cars did not work. She was not elated. I told her also that the dog in the back seat usually sat up front and to try not to let him get up with us because he had mud on his feet from the rain. She stayed with me regardless of my lack of etiquette. The car did not.
Latter that year I was driving along and Gladys decided she had enough and died. The fact that all the oil leaked out probably had something to do with it. Alas I was forced to buy a reliable automobile. I have owned many vehicles since then but none with the character that one had.
Anybody have any good first car stories.
BO Snagley
When I was 18 I was given a gift by my favorite uncle, a 1971, 4 door, Chevy Nova. The year was 1986. It had 52,000 miles. I named the car Gladys. It was the metallic pea green color; it had a 307 cubic inch engine with a 2-speed “power glide” transmission. As a relatively poor teenaged outdoorsman I was pretty happy. It was the Hunting and fishing car I had been wanting. I had pretty much used up all of the fishing and hunting spots within walking distance, and I looked ridiculous riding my bike down the road with a deer strapped to the front bumper, at 18 image is everything.
Gladys, in response to my enthusiasm on becoming a car owner, quit running. I had to replace all the belts, hoses, wires, plugs, points, condenser, rotor button, motor mounts, transmission mount, heater core, and all four tires. Since I was poor this only took about 2 months. I spent most of my time fixing this car.
I took this car to college it became known as the bald tire mobile. The natural state of my tires was that of thinly spaced bits of rubber surrounded with wire. Once I had 3 flat tires at the same time. I found that I could put 10 to 12 people inside of the car if necessary, which was often during my freshman year. For some reason the car did not make me very popular among women at that time in my life.
That car broke down so much I used to carry spare parts in the trunk. I carried a spare radiator hoses belts points and condenser. I was known by my ability to stop on the side of the road and change busted hoses and have the antifreeze and water in the trunk to finish the job.
The first time I took my now wife for a date in the car. I picked her up in the rain. I handed her a towel and told her she would have to be the defroster tonight, as the cars did not work. She was not elated. I told her also that the dog in the back seat usually sat up front and to try not to let him get up with us because he had mud on his feet from the rain. She stayed with me regardless of my lack of etiquette. The car did not.
Latter that year I was driving along and Gladys decided she had enough and died. The fact that all the oil leaked out probably had something to do with it. Alas I was forced to buy a reliable automobile. I have owned many vehicles since then but none with the character that one had.
Anybody have any good first car stories.
BO Snagley
