Vintage family car ideas, stories

[Jered1987]

Best stories and best classic cars trucks suvs 60s -80s for 4 people?
Im ready to go back to old i dont like my wifes 15 malibu

[truckster]

Originally Posted by Jered1987

Best stories and best classic cars trucks suvs 60s -80s for 4 people?
Im ready to go back to old i dont like my wifes 15 malibu

Driving my 73 Olds Delta 88 across the country with my family - it was like sitting on your couch with 455 cubic inches of power under your right foot.

[The Rocknrod]

My step-dad had a 60 Lincoln Continental, new off the showroom floor, cream white with cream white leather interior. Four doors, wow what a land yacht. The whole family would gather on the weekend to wash it and wax, even had chrome polish for it.

[Ironhorse]

Growing up with my older brother and sister Mom & Dad seemed to always have the bigger cars. First car I remember was a '52 Buick Roadmaster, 4 doors, straight 8 engine and the size of a small aircraft carrier. Then came a '55 Buick Special followed by a '57 Buick Century. Moved on to a '57 Chrysler Crown Imperial, think land yacht for sure. Then on to station wagons, this was before all the SUVs came into being. Nothing says vintage old school family and vacation time like a station wagon. Gotta' have the "places we've been to" water slide decals on the side and back glass. Don't see them on the road much now days, occasionally now and then at car shows.

A nice Chevelle, Impala, Olds Custom Cruiser (w/the roof windows) and others come to mind for such a family ride. Good luck in your searching.

[kingsolver72]

In or about 67 my parents had a station wagon. Nothing special. Just the car we used when we would go on trips, mostly day trips. We lived in Castle Rock Colorado. So we do a day trip up to Decker,in the front range. I was in the very back of the car. No seats and a bunch of spent .22 shells. My dad always had guns. Anyway I picked up a shell and was making whistle sounds. Eventually it ended up on my canine tooth. One of my brothers yelled up to my parents as we are driving home “Scott’s got a shell casing stuck on his tooth”. My dad pulled the car over and was about to pull the casing off with a pair of pliers. Mom mom said no, take him to the hospital. So we drive to Denver, the doctor comes in to the room we are in with hemostats and pulls the shell off the tooth. My dad was so mad. My brothers still talk about it to this day. They love to tell that story.

[special-K]

You had a buckshot tooth

I met the gal I married in '82. She had two children from her previous marriage. I had a '71 K/20 I had recently dedicated as the work truck for my new contracting business so I had bought a '72 SWB BBC for my 'nice' vehicle. She had a car, but I decided a Blazer would be a cool family vehicle and I wanted a 4wd for the fun times since the K/20 was for work now. So I got a '71 CST Blazer. I did a full cage and put a soft top on. The kids loved it. Then I found a '55 Chevy 4dr wagon and bought that for my fiance. That was a great family vehicle. By late-80s I had acquired quite a few old GM trucks, including a '71 Custom Camper/20 with camper unit for the family. I figured my girlfriend needed a cool car of her own, other than a station wagon. I was looking for an early Monte Carlo when I found a beautiful baby blue '63 Riviera for her. So by the time we married in '90 we had the Blazer, '55 wagon, Riviera, and camper for family use. I ended up selling the '55 and getting a '71 C/10 Suburban to take it's place as the family wagon. I remember taking my two kids, the neighbor's two kids, and a couple dogs to 4H dog obedience classes in that thing with the wife. Bodies all over the place but plenty room for all. I have had a Suburban ever since. I wish I lived where rust was not such a killer. I'd drive nothing but cool old vehicles

[Jered1987]

Originally Posted by special-K

You had a buckshot tooth

I met the gal I married in '82. She had two children from her previous marriage. I had a '71 K/20 I had recently dedicated as the work truck for my new contracting business so I had bought a '72 SWB BBC for my 'nice' vehicle. She had a car, but I decided a Blazer would be a cool family vehicle and I wanted a 4wd for the fun times since the K/20 was for work now. So I got a '71 CST Blazer. I did a full cage and put a soft top on. The kids loved it. Then I found a '55 Chevy 4dr wagon and bought that for my fiance. That was a great family vehicle. By late-80s I had acquired quite a few old GM trucks, including a '71 Custom Camper/20 with camper unit for the family. I figured my girlfriend needed a cool car of her own, other than a station wagon. I was looking for an early Monte Carlo when I found a beautiful baby blue '63 Riviera for her. So by the time we married in '90 we had the Blazer, '55 wagon, Riviera, and camper for family use. I ended up selling the '55 and getting a '71 C/10 Suburban to take it's place as the family wagon. I remember taking my two kids, the neighbor's two kids, and a couple dogs to 4H dog obedience classes in that thing with the wife. Bodies all over the place but plenty room for all. I have had a Suburban ever since. I wish I lived where rust was not such a killer. I'd drive nothing but cool old vehicles

What was the 55 wagon like? My wifes granfather gave me one but i dont know if i want to
Go to extreme lengths fixing it if they arent that great considering parts prices are out of this world and it needs about 90% redone

[CG]

The 60-80's weren't vintage cars, just plain ol cars when I was coming up in the world.

I don't know 80s crap, but late 60's early 70's wagons would make a nice family car. Room for four easily. Plus room in the back for pets or groceries. And room for grandma and her rocker up top =)

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Jered1987

What was the 55 wagon like? My wifes granfather gave me one but i dont know if i want to
Go to extreme lengths fixing it if they arent that great considering parts prices are out of this world and it needs about 90% redone

It was great. It had a 350/TH350 and rallye wheels from a '75 Monte Carlo. The previous owner had stripped the chrome and painted it root beer metallic. I had the chrome and wanted to paint it back to original. Also had a split electric leather front seat from a Lincoln, Monte Carlo floor shift, and metalflake green Superior steering wheel. I wanted to put the shift back on the column, correct seat, original steering wheel. We had it a few years, never did any of that, and all we did is drive it. It was very practical and cool, although not how I would have liked it to be.


I forgot to mention the '65 Biscayne wagon we had. We didn't have it long before my older son started driving, so it became his car. He drove it for seven dependable years before his cousin hit a tree and killed it during a driving lesson, or so I was told. Very practical big car. 6cyl/3spd all basic. Got 24 mpg IIRC.

[65truckowner]

I have a 79 bronco for a family ride and have owned it for 17 years. Pulled the camper out west a few years ago. Me the wife and our 4 kids. Had a blast. We went back roading last weekend. I put a 390 fe under the hood for the hot shots at the stoplights great ride and easy to work on and with the vintage heat and air nice inside too

[yuccales]

So many fun camping trips in my '66 Chevelle. Camp stove on the tail gate, seat folded down to sleep if the 'skeeters got to bad. 283, 2bbl, Powerglide. Super dependable, not fast but could keep up with traffic. Fun old car!

[CG]

When I was a kid I was really in to 57 Chevys. Someone gave me a 57 Bel Aire 4 door wagon. It was in really nice shape, which was good for me because I was stripping that sucker clean. When we got it all stripped of everything useable (in our minds), I let the neighborhood kids pound on it with bats and stuff ... they had a blast.

Now, thinking back, I would really like to have that wagon. Hindsight sigh.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by special-K

It was great. It had a 350/TH350 and rallye wheels from a '75 Monte Carlo. The previous owner had stripped the chrome and painted it root beer metallic. I had the chrome and wanted to paint it back to original. Also had a split electric leather front seat from a Lincoln, Monte Carlo floor shift, and metalflake green Superior steering wheel. I wanted to put the shift back on the column, correct seat, original steering wheel. We had it a few years, never did any of that, and all we did is drive it. It was very practical and cool, although not how I would have liked it to be.
Attachment 1846282

I forgot to mention the '65 Biscayne wagon we had. We didn't have it long before my older son started driving, so it became his car. He drove it for seven dependable years before his cousin hit a tree and killed it during a driving lesson, or so I was told. Very practical big car. 6cyl/3spd all basic. Got 24 mpg IIRC.

All these years I have known you and never knew you owned these two neat old Station Wagons .. I would like to own either of them now.. I rented a new one in 68 and drove it to Montana to a family reunion at George Town Lake ,, If I remember corectly it had a rear seat that who ever sit on it,,, one was looking out the rear window..

[special-K]

Yep Larry. I've had a thing for station wagons. I think if you could find a 78-87 Malibu wagon that isn't already a drag car that would be perfect.

[Wgesnerjr]

This was my ride for many years. Bought one in 1999 right before our daughter was born and it was totaled in 2006. replaced it with this one with an LT1 in it.
Wife and I loved this car. Daughters friends used to call it "groovy"
Best memory is my suburban wife punching it on a green light and dusting a fartpipe Honda Civic!! Just stunned I looked at her and all she said was, "no expects the Spanish inquisition"! :-)
Took it on many trips with a Sears X-Cargo roof carrier on it. Even on the ferry from Delaware to New Jersey. Finally, with 216,000 miles, I let it go to a college student in 2017.
Really miss that car.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Wgesnerjr

This was my ride for many years. Bought one in 1999 right before our daughter was born and it was totaled in 2006. replaced it with this one with an LT1 in it.
Wife and I loved this car. Daughters friends used to call it "groovy"
Best memory is my suburban wife punching it on a green light and dusting a fartpipe Honda Civic!! Just stunned I looked at her and all she said was, "no expects the Spanish inquisition"! :-)
Took it on many trips with a Sears X-Cargo roof carrier on it. Even on the ferry from Delaware to New Jersey. Finally, with 216,000 miles, I let it go to a college student in 2017.
Really miss that car.

Man,,, that station wagon looks long ,,, but probably no longer than the Silverado 06 I just sold.....,maybe they kept on making the rear seat looking backwards after the 68 I rented,, ?

[special-K]

Yeah, that was the way they got the 3rd row squeezed in. Load 'em in the back

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by truckster

Driving my 73 Olds Delta 88 across the country with my family - it was like sitting on your couch with 455 cubic inches of power under your right foot.

I sure wish dad's 1975 Pontiac had the 455.....it "only" has the 400 and it was detuned that year and only put out 175 horses.

Still that big boat was SOOOOOO comfortable, like you were floating on air, lacking cruise control you could easily find yourself doing 90 mph. Those bench seats were like "couches." I wish modern cars had them.

Back in the 80's, when 55 mph was still the limit, having a CB and truckers calling out "the smokies" was a great way to avoid the speed traps.

There was that time my father tried to straddle an alligator (truck recap) and dragged it, ripping off the muffler in a brilliant cloud of sparks!

We pulled off but the next car hit the recap and did several complete 360's before coming to rest in the grassy median. No one was hurt. We were able to hacksaw off the exhaust and tie it to the underside with wire I found laying along the roadway.

Note: carry hacksaw and wire in your tool loadout.

[pritch]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Note: carry hacksaw and wire in your tool loadout.

In my toolkit-heck that IS my toolkit

Dad always had trucks, of course. I think the first one I remember being brand new was a '74 Datsun. I ended up with that one in '76 or '77. He wanted to go back to full-sized and bought a new square-body.

The first car I really remember was a 4-door Falcon, musta been about a '60 or so, and probably 4 or 5 years old by then, woulda put me around 7 or 8-about the time I started paying attention to such things. The next one was a '62 Caddy, giant fins and all. Man, that thing was a boat! Thru those years we lived in Santa Barbara and it was a freeway cruiser! After that, they bought a Dodge Coronet, and it had a BIG motor. I don't know my Dodges, but maybe a 440? Ma didn't have that one for very long. I was with her one day and she hit it just a little too hard making a left and we did a 360 right there in the middle of the intersection! I thought the old gal gonna stroke out! That car was gone very soon after that and she never drove another V-8, except for that square-body dad had. From then on, it was Datsuns and subarus for her.

Of all of them back then, I wish I had that Caddy the most, or any one of the trucks dad had thru the years.

[Warrens69GMC]

1981 Malibu wagon
https://valdosta.craigslist.org/cto/...762812123.html

[special-K]

There ya go! Too bad it needs paint, though... At least for me it would.

[Quikshft]

This car is already a memory for me, in the late 90's my wife saw a really nice Desoto wagon at a car show and suggested we get something like that. For the next two years I watched the class adds and Hemmings Motor News for a 'tail fin' wagon. Finally saw an add for this '61 Chrysler Newport in Sacramento. It was a solid car, just needed basic interior and paint. I added Vintage Air AC and when a friend told me about an old Offenhauser tri carb intake for sale on Ebay I snagged it for the 361 and added a trio of Holley 94's. Used the car for transportation for several years and then sold it. It was just too big to scoot around town in and Nancy wanted something a little more nimble and convenient to drive. Always got looks!

[special-K]

That's a sweet wagon! It was the same with my ex. The cool wagons and Suburban I bought her she ended up barely driving because they were so big. They'd sit around, so got sold

[truckster]

When my family outgrew the 73 Olds I bought a 81 Buick Estate Wagon with all the options (anyone remember crushed velour seats?) and an Olds diesel. The first time the diesel failed to start for me I yanked it out and put in an Olds 455 I built for it. Stock heads, mild cam, 850 cfm Quadrajet, dual exhaust, and a 3.23 posi rear end.

We drove that car for a couple of years and my wife could never understand why I liked it so much; after all, it was enormous and it only got about 11 MPG. One day I came home from work and she had a big grin on her face. She said, "OK, now I know why you like that car so much." Someone had tried to pass her on the right, and for the first time in two years, she punched the throttle.

Oh, and I left the diesel badges on it. Sometimes people would hear it idle and ask, "Is that really a diesel?" Sometimes a Mustang would pull up alongside at a light and think he was going to blow away this land yacht diesel full of kids.