My First Car: 1929 Model A Ford, Anthony "Tony" Fiore, 90, Gulfport

1929 Model A Ford

My first car was a 1929 Model A Ford. I was 16. It was given to me by my brother-in-law. You can see by the picture (at bottom right), 11 of us — the softball team — piled on the car and went to the next game. (Illegal of course). An illegal inspection sticker was on the windshield folded down and covered with a bathing suit. People burned coal in those days. We cut out the rumble seat and made a truck and hauled the residents' ashes for a quarter a bushel. We put the rumble seat back and I sold the car for $25. No more starting the car with the crank. No more running alongside, jumping on the running board to start.

I have had many cars in my life but my pride and joy was a 1940 Chevy convertible (pictured at top right). I bought it in 1941 for $695. It was the last car built with running boards. When I went overseas, my family used it and sold it for $700. By that time, it was a mess. They didn't make cars in 1943, 1944 and 1945. Discharged in 1946, I managed to get a 1940 Oldsmobile. I was put on the waiting list to get a new car and got one is 1948.