'47 Chevy convertible
I had been dreaming of a Chevy convertible for years. It had to be a Chevy because my dad only drove Chevys, and I had to convince my parents that a convertible was not dangerous. I had taken auto shop so I could work on the car myself. I bought it from a guy down the street for $500 when I turned 16, just before my junior year at Palo Alto High School in California. It was a beautiful light green with a black top. It had some strange quirks like a vacuum shift and vacuum-assisted windshield wipers. It was a straight-6 with very little horsepower and it was very heavy compared with cars today. I visited junkyards and bought horns from other cars, and had musical horns, which were out of tune. I was a member of my high school auto club called the Retarded Sparks. Our activities included a 100-mile course to see who could get the best mileage. I did not win. I sold the car when I joined the Navy in 1956 after I graduated. When I went to my 50th reunion a few years ago, the Retarded Sparks had a meeting. I don't miss the car at all and am much happier now with my Prius.
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