In what vehicle did you learn to drive?

[Scott8950]

76 Monte Carlo at the age of 13

[Snake45]

7 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Class consisted of watching movies, the classic was Red Asphalt. 

I'd forgotten about the movies! We saw a bunch of them, all from the Ohio State Police, in the school auditorium on a big screen. The only title I remember is Mechanized Death. 

[dimaxion]

My fIrst Car and the ONE I learned to Drive on . A Factory Re-Sale all Red 1960 EnFo Anglia . 4 on the floor . My father sent me out in on Gravel Driveway to conquer the Clutch Engagement . I had to re-fill the "Divots" . When my shovel time expired , on the Road we went .   This one pictured here is a '68 . For this Anglia is a next to the last MY / Name Plate Edition Thanx

[Dragline]

My Uncle Steve's 1977 Mercury Capri in the Dartmouth Mall parking lot. Manual shift and I only stalled it a couple of times before I got it figured. This is a recent conversation I had with Uncle Steve so it is still fresh. The car was less than a year old. He says it's in the garage and has been since 1981 when he parked it there. I am considering rescuing it since he owns the house [His parents, long gone], and he lives in New Hampshire over 300 miles away. He says it was perfect when he put it away so it may take some doing but it's mine if I can get it going. Olive green with silver I believe.

[Dragonhawk1066]

A couple of Buicks in 1984 through the High School Driver's Ed course. A Regal and a Century, exciting times. Could've been worse and learned in a Chevette, lol.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Dragonhawk1066

[MrObsessive]

At the time I was learning to drive (1976-'77), there were two cars I got to learn to drive in. At the time, my Mom had a '69 Javelin SST with the 390 auto. She was wary (understandably so) about me driving it as it could be a handful if one wasn't careful. My then Stepdad had a '69 Lincoln Continental Mark III (LOVED that car!), which I got to practice driving (him with me) quite a bit.

We had our Driver's Ed cars in school when I was able to take it..............1976-'77 Olds Cutlass Supreme, same year Pontiac Grand Prix and a HUGE Caprice. I ended up taking my test in that one eventually down the road.

Interesting that of all the cars I mentioned, only ONE of them I have as a model and that would be the Javelin. The Olds Cutlass I hope to start making a reality in the not too distant future.  

[John1955]

I first started learning to drive when I was 14, my grandfather's Studebaker pickup truck, I think it was a 1957 or so. Three on the tree but a bad clutch. My mother didn't know about that. I also drove my great uncle's International pickup truck as well about that time, it was maybe a '63.

Officially, once I was 16 and got my learner's permit, my mother taught me to drive in her '65 Chevy Impala wagon and my stepfather also gave me driving lessons in his '63 Chevy Corvair. Both were automatics and great to drive. I used the Corvair to take my driving test in and passed. The cop who gave me the test was a smart *** and said, "You passed, but anybody could pass driving something this easy". 

[Little Timmy]

In my Grandpas 1970 Diamond Reo dumptruck.

It had 2 gearshift levers and you needed 4 hands, and a trained monkey to shift the darned thing.

[ChrisBcritter]

Before Driver's Ed my dad let me guide our '69 Olds Delta 88 around the high school parking lot; it took several tries before I figured out how to stop smoothly. In high school we mostly had a few cars from the local Chevy dealer - brown '76 Chevelle sedan and an ivory '76 Monte Carlo with no vinyl roof. The one I'm still trying to forget was an ugly brown Datsun B210 four-door - the stick shift car; I've never been good at driving manuals and the instructor just happened to pick me to take it onto the Dan Ryan Expressway.  I guess the driving gods were with me that day and we got home in one piece, but I'm glad that trip was a one-and-done.

We didn't have simulators at Glenbrook South, other than a brake pedal reflex tester; too bad because I always wanted to try one out... 

[Muncie]

On 4/26/2021 at 7:02 AM, Muncie said:

The two family station wagons - 

1960 Dodge Seneca (base trim level) wagon, 318 V-8 and three on the tree.  (It's cool to see two 1960 Dodge threads currently on the forum!)

1965 Plymouth Belvedere II wagon, slant six and three on the tree. 

I'll add a bit more .  Like a lot of us, I had driver training in high school, a couple of weeks in some car I don't remember but everybody survived.  My parents also signed me up for formal education at a driver education school.  They had a fleet of white AMC Javelins.  Pretty sporty looking cars.  All of them were automatics except one with a three speed and Hurst shifter on the floor - that's the one I used.  I was set up to take my driver test in one of their cars.  I thought it would be easier with an automatic.  My state driver's test was the first time driving an automatic.  My lack of experience with the automatic caused a few errors and I darn near didn't pass.  I was happy to get my license and get back to the family cars that I was familiar with.  My first car was a project first so it was several months before I had my own wheels.

[Foxer]

I learned to drive on my Dad's 1956 Volkswagen Kombi. Corners scared hell out of me, I thought it would turn over.

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by Foxer

[VW93]

When I was 12 or 13 a 49 GMC pickup with a granny geared 4 speed at the Texaco station I used to hang around.

Just before I turned 17 I bought a 62 Impala with a 283, manual steering/brakes and a 3 speed Hurst. My father used it for about 4 months or so until I got my permit. Got my permit and went for my first driving lesson with my dad. Surprised him when I pulled away from the curb without snapping his neck off! Got onto an open stretch of road and banged second and third  after pulling away from the traffic light. End of lesson, from then on my mother went with me. Dad figured I would';t be banging gears with her in the car.

My uncle also took me out for lessons in his 67 Fairlane station wagon with a 289 and 3 on the tree.

Drivers Ed in HS we drove 4 door 70 Galaxies and Torino's.

Took my road test with the family 68 Falcon station wagon with 200 six and automatic. Parents didn't think a 62 Chevy "hot rod" with chrome reverse rims and dual cherry bombs would impress the test giver.

[64Comet404]

I learned to drive in an '84 Toyota SR5 Supercab. Dad taught me how to drive a stick, but I was pretty clumsy back then. There was one time we were parked on a bit of an incline, and Dad told me to give it more gas and turn the wheel. It did make it up...then kept turning and crashed into the back bumper of the neighbour's new Chrysler 600 (rubbing compound fixed the other car).

My driver's ed car was an '87-88 Pontiac Sunbird 4 door. Brake pedal in the passenger's side footwell, never felt comfortable driving it. Failed my first test with too many demerits. Interestingly, the driver's ed school had old promos that were used to demonstrate manouvers on the blackboard...a JoHan '70 Roadrunner and a couple of early MPC Dusters! I tried to convince them to let me trade for newer promos, but they wouldn't go for it! Finally got my licence in my Dad's brand new 1988 F150 XLT, regular cab with an 8' box. You can parallel park that, you can parallel park anything!

[slusher]

I learned to drive in my dads 77 Chevy Scottsdale pickup in Chicago.  

[kruleworld]

My first car was a Mazda 1500 SS. I didn't know it at the time, but it was a rather special twin carb version. to me it was just another beater. They don't make a model of one in any scale, so i designed it myself in 3D studio Max and printed it.

Edited April 28, 2021 by kruleworld

[Tom99]

My fathers 1963 Ford Falcon.

 

[ksnow]

I learned in the car in my avatar pic, 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic wagon. My wife didn't drive til after we were dating, she learned in my 96 Chevrolet C1500, extended cab long box. They didn't make her parallel park during her test. Don't think they make spots big enough for some of those trucks.

[Roncla]

One of these back in the 60s

 

[Rodent]

Folks had a 64 Galaxie 390 and a 70 Galaxie 351W when I was beginning to drive. I probably drove the 70 more because it was my dad's car and he did most of the instructing. I took my test in the 64 because it was a little smaller and easier to park. The 64 Galaxie would easily leave 100 feet of black stripe on the pavement, so it was my favorite to take out alone after I obtained my license.

My school district had a fleet of semi-decrepit 70 Belvederes and 69 Fairlanes, all with 125-150k that were "government grey" ex-state cars. Spent most of my on the road time in one of the Belvederes. They were 318s, retrofitted with a passenger side brake pedal. First afternoon on the road, a girl who had never driven got the first stint behind the wheel. Being very timid, she didn't want to make an uncontrolled left turn across traffic unless there was no oncoming traffic for about a mile. There was a nice opening, and the instructor told her to "punch it" and reached over to help her with the wheel. She "punched it" and left more rubber on the pavement than one would think that a 318 would be capable of and she wasn't slowing down. My backseat mate Scott and I leaned forward and saw her foot on the brake but the engine was revving up. Instructor saved the day and shut the key off and guided the car off the road. Debbie was sobbing uncontrollably. The Belvedere ran on (dieseled) for several minutes. Scott and I popped the hood, and there was the 318 sitting in there semi-sideways with two broken engine mounts and a damaged throttle cable. Oops. Junk cars, poor maintenance.

The district also had two new 1975 Corollas that I think that a local Toyota dealer either loaned or donated. The brown Corolla happened by about the time the Belvedere finally stopped running. They were short two students that afternoon, so there was room for Scott, Debbie, and I to cram into the back seat for the ride back while our instructor waited for a tow truck. Scott and I were pretty much the same build and weight and had wrestled together in Jr High and High School. We had already been in many compromising positions with each other, but now Debbie was between us, LOL.

District allegedly had a manual Beetle/Super Beetle, but it always was offline for mechanical issues.

My friend Jill's mom had a '73 Super Beetle that she let me drive so I was exposed to a manual.

The first car I ever "drove" was a 65 Coronet that belonged to a neighbor. He allowed me to move it on the driveway, but never let me park it in his garage. This is the first guy that I mowed lawns for and thus funded my model buying budget for several years.

The second car I drove is a weird story. My Jr High student government group held a carwash when I was 14. It was at a nearby service station that happened to be next door to a "watering hole". Guy rolls in with nearly new 911 and wants it washed. He looked at me and asked me to park it over in the watering hole parking lot when we were done and bring him the keys. OK, I am 14 and I told him that. He asked if I had ever driven a car. Yes. OK, "just do as I asked" he said and he gave me about three times our carwash asking price. To this day, I am not sure where the adults were that should have driven the 911 over there and given him the keys at the bar. Anyway, we did a really nice wash and dry. I hopped in and drove it 100 feet or so without stalling it, carefully parking it between the lines. I walked into the bar and gave the owner his keys back as heads swiveled. I waved to the bartender and left.

 

[Devilleish]

1976 F100 stepside. The power steering was so easy in that truck that I could steer it with the back of my hand without slipping. None of my Cadillacs have ever been that easy to steer. 

[John M.]

My late dad's 1968 Dodge Coronet station wagon that he used as his daily driver to work and it hauled assorted items for him. The body was rusty but the 318 keep plugging away.

[JollySipper]

My first car was a 4 door '74 Dart with a /6 auto that I bought for $100. I dubbed it "the Dirt Dobber" because we lived in a very rural part of the county that still had dirt roads. Learning to drive for me was on those dirt roads........ I fancied myself like the Duke boys being able to drift and such....

Learning to drive a manual came from working at a hog farm (pretty much all there is to do for anyone living rural). The owner of the farm had an S-10 with a 4.3 and 5 speed. He would send me on a lot of errands in that. Once I learned to drive manual, I enjoyed it better than the automatics.....

I'm really enjoying the stories in this thread....

[misterNNL]

My wife taught me to drive in her dad's '54 Ford sedan when I was 18. My parents really didn't want to learn to drive because it would cost more on their insurance which would probably have cut into his drinking money.

[Modlbldr]

I learned to drive in 85. We had three vehicles at that time that I took turns learning to drive. We had a 47 Ford four door sedan with the sloped back-bone stock with the 6 cylinder and three on the tree, a 73 Plymouth "Gold Duster"- automatic with a slant 6, and a 51 Kaiser. Loved all three of them for different reasons.

Later-

[Rodent]

23 minutes ago, Modlbldr said:

73 Plymouth "Gold Duster"

Dad's brother Earl had one of these. The best part of it was that the high back bench seat headrest on the driver's side hit the horn button perfectly when passengers (grandmother) were getting into the back seat. She could never figure out who was blowing the horn.....