First, Best and Worst Cars

[YELLAHEEP]

First: '65 LeMans Sport Coupe - 326 cid with a column 3 speed. Bought it at 14 years old and fixed it over 2 years. Added a 4bbl, and a Muncie M22 4sp. Maroon with black interior..... shoulda NEVER sold that car.

Favorite: '65 LeMans Convertible - 326 / auto / AC. Bought the car from the original owner - a preacher. All original, cool spinner hub caps. Rebuilt the engine as a tech school project. Lots of fun with that car.

Worst: '73 Maveric 4dr. 302 took a dump a week after buying it as a beater, sold it to a street rodder who wanted the rear end and front suspension.

Best beaters: '72 Skylark - banana yellow with the 350/ auto. Friggin' thing was FAST! Added some rally wheels and BFG's and drove the piss out of it. Sold it for more than I paid for it. Then over the course of a year, I owned three '78/'79 Cutlasses. I really liked those cars for daily drivers. Bought one of 'em for $90 that supposedly had a rear main seal leak - turned out to be a tranny cooling line that rubbed a hole in the oil filter - solid car after that $3 fix! Also had a '75 Dodge Charger Daytona... yeah I said Daytona. Basically a Cordova but sportier with the 360 and had a limited edition decal package. Was kinda rare, but no one wanted one. Serious luxo-cruiser though.

Wife's favorite: '54 Buick Special. Bought this when I sold the '65 convertible. Black with traditional flame job, charcoal custom fabric interior, 500 cid Caddy, 400 trans, '72 LeSabre rear axle/suspension, cut front springs - Took her to her Prom in that car and everyone kept asking "Where'd you rent that?" A good friend still has it today in primo shape.

Honorable mention: '70 Chevelle built for 1/4 mile. 350/350, roll cage, ladder bars, 15X10 Mickey Thompson Bias plys in the rear, Cragar SST's, B&M Star shifter, Camaro buckets, SS hood and exhaust tips, lots of chrome and braided hose under the hood - fun, but expensive - cops loved it.

First new vehicle: '91 S-10 extra cab 4x4. That was a great truck and got me into 'wheeling. Added a Rancho 3.5" lift, put 90K miles on it and rear ended someone. Rebuilt it into a total show truck and hated that I couldn't 'wheel it anymore. Traded it in on a Dodge Ram in '99 and then got my first XJ for 'wheeling!

 

[skeptic_always]

First: '77 Toyota Celica. Had the most fun driving in that than any other car. I'm just thankful I made it out alive and wreck free.

Best: '95 Trans Am. Say what you want about it being a white trash mullet mobile, it was great. Rode great. Fully loaded. T-tops for nice weather. Most comfortable supportive seat I've ever sat in (I have a bad back). Lots of power. Absolutely no squeeks or rattles that the older models built a reputation for. It was just too big for my commute and parking where I worked in Miami.

Worst: '91(??) Beretta. I bought it when I worked in downtown Portland OR. I wanted a crappy car that nobody would mess with while parked in a public parking lot all day. Dirt cheap, auto, cruise, A/C, mechanically perfect, decent mileage, ok power (V6), and a stereo that worked all in a boring unnoticable package. It was the worst car I've owned, but it was the perfect commuter.

Most Fun: '93 Eagle Talon TSI-AWD. Turbo. All-wheel-drive. Mild modifications. What more do I need to say?

edit: figure I should add this to the list:

Most anticipated: '77 Celica (not my first car): It's been in the shop for what seems like forever. 8 months? 10 months? It started fairly simple, but it has gotten out of hand and is hopefully nearing completion. Short version - when I get the car back it will be new from the engine bay to the rear wheels. Should be well over 300 HP, and built to support over 400hp if I up the boost, in a 2,500 lb car. Slight body modifications (NOT ricer styel), custom black paint with stripes that transition into flames. Centerline "custom" Ventura wheels painted black. etc. etc. etc. The plan was to take the Celica shell (I've always loved the look of the 1st generation) and build a modern car out of if.

 

[Dookie]

first - '83 Datsun/Nissan Sentra. GREAT little car. again, FIRST car, so naturally i beat the holy living hell out of it. it saw air and mud many a time... bought it for $800, sold it years later for $800.

'92 cavalier - bought it new in '91, drove it until 94k - and NEVER ONCE did anything to it but change the brakes and the oil. ran flawlessly the entire time. oh.. one alternator. helped restore my faith in GM products.

'68 caddy sedan deville. freakin' AWESOME car!! beater, but it was great. the ONLY reason i got laid AT ALL in high school....

'92 300 ZX twin turbo - best car ever. period. need to say no more.

'99 pontiac grand am. good car - until baby mama got ahold of it and managed to drive it into the f-ing GROUND after a few thousand miles...

'85 XJ - beater four-banger. blew up the motor and walked away from it...

'96 XJ - good rig! no issues. bone stock.

'97 eagle talon - current car. not bad. decent little runner. gets GREAT gas mileage and is sporty. purple, though... so i feel like a total f-ing homo driving it around.

'99 XJ - current Jeep. freakin' awesome!! built really well, hasn't let me down yet...

and about a MILLION different GM demo vehicles. yukon denali was hands-down the favorite...

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Here's a list of my cars I've owned, in age of the vehicle.

1922 Ford Model T Speedster, w/ Frontenac OHV conversion

1986 Jeep Cherokee 2.8L (parts heep)

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

1987 GMC Suburban 2500 350ci with uber rare 4-speed manual

1989 Ford Mustang LX

1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata (Don't knock it 'till you drive one!)

1990 Infiniti Q45 (paid $600 for it, blew the motor 10K miles later at 142 mph)

1991 Ford Tempo

1991 Subaru Legacy 2.2 Turbo (First Car...and Best to date 235,000 miles on original turbo and tranny...with ME driving!)

1992 Subaru Legacy L Wagon

1992 Subaru SVX (worst car...three trannies by 110,000 mi)

1992 Eagle Talon TSi AWD (Runner Up in Worst Car EVER category...it was really bad, but fun)

1994 Jeep Cherokee 2Dr Sport (My current wheelin' Jeep)

1996 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 6.5 TD

2000 BMW M Roadster Dinan Stage 1 (FAVORITE CAR EVER!!!!!)

2002 Subaru WRX (First NEW Car)

2003 Nissan 350Z Performance Pkg.

2004 Subaru WRX STi (Runner Up for favorite)

2004 Dodge SRT-4

Not bad for 22 years old, huh? Of course being in the car business doesn't hurt.

-----Matt-----

 

[ECKSJAY]

First - 1977 Dodge Aspen 2dr coupe. Mildly built 318 4bbl auto.

Best - 1995 XJ 4.0L auto

Worst - 1993 Ram D250 4x4. Ex Gov't rig w/ D70 rear, D60 front. Would not quit dying on me so the dealership took it back and gave me the XJ.

 

[Kittrell]

First: '91 XJ
Second: '94 XJ
Third: '99 XJ

Best: '99 XJ
Worst: Um......my buddy's '91 Dodge Spirit?

 

[ECKSJAY]

Worst: Um......my buddy's '91 Dodge Spirit?

ROFL, I had one of those. 3.0L V6

I have pics of the speedo on I-10 through NM...pegging out the needle.

 

[theslacker]

First - 80 Ford Granada. It was sitting in my grandparents yard forever and I fried but failed to ressurect it.
Favorite - 83 Tercel 4WD Wagon. 1.5L, 6-spd and 4WD. Rallied until we toasted the second trans. Then it got expensive. Beats the XJ only because of it's manual trans.
Current - 92 XJ 4-Door 4x4. Only thing wrong is the automatic

 

[Fergie]

First: 1982 Chevy Luv Diesel. Burned a quart of oil every day, and the front tire went flat every other day. turned the sky dark when I started it, and came with orange shag carpet.

Worst: 1995 XJ
Best: 1995 XJ

 

[CanMan]

My first truck was a 1972 Chevy C10, lowered it, beat it, then brought it back to life. Its for sale by the way. Chevy_C-10

I bought this, and built it from the ground up. My pride and joy of 9 hard months of work. Ran a 13.79 spinnin the tires through first, second, and quarter or so of the way through 3rd with 3.36 gears and a 4 spd with Sh!tty tires a 24psi. And a 2.4 60' time, which is horrible on the track. Hopefully by the time summer rolls around again, it will be in the 12's with some better gears, slicks, and 150 shot of nitrous. Pix are old. Has different stuff on it now. El_Camino

I drive a Free 1995 Dodge Intrepid every day, the biggest pile i have ever owned. I beat the crap out of it, jump it, rally it, mud it, flex it, u name it, I probably do it. Runs good though. And the front bumper is quick disconnect for a better approach angle, its held on with one bungee cord. No pix at this time, but there will be some this weekend since its been raining like mad here.

And a 1966 Chevelle I bought reciently, but kinda regret it now, and its up for sale too. Nothing special except the sterio system I put in it. Chevelle

And this, nothing special either. '67_Camaro

And This is for sale also Corvette

And this mess '68SS_Chevelle

 

[bajacalal]

First - 80 Ford Granada. It was sitting in my grandparents yard forever and I fried but failed to ressurect it.
Favorite - 83 Tercel 4WD Wagon. 1.5L, 6-spd and 4WD. Rallied until we toasted the second trans. Then it got expensive. Beats the XJ only because of it's manual trans.
Current - 92 XJ 4-Door 4x4. Only thing wrong is the automatic

An 83 Tercel WAGON with 6 speed 4wd manual trans. I've heard Canadians have odd taste in cars but this is a new one to me.

BTW, in 2001 I really wanted a Comanche and it had to be manual trans. But I couldn't find one so I had pretty muchs given up and was going to buy another toyota p/u (there are tons of 5spd toyota pickup around here). Then I found an XJ 5spd 4x4 and said "i'll take it."

 

[hillbilly_jeeper]

An 83 Tercel WAGON with 6 speed 4wd manual trans. I've heard Canadians have odd taste in cars but this is a new one to me.

BTW, in 2001 I really wanted a Comanche and it had to be manual trans. But I couldn't find one so I had pretty muchs given up and was going to buy another toyota p/u (there are tons of 5spd toyota pickup around here). Then I found an XJ 5spd 4x4 and said "i'll take it."

6 speed is actually misleading. My buddy has one that vintage. Its got a 5 speed, and when you put in 4 wheel, you can move the shifter to another lower gear below first, kinda low range of sorts, but built into the tranny shifter, not the transfer case.

 

[SeanP]

First 75 Toyota Celica. Bomb proof engine, too bad it was an auto, it could have been a lot more fun.

Best Car. 1993 Nissan Altima. 5 speed with limited slip and torque big 2.4 I4. Bought it brand new and just sold it last month. It was a great car that needed very little mainenance.

Worst car. 1987 Renault something or other. What a heap of shit. Only had it for 3 months and sold it to some other sucker when I went back to school that fall.

 

[XJClassic]

I have to say I liked all my cars for one reason or another....


87 Mazda B2000
83 VW GTi
88 XJ Chief 2 door
93 YJ "S"
98 TJ Sport
98 XJ Classic
00 TJ Sport
97 VW GTi VR6
01 VW GTi 1.8T
98 XJ Classic (current)
04 VW Jetta 1.8T (current)

..not sure how the Mazda fits in there??

 

[fourwhldrv]

Off of the top of my head, I have wasted--excuse me, spent--my money on the following:

1955 Chevrolet 210 Wagon
1971 Triumph TR6
197? Honda CB360T
197? Suzuki GS450
1981 Honda CB750F SuperSport
(Yeah, I had a period where I rode on 2 wheels exclusively)
197? Triumph Spitfire
1966 VW Beetle
197? BMW 1802
1984 Toyota Celica GT
(My first ever brand new car. Had my first accident in it exactly one week after I got...on my birthday...on the way to the hospital to p/u my (now ex-)wife. Ahh, those were happy times.)
1970 Triumph T100C
1975 Porsche 914
1974 VW SuperBeetle
1966 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390
1957 Chevrolet Corvette FI
1971 Chevrolet Corvette LT1
1978 Chevrolet Corvette L82
(and as the speeding tickets piled up, I got the...)
1990 Jeep Cherokee!
1974 VW SuperBeetle (yes, another one)
1979 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40
1974 VW SuperBeetle (and another)
2002 Mini Cooper S

I still own the FJ40, the Mini, the 3 '74 VWs, and of course the XJ. I also still own 2 motorcycles--the CB750SS and the Triumph T100C, although a couple of the VWs are not long for this world.

First-Well, the Chevy 210 Wagon. $500 bucks. Towed it home, it had no seats. I sat on a cinder block waving away the hornets that were living in it the whole way. Stripped it down some. Threw the parts back into it. Sold it for $500. They towed it away.

Never drove it...'cause I bought the TR6. Come on, it was Summer, it's a convertible, I was young, dumb, and full of...BS. I had plans to put the 210 on a 4wd Suburban chassis, but I decided to spend my money on girls instead. Not that it improved my chances all that much, but it was the thought that counted.

Best- Hmmmm...could it be the '90 XJ? Not trying to be PC, but I don't think I could ever part with it. I've been trying to rationalize buying a newer Cherokee for the past 2 years, just to swap my gear over to...and I can't part with this thing. Too many memories I guess.

When I lifted it back in 1991, nobody in my neck of the woods even knew you could lift'em. The other Jeep guys called my truck a "Cheep." They didn't even know it was a unibody. "Bodylift? What the heck you talking 'bout, Willis!?!" They'd ask, "Why'd ya put your spare up on the roof?" I'd say, "So I have room to carry all of your spares and beer, bonehead!"

Nah, I think I'll end up being buried in that thing.

Worst- Tough since I liked them all, but I suppose the Triumph Spitfire. It was a bucket of bolts when I bought it, and it never got any better. OR maybe the '78 Vette since it had collision damage and I missed it when I checked out the car...so I ended up paying too much for it; but, it had a sweet V-8, a four speed, and a working 8-Track baby. Where you gonna get one of those now-a-days, huh!?!

DJ

"You're never beaten until you admit it."
"A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future."
- General George S. Patton, Jr

 

[bajacalal]

Where do you guys that have at least 4 cars- not including the wifes car, son's car, etc... keep them without cluttering up the place? I'd like to have an auto collection too but (aside from no $) don't happen to have a spare barn to put it in? I know someone here has 4 XJ's, where do you keep them all?

 

[fourwhldrv]

Where do you guys that have at least 4 cars- not including the wifes car, son's car, etc... keep them without cluttering up the place? I'd like to have an auto collection too but (aside from no $) don't happen to have a spare barn to put it in? I know someone here has 4 XJ's, where do you keep them all?

Well, yes...it is starting to get cluttered, but nothing is on blocks OR surrounded by uncut grass, and they ALL run, BUT the VWs GOTTA GO! (to quote the GF)

But I keep one of the VeeDubs at my GF's mothers, and I try to keep the FJ40 in the garage. But I do have a nice double wide driveway that will accomodate 6 cars in a pinch, plus room to park two or three on the street out front...so I can always accomodate more vehicles.

If I wanna really make my GF flinch, I just mention that I can squeeze one of the VWs under the deck out back. She goes ballistic!

Yep, sometimes it looks like we're having a party at our house...but as I said, the VWs GOTTA GO SOON (as the GF continously reminds me).

The motorcycles are in the basement (empty, no fuel or vapors)--which is currently unfinished, once she gets me finishing the basement, I'll have to find a new place to hide those excess toys.

And I have a JetSki stashed in the garage as well.

So, the plan is to get down to:
The XJ, Mini, FJ40, and her Toyo 4runner...with the FJ40 and her 4runner in the garage. I may ditch the Mini for another vehicle. Either an Audi TT or a Toyo Prius, how's that for decisive?

I might just keep one of the VWs...to tinker with 'cause even under the worst conditions, I can make that VW run with a minimum of fuss and hand tools only. Just don't tell the GF.

DJ

OH, and YES...usually I have no $$$ because of my "habit."

I'll probably end up at an intersection with a sign saying, "Will trade carburetors for food."

 

[Ironmen77]

First: 1962 Comet $150.00

Worst: 1962 Comet wouldn't pull a sick whore off a pisspot.

Best: 1980 3/4 ton Chevy truck tough as wet leather.

Favorite: 1972 Baracuda, big back glass for lookin' out.

 

[MMIXJ]

first (and best?):
'65 mustang, purchased for $500 when i was 15 and built-up over 3 years...

...sold the mustang to raise funds to move to NYC...

'89 honda civic (technically my wife's)-- stolen in NYC (yes, we had "the club").

somewhere in between there, a '73 impala w/ a 350-- sure fun to drive!

having said that, i'll never sell the XJ.

:cheers:

 

[hudsxj]

First and almost the best. 1950 chevy one ton pickup
Best, 1954 Hudson Hornet 500 hp 396
worst, 1975 ford f100 (one of the reasons is I traded the above pickup for it) Yes I was young dumb and stupid