cars – Solano Writing

1968 Plymouth Satellite (Photo cleaned by ChatGPT)

This was my first car.

I’d love to have it back.

But back then…

Let’s face it, I loved it back then too.

I hauled logs, furniture, and an entire elementary basketball team (their bus didn’t show up and they would have had to forfeit).

Once, while hauling logs down from our woods (behind the wagon in the photo) I ran out of gas. I had bottomed out on the gas tank enough that the gauge didn’t go past quarter tank.

The only fuel we had on hand was 2-cycle oil and gas mixes for the chainsaw and Lawn-Boy mower.

I dumped in the stronger Lawn-Boy mix.

It still wouldn’t start.

I pulled out the chainsaw and cut down one small tree that stood between me and the sloping field. I made sure the gates were open.

I tried to push.

Not a chance.

It was a manual transmission and predated clutch/starter interlocks so, I cranked the starter with it in gear and started rolling down out of the woods.

I dared not touch the brake as I bounded across the field. I sailed out the gate, down a short stretch of the road and into the driveway where I coasted to a stop right in my parking space.

See, even practical cars can be, umm, fun?

Surely, I made up for that ridiculous practicality later in life, right?

Nope.

So far, if you count company and wife’s cars, I’ve had 4 wagons, 3 pickups, 8 sedans, 8 minivans, 2 SUVs, and 3 hatchbacks.

Lest you think those were hot hatches, they were a diesel VW Rabbit, a rusty old Tercel, and a brand spanking new 1987 Ford Escort Pony. The “Pony” in the name meant basic – no AC, no power anything, and a blank piece of plastic where the radio went.

Have I ever wanted a sports car?

When I was a kid, a drooled over the ads for Porsche 911SC Targas in my Road and Track magazines.

I’ve always appreciated the artistry and engineering that goes into designing beautiful cars.

And I’ve appreciated that other people spend money on them because I am way too practical to devote that kind of cash to transportation.

So, what does that say about me?

You might want to say it means I’m poor.

I grew up poor, and I’ve never been wealthy by American standards, but I could have bought a sports car if I wanted to.

While I don’t judge those who have sports cars or luxury cars or anything more expensive,

my priorities have always been elsewhere.

I will probably splurge a little on a classic car when I retire. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for that amazing work of art know as a VW Squareback.

They’re not too expensive (yet), they’re easy to work on and parts are readily available.

It doesn’t hurt that I could use it to promote the Wil Clarey Series (one is featured in the books).

Also, in case you didn’t know…

It’s a wagon!

In my last full blog, I explored whether I was an author or a writer.

The answer was yes.

Tonight, I ask myself –

Am I a sports car guy or a classic car guy?

First, you should know I am a car guy. From the Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and slot cars of my childhood to watching tons of You-Tube videos about cars nowadays, I’ve always been into cars.

My dad set the example. He did most of his own work on the old VW bus of my childhood. I helped, uh, watched. Then his midlife crisis hit in the form of a brand new 1975 Datsun 280Z. I loved that car. To my fledgling driving skills, it was like driving a rocket ship!

I’ve made it past midlife without a crisis car (unless I live to be more than 116!).

I have plans to get a project car when I retire, but what kind to get?

I go to car shows and feel that twinge of desire for much of what I see there. But I want a car I can drive whenever I want without worrying about it.

The ’65 VW bus of my childhood has gotten too expensive to drive without being nervous about scratching it. Most 280Zs have turned into a pile of rust. Same for the ’68 Plymouth wagon and ’73 Opel 1900 that were my first and second cars.

Somehow, I have gotten my eyes glued to a certain classic car model. It was popular enough for many preserved examples to be available. It’s unpopular enough for it not to be terribly expensive. Parts are readily available and it’s easy to work on.

And it has a role in the Wil Clarey series.

In the first rough draft of Wil Clarey: Impossible Summer, Wil encountered a Nash Metropolitan. I eventually decided (spoiler alert) that he would try to fix it up. Parts for the tiny British made American car are quite difficult to find and expensive. I had to find different car.

The car needed to be within Wil’s means to get on the road again. It had to be a hardtop that could survive a few years exposed to the elements. I also wanted it to be a little quirky and unique like Wil, (and me).

The car he found – the car I want to occupy some of my attention after retirement from my day job – is a VW Squareback. Look it up. It’s like a classic Beetle with a wagon body.

So, if you ask me – sports car or classic car?

As the pile of Classic Car Magazines next to me testifies, I’ll take classic over sporty any day! Sure, I might squeeze a few more horsepower out of that air-cooled flat four, but it will be a practical classic car to match my classic but practical personality.

What about you? Classic or sports car? Or both? What’s your dream car?

Tag: cars

If your ride reflects your personality, what does that make me?

I’d love to have it back.

See, even practical cars can be, umm, fun?

When I was a kid, a drooled over the ads for Porsche 911SC Targas in my Road and Track magazines.

my priorities have always been elsewhere.

Sporty or Classic or Both?