I just bought a car from my distant past (found it in Glen Bernie, MD on Craigslist). It's a 1970 Plymouth Fury Custom Suburban station wagon. My Dad bought one (his was B5 blue w/blue interior, see photo below) in the summer of 1970 right off the auto transport at the dealer ($3,600) and drove it daily until 1980 when he parked it at the cabin due to a persistent overheating problem (he sold it for $200 in 1988 to a local farmer who wanted a car for his 16 year old daughter to learn how to drive in). I spent part of the morning of my 14th birthday that year being rushed to the hospital for a ruptured appendix in that car (was the 1st day of 9th grade too), took my driver's test in that car, had my first date in that car (not literally), drove 90 mph for the first time in that car (w/high school buddy chasing some H.S. girls in Daddy's convertible down a city street), packed it numerous times for the family trip up to the cabin, etc. etc. Who says you can't relive your past! The 318 v8, AC equipped car came from the factory painted lime green metallic w/green interior (see photo of actual car before previous owner painted it white). The previous owner told me that the repaint of the original color was not close enough to factory for his taste (so he painted it himself with a single stage acrylic enamel "fleet white"). He even did the door jambs, all at a skill level that would get a 14 year old a "D-" in shop class. The photos make it look a lot better than it really is. Portions of the headliner are hand painted (green) thin plywood and the original seats were recovered in industrial taxi cab (green) vinyl. I'm going to leave it white (maybe try to sand/buff it) and replace the bench seat with a pair of 1986-86 Mustang GT seats. On the plus side the engine runs great (just turned 100k miles), but in the first week of ownership the alternator seized and broke both belts and a portion of the rear brake line rusted through causing total brake failure (I had just been on the freeway driving 70 mph) in the parking lot of my brother's work where he was backing it out of a parking spot. This will not be a show car, but just something to haul parts with or take to local cruises where cars have to be 1976 or older to attend.
Welcome. That's a great introduction and a great story. Hope you enjoy the forum and reliving your past in the future. Nice pictures also.
Welcome aboard! Great story! The best thing about a snowy winter is watching it from down south here in Louisiana!
My wife was born in lower Minn. but she is happier here in Florida. Still someone has to live up there to keep things balanced.
I ask myself why I'm still here after last winter and now winter has started even earlier this year (there is still 5 weeks of fall left!). I was born here 58 years ago and as soon as my wife retires (and Daughter is off to college, she a freshman in high school now), we will be spending at least 3 months (about 1/2 of a MN winter) somewhere warm. Here is a build plate decode, a production chart on my wagon, and a MN State Patrol cruiser version of my year wagon.
to SWF Thanks for the great intro story, I think you are going to be a great addition around here. When I saw your car it made me think about this one... http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=8860&c= kinda the same but different. Anyway I thought you might like to check it out.
Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. Here are some of the other vehicles in my collection. I'll let you guess the makes, models, and years.
Sadly you will be needing the Jeep soon. But I could take care of the convertible for you till spring. As for people living up north, we moved from Illinois to Florida to get warm. A few friends I worked with moved north to hunt and fish. It takes all kinds.
I already need the jeep (in fact it's too deep for my plow, so my neighbor and I hired a local guy with a full size plow to clear our yards and the 3/4" mile uphill driveway that winds through the woods)! http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=327508#post327508
It amazes me how much different the weather gets in a few miles. We bought a small home back in central Illinois. Hoping to wait till spring to move only 1000 miles from Florida because it's already too cold up there for us. Sadly I can't run around in T-shirts up north anymore. No wonder bears hybernat.
