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Welcome To Everything Auto Blog: Aston Martins To VW Bugs

Posted on July 5, 2008
Filed Under Sports Cars, Vintage Cars, Convertibles, Luxury Cars |

Several friends have rebuilt car engines and restored entire cars — Austin Healys to Corvettes to Porsches.

I wouldn’t know where to start. The most mechanical thing I’ve ever done is adjusting the valves and changing the oil of the first car I owned — a 1962 Volkswagen Bug. I bought it 37 years ago from the original owners — family friends — for $500.

I was age 16, and when I drove the 40-horsepower machine around town and shifted through the gears, everything was grand.

My VW Bug was beige, in near-pristine condition, had a four-speed stick shift, the original Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo radio and chrome front and back bumpers. The VW insignia shield, a rare decal near the front trunk handle, was intact. I drove the car everywhere and washed and waxed when it didn’t need cleaning.

During my early years of driving, I also drove a 1962 Ford Falcon station. ) It was originally my father’s car.) And I owned a 1966 Karmann Ghia convertible.

Cars didn’t enamor my father, but he had a few neat rides — his 1962 Corvair Spider convertible comes to mind.

But not being a mechanic doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate cars. I like simple, efficient entry-level cars and classic automobiles. I’m partial to Mercedes Benz (It was the first luxury car I drove). And I’ve never driven a Honda I didn’t like. I want to own what I like to call the anti-car, a Rambler American. And an Aston Martin would be just fine, thank you.

I’ve been a reporter for more than 30 years and reviewer of new cars since 2003. It’s the past six years of driving diverse new cars, attending car shows and talking to cars owners, manufacturers and friends about their cars that prompted me to start this blog. Welcome, your comments are appreciated

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