I loved that car and learned how to drive on it. It had a stick-shift (manual transmission) that taught me how to shift gears -- later useful for motorcycle-riding since almost all motorcycles have manual transmissions.
If you don't already know, I have a playful streak. Nobody could confuse an anemic VW Bug with a powerful race-car so I thought it'd be funny to pretend my Bug was a race-car. Toward that end, I added racing stripes, took off the exhaust pipes (making it loud), mounted a race-car steering wheel, and hand-stapled WHITE SHAG CARPETING to the interior sides and ceiling. Best of all, I installed a new horn that made the sound of a moo-ing cow. MOOO!! Hey, I was in high school.
To memorialize these modifications, I photographed the car -- with a fish-eye lens. I never do anything "normal." Here are some of those pictures which I just had printed from old negatives found in my basement. I plan to display these photos, along with the car's original ceramic gear-shift knob, in my future museum.
What was your first car?
I love the Beetle, such a great car! These pictures are awesome.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I took them sooo long ago, as a teenager with a film camera and artistic aspiration.
DeleteHaving a Bug as your 1st vehicle makes me think perhaps you had some Hippie in you? *Winks* My 1st was a 1973 Maverick Grabber, Orange and White with Burnt Orange Vinyl interior and even an Orange Vinyl Roof! *LOL* But it was fast and sporty and I Sold it for more than I paid for it even after putting over 100,000 miles on it!
ReplyDeleteI had hippie in me -- but my father was a "law and order" cop. We had many battles, such as over the immorality of Pres. Nixon and the length of my (male) hair.
DeleteThat's a great story about your car. Isn't it interesting how much we remember about them?
I'm totally unsurprised that your first car was a Bug. Very you!
ReplyDeleteMine was a Pontiac Sunfire. Oh man, the things that happened in that car. I was very angsty when I drove it and the amount of times I went for long drives singing at the top of my lungs.. memories.
Yes, that car reflected me clearly. Thanks for seeing the resemblance.
DeleteGlad you have memories of your Sunfire.
What an absolutely brilliant first car, and those pictures are fabulous! xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteBeetles have such happy faces! If I were ever going to own a car, I would want it to be a Beetle! My friend Lucy had a white one!
ReplyDeleteYour one sounds great! I want to hear that Mooing horn!
Yes, they're friendly cars.
DeleteYou are such a free-spirited soul, Ally! I adore that you were keen to march to the beat of your own drum at such a young age and can just imagine how many surprised faces must have appeared when you honked your moo noise horn.
ReplyDeleteAutumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life
I've always been me. :)
DeleteMy first car was SUPPOSED to be an orange 1963 beetle with one blue headlight fender. My grandfather sold it and never taught me to drive.
ReplyDeleteSo my first car was a 2000 acid-rain stripped blue Honda accord. It looked like garbage, but it drove as simple as a race cart. I wrecked it in 2018. Not hard to total a car worth $200. My father in law bought it, maintained it, and taught me to drive it.
My first car I bought and have been fully responsible for is a 2005 silver grey Honda CR-V. I'm terrified driving it 100% of the time.
I'm sorry you didn't get the VW. And, yes, Hondas are as easy to operate as a sewing machine. (And as exciting.) Many of the dozen or so cars I've had were purchased for less than $200.
DeleteBut also VW BUG FOR LIFE!!!
ReplyDelete