Your Car

You Are What You Drive?

Now, that is one of the funniest statements I have ever heard through my lifetime!

From the time I was a young fella, before I could even apply for a driver's license, I have had my eye on several machines. From the little box of a '65 Austin Mini, to the cool lines of a Yamaha Chopper (long forks and High rise handlebars) I have drooled and dreamed about bombing down the road. Mr. Cool behind the wheel (or handlebars).

Of course, when I finally turned of age, I was subject to the humiliation of a 1973 Plymouth Cricket (Which my Mother owned)! I found out at that early age, that it wasn't the car that made you Mr. Cool. Hey, you got your driver's license! Everything you could get your hands on was cool to drive. Back then Five bucks and a little 4 banger engine took you along Forever! Which was good because you only made $2.50 an hour.

After getting the Cricket stuck between a couple of trees, while trying to follow a cattle trail around the back roads of Merritt B.C. (I thought it was an old logging road) And putting Mom's car in the ditch, she came to the conclusion that it might be easier on her car, and nerves, if she helped me buy my own rubber-mounted Steed.

So we went shopping and picked up a 1967 Pontiac Laurentian 4 door, for $120, and I was in all my glory. A little fixing up, flex pipe for an exhaust, 2 switches on the dash on each side of the steering wheel for signal lights (Hit 'em both and you had Hazard lights), a gallon of oil and a quart of gas - You were King of the Valley (and Mountains)! However, my ride was destined to last only a year and a half, as the flex pipe didn't handle the motorcycle tracks very well, and the RC MP had this silly notion that I should fix it because it was noisy. Heck, we never even noticed the noise over the sound of the Guess Who blaring out of my little under-dash 8 track! The Cops also had the idea that my racing slicks were in reality bald tires? I could only borrow a set from my buddy so many times before they got wise to that idea. That and a cloud of smoke trailing behind me prompted me to park the ol' gal, until I could afford to buy a few small things to fix her up (Like a new engine, tranny, and of course - tires).

Sadly, the old gal got parted out after awhile, and headed for the Orient, to bring out a new generation of Datsuns and Toyotas. Undeterred, I was working in a sawmill for awhile, and put enough away to buy myself a 1965 Chrysler 300 for $600 bucks, all power and a 383 Magnum - 4 barrel Holley! Whoah, now I had the Power! Exhaust system, Good tires, and even the signal lights worked like they were supposed to! Downside to this one was that she bottomed out every time you hit a pebble the wrong way. I tried to put some more juice in the air shocks to raise her up - Damn, I didn't know you could over fill air shocks, and they would explode! My ears were ringing for a week! So $16 later (for new shocks) we headed for Williams Lake B.C. looking for work, and blew a piston, outside of 100 Mile. So we towed the boat to another buddy of mine, he asked me if I wanted to sell it. Yup - 16 Bucks!

Along the way through the years. I have owned a 1968 Mustang Fastback, a 1970 Cyclone Spoiler, a '59 Olds 88, 72 Fury, 74 Sebring, and a '70 Cyclone GT. Besides the various little Mazdas, Toyotas, Datsuns (I even bought Mom's Cricket off of her (and blew the motor out of it!) However, as I have been working as a Logger on Vancouver Island, I finally got smart and started running Ford Trucks - No Shovealots for this guy. The last good one was a GM reject - the 67 Pontiac. Kinda partial to Mazdas and Toyotas also. Right now I'm driving a 1978 Ford Econoline Gas Eater, I sure wish I had bought one in my younger days! Except for backing up, she is just the Cat's Meow. I can camp wherever I park, and climb in the back and go to sleep.

Which brings me right back to that hilarious statement "You are what you drive"? Excuse me, but whether you drive a Lotus, or a Minivan, Pickup, or just a Plain ol' Rustbucket - YOU are the one who makes that machine a part of who YOU are! From the time you hang that Fuzzy Dice, or Angel from the rear-view mirror. That fancy set of seat covers, to hide the rips in the seat, or the Gallon of Bondo to plug up those nasty rust holes. YOU complete your Ride to reflect who You are.

Perhaps you are one of those who can afford to go out and Lease a new car every year, keep it clean and spotless, to trade it in in 2009, or even walk on the lot with a wad of cash and say "I want That One, Fully Loaded!". But until you get around to putting your OWN personal touch to that machine, 'It' hasn't earned the title of 'He', or 'She'!