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BangShift Question Of The Day: If You Got A Second Shot With Your First Car, What Would You Do Differently?


BangShift Question Of The Day: If You Got A Second Shot With Your First Car, What Would You Do Differently?

You know how people will say, “never get rid of your first car, you will always regret it?” Well…I’ve had the fortune…or misfortune, rather…of living through that three times. Yeah, three. Here’s how I count it: my first car was a 1975 Chevrolet Camaro that was more rust that F-body, and I was twelve. I never got to drive it, never got to do much in the way of work on it, and the car was sent off to the scrapyard without me knowing one day while I was at school. A couple of cars came and went, and we move on to number two, the 1979 Caprice coupe. Not only was it my first car that I got to take out on the roads, but it was the first car that I did anything remotely resembling a “build” on. For a $150 score, it was great, and the last time I saw it the car was road-legal, plated, and ready to drive. Sadly, for reasons that don’t need to be written, that car was sold off as well, though it wasn’t me selling it. Then there is the first car I bought, the 1987 Monte Carlo SS, a car I put tons of miles on and made tons of memories with. Stupidly, I got rid of that car, and I’ve kicked myself in the ass for nearly twenty years since.

Three cars out of around fifty or so that I’ve owned and Lord knows how many I’ve dealt with over the years. What would I do if I had one back? The Monte would be easy: visually restored, heavy on suspension work, and I think I’d tear into the 305 and build it up. I know the LS world is tempting, but I also know that a 305 can make much more power than the 180 horsepower the Super Sport came with, and it’d be cool to keep it numbers-matching. But what about the Caprice or the Camaro? I’ve dreamt about both cars for years, and I’ve never completely settled on how they would be done. What about you? If you got a second chance with your first car, what would you do with it?


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13 thoughts on “BangShift Question Of The Day: If You Got A Second Shot With Your First Car, What Would You Do Differently?

  1. Dan Barlow

    My first car was a 74 4 door sattelite . That car was teenager proof but I’ve never wanted it back . My 2nd car was a 304 grimlin X with a 304 V8 and a 3 speed stick and a limited slip . I loved that car . It was quick , handled reasonably well. I always wanted to move up to a T10 . And if I now got another chance with it it would be a 350 SBC pr a LS with a T56 and a 9 inch rear .

  2. ChicoKid

    Mine was a 61 Galaxie Starliner…do I need to say any more? If I had any foresight 47 years ago I’d still have it (duh)! No doubt it’d be laid out and sportin steelies and dog dish caps

  3. Weasel1

    My 1st was a 64 Falcon convertible 6cyl auto. Changed it to 289 4 speed and had a blast. Sold it to buy a 65 Impala small block 4 speed. Would do it again

  4. 75Duster

    1973 Dodge Dart Sport with a 225 / 904 combination just like Dylan’s, I would definitely keep it if I could find it again.

  5. Greg

    1968 Datsun 510. Have you seen how much Datsun 510s are selling for these days? I would have treated it better and not wrecked it. If I had it back I’d do a mild build, put some decent rubber on it and autocross it every weekend.

  6. Lee

    1964 Impala SS convertible with the 327/300 HP engine and a Powerglide. I would mount the 8-Track player inside the glove box instead of under the dash – maybe that would have stopped the someone who stole it.

  7. jerry z

    1968 Camaro conv’t. Still would have sold since the car was a 6cyl/3M. The car was Swiss cheese front to back.

  8. Don

    1973 340 Duster. Silver with black stripes. 727 auto. Stock except for headers and exhaust. Would want it to be the exact same.

  9. Danno

    My first car was a 1970 Mach I which I rolled and totaled due to driving like an ass. I still think about that car. I had a lot of bolt on parts on the car but it was still slow (14.7 1/4) due to it having a 351 Windsor and an FMX auto. The problem was there were very few speed parts available for the Windsor engine back in the mid 70’s and absolutely nothing available for the FMX. If I could go back and change anything I would obviously change my immature driving first and second I would look for a wrecked 71-72 Boss 351 mustang and swap the entire drivetrain to create an ultimate that Mustang Ford should have made. The Boss 351 was an awesome engine that was stuck in an ugly, bloated sled of a Mustang. I have always felt that a 1969-70 Boss 351 Mustang would be an awesome ride. Good looking, lighter than the 71-73 and with a lot more power than the Boss 302.

  10. Joe Jolly

    The first car was a 73′ Torino and I wouldn’t want it back, but the first car I really liked I will again have very soon. A 65 Mustang coupe, 6 cylinder, 3 on the floor manual trans..Hubcaps and white walls. 85 mph top speed. No Mods. No air conditioning. Will be a nice stablemate to the 200 mph fox body in my garage..

  11. bob

    Well, I still have a lot of parts from my very rusty first car, doors, drive-train & title, so technically I still have it, but I also have my 2nd, (’71 ElCamino) and my 3rd (’64 Galaxie) after 45 years.

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