I know I'm not really THAT old... still kinda young, but I realized this afternoon how quickly time flies.
When I was a junior in high school, I dated a girl for a short while who had a 1965 Mustang GT. It was a pretty awesome car, and at the time, we all thought it was ancient... and for the most part, that was still seriously considered a classic back then too. In 1995, that car would have been 30 years old.
I was telling my daughter about this, and she said... "daddy, my car is a 1985, and it's 2025..." and I just sat there realizing what she just said. Her car is a full 10 years older than the "really old classic car" that this girl drove when I was in high school.
Time flies when you're having fun. Or time's fun when you're having flies. Something like that. I'm 67, and am constantly reminded of how old I am. Just wait...
Car and Driver did a similar article a few years ago; the gist of it was this: You could be driving around in a 1984 Buick or a 1984 Honda and no one would think that's weird. Sure, its a 40-year-old car but its not significantly out of place on today's roads. But a 40-year-old car in 1984 would have been a 1944.... And that would have turned heads as a true "old" car. Maybe a bad example because I don't think there were any 1944 cars, but the point remains. Heck, even a 20-year-old car would have stood out in 1984.
Music is the same way. 80s music is real popular now (I sometimes play in a band and most of our material is plus-or-minus 1985 vintage). Again, mostly 40 years or a little more. But go back 40 more years and you're looking at Big Band and Swing and stuff like that that only our grandparents would have liked.
The first car I remember from my childhood was the old Impala that my family had. I remember riding at night and the snow, the tunnels of trees in our old headlights. Just floating along on those old bias-ply tires that were probably a few PSI low. Later when mom and dad split I remember mom driving us to school on cold winter days. The tires would thump for a couple of miles because they had frozen flat spots, still needed some air. I remember laying in the back window and falling asleep in the sun on long drives. It had a SBC with cherry bomb mufflers. To this day I wont own a car with a solid red interior because of that car. Have no reason why, just wont. Mom sold it because it was too much to keep up with and the new owner threw a piston out the side of the block.
**Edit because I have no idea what year it was. It would have been around 1974 so I don't think it was a 72 model. We would not have been able to afford that. So it was probably a very warmed over older car.
The first car I fell in love with was a 66 Corvette. Then 68 Camaro, followed by the 68 Charger. There were so many cars to love back then. My first car was a 73 Nova, second car was a 73 Camaro, then a 73 Chevelle. Totaled all of them, I would love to have that Chevelle now to tinker with and just drive around making people late for work. Had 2 73 Dodge Chargers, fun cars and loved to spin the tires, but talk about boats, nothing would make those cars handle better. Best just to drive in a straight line as much as possible. I like my S197 Mustang, but mostly because it looks closer to the 65 mustangs. A 60 year old car would have pretty much the same issues I have, lack of horsepower and a failing suspension. **The last car I fell in love with was a 1986 Pontiac Fiero Notchback. I would love to have another one but finding one that will pass inspection every 2 years is a daunting task.
Looked at a 74 MG with a 2.8 conversion done. Felt a lot of nostalgia driving it around. But end of the day I just didn't fall in love.
We are at the tail end of an Era of muscle cars that will never be seen again. I often reflect on this and it makes me feel old, and sad. What they call a new muscle car now is way out of my price range and the car I would love to park in the driveway cost just as much and well its a boat.
If you read all of that and are here **** you I'm not oldClick to show.
[This message has been edited by Jake_Dragon (edited 03-08-2025).]
I can remember when more people drove 50s something cars than new 60s something cars. Desoto was still pretty commonplace as was Studebakers and Packards. My mother's brand new '62 Ford Fairlane was the first small car that I ever remember seeing.
I can remember when more people drove 50s something cars than new 60s something cars. Desoto was still pretty commonplace as was Studebakers and Packards. My mother's brand new '62 Ford Fairlane was the first small car that I ever remember seeing.
There's a Studebaker for sale a few miles from me. It's been sitting there for probably a decade. I don't know if it's "officially" a Studebaker. It's that weird looking 2 seat sports coupe that Studebaker made... I believe it was called the Avanti? I remember seeing quite a few of them driving around back in the 1990s. I think there's a story there, like... maybe they were being built after Studebaker went out of business? But I can't remember.
The Avanti was originally built by Studebaker, and then the rights to the name and some of the tooling were sold off and another company build their version of the car.
I know I'm not really THAT old... still kinda young, but I realized this afternoon how quickly time flies.
When I was a junior in high school, I dated a girl for a short while who had a 1965 Mustang GT. It was a pretty awesome car, and at the time, we all thought it was ancient... and for the most part, that was still seriously considered a classic back then too. In 1995, that car would have been 30 years old.
I was telling my daughter about this, and she said... "daddy, my car is a 1985, and it's 2025..." and I just sat there realizing what she just said. Her car is a full 10 years older than the "really old classic car" that this girl drove when I was in high school.
I'm floored...
Todd, you're still a pup.
Getting old is part reward, and part punishment.
Take care of yourself now, the rewards are better than the punishment ....
Take care of yourself now, the rewards are better than the punishment ....
Agreed. Like that old saying, if I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.
But, like most young men, I was sure I was indestructible. Paying the price now for all those fun but silly things I did. Was it fun, hell Yeah but, there are always a price to pay.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 03-09-2025).]
Originally posted by blackrams: Agreed. Like that old saying, if I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.
But, like most young men, I was sure I was indestructible. Paying the price now for all those fun but silly things I did. Was it fun, hell Yeah but, there are always a price to pay.
Rams
You need help, and I am here to help you, if you dare.
You must have taken care of yourself enough to live this long. You have not destructed yourself.
The hardest part about growing old is the regret. Thinking to yourself if I could I would do it different. Pretend you're 60 and think about what you would regret. You now have time to change things.
I regret a lot of things, spend way to much time thinking about it and have a less time then you do to "fix" anything. Take some time now and think about it, then go buy yourself something nice. They even have a name for it.
Originally posted by Jake_Dragon:The hardest part about growing old is the regret. Thinking to yourself if I could I would do it different. Pretend you're 60 and think about what you would regret. You now have time to change things.
I regret a lot of things, spend way to much time thinking about it and have a less time then you do to "fix" anything. Take some time now and think about it, then go buy yourself something nice. They even have a name for it.
Mid life crisis. <-- you are here.
I'm actually OK here. I feel like almost everything I've wanted to do at the age I was, I've gone ahead and done. Either I failed fast at it (didn't happen despite my efforts), or I managed to really push myself and make things happen. Surprisingly, I have no regrets. There are a couple of things that I think I would have said something different in different situations, because maybe I was kind of an ass or something... but otherwise, I'm happy how things have turned out. Maybe, and this is a maybe... I've accomplished all the goals I'd set out to accomplish... and now I'm kind of wondering what I should do next. But yeah, I get it...
I'm usually fine (I've covered all mirrors and reflective surfaces in the house with curtains) But I am reminded of my advancing age whenever I try to gracefully enter or exit the Fiero.
You need help, and I am here to help you, if you dare.
You must have taken care of yourself enough to live this long. You have not destructed yourself.
I tried hard and I couldn't do it. Still trying.
Cliff, Please note that I didn't say I wouldn't do it all over again.
Rams
quote
Originally posted by TheDigitalAlchemist:
But I am reminded of my advancing age whenever I try to gracefully enter or exit the Fiero.
Similar issues getting into and out of my Solstice. I've also noticed swinging a leg over one of my Valkyries is getting a bit difficult but, I shall keep it up as long as possible.
Rams
Todd, You really aren't all that old until you become distracted easily and forget why to came into that room. You'll know you've reach that point when your wife asks you to do something, you leave the room but don't remember why you went there. I assure you, after a few repeated trips, your wife will tell you about it. Don't ask me how I know this.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 03-13-2025).]
I'm usually fine (I've covered all mirrors and reflective surfaces in the house with curtains) But I am reminded of my advancing age whenever I try to gracefully enter or exit the Fiero.
I think the springs on my Fiero got shorter over the winter.....
