At about age 16 I "liberated" me mum's 1961 Falcon as my first daily driver! A 144 CID, it got me to school, to work as a newspaper photog and to the retail photo shop where I worked! It was a standard trans three-speed "three on the tree" too. I'd have it back now. I rigged the parking lights to come on with the headlights, like the Euro-cars did.
...then in 1969 as a college freshman I found an MGB. Never looked back.