The ol' family bus

[NutmegCT]

Back in the Dark Ages, before I got my driver license, our family had the typical stream of American cars.

Now that I'm in my dotage, I'd like to sit behind the wheel of similar cars, and do a "test drive". Can't afford to buy them - but can afford to travel and "rent" them for a couple hours.

Anyone know where/how that can be done?

Here's my list:

1952 Nash Rambler Greenbrier

1956 Rambler Cross-Country (it had factory a/c!):

1956 Dodge Coronet:

1960 AMC Classic wagon:

And my own *first* car, a (ten year old, very used and abused) 1955 Jaguar MkVII:

Any ideas on where to "borrow for a day"?

What were your family's cars?

Thanks.
Tom

 

[Mickey Richaud]

The ones I remember:

'53 Buick Special two-door sedan
'55 Ford Ranch Wagon
'57 Olds 88 hardtop
'62 Ford Falcon

And my first car: '62 Corvair Monza

 

[waltesefalcon]

No idea where you can go to rent old cars, but I do have a list of my own.

'66 IH Travelall
'69 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
'68 IH 3/4 ton
'64 Buick Electra
'65 Buick Wildcat
'56 IH 3/4 ton 4x4 School Bus
'72 VW Beetle
'65 Mercedes Benz 220 Sedan
'68 Mercedes Benz 200D
'64 IH Travelall
'71 Opel Kadett

There are some more but I don't remember them all (my dad loved buying and trading cars).

and my first car '52 IH 1/2 ton (which I still own)

 

[NutmegCT]

1965 M-B 220

 

[waltesefalcon]

Ours was cream but yeah that's the one.

 

[HealeyRick]

We had Ramblers as well including one just like this in the same color combo:

 

[mikephillips]

Try doing a search using "classic american car rental". I did a quick one and while not checking the list of websites out there seems to be quite a few either discussing the same sort of thing or offering rentals.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks Mike. By amazing coincidence, half an hour ago I saw one of the cars on my list. Wow - I need to chase down the owner. A Greenbriar like this, with Classic Car plates, heading west on Rt 44 in eastern Connecticut.

 

[JPSmit]

Try doing a search using "classic american car rental". I did a quick one and while not checking the list of websites out there seems to be quite a few either discussing the same sort of thing or offering rentals.

I susppect "classic car rental" means muscle cars and not family cruisers - mores the pity

 

[HealeyRick]

I have many happy memories of "The Quiet Corner". My wife of 37 years and I were married in Pomfret and made our first home at the Pomfret School. She also found my Bugeye for sale in Danielson. Still have the same wife and the same Bugeye. A beautiful part of the country with some perfect driving roads for LBCs.

 

[NutmegCT]

Rick - here's a memory for you:

The 1714 Meeting House (church) across the road burned down last year. Major tragedy for the community.

Tom

 

[HealeyRick]

Tom,

Our house was on the other side of Rte. 44 from that view. A few years later my wife and I were staying in a country inn in Vermont that had a book in their library published in the early 1900s that showed New England inns and stagecoach stops, including one in Pomfret. When I showed it to her and asked her if it looked familiar, she replied, "It should, you moron, you lived there for a year." It really is a beautiful area. I commuted every day to Boston and despite the long commute, a real sense of peace descended once I arrived in Pomfret.

 

[mikephillips]

I susppect "classic car rental" means muscle cars and not family cruisers - mores the pity

Could be. I didn't go through the websites listed, but it's a place to start.

 

[NutmegCT]

I had an idea. Rare, I know, but at least the brain is still functional.

On various websites there are cars for sale. Ebay is only one. I just did a SearchTempest search within 100 miles of me, and already found half the cars in my list.

If a car is running and roadworthy, I could contact the owner and ask to inspect it, and do a test drive. With the bazillions of cars for sale these days, and the internet making connections possible - seems like a good way to recharge my batteries. I don't have a deadline (other than the *ultimate* deadline ...) - so this may just be the path to follow.

What say you all?

Tom
Edit: who knows - if my knees weaken, I may end up buying one. (Please shoot me - please)

 

[HealeyRick]

Unless you're a serious buyer, I think taking up somebody's time who's trying to sell their car so you can experience some childhood memories is a pretty poor idea. My apologies if I read your post incorrectly, but that's what it sounds like.

 

[NutmegCT]

No problem. I'd explain the whole thing in advance. Probably even pay the owner for the time.

Thanks.
Tom

 

[HealeyRick]

 

[NutmegCT]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Guest]

Unless you're a serious buyer, I think taking up somebody's time who's trying to sell their car so you can experience some childhood memories is a pretty poor idea. My apologies if I read your post incorrectly, but that's what it sounds like.

Yeah, that would really **** me off too.

 

[SaxMan]

Here's my list:

'61 VW
'62 Mercury Meteor
'66 Buick Special
'73 Buick LeSabre (I drove this car when I got my license)
'79 Buick Century Wagon (first car I drove)

Once we get into the 1980s, my parents began buying K-cars and various derivatives. It was such a bad experience that in 1987, my father bought his first Japanese car: a Toyota Camry, and they never looked back, having owned 5 more Camrys since the original '87.

My grandfather, OTOH, had some very cool cars, including a '60 Oldsmobile Convertible, a '64 Corvair convertible and a '68 GTO. He probably would have liked the Sprite I own.