Urban drivin'.........

Bob Wright

Hawkeye
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Jun 24, 2004
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Memphis, TN USA
We, Nita and I, had a 1984 Pontiac Gran Prix. Rather than trading it in, we kept it as a second car, and "Her car." And Nita commented several times "I like it. I feel like I'm driving a tank."

My response: "Babe, you're not supposed to drive with that attitude."

My daughter recently told me that one time when she was driving Nita someplace, she was driving very carefully since she had her mother in the car. Nita asked, "Why are you driving so slow?"

That was my Nita.

Bob Wrighgt
 
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Those were good cars. Dad had an Olds of similar vintage. It got good mpg for a big heavy car with a V8. As I recall, the thing got around 25mpg.
 
I remember those. A girl I used to hang out with in the late 80's early 90's had a similar Buick. It was a good car. A guy I knew back then had an early 80's Monte Carlo that was somewhat similar. He had put a built 350 with a Rochester Quadra-Jet, a Turbo 350 transmission & a 4 bolt main in it. It was a champagne color, looked like grandma's car but would get it. Later on he put a flashier paint job on it. I liked it better as a sleeper.
 
1984 Pontiac Gran Prix.

Now that was a car!

In high school my dad had a Ford LTD I got to drive. And my friend’s dad had a couple Buicks that my friend drove.

Then in college I had a Buick Somerset for a while. Very nice smooth driving car.

Great big American Classics.

But I always appreciated the styling of the Grand Prix.
 
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We had a '68 Plymouth Fury III. While a pain to park sometimes (I failed my first driver's test because the guy had me make a 3-point turn on a street sized for a VW), I credit it's "tankness" for saving my mom's life when she was t-boned by a train. A month in the hospital was better than eternity in the ground.
Sometimes a tank is what you need. lol
 
There is just something about those big old cars that makes me feel comfortable. Dad always drove the big cars like the Ford Galaxy, Ford LTD, Chevy Caprice and finally a Cadillac DeVille. His last Caddy he bought new in 1988 and my mom still drives it today. Having all that metal around you in today's world is not a bad thing considering how people drive. So driving a tank is really not a bad thing. I’m on Nita’s side on this one.
 
I think the Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile were all made on the same body style, only minor changes in trim and grill style.
Add Chevrolet to that list. I remember a friend of mine had a Pontiac and someone caved in his door and ran. He bought a door for a Chevy because it was the same door and cheaper than what the Pontiac dealer was asking.
 
I think the Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile were all made on the same body style, only minor changes in trim and grill style.
And the Monte Carlo too. The G-body was one of the best selling carlines ever. Grand Prix, Regal, Cutlass Supreme, and MC are sought after today as the last rear wheel drive two door V8 (optional) coupes GM made.
 
Back in '64 I bought my first new car, a Pontiac Tempest GTO convertible. Sadly I had to trade it in on a '67 Pontiac Catalena due to needing more space when the baby came.
 
Back in '64 I bought my first new car, a Pontiac Tempest GTO convertible. Sadly I had to trade it in on a '67 Pontiac Catalena due to needing more space when the baby came.
The Goat was my favorite car ever. Unfortunately, I was either never able to afford one or couldn't find a new one in stock.

Our '67 Catalina served us well for 27 years.

My first Ponch was a '61. The last was a '94. Would still have one if you-know-who hadn't destroyed the brand. At least I kept my '80 Bonne and she still survives.
 

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A Catalina is bigger than a GTO but it's not like a GTO is small.

Boat? I had a '76 Delta 88, the last year of the big ones before the new large carline downsized.
 
My favorite car when I was a teenager was my aunts 65 Catalina convertible. Catalina blue with a white top she would let me use it to drive my cousins around. I was 17 and just loved driving that car. The only problem with it was the power brakes, you just had to think about touching the pedal and you just about went through the windshield.
 
We, Nita and I, had a 1984 Pontiac Gran Prix. Rather than trading it in, we kept it as a second car, and "Her car." And Nita commented several times "I like it. I feel like I'm driving a tank."

My response: "Babe, you're not supposed to drive with that attitude."

My daughter recently told me that one time when she was driving Nita someplace, she was driving very carefully since she had her mother in the car. Nita asked, "Why are you driving so slow?"

That was my Nita.

Bob Wrighgt
My wife is just the opposite (she's also called "Nita" for Anita). Five miles under the limit. If the limit was 5 mph, she'd be stopped!
 
A Catalina is bigger than a GTO but it's not like a GTO is small.

Boat? I had a '76 Delta 88, the last year of the big ones before the new large carline downsized.
While I was putting a new motor in my Z28 dad let me drive his 72 Delta 88 4 door, it was a horrible green with a Rocket 350 that was not firing on all cylinders. My friends dubbed it “the Kootenai Cruiser” because it looked like it should have been on the Rez! I contribute my being able to sing every 50 rock and roll song to that car because that was the only AM station that would tune in!
It really was a comfortable car to ride in though and I saved a lot of money because there wasn’t a girl around that would go on a date in that thing!
 
I learned to drive from my Uncle Kenny (My dad made me too nervous to drive a stick shift if he was in the car). I posted on other threads that he worked closely with Mickey Thompson. Anyway, I learned in his souped up Coupe DeVille and his 65 Stingray split-window. The "vette was a "boat" and the Caddy a dream!
 
My wife pretty much gave up driving after I retired. Frankly that was a good thing. She was never very good. Her depth perception is terrible. And she is so timid driving that she wouldn't drive freeways. On surface streets she hugged the right side swing left to go around parked cars.

Her last accident was when she swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel.

To be honest I doubt she could pass a driving test.
 
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