I've had...lost track...somewhere around 35 cars. It is coincidental that when I reached driving age, the cars readily available were the musclecars of the late '60s and very early '70s, that had reached that point where they were merely fuel hungry, big OLD cars. Few people wanted a fuel hungry, lead demanding engine when gas was $1.82 a gallon in 1982 and leaded was going away. So I've had a lot of good ones, cars that I'd love to have an opportunity to buy again especially at the prices they once sold for.

Some of the cars were GM, some Chrysler, some Ford...but all were GO cars, none were SHOW cars. Many already had 80K+ miles, were rusted, dented, or otherwise looked broken down and miserable. I drove them everywhere, that was what I drove. Owning a respectable newer car was out of the question. I was hassled for loud exhaust, for lighting up the tires, for cracked glass. I tired of the "all go" eventually, but could never afford the paint and bodywork required for the next step.

Years went by, some without any older cars. Most newer cars are more convenient, more practical, more comfortable, and about as interesting as a loaf of white bread. But I was definitely bored with the sameness, and missed the occasional chat with a passerby about my car. Who the heck wants to talk about a Neon??? Sure not me. So I went back to looking for an old beast, now even older, even rougher, and even more expensive.

I want a car that is reasonably reliable...I can expect it to start and drive, get me to my destination, and return me home without incident. I want a car that is acceptably complete and clean inside and out, that has no major battle wounds nor visible damage, that accelerates strongly, corners steadily, brakes quickly. I want to be able to take it out and cruise it without it looking like a POS, I want my friends and family to be willing or even eager to go for a ride or drive. I also don't want it to be so perfect that I fear taking it out on the road, that if I happen to pick up gravel chips it won't ruin the car, that if I happen to get caught in the rain I don't need to go crazy with worry.

I will work, or spend, or both, to meet these needs. I no longer think of a car as having a fatal flaw if it does not have the highest displacement engine made. I just truly enjoy the experience of having a big old engine rumble to life and to have it respond to my input in a way that a newer, isolated from the experience, car will never do.