Who had the coolest car in school?

Were you that jock who had the big Block GTO, parents bought you a finned ragtop for graduation, or one of the metalwork class punks in the flamed Merc. Did this happen way back when, or was it mere American Graffitti and Dazed and Confused Hollywood fiction.

Tell your story, (pics would be nice too)...

 

When I first started high school I drove my grandfather's 61 GMC Pickup that he threw a Hemi in, I don't know the exact specifications because he sold the car about 2 years later, but I do know that it would go like a raped ape.

 

Not me!

 

Not me either.
My older brother had a 70 Mach1 shaker which I used to get a lift into school in now and then which was dope. Before that we had a shite box primer CF Bedford van with flares, turbo mags and custom PA Vauxhall tail lights. Fortunately some pissed guy in a stolen Cortina rammed into the back of it one night at a party, and put it out of its misery.

 

This one owned the # 1 parking spot at West Covina High School, class of '62.

 

Not sure about the coolest car part (my primered 66 Nova youse guys have seen pics of) but I was definitely the best burner-outer in High School

On Graduation Day, after we had our practice/walk-thru out on the football field, a couple buddies were egging me on to do a burnout in the teacher's parking lot at the edge of the fields.

Of course I was more than happy to comply. So there I was, in front of the entire senior class, the principal and some of the teachers and I let one rip, Jungle Jim style!

Smoke was everywhere and everyone was yelling and carrying on - So I backed up through the smoke doing my best funny car imitation and did a second one, even bigger.

Then off I went, out the lot, down the hill past the police station (about 200 yards away down the school entrance driveway) with smoke still pouring out the windows

When I came back a few hours later for Graduation, just as you crested the hill there were 2 sets of very long, very black tire marks across the lot that couldn't be missed......nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk......

Al in CT

 

As you have to be 18 to drive here no one had a car at school. I was one of maybe three or four that had cars at home being worked on.

 

Started in 9th grade buidling a V8 vega (327/350) and cruised it until my junior year until it was rear ended. All the while my 55 chevy was waiting on the side of the house to become a stockcar. After the Vega was wrecked I cruised a 50 chevy 2 dr fastback, 235, 3 speed, skirts, primered with flames thru my senior year. Changed my mind about making the 55 into a stockcar, got it on the road my senior year and still have the 55 in the garage 25 years later.

 

What "Pratical Street Work" did you do with that little pickup! that's sweet!

 

I might have, at least in my mind.
Arcadia High School 1967, -Class of 1968
1930 Model A, 327 sbc, Muncie 4-speed, 2400 lbs. Pretty darn fast, too.
My old classmates still remember the old pie wagon.

Irwindale Drag Strip, Jan. 1, 1968


Newport Beach, June 1968

 

Geez, Dean, I remember that RPU. Hard to believe that after 40 some-odd years later, I'd end up knowing you....bitchin car

 

Arcadia High School 1967, -Class of 1968
1930 Model A, 327 sbc, Muncie 4-speed, 2400 lbs. Pretty darn fast, too.
My old classmates still remember the old pie wagon.


Are you kidding me, in highschool? Nice work. Feeling really deprived now, in NZ we had push bikes and Hillman Minx's! (The push bikes were faster)

 

In high school ('65) I had a yellow '39 Ford Standard that I put a 265 in with 3 deuces. My friend and one of the best pinstripers ever, the late Corky Hibbard, lettered "Hairy Canary" on the trunk with a big surfer cross. My one buddy had a '55 Chevy with a 327 and 3 deuces with a welded (locked) rear---the sucker was quick after he stole a couple 8:20-15 tires off a Caddy so he had some traction! Funny part was I still beat him through 1st gear with the '39. Sure wish I had a picture of it to post.

 

My dad raced for Olds in 70, factory Deal, hence my first car in 83 a 71 Cutlass. Thanks to my paint and Body Mentor Dan Spain, I slaved over that thing all winter until we had it blocked and painted. Drove it some that Spring to JrHigh(you can drive a 14 here) and then to my first year (Sophmore) at my HS. Got too freaked out about the paint and assholes and sold it before my junior year. Hindsight says I should have parked in the loser lot (more car guys that I am still pals with) and kept the car. That car got me laid the first time at 14, she was 22! (tho somehow she thought I was 18 from something I said)

 

Yeah, I was lucky, for sure. I got the car for $700, it was a closed cab pickup. The panel body was in a junkyard. I worked every evening and weekends at the local Shell gas station. It was a good time in my life, met many of the car friends that I still have today...40 years later.

 

Me. '56 Jaguar convertible, with the "D" type cylinder head and wire knockoffs. The hottest ride around during my senior year at Huntington Beach high school, 1987.

 

I can't really say much here. But I went to John F. Kennedy High school in Bellmore NY, and It's just a lot filled with BMW's, and Mercedes that mommy and daddy bought them, and I cruised in my 1949 Ford.

My cousin Mikey, drove his '49 Merc throughout high school.

 

Wow thats some feat, $700 would have been serious money back then for a kid. Dig that rubber you got on that wagon. Looks like good times.

 

Cant say much? Clandestine vehicular operations?


If this cars'a rockin.......

 

I had the only 57 chevy nomad with a .030 327 and a m22 rock crusher at davey Crockett highschool in Austin. still have it...

 

I took the bus while my '51 Ford coupe waited at home. I was a really lame mechanic then.

You know, not like now...

 

Not me.
The "cool kids" had new BMW's and Rabbits. One kid had a fake AC cobra.
He was a dick.

I had the yellow 76 Maverick with a 6 banger. It still did its job, hauled us about. I had to buy it from my parents. No grad gifts from them.
I still like them, but want a v8 one now.

 

There were NO cool cars at my school. But my sister's boyfriend had a black primered Chevy LUV with Buick v6 that ran on aviation fuel, that was chopped 3" by my dad. It was a good stoner vehicle. Think "River's Edge"

 

I had a beater..but rode my Triumph 650 mostly. The summer I graduated..I bought my first "real" car..
'57 Vette with a supposed 409 swapped (was really a 348)..

Learned a lot with that Vette..especially about identifying a motor..

..and the usual undulating positions a tight..er...cabin could offer..

 

Mine were above average, but I can't claim they were the coolest in school. I had the Merc in '56 and the Olds in '57.

This thread discussed the coolest ones: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261274

 

i bought a 34 ford pickup cap in the 9th grade and had the truck chopped channeled and driving by senior year on the first day

 

Bought my first car at 15 which was a 1968 corvette rag top. Had a 283 sears targetmaster motor in it with a muncie m21, but the 300 horse 327 came with the car. Rag was shrunk and floor was wet, but not to bad for a 10 year old car. Rebuilt the 327 at .030 with 11:1 forged pistons and a 350 horse cam and she went pretty good on it's bald wide oval bias plys.
Sold it at 17 and had a 1972 GMC fleetside short box with a 402 as a daily driver, (rusty but 42,000 miles on it), and bought a 1958 corvette with a 275 horse 283 which was a high mileage driver that I blew the rear end out off in the first week. Pulled the motor and put in a 350/super T10 out of a fresh wrecked 1978 Z28 and got a posi pod of the GM dealers shelf that had 4.56 gears and away I went with a max speed of around 65 milesan hour. Sold both the truck and vette right after grad as we move out of town a month later. Yes there are regrets.

 

even though school wasnt that long ago for me i was one of the lucky few with a cool car. my not so hamb friendly 79 vette was one of the fastest and def the loudest. it had the pace car paint but no decals and a 383 stroker with a huge cam. the car would just shake at lights. the only other guy with some thing good was this guy with a 70 chevelle that was show worthy, but his dad gave it to him along with a pantera and a grafixed out mini truck on hydros and a ducati. i couldnt stand that guy

 

Yeah, think I'd hate that guy too.

 

i'm in high school right now, i drive my '69 chevy to school, only took the '55 on the last day, might bring it again when school starts back up.

im glad to say my cars are the oldest ones in the lot.

oh, and its also not traditional, but my friend is buying a 76 camaro that he'll be driving to school as well.