3rd Sep 2018, 13:19

I remember buying high octane Super Shell or Sunoco 260 regular gas at 36.9 cents a gallon. We had money left and did our own upgrades and repairs from the easy mechanicals of time.

I had 3 used cars by the time I finished high school. Flipped 2 of them at a profit. You could buy used muscle cars anywhere from $500-2000. Stock wheels came off and Cragar SS or Keystone classics wheels were added onto large white letter tires on the rear and smaller on the front. The look of the time. Even Thrish side pipes. Not always name brand tires. Cars were lifted with shackles, Lakewood Traction Bars, Accel etc all on our wages of the time. Everybody seemed busy with jobs, sports especially, a date etc. Not laying around at home. No computers, electronics, phones etc sucking up your money. Ours went all into our cars, dates etc. Teens had many part time jobs opportunities then and could work 2 or 3 jobs. Summers we worked. The payoff was being able to buy cars without parental help. I had to keep my grades up though in high school to be allowed to own my cars. Discipline was the norm for many of us. There were usually 2 parents under the same roof. My dad said anyone willing to work hard or extra can achieve these things. And my family did.

I know today is different. You may not be able to buy a new car right away when young today. But you can build one up yourself. Just like we did. My one son started with used 5.0 Mustangs. Hot cheap bang per buck. Just like we did. One even had Nitrous. Or find and buy a regular econo car and get some help negotiating it out to the max. These tips may help more than a debating a cost of a burger. I’d be out on a date sharing a pizza instead. No one wanted to be home where our parents were. They would find something for us to do if we did. I’d rather work and make money. The past is gone, but the work ethic remained. Nothing is free in the world.