I love this picture, as it really takes me back. Things were so different, in so many ways. Like that new mom’s exposed midriff. How many new moms would dare do that in 2018? Ok; enough of my relentless obesity crisis harping, although it does sometimes make one wonder if someone put something into the water…maybe corn syrup?
But it does all rather explain how a young family (what’s that?) got by with a Camaro (I’m quite sure the big Chevy belongs to the proud grandparents, who were being visited). Of course for how much longer is another question.
Speaking of questions, how about those of you that have had kids tell us what was the first car you hauled them in?
Me first. When I met Stephanie, she didn’t know how to drive. I tried once in my ’68 Dodge A100 van, but its clutch and column shifter was a bit too overwhelming. We shelved that for a year or so, which is unusual for living in Southern California. We lived just a short walk from downtown Santa Monica, which had shops, a mall and a farmer’s market.
I sold the van and bought a used ’68 Peugeot 404, with a four speed column shifter. That was not making it any easier. This fuzzy snapshot of it and her was made high on the Angeles Crest Highway on Thanksgiving weekend 1978. Yes it snows in Southern California.
not our actual beloved 404 wagon almost identical
But when Stephanie got pregnant in early 1980, she decided she was ready, but with an automatic, please. So I found a gem of a 1970 404 wagon for sale out in the San Fernando Valley. it was only $100, because the engine had blown its head gasket and had not been fixed, meaning the cylinders were all rusted.
So I rented a tow bar and towed it home behind the 404 sedan, over 405 and Mulholland Pass. the good old days indeed. And I found a 404 in a junkyard in Culver City (there used to be several there) for $50 pulled its engine and installed it into the wagon right at the curb in front of this little junk yard. And it ran like a top.
Well, it wasn’t any too fast, with its 1600cc engine that had some 70 or so hp, working through a three-speed ZF automatic. Fortunately starting in 1970, that automatic now started in first gear; previously it started in second unless you selected Low. But it was unstoppable, and would climb steep highway grades in the Sierras at 45mph wide-open in second. We had a giant factory luggage rack like that one too. I could haul vast amount of stuff, between the generous rear storage area and that roof rack.
Sadly, I can’t find a single picture of our actual wagon. But it was a terrific family hauler. After my son was born, it took the four of us and my mom on highly memorable trip up to the Sierras in what would turn out to be one of the biggest snow storms ever. I had a toboggan strapped to the roof rack, along with the skis.
Enough already. What was your first kiddie hauler?
I have an 18 year old, a 15 year old and a 9 month old (I got remarried last year) My 2002 Durango has been our main family hauler since my first was a year old (my ex traded a ’99 Blazer in for it; the third row seat is very handy) and I have had my 1996 Ram since it was new so I have had the same vehicles for all of my children’s lives.
When I was born, our family car was a ’68 Valiant, but now that my parents had 3 boys, we needed a second car so my Mom got a used ’72 Montego.
My daughter came home from the hospital in my 1996 Nissan Sentra, but ever since then her primary transport has been my wife’s Daihatsu Charade.
1967 Mustang and later a 1975 Mustang II. We raised 3 daughters who are long gone from the nest now. We never owned a four door, minivan, or SUV. The kids as teens complained about riding in the back of the ’79 Malibu coupe on vacation.
Even though it would be considered a no no today we often took one and then later two kids with us in the seat of the Ranchero and then the El Camino.
We have also manged to haul grandkids around in Mustangs with just a small bit of inconvenience. The ’66 is much easier to get people in and out of the back seat than the ’09 or even my wife’s Toyota Solara.
Needless to say, none of the girls now own two door vehicles.
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2.
2003 Saturn VUE
It was too small when we realized we were going to have twins next.
So we went to a 2005 Saturn Relay 3 Van.
Captain’s chairs in middle seats didn’t work out very well with another car seat in the third row.
But we drove it until the engine wore out.
Now driving a 2015 Town and Country.
Now that they are finally out of car seats – also my 2003 Crown Vic Sport.
When I was born my parents had a 3-year-old Morris Minor convertible – https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-kids-1958-morris-minor-tourer-convertible/
My gf in the mid-’00s had two baby daughters and a Subaru Baja with the 5 speed manual, the perfect NH car.
Our older son was born just over 40 years ago, and he came home in a rear-facing car seat in the back of my 1975 VW Rabbit 2-door. I’m sure the nurse was annoyed that it took us longer to get him belted in than simply having my wife hold him in the front seat, as was still the norm at the time.
We had a newer Rabbit, a 1979 model, still a 2-door, when son #2 came along. But it wasn’t too long afterward when the Rabbit was sold for a used 1980 Volvo 242 — yes, another 2-door. This car was kept in the family long enough for him to drive it.
Here’s me with son #1 wearing bell-bottom jeans and looking quite thin (no belly!) at the beach. I don’t have any scanned photos of the Rabbits.
Our son came home in and mainly rode in a 1990 Dodge Spirit 4 cyl 5 spd. That car was trouble free for 183k then we sold in 1998. He also rode in my 1985 FILA Tbird; he liked all the switches.