Many of us can identify with this story. The period of our lives when time stood still…..the year before we got our driver's license. I myself bought my first car, a '56 Chevy 210 2 dr sedan 6 cyl stick, with paper route money months before I got my license. This story of Dan's first car is so interesting and entertaining it almost takes you back to those days when the highs and lows of our lives just seemed so much more intense.-Ed.

My first car was a 1957 Chevy Belair 2 door post. Interesting how my father found the car.
I was 3 months shy of 16 years old, itching to drive and constantly dreaming about owning my favorite car of all time … a black 1957 Chevy Belair 2 door post or hard top. It was going to be the next big "Hot Rod".

It was February 1972, my father was installing a telephone line for an elderly lady whose husband had passed on several year prior. My father determined the telephone junction box entered the home through the one car garage. The lady cautions my father that the garage was packed with all sorts of junk and to be careful opening the door. Well, my father opened the door and was greeted by stacks of boxes, furniture, old lawn mowers and the like. He began pulling the "junk" out of the garage when he noticed a car covered by an old army tarp. He pulled up a corner of the tarp and to his surprise, there sat a 1957 black Chevy Belair 2 door post. He continued to plow through the garage mess until he found the junction box he was seeking to finish installing the telephone line. Once he was finished, he asked the lady if she would consider selling the car to his 16 year old son. The lady was excited to see her husband's car go to a young person knowing it would be cherished. That evening  my father said he wanted me to look at a car he found. He said it was not the car I was looking for but was in my price range. Reluctantly I went with my father,  knowing I did not want just any car but felt I did not have a choice. We arrived at the lady's home, she was very excited to meet me and that her husband would be excited knowing his car  was going to me. I'm thinking to myself, based on the looks of the home this car is going to be a junker. We travel to the garage, opened the door … I see all the junk and really start getting nervous, preparing for utter disappointment. I see a silhouette of a car under this dirty old army tarp. Before we look at the car, the lady said she would sell the car to me for $300. I just knew then it was a junker car. I remember smiling politely not knowing how to respond to her excitement. My father and I began pulling the junk out of the garage until we could gain enough room to lift the tarp. All the time I'm thinking to my self … how to respond knowing I'm going to be disappointed. Finally, after about 15 minutes we were at a point where I could lift a corner of the tarp. My father grabbed the left side, I the right and we lifted the tarp over the engine hood.
I WAS TOTALLY IN SHOCK as I looked at the front grill! It was a black 1957 Chevy! I nearly passed out from over worked nerves! I could not believe my eyes … the adrenaline flowed so hard I believe it took me another 15 minutes to empty the garage. We pulled the tarp off the car … it was a Belair! I was so excited … tears flowing from my eyes so excited to drive away!
The car was equipped with a 283 with "3 on the tree", black interior and exterior. The tires were flat, needed a battery and other than a few dings here and there, it was in excellent condition with 53,000 miles on the odometer.
I ultimately replaced the 283 with a 327/375 HP engine, Muncie 4 speed, 411 rear-end and BIG tires. I TORE up the high school parking lots! Kept the car until 1981 and sold it to a Californian. To this day I kick myself for selling … oh well. I had a great time and great memories.

15