I grew up in Silvis and the Quad Cities, and currently reside near Fayetteville in southern middle Tennessee. My first car was a 1968 Ford Torino GT, My Dad bought it new for $3,600. I got it from him in 1974. The car was originally a lime green, GT-striped 302 with C4 auto, a common configuration for Torino GTs sold that year. By the time I got it, it had body rot from the Quad Cities salt trucks behind the rear wheel wells and in the floorboards, and a dented right fender. I ran with gearhead guys in those days and we just couldn't leave stock alone, so the car was reworked and I painted it Sherwin Williams orange myself with pointers from my Dad, who was a body and paint man early in his career and at the time worked as a foreman in paint for IH. At the time, I worked at Ridgewood DX in East Moline (now gone), and owner Leroy Schwaesdall did a ton of gas welding on the car to get the floorboards patched and replace the back of the wheel wells with patches from a car at a Colona junkyard. Yeah, gas welding - this was in the days before MIG and TIG were common outside the factory floor. I let my sister drive the car when I went to pick her up from her job at Hardees in Moline, and she backed it up immediately into concrete a parking lot light anchor. So the car went through another bodywork and self-repaint session later, this time with Kewanee Boiler Orange paint. I was working at Moline Paint Manufacturing Co. at that time, and the color was made there. These pictures are with the Kewanee Boiler Orange. The photos taken on the grass were shot by my college roommate at Southern Illinois University, Ron Keith. Ron went on to become a photographer for "Rolling Stone" and other magazines, and do album cover art, winning a Grammy for his work. Mechanically, over the time I owned it the heads were replaced with 289 Hi-Po, a 4-barrel intake and Holley were added, Appliance headers and DragOn mufflers were installed, and when I eventually blew out the second gear band in the C4, it was removed at Ridgewood DX and rebuilt using a shift kit. The Anson rims added that typical '70s look, and the rear end was jacked up with air shocks so if the Q-C cops stopped me for too high a rear bumper (and they did), I could lower it on the spot. There was a speed shop at Ridgewood Shopping Center, can't recall its name, and I bought the fiberglass hood scoop and locking hood pins there. When I think of what I paid for parts back then! The headers I got used for $25, the rims were $25 used for the set, etc. I sold the GT rims and trim for $25 for the set. Do you know what the GT and Anson rims bring now? Inside, a Pioneer FM/8-track resided on a bracket below the center of the dash, just above the transmission hump. In the glove box was a 20-watt RMS power amp, back when one of those was big power! When I was working at Paul Wessel Co. in East Moline refurbishing golf carts, I got in the car after my shift and grabbed an 8-track for the ride home. Slid it into - nothing! The tape player had been stolen. A bit of insurance work to repair the dash, and another exact replica of the deck was reinstalled. When I think back to the cars my gearhead friends and I owned, it was like a Barrett-Jackson collection. They were just used cars back then! Among my friends' cars were a 1967 factory Car of the Year-badged Mercury Cougar, a 1971 Dodge Charger, a 1969 Camaro RS 4-speed, a 1967 Fairlane GT, a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville ragtop, etc. A buddy named Melvin (can't recall his last name) owned a 1971 455 Pontiac Firebird that had been completely reworked. It would smoke the tires if he just THOUGHT about doing it. Many smokey burnouts results from us egging him on in the parking lot at the Western station on Moline's 4th Avenue. When I was very young, 4th Avenue was all bricks. One friend in particular, Larry Hillbloom, was a serial car owner. He alone owned a 1960 Chevy Impala, 1964 Chevelle SS, a 1966 Caddy, a 1967 Chevelle SS, a 1964 Ford van custom, a 1963 IH Scout with Chevy 350 that was so short that if you got on it it would swap ends, and a 1971 Ford Torino with 429 CJ - all of those in about 3 years, and those are just the ones I remember! He had a different car about every 2-3 months. That 429 Torino was the fastest car I have ever driven. He bought it from one of the guys at Cantrell's Body Shop in Green Rock. Larry and I even once bought a 1963 Impala and repainted it as a flipper car. I was immersed in the gearhead life, working as a mechanic and/or pump jockey at many Illinois Q-C gas stations in my teens, including Silvis Independent, Colona DX at I-80, Clark in East Moline's Watertown and also in Moline, Western, Shell near Skateland in East Moline, and Ridgewood DX, as just a sampling. When my wife and I drive through the Q-C, I am usually pointing out stations and saying I worked there. The orange Torino sat at all of them, as well as at Moline Paint Mfg., Paul Wessel Co., and a body shop out Colona way I can't recall the name of, where we worked taking two wrecked vehicles and making them into one good one for resale. I had so many experiences in that '68 Torino! First, I grew up in it as a passenger, when Dad would drive us to Country Style for ice cream, or on vacations to Colorado. Once he lashed my mini-bike to the back bumper and took it to Colorado with us, so I could ride out there. Then later I became the driver, lining up at a light on 23rd Avenue for a quick drag while on the way to Alleman High School, cruising on Friday and Saturday nights through the big Sears parking lot there, doing doughnuts in the Geifman parking lot at Ridgewood Shopping Center, going to the Semi Drive-In, my first dates, and driving it down to Carbondale for college days at SIU. In my teen years I had a lead foot, and I once got nailed for speeding twice in three days. That was a real low point.  Once I was caught speeding on John Deere Expressway, when I floored it away from a light, and the cop said his radar gun showed 110 but he wrote it up for 85 in a 55 because he could not believe I got it going that fast and then stopped in that short distance. I'll never forget it. ZZ Top's "LaGrange" was blasting out the 8-track when he pulled me over. My '68 Torino GT was eventually sold in 1979, and I lost touch with it. I am sure it has been crushed by now. But I found a 1969 Fairlane (basically the same body style) in central Alabama that had less rust on it after all those years than my Torino had after just a few in the Q-C. It really had almost zero rust. I am doing a ground-up restomod of that car now, and because I remember my fast drive in the 429 Torino, I am going with a 429 and toploader 4-speed. It has been 15 years or more since I got a speeding ticket. That's probably going to change in the future!     Jim S.

In order to purchase my first car my dad told me I needed to have $1000.00 saved up in the bank before I could do anything.  This would allow me to get a decent set of wheels and pay for my insurance. Well, my dad figured it would take me forever to save that amount of money considering the way I used to spend it as quick as I got any of it.  But, I surprised him.  I got a part-time job at Steak-n-Shake on Brady Street in Davenport, IA, and my career of bussing tables and flipping steak burgers as well as making the best shakes in the world set me on the road to American Freedom with my first car. My grandpa was passing through Erie, Il, in the fall of 1983 when he happened across a black 1975 Chrysler Cordoba with a 400 engine.  Grandpa bought the car for $300.00 and got it back to his home in the country south of Cambridge, IL.  He called me and told me about the car and said it was "pretty nice" and if it was okay with my dad he would let me purchase it from him for $300.   Well, even at the age of 17 and a senior at Pleasant Valley High School, I knew a good deal when I heard it.  So, when my dad got home from work, I went into sales mode and convinced him grandpa had the car for me. Dad went for it and when Christmas break 1983 arrived, I spent the entire time in my grandpa's garage working with him on this car.  We added new exhaust, bought a new battery and I was almost set.  One big problem though, the rear quarters had severe cancer and I couldn't be driving it looking that way. Fortunately my uncle Jim could fix quarter panels, and he did. I got that car home and it was cool!  By summer it was time to change the color from black to "race red."  My friend Devon Anderson and I spent several weeks that summer prepping it for paint.  That's where I learned you can never sand enough and I would never be an auto body expert. I got it painted red and the summer of 1984, the year I graduated was a blast!  I owned that car for 2 years and my future bride at the time, Andrea, enjoyed the car as well.  We married in 1986 and the Cordoba had started seeing its better days, especially after the way I drove it back then, and by 1987 I let it go. Every now and then I think, it would be cool to have that car again. John Bain President Quad Cities Cruisers

How many of you Cruisers still have photos of you first car? I'd like to share mine with you. I took these photos in April of 1975, shortly before my Dad presented the keys to me for my 18th birthday. Take a look at this "Black Beauty"! It's a 1960 Buick Invicta, with the 401 cubic inch "nail head" engine. The Invicta was the high-performance version (also available was the LeSabre at a lower cost, and Electra as the most luxurious offering). Dad acquired it "slightly used" from my Uncle Pete. Uncle Pete was quite the shyster, but I'll save that for another day… (Soon after its purchase, we discovered how Uncle Pete's son, my Cousin Peter Eugene had wrecked it a few times, and the car had a severe cooling system problem. It would overheat regardless if the outside temperature was 90 above or 90 below zero. At the time, we could never figure out why an engine that ran so hot absolutely refused to offer any of its super-heated Prestone to the heater core for passenger comfort. Later, we determined a poorly designed water pump impellor must be the source of the problem. Despite all of its flaws, I absolutely loved this car. I can remember as a young boy, many summer vacations going to Connecticut in it to visit my oldest brother. My assigned position was the middle of the back seat, balanced on the "hump", wedged between my Mom and Sister. For hours I would watch Dad skillfully maneuver this 3-ton mammoth of chrome and tail fins across Interstate 90, cigar and coffee cup in one hand, ham sandwich and road map in the other. For safety's sake, Dad was always careful to keep at least on knee on the wheel at all times. Dad knew I loved the car, and besides, I needed a car to go to College. I'm sure a lecture from Dad concerning safe driving habits accompanied the handing-over-of-the-keys ceremony. One set of keys were so worn, "Your Key To Greater Value" (as GM embossed their keys in that era) was barely visible, and hardly worked the ignition and the door locks, as the car's odometer was well past the century mark. The other set had never been used and were kept at home "just in case". By opening any of its massive four doors, you were assured of quality as suggested by the blue "Body by Fisher" logo affixed to the doorsill. After settling in behind the wheel, there was a particular order of steps to be performed so that the mighty "Wildcat 445" would roar to life: First, one must depress the gas pedal briskly three times completely to the floor, listening for the choke plate to snap shut, meanwhile the accelerator pump delivers three healthy squirts of 94 octane to the intake. Next, insert the worn-out key into the ignition switch, and jiggle it just right so that it permits you to turn to the "On" position (the ignition switch had no "Start" mode, it was in the gas pedal!). Finally the payoff: stomp the gas one last time to the floor, feeding the thirsty monster one last shot of hi-test, and, on a good day, it would fire within five or so seconds of cranking. Some days it took additional squirts and cranking to awaken the beast; during the winter, it had a fondness for Starting Ether. However, to its credit and despite repeated overheatings, no blue smoke ever emitted from its tailpipe. Indeed the "Bew-Hog" was a thirsty monster, as it seemed impossible to pass any gas station selling premium leaded fuel. I can remember one very cold morning, as I sat in the kitchen sipping coffee with the Invicta was warming up outside, it idled away a quarter-tank of gas. Good thing gas was cheap back then, because it went through Sunoco 260 like creamed corn through a goat! Opening the hood revealed the mighty "Nailhead" engine, so named because of the very small diameter of its valves. The small valves result is gobs of torque at the expense of revs and top end power (an interesting article exists on Wikipedia, just click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engine). Sitting atop, the air cleaner housing boasted "Wildcat 445" indicating its torque output, not its horsepower, nor its cubic inch displacement. Clean air was fed to a Maytag washer sized Carter 4 barrel. Power is then delivered thru a peculiar automatic transmission, nicknamed (I'm told) "Slim Jim". The Slim Jim transmission didn't have the usual "PRNDL" gear selection arrangement, but rather "PNDLR". Simply select Drive and off you go with a slight press of the gas pedal. The transmission was shiftless; it seemed as if the torque converter was infinitely variable from 100% slip to 100% lockup. Experiments on long stretches of road concluded that holding the gas steady from a dead stop allowed me to increasingly build up steam and attain a respectable cruising speed, yet no shifting was ever felt. Buick termed this ingenious arrangement the "Turbine Drive". It was later discovered those clever engineers at Buick must have designed the exact shape of the fender wells with only one thing in mind: creating water sprays. After a heavy rain, I could shoot a 6-foot rooster tail of rainwater from roadside gutters onto innocent sidewalk pedestrians by traveling at precisely 37 miles per hour. Meanwhile my buddies are rolling with laughter in the back seat, singing "Giddy-up, Giddy-up, Four-O-One". Bad boys. (Oh, by the way, Karma has paid me back ten-fold over the years for my misdeeds). Indeed, the Bew-Hog was the official party wagon of my gang. Up to ten could be transported (albeit uncomfortably), then head to Pizza Hut for pizza and beer. But all good things must come to an end. It got me through College, and after three years of ownership, I sold the Invicta to a buddy who just had to have it. Besides, my brother was giving me his 67 RS Camaro, what a sweet deal. The Invicta then changed hands at least one more time that I know of, with its final resting place being Worshil's junkyard in Canton, Ohio. I know this because I happened upon it one Saturday morning while I was prospecting for parts. There she was, sitting in mud with her top crushed, broken glass and all. It was so sad to witness such an undignified end to such a great car with so many fond memories. Mike Meleg, Glenwood HS, Canton, Ohio, Class of 1975 Moved to Davenport March 2005 Looking for a toy.

It was 1964 and I was a junior at Rocky. The car was a 1950 Chevy two door Fleetline. I hung out and later worked at Gilmore's 66 on 11th street in Rock Island,  Red Gilmore and his sons Jim and Art gave me the 50 for helping out at the station. I think the real reason was that I was building  a 1929 model a five window coupe with a small block Chevy and Red thought I would get killed driving it to school. The 50 was built strictly to run on the R.I. one ways. The heater, inner fenders, ft. bumper and other items to numerous  to mention were removed to save weight. The ft. end had a 6" lift to transfer more weight to the 7" Rockford recaps on the rear (wide whites and red wheels of course). Power was a 228 cu. In. six 12 1/2 to 1 compression dome pistons, Isky cam and aluminum timing gears, Fenton headers, Mallory dual points, and two 292 truck carbs,. It was painted 1963 or 64 Ford Falcon Blue by Frank Talbom (any one recall Economy Chevrolet in R.I.). The interior was stitched in white rolls and pleats by Dallas at Glass Service in R.I.. The 50 surprised and embarrassed many v8,s as they could see from behind as, it carried the left front tire for about the first 25 feet due to the 671 rear end gear. It also sometimes embarrassed me as we were towed home off the one's with broken parts (thanks mom).  Some say you can't go back, but if you look on this site at photos 2, page 1 upper left corner you can see what I drive now. Thanks Shane for this site John Madsen Rock Island

Gary Pace RIHS Class of 1977 1976 was the year, a Junior at Rock Island High School, Home of the Rocks.  With all my friends having a car by now I was feeling left out. Working at a gas station and not owning a car was bad and bugging my Dad for one was like trying to scrape road tar off a rocker panel. But one day at the family supper Dad surprised me by saying he was going to give me his pride and joy 1964 ½ metallic blue mustang. Ah the Chrome Reverse rims with Widetrack 60 tires, 289 V-8  w/4 barrel Fomoco carb. And the C4 auto was like getting the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. One of the 1st items added was an 8-track player and a pair of Bass 48 speakers, surface mounted of course in the rear window on black furry carpet. I remember the "Ones" was the place to test the muscle (should have taken the Charles Atlas course) and I just blended right on in. Sitting at the red light with that 64 Dodge beside me with that 426 hemi under the hood, I knew I could take him and I did for the first 60 feet and then his tail lights faded into the distance. One of my favorite battles was when a school friend had just got a new Z-28 me senior year and I met up with him on the "ones". It was a good feeling to crush that new pollution controlled Camaro. By 1978 the Stang was sporting M50's, Headers with Duel cherry bombs and a Holley carb. With the engine compartment chromed out and a Velocity stack air cleaner sticking out of the hood. Last I saw of my first car was it being sold to a father and son who was an eagle scout and they where going restore it.  I did see it one time 4 years later and it was restored so at least it went to a deserving home.