Did you have the big wheel with the handbrake?

 

No, I did not have that one Rob

 

1969 was the year that I graduated from High School. I got drafted in June of 1970 and in October of that year my Father bought me a 1969 Firebird from a neighbor that had recently returned from Vietnam. Because his license had expired and we lived in Queens County in NYC he was paying through the nose for car insurance. He only put 3,300 miles on it as he took the subway to work and his insurance was set to expire /renew on Oct 31, 1970 so my Father bought it for $1500 cash. It was a 4.1 liter in line overhead cam six cylinder with a red line of 6,500 RPM. That was my introduction to high revving engines. I put 119,000 miles on it. I sold it in 1976 for $500. Perhaps the least expensive car that I have ever owned for the money.

 

This wouldn't be aa bad choice. Well under $5,000 for a nicely equipped example. Worth 60-90k today. Enough to sell and then buy a really nice low mileage 1997 NSX.

 

What car would I buy in 1969?

I can tell y'all I bought a new, fully loaded 1970 442 and a Triumph TR6R Tiger (nee Trophy) motorcycle (single carb version of the Bonneville). There were four of who commuted to Fort Benning most mornings; two Triumphs and two BSAs all with the same gearing and the exhausts went in and out of synchronization giving very pleasing aircraft sounds which the MPs could hear miles away. Good times!

-- Chuck

 

The Rover V8 in 3.5L form was fine, but they kept boring it out over time and ruined it, making the cylinders wall too thin and they fail. I know this firsthand as my 04 LR Discovery had the V8 in it and mine had a cracked cylinder wall. I spent $12k getting a new sleeved block for it back in 2012. That Rover V8 started life as a Buick V8, GM sold the tooling off to Rover in the 60's.

 

I bought a new 66 GTO and paid 3600.00 for it. I was 22. I saved my money in the Navy but not enough to buy it.

 

A brand new MGB for about $2,500 with the toneau cover for another $18.50. Or a Trimph Bonneville motorcycle. I had to wait until I graduated from college in 1972 for the MGB (which by that time was about $3,200). I wish I still had it. I couldn't afford the Triumph Bonneville so I bought a Honda CB350 instead.

 

Was minimum wage over a buck yet in '69?
i think it was 85¢

 

I had a CB 650. The Honda CB was a great bike. I can still hear a little of the motor sound of my CB in my S