Charlie Self wrote:

Or maybe I'm being pessimistic.

You think? My father went nuts when I bought a new Chevy convertible in

Or not pessimistic enough?

'57. Just under 3 grand. That was the 283, dual 4s, close ratio column 3
speed and absolute **** for brakes and gas mileage, though that sucker
would fly. He had bought 2 new cars when he and my mother got married in
'34: under a grand, well under, and one was a car I'd kill for today, a
rumble seat Ford coupe.

Yeah, Dad came home with a '57 Bel Aire one day. A friend of his is a Jay
Leno wannabe. I drove it a little. Beautiful car. Cherry. Gorgeous.
But it weighed 400,000 pounds and it only had about 1/16 oz. of brake fluid
in the ultra miniature master cylinder. Holy **** dude, WTF were they
thinking back then? No power steering either. Pretty to look at, but it
really sucked to drive. That ended my infatuation with the '57 Chevy
forever.

I kind of outgrew cars more generally anyway though, really. Cars are one
huge black hole for cashola. A habit I never could afford, and I finally
stopped daydreaming about it.

Comparable car today? $45,000? Better, sure, but...

That expensive, really? What sets it apart as being a $45,000 car? Just
the chick factor? I'd say it's more of a $25,000 car, but maybe I'm
dreaming.

Everything is relative though. My grandfather paid $3,000 for a house in
1950-something, and he paid $3,000 for a car in 1970-something, and he paid
$3,000 for pills in 2004.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/