ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

My First Car

I sat there staring at the notice from the folder I had read
and all those distant memories flooded back into my head.
Your first car, the form announced my mind began to swell
The memories of that old bug so many stories could she tell.

She was born in 1958 on some distant workshop row
how she made her way to Queensland I really could not know.
We all dobbed in twenty bucks to buy her Darryl Macca, Glen and me
just a car to take us surfing was all she was meant to be.

Her paint was old and fadedit wore the ravages of time
so we chose canary yellow to bring her back into her prime.
No fancy spray for this old girl that would be a shame and sin
we got paint from down the hardware from the discount section bin.

Then we painted her with brushes blackened up the tyres and trims
and just to finish off the job we used sky blue around the rims.
She had running boards, roof racks and a rear seat that pinched your hide
and those little indicator stems that stuck out from the side.

We took the rear seat out completely and brought a mattress that was cheap
so when we went surfing down to Agnes we would have a place to sleep.
We drove her up the beach at Farnborough with six boards and mates in tow
guys were hanging off the running boards oh what a way to go.

Glen thought the speed was just too slow so stepped off to lend a hand
oh I still can hear the laughter as he lay buried in the sand.
We often had to tow her to get that old girl to run
but she always came good at the end and that was half the fun.

Parties down at Lammermoor she sat and watched the games unfold
if that old lady could but speak oh what stories would be told.
But all things must end as good things do yes it almost broke my heart
When one day she just gave up the ghost and then just refused to start.

We towed her to a mates place and parked her underneath a mango tree
then six months on we sold her but with her went a part of me.
Yes I've had many cars over the years seven is the present call
but of all the cars I've had mate I loved that bug the best of all.

Bob Pacey ( C )

Been there Bob, my first car was a 1965 VW Beetle, a sort of pale blue/green colour. Only blew the motor up once . I'm impressed by your verse here, it's looking good.

Thanks Neville

a bit deviod of inspiration at the moment so going back over some older writes and doing a bit of adjustment.


I remember looking for the radiator in this one when I first got it.

I have lost contact with Glen the other fella in the picture and have no idea where his is now.

We did everything together in our younger days fishing, Hockey Surfing and of course drinking.

Bob

"Thanks Bob".

Memories, memories of an old Vauxhall Wyvern soft top tourer.

During one trip, bootin' about the bush, she used almost as much oil as she did juice.

I recall spending one night down in a dry water wash somewhere in the Pilliga Scrub area.

Jim.

I think we all have fond memories of that first set of wheels Jim or perhaps a favourite car sometime in our lives.


Brought an old FJ Holden after his one and wrote it off when some bloke took right of way off me at an intersection. I was stuck with a finance bill for a few years after till i could afford another one.




Cheers and thanks


Bob

Yes Bob, I am looking very much forward to my first car one day when I grow up.

neil

What do you call a convertable V-Dub (Bug) with the roof down? - A skip!

Why does the V-Dub have a heated rear windscreen? - To warm your hands while you push it!

How do you double the value of your V-Dub? - Fill the tank!

OWNER: "Can I get a windscreen wiper for my V-Dub?" - MECHANIC: "Sounds like a fair swap!"

Manfred, Thanks for the chuckles.

I've never driven one.

However, they proved to be very reliable travelling the bush.
as I recall.
Jim.

Hitlers revenge! you are pretty much on the money Manfred!

Hey Jim, I just woke up that your avatar is you seated in a barftub.

My first car was a '36 model Ford two door with a dicky seat.