I graduated from Nursing School in 1968 and I needed a car. I got my learners permit at the age of 16 and failed the test and then the permit expired and I did not renew it. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that upon driving my dads 57' Chevy I hit a Sycamore tree and crushed the fender. I was afraid of driving.
In 1968 I needed something that was reliable and inexpensive. I looked at the new Camaro and Mustang, but my father told me that they would not go in the snow. So I looked at the VW Beetle. I remember that they were going when everything else was at a standstill. I do not remember 4 WD or AWD in the mix but I am sure there were some available, perhaps a Jeep. My car payment was $59 dollars a month and my parents had to co-sign my car loan.
I purchased a light blue Bug and my only problem was it have a four on the floor manual transmission, there was no other transmission option. My fathers Chevy had a manual transmission so I was familiar with the shifting. The car cost about $1900 and had a ten gallon fuel tank. That car did go in the snow and at the time the gasoline was thirty three cents a gallon and I could fill it up for about three to four dollars. I never got stuck in that car.
The only problem was that the defrosters never worked worth two cents, but my father, who was retired at the time, and I was single, would be up in the morning and would start my car and scrape my snow on the days I went to work. Thanks dad.....
We had a Wire Haired Fox Terrier, named Casey who would sometimes go for rides in the car. One day my parents went to the local shopping center and were walking back to his truck. Casey spied a young women opening the door to her light blue Bug and the dog jumped inside. My dad apologized to her and she laughed when he told her of his daughters car and how the dog would go for rides in my Bug.
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