I learned to drive before I could reach the pedals in an old ice cream truck. my dad and my grandpa both drove ice cream trucks for a living and every weekend and all summer long I went with one of them and never got bored with driving or eating ice cream but actually got the keys to my dads old 76 F250 when I was 11 years old. we lived on a 50 acre ranch and dad said here you go just dont go outside the gate better believe I tore the property up wheelin that old truck all over the place almost couldnt get it stuck with 9.50x16.5's on the front and 33x12.50x16.5's on the back I wound up on the floor on the passenger side a few times since seat belts werent "necessary" dad never said a word although he could see every where I had been and everything I ran over or almost got stuck on bought my own car at 14 ($89 for a 63 dodge dart) and traded it for another car then blew that car up the day I got it guess I hadnt learned much
Before I could drive I used to sit beside my Dad and he let me do the shifting in his 58 Rambler, 3 on the tree. Years later the first one I drove on the street was his 65 Galaxie 500 LTD 2 door hardtop. I can still vividly remember the first time behind the wheel. Wish I still had that car, but more importantly, I wish I still had Dad.
I learned to drive in a '54 Ford Custom 2 door sedan with a 6 cylinder & 3 on the tree that my brother had. Bruce
Learned in my Dad's '66 T-bird convertable w/a 428 and grandmother's Chevy II station wagon. Learned to drive stick in a '70 VW Beetle.
Shared time in my Mom's 84 Buick Regal, my aunt taught me how to drive a stick in her 80 Escort, 65 Econoline pickup that ended up being my driver.
We used to do the same thing in my Dad's mid 70's Ford Courier. Years later it is what I learned to drive in. We used to be so embarrassed of that thing. We called it the "green bean" and man was it fugly!
Our '59 Chevy 3 on the tree. Pretty fast car for a 6 cyl. Later took my license test in a buddy's '63 Impala SS w/ 327/ auto, easier to park than the manual, especially since they always picked a hill to park for the test. Jim
My first Car to Drive was a 1969 1/2 Maverick 3-speed on the tree. First driving lesson was in 1975. My Dad took me to the first big hill stopped in the middle of it got out, and handed me the keys....true story. Kirk
Ford F-350 Dually, on my friend's uncle's horse ranch in central texas. I was 7 years old, maybe 8, he gave me and my friend the keys and said "don't drive into any of the stock ponds!" and let us take off without any adults. So we pretty much had to figure it out on our own. It was automatic, so that helped.
The first car I drove was a 56 Triumph TR3. I was 9 at the time and I could actually sit in the seat and reach the pedals! What a fun car that was! Being right drive, I learned a few bad habits that were a bit difficult to break when I started driving American cars.