Morning View & My First Car

Posted on by kevin cooper

My first, ever car was a 1974 Cadillac sedan deville. It was my second year over in the states and I had just passed my driving test. Considering that I almost got run down by a car my first week over there makes this look like a miracle. I had looked the wrong way before crossing the road. The language coming from the driver who swerved to avoid me, I’ll never forget. Then he was gone and I was left standing there, dumbfounded.

My very first car.

I remember, Doug, my pastor from the Free-Methodist Church we attended laughing his arse off. I rang him almost immediately after getting my Cadillac; I couldn’t wait to go and show it off to him. “Couldn’t you have found a bigger car, Kev?” He almost doubled over as I pulled up outside the church. He put his arm around me when I got out, still laughing and half bent over.

It was something of a novelty seeing an Englishman driving an old cadillac that was bigger than his house. Doug wasn’t the only one who laughed and patted me on the back. “You crease me up!” They would say, and they meant it.

Doug, my pastor and best friend.

The following pic with the teeny tiny house in the back that looks about half as big as my car, that was the first house my first wife and I rented in Bowling Green after we left the apartment complex where we initially lived together for a very short while. 😀

The next two pictures are where I lived when I first immigrated. It is a twin apartment complex called, The Towers. The second is of an US Mail Jeep…I had never seen the like before and just had to have a photo of it. 🙂

The first place I lived in the US
A US Mail Jeep!

Our first big outing was a trip to Cincinnati, Ohio. It was just a road trip for me to get used to the car. About 180 miles distance. Morning view, KY is just outside of Ohio. It’s a beautiful drive, hence the pics. I flew into Cincinnati Airport when I immigrated the previous year and wanted to get a feel of how far away it was, without the jet lag.

Morning View Pics

The Car drove like a dream. It had automatic trans, cruise control, air conditioning (I’d never even heard of cruise control or air-conditioning back then) and it was total luxury inside. I had the car for several years, and despite the many repairs, I’ve never loved a car as much as I loved that old Cadillac.

©Kevin Cooper

35 thoughts on “Morning View & My First Car”

  4. Is the car really bigger or is it the angle?
    Yeah, whenever I travel I have to be really careful to look the right way. My sister was crossing by an island here so only half way and nearly got run over by a bus.
    Awesome pictures!!!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. I love the photo of your car in front of your house. What a riot! I think many of us remember our first cars with fondness. I do, even though it was a junker that couldn’t go up hills and broke down constantly. Beautiful photos of your road trip too. A fun post, Kevin.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. My friend learned to drive in a car that was about the same size – like a boat! I learned on a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle – my dad made me learn to drive a stick before I was ever allowed to drive an automatic. Still have some great memories of that car!

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  14. Kevin, you had my dream car!! 😀 I’ve always adored these and love learning about your beloved first car! Oh my, it is so long and what a luxury inside. Of course, you had to take a road trip. Terrific post, photos! As for my first car, not this one alas, rather a Beetle, which barely had heating or a floor! However, I did get a ride in a pink Cadillac as my husband had organised this for after our wedding! The highlight of the day -nearly! 😀😀

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  22. Lots of memorable firsts. Maybe it’s just a guy thing, but all of my male friends have lots of stories about their first car. Mine was a 1974 pumpkin orange Chevy Nova. I loved that car.

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  24. What a fun story, Kev. That car was a boat, LOL! My husband and I bought a used 1972 Thunderbird as a second car early in our marriage and it was the size of your Caddy. Got about 8 miles to the gallon, so we didn’t keep it long, but I do have fond memories of it. Beautiful car.

    I got. a chuckle from your photo of a U.S. mail Jeep, LOL. Of course, that would be like me taking a pic of one of your double decker buses, or red phone booths. I’d be snapping away.

    Also, loved those sunrise photos. Just gorgeous!

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  33. Good story, Kevin. That was some car. Big as a whale (to steal a line from the B52s) I had the same experience in London. I was looking the wrong way and stepped off the curb in front of a cab. F—–g stupid yank he yelled. (With good reason I think.)

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