Folks had a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere s/w. No ac, no radio, no power steering; but Dad did condescend to get an automatic transmission. I hated that thing. I didn't date in high school because I was embarrassed to have to drive it (I spent my summer tobacco field money on a 20 gauge Ithaca/SKB shotgun instead of putting it towards my own car; I had my priorities straight, even as a young whippersnapper.) My Dad and I would put the canoe in the back of the Belvedere and go fishing or duck hunting. Sweltered going fishing, froze going hunting. But at least after school I could load up the setter and the SKB and head out of town to do battle with the quail. Mom was good about getting her shopping done in the mornings so I could take the wagon in the afternoons.
After marriage (yeah, I finally got around to dating a little) we had a little Datsun 210 and an LTD II, both wagons. The Datsun was small enough it actually felt a little sporty, but the LTD II was emasculating, almost as much so as the later Aerostar. It was not until we got a Suburban that I could look at myself in the mirror again.
