"The Puddle Jumper"

I am totally dating myself here with this photo (not my photo, not me...) of what my very first car looked like, purchased for me by my father in 1968 for the whopping sum of $300.00.  It was a 1960 Rambler American, the sporty 2-door model in cream puff condition.  It was graphite grey with a white top and RED WHEELS!  I don't think that those red wheels were stock since I've never seen another but they did add that certain something... maybe funk-appeal!  Honestly, this was not the car that I really wanted.  My father and I set out to find me a car shortly after I graduated High School and the first one that we looked at was a used 1964 bright red Volkswagen Bug.  It had a new paint job and was ONLY $1000.00. Easy for me to say, only, since I didn't have any money to put in on my car, but Dad thought that was too expensive.  Later that day after looking at about a gozillion used cars, we found one just like the photo.  Cash exchanged hands and I had wheels.  I was a bit embarrassed to drive it especially since lots of my friends were driving Mustangs and VW's. I know. Shame on me.

My friends and I called it The Funk-Mobile but my Dad always called it The Puddle-Jumper.  My bestie Priscilla pronounced it to be, "so ugly that it's CUTE!".  It got me were I needed to go and served me well until I saved up enough money for a down payment on my dream VW Bug.  I sold the Funk-Mobile for $350.00 to a friend who drove it cross county a couple of times. It was a little champ!

I am not the same status conscious teen that I was back in 1968 and would SO drive this car today!    I would proudly drive this car and fly my FUNK FLAG!