I bought my first car near the end of 1959 while living & working in Mobile, AL. My parents allowed me (thanks, Mom & dad!) to trade in their 1954 Chevy on the used 1955 Oldsmobile (Rocket 88 V8 engine, 4 bbl carb, Hydramatic tranny, radio, heater, PS, PB, 4 door sedan, brown and white). The vehicle was purchased in Prichard, AL, a suburb of Mobile. This car had a rough life under my ownership. I was young then and had a very heavy foot!!

One of the things I enjoyed doing was backing out, dropping the tranny is "Drive", stomping accelator, and lay down a single streak of rubber (didn't have a posi-traction rearend). Man, that was fun! I broke several universal joints pulling this stunt! The Olds had an automatic transmission, but I could make it sound almost exactly like a 3 speed manual when I accelerated. I had some folks believing it was a standard shift. My best friend & neighbor (since my teen years) is always reminding me about the time he rode with me to Sears in Mobile to buy some new tires (can't imagine why they were about worn out!). After the new tires were mounted, I backed out of the Sears shop, stomped the gas, and proceeded to smoke the back tire. How stupid can you get??? Of course, I had a job and was footing all the bills myself. Although I was a bit hard on the drivetrain, I did keep the inside and outside looking great. The old 55 had many a wax job by me.

My friend and I must have made 1000 circuits through the "hangouts" in the Mobile area (me in my old 55 Olds and him in his 1961 Ford) ...The Shed, The Chatterbox, Dog 'n' Suds, Kreme Bar, Johnny's Drive In, and others. Yes, we were looking for girls and trying to show off our wheels!

Once won a trophy with it at the Mobile Dragway. Pics below. I didn't race it but one time. In 1962, I traded it in on my first new car, a 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 2 DR Hardtop.

1
Below photo was taken in January, 1960. I can't make out the location but I believe it may have been in Prichard, AL, where I was residing with my parents (at the time Dad was also working in Mobile and we were renting an apartment temporarily). I was 19 years of age at the time
2
Below photo was also taken in January, 1960. This one was definitely taken at the family apartment in Prichard, AL.
3
Below photo was taken in March, 1960 at our apartment, Prichard, AL.
4
Below photo was taken in April, 1960. Appears to be at my parents' house in Clarke Co., MS
5
Below photo was also taken in April, 1960. Appears to be at my parents' house in Clarke Co., MS
6
Below photo was taken in June, 1960, at the apartment, Prichard, AL
7
Below photo was taken in October, 1960, at parents' house, Clarke Co., MS
8
Below photo was taken in January, 1961, at parents' house, Clarke Co., MS
9
Below photo was probably taken sometime in 1961, at parents' house, Clarke Co., MS. That's the best friend I mentioned on the left pointing to his 1961 Ford; me pointing to my Olds
10
Below photo was taken in September, 1961, at parents' house, Clarke Co., MS. Showing off the trophy I won at the Mobile Dragstrip earlier.
11
Below photo was also taken in September, 1961, in front of the store operated on Wilson Ave., Prichard, AL by my best friend's parents (Cunningham Grocery). Showing off the trophy I won at the Mobile Dragstrip earlier.
12
Not sure when or where one below was taken....maybe July, 1962.
13
Below pic was probably taken the same day as #9 and #10 above. The big oak tree in the background (now gone) was in front of my parents' house.