Uchikura & Co., LLC

My First Car?

 

My first car was a 1970 Toyota Corona four-door sedan.

 

And yes — it had a column shifter.

 

Many younger people today may never have seen one. The gear shift was attached to the steering column instead of the floor, and the front seat was a full bench seat. Cars from that era had a very different feel from modern cars.

 

One thing I clearly remember was the parking brake. It was not between the seats like today’s cars. It was mounted underneath the dashboard, and you pulled it outward to engage it. Releasing it required another handle. Very mechanical. Very analog.

 

I drove this Toyota Corona after it was bought used for me.

 

Compared to today’s vehicles, it was primitive. No power windows. No touchscreens. No computers controlling everything. The windows were opened by turning a hand crank. Air conditioning was still commonly called a “cooler” in Japan back then.

 

But honestly, driving felt more real.

 

You could feel the engine vibrations, the road, the shifting, and even the weight of the steering wheel. Modern cars are smoother, quieter, safer, and far more advanced — but many also feel isolated from the actual driving experience.

 

Japan in those days was still in its high-growth era. Owning even a used car represented freedom and possibility.

 

Looking back now, that old Toyota Corona may not have been impressive by modern standards, but to me, it represented independence. And sometimes I still remember the feeling of moving that column shifter with my right hand while driving through Japan decades ago.

 

What was yor first car?