Should i start with fallout 1 or 2? Ive started 1 a couple times but its never really caught.

I really loved both 1 and 2, never played 3.
I think you should start with 1, so you know the background and references of the story in 2.
If you don't like 1 however, chances are you might not like 2 either.

Back in the days I started playing FO2 and loved it, sometimes couldn't stop playing, but never completed it because of a bug which pissed me off... Anyway, when I played FO1 I was a bit disappointed, it's a lot smaller and always felt a bit unfinished.
So, about ten years later, I'm playing them through in the correct order and have a bit o the same feeling. FO2 feels a lot like what FO1 was supposed to be... Still enjoyed them both but I think FO2 is a lot better.
That said, if you WANT to play FO1 my advice is you stick with it through the slow first hours of gameplay with a clunky interface. It'll grow on you, it's still a great game in my opinion (and as prev poster said, makes you appreciate FO2 more).
However, if you're only planning to play ONE of the games I'd say you should go for FO2 with a few fixmods installed (Killap's, Resolution and the one for mouse wheel support is my advice). In my opinion it's a lot better game and feels finished in a whole different way.

To me FO2 felt more unfinished than FO1.
Killap's Restoration Project proofs that.
FO1 indeed is smaller/shorter.
That might be the reason why I find it to be more intimate than FO2.
FO2 has a bigger world, more places, quests and people.
It plays almost the same as FO1.

if you want to get the story according to the time-line they are like following: Fallout 1, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, Fallout 2, Fallout 3

fallout 1 for sure!! then ALL of them after hehehe :D the game is PRO :)