crow
Member
    
Posts: 485
Toujours Pret
Citrus Co Fla
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« on: July 22, 2022, 07:16:37 PM » |
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57 chev panel truck. Traded my 65 C10 fleetside for it even up with Gary Sinese in 1971. A 62 chev panel truck, 67 Plymouth furry, 65 dodge van, 68 Ford van with a hot rod V8, solid cam, also had a Vega and a Pacer. Hated the Pacer. 3 on the tree and WAY too much glass. Really had to be careful rolling up numbers.
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dont write a check with your mouth,
that your ass cant cash
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Serk
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« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2022, 08:53:11 PM » |
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Heh, maybe this will explain my.... lack of enthusiasm.... for "classic" cars.... My first car. A hand me down 1976 Dodge Dart with the slant 6 engine and a 4 on the floor manual.  Such a gutless, but unkillable POS. I literally was at a red light next to a school bus, light turned green, I floored it with all she had, and the school bus pulled away from me with ease. I didn't appreciate my dad's wisdom until year's later... "If you can drive this POS with a manual, you can drive ANYTHING."... and he was right... That moment I vowed to save my money for a real car, saved for and bought my first "I paid for it myself" car, a 1988 Toyota MR2, and never looked back.....  LOVED that angry go-kart, my wife took it over after I got my 2nd "Bought it myself" car, a 1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo. That's how I knew she was "The One". I got a nice bonus from work, and she said "Hon, why don't you take the MKII to ATS Racing, have 'em put the upgraded CT-27 Turbo on it, the Apexi high flow intake, the Greddy boost controller, and have 'em chip it and dyno tune it."  Even used it to haul things one shouldn't be hauling in a 2 seater mid engined turbo-charged sports car, when I was building my aquarium this was a frequent sight around town:  But then I got my first Valkyrie, and no car was fast anymore, so....... Ironically, the "responsible 4 door family sedan" I got afterwards, was faster than any of my prior cars.... And the car Kali is currently tearing around Monterey, CA in. A 2008 Nissan Altima that I've had Nissan dealers tell me doesn't exist, the almost 300HP 3.5L V6 with the 6 speed manual. Evidently Nissan made maybe 30 a year of this configuration, at most... 
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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sandy
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« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2022, 09:59:49 PM » |
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1st out of HS was a ‘55 Caddie Coupe de Ville. ‘65 Sunbeam Tiger I modified and slalomed/autocrossed for 5 years. Three Ducatis before marriage and various Hondas since then, except for a ZX14 Concours.
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2022, 11:31:14 PM » |
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I never really became a car guy like some of my friends. But I’ve plenty that I wish I still had. My first car was a ‘59 Chevy Apache. Beast of truck. Even a 16 year old couldn’t kill it. A ‘69 Chevy Caprice with a 396 that I hopped up. That was a good cruising car. The problem was there were only about 6 miles of straight enough roads in Alaska to cruise. A ‘61 GMC 4x4 with a 351 V6. That was a deep snow eating mother of a truck.
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2022, 02:12:59 AM » |
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The trick in threads like this, assuming you don't have actual pictures of it, is to google your make/model/year car/truck, go to photos, find one just (or almost) like yours, and post it with your story. My first car; 1962 VW Karmann Ghia. Dad coached me on not looking too excited at the lemon and used lots, and walking away if the price was too high. This was purchased for $600 and sat on the lot until my 16th birthday, when I got my license. The next day, mom drove me to a little state park and taught me to drive a clutch. This was a great starter car for a kid, and I didn't appreciate how good since it was the muscle car days and the 40HP was unimpressive. It was more reliable and functional than the next 5 cars I had (except for the no heat in the winter thing). And getting lucky at a drive in was a near impossibility, both because of the gear shift and tight quarters, and because I dated nice girls.  Mine was not mint like this one.
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« Last Edit: July 23, 2022, 02:20:35 AM by Jess from VA »
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Patrick
Member
    
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2022, 03:50:10 AM » |
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My first ?
At 15 my grandfather told me it was time for a car. Been on the wrecker with him since I was in diapers. We had a '48 Ford coupe that was still virtually new with a flathead. We also had a cadillac Barritz with the dual carburetors. Outcome the Flathead and in went the cadillac. Couldn't figure out how to mate the driveshaft to the tongue tube so in went the Cadillac rear end. Then we took in a Chrysler with a 392. I was love with those big chrome valve covers with the spark plug wires disappearing into the center of those covers. Oh, and, the dual AFBs. But by the end of that summer I saved enough to buy a blower manifold and drive. We had a truck out back with a 6 cylinder Detroit so I stole the blower from it. 16 yrs old driving a blown Hemi to school.
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Oss
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Posts: 12587
The lower Hudson Valley
Ossining NY Chapter Rep VRCCDS0141
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« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2022, 05:16:46 AM » |
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57 olds super 88. 371/277 hp Front seat like a bed  My summer night (2nd ) job was i worked at a drive in. No nice girls allowed jess or maybe we have different idea of a nice girl 67. Dart with 273 v8 and 13"wheels No ac black roof but got me 2 law school in lower Manhattan till  the west side highway killed it I gave it to a friend who raced in am and came back at night with switched engine It was undriveable as front wheels pointed in different directions the alignment was fubar from those giant potholes all the rods were bent I think he put a blower in it 73 monte carlo great car  82 Mazda 626 1st New car Learned to drive on 64 caddy and a 69 volvo The Volvo was a piece of garbage
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« Last Edit: July 23, 2022, 08:10:46 AM by Oss »
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If you don't know where your going any road will take you there George Harrison
When you come to the fork in the road, take it Yogi Berra (Don't send it to me C.O.D.)
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shape
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« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2022, 05:17:23 AM » |
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Serk ! I to had a mid-70’s mopar slant 6. Mine was a hand me down (moms) plymouth scamp. Looked exactly like your dart. It was an auto, white, slow (which was a good thing at that time), and about as uncool as it got. All of which didn’t stop me and mine from making a lot of good memories in that thing. Use to load it up with buddies and drive it through fields & woods to bonfires. Drove it like like a ford raptor in Baja and it never broke, just kept getting slower.
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hubcapsc
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Posts: 16775
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2022, 07:47:54 AM » |
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I'll always have memories of this car... Buick Special...   -Mike
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..
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« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2022, 07:57:14 AM » |
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Reliant Supervan Bond Bug MkII Ford Cortina Ford RS2000 Vauxhall Carlton
Buick LeSabre 2 door pillarless coupe Buick LeSabre 4 door 2 door Chevy Tahoe Z71 4 door Tahoe 2013 Mazda 3 hatchback 2016 Mazda 3 hatchback
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carolinarider09
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« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2022, 08:20:30 AM » |
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My first car that I purchased, 1959 MGA 1500 coupe. Story. Parents purchased for me (or helped I forget) a used Ford (not sure of the year but it was "white") my third (and what turned out to be my last) year in college. Car worked, no real issues, was reliable. But not, at the time, my kind of car. One weekend, returning to college in Clemson from my then girl friends house in Holly Hill, SC I let her drive while I "studied". She had an event (its was raining and I she had not driven the car before) and the car left the interstate and went up the embankment and rested at the top, sort of hanging over the edge. Highway Patrol gentlemen came along, wrote it up and, if I remember correctly he either tried to pull the car back off the edge with coat hanger and it did not work or pushed it over the edge. In any event, the car was at the bottom of the hill and somehow got back on the road to college. Insurance company totaled the car and I got $600 to purchase a new car. So, sometime in the summer of 1967, at the MG dealer in Columbia, SC I purchased a used 1959 MAG 1500 coupe. I don't have pictures but found some on line (link at end of message) that I have included below. It is almost exactly like my MGA except the side curtains are different and the battery apparently changed to a single 12VDC battery instead of the two 6VDC batteries my car had. The MGA had two "cool" or unusual things. One, it had a hand crank (which I used several times). And it had a pull starter "knob". Almost exactly like my MGA which I took to Great Lakes for ETA School and where I met my wife at the Diary Queen in Kenosha, WI. That is another story.  Showing the hole for the crank. It worked every time I tired.  The pull starter "knob" is marked "S" on the lower right (inside the view of the steering wheel). Oh and the horn is that button under the "speaker" grill if I remember right. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1959-mg-mga-60/
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Patrick
Member
    
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2022, 08:55:31 AM » |
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We're listing them,
'48 Ford coupe as mentioned '60? Bug Eye Sprite I installed 289 Ford with C4 and 8" rear '67 mini Cooper 1340 '61 Galaxie 390 4 speed '68? Volvo P1800 I installed 289 Ford with C4 and 8" rear '68 Ply Barracuda [ new] 340 '64 Ply belvedere 426 '64 Land Rover '76 Land Rover I installed Chevy 350 '85 Cherokee I installed Chrysler 318 with torqueflite. assorted others
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« Last Edit: July 23, 2022, 11:27:28 AM by Patrick »
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2022, 11:41:21 AM » |
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Not the wow factor of my '69 Stingray, but my '69 SS 396 Chevelle convertible was the most fun car I ever owned. More useful and functional than a corvette.  I would not want another Corvette, but I'd take another of these (without some goofy collector premium price).
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« Last Edit: July 23, 2022, 11:43:50 AM by Jess from VA »
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msb
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« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2022, 12:59:13 PM » |
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Mike
'99 Red & Black IS
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0leman
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« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2022, 01:36:17 PM » |
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My first car was a'49 2 door dodge with fake wood panels on the dash. had a flat head 6 cyl engine. Bought it for $90 in '62. Got sold in '64 for $89. Next vehicle was a two door '55 chevy. Good car with a small block '64 engine. Not a hot rod but close.
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2006 Shadow Spirit 1100 gone but not forgotten 1999 Valkryie I/S Green/Silver
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f6john
Member
    
Posts: 9336
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2022, 01:41:36 PM » |
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My first car was a 1962 Olds Cutlass, 215 all aluminum V8 4bbl high compression engine but mated to an automatic.   Mine was white with red guts exactly like the one in the pics. Well balanced little car. Next was a 1964 Barracuda with 273 V8 and push button torqueflight. Actual car that I owned until the move to Richmond in 2018. My brother-in-law has it now. No pics from back in the day!  Onlu pic of one of my favorites. 67 GTO Ram Air I car with a 4 speed and 4:33 gears. Sitting in the driveway of my first home around 72-73  A somewhat low point where I bought high (oil embargo) and sold low, just to get rid of it.  My first new car. 75 Monte Carlo.  Had a couple of cars in the eighties, a 1979 Lincoln MarkV that didn’t warrant a picture, I only had it 6 months. Next was my second new car, a 1985 Nissan Maxima, a great car that served the family well, but no pics of it either. My next new car which I have pics of but can’t find is an 1986 Mustang GT 5 speed. Lots of fun but later traded for a new 1988 Chevy Silverado for practical reasons. Bought this 1967 Chevelle in 1989 spent a lot of money on it the my son ran it off in a ditch in 1997. I still have it and it’s still a project car.  I got the itch for a forties big fender car and all I could find and afford was this 1947 Mercury. Had big plans that never happened and it now resides with my brother-in-law too since the move.    My wife’s first new car when she finished a mid life career change and became a teacher. 1995 Impala SS that was her daily driver for 20 years. 212,000 miles on it now and we still have it. 
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2022, 01:43:26 PM » |
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Right after my '69 SS 396 Chevelle, I got a '69 Buick Skylark GS California model in burnt orange. Nicest (almost luxury) car I had in my youth.    Back when cars had some design and character, and I was stuck on '69 GM models for years. Until I switched to Dodge Mopars.
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« Last Edit: July 23, 2022, 01:45:59 PM by Jess from VA »
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msb
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« Reply #20 on: July 23, 2022, 03:14:16 PM » |
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1966 Impala SS, original 396, my first car, purchased in 1977 . . . still own it.   Now that's commitment!! She's a beaut 
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Mike
'99 Red & Black IS
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #21 on: July 23, 2022, 05:04:27 PM » |
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No pictures, but a story about the sale of Chevelle. A few days after I sold it, a policeman came to our (my parent's) door and asked to see me. I came out, and my dad stayed right there, giving me the what have you done now look. The policeman smugly said some asswipe had mowed down a row of mailboxes, and someone got the tag, and it belonged to me. I said that it did belong to me but I sold it a few days ago (and let the guy keep my tag on his promise to give it back in a couple of days, but had not yet done so). I said I did not know the guy very well, but I could take him right to it if he'd take me in his patrol car. My dad lit up (with great relief), and said that was a capital idea. So that's what we did. We drove up to the north end of the island, pulled up a long drive, and there was the car. We both got out, seeing no damage, but when we got around to the front, it looked just like some asswipe had mowed down a row of mailboxes. I could not believe the guy had done that to MY car. The guy and HIS dad came out, and the guy knew right away he was in trouble. No poker face at all. He gave me a dirty look and I gave him the finger. I went right to the rear of the car and pulled off my tag with a coin. I got back in the front seat, and the guy got in the back, and the policeman gave me a ride home before taking him to the station for booking. His dad was not amused. This is how I learned to never let your tag go with your car when sold. My dad was very happy with how I handled it. He had once before been to court with me on a misdemeanor minor (16) in possession of beer charge (the only criminal offense conviction in my lifetime), and was glad it wasn't happening again. 
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« Last Edit: July 24, 2022, 01:54:17 AM by Jess from VA »
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Bigwolf
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« Reply #22 on: July 23, 2022, 07:49:20 PM » |
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My first car was a 57 Chevy Belaire 2 door hard top with no engine. I built a 283 for it and drove it during my senior year in high school. The summer after graduating from high school I traded the 57 for an old Chevy truck that had a 283 engine and a 1936 title. The frame of that truck had been so seriously butchered for the installation of that 283 V8 that the truck was a night mare to drive …… very dangerous! Also, the cab was actually a 35, not a 36. Anyway, I got my hands on a rusty 57 2 door. My brother and I took the frame from the 57, narrowed the main rails 8 inches so the truck cab would fit down over it, set the engine 12 inches to the rear of the original 57 position, mounted motorcycle fenders on the front wheels, traction bars on the rear, and a few other small modifications. I then built a 327 with 0.060 over 12.5 to 1 pistons, off road fueler (racing) cam, headman headers, two 600cfm Holly 4 barrels on an Edelbrock tunnel ram fed the beast and a Borg Warner T10 four speed sent the power to the rear. I had a lot of fun with this truck!   Then after I painted it and made side covers for the hood.  There were others, but the 36 truck was my favorite! It would pull the front wheels when second gear was slammed hard and it handled like a go cart!
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crow
Member
    
Posts: 485
Toujours Pret
Citrus Co Fla
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« Reply #23 on: July 23, 2022, 07:50:14 PM » |
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Great stories guys. Parents had a VW square back sedan, great in the snow. And a couple of corvairs,. Screw Ralph ! First brand new was a 77 chev C30, dually, 4 speed with grannie gear. Had a Miller 1J Trailblazer on it. 375 amp dc 500 amp ac. Engine was a F head kaiser jeep engine. Truck was 5k out the door! Next new was 84 chev C10. 10,400. Miss that welder! And first female experience was in the 57 panel. Thanks Lieutenant Dan!
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dont write a check with your mouth,
that your ass cant cash
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Serk
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« Reply #24 on: July 23, 2022, 08:11:09 PM » |
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Sorry to drift, but threads like this really make me miss RJ..... 
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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f6john
Member
    
Posts: 9336
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #25 on: July 24, 2022, 04:45:27 AM » |
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Sorry to drift, but threads like this really make me miss RJ.....  And Solo 1
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valkmc
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Posts: 619
Idaho??
Ocala/Daytona Fl
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« Reply #26 on: July 25, 2022, 06:39:11 AM » |
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Had two I wish I still owned. In high school I had a 68 Mustang 289 V8. I followed that up with a 69 RS Camaro 327 2 speed auto. Other than those I have owned a 70 Mustang Convertible with a 6 cylinder and an AMC Hornet. Both left a lot to be desired in performance but they took a beating.
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2013 Black and Red F6B (Gone) 2016 1800 Gold Wing (Gone) 1997 Valkyrie Tourer 2018 Gold Wing Non Tour
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Valkorado
Member
    
Posts: 10491
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #27 on: July 25, 2022, 06:50:15 AM » |
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Spittin' image of the first car that I drove that the ladies girls were attracted to. Was a great handling, corner hugging car. 
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2022, 06:51:56 AM by Valkorado »
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby" 
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3fan4life
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Posts: 6958
Any day that you ride is a good day!
Moneta, VA
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« Reply #28 on: July 25, 2022, 07:39:58 AM » |
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Heh, maybe this will explain my.... lack of enthusiasm.... for "classic" cars.... My first car. A hand me down 1976 Dodge Dart with the slant 6 engine and a 4 on the floor manual.  Such a gutless, but unkillable POS. I literally was at a red light next to a school bus, light turned green, I floored it with all she had, and the school bus pulled away from me with ease. I didn't appreciate my dad's wisdom until year's later... "If you can drive this POS with a manual, you can drive ANYTHING."... and he was right... That moment I vowed to save my money for a real car, saved for and bought my first "I paid for it myself" car, a 1988 Toyota MR2, and never looked back.....  LOVED that angry go-kart, my wife took it over after I got my 2nd "Bought it myself" car, a 1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo. That's how I knew she was "The One". I got a nice bonus from work, and she said "Hon, why don't you take the MKII to ATS Racing, have 'em put the upgraded CT-27 Turbo on it, the Apexi high flow intake, the Greddy boost controller, and have 'em chip it and dyno tune it."  Even used it to haul things one shouldn't be hauling in a 2 seater mid engined turbo-charged sports car, when I was building my aquarium this was a frequent sight around town:  But then I got my first Valkyrie, and no car was fast anymore, so....... Ironically, the "responsible 4 door family sedan" I got afterwards, was faster than any of my prior cars.... And the car Kali is currently tearing around Monterey, CA in. A 2008 Nissan Altima that I've had Nissan dealers tell me doesn't exist, the almost 300HP 3.5L V6 with the 6 speed manual. Evidently Nissan made maybe 30 a year of this configuration, at most...  My Dad had one of these:  It was called a Dart Lite. There were aluminum components that reduced the weight. It came with the 225 Slant 6 and a 4spd manual transmission w/OD. It wasn't a speed demon by any means but it would wind out pretty good.
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1 Corinthians 1:18 
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3fan4life
Member
    
Posts: 6958
Any day that you ride is a good day!
Moneta, VA
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« Reply #29 on: July 25, 2022, 08:01:21 AM » |
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My first REAL car was a 1975 GMC Sprint:  This was probably the coolest car that a high school kid could have, the chicks loved it. It didn't hurt that it had the 350 with the 4 bolt main and 300hp heads. It would run 150 mph. I ran Volunteer rescue in high school. Once after responding to a wreck on the interstate I had a state trooper ask me how fast that I was going. I told him the truth which was that I didn't know. He informed me that when I got on the Interstate in front of him that he was running 126 mph. He also said that I walked away and left him and he was trying to catch me.
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1 Corinthians 1:18 
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f6john
Member
    
Posts: 9336
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #30 on: July 25, 2022, 11:00:02 AM » |
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This is going to be expensive,  Friend got my 95 SS running again this summer. New battery, water pump, distributor, serpentine belt and new bolts and strap for the drive shaft which I guess I lost towing it to my mothers garage. And that’s just what I can see, oh and a oil change and transmission fluid change. All stuff I have done before but just didn’t have the drive to tackle it this time. It was cool for me to drive it today out here in the country after it setting for 4 years. It’s going to have to set a while longer, after I pay the bill this evening it has to go back in mothers garage as it is not licensed or insured again. I just hoping to come in well under Serks bill for his Wing  
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carolinarider09
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« Reply #31 on: July 25, 2022, 01:04:49 PM » |
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Most of the cars/vehicles my wife and I have owned were basically family vehicles. Yes, the 1972 Chevy Blazer sort of stretched that but then there was a used VW beetle I purchased while working in Florida in the late seventies and then there was the 1976 Honda Accord, for my wife, while in Michigan, and a Chevy Van when we were living in South Carolina. But in 1985 I got to purchase a car for myself. Having owned the 1959 MGA and a 1963 Austin Healy 3000, (both used and.... ).... I wanted a sports car but wanted something different. So, in 1985 I purchased a 1985 Pontiac Fiero. Great car. Did a few Autocrosses and a lot of road rallies, mostly in South Carolina. Oh, funny thing is I was not living in Newberry at the time but that is where I purchased the car, local Pontiac dealer. Joined the Sports Car Club of America and it was sort of a blast. The image below is almost exactly like the car I owned. I don't remember when it was sold but my daughter did drive it a few times, before she managed to have an "accident. Oh and one more thing, I installed an oil pre-lube system. It had a hose connected to the oil pan drain (yeah I know) and when you turned on the ignition and pushed a button, a pump would run and get the oil pressure up so you did not start the car with "dry" bearings. Never an issue but in hindsight.....  Sometime in 1990 or so, I got re-intereseted in Astronomy. The Fiero lost its appeal so.... I purchased a new 1992 Four Wheel Drive Ford Ranger XLT with a five speed manual transmission (I think it was five speed but it was manual for sure). The image below is almost exactly like my truck.  I got the truck mainly because I was getting back into Astronomy and needed a way to get my telescope to the observing areas. Got a hard top bed cover so I could carry the telescope there on some wooden slide out "framers". The telescope below is the one I made and carried to star parties. What you see in the foreground is my PC, video display, and telescope drive controller and power supply. (I made them all except of the board for the PC and the mouse and keyboard).  Later I made a 24" telescope (the one above was a 10") and needed a trailer for it. The picture below is of the Ranger, tent (from 1970) and the new (to me) trailer at a star party in Florida.  Long story.. I know.... One final thing. On the way to the star party in Florida, some 50 miles from the party, the clutch in the pickup went south. I found out I could drive it using engine speed to allow shifts up and down (up more easier). And it would start in first gear when I had to stop at stop lights. Drove it all the way home to SC. Those were some truly fun days......
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Oldfishguy
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« Reply #32 on: July 25, 2022, 03:46:36 PM » |
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1966 Impala SS, original 396, my first car, purchased in 1977 . . . still own it.   Yes, a long time owner. Had 8 warning tickets in high school with the machine; all with different LEO”s. I never ran from a stop though, the car was too recognizable in our rural area. These days I suspect most of those stops would have resulted in a night of jail. The light body Chevelle’s and Camaro’s would easily take me off the line but by 1/4 mile I was winding them in. And nothing could touch it on the top end, just don’t try to corner at speed. The car sat in a shed for 18 years after I enlisted. Then pulled it out and started the process: engine freshened up, interior gutted and replaced with factory reproduction items, factory gauge package added, factory tach added, factory AM/FM radio added, new wire harness, etc. It was a fun process that took a few years. All of us know that do these kind of things, one is never really done . . . especially if you use it and is not trailered from show to show.
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Oldfishguy
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« Reply #33 on: July 25, 2022, 03:56:00 PM » |
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My current daily ride for the last six years: 1997 Range Rover (P38) Lucas electrical system and all that entails. Bought it cheap and worked through issues with the help of the Brit’s on a forum. Still not worth much as reputation of reliability is widely known. 
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2022, 05:47:57 PM by Oldfishguy »
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Bret SD
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Posts: 4306
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San Diego, Ca.
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« Reply #34 on: July 25, 2022, 05:19:22 PM » |
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Right after my '69 SS 396 Chevelle, I got a '69 Buick Skylark GS California model in burnt orange. Nicest (almost luxury) car I had in my youth.    Back when cars had some design and character, and I was stuck on '69 GM models for years. Until I switched to Dodge Mopars. You have great taste in cars Jess, those are two of my favorites. My first car was a 69 Grand Prix with a 400 cubic inch motor, I can't tell you how many race cars I beat with my Grand Prix, the rear wheels would chirp when it hit second gear, it was an automatic transmission. That car was a freak. I had it painted emerald green and gold flip-flop paint, the car was magnificent.
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2022, 05:22:14 PM by Bret SD »
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Bret
02 Standard -- Blue & White 82 Aspencade -- Red “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Socrates
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cookiedough
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« Reply #35 on: July 25, 2022, 06:31:44 PM » |
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am jealous with most of your vehicles much better/cooler. Nothing to write home about. 1978 3.8L V6 buick skylark 2 door coupe (1st real car and one of the best - good car), 1985 buick regal 3.8L V6 (crappy car), 1988 chevy silverado, 1994 chevy cavalier (piece of junk 2.2L engine), several 1990's chevy silverados. Got smart in 2007 bought first toyota tundra after several silverados.
1st car ever drove was my dad's 1968 4 door chevy belaire burned more oil than gas, well almost. Did not last long my older brother rolled it one night coming home from drinking in a ditch, was suppose to be mine next. Drove dad's 1976 and 1986 chevy caprice classics, nothing special.
Just missed out in the late 60's muscle car era thought they were the coolest looking cars made ever.
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msb
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« Reply #36 on: July 25, 2022, 08:59:40 PM » |
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Couple others I've managed to dig out of the old photo album collection... When I met the Mrs almost 41 years ago, she had a little Beetle that was like a lot of other little Beetles at the time...never-say-die tough as nails, but with a lot of quirks and not really the most attractive car for a pretty little 20 year old blonde to be driving around in. So never one to shy away from spending everything I had on a vehicle, I sold the Bug and bought this '67 Mustang for her to bomb around in. Was in very good shape body and interior-wise and was powered by a 289 with 302 heads, hotter cam & auto w/ shift kit. It moved out pretty good, and the Mrs got lots of comments about "driving the boyfriend's car"from guys in Firebirds, Camaros, etc.  Time moves on...we get married, have our first daughter, and the Mustang gets traded in for a 4 door Purple diesel VW Rabbit. Talk about a switcharoo...but the money we saved driving that pokey Purple 4 door Rabbit everywhere for a few years helped us save for the down payment on out first house! About the same time I purchased the Mustang, I let my old Chevy 4x4 go and bought this late 70's F250 with camper. Tough truck and served us well on our camping/fishing trips for years, but with the 300 six /4 spd manual it sure was slow climbing the mountain highways here in BC, especially with the camper on.  Another sort of unique car I had for a relatively short time in the late 70's was a '69 Firebird with the OHC in-line six cyl engine. It ran good and the interior was gorgeous, but unfortunately I got trapped by a shiny new paint job as I was looking for a nice-looking car for "dates" since my 4x4 was usually covered in mud inside and out...lol. Before local laws mandating vehicle damage history was included with every private sale up here, a sucker like me could (and did) get taken in buying a freshly painted "bondo-mobile". One whole side of this car was bondo'd up obviously well enough for this over-anxious rookie...come Winter a number of months after purchasing it, I wrenched on the door handle one morning to break the frozen door seals, and the whole door handle almost came off in my hand. Needless to say this started cracks to start forming all through the door, and I soon discovered many other issues with the car's body, alignment, etc. A friend who worked at a body shop took it in to look it over for me and gave me the news I already knew...this car had been in a serious accident and was hastilly fixed up for sale. His boss gave me a decent enough offer to take it off my hands, and I gladly took him up on it. I've made a few iffy vehicle purchases in my day, but this one tops the list. I have one photo of this car somewhere, just not somewhere I can locate it now, but this photo here is the same car, same model, same colour, etc. 
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Mike
'99 Red & Black IS
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Jack B
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« Reply #37 on: July 26, 2022, 04:52:00 AM » |
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After two Chevy Corvair my first nice car was a 1967 Camaro RS/SS convertible in red 350 cu in 295 horse In 1974 I bought a new green Ford Bronco with a 302 I cut the fenders for big tires which wasn’t that common back then I had lots of fun with that little truck. When we got married we ordered a 77 Camaro drove nice but wasn’t all that fast. After the kids were a little older I found another Bronco I put big tires on it and replaced the 302 with a 351W added a cam, headers, etc. Replacer the rear fenders and floors and a red paint job. Great looking truck but I sold before the prices went crazy I should’ve kept them all. Then I had a 1988 Camaro IROC-Z convertible also in red 305 Lingenfelter intake and a 5 speed. Another fun ride. Now I have a 2019 Mustang with the performance package lots of fun, fast and handles like a race car. But my first love is motorcycle’s.  . 
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Let’s RIDE
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DIGGER
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« Reply #38 on: July 26, 2022, 10:58:54 AM » |
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Don't yall laugh.....my most fun car was my first new car...an American Motors Gremlin. Small car with a American Motors 305 v8 with 3 speed on the floor. It was a very fast car. small car with a v8. 1974 was my first new car. Could run as fast as the camaros and firebirds of the time. It was small and didn't weigh much and would absolutely fly. The first year of the Gremlin you could get it stock with a 401 v8. They were bad boys. They quit making the stock 401 v8 after the first year they came out as too many people were crashing them due to too much power. My 305 v8 came out after that and they only made them a few years and then went to a 4 cylinder I think. It was a fun car.  Shortly after we bought it my new wife (the same one still with me after 48 yrs) went home to East Texas small town of Pineland Texas. Her old friends there she grew up with were all making fun of her little car till she challenged them and beat everyone there through about a 1/4 mile. They called in another guy who was king of the fast cars there in a chevy pickup with I think she said it was a 454 v8 and she out ran him. They quit laughing.
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« Last Edit: July 26, 2022, 11:03:04 AM by DIGGER »
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f6john
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Posts: 9336
Christ first and always
Richmond, Kentucky
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« Reply #39 on: July 26, 2022, 11:13:16 AM » |
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Don't yall laugh.....my most fun car was my first new car...an American Motors Gremlin. Small car with a American Motors 305 v8 with 3 speed on the floor. It was a very fast car. small car with a v8. 1974 was my first new car. Could run as fast as the camaros and firebirds of the time. It was small and didn't weigh much and would absolutely fly. The first year of the Gremlin you could get it stock with a 401 v8. They were bad boys. They quit making the stock 401 v8 after the first year they came out as too many people were crashing them due to too much power. My 305 v8 came out after that and they only made them a few years and then went to a 4 cylinder I think. It was a fun car.  Shortly after we bought it my new wife (the same one still with me after 48 yrs) went home to East Texas small town of Pineland Texas. Her old friends there she grew up with were all making fun of her little car till she challenged them and beat everyone there through about a 1/4 mile. They called in another guy who was king of the fast cars there in a chevy pickup with I think she said it was a 454 v8 and she out ran him. They quit laughing. The AMC’s were 304’s, just saying.  Never saw a 401 Gremlin but they would be big money today. The Roadkill boys recently put a 426 hemi in a Gremlin but I haven’t seen those episodes let.
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