Started driving in '88 in my Mum's '83 1.1 litre VW Golf! (with a whopping 45bhp!)
Next was Mum's '89 Golf (very slightly better)
then a 1990 Honda Civic 4 door in grey (not bad!)
I had a 1975 Chevy Caprice coupe (that was on it's last legs!) that I ran as a summer beater for the summer of '91 spent on Cape Cod.
then my first car of my own a 1991 black Honda Civic 4 door (I loved that car!)
For summer 1993 I was in Cape Cod again and ran an '84 Chevy Celebrity Wagon (a piece of junk but it was transport!). Boy did I miss my little Civic that summer! Pity I could not have checked it into the hold of the Aer Lingus flight that summer to Boston!
then I had a new 1997 Honda CR-V (a fun car too)
then a 1997 BMW 523i (lovely car but the head gasket went after 2 years so it had to go)
then a 1996 Mercedes-Benz S320 (a real boat! Very comfortable but lots of little things went wrong with it and it cost a fortune to run)
then a 2001 BMW 535i (bought in 2005) which was an absolutely stunning car but I had endless engine trouble with it (fixed under warranty but it took the shine off the car) and it was eventually stolen and wrecked by scum who broke into our house just after last Christmas to get it (in Dublin they call high powered BMWs "German takeaways" as they are so frequently stolen by gangs for the purpose of getaway cars and so on).
So now I have a 2005 Mini Cooper S with the Works engine kit (210bhp!) which is actually quicker than my V8 5 series was, costs about 60% as much to run and I absolutely love it! (Best car I've owned to date!). Plus I don't have to do the school run in it as it is too small! LOL! (My wife has a 7 seater Jeep Commander with the Mercedes 3.0 litre turbodiesel engine in it as our family wagon, with 4 kids and a childminder we need it!).
'68 Dodge Coronet 500 - my "learning" car, I learned most of my mechanical skills on this car ( the right and wrong way to do things ! )
'70 Chrysler New Yorker - my "donor" car, I bought it wrecked to grab the 440 out of it
'69 Charger R/T - my first real muscle car, put the 440 out of the New Yorker under the hood
'80 Dodge Mirada - first brand new car, worst car ever owned, too many things wrong with it to list ! I felt totally ripped off ! ( should of bought a K-car instead )
'80 Turbo Cobra Mustang - first Ford, great car, stolen
'82 Mustang GT - bought it because I was mad I lost the first 'stang
'74 Ford Ranchero - sold the Mustang, bought something that could tow a trailer
'69 Plymouth drag car - bought it to put on the trailer behind the Ranchero
'73 Dodge Challenger - bought it mid-80's, still have it
'77 Ford Ranchero Squire - every day driver and tow vehicle
'85 Hyundia Stellar - wife bought it in college, I took it over when she upgraded
'91 Hyundia Scoupe - sporty little every day driver / commuter car
'86 Volvo 240 wagon - great reliable, practical car
'96 Buick LeSabre - 2 motors replaced under warranty, 3rd blew up also, my first and last GM product
1999 Ford Taurus Wagon - in my opinion, the best looking station wagon ( until the Magnum )
2000 Mazda Protege - my current car, very reliable, 300,000 kms, no major repairs, great on gas.
2001 Ford Focus wagon - 5 speed, quick little car
Last edited by challenger; 08-21-2008 at 05:22 PM.
Austin 1300 great learner car, mums car
Ford Escort pile of junk but reilable, mums car
AlfaSud star quality car Mums car, hugely underated, rusts......
Mini incredible fun for $$ 12K my first car! small noisey etc
Mini Metro 24K good runabout
NGTA kit car based on MGB, looked like an Aston Ulster, great fun 80K
Alfa GTV lovely motor just rusted to bits 5K
Honda CRX fun just too small and buzzy 5K
Lotus Elan the best handling FWD car. Simply stunning, a bit uninvolving engine and heavy 48K ultra reliable
Peugeuot 305GTI great engine ugly car, fun and involving
Jag 420/XJ6/Xj40 all parents cars, lovely cars, fuel consumption arghhh
VW Golf 8K accident, the lamp post won
Toyota pick up 80K ultra reliable
Martin & Walker Porsche 904 replica, stunning handling, looks, great engine(Andial) and three La Carrera Panamericana's, reliable, safe driving car, awful transmission(901) and diabolical parking brake! 16K
Ford 350 peice of junk lasted 3500 miles to break down and zero manufacturer support 12K see the nascar thread for a real diatribe against the domestic manufaturers!
VW Jetta wagon TRD great fuel effieciency 65K, boring daily driver
This is somewhat disturbing in a way...
I read many but just scanned others when I realized something odd.
With an exception or two...there's not a race car and or even very few hot rod type cars any of you mention.
Just me I guess...most of the table top racers I've known, also have..or had full sized hot rod and or race cars also!
My list -
1956 Chevy, 210, 2 door. Owned 13 years, Many engines, transmissions. Drag raced, slalom raced, daily driven. 1959 Chevy El Camino. Owned about 3 years. Just a driver 1961, Impala. 421 inch-409, turbo T-400, Owned about 6 years. NASCAR wheels, down low, drag raced often, car shows. 1950 Anglia (English Ford), Owned 12 years. Pro Gas drag racer. Lotsa fun 1979 Chevette, driver, owned about 4 years. The only car I really beat on..! 1978 Chevelle Wagon, driver, owned about 4 years. 1950 Rambler two door wagon. Was gonna be a hot rod...sold it before doing much 1923 T roadster Altered, Super charged Buick V-6, owned about 5 years 1987 GM Suburban, big block, to tow the Altered noted above. 1959 Studebaker, two door wagon. owned 8 years..so far, driver 1954 Studebaker, Conestoga (wagon). Building into a 60's hot rod 1960 Studebaker, 2 dr. wagon, rapidly becomming a drag racer 1955 Studebaker, Conestoga (wagon)...once the quarter panel is replaced and a new Chevy engine is installed, it will take the place of the 59 Stude wagon as my driver
Bikes - 1986 Kawasaki Ninja 900, (bought used) driver, 35,000 miles, sold 1987 Kawasaki, Ninja 1000, (bought new) driver, 38,000 miles, sold 1987 Yamaha FZR 1000, driver, (bought new) 41,000 miles, sold 1989 Yamaha FZR 1000, driver, (bought used) 87,000 miles, retired 1990 Yamaha FZR 1000, driver, (bought new) 104,000 miles, retired 2000 Suzuki, TLR 1000, driver, (bought new), 44,000 miles, going to be on the market 2003 Yamaha R1, driver, currently (bought new) 87,600+ miles, still running strong
Driving around in the abandoned Cedar Hill Yards of the former New Haven Railroad was a favorite pastime for me and a buddy during college days. These railroad yards went on for miles, with westbound and eastbound hump yards, E and W receiving yards, and E & W departure yards. Plus a tie treating plant, freight transfer tracks, and of course RIP tracks (Repair In Place). Miles of abandoned tracks, with plenty of interesting souvenirs to pick up and cart away (which we did).
In an adjacent lot we found a 1934-ish Ford, half-ton delivery van that had been cut down, with a hand cranked tow crane welded into the bed. The owner was nearby, and swore it ran when he had parked it (they always say that). Asking price was fifty dollars (date was c. 1971). After discussing how we would store it in my parents back yard, while restoring it, we found we didn't have $50 between us, let alone any additional funds for a restoration (which might have cost $2,000, to the minimal degree we planned).
And thus the Tow Truck That Got Away went to meet its maker. I never saw it again.
With an exception or two...there's not a race car and or even very few hot rod type cars any of you mention.
Well, I did mention the Eclipses... Not purenteed race cars either one but fast as stink.
That bein' said, the TR4 had a lightened flywheel (-14lbs from stock), all moving parts were balanced, it was overbored by .040", had a Babe Erson Autox profiled cam, Ford solid lifters (lighter and harder than stock), harmonic balancer, TR6 A type overdrive tranny, Detroit Locker rear and Panasports. It was central Illinois points winner in D Street Prepared class in 1991.
Now the Audi TT has run hot laps at the Autobahn Country club in Joliet and I do autox it occasionally...
I filed the flashing from inside my Land Cruiser carb, drilled out the jets, bolted on high-po 6-into-2-into-1 headers, installed a 2.5" exhaust, and stripped it of smog controls. That included plugging the air injection ports in the head, re-adjusting the timing, deleting the vacuum retard, and installing a dummy airpump and air manifold to fool the inspector. It worked. It passed emission testing with a 2.5" JC Whitney cat.
And before that, I had a JC Whitney exhaust cut-out to bypass the muffler, at my discretion. Don't tell me THAT doesn't make it a hot rod!
Austin Mini 850 (half cage) - This came with two pickup truck loads of race spares, nitrated cranks, Jack Knight dog boxes (2), race blocks, pistons, Firestone race slicks, etc, etc. Didn't mean to much to me back then, but now...
71 Mercury Cyclone GT - I put a Boss 351 in her and swapped in a 4 speed.
66 Chevy II SS (traded the Cyclone for it) - 427 (L88) with fenderwell headers, 4 speed, 4:88s. Madness on the street.
72 Nova - Stripped out the deuce and put the running gear in this. Windshield snorkel, Fibreglass hood, etc. Generous GF got me a full cage, nitrous (never used the NOS) and Weld Wheels all around for Christmas one year (found out afterwards she was selling drugs, thats how she could afford to be so generous...) Pioneered whats called The Nova Test. accelerate moderately in 1st to about 4K/35 mph, then powershift, breaking the tires loose through 2nd. Eventually put in a turbo 400 with a 3500rpm stall, upgraded to a tunnel ram with Holley 660 center squirters. Best E.T. was a 7.83 at 117mph (1/8 mile).
85 Dodge Omni GLH - The original bottle rocket. My 1st brand new car. Rolled it before I had made the 1st payment, dented every panel on it. Started autoxing in this car.
68 Mini Cooper S - Totally original. Sold to a collector in Holland.
88 Suzuki Samurai - Traded in the GLH on it. Had to draft 18 wheelers in order to pass them - gutless but fun.
88 Mazda 323 GTX (1st of four) - A very underated car. This car got hit by an uninsured driver before I made the 1st payment on it.
88 Kawasaki ZX10 - Dropped a tooth in the front, Two Brothers exhaust on the back, what a glorious noise! - Sold it when I got married
27' Wellcraft - Sold it when I got married
Post divorce...
90 Mazda Miata - Traded the GTX in on this. A great car.
96 Chevy Camaro SS convertible - 6 speed, edelbrock headers and full exhaust. Another car that made beautiful noise.
87 full size Chevy Blazer - Couldn't pass up the deal. Great offroad.
98 Jeep Cherokee - traded in the Camaro on this and took up mountain biking. Hauled the bikes and pups everwhere with this.
Moved to Colorado...
98 Subaru Impreza RS - Went nuts with this, DMS suspension, Speedline wheels, STi goodies galore, Rallispec intake, lightened flywheel, Scoobysport exhaust, adjustable swaybars. Autoxes, ice races, track days, you name it, I was there.
88 323 GTX - Bought it in Minnesota in the dark... Got it home to find out the mud was covering the rust. Dammit. Bought a stripped GTX and swapped everything (I mean everything, including the VIN) from that to the stripper.
89 323 GTX open class rally car - Traded the street GTX for it. Something for the many dirt canyons. Full FIA cage, terratrip, tons of spares, you name it, it's got it. Sold it to a fellow from CA, he hit a deer on the way home as he crossed the border into Nevada and totaled it. He was fine.
94 Miata R package - Another autox car and a blast in the mountains.
Currently...
85 Chevy Suburban K20 - Owned this the longest of any of my vehicles (8+ years) 300K, full Wilderness roof rack, 285 x 16s BFGs. It's a tank, nuff said.
02 KTM 520 EXC - For the mountains out here and the occasional trips to Moab, UT.
08 Kawasaki ZX10R - My commuter... Bone stock because I've only had it three weeks
First car: Maverick GT 302 V8 (1973, in 1973 - in Venezuela) - great 0-200 km/h, very tricky 200-0km/h! Very slippery car... could be a lot better but I didn't have the money to change things... had it for less than a year.
1974 - VW Beetle (originally 1500cc) which was my mom's: in 4 years I "made" 4 motors for it (1600cc, 1700cc, 1800cc, 1920cc). The best one was the 1800cc which gave a reading of 238 hp on a dyno. It had Weber 48mm carbs, special triple springs for the valves, the valves were re-worked, very steep cams, moving parts were all balanced, 4 disc brakes, 13"x7" front and 14"x8,5" rear wheels, VERY low suspension (wouldn't clear a beer can - laying on it's side!), darkened windows, whole pannel with a complete set of Smith instruments (the white ones with the black needles), Roadstar radio/cassete and a bunch of other stuff. It was a great car for the street racing circuits we had in Brasilia! Had some of the best time of my life with the little yellow car!!! In 1978 I traded in for a
'74 Ford Maverick 302 V8 GT - threw in what here in Brazil we called an "eight jet" carb (one "mouth" for each cylinder) and a whole lotta other stuff and laid it very low too. It was cool but even with the lower CG and the big 10" wide rear wheels/tires, it wasn't easy to bring it into fast turns without almost having a heart attack! The gas bill was almost as scary... Sold it in 1978 to buy a
'77 Chevrolet Opala (Opel Record in Europe) with a 4.1 litre six cylinder motor. Bought it new and had the works done to it too (three double venturi 56mm Weber carbs, for example) and had it lowered, as always. It was fast as stink, as some of you say, and a ball to drive. Had to sell it when I went to college, and bought myself a
'79 Chevrolet Chevette (Opel Kadett in Europe), new, with a 4 cylinder, 1.4 l motor (Jeez what a change from the previous car!!!). Had a double overhead cam installed, along with two double body 40mm Mazzola carbs, etc.. All I got outta of it was a mere 158 hp at the dyno... but anywhat, I was paying for tuition, so I couldn't afford any better...
Well those are the cars that deserve special mention... From 1982 to this day I've had the following cars:
'82 VW Fox 1.8 l,
'83 Ford Del Rey, a Brazilian car, with a 4 cyl. 1.8 l motor - see the pic below (ugly fella, eh?! We too know how to build b_ttugly cars...),
'88 and '92 Chevrolet Caravans (the European Opel Record stationwagon) both with the 4.1 l 6 cyl. motors,
'92 Chevrolet Kadett GSI (the first injected car I had), with the 2.0 l motor,
'96 Ford Escort 2.0 l XR3 - new - (a pretty fast car if you change the injection's chip and throw in a steeper cam...),
2000 Fiat Stilo Abarth with the 2.4 l, 5 cyl motor - A beautiful car that almost drove crazy during the 28 days that I owned it!!! It was brand new and nothing worked on it!!!
2000 Ford Ecosport (see the pic below) with the 2.0 l, 4 cyl motor (new). Confortable and kinda cool car, but due to it's lack of aerodynamics it was a heavy drinker, especially after reaching the 170 km/h threshold. And it cut rpms at 185 km/h),
2005 Ford Ecosport - new - same as above,
2008 Peugeot 307 SW - new - very nice car: confortable, lots of grip (I threw in some 17"x7" wheels and Michelin tires), first automatic car I've owned (tip-tronic, Porsche System), panoramic roof, nice finish, lousy stereo (I'm gonna work on that next month...). In all a pretty nice car.
No that was the SHO. The SVO engines are high tech, dual overhead cam engines built by ford special vehicles with 255bhp, they are high reving motors that ford started producing after the SHO was droped. You could order any Taurus with the engine as long as you also ordered the sport package. Ours is a LS fully loaded with leather seats, etc..
'77 Ford Mustang II - Red exterior red interior - aka "the spliff machine" 4 cylinder pig, could not even spin the tires in the snow.
'80 VW Rabbit
'90 Honda Civic 4 door - great car, stripper, no A/C or Radio
'96 Camry - thought the Vinyl was leather, FOOLED.
'90 Nissan 300ZX twin turbo - scary fast!!!!!
'89 BMW 325ix 4wd winter car, great for the snow!!! (and the affliction begins...)
'94 BMW 325is Summer car garage queen
Current Cars:
2003 Honda Odyssey - great for the family, but sackless to drive
2003 BMW 525i - 5 speed manual base model, great all season car
2002 BMW M3 SMG - Just plain WICKED, planned 15 years for an M3, I'll never sell it.
!956 Ford Crown Victoria; It had belonged to my Aunt, and I don't think she every changed the oil. It was my first car.
1947 Ford coupe. I put a 49 Caddy with a hot cam, .040 over bore, shaved heads(10:1), three 97s on a Eldy manifold. Lincoln Zephyre Gears, Hildibarand 4:11 quick change. Traction bars. Grey primer paint, with an old quilt covering the holes in the upholstery, and of course it had moon hubcaps.Didn't look like much, but it was quick on the local strip, it turned mid 13s in the quarter.
1962 Sport Fury Golden Comando; 413 long ram two Carter AFBs, 727 trans with 2800 stall speed, inverted typewriter, 456:1 positraction rear, Traction Bars heavey duty rear springs, and shocks, American Racing Mags, with Micky Thompson 8" Cheaters in the rear 650 firestones in the front.
Aluminum front fenders, hood and Bumper. 11.38sec. in the quarter, running SS class.
1959 Nomad; 348 tripower. I changed the GyroGlide, to a Turbo350 out of a wreaked Olds. For some reason the Girls I dated's Fathers didn't like that car. I had this car while I had the Sport Fury, actually I ended up owning several other cars during the six years I had the Sport Fury.
1960 Four Door Falcon(63bph) it was my snow car, it didn't have the power to spin the wheels. That little car could go when all the others were undrivable in the N.C. mountains.
1961 Bubble top Impala SS; 409 two fours and four speed. The 61 SS had a bench front seat. Great date car! It was Baby Blue, I forget what Chevy called the color.
1950 XK 120 Roadster; I had to completely redo this car from the frame out. I loved that car even if it did freeze me in the winter.
1954 Studebaker President Coupe, with 62 Grande Tourismo twin Turbo, and running gear.
1930 Ford Roadster on 32 rails(highboy), 283, with a miled cam, thre dueces, homemade headers and Lakes Pipes, Zephyre Trans, Hildi quick change with 411:1 gears transverse four leaf springs, Gm Shocks on rear.
Three inch droped Bell I beam front axle with four leaf Spring, Mercedes shocks. I used Buick Road Master Shocks mounted with a conversion kit, and reversed rim 48 ford wheels, 700 firestones in the rear, 550s in the front, Cycle fenders. The Car was painted Fire engine red, and had black rolled and pleated naugahide interior, Spun Aluminum dash inserts with Stewart Warner Guages( a standard kit).
58 356 Porshe Spyder( the floor boards had cancer) another car I had to restore before it was decent to drive.
TR2 ; Nice little car but the electrics kept failing.
TR3; see above.
Xk 140; I bought this one in good condition, and set it up for racing. The car was just to old to keep up.
XK 150 Drophead; the best Jag I ever owned, the previous ownd had completely redone the Electrics, and the fuel system.
Bugeye; a vey good little race car.
1964-70 Nam. no racing!
1967/68 Camaro Z28 very fast car.
1968 Giulette 1750; I truely loved that car, and I was heart broken when my Neighbor backed her Chevy van over it. I heard a crash and ran out side to find her right rear wheel setting on my poor Alfa's dash. Everything on my Alfa was bent, and/or crushed.
69 Fair Lady 2000 Roadster another great litlle race car, until drivers with factory backing started racing in amature racing.
1969 Toyota 2000GT; Fast but very uncomfortable for me @6'4" to drive.
1970 Fair Lady Z (240Z)
1970 Volvo P1800 rally.
BMW 2002Tii; Great Saloon racer, but I couldn't out run the Sharp 510s that were running in the amature D Sport Sedan class. This was my last road racer.
914/6 A great car even if it was supposed to be a poor mans Porshe.
1946 Ford Opera Coupe, Street Rod, LT1, Turbo 350, Nova front Clip with power rack and pinion conversion, Jag Rear, 11" front disks, 10" rear disks. Everything that could be chromed on the under carriage was. Polished aluminum deep dish wheels. Frenched head lights, recessed custom made rear lights. Webing removed and body and fender panels welded and smoothed, all chrome trim remove and holes filled and smoothed, remote electric door and trunk locks handle removed. hood and deck totally smoothed, drip rails removed, coil vent filled and smoothed. 62 Chrysler Cordavan Lacquer 8 coates hand rubed betwwen coates, 18kt Gold pinstriping, 8 coats of clear Lacquer hand rubed between coats.Cordavan and Harvest Gold interior by Prestige. The Seats, Console , lower half of the dash and tilt wheel came
from a 1970 Laguna, as did the air conditioning. Alpine Stereo with Cassette. The car has won several awards since it was completed in 1976. I wish I still owned it but I had to sell it in 78 to pay Doctor Bills for my son.
74 Dodge 1500 Long wheel base pickup for towing cars and my boat. It replaced my 68 Dodge pickup, that according to my wife and friend was ready for canonization, as it was starting to look like the bed and fenders were made of swiss cheese.
! have also owne two Jeeps, one surplus army, the other a 1949 pickup, and A 750 Suzuki Jeep.
1976 Maverick with the big 6 and a four speed, and sport tuned suspension.
1978 Pheonix, 1986 Taurus Wagon, 1988 Olds, 95 Windstar, and 96 Taurus.
I have also owned Dirt Modifieds, a couple of Midgets, and a SuperMod.
Over the years I owned over twenty Motor Cycles.
I have owned a few other cars besides the ones listed including three VWs, and a Triumph 2000 sedan.
I've had over 45 cars in my 45 years of life. I still own 2 of my favorites. My 79 Malibu "street legal" drag car and my 74 Impala Sport Coupe. But I've also had an '82 Collector's Edition Corvette ,70 1/2 Trans Am ,57 Chevy Bel Air Drag car ,91 Jeep Cherokee mud racer, 75 Jeep Cherokee (my first car), 72 V-8 Vega GT, 66 Plymouth Belvedere ,79 Chevy Luv with a 454 ,80 Chevy Luv 4x4 ( built, lift kits ,hopped up 4 cylinder, roll bar, lights, stereo) all the stuff you needed to be cool back then. 86 IROC Camaro Some I miss some I don't. Life goes on I'll have more.
Last edited by TGM2054; 08-14-2008 at 08:57 PM.
Reason: Forgot
I'll go now...
86 IROC Camaro Some I miss some I don't. Life goes on I'll have more.
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