Just know I happened to find myself looking at the cover of the may 2007 cover of GRM. It has a great picture of a decidedly evil looking sti. As I glanced down I thought to myself oh another Subaru and continued doing whatever it was I was doing. Then it hit me and I took a closer look, huge fender flares, big honkin' scoop, massive slicks and numerous other little details that scream BADASS. I mean a couple of years ago just seeing this picture would have sent my heart racing into the stratosphere, but today "oh another Subaru".
What has happened to me? I used to take joy in cars like this but lately they just don't seem to hold my attention. I spend all day dreaming of various 600+ hp street cars or building a locost or the one that seems to be taking all of my attention lately taking the front subframe out of a fwd car moving it to the back and building something similar to a locost but a single seater mid engined rwd machine from hell.
Thirteen years ago I was a gearhead with a fresh license and a 1980 Trans Am, it had a 301 automatic and was my dream car. I didn't know enough about cars to realize the 301 was a pathetic attempt at at an engine or that automatics suck. All I knew was I had a Trans Am and wasn't afraid to use it. That car fit me like a glove. I knew exactly how it would react to any input and quickly I was getting sideways (and tickets) every where I went. But I KNEW that car inside and out. Looking back I'm glad it was woefully underpowered because I probably wouldn't be here otherwise. But I was able to learn car control ( a F-body in a snow state kind of makes it obligatory) and lived to tell about it. Having since moved on to cars that handle ten times better and cars that have tons more power, I don't think I'll ever have as much fun as I did with that T/A. But I keep searching for that feeling I used to get back then.
I might be looking back through rose colored glassed but I have a theory; That car had very low limits but was well balanced and let you know when you approached those limits. I think because of the large slip angles of the tires mainly but it was able to be held on the edge, actually it was more of a rounded butter knife as apposed to a razors edge which made it more fun imo. Since those days I have been chasing faster and better handling cars only to find them lacking in the fun department. Because I can't really use anything faster or better handling on the street without putting my license and others life's on the line I'm beginning to feel like it's an exercise in futility. New cars are too good, I mean even a lowly econobox nowadays can't even be fully exploited on the street. Maybe what I should be looking for is a balanced car with limits low enough that I can still go out on a cruise on the back roads like I used to when I was young and still have some fun. I don't know, I'm just rambling know so I'll leave it at that. Any thoughts?
