maybe it was for the best...: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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March 14, 2009 11:02 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

I have started thinking of several cars that I almost had when I was younger.

First, my dads '82 Ram. The engine had died on it and we where going to replace the engine and it would have been mine once it was running. Plans included stroking the 360 out to 408, a nice Holly 750 4-barrel, and a 100-150HP N2O plate system (NOS Snipper most likely) 16yo+2 ton P-up+ N2O=I dont even want to think about it

Second car was the TR7 'vert I talked about in the barn find thread. I imagine it would have been rather safe because it would just sit arround and look nice most of the time.

Last one on the list was my Uncle's '71 4 door T-bird (factory suicide doors) This was the closest to being mine, around my first semester of college he was selling it for $500, and I had that much thanks to left over financial aid. It had a bullet nose front end and a 429 rated at 480ft/lbs of TQ. I would have bought it but if I had my Mother would have made me take it back

In the end I look at my first car, an '88 Accord this 13" rims and lousy tires, 99HP when new and mediocer brakes. I had pushed that thing to the raggedy limit(topped out at 108MPH, cornered that thing so hard I was ridding on the sidewalls regularly, and several other offences) What I was doing with an under powered car makes me realize that had I had any of the others, I would probly be dead and have taken someone else out with me as well.
March 15, 2009 12:17 a.m. Goldmember Reader

I looked at a '95 M3 at a local used lot with more cash in my pocket than I should have had at 28 yrs old. It was well used, but not beaten showing 108K with the rock chips on the nose to prove it. The "info center" in the console was pooched, it was riding on half worn blizzaks on sport option alloys, and the moon roof stuck open on the guy that test drove it before me. $1195 was on the windshield. After their tech got the roof closed, I took it out for a spin.

After driving Hondas almost my entire life, I was like a crackhead on the pipe absolutley giddy with the gobs of torque on tap. On my way back to the lot I rolled on the throttle in 3rd in the middle of a snaking on ramp and proceded to hang the ass out the rest of the way onto the highway.

I offered then 10K as it sat, the sales woman said she couldn't"make that kind of deal" without tolking to the owner, and I left.

If I had bought that car I would have either: A. dumped a boatload of money into it to keep it running, probably to eventually sell it at an extreme loss B. lost my liscense driving it like an idiot. C. killed myself, or worse someone else driving it like an idiot.
March 15, 2009 3:39 a.m. petegossett Dork

neon4891 wrote:

Last one on the list was my Uncle's '71 4 door T-bird (factory suicide doors)

When I was 15 I was offered an old suicide door T-bird for free by someone my father knew. The car was in good condition, but needed a starter & battery. It was out in the country at this guy's farm, and that, coupled with my father's complete lack of mechanical skill, left the car sitting right there. The man moved away & over the next couple years people completely trashed the car.

In the end, I'd also say it was for the best, as we all know what a good combination "free" and "ran when parked" can be!
March 15, 2009 10:17 a.m. P71 Dork

My first car was supposed to be a 1979 AMC Spirit AMX. For those that don't know the Spirit was a little RWD hatch based on the Gremlin with a very short wheelbase and archaic suspension. This one had a 304 V8 and a 4-Speed with a LSD and was the classic black with massive flares and a screaming "AMX" chicken on the hood. We left a deposit and went home to get the car trailer. Came back and it was gone, the old fart had sold it out from under us! I had a 360 we were going to stick in it as a father/son project...

So the real first car ended up being a 1973 Javelin with a 360 and a 727 Auto. It was so rusty that we sold it to a junkyard on the way home for the same amount of money.

And I ended up with a 1986.5 Nissan King Cab hardbody truck, 2WD (well, 1WD) with the dual-plug Z24 engine and a 5-speed. I thrashed that poor POS mercilessly...
March 15, 2009 11:37 a.m. PHeller Reader

I was on a roll of buying cheap cars that served me well while being tons of fun, until I picked up my 240SX...suddenly the most "fun" car was also the most expensive.

I want my ZX2 back.
March 15, 2009 11:54 a.m. wherethefmi2000 Reader

I almost got a 64 and a 1/2 mustang, wish I'd have taken it instead of letting my grandpa sell it for 1500, I mean it was a 289 that's gotta be worth something now, with factory air.
March 15, 2009 12:56 p.m. thatsnowinnebago HalfDork

My first car was a 93 Altima with an automatic. My parents aren't car people.