NOT AVIATION RELATED...is this ok to talk about here???

[cjensen]

well, i've had a lot of time to sit around and read and watch tv and stuff now that my wing stands are done, and i have no wings...

one of my other interests has always been exotic/classic/antique cars. so, has anyone ever owned or do you own anything REALLY cool?

mine haven't been all that cool, but i've owned a MKI and MKII MR2, and a 75th anniversary MGB.

sorry spike! if you wanna yank this, feel free...won't bother me!

[N200PF]

I don't know if these count as classics but...

I had a 1973 Olds 442 with the 455, the SWIVEL SEETS and the vented hood! (I got it when I was 16 in 1985) That was a BAD CAR that got about 6 mpg!!!

When I wrecked that 8 months later, I got a bright red 1968 Firebird with the 326. It was a LUMBER WAGON compared to the 442 but it looked cool. Seeing that I still had the wrecked out 442, I took the 455 out and figured out a way to put it in the Firebird! I had to cut out the wheel wells out and build a new 12 bold posi rear end but it actually worked!

Now that I realize what I did to that poor Firebird or think about what a 1968 Firebird is worth today without the original engin hacked out it makes me a little sick!

- Peter

[captain_john]

Chad, with all the stuff Spike has left up of mine... you got nuttin' to worry about!



My all time favorite vehicle was my 1976 Dodge Maxivan Tradesman 300. It was an extened, heavy duty, 1 ton van all done up with flares, sidepipes, wheels, bay windows, visor, engine, air horns, 4 captains chairs, Alpine stereo with HUGE amps and subs, overhead console, lights, electric fridge, two batteries, shoreline connection and of course... the crowning jewel... a BED in the back!

This was my high school ride. It was commonly referred to around the campus as "THE Van". There were others, but this was "THE Van".



My favorite name for it was the S.S. Intercourse!



I also had lifted 4 wheel drive pickups, a '62 Chevy Nova with a 327 LT1 engine and some cool jap bikes.

The snowmobiles were all pretty cool too. It was like having your own personal NASCAR setup on the snow.

CJ

[Spike]

Nothign to worry about Chad, one of the purposes of the Hangar is to have a place to hang out. As long as things stay civil and clean we wont have to come up with any guidelines other than that.

As far as cars, I would love to own a 'cuda in the future. Patti and I are going to go to Arizona for the Barret Jackson auctions one of these years...

[cjensen]

that's what brought up this thread. i'll be GLUED to the tv next week! i can't wait for it to start!

[bmurrish]

Chad, I think you pretty much safe posting as long as it doesn't have anything to do with flying squirrels. Spike, CJ, and Thomas

[N200PF]

Hey do you know when or what channel the auction will be on?!? I would love to see what crazy people would spend on their hobbies!

- Peter

[Spike]

Its usually on Speed.

[poeboy]

I owned a 1980 Fiat X1/9 from 1981 - 1996. The car was great fun to drive, although not terribly fast with a 1.5L 66HP engine. It only weighed about 2100 lbs IIRC, so it wasn't a real slowpoke, either. The packaging engineering on the car was superb - mid engine, two trunks (front and rear), full size spare tire, removable/stowable (in the front trunk) targa roof. suprisingly enough, the engine wasn't too hard to work on - reasonabl access to almost everything. Handled like it was on rails. The biggest problem was that the paint wouldn't stick... guess Fiat uses oil-impregnated steel to build with. I think I had it painted 6 or 7 times during its life. I was getting ready to ask Maaco for a volume discount. I remember driving down the road one day and a big piece (about 2' square) of the paint just peeled off in the airstream. But what fun to drive!
I can still remember the cost: $7,438 (first new car, you know).
-dpp

[cjensen]

Hey do you know when or what channel the auction will be on?!? I would love to see what crazy people would spend on their hobbies!

- Peter

yes it will be on speed channel all next week. check their website for times, but they are going to have a bunch of pre-auction coverage, and they have some huge number of hours devoted to the auction starting thursday night thru sunday.

did you all see last years where that guy paid 3 mil for that olds concept car!! incredible, and always fascinating to watch!

[jimpappas]

Chad,

Bad question to ask me. At one time or another I literally owned every two door car Pontiac made in 1969 for example. OK I have always been a gearhead since I was little.

69 Firebird 400 Ram Air 4
69 Bonneville 2DR 428 HO
69 Grand Prix SJ (500 made) with 428HO
69 GTO 400 Ram Air 4 with hood tach and ragtop! (my fav)
Had access at that time to "Mom's car" - 69 Hemi Charger (she blew the engine racing it on the street)
Also, restored two 68 GTO's while in the Navy.

I also had a 72 El Camino SS, a 57 Chevy 2 dr Belair Sport Coupe (still have it's data plate) and a few dirt cars, SCCA Rally cars (62 Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite) and many other toys over the years.

Hey, I used to work on cars for a living and raced when I lived in Texas.

Even put my old Limited Modified dirt car engine into a 78 Camaro Berlinetta I got from a bank repo and drove it around the DFW area for a while until a cop friend suggested I not get caught with it

Now I have a 39 Ford 1/2 Ton pickup (oval grille) all original with the flathead motor that I'm restoring.

Oh yah, and an RV7A if I ever get past the tail feathers

[Rupester]

For the years I was in college (and a few years thereafter) I owned a 1960 Austin Healey 3000 BN7. One of thevery first production cars with front disc brakes. I did some of my own "power enhancement" via porting & polishing, and milling the head 060" . It had so much power I snapped the main leaves in the rear leaf springs, and within a couple of months the rear body rubbed on the tops of the rear tires. Then I got married, dropped out of college, started a family, and had to sell the ol' Healey under financial duress. Sold it for what amounts to a good dinner for two today. Still hurts to think about. The Healey was definitely a head-turner in the college days (even if I wasn't!)

[cjensen]

oh man! terry, you're speakin' my language! the 3000 is my favorite classic. i just 'em!