Some Automobile Nostalgia

Some Automobile Nostalgia

While searching for my tax tokens, I came across a few items from the past. A pair of spare keys for my first 1970 Chevelle and a VW screwdriver.

MY FIRST AND WORST
My father bought me my 1st car. He was a practical man and bought me a white 4 door Plymouth Volare with a slant 6 motor and blood red interior. God I hated that car with its laughing starter.

FIRST BUY, BAD LUCK
As soon as I was able, I bought myself a car. Inspired by my older brother, I bought a VW Scirocco. Although I had learned to drive a stick shift at 15 years old, I was out of practice I wasn't very good. The salesman suckered me...I bought it and drove home, but the clutch burned out before I made it. Dad was so pissed..after we got it home my buddy tried to help me fix the clutch..we had no idea what we were doing. Dad's friend saw us and told us to stop. Funny..my friend that was helping me, now owns a high end hot rod shop.

DREAMS CRUSHED..LITERALLY
The Sciricco was a 1977..that was the 1st year of fuel injection. I loved that car and did many mods to it. I was taking my girlfriend home..taking a left...a TR7 Triumph came around 3 cars at 60mph and hit me as I started the turn. We weren't hurt but car was totaled..strut tower was bent and flat. All my ground effects were ripped off the front.

BORN AGAIN
I bought another 77 and started over. I used what I learned and made a really cool car..lowered down on 60 series Goodyears, short shift tranny and huge stereo system. I tried to pump up the motor. I used the biggest head I could find..well for a short while it was a beast. But that little motor couldn't handle the mods. While driving to work..the rod exploded and went both way out of the block.

MUSCLE ERA BEGINS
I was detailing and doing lube, oil, safety checks at a shop/used car lot. A very old gentleman traded in a 1970 Chevelle Malibu. Green with green interior, sbc 350, one legger, single exhaust and it smoked really bad. I needed a car..boss sold it to me at cost, $300. The car looked like the guy hit guardrails on both sides of the road, every corner was dinged. The guy was the original owner and had bought the Chevelle new in 1970, 2 days after I was born. We suspected the head gasket may have been blown..I got it to my house and started to unbolt the head. I got one side ready, then took the valve cover off the other side...there was 1 bent pushrod. That was the whole problem and why it smoked. Ran awesome after that. I did many mods to the car..I put Racing buckets, a giant hood scoop, gear drive, dual exhaust, air shocks, floor shifter, vintage wheels and big tires. I drove the crap out of that thing, even took it to Canada to a car show with my buddy(same guy from VW story) to meet some friends. I didn't care it was beat up, it was cool. Eventually I sold the car for $750 and bought a straight 1970 Chevelle rolling chasis. The plan was a pro street ride. I had bought parts and pieces over several years..New rear frame rails, ladder bars, 18.50" wide tires, 12 point roll cage,, etc. I was building a nasty small block 406 motor. I starting cutting for tubs and had all the measurements laid out. ...then bad stuff happened, but that's another story..