Memory Lane (long) - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

The wife and I have been cleaning out closets and looking through old albums. At the risk of aging myself, it has brought back a memory to share.

While a freshman in college I dated a girl (not the wife) who had a new 1975 Camaro. It was a base model V8...I thought that car was the coolest thing in the universe. It was a killer 145HP version of the popular 350ci motor with automatic tranny. It was one of many girlfriends, but the beginning of my F-body obsession.

I didnt know too much about cars then, and I thought that car was fast. I flipped the lid on the air cleaner over the 2BBL carb so it would sound cool, and she let me buy "wide" aftermarket wheels and tires for it. I was pretty sure I was the coolest kid in town at that point.

During the two years following I became best friends with the brother of one of my frat brothers. He had a Formula 400 Firebird as a daily driver into which he had shoehorned a 454 Chevy motor. It was a 4 speed car...and there was no way to keep the rear tires from spinning on that car, even with the "oversized 50's rubber" out back. I got a fresh education about what was fast.

Just a year later he obtained a 69 Camaro that had been built to drag race. When we got it it was a low 12 second car. We wrenched on that thing night and day, until it was a respectable drag racing machine. He won the local Super Pro bracket finals and the Division with that car running 10.50's. That was 1981.

After college the Fbody obsession got put into the closet while doing the career, marraige and baby thing. It creeped out of the closet and grabbed me one day when I drove by a car lot near my home in 1994. There on prominent display position was a shiny 1969 Z/28. By the end of the day it was mine. The obsession had returned.

There's more, but this post is too long now. Hopefully we'll hear a few other Fbody memories....

bock

cccbock View Member Profile	Mar 1 2009, 08:50 PM Post #1
Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 934 Joined: 7-March 06 Member No.: 1,113	The wife and I have been cleaning out closets and looking through old albums. At the risk of aging myself, it has brought back a memory to share. While a freshman in college I dated a girl (not the wife) who had a new 1975 Camaro. It was a base model V8...I thought that car was the coolest thing in the universe. It was a killer 145HP version of the popular 350ci motor with automatic tranny. It was one of many girlfriends, but the beginning of my F-body obsession. I didnt know too much about cars then, and I thought that car was fast. I flipped the lid on the air cleaner over the 2BBL carb so it would sound cool, and she let me buy "wide" aftermarket wheels and tires for it. I was pretty sure I was the coolest kid in town at that point. During the two years following I became best friends with the brother of one of my frat brothers. He had a Formula 400 Firebird as a daily driver into which he had shoehorned a 454 Chevy motor. It was a 4 speed car...and there was no way to keep the rear tires from spinning on that car, even with the "oversized 50's rubber" out back. I got a fresh education about what was fast. Just a year later he obtained a 69 Camaro that had been built to drag race. When we got it it was a low 12 second car. We wrenched on that thing night and day, until it was a respectable drag racing machine. He won the local Super Pro bracket finals and the Division with that car running 10.50's. That was 1981. After college the Fbody obsession got put into the closet while doing the career, marraige and baby thing. It creeped out of the closet and grabbed me one day when I drove by a car lot near my home in 1994. There on prominent display position was a shiny 1969 Z/28. By the end of the day it was mine. The obsession had returned. There's more, but this post is too long now. Hopefully we'll hear a few other Fbody memories.... bock

SSTAT View Member Profile	Mar 2 2009, 06:58 AM Post #2
Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 545 Joined: 19-June 04 From: Zanesville, Ohio Member No.: 369	I grew up in the Detroit suburbs. There was a guy that lived a few houses down, I was about 8 or 9, he was in his teens and a real ass to us kids, but he had a bright yellow 2nd gen camaro that I thought was cool. But a few streets over there was a guy with a brand new 2nd gen firebird, it had the side by side dual headlights, bird on the hood, machine turned gauge panel, and that factory 2 tone faded silver paint job. I don't know how many times I rode clear over there to stare at it. Im back to being a camaro guy now, but it all started with that firebird. I have actually wondered if that car is why I fell so madly in love with the LT1 4th gen (see headlights left), headlights look just like the 77-78 firebird front end. Coincidence? This post has been edited by SSTAT: Mar 2 2009, 07:06 AM