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

Casey_SS View Member Profile	Mar 5 2009, 06:27 AM Post #2
Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 275 Joined: 2-April 07 From: Austin, TX Member No.: 1,746	My addiction started innocently enough....my older brother had an 87 IROC and used to take me to the local drag races in it. Had more fun getting there and back than actually watching the races. Picked up a gently used bright red 88 Firebird when I was 17...let's see that would have been in 92. Mysteriously enough my high school popularity and "dating life" picked up considerably around the same time. Like Mitch, I lost many things in that car, not all of them to Mustangs (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) . Best friend at the time had a 91 Camaro....still amazed I lived through that period. Kept the Firebird through college, did a bunch of bolt-ons and eventually sold it to pick up a 92 Camaro. Raced the ever-living-bejeezus out of that car on the street for several years (wasn't terribly fast but I had a lot of fun with the 'ol 305) and then sold it to a good friend to buy my current car - 97 30th Anniversary SS (came with a 6psi blower when I bought it....walked away from a great deal on an LT4 Vette to get it....just couldn't pass this car up). Had it for 9 years now...I know every bolt, washer, and plastic thingy by name and can't see ever parting with it. If I have my way it will one day go to my son and become a family heirloom for generations to come. As I read this, I'm realizing that I'm 34 now and have been driving these cars since I was 17....oddly that's 17 years spent driving the "same" car it took 17 years to be able to drive in the first place. Hmmm...not sure what to make of that but it still feels good so I guess I'll keep doing it (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)