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

matt f View Member Profile	Mar 6 2009, 06:20 PM Post #2
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 175 Joined: 18-February 04 Member No.: 228	I started w/ a 68 camaro w/ a firebird taillight set on it. 8 months later, got rearended. It was totalled, and we went shopping. My Stepdad found a 68 firebird, burnt orange w/ a white interior. The best part: 400, 4 speed! Ran the hell out of that car. A little more than a year later, I had to share the car w/ my younger brother when he got his license. Rather than that, I sold my 1/2 to him. I got a couple not so great cars and missed the Firebird badly. 2 years out of high school, saw an ad for a 67 Nova SS. Drove it daily for 2 years and parked it in November 1983. She sits in my garage now, waiting for an LS6 swap and new paint. After my youngest is out of the house (a few years) it will be time. I still have a soft spot for the Sunset Orange cars being sold today.