At what time in...........

[marco_1978_spyder]

I was riding in the back of my parents 1980 sunbird on a trip to niagara falls. its was about 1982 and I was 10.
I was waiting 6 more years to inherit the car.

We were driving up the main strip and in the line of cars parked off to the side we saw a sunbird that looked alot more special than ours and my dad pointed it out...."hey marco you can make this car look like that!!"

It was a little silver and black Sunbird Formula.

I didnt forget that car and years later my dad ended up eating those words as I assumed control of the entire garage for parts and engine swapping,lol

[res0o7eb]

Summer of 1976 after HS graduation. Just totaled my 66 Caprice Sport Coupe - red with black bucket seat interior - with a fresh rebuilt 396. Was a nice car.
I put a wanted ad in local paper looking for something similar. Several crackpots, but one guy called - red car with black bucket seat interior (no big block, though). He drove up in the '74 Vega GT Hatchback. It was a 4-speed with about 20,000 miles.
I'd seen ads for the new-style '74 Vega in magazines and liked what I saw, but I never thought of owning a 'new car' at the time or even a two-year old car. Got a loan for $1850 and it was mine. $50/month payments were a stretch, but I had a job paying $4.00/hr!

[monzamess]

I think of my car as a little brother with "special needs." I grew up with it. I'm never going to get rid of it (willingly). It needs my attention to flourish.

However I can't really pinpoint when I "fell in love" with it or h-bodies in general. This car is just part of my life after all this time.

If my parents had just happened to buy some other car in 1980 I might never have even given h-bodies a second thought. Hell, I might be trying to hotrod a Citation or Pinto today (bleah!).

[AusRs]

mine was probably different to you guys as NO h bodies were ever sold in this country
we used to oval track race (asphalt) short track in the late 70,s early 80,s and the car body that was used was an imsa fibreglass shell ......

[barebonesracecars]

At the risk of being banned for life from this site, my answer would be, 'I never really did'.

I bought my first car (the '79 Skyhawk I still have) in 1982. I was 17; didn't really know what I wanted, but dad found a plain-Jane Camode for sale somewhere that we went to look at. I didn't really care for it.

Drove on over to the local Chevy garage, now it's raining, drove up and down the rows and saw the back end of this blue thing with louvers on it. Looked kind of cool (still in school; had drive something cool, you know).

Got out and walked around it; liked it; dealt the price down $1395 (from $4795), and drove it home. It was fun to drive; felt good in it; sold it once and bought it back 6 months later with a blown V-6. The only other H-bodies I recall around town at that time (except for daily drivers) was a '79 Roadhawk, a 1980 Sunbird hatch, and an Astre panel wagon. All had stock engines with bolt-on stuff.

I guess I stick with it because it was my first car; I still think it looks cool; and I found all of you similar nuts a few years ago. If not for that, it definitely wouldn't be as far along as it it is today. I do appreciate seeing examples of the work and love you guys put into them, and the enthusiasm you all have for a car that most of the world forgot. This place has become like a fraternity for me.

I just enjoy being different. Why be normal? Be Weird!

[bugdewde]

Wow, Reid. I can't believe you never fell in love with them..... after seeing all the work and craftmanship you've put into your car. WOW!
Just what car DO you love????? I'd like to see it.

[barebonesracecars]

Maybe I'm just having difficulty describing it.

I guess what I meant was, if this one was somehow destroyed, or stolen, or whatever, would I buy another one? Probably not, but I won't ever give this one up again, for the reasons I already listed. Like I said, you guys from here and Bob Gumm's site are the ones who inspired me to finish it.

I've always been a Pontiac guy; had many of them; raced them; etc. It's hard to explain away this car sometimes to people who know me. But car guys are car guys....they appreciate machinery.

If I was to start over? I've wanted a '62 Catalina for YEARS. Bought a '63 GP in Colorado a few years ago, but it just isn't going to fill the need quite right, so it's for sale.

Then again, Josh's white Astre boils my blood every time I see it.....I'd Jegster-ize it and stuff a 500" Indian Adventures aluminum block in there and become a drag racer......