how "original" are you?

rtabish · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:34 am Post subject:

oddly enough, that this has gone to talking about modified cars [vs. stock] isn't a bad thing.....we all know that either we start "fixing" stuff right off the bat, or we eventually "tweak" things. that is just the way people are. i have done this with every vehicle i have ever owned. i have a couple of old bikes that also fall into the "vintage" category that i just couldn't keep from modifying. they, like these old cars, are just a lot more fun with a few personal touches applied.
i was curious about the number of stock or mostly stock rides people on here have. actual survivor cars 25 or 30 years old...or more... are getting tough to find. modified cars [to what ever extent] are all over the place.

i am not 'dismissing' them, they are just too common.
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Rob Tabish
Missoula, Montana
77 El Camino
83 Toyota Landcruiser
81 Honda CB900F
81 Honda CB900Custom

elcamino74guy · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:01 am Post subject:

I generally lay off any mods till the warranty runs out on a new car. Other than some appearance mods I've left my 08 GT alone. I won't even change the stereo!

I know what you mean about the modified cars. I saw some guy running around Scottsdale, AZ in a 4th gen with this huge, ugly pro stock scoop that was Dzus fastened to the warped steel hood. Whole thing was a big ugly mess that just screamed of being a teenager without a clue who really wanted a ricer.

It was so screwed up I don't even think I'd take it on for a resto. Ran like crap too when he started it up. Kid tried to do a burnout and got nothing but red smoke out of the tailpipe and no wheelspin...

To each his own but that kind of thing gives 4th gens a bad name. Everybody thinks we're like that kid or that we lost most of our teeth and spend our afternoons on the porch with a banjo (no offense to the toothless banjo players intended.. Smile

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74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007

2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!

rtabish · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:52 am Post subject:

that sort of thing has ruined it for a lot of cars. to the people that like them, camaros and firebirds are great cars. to the rest of the world, they bring up images of run-down trailer parks and a skinny tweeker named "Bubba"

no offense to all the Bubbas out there Poke Tounge

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Rob Tabish
Missoula, Montana
77 El Camino
83 Toyota Landcruiser
81 Honda CB900F
81 Honda CB900Custom

old_coot · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:03 am Post subject:

I bought my 83 from the original owner with 120,000 on it. The only thing that had been done to it was new paint and upholstery sometime in the not too distant past---it looks good in and out and runs ok for what it is but its not "my" car yet. I have changed the rear gear from a 2.41 to a 3.42 and have a small block 400 with a TH700R4 sitting next to it about to go in. I also have a Buick Regal nose I am in the process of grafting onto it and a new interior with buckets and console to replace the bench...when its finished I plan on using it to tow my Regal T-type to and from the strip---it should be a nice looking combination but hardly stock or even returnable easily to original...I rarely give a thought to the next owner of my cars since I only buy things I like and rarely get rid of them before they are beyond repair...It may be bad to say but I am a consumer not a collector, I really enjoy my toys........................Dan
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I don't think I have ever had a car that was "FINISHED"........unless it was totaled.

Quintonsdusty · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject:

I bought my '67 from an old friend after I'd been after him for quite a while to sell her to me. He purchased the car in 1975 from the original owner with all the paper work. The original owner had painte it yell from the original blue. My friend drove it for 10 ears in his carpenter trade and decided in 1985 to restore her. She had a little rust behind the cab and a little in the rear quarters.

My friend's brother was the body shop manager for a loca Chevrolet dealer and was given the car to bring back to like new. Well, she was at the body shop for almost 4 months and any rust was cut out and relaced with new metal. Shew was taken down to bare metal and primed. When deciding on a color, my friend chose the tan color that you see on her now. It's from the '83 Malibu color chart. The picture was taken the day that I became her caretaker.

After coming home from the body shop, the original engin, transmission and rear end were completely rebuilt with 102,000 miles on her. She's been garaged for the last 23 years. During that time, she's been drive 8,000 miles.

I was fortunate enough to become her caretaker on June 10, 2006. I've put all new brakes, brake lines and wheel cylinders on her and kept her clean, polished, and garaged. We've been to a lot of local shows and Carlisle twice. Sometimes we win, and a few times we don't, but we always enjoy the events and the folks that share the passion.

Jim
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On the plains of hesitation, bleach the bones of countless millions who on the threshold of victory sat down to wait and waiting they died.

80 white royal knight · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject:

TopFun · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:18 am Post subject: original 87

I'm the original owner. Bought my 1987 new and she just turned 193,000 miles. She's all original except for tires, battery, belts, hose, etc. and 15" Corvette rally wheels. My daily driver and I love her as much today as I did when she was new. Notice I said "she"......hahaha.....I take good care of her Happy

rtabish · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject:

a bit of trivia as a side note.....i was watching 'the history detectives' this weekend, and they did a segment on automotive music machines like record players and tape decks. it seems that the guy that started Lear jets had a hand in getting 8-tracks going as a popular media in cars. there is a pretty good page on wikipedia that also tells about this piece of automotive history. now to go out and get a copy of Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Texas Flood'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereo_8 Cool

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Rob Tabish
Missoula, Montana
77 El Camino
83 Toyota Landcruiser
81 Honda CB900F
81 Honda CB900Custom