Car Hobby

[SVOMACH1]

Just curious as to what got you into the car hobby? Also, how long have you owned your " Hobby " car? I got bitten by the car bug when I went to see Smokey and the Bandit in 1977 ( I believe it was with Stephen ). The movie theater had a 1977 Bandit Edition Trans Am in the lobby and from that point on I was a car nut. Have never found the " Right " car yet and this is why I've owned over a hundred cars since I turned 16, 39 of which were Mustangs. Any advice on how to stay in love with your car? I'm getting really tired of swapping out cars...........

[Laffs]

Came home from the hospital with my parents in my dads 86 LX notch. He swapped that for a 87 LX notch till I was 3 and then an 86 GT convertible when I was 7. Same time my other uncles had an 88 T-Top GT and an 87 GT that he had modified by Derrick of Dech. Both of my grand fathers were life long Ford employees now retired from FoMoCo. One worked as a safety rep at the Essex engine plant where the Mustang motors were built and raced a 67 Cyclone GT, the other was an Engineer who helped with cylinder head designs on the 302, 351w and modular motors. There was precisely 0 chance of not becoming a car guy but my path Mustangs was as direct as it would seem. Got in to trucks first as a youth reading 4x4 offroad and the like, then sport compacts in high school. Had a Honda first that I lightly modded then built a j-body show car that won some awards and was a calendar car for a couple performance companies.

One day I wound up seeing a picture of Darkhorse's SN95 GT online and suddenly snapped back in to the RWD domestic mode. Was hanging around with some guys who were GM centric at the time so would up with an LT1 Firebird that ended up being biggest pain in the ass you ever did see. Got out of that and looked for a New Edge ended up with my 2000 GT that I've had for 10 years.

I'd also love to know the secret to staying in love with your car, I have a pretty sizable love/hate thing going on with the car right now. Problem is most of it is self inflicted from trying to build a race car out of a convertible with questionable guidance and input when I should have been building a fun cruiser.

[Old Fart]

Similar to Laffs, my grandfather is the reason for the hobby. He was a Ford mechanic and I spent much of my youth with him, and even a few days has is "helper" at the dealership.. So I got my mechanical skills though him. One day, my dad brought me over to the dealership where they had a 1967 Cougar needing repairs and bodywork, I remember it was the service manager's son's car (That was back in 1975 so it was only 6 year old). That ended up being my first vehicle where my grandpa helped me fix it and I could even find parts in the salvage yards.

[Armen]

I don't know. I've always been fascinated with cars for as long as I can remember. I remember being a kid and watching my dad press down on the big chrome lined accelerator pedal of a Caddy and making the big boat move. It was something about that interaction that has always stuck in my head. He had a lot of cool cars. The last time I visited him he had two Eldorados, a 82' Special Edition Vette and a black 1980 Trans Am with the screaming bird on the hood and t-tops. I think that pretty much sealed the deal for me.

I've had lots of cars and trucks. I think the overall most pleasurable for me has been my current S550 convertible, auto tho. It has many personalities to match whatever kinda mood I'm in, whether that be just cruising, top up or down, or something a bit more spirited. Or balls to the wall all out at the track. It's really a fun, great looking, great sounding and very reliable toy.

[Scrape]

My first love for cars was when I was an infant and my parents took me to watch James Bond Goldfinger and I was facinated with cars with gadgets. My first love with Mustangs was in 1970 when I got to ride in a 1968 Mustang GT. That was it. I was hooked. Nowadays, I too have lost count on the number of cars that I have swapped out. :( I feel so tired. I want to stay in love with my cars but my issue is that I love tech and gadgets and most of all...horsepower. My current car does great as a daily driver but I want a summer toy again but don't have the space. I suck... :P

[newbiestangowner]

My dad got me into it - from hot wheels cars ( he usually always brought one home from work for me- we have hundreds and my son now has them.)
He had a lot of vehicles - but some that made me say " some day I'll buy one " were 76 firebird formula, 86 four eyes with ( removable darkplexi glass headlight covers :shrug:, and his 88 hatch.

maybe he's old now but he won't take my 14 for a spin. As far as staying in Love with the hobby or car not sure- for me still love the hobby or car but with family of two growing kids just don't have as much time or money to put into it- but I guess it will return ( when I retire) :thumbsup:

[Stephen06GT]

I've always been, as an old girlfriend called me, a "car jock". Don't know how or why but I just am. What keeps me going now, the community (read TMC), the track days, and my daughter who is a chip off the old car jock block herself.

[newbiestangowner]

I've always been, as an old girlfriend called me, a "car jock". Don't know how or why but I just am. What keeps me going now, the community (read TMC), the track days, and my daughter who is a chip off the old car jock block herself.

:thumbsup: that your daughter is into it- both mine want SUV's :shrug:

[Ponyryd]

Always was interested, had dinky cars and read hot rod and car craft when I was a kid, they had them at the library, spent a lot of time there reading about cars. My family also always wanted a mechanic in the family, so that was natural for me, although that ultimately leads to a “car guy” hating working on cars, lol.
I always liked f-bodies, but one day I saw a fox sitting in a yard in the county and bought it, it was a pile so I promptly sold it. Then I saw a fox sitting in a lot missing it’s rolling stock, asked around and found the owner, they had some spare wheels and tires and I bought the car, loved it and had a ton since then.
Nowadays I don’t care too much about cars, I’m still into them but I honestly get more enjoyment from driving my Wrangler with the top off and the family aboard.

[RedSN]

Never really thought about it, but like many others I think I have to blame a combination of Hotwheels (and Legos) and my father. My father is into old cars, and as a farmer he kinda instilled in me that you can/have to fix anything.

Getting into Mustangs was a combination of my first car (a 1979 T-Bird with a 302) and my second car (a 1983 Celica). I thought wouldn’t it be great to have a small (smaller than the T-Bird) RWD, standard, V8 powered car? That’s when I got my first Mustang, a 1990 LX notch. Then this spotless, unmolested, unabused 1994 GT came along. And I’ve had it ever since. It’s not done yet, LOL.

BTW.....1990 notch is up for sale. I’m going to visit it tomorrow and will put an ad up soon.

[Minaccia]

My dad and uncles were into the muscle cars and as soon as I was born the Hot Wheels started pouring in so I've been a car nut since very young, my dad owned a bunch of cars and all domestic except for the turbo Supra from the 80's and then a Nissan 300z, I started buying Car Craft mags when I was 15 and couldn't wait to get my drivers license to start tearing up the streets and that I did, lol.

Cool thread.

[Laffs]

the turbo Supra from the 80's and then a Nissan 300z

These things were the cooooooolest.

[stangstevers]

My family are into cars, growing up a family party turned into a small car show that included things like a 69 Cougar, 71? Duster, 73 Firebird, 78 Thunderbird, 77 F150 with a Cleveland lol... my first real car that I paid for with my $5/hr min wage job was a 81 Firebird... got into Foxes because of some rich jerk would always show off in his white GT hatch. Always wanted one... The pushrod 5.0 was one helluva little power plant and that Windsor SBF sound still resonates today.

With what’s going on today part of me thinks the hobby is a dead one.

[Ponyryd]

With what’s going on today part of me thinks the hobby is a dead one.

It seems like it is for many younger kids, but look at the cars we have today! Alfa Romeo makes and SUV that laps the Nurburgring in under 8 minutes, FCA makes a 707 hp engine and stuffs it in 3 different rides, Camaro zl1 1le has 650 hp in a sick track car, family sedans from the Germans are running under 12 seconds, Raptor is an off-road ready badass truck (just needs a proper engine ;) )etc........

[Bksrt8]

My dad got me into it. He had a 73 Mach 1 in yellow and then a 78 Malibu coupe with a built 327 and turbo 400. Then there was an 80 Malibu....same 327 but it had an m22 Muncie this time.

I work on cars to save money and im a tinkerer....if i could afford it, id just pay someone to do it....problem is theres very few people i trust to do the work properly.

I worked as a car audio installer for a few years as more of a hobby than a job but i saw all the horrible shortcuts some people take and decided from that point on i wasnt letting just anybody work on my stuff

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk

[ZR]

Me, I'm a lifer. Grew up around my Dad's service station, rest is history.

[Uncle Buck]

My mother drove me around as a kid in her 1965 289 2+2 Mustang 4sp red on white
A cool car and a cooler Mom. I miss them both

[hsousa88]

Can't say my family is into cars but I own a fox simply because my dad drove the wheels off his 86lx and I've wanted one since I can remember. Great childhood memories in that backseat.

I'm 30, so the early gran turismo and need for speed games got me into cars.

[FABMAN]

I was really the only one really into cars from as far back as I can remember. My brothers had some cool rides when growing up which only fueled the fire...77 280z, new 87 Trans Am GTA, 80 Camaro with a 350 V8 and 81 corvette all were in my parents driveway at one time or another.

Then in 1993, I brought home my first Mustang (bright red 1990 lx 5.0 coupe with black interior) Good memories...

[twister]

starting at an esso station pumping gas 1969

[cudaboy]

Fantastic thread. Really interesting responses.
Been into cars since early teens. Friends were all older and had cars.
One friend had a 47 Merc coupe. Regular maintenance called for replacing trans, rear end or other similar chores.
Oh for the good old days.

[dbovine]

I wasnt really into cars when I was young. I mean watching Dukes of hazard re-runs or KIT and of course the batmobile (1989 Keaton car) I always thought were cool. When I turned 16, things changed and it became an obsession. Small things like a stereo install in my parents car, which was at the time and 87 tempo 2 door 5 speed. It wasnt fast but shifting gears had me hooked. Then things like no clutch shifting and power slides that I watched my dad do, I learned how to do as well. Throw in the rapid growth of the internet through high school and the obsession grew.

Mustangs I kind of always thought were cool, Id spend my summers here in the Sault and my uncle was always a big mustang person, and he use to have a lot of hot wheels and other Mustang stuff, I believe he had a Mach 1 as well but that was before my time. Anyways I kind of always liked them, and then the new edge came out in Grade 12 and that was the car I wanted, at the time a 99 screaming yellow GT. Once I had to adult, and had a full time job, first thing I bought was my new edge mustang.

[4GOTNPNY]

as long as i can remember my dad always was into cars and street racing. my mom and dad bought a brand new 88 lx hatch when they got married and my mom used to take me everywhere in it 5.0 5 speed. my dad had a 78 cobra II at the time with a cleveland 5 speed used to street race all the time my mom would put me in the Lx and i would watch the guys race till i would fall asleep in the car i was around 3 at the time just before my brother was born i was always at the track or the garages. i bought my car when i was 15 and owned her for 14 years its a disease lol and i have since added two more to the stable includings a father daughter project for my me and my 1 year old when shes a little older. the wife races a 70 nova so we have the classic chev ford debates in our house she went 9.64@135mph i have some catching up to do in my little street car lol

[WTF]

like most here.....my dad is the reason

he drove me home as a newborn in 1967 in a 65 Mustang....his version of a family car at the time

he had sold his 62 bug-eyed Sprite to get the Stang in 65 when my older brother was born

being raised by a Scotsman in the late 60's onward while a guy by the name of Jackie Stewart was winning Formula 1 world championships probably had an effect on the way I view cars and driving them

as far back as I remember there was always a nice ride in the garage...and you treated that car with respect...and there was a passion....it was more than just some people-mover

the car enthusiast mindset is healthy imo....it shows pride because you take care of your stuff...and it shows character by your choice of ride(s)

if everyone drove beige Corollas life would suck a whole lot more

[Scott]

Unlike many of you I did not pick up my passion for cars from my father. Dad was born in 1891 and was settled into a retirement life style before I reached my teens. I clearly did however pickup the Ford brand from dad. My hot roding started in my early teens with my first project being a mini-bike with a Briggs and Stratton engine and centrifugal clutch. I bent the “black pipe” in the garage and had the local gas station do the brazing on the frame. Needless to say the mini-bike was a blast! Four or five years ago a man came up to my car at the Da Silva Racings show and shine and said you may not remember me, but did you live on Elmhurst Drive, yes I said and he said well I am the one who bought your mini-bike.

First automotive project was to mod dad’s 60 Ford, I was so bad back then! When the parents were away at an African violet convention the 352 with single exhaust and 2 barrel carb was converted to dual exhaust with an aluminum intake and Holley 4 barrel. The deed was done in my buddy Sandy’s garage as it took two of us to lift the cast iron intake from the FE heads. Back then “Thrush” mufflers were the in thing. The Thrush plant happened to be local and the garbage bins out back were an excellent source of miss-stamped mufflers which made their way into the Ford and several other cars as I recall.

Worked after school in the body shop of Ross Wemp GM. Now that I was in the big bucks, I was shopping for a car. Two cars at the dealership caught my eye, a 1965 Covrette 327/350 and a 1965 Comet Calienta with a K-Code 289/271. Either fortunately or unfortunately depending upon how you look at it I could not afford the $3600 for the vette but I could mange the $2500 for the Comet. Comet was delivered to my home in the evening and Mom was to call for insurance the next morning. At lunch time the Boys piled into my friend Marks 68 Cobra Jet Merc and headed to my house for a drive in my new Comet. This is the really cool part, think of a kid with his first car taking his buddies out for a first spin. Well, we did not get 5 houses up the street before we were pulled over by the police. Here it is, nothing wrong just wanted to see your car! The paint on the car was unique, it was a green with bright gold misting.

My absolute dream car then and still makes me weak in the knees now is a big block 65 Cobra.

Was into drag racing big time in the late 60’s to the mid 70’s. My local Ford heroes were Chuck Beatty, Mike Woods, John Elliot and Barrie Poole. Went to the US Nationals every labour day, even had the balls to take my wife there on our honeymoon. She has never forgiven me and will remind me from time to time of the knocks on the door and comments can Scott come out to play.

So the 65 Comet became my next project and the transformation started from street car to race car. When the Boss 302 was introduced I knew I wanted a Boss motor for the car as the pictures of the cylinder heads in magazines looked simply amazing! Well race car sort of as through it’s life the rotating assembly was never balanced and the only machining done was fly cutting the pistons by Osborne Automotive in Oakville. The race car slowly transformed from NHRA’s E/MP to G/Gas as the modifications progressed. Those were clearly the good old days and I felt pretty good to have a NHRA legal modified production car that got trailered to the track on weekends when I was still in high-school. However, I did not say we were smart just lucky as Glenn also raced the tow car, a 66 Ranchero in the early days. I was proud of the leaf spring rocker system and the 4-Link rear suspension that I designed and built.

I did mention that I got married, well the race car made it’s way down the road, I started a 35 year career with CIBC in their head office and three beautiful girls came into our lives. It was not until 1984 that I got the green light from the Boss to buy a 1970 Boss 302. Still have the Boss but it needs some TLC. Likely more TLC than I can manage with an arthritis riddled aging body. In spring 2009 I picked up my current Mustang and as many of you know I have been tinkering with it ever since.

The Comet in the early days as an E/MP car.

https://i.imgur.com/fGKtLmH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pggm86C.jpg

And after the transition to G/Gas.

https://i.imgur.com/Q05iQyr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WIGspF1.jpg

[Scrape]

So many awesome stories here everyone. Keep them coming.

[RedSN]

The Comet in the early days as an E/MP car.
You Sir have just won this thread. Thanks for the great story and pictures! That Comet looks amazing!

[ZR]

I love it when Chuck has time and the conversation drifts back to the good old days.

[The Newmare]

likely hotwheels first but as a teenager back in the late 70's seen Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and the bug started....my first car I bought was in 1976 and it was a Black 1974 Chevy Nova SS hatchback

[Gr8Stang]

My dad's Red 70 Torino GT with a 351 Cleveland 4 Barrel and 4 spd Hurst Stick on the floor got my attention as a young lad. He worked as a Tool & Die man @ GM and later as a Industrial Engineer @ Ford in Talbotville. So cars were in the blood so to speak. Three of my dad's brothers loved their fast cars too; 70 Torino Super Cobra Jet, 70 Mach 1 w/CJ, 66 fast back Mustang, 70 Boss 302 and 2 Pantera's thrown in for fun! I couldn't help but fall in love after being exposed to these cars....and rides in most of them.

In my teens I coveted an 80's LX or GT Mustang. But it wasn't until 94 before I actually owned my own performance car; an 89 Taurus SHO. Had to be practical, as I had a young family. Great car and miss it to this day. Finally in 2000 I was able to get into a Mustang....a 99 GT. From there I went on to owning a 99 35th Anniversary Vert, 03 Mach 1, 04 Cobra Vert, 12 Boss 302 and now a 98 Cobra Vert. And here I am thinking I'd like to own an 11 or 12 Shelby GT500. I feel like others that have chimed in....why can't I just stick to one!! LOL!