Car Hobby

[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.





And after the transition to G/Gas.

[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!