a state of mind...

I dont think ill ever get rid of my falcon. even though at most its only worth a few hundred dollars, and is a complete pile of dump, I love it. Ive spent more time putsing and redoing things ive allready screwed up on that car than anything. This years the first year ive been able to drive it since i was 14, and even though the rear end is allready out of it its going to be parked in the garage tilli find another one to put in it. I have way to many memories with that car to ever see it go.

I think if i had to i could get rid of my truck, but i have a pretty heavy attachment to that one too

theres a place called rubber road in good ole Adams-Friendship WI (let the in-breeder jokes fly) that my cousin used to take me to when I was like 11. he had an 87 t/a that my dad gave him for his 16th birthday and he would let me tag along a lot when him and his buddies would go do burnouts and listen to their "systems" for hours on end. i loved it and i loved that car (even though it was kind of a heap, it was one of those blue ones with the gold bird on the hood). my dad used to tell me stories of racing it up on the Menominee reservation for titles. he's won a lot of "better" cars and he always just sold them and kept the t/a. he fell out of car stuff and got huge into mud racing trucks which is right when he gave it to my cousin, who i happened to live with at the time. lots of good times.

i saved up and bought a v6 mustang when i turned 16. my uncle had bought a brand new 03 terminator and i have been in love with mustangs ever since i rode in it (i didn't quite understand that his mustang was the fastest production mustang ever built). in adams-friendship high school back in 2005 a v6 mustang with a 12inch sub was about as cool as you could get, so i was happy. sold it for senior summer beer money before going off to college still think about that car, lots of crazy/sexy/wild/pissed off/pissed up/memorable times

bought an rx8 right when i moved down to madison. LOVED that fucking car, which is why i will never hold anything against imports, still the funnest thing i have ever driven. got into some trouble with it, lost my job, dropped out of school temporarily, and ended up selling it.

calmed down A LOT (from those who know me I'm sure you could vouch). starting to get the itch once again to own a "cool" car. mostly after finding out about this site and the Madison car/racing scene which a couple of my friends became a part of. i had about 5k saved up and i was going to put it down to buy my uncles termi, but ended up deciding against payments (loving that decision the more I think of it). tossed a few cars back and forth and finally saw an opportunity and bought my t/a outright. always had a thing for them since my dad's and even though i never saw myself in an auto, i couldt pass on the opportunity to own one.

now i just cant wait to get the savings back up again and make this thing as beastly as my intentions call for. never actually modded a car before this t/a, and its been a riot to say the least. i want all my mod goals to be reached so quickly and i can almost guarantee once they do, there's going to be a slew of other goals lined up right after. i want to make this a show and go eventually, something I can hold on to it to bring to shows and eventually pass down. i know...cheesy. but i just remember how heartbroken i was when my cuz totaled my dad's t/a because i was next in line for it. it would be cool to hold on to this and eventually give it so someone else to have fun with.

wow that shit was long.

i might be a little too bored at work i see...

Damn guys, fantastic and wll thought out answers!

One thing I noticed in a lot of threads is , not only the cars, but a lot of us have memories tied to them. I mean with Andy and his Fox being in the family for so long. I can completely understand.

Like I said keep em coming!

Mike

My cars helped me kinda really get ass in high school. I drove a 68 Ford Torino and my senior year i had a 67 Dodge Charger 383 4 speed in which if your a Mopar guy you know that the seats fold down in the back.

Anyways, as some many know, i change cars like i do who bag skanks women so i don't get too emotional. But i must always still have at least one hot rod in my shed because it is a symbol of freedom for me. I'm more attached to that feeling then i am the actual car. But i do like my Cobra even though it is a Mustang. Whatever is next will just be faster......


Oh yeah, good topic and therapy Mikey.

I love that clip! BTW, good points Dwight.

mike

I need to add some more..if no one minds. I have had the car itch thing for a longtime and i dream about doin many thing to my car. I enjoy talking/meeting people guys or girls who have the same passion for speed and hp as i do. I really cant explain how i am gettin thru this problem..but there are times when all i have to do is look out my window(cuz i can see my car from it) and just close my eyes and hear the thump of the cam and the smell of race gas...I know everyone here knows what im talkin about in one way or another.

On a side note...i really enjoy these forums. It gives me a chance to meet new people which is something i love...thank you. I dont get out too much anymore and this helps.

^ That is a great point.....

You know guys, and gal (sorry Pontiac) part of the reason I put this post up was to get you all thinking about stuff in a positive light, to kind of show all of our individual passion for this, but also to point out how similar we are too. It also shows another nice thing about communities which is, you are not alone. We have power in numbers.

Now I don't want to get this all political, but I've been thinking about this in relationship to our site.

As I look towards the future, I'm worried about our hobby. The progressively green movement which for right or wrong is here and it will impact on us, if not now someday. Performance cars by no means are symbols of this movement. There may be a time very soon where we will need to band together to voice our opinion against legislation or get the word out to others about anti-car laws. Similar to what SEMA political wing does as a group.

The other point I was thinking about is we here live in tough times. Janesville, Beloit, small town Wisconsin, and even Madison know that economically things are tough. When I was growing up I was raised to believe that when times get tough, its even more important to band together and pool resources.

This could be as simple as if your Janesville guy and you see a part a Madison guy could really use, drop him a line, or as big as if your a Madison and you hear about a job opening that one of our Janesville folks who is unemployed could use let em know. We all can use a hand from time to time and that is an important part of a community. They drilled that into my thick skull for 6 years on campus and by god I guess it stuck! LOL!

I'm trying my best not to come off preachy which I think I'm failing at miserably, lol! Yet, my point is this, as the community grows we can define it anyway we want it, and it would be nice if it could benefit people besides the smack talk and racing.


Again, its my two wooden nickels
Mike

I've never owned any one car long enough to get truly attached to it. I'm 31 and have owned MANY. I do however love driving and modding a variety of models and platforms to see what they're capable of. I don't feel right if I don't have something in the garage to work on... but any car that has some style or attitude can fit the bill.

That said, even after owning cars like a Datsun 280zx turbo, Mazda RX7, Nissan Pulsar (overgrown gokart), Ford Probes(2.5L GT's), Neon ACR, '85 Cutlass, Lincoln Mark VIII (4v 4.6), etc, etc... I still find myself favoring the Mustang. Any year, any model. They may be common but they are ridiculously cheap and easy to mod and you can do anything with them from autocross, to road race, to cruise/show, and of course... run the 1320. In addition there is a certain mystique about these cars. People love them or they hate them... but everyone seems to know them.

Every vehicle I've owned has some type of attachment. I truly believe in "automotive karma" and some people have it and others don't.

My '60 was my graduation present. I got out of high school and most my friends got cars that ran. I got a rusted up (still is rusted) Chevy truck to fix up. One winter and it was on the road. I had been pining for a "toy" for a long time. High school was hand-me-down and beat the hell out of cars. The Dragon wagon and Gutlass Cutlass. Both of which bring back fond memories. Everyone knew I was a car guy, in grade school they did a project as we all left 8th grade. "What will you be when you grow up". Every classmate I had stated for me that I would be racing cars, fixing cars, or destroying cars....

It mostly comes from my Dad, Hot Wheels, AFX tracks, taking me to races, letting me come down to the old shop and pile wood for him and hang out...

Like I said at the start, every car I have has a emotional attachment of some kind. The 60 because it was my first true ride that was all my own to do as I want. 18 years I've had that truck now. Half my life I've owned one vehicle....The Camaro was bought on a drunken whim and has been a source of absolute joy and aggravation since it was put on the road but I'd have it no other way. I'd hate to ever sell it, I would.....but I know I'd hate myself if I did which is why I priced it so stupid high because in the back of my head I knew it wouldn't sell and if it did, at that price. Well, then some money could go to finding a rolling chassis to start over again and the rest to the other things in life.

The BMW fetish I have is weird. Many of my friends don't understand it since I am a redneck. I am a domestic V8 guy and they look and wonder "what the fuck is he doing going to Road Racing events, AutoX, Vintage festivals and stuff. I guess its because after doing drag racing in high school (built a few G-body's that raced at Byron, one is still around and driven. Nice 12 second car) then going to Oregon and helping a guy with his circle track late model cars, then helping another friend build his Honda's for road racing I found that the road racing culture, people, and events fit me perfect.

I still love all the other forms of racing, just Road Racing best. So the Bimmer fetish is because of Road racing. The first one I got was cheap (free) and the second parts car a steal.

I had a blast taking that beat to shit 320i to AutoX events and putting new cars in their place. Now I fumble into getting this 2002 because the previous owner gave me a fistful of hundreds and his car for my 325i that I had. I will slowly (years/decade) build a true Improved Touring/Production jizz rocket. I'll never leave the car show and muscle cars behind though. Why? I've got ADD like a crazy man...

So as Mikey talks that our hobby is a reflection of us my having so many vastly different loves in the auto hobby is directly linked to a doctor when I was a kid saying I have ADD. Personally I don't believe in all of the ADD stuff. My Dad just told me I was a active kid, and never have I or will I take meds for it. But I do usually have a bunch of different irons in the fire so to speak. I get easily distracted (oh piece of candy) and it does make sense that the only thing that slows me down and calms me down is having a few Beers at the end of the day (few meaning to many sometimes) and I'd likely get more projects done and make more money if I decided to work until 8 every night instead of stopping at 5ish and having a beer and assessing the carnage of my day.

phew....any of that make sense?

Perfectly, buddy! It makes perfect sense.


mike

truer words could not have been typed mikey & willie. you and i are alot alike willie its wierd. and mikey being a business owner & doing things the way i do have required me to take alot of things more seriously in my life as the years pass. unfortunately alot of people dont like my tact. but hey, theres not one guy out there that has known me for any length of time that will say im lazy, wouldnt jump out of bed at 3a.m. for a friend in need or dont get shit done. i really appreciate this site bringing some of us together. some i could do without but with time they and i will come around, im not going away anytime soon.

hugs to everyone! and cheers to those that are worth a shit.

Mikey...as for you being worried for our hobby...i think it will never die. As long as there are diehard guys like us all ove the planet. There will be a love for cars and speed and hp. It will evolve and change a bit im sure.

I was thinkin the real way to get noticed and be taken seriously is do events for charity or special groups and to have fund raisers. Do "make a wish" foundation. I think thats one way to keep the hobby alive and see that younger generations get their eyes open to something new and some will find interest in it some wont. We dont need to be a "club" but more like a organization, a group, with a purpose. To not just educate each other but educate people who think that we are just a bunch of degenerate gas sniffing, tire burning retards that have no concern for the safety of others for our on personal enjoyment, but to show them we truly care and show them we do by contributing to our community Dane/Rock and area counties as well...We can even get the police involved. Like in beloit every year, Crime stoppers puts on that burnout pit and charges 5 bucks a car then all the money goes to them or a good charity....Just my thoughts.