Howdy All from Cedar Falls, Iowa
08-06-2014, 05:16 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Howdy All from Cedar Falls, Iowa
I was born a poor black child...
Oops, wrong story. Let me start again...
I was born in '68, my given name is James, and the world will never be the same. Just thank God I'm not twins.
Anyway, I guess the "car thing" started back around 1970. I was 2 years old and would NOT go ANYWHERE without an old, white Hot Wheels or Matchbox Ambulance and I was so little I couldn't pronounce it so I called it my "I.M." I had to have my "I.M." wherever I went or I was NOT happy. My Mom and I have no clue whatever happened to it, so if anyone has one from the years between '68 and '70 let me know.
I always liked cars. Muscle cars, sports cars, old cars, new cars, etc. as long as they weren't foreign POS's. I thought the Corvette Stingray was an incredible car. My favorite body style was the C3 Stingray. Then of course "Smokey and the Bandit" got me turned onto the Trans Am. I never cared much for Camaro's after '69. I always thought Post '69's(except for the split bumper) were ugly and the poor man's Trans Am. 1980 through '02 didn't do much to change my mind either. I try to forget those years happened to the Camaro.
In high school, I fell in love with the '85-'86 Monte Carlo SS(Dale Earnhardt drove one, still my dream car, and I'll own one some day). My buddy's Dad bought him a new black Monte Calro SS and new Grand National GNX for graduation. STILL jealous nearly 30 years later.
My first car was a "beater"/hand-me-down from my grandparents, a '74 Datsun B210 Hatchback. Bright orange and no A/C. My uncle rivited 2 uncut sheets of Mountain Dew bottle caps to the rusted out floorboards just to keep me and my girlfriend from pulling a "Flintstones". Kids at school laughed, but at least I wasn't riding the bus or walking in sub-zero temperatures.
After graduation, I wanted a Trans Am, Monte Carlo SS, or Mustang GT, but settled on a used, red '78 Chevy Monza Hatchback with a 4 cylinder. I had champaign tastes with a beer pocketbook.
Soon after I joined the United States Air Force, got married, and decided being stationed in Texas with a red car with no A/C and a baby was not a good thing. I wanted the new '89 Chevy Cavalier Z24, but was over ruled by my now-ex and went with a new, white Sunbird LE two-door.
Fast forward eight years and with the Sunbird still looking like new, I traded it in on a new '97 white Sunfire GT. Three years and a divorce later, 2 deer and a ditch killed that car. I was dating my current wife(Nanci) at the time and she found me a '00 white Sunfire GT to replace it with.
Two years and a wedding later, I traded the Sunfire GT in on a new '02 white Monte Carlo SS. I finally had my dream car. Sort of.
Two years and a major brain fart later, I traded my Monte in on a new, white '05 Colorado 4x4 Z71 Crew Cab.
After nine months of me walking around like someone shot my puppy, Nanci told me if I missed my Monte so much I should just go get another one. I was out the door like a bullet. That night I drove home a new, white '06 Monte Carlo SS with the new 5.3L, 303 HP V-8. WOOHOO!!!
Again, two years and another humongous brain fart later, I traded in the Monte on a new, yellow '08 Cobalt Sport because gas was precited to go to $5.00+/gallon. A month after I got it, some woman back into it. God was telling me something. In January of '09 traded it in on a new, silver '08 Colorado 4x4 Z71 Crew Cab and to heck with gas prices.
In March of '09, the new Camaro was released. Nanci and I went to Rydell's for their special Open House Celebration to see the new Camaro in person because I thought the Camaro Concept was ugly. To me it looked like a Ford Mustang had "put it to" a Dodge Charger and the Camaro was their unholy offspring.
Boy was I WRONG!!! Definitely looked better in person. I told Nanci I'd love to have one, but would just get a V-6 since they had 304 HP. She told me just to get the SS like I wanted. THEN she saw the sticker price on both and said, "No, but if you can find another Monte you can get it."
I found a used white '07 Monte Carlo SS in Painted Post, NY in September that fall. On September 11th, my buddy and I hopped into the Colorado, drove to NY, and bought the car. It was exactly like my '06 Monte except it had gray leather interior instead of ebony and had silver rally stripes. Nanci hated it from the moment she saw me pull into the driveway with it.
Fast forward 10 months later to July '10, we were on our way home from Vinton when she suggested going by Rydell to "drive one of them new Camaro's". They had a dark gray, fully loaded '10 2SS sitting on the lot. I let her in on the passenger side and by the time I walked around the car and got in, she smiled and said, "You should have got this in the first place." I said, "I told you!" We drove it around the block, came in and ordered "Domino", my white and fully loaded '11 2SS w/ ground effects. Sixty days later the Colorado and Monte went "bye-bye" and "Domino" came home.
January of '11, we traded in my work car('99 Buick Century) for a new, Crystal Red Metallic '11 Cruze LT/RS. Two months later she asked me what I'd like for my birthday, I told her another Camaro. "Why do you need 2 Camaro's?", she asked. My reply, "So I can drive one every day and all year instead of just on the weekends and summer." She said OK but only if I could find one at a good price.
A week later I drove home in a used, Victory Red '10 LT/RS that the dealership had traded me "even-up" for my Cruze. She wasn't too happy. She hated the car from the beginning. The passenger seat sat too low.
Fast forward to June, I traded it in on a new, white '11 Cruze LT/RS. The color I wanted on addition the first Cruze, but settled on crystal red metallic since it was the only one in the region with foglights.
Fast forward to December, she asked what I wanted for Christmas. I told her I wanted my Camaro back. "You're kidding right? You ust got rid of the red one," she said. I corrected her and said, "You told me to get rid of it because you didn't like the passenger seat." She gave the green light.
On February 02 of '12, I drove "Trigger Happy" home, a '12 Camaro 2LS.
Fast forward to March and GM released the new ZL1. I showed her how cool it was and she told me if I wanted one I'd have to get rid of both Camaro's for it. It took me over a year to wrap my head around the idea of giving up two-for-one.
I did in June of '13, we brought home "Delilah", a new white '13 ZL1 and the "Hedgehog", a new, white '13 Sonic LT Hatchback to drive to work.
In October of '13, we were headed to Des Moines and stopped by Karl Chevrolet to look at used Camaro's and just browse the lot. They had an a red C7 and a laguna blue C7 sitting out front. We got out and looked at them. A salesman came out and said, "we have an Arctic White one in service getting all weather tires on it."
WOW!!! What a car!!! Even up on the rack without wheels, it was GORGEOUS!!!
We went back outside and sat in the red one. It was a 2LT with a clear roof. We both looked at each other and agreed we traded in "Domino" 5 months too early.
On November 02 of '14 we ordered our summit white C7 and traded in "Delilah". Now for the long wait. It wasn't too bad since you really can't drive a Corvette in Iowa during the winter.
After the harsh winter, the Sonic got traded in on a '13 Malibu 2LT. The Sonic is a great car, but for just 3 seasons. It sucks on snow and ice.
Well, "Ursula", our Z51 Stingray, was born April 16. She showed up on April 28, but didn't get to come home until that Friday(May 02) because of rain all week.
I always thought the Corvette was out of reach for a poor, working stiff like me. Thank God for the ability and capacity to work hard and work long hours because I finally achieved what I thought was impossible... owning a Corvette.
Below is a collage of the cars I have owned since my junior year in high school. The muscle cars and sports cars were for fun. The rest were for daily driving duties. Enjoy!!!...
Row 1: '74 Datsun B210 Hatchback, '78 Chevy Monza Hatchback, '89 Sunbird LE, '97 Sunfire GT, '00 Sunfire GT
Row 2: '02 Monte Carlo SS, '05 Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab, '06 Monte Carlo SS, '91 Sunbird LE, '05 Malibu Maxx
Row 3: '08 Cobalt Sport, '08 Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab, '07 Monte Carlo SS, '11 Camaro 2SS/RS, '99 Buick Century Custom
Row 4: '11 Cruze 2LT/RS, '10 Camaro LT/RS, '11 Cruze 2LT/RS, '12 Camaro 2LS, '13 Sonic 2LT Hatchback
Row 5: '13 Camaro ZL1, '13 Malibu 2LT, '14 Z51 Stingray
Oops, wrong story. Let me start again...
I was born in '68, my given name is James, and the world will never be the same. Just thank God I'm not twins.
Anyway, I guess the "car thing" started back around 1970. I was 2 years old and would NOT go ANYWHERE without an old, white Hot Wheels or Matchbox Ambulance and I was so little I couldn't pronounce it so I called it my "I.M." I had to have my "I.M." wherever I went or I was NOT happy. My Mom and I have no clue whatever happened to it, so if anyone has one from the years between '68 and '70 let me know.
I always liked cars. Muscle cars, sports cars, old cars, new cars, etc. as long as they weren't foreign POS's. I thought the Corvette Stingray was an incredible car. My favorite body style was the C3 Stingray. Then of course "Smokey and the Bandit" got me turned onto the Trans Am. I never cared much for Camaro's after '69. I always thought Post '69's(except for the split bumper) were ugly and the poor man's Trans Am. 1980 through '02 didn't do much to change my mind either. I try to forget those years happened to the Camaro.
In high school, I fell in love with the '85-'86 Monte Carlo SS(Dale Earnhardt drove one, still my dream car, and I'll own one some day). My buddy's Dad bought him a new black Monte Calro SS and new Grand National GNX for graduation. STILL jealous nearly 30 years later.
My first car was a "beater"/hand-me-down from my grandparents, a '74 Datsun B210 Hatchback. Bright orange and no A/C. My uncle rivited 2 uncut sheets of Mountain Dew bottle caps to the rusted out floorboards just to keep me and my girlfriend from pulling a "Flintstones". Kids at school laughed, but at least I wasn't riding the bus or walking in sub-zero temperatures.
After graduation, I wanted a Trans Am, Monte Carlo SS, or Mustang GT, but settled on a used, red '78 Chevy Monza Hatchback with a 4 cylinder. I had champaign tastes with a beer pocketbook.
Soon after I joined the United States Air Force, got married, and decided being stationed in Texas with a red car with no A/C and a baby was not a good thing. I wanted the new '89 Chevy Cavalier Z24, but was over ruled by my now-ex and went with a new, white Sunbird LE two-door.
Fast forward eight years and with the Sunbird still looking like new, I traded it in on a new '97 white Sunfire GT. Three years and a divorce later, 2 deer and a ditch killed that car. I was dating my current wife(Nanci) at the time and she found me a '00 white Sunfire GT to replace it with.
Two years and a wedding later, I traded the Sunfire GT in on a new '02 white Monte Carlo SS. I finally had my dream car. Sort of.
Two years and a major brain fart later, I traded my Monte in on a new, white '05 Colorado 4x4 Z71 Crew Cab.
After nine months of me walking around like someone shot my puppy, Nanci told me if I missed my Monte so much I should just go get another one. I was out the door like a bullet. That night I drove home a new, white '06 Monte Carlo SS with the new 5.3L, 303 HP V-8. WOOHOO!!!
Again, two years and another humongous brain fart later, I traded in the Monte on a new, yellow '08 Cobalt Sport because gas was precited to go to $5.00+/gallon. A month after I got it, some woman back into it. God was telling me something. In January of '09 traded it in on a new, silver '08 Colorado 4x4 Z71 Crew Cab and to heck with gas prices.
In March of '09, the new Camaro was released. Nanci and I went to Rydell's for their special Open House Celebration to see the new Camaro in person because I thought the Camaro Concept was ugly. To me it looked like a Ford Mustang had "put it to" a Dodge Charger and the Camaro was their unholy offspring.
Boy was I WRONG!!! Definitely looked better in person. I told Nanci I'd love to have one, but would just get a V-6 since they had 304 HP. She told me just to get the SS like I wanted. THEN she saw the sticker price on both and said, "No, but if you can find another Monte you can get it."
I found a used white '07 Monte Carlo SS in Painted Post, NY in September that fall. On September 11th, my buddy and I hopped into the Colorado, drove to NY, and bought the car. It was exactly like my '06 Monte except it had gray leather interior instead of ebony and had silver rally stripes. Nanci hated it from the moment she saw me pull into the driveway with it.
Fast forward 10 months later to July '10, we were on our way home from Vinton when she suggested going by Rydell to "drive one of them new Camaro's". They had a dark gray, fully loaded '10 2SS sitting on the lot. I let her in on the passenger side and by the time I walked around the car and got in, she smiled and said, "You should have got this in the first place." I said, "I told you!" We drove it around the block, came in and ordered "Domino", my white and fully loaded '11 2SS w/ ground effects. Sixty days later the Colorado and Monte went "bye-bye" and "Domino" came home.
January of '11, we traded in my work car('99 Buick Century) for a new, Crystal Red Metallic '11 Cruze LT/RS. Two months later she asked me what I'd like for my birthday, I told her another Camaro. "Why do you need 2 Camaro's?", she asked. My reply, "So I can drive one every day and all year instead of just on the weekends and summer." She said OK but only if I could find one at a good price.
A week later I drove home in a used, Victory Red '10 LT/RS that the dealership had traded me "even-up" for my Cruze. She wasn't too happy. She hated the car from the beginning. The passenger seat sat too low.
Fast forward to June, I traded it in on a new, white '11 Cruze LT/RS. The color I wanted on addition the first Cruze, but settled on crystal red metallic since it was the only one in the region with foglights.
Fast forward to December, she asked what I wanted for Christmas. I told her I wanted my Camaro back. "You're kidding right? You ust got rid of the red one," she said. I corrected her and said, "You told me to get rid of it because you didn't like the passenger seat." She gave the green light.
On February 02 of '12, I drove "Trigger Happy" home, a '12 Camaro 2LS.
Fast forward to March and GM released the new ZL1. I showed her how cool it was and she told me if I wanted one I'd have to get rid of both Camaro's for it. It took me over a year to wrap my head around the idea of giving up two-for-one.
I did in June of '13, we brought home "Delilah", a new white '13 ZL1 and the "Hedgehog", a new, white '13 Sonic LT Hatchback to drive to work.
In October of '13, we were headed to Des Moines and stopped by Karl Chevrolet to look at used Camaro's and just browse the lot. They had an a red C7 and a laguna blue C7 sitting out front. We got out and looked at them. A salesman came out and said, "we have an Arctic White one in service getting all weather tires on it."
WOW!!! What a car!!! Even up on the rack without wheels, it was GORGEOUS!!!
We went back outside and sat in the red one. It was a 2LT with a clear roof. We both looked at each other and agreed we traded in "Domino" 5 months too early.
On November 02 of '14 we ordered our summit white C7 and traded in "Delilah". Now for the long wait. It wasn't too bad since you really can't drive a Corvette in Iowa during the winter.
After the harsh winter, the Sonic got traded in on a '13 Malibu 2LT. The Sonic is a great car, but for just 3 seasons. It sucks on snow and ice.
Well, "Ursula", our Z51 Stingray, was born April 16. She showed up on April 28, but didn't get to come home until that Friday(May 02) because of rain all week.
I always thought the Corvette was out of reach for a poor, working stiff like me. Thank God for the ability and capacity to work hard and work long hours because I finally achieved what I thought was impossible... owning a Corvette.
Below is a collage of the cars I have owned since my junior year in high school. The muscle cars and sports cars were for fun. The rest were for daily driving duties. Enjoy!!!...
Row 1: '74 Datsun B210 Hatchback, '78 Chevy Monza Hatchback, '89 Sunbird LE, '97 Sunfire GT, '00 Sunfire GT
Row 2: '02 Monte Carlo SS, '05 Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab, '06 Monte Carlo SS, '91 Sunbird LE, '05 Malibu Maxx
Row 3: '08 Cobalt Sport, '08 Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab, '07 Monte Carlo SS, '11 Camaro 2SS/RS, '99 Buick Century Custom
Row 4: '11 Cruze 2LT/RS, '10 Camaro LT/RS, '11 Cruze 2LT/RS, '12 Camaro 2LS, '13 Sonic 2LT Hatchback
Row 5: '13 Camaro ZL1, '13 Malibu 2LT, '14 Z51 Stingray
Last edited by INTIMIDAT3R; 01-07-2023 at 11:00 PM.
08-07-2014, 08:53 AM
#7
Burning Brakes
Nice story. Welcome from a former Iowan, current Minnesotan.
Have you ever thought of doing car reviews? You certainly have owned your share over the years!
1 last thing...Thank you for your service.
Have you ever thought of doing car reviews? You certainly have owned your share over the years!
1 last thing...Thank you for your service.
