Can a mechanical object have a 'personality'? Is the sum of all that metal, fiberglass and misc. materials combine to produce something that defies classification? And finally, is there an ideal melding or interface with yourself that can happen when you find that mechanical object?

Just curious as to how this works, because while I owned a Harley, stopped at many a Harley dealership, just to peruse or buy some overpriced, but cool stuff and sometimes sit on the bikes to get a 'feel' for them. One day, I sat on a used HD Road King and it felt exactly like it belonged to me. That same sensation when I was in the military and leaving the chowhall, you get when you put on your own cap or hat, versus somebody elses. You know instantly when you've got the wrong hat. Yet you put somebody elses on in a one-in-a-thousand event, it feels exactly like it belongs to you.

That bike and I could've rolled out the door, stopped at a mexican restaraunt, had a couple o' margies and we would've happily be splitting lanes on the 101 freeway heading north. No odd sensation, no getting 'used to it', it's yours and felt like it always has been. Passed on the bike and regretted it, but now I have the 74'.

I used the same 'feel', tied with a common sense factor to seek out what I eventually found, my Stingray. Thousands of CL ads flashed by for months and then, there it was. A month and a half passed and it was STILL there. Parked under a car port, yet it had a certain 'stance' to it. A certain 'vibe' to it. It spoke to me from the CL ad: "I am a rude, fun little machine, defiant even". From the CL Ad:



Yep, I'm a little faded on the top, a little grey here and there, but the heart can be beating strong and you'll have a blast, I guarantee it".



While looking for C3's, I drove a 73' that looked far better, with a four speed, but I listened to it and it didn't sound happy. "I'm an old, tired car". It was stored outside and leaves clogged the windshield, it was unloved and complained with good reason. I've seen other C3's that looked 'soft', especially if they had the rear end sagging.

My instincts were right on this one, because it feels like 'my' car. We get along great! The 'Brown One' ran like crap when we got it. The L48 spit and backfired, the engine shook and you could hear the mixture firing off in the exhaust manifold. The day after I got it, my shop partner and a former drag boat buddy friend of mine, who's an expert on small blocks got on it and sorted it all out. The timing was way off, the carb was reassembled sloppily and worse, the valve train had been way overtightened. They corrected all this, replaced nothing and suddenly, the L48 ran and purred like a happy kitty. It will start instantly, even after sitting for four or five days, and without even touching the gas!

I got in it, put it in first and rolled it out of the shop. The car and I were both happy. I romped through the gears and got a cheer from the drivetrain. "That's it, buddy boy, now we're having a good time". The 'Vette was eager to pull hard through the gears, after it had sat for years. And though the 'bubba' aspect of the interior is driving me crazy and costing me a ton of nickel and dime stuff, that dark brown 'Vette is always ready to pay me back in spades.

What's your Corvette's personality?

 

Sounds like it has more than a personality, it has a soul

 

The previous owner of mine installed a frame from a rollover, after some of the things that happened in building it, as well as huffing fumes from alot of spilled gas, I came to the conclusion somebody died in that rollover and is now haunting this thing.

But as you are saying, the first time I sat in it it just felt right. This one just called to me (which I now know was the ghost)

 

Mine is like a good wife.

I make the money she spends it .


Bill

 

i bought the old, tired car that was stored outside with leaves clogging the windshield and was unloved.i saw that the owner prior to this one really loved this car and made many mechanical and interior upgrades.the guy i bought it from gave me many new parts in their original boxes that he never found time to install.still i saw through what she looked like, and knew she was for me the first time i sat in her.a personality,perhaps not,but some kind of spirit for sure.

 

It was kind of spooky, really. We heard about this car, so we went out to look at it. JUST look.
Mind you, we`ve been building cars for over 30 years.... some of Detroit`s BEST muscle bound steel. But never a real sports car, let alone the ultimate sports car.
So we were apprehensive to say the least. All the way there, we discussed the multitude of reasons it wouldn`t work, or why we shouldn`t even be thinking about it.
But from the moment we walked into the seller`s garage, there was magic. We both felt it. We both knew. It`s as if this.... this.... MACHINE... was calling to us. We could hear it asking to be rescued.
We tried to play it cool. We got away from there without showing our excitement. Told the seller we`d be back in 3 weeks to talk some more.
But we blew it when we called him 2 hours later, and said we`d be out to get it tomorrow.
We`re still working on it now, so as for it`s personality so far, it`s like an orphan who`s just found a new home, and realizes this is for real, and it is loved. It promises to be a BLAST for us when we retire, and she says she`ll give us a thrill a minute when we get her up into the mountains!

And BTW...... I just picked up a gallon of Steel Cities Gray today.... she`s about to get her party clothes on!

 

Like an old Aunt: prim and proper go to meeting. But she may have more HP left than 195.

 

Mine being an Lt-1 Zr-1 vert I thought about a few names but being an NFL dedicated follower I named him LT. He reminds of of Lawrence Taylor and Ladanian Tomlinson in that he's now past his prime, had a great career and shows the scars of his racing heritage, burps, farts, sags a little here and there, needs some parts replacement but still not ready to back down from a competitive pickup game aka a cruise.

 

When I saw the CL ad for mine (after looking for months online and locally), I thought, "Damn, that looks just like one of the Hot Wheels cars I played with when I was 9 years old!" It was love at first sight. Six months later, despite the creaks/groans and never-ending list of "to-do"s, I still feel like I've shrunk myself down to fit my favorite toy racecar every time I fire her up.