Greetings, Citizens of Opponautistan!

"this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata" (fantastic-mr-foxbody)
11/16/2014 at 00:03 • Filed to: bioppositelock, introductions, bio, first post

This is my very first post. I guess I'll just do some introductory blathering? Feel free to not read this, I'll try to add purdy pitchas along the way.

Let's see. I'm 19, and I live in Seattle, Waarrrshington (YEEAH BRUH REPPIN THE #PNW).

Let's see, should I explain my username? My last name is Fox, so a Mustang reference seemed obvious. However, while I will always love a 5.0 under any hood, and I do quite like the not-trying-so-hard-to-look-"classic" aesthetic of the fox body generation, I'm not really a Mustang person.

Other than that, Miata is always the answer. So can I have a stripped notch-back 5.0 Miata? Please?

ANYWAY

I grew up on a godforsaken rock of an island, a ferry ride away from the city, the child of two religiously anti-materialist old hippies. This particular island did not have a single stop light, as the only "traffic" was an occasional bottleneck on the two lane "highway" when a ferry unloaded.

Because of this, I didn't really discover a passion for the automobile until I went to high school on the main land. Some city kid showed me a youtube video of Clarkson darksliding a Reliant Robin, which led to his first review of a Koenigsegg and I was hooked on Top Gear... it all just snowballed from there.

Rodney Mullen performing a darkslide. Because skateboardlopnik.

Jeremy Clarkson, performing a darkslide. Because robinlopnik.

I had always been interested in engineering, etc., just not cars in particular. So it was inevitable that by the time I had finished every TGUK episode I would be a full on petrolhead. I started reading long form car journalism, how-to's on forums, and wikipedia articles on automotive technology.

My senior project in high school was developing a concept car. I think I passed by getting so absorbed with talking about the minute details of my engineering ideas that the judges fell asleep. Good enough!

I bought my first car before I even had a license, a Datsun 210 wagon I found on CL for $400. It was brown, front engine, rear drive, and 5 speed manual in the middle (I had not started reading Jalopnik yet, so I had no idea what a jalop unicorn I was buying). It also didn't run, and was missing a title. I really just wanted something to wrench on and learn from, even though I had no tools and no one to guide me.

They say the potato adds 10 dents.

Long story short.... Well it's still sitting where the tow truck left it almost two years ago.

When I first started out I ended up making things worse, of course. But I've learned a ton from it, and collected a bunch of tools, and when I have some time I'd like to to a minor restoration and get it running reliably (yes, I know, famous last words).

I dream of going on some big adventure/road trip with it, sooner or later.

A guy can dream, right?

When I started working full time, I decided I needed a daily driver, as well as something to take me snowboarding in the winter. So I bought a '98 Legacy GT wagon (I have wagon fever, and it can't be cured) with a manual. I love the car in theory, but I'm pretty sure this particular example wants me dead. It's been, um, a learning experience? Yeah we'll go with that. The story of me versus the LGT will probably end up being a running series...

My Subaru, trying to kill me.

Someone else's Subaru, not trying to kill anyone.

SO. That brings us to now. I've been reading the Jalopnik FP for probably a year, and lurking/commenting on Oppo for at least 6 months. Today I was granted authorship by the benevolent hand of a certain Arch Duke.

So yeah, that's all I've got for now. I look forward to knowing people who might get as excited as I do about seeing an unremarkable old station wagon with fading red paint parked on a random street.

That's all I've got for now. TO THE iPOTATO!

DISCUSSION (20)

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 00:11

Kinja'd!!!

This thing is amazing

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
11/16/2014 at 00:14

RIGHT. And he's just using it as a daily, I mean look at all the junk in the back

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 00:17

This guy is now the Oppo god

stuttgartobsessed > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 00:39

Welcome! Seattle is super dope. Lived in Tacompton for the past 5.5 years, but now elsewhere. If you haven't been yet, you should totally go to Exotics @ RTC in Redmond (I don't think they do it in the winter though :/ ) because it's sooooooo cool. Like, Ferrari 250GTO cool. Also PNW Historics every summer as well as the PNW Concours D'Elegance at Le May in Tacoma. So Dope!

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > stuttgartobsessed
11/16/2014 at 01:00

I haven't been to exotics @ RTC yet, but a friend of mine who lives on the east side keeps trying to get me to go. Except he just talks about Sir Mixalot's Lambo, so I never gave it much thought.

Guess I should check it out haha

Sanettika > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 01:18

Welcome! I used to be a Seattleite. I still miss Ivar's fish, SO good. That's a beautiful Datsun, I would love to find an old 210 hatchback, in blue, like my parents used to have. I think that one was a 4-speed though, and it was blue.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 01:38

Welcome to Oppo!

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
11/16/2014 at 01:43

Thank'ee

Zibodiz > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 02:04

Kinja'd!!!

Welcome to Opposlavia! Oppostan? Oppoton. Oppville. I think I need sleep.

I miss Seattle — lived there many years ago. Now I live in Wyoming, where the only weather we never get is rain.

On another note, you park your car on a deck?

stuttgartobsessed > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata
11/16/2014 at 02:12

dude. do it. no regrets. I took my dirty, ragged, and rough Alfa every saturday for 2 months and loved it. met some great people. there are some douchebags but also a lot of cool people and cars

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > Zibodiz
11/16/2014 at 02:17

Thanks for the welcome!

And yeah, I live on a steepass hill because Seattle, and the only level off street parking is a somewhat sketchy deck thing behind my house. No garage for me.

This is especially fun if you're, say, rebuilding a carburetor and drop a part small enough to fit through the gap between two boards.

Or if it's raining. And it's always raining.