What was your "bedroom wall" car growing up?

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44) 02/11/2015 at 09:36 • Filed to: None

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The Lamborghini Countach poster is always touted as the official poster for car-loving children of the 1980s. But by the time I was born in 1991, the Countach was history, and it was all about the Diablo, or "Diabwo," as toddler-me pronounced it. But the car I wanted most as a kid wasn't a Lamborghini or any other form of automotive exotica. I wanted the car on my favourite black T-shirt.

The shirt in question depicted a red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air above a Route 66 sign with crossed checkered flags. All I knew about that red car was that it looked nothing like my mom's Mazda 626. It looked cool . Despite having the attention span of a gnat when it came to school subjects, I would go to the library and read books on classic cars for hours trying to learn more about that Chevrolet. My taste is cars seems to change every five years or so, but for a long time, when an uncle or aunt would ask me what my favourite car was, I'd answer "1957 Chevy" without a moment's hesitation.

But what about you? I think all of us can remember a "bedroom wall" car if they look back far enough. Maybe it was a Viper, or a Duesenberg or a Porsche 911. When you were a kid, what was the first car that made you step back and say, "Woah, I want that. I'm going to drive one when I grow up?"

I also published !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! so feel free to see what other people answered.

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505Turbeaux > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:37

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some good suggestions were made in here a while back http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/show-me-your-8…

but I had 3 featured on the wall, these and I still agree

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > 505Turbeaux 02/11/2015 at 09:40

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Way cool. It's so hard for me to choose between the cocaine white Countach and the 288. The 959 never really did it for me.

spanfucker retire bitch > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:41

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Something pretty close to this.

505Turbeaux > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:42

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it was always an oddball, and I didnt love it back then like I love it now. Out of those three I would probably rock the 959

yamahog > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:43

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I mostly had motocross stuff and had an exotic car calendar every year, but I cut out the Zonda to keep up on the wall year-round. It was a darker purple than this one but close enough.

ttyymmnn > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:45

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No single car. I had a subscription to Sports Illustrated in the late'70s-early '80s. I would cut out the two-page car ads very carefully and hang them on the wall. I must have had 15 or 20 up there at one time.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:47

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My exact wall poster:

Fed(oo=[][]=oo)uken > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:50

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Born in 1988, this was mine:

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/11/2015 at 09:51

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Huh. I always figured you would have had a Mercury Cougar poster of some sort.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:51

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I had multiple variations of these (my father was a hydraulics and avionics maintenance chief for the very famous VMFA-314 Black Knights squadron)

CalzoneGolem > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:52

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I was more of '55 fan myself but I wouldn't have turned away any tri-five merch.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:54

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I'm actually a HUGE Corvette fan. Always was.

I got into Mercury when I bought the Montego. I wasn't even looking for a Mercury specifically.

I was looking for a Red Ford Torino. My dad was a pro dragster when I was a kid and had a Torino drag car, it's what got me into cars. Found the Mercury version at a steal and the Mercury Mania struck.

Then I bought a Mercury Milan as my daily driver too.

I doubt I'll ever own a Vette unfortunately, I always need a back seat.

camaroboy68ss > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 09:55

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I always had posters of First Gen Camaros and Tri-Five Chevys on my walls, but the two posters I dragged with everywhere I moved was a 69 Z/28 RS Camaro and a 55 Chevy Bel Air

djmt1 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:01

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I thought the way the light covers slide back was cool.

Sn210 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:13

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The only posters I had were two Kimballstock ones that I got from book fairs at school. One was a red Lotus Elise and the other a yellow Plymouth Prowler

I also used to print off pictures if find online, cut them out, then tape them to my door. I literally had about 100 floppy disks full of car pics

Agrajag > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:14

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I never had one up on a wall, but I had a poster similar to this if not the same one kept with my stack of car magazines.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:15

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Older themanwithsauce wishes younger themanwithsauce had the lamborghini silhouette as bedroom wall porn.

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:15

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Before going to my first race.

And this thing claimig to be an Elise. I'm still not 100% sure what it is...

After going to my first race.

Nobi > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:24

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Not this exact picture, but for years I had Bigfoot 5 proudly on my wall.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/11/2015 at 10:32

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What year Torino did you lust after? '68-69 like a Talledega or the pointy '70-71 like a Cobra Jet? I'll have to dig up the Marti Report on the rag top in the garage.

CB > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:38

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A New Edge Ford Mustang in OPP livery. I've never been able to find a picture online of it, though.

And I pretty much always had a car calendar throughout my childhood.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 10:46

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Yeah I definitely had the Countach...

I also had a Prowler Poster (because it was actually cool at that time)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/11/2015 at 10:47

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1970 Fast Back.

He had a 351Cleveland in it with a C4 trans. It was completely gutted, only a roll cage and drivers seat inside.

But when I sat on the passenger side floor board and he started it up - it was game over for me - I was hooked for life.

The top picture is actually at my desk at work.

RX > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 11:03

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I was a corvette fanboy growing up.

T5Killer > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 11:18

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Lamborghini Countach born in 81 so I had a full '80s childhood. Granted my favorite poster as a kid was a '80s version of this one

ki-ki-ki-kia > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 11:37

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This exact poster

*prepared for hate*

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > ki-ki-ki-kia 02/11/2015 at 11:50

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It's all cool haha I also had a Hummer poster up for a while.

911e46z06 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 13:08

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'63 split-window. I've always had great taste.

RallyWrench > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 13:09

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This one, from Automobile Magazine with my last name as the license plate. Grandpa ordered it for me. I still have it.

Plus, of course, a Ferrari F40 in the rain on a poster from a special edition Road & Track magazine (still have that too, hanging on my garage wall) and the obligatory white Countach. The Countach later got swapped with a Diablo, but I never took down the 930 or F40 until I moved out.

911e46z06 > yamahog 02/11/2015 at 13:09

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I still have a Zonda on my wall.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 13:31

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For reference I'm now 30 years old.

Red Ferrari F40

Cocaine White Lamborghini Countach

Mustard & Ketchup Dodge Viper RT/10

ranwhenparked > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 02/11/2015 at 17:49

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I had a fake repro Chevrolet Sales/Service tin sign with a '57 on it and a poster with a '32 Ford hot rod, done up in '80s style hot rod cliches. My younger brother had the Countach though.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/11/2015 at 18:00

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That is awesome man. That particular vintage of Torino is way under appreciated.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/12/2015 at 09:33

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Indeed!

It let me to the even more under appreciated Montego though. Which is cool and I love showing up in something "Different".

My dad and I are both big on that, he's in his 50's and me in my late 20's, and we both like just being a bit different with our cars. I've got the 68 Montego MX and he has a 64 Dodge 330 Police Car (Fully restored to perfection including original lights, sirens, and police radios). Unfortunately he's all the way in SC and I'm in MI so the cars have not met haha.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/12/2015 at 22:06

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Very cool! I'm only 20, my old man is 53. I'm sure I've told you about his pair of '70 Convertibles, one being the CJ car and his '70 'Chero.

This is the Beast.

This is the CJ

And this is the ine he and i restored way back when. Plain jane notch back that he swapped a 429 into. And that beautiful green. I miss it dearly.

And dem Rally wheels.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 09:16

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OO I like those wheels on the 429, can you get me a straight on pic? (even off the car if you know where to find them) I'm sure they'd fit my car.

If you are going to leave that CJ in such a state - you give it to me right now!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/13/2015 at 13:57

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You'll have to talk to my old man about the CJ, but it is inching forward. We got a rotisserie a few weeks ago, a box of parts for the convertible top arrived shortly after. Its next year under the knife after the Chero and JPS are out of the garage.

This clipping out of an old brochure shows the rim its self chrome as well, but on the Green Car, we painted the wheel black, poliched the center caps and left the trim rings off.

Also. If you're ever in the Kingston area, stop by and turn some wrenches.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 13:59

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Kingston...where? Sounds like a garage I'd like to tour. I don't have the cash for a CJ no matter the state of repair, so no worries haha. I can barely afford to work on the Montego. Which is almost ok, because I want my son to work on it with me as he grows up (he's 2) and he won't be able to help much right now haha.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/13/2015 at 14:06

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Kingston Ontario. I'm about half way between Toronto and Ottawa.

Let your kid work on it for sure. That's how I got started. My dad wrenching on the Green Car and my jolly jumper nailed to the top of his work bench. Most people would have a fit if they saw that today. Especially if they saw me gumming a wrench. It was clean.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 14:17

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Hahahaha well most people would freak about putting a 4 year old on the floor board of a drag car and revving it up (no ear protection).

I also used the impact gun on his pickup's wheels when I was 4 or 5.

Definitely got ME hooked haha

Oh and I'm out in the Detroit area. If I find my way out in Canuckistan (probably out gathering whisky if I did cross the boarder) I'll let you know!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/13/2015 at 14:57

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Far out man.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 14:59

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Let me know if you cross over into Michigan ever, you can check out the Montego.

Which will feel like one of your dad's cars with a touch of weird lol

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/13/2015 at 15:34

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Haha, you can count on it. Weren't the '68-69 Torino's and Montegos a different chassis? Either way, would love to see it. Have you ever done an Oppo post on it?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 15:43

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I've done quite a few actually! http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/tag/montego-pr…

That should take you to all my posts about it. The Torino/Fairlane/Montego/Comet/Cyclone of 68 are all the same car with different body features.

And pretty much all the same under the hood. I actually go to car shows with a guy who has a 68 Torino GT, we park next to each other to freak people out:

He's left I'm right. His looks a lot bigger because he's got shackles in the back and upsized to 15" rims. He also has a 390 big block vs my 302 small block (I'm the one with the 4 barrel carb tho lol)

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/13/2015 at 15:58

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The engine choices were definitely different though. That i know for sure. And those posts will be this evenings light reading.

The front end on any of the Mercurys were always a bit more radical weren't they?IE, the 1970 Cyclone and its crazy beak.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 02/13/2015 at 16:05

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bleh once it got beaky I'm out. But yeah always a different front end.

Engines were identical and transmissions. The Montego had the mile long spec sheet of 250 I 6, 302, 351W, 390, 400, 429.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_M…

You could order the 302 in 2 barrel or 4, mine was originally a 2 barrel, now a 4 barrel. I needed to rebuild the 2 barrel that was on it and said well, if I have to rebuild one I may as well get a bigger one. So I got a $25 4 Barrel Holley of Craigslist and my dad actually rebuilt it for me (he's a master mechanic btw). I also got an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold to bolt on. those 2 upgrades created a biiiig change in power output.