"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
12/29/2016 at 19:33 • Filed to: Firebird, Story time
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"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
12/29/2016 at 19:33 • Filed to: Firebird, Story time | 6
| 7 |
Back in the mid 90s, Dad wanted a project. He found a 1973 Firebird Esprit for sale. It didn’t run and all 4 tires were flat. He bought it for $500. When he went to bring it home, the neighbor was so happy to see it gone, he offered to let them use his air compressor to put air in the tires. They were going to push it on the trailer, but decided to put a battery and gas in it, and it fired right up. So he drove it on.
Two blocks from home, Dad says “Hey, pull over. Maybe if I drive up in it, my wife (aka my wonderful mother) may not be so mad. So he did. I doubt Mom’s mind changed much.
It had a worn out 350 (Pontiac, not Chevy) when he got it. He traded his S10, which had an electrical fire, for rebuilding the 400 he picked up for it. He also painted it primer gray and fiberglassed the floor pan and trunk floor back together (Hey! It’s what he had to work with!). It still had an open rear end, and TH350.
He once left a shop and heard noises. They were the lug nuts falling off. Yeah, he ripped those guys a new one.
The interior had gauges added to the wood panel on the right and a B&M Quicksilver shifter added to it.
While we would both agree street racing is very dumb, he once raced a Monte SS in it. The Monte driver had his girlfriend with him. Dad won. Looking back, he saw the girl look at her boyfriend as if to say “You let that piece of shit beat you?!”
Since I came along and money got tight, he had to sell it. We were at a car show in October and Dad was telling someone about it and the guy said he remembered a yellow one sitting in someone’s yard back in the 90s. Guess who ended up buying that car?
We both often wonder where it went. Naturally, Dad never wrote the VIN down.
I know this is disjointed. I’m just typing as I remember things.
My bird IS the word
> 19JRC99
12/29/2016 at 20:57 |
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if only you could get one of these nowadays for 500$... I would be a very happy boy.
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19JRC99
> My bird IS the word
12/29/2016 at 21:38 |
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I know. Pisses me off that deals like that just don’t exist now.
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My bird IS the word
> 19JRC99
12/30/2016 at 12:36 |
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they do... just on 80s cars
If I was set up I would be buying 80s trans ams and 300zx’s. They don’t have the same feel to them though. Why teens want 240s, miatas and foxbodies when those cars exist is beyond me.
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19JRC99
> My bird IS the word
12/30/2016 at 15:18 |
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Because Foxbodies are amazing. Also, where I live, $500 gets you nothing but scrap.
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My bird IS the word
> 19JRC99
12/31/2016 at 00:53 |
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even with LeMons, 500$ doesn’t buy anything anymore. inflation I guess. My friend did buy a running 300zx for 800$... he crashed it haha.
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19JRC99
> My bird IS the word
12/31/2016 at 02:19 |
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The worst part is when, as I do, you live in the heart of the rust belt.
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My bird IS the word
> 19JRC99
12/31/2016 at 14:17 |
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the rust here in PA isn’t great, but at least most 80s sports cars have held up well enough. 70s and older..... no chance in hell.