My New Car is Home and My Old Car Became an Organ Donor

"citizennick" (citizennick) 01/29/2016 at 15:35 • Filed to: None

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As many of you Oppos know, I’ve been patient/impatiently waiting for my 2016 Camaro 2SS to arrive ever since I placed my original order back in September (eventually changed my order in October. Because that red leather tho). This Tuesday !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (who I met through the local ST Facebook group) that it had arrived.

Up until it had arrive I had been procrastinating about taking all the parts off the ST. I would like to use the “I’ve been very busy” phrase as an excuse, which I have been, but it was mostly because I remembered how difficult it was to put all that stuff on without a lift. So I got a hold of my Ford Tech buddy (who I also met through the local ST Facebook group) and made a deal with him. Help me put all the stock parts on and I’ll let you have the aftermarket brakes for your stock ones. More like, “do it and I’ll watch and hand you tools.”

So on Wednesday I drove to Omaha and met up with Troy at his shop. The guy is awesome, replaced everything at speeds I am not capable of. We got finished around 11pm that night at which point I started my journey to Des Moines in my now stock ST.

That 2 hour drive was probably the best drive I ever had in the ST. Even though it wasn’t the car it used to be it flooded me with memories I had when I first got it. A very bittersweet moment with a car I loved. I arrived in Des Moines around 1am and quickly hit up a Denny’s as the only thing I had consumed all day were Red Bulls and a bag of chips. About 2am I started to look for a hotel.

Thats when I found out the Iowa Caucus was going on...

After 4 different visits to hotels I finally found one that had vacancy at 3am. At this point I didn’t care much about the room, just wanted a bed. The hotel room had no TV and one of the beds was at least one foot shorter off the ground from the other. I thought it best not to inspect the room much further and went to sleep.

That morning I hopped in the ST and looked for a car wash. Knowing it was the last time I would drive it I splurged for the more expensive one with the fancy rainbow colored foam.

I then made the 1 mile drive to the dealership (Des Moines is a lot smaller than I thought) and met Jerod (you know, the guy I know through the ST group and is a Chevrolet dealer. Fun fact: He’s got an RS on order).

He then took me to the back where special cars are put and showed me it: The most beautiful reminder that its ok to be single. I don’t need Tinder, I just need a V8 to make me happy.

I won’t go into the boring negotiations. When I got on the road and started making my 4.5 hour journey home my phone started blowing up. I was being tagged in multiple Facebook posts from guys who had installed my old parts onto their ST. It’s as if my car was living on in everyone else’s. I won’t lie, I got sentimental about it.

I was grinning ear to ear that whole journey home. This is why we love cars, why non-car people will never understand us. You could have the shittiest week ever but still hop in your car and become the happiest man alive.

TLDR; I love my new car and appreciate my old one. I hope it brings joy to the next owner as it did for me.

64Mali > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 15:49

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The car community is great for hand me down aftermarket parts. After my 1st 6 got totaled its parts got spread out to other members. When I sold my 2nd one (after I killed the motor) some of its parts went to local members and the car itself got bought by a friend in the club (so I still have to work on it). I hope you enjoy the Camaro it looks pretty darn nice.

Needs a little more Low though.

citizennick > 64Mali 01/29/2016 at 15:51

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Agreed. I’ll wait and see what kind of springs get developed for the MRC shocks. I have no desire to do major suspension work this time around.

yamahog > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:08

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Congrats, the new SS looks great in black!

citizennick > yamahog 01/29/2016 at 16:10

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Thanks! The dealer had a yellow 2015 1LE that was tempting ;) I want those brakes and wheels!

yamahog > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:13

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They’re a pain in the ass to keep clean though :) and the tire options for 20" aren’t too great.

citizennick > yamahog 01/29/2016 at 16:17

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I need to look into what there is for 19's before I decide on a wheel/tire setup. I’m planning on doing a square setup and would prefer 19's over the 20's. Was tempted to check the 6-piston upgrade box but I know I can do something cheaper. The 1LE was a $3,500 option right? I find it crazy the brake upgrade option on these were $3k alone! And it's just for the fronts lol.

yamahog > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:24

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19 definitely gives you more and cheaper options. And yea, 1LE package was $3500, but it comes with the standard SS brakes. Some of the fifth gen folks have swapped to the ZL1 or CTS-V brakes.

citizennick > yamahog 01/29/2016 at 16:27

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Oh it does? I thought it includes the 6-Pistons. And that’s what I was planning on doing, CTS-V or ZL1.

Rumor has it the 1LE is being unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show.

Chewbakkah > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:28

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2 things.

1. You sound like an emotional woman. ;)

2. It’ll be stock less than a week.

citizennick > Chewbakkah 01/29/2016 at 16:28

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Fuuuuuuuuuuck you. Manly men drive Camaros. I'm a manly man.

AM3R shamefully returns > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:29

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That is one sweet looking Camaro! Any planned mods? I'm sure the black on red combo is just killer in person. Congrats on the new whip, hope it brings you many fun miles!

citizennick > AM3R shamefully returns 01/29/2016 at 16:32

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Headers, cam, CAI, exhaust, ported intake and other things next week ;)

daender > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:51

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I love communities like that, where one person’s project car can live on through numerous other cars! Hell, a lot of my parts on the Miata have come from wrecked/parted/race-converted cars!

Also, I totally recommend vinyling the Chevy emblems red or black along with relocating the SS badge on the rim of the trunk. :B

AM3R shamefully returns > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 16:52

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Oh man I bet it's gonna sound vicious.

citizennick > AM3R shamefully returns 01/29/2016 at 17:17

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It already does with the NPP, it's sounds so amazing.

d15b > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 18:07

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More like, “do it and I’ll watch and hand you tools.”

lol!

I’ll continue reading meow.

citizennick > daender 01/29/2016 at 18:33

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I was supposed to get the black emblems but GM forgot them. I'm not a fan of how they edges are chrome so I'm thinking of wrapping that part red.

daender > citizennick 01/29/2016 at 18:36

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Red outline with a black center? Hell yes.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 00:10

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That Camaro is a beauty.

Which shop in Omaha?

citizennick > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 01/30/2016 at 00:10

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Baxter Ford

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 00:11

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That’s where we bought our old Flex.

citizennick > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 01/30/2016 at 00:13

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Ah nice. He's able to use the shop after he's clocked out. Made things go much faster.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 00:34

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Congrats on getting it now!

Question. 4.5 hours from Des Moines, so you’re like two hours from Omaha? Can I ask what direction?

citizennick > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/30/2016 at 00:43

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West on I80

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 00:49

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... Well then. I grew up in that same area. 14 county plates!

citizennick > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/30/2016 at 01:23

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Oh damn! Yep same here

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 01:27

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Well that's sorta crazy. Now I wonder if we know anyone in common. Haha.

citizennick > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/30/2016 at 01:31

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I'm 31 and grew up here so probably! Where are at now? I swear we've talked about this before.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 01:46

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I'm 29, so yeah probably! I'm in Wisconsin now, not far from Road America. I feel like we talked about RA somehow, but not sure about NE.

citizennick > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/30/2016 at 01:58

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Oh probably, I want to hit up the NASA event there this year but it lands on a weekend that I probably can't get away from. Got a decent track here in town though. And membership just got a lot cheaper for it.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 02:04

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Oh god, you might know my dad. He’s a member, and helps out doing corner flagging and who know what else. He claims he retired a couple years ago but is out there all the time. I actually drove my fun car home a couple summers ago and did a members driving event with him around his birthday.

NASA at RA is good stuff. I’m friends with a performance shop that had a couple cars, one in time trials, one actually racing. They threw a massive party the first night.

citizennick > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 01/30/2016 at 02:12

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Hahaha this is getting crazy! Does he drive anything out there? And you're making me think I should try and get away that weekend. Road America would be a blast.

vondon302 > citizennick 01/30/2016 at 10:07

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Black is my new favorite Camaro colour. Congrats and enjoy.

It’s not a car its a mobile mood enhancer.

My mood enhancer.