Tuna
Seasoned Member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 817
- Location
- Mustang, OK
- V-Series Cadillac(s)?
- '11 V Wagon, ( '13 427 Vette & '21 Vette)
I posted some pictures in the Gallery of some of the cars I've owned over the years. I grew up the son of a mechanic. My dad owned a small garage and I worked there when I wasn't in school. He loved cars and I got my love of cars from him. He was always finding good deals on used cars and I drove a lot of different cars while growing up. Most not worth mentioning. My older brother was into cars also and started building street cars before I could drive. He had a nice '55 Chevy with a 327, 4:11 gears and 4-speed. I got to drive it a lot over the years and it was pretty hot.
My first car, bought and paid for by me, was a 1969 Charger R/T with the 440 and an auto. Got it good deal on it since it was a repossession with a cracked block - no problem for a kid that had access to a full garage and spare parts. Got a new block and a 6-pack cam and rebuilt the engine. Added 3:90 gears and it was pretty hot in the quarter. I finished college driving this car.
After getting into the Air Force, I bought a 1969 Hemi Road Runner. I knew the previous 2 owners and had driven it many times so when the owner decided to sell it, I bought it. That was in 1974. Sold it in 1985 with 98,000 miles on it. Racer Brown cam, Cyclone headers and 3:54 Dana 60 gears. 13.7 with street tires and through the exhaust - 12.2 with the headers open and slicks mounted. It was also radar clocked at 162 once - a friend was a trooper. My Air Force buddies called it the "supersonic speed brake" given that it was flat nosed and shaped like a brick yet still went like a bat out of hell.
When the priced of muscle cars went up in the 80's, I sold it and bought a Grand National Buick. Not as fast or quick as the Hemi but I got much better mileage, air conditioning and could listen to the radio with the engine running. Cruise control helped also. The biggest thing I didn't like about the GN was the turbo lag. Added ram air, KenneBell stuff, Art Carr trans parts and a chip change to the GN. It was a real sleeper.
When I got close to turing 40, I started looking at sports cars. I test drove Porsches, 300Zs, 3000GT, Corvettes and whatever else I could find. Kept coming back to the Vette for the big torque of the V8 - guess I had enough of turbo sixes and I never really liked the Porsches anyway. I was about ready to order a new Vette when Gulf War I got in the way. Came back from GW I in 1991 and checked on Vettes again. Got wind that the '92 Vette would have more power so I waited and got one.
I kept that first Vette for almost 14 years - even longer than I kept the Hemi. It started out plain-jane white. I added Grand Sport style stripes to it and ZR1 wheels and then had the LT1 engine updated to LT4 specs with the Hot Cam and Corsa exhaust. Check out the Tuna Sport in the Gallery.
Met my wife at a Corvette show and she was driving a Vette. We kept 2 Vettes in the garage until recently. At first, she had a base '93 coupe, then a base '98 coupe, then a '96 LT4 Collectors Edition coupe (I still had my original Tuna Sport). When she got an '03 Anniversary convertible Vette, I had to update the engine in the Tuna Sport.
Our "family" car was a 99 Buick GS Regal at the time. In 2003, GM announced that V series CTS would be coming. We talked many times about replacing the family car with a CTS V but couldn't quite make the decision. Then one day, my wife was reading the ads in the paper and noticed a "used" 2004 CTS V at the local Caddy dealer for $39K. It was a GM buy car with 400 miles. I took off work early that day and went for a test drive. Good thing I was the first one there to drive if when it came off the transport as there were 3 more people waiting to test if when I got out of it. Bought it that day. That was my first V. See my V1 story in the V1 General section.
As for Vettes, I finally updated my Vette to an '06 coupe in 2005. Bought a paddle shift auto. Wasn't as much fun as I thought and decided to sell it for a stick shift car. A friend wanted the wife's '03 more and we sold it. The wife got the '06. I bought an '08 with a stick. That gave us 2 Vettes and a V in the garage.
I started looking at the V2s when they came out but wanted a car with a full fold down rear seat so I could carry my bicycles in the back. When GM announced the V Wagon, I visited my dealer and placed the order. 2 Vettes and a V Wagon in the garage.
My wife had been following the electric car news and was interested in the new Volt. When we finally got to drive one she decided she wanted one. Traded her '06 Vette for a Volt. Our garage had a '12 Volt, '11 V Wagon, and '08 Vette.
I had been lusting for a 427 Vette for a few years but the wife would not let me get rid of the convertible unless GM build a 427 convertible. GM announced the production of the '13 427 convertible Vette. Those of you that read this forum know that is just what we have in the garage now.
A new car each of the last 3 years - we're broke but having a great time driving our cars. Yes, even the Volt is a fun car to drive.
I get a little verbose when I'm talking about my experience with cars - can't help it.
Check out my photos in the Gallery when you have time.
My first car, bought and paid for by me, was a 1969 Charger R/T with the 440 and an auto. Got it good deal on it since it was a repossession with a cracked block - no problem for a kid that had access to a full garage and spare parts. Got a new block and a 6-pack cam and rebuilt the engine. Added 3:90 gears and it was pretty hot in the quarter. I finished college driving this car.
After getting into the Air Force, I bought a 1969 Hemi Road Runner. I knew the previous 2 owners and had driven it many times so when the owner decided to sell it, I bought it. That was in 1974. Sold it in 1985 with 98,000 miles on it. Racer Brown cam, Cyclone headers and 3:54 Dana 60 gears. 13.7 with street tires and through the exhaust - 12.2 with the headers open and slicks mounted. It was also radar clocked at 162 once - a friend was a trooper. My Air Force buddies called it the "supersonic speed brake" given that it was flat nosed and shaped like a brick yet still went like a bat out of hell.
When the priced of muscle cars went up in the 80's, I sold it and bought a Grand National Buick. Not as fast or quick as the Hemi but I got much better mileage, air conditioning and could listen to the radio with the engine running. Cruise control helped also. The biggest thing I didn't like about the GN was the turbo lag. Added ram air, KenneBell stuff, Art Carr trans parts and a chip change to the GN. It was a real sleeper.
When I got close to turing 40, I started looking at sports cars. I test drove Porsches, 300Zs, 3000GT, Corvettes and whatever else I could find. Kept coming back to the Vette for the big torque of the V8 - guess I had enough of turbo sixes and I never really liked the Porsches anyway. I was about ready to order a new Vette when Gulf War I got in the way. Came back from GW I in 1991 and checked on Vettes again. Got wind that the '92 Vette would have more power so I waited and got one.
I kept that first Vette for almost 14 years - even longer than I kept the Hemi. It started out plain-jane white. I added Grand Sport style stripes to it and ZR1 wheels and then had the LT1 engine updated to LT4 specs with the Hot Cam and Corsa exhaust. Check out the Tuna Sport in the Gallery.
Met my wife at a Corvette show and she was driving a Vette. We kept 2 Vettes in the garage until recently. At first, she had a base '93 coupe, then a base '98 coupe, then a '96 LT4 Collectors Edition coupe (I still had my original Tuna Sport). When she got an '03 Anniversary convertible Vette, I had to update the engine in the Tuna Sport.
Our "family" car was a 99 Buick GS Regal at the time. In 2003, GM announced that V series CTS would be coming. We talked many times about replacing the family car with a CTS V but couldn't quite make the decision. Then one day, my wife was reading the ads in the paper and noticed a "used" 2004 CTS V at the local Caddy dealer for $39K. It was a GM buy car with 400 miles. I took off work early that day and went for a test drive. Good thing I was the first one there to drive if when it came off the transport as there were 3 more people waiting to test if when I got out of it. Bought it that day. That was my first V. See my V1 story in the V1 General section.
As for Vettes, I finally updated my Vette to an '06 coupe in 2005. Bought a paddle shift auto. Wasn't as much fun as I thought and decided to sell it for a stick shift car. A friend wanted the wife's '03 more and we sold it. The wife got the '06. I bought an '08 with a stick. That gave us 2 Vettes and a V in the garage.
I started looking at the V2s when they came out but wanted a car with a full fold down rear seat so I could carry my bicycles in the back. When GM announced the V Wagon, I visited my dealer and placed the order. 2 Vettes and a V Wagon in the garage.
My wife had been following the electric car news and was interested in the new Volt. When we finally got to drive one she decided she wanted one. Traded her '06 Vette for a Volt. Our garage had a '12 Volt, '11 V Wagon, and '08 Vette.
I had been lusting for a 427 Vette for a few years but the wife would not let me get rid of the convertible unless GM build a 427 convertible. GM announced the production of the '13 427 convertible Vette. Those of you that read this forum know that is just what we have in the garage now.
A new car each of the last 3 years - we're broke but having a great time driving our cars. Yes, even the Volt is a fun car to drive.
I get a little verbose when I'm talking about my experience with cars - can't help it.
Check out my photos in the Gallery when you have time.
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