What spiked your passion for cars?
 

So tell me guys, how did your passion for cars start?

I was with my parents downtown ~1970, and a Plymouth Superbird went wailing past us... the one with the pointed nose & roof-tall spoier on the trunk in Plum Crazy Purple. Instantly bitten.
That did it for me.

My Dad was a car guy - he loved to restore old cars and rebuild late model cars. We went to Detroit in 1969 (I was 10) and toured the Mustang factory. At every stoplight that turned green, someone was peeling rubber. What a great trip.

My Dad and I also built soap box racers and I was fortunate enough to win on my 2nd try. We reused my 1st yr car, but Dad said we were going to chop 6 inches off the back and add them to the front. When I asked why, he said that would move the axles 6 inches back and they'd stay on the ramp that much longer and build up more speed. He had no formal training but could look at something and figure it out. My sister finished 2nd that year. No one could touch us. Our cars were painted Plymouth lime green. The crowd knew who was coming down the hill.

When I got into my teens, we rebuilt late model wrecks exclusively. It was great because during college, I could work on cars when my schedule allowed. It was a nice money making hobby so I didn't need a part time job. Plus it allowed me to drive some very nice cars. My first car was a 70 Mustang Mach 1. Wish I had that car today.

My Dad was going to restore old cars when he retired. He'd been collecting lots of cars - some to rebuild and some to sell to help finance the restorations. Sadly, he only got to enjoy 2 mo of retirement - he had a heart attack and passed at 65. Way too soon. I learned an awful lot from him and if I could be half the man he was, I'd be a great person.

Sorry for the long post, but way too simple to say I got my passion from my Dad.

To be quiet honest with you, if it wasn't for sports cars I'd be driving a Prius or some other hybrid or electric. I have zero interest in fancy cars. I also have no interest in SUV's. Neither do I like big sedans which make me feel like I'm a chaueffer -- look behind me and the rear seats are empty, and would be 99% of the miles driven. Waste!

Then when you consider how few real sports cars are sold today, it means I really only have an interest in a very small number of cars. And to make matters worse I loathe the premiums for luxury and fake exclusivity -- cars that are outrageously priced at $150K+ even though they are mass produced (cough Porsche GT3). So that crosses a bunch of cars of the list some more.

p.s.
I had a gas powered go kart and motor bike like before the age of 5. Helmets were optional and novelty. Different era of child safety back then...

When I was 13 I lived in a rural suburb of St.Louis on a circle street without much traffic. My next door neighbor was a highschool girl. Her boyfriend drove a new 1975 TransAm. When he drove by my house I could hear the deep exhaust sound 1/2 block away & I knew it was that car. I would peek out my window at it & was astounded by the outrageous scoops & spoilers & decals all over the car. 4 years later I bought my first car a 8year old Firebird Formula since it was the best handling musclecar made. Being a musclecar enthusiast & engine builder, I hated Porsches until I drove a new 996

1971 Z28 Camaro. Drag racing with a friend and his uncle Three person crew. My friends 68 Camaro SS and his uncles 55 Chevy delivery modified drag car, big block Chevy eventually sold for a B rail.

My brothers and cousins were all into muscle cars back in the early 70's when I was in my early teens. My brother had a 69 road runner 440, cousin had a 426 Hemi Coronet, another cousin had a 74 Camaro Z28 and another had a lae 60's Malibu SS. All were modified. But my dream car was a Hemi Cuda. I just loved the exhaust tone when my neighbor started the car in the morning. I still want one today.

How did I start drooling on Porsche? I think we need to start another topic.

My nanny !

I've always liked machines & have a fascination for things like that. My parents used to tel my brother & me to try not to take our Christmas toys apart for a few weeks because we always did to see what made them work. That was a natural progression into mini bikes, motorcycles, cars & boats. Understanding how something is supposed to function is part of the fun.

1968 St. Jovite Trans Am ,
camped with my older brother and sister-in-law for this weekend

1968 St. Jovite Trans-Am (Le Circuit Mont Tremblant)

When I was a kid my father had a gorgeous red 993. It was my 9th birthday and we were heading to see mom. Beautiful day for driving, I remember him turning onto the on-ramp taking a racing line, the engine roaring canceled out any other noise I was paying attention to it was a moment outside of time, outside of words, outside of everything...a perfect moment, a silent moment. I suddenly understood why he liked driving so much, and why him and I would take so many road trips that were quiet.

That was it, I was hooked.

Oh, let me see ... 1970 Camaro. 350cc and 300 horsepower. 130 mph before I had to let off the gas and take the twisties on the back roads in collage. 1967 Mustang. Motorcycles. Mazda Rx7 (way too much fun). More motorcycles except this time 100+ cc Kawasaki Concours (loved it since it came out), but swapped it for a 99 BMW R1100RT & K1200LT. Cars at this point were just transportation and motorcycles were it (1) for me. I followed up this set qith a 2009 R1200RT (sweet) and then downsized to a 2005 R1200RS. And then ... I bought a Boxster instead of a new motorcyle. Even more fun than the 2 wheels and almost as much get up and goo (feels like). Maybe if I put a 3.6/3.8 L in it or buy an S model it would have the same get up and go.

What I like most about it though is the tunes during a twisty ride with the top down. When the right song is playing and the car is performing just right and the RPMs are in the 4~6 range it is just awesome!

If I could trace it back- I would say my first car (1978 Datsun 280z) purchased in 1985 for $800.00. It had a zillion miles on it, plenty of rust- but it was fast, handled well and is probably still running somewhere today.

My ex-father in law had a new Carrera, crazy fast 914 and just a plain ol crazy daughter- I still love his cars....but that's it.

One of my first cars in high school was a '70 MGB, then a bunch of VWs, a Triumph Spitfire and misc. other "Euro-cars"...I've had 6 BMWs, 3 Mercedes and only one Porsche. I think I'm done because I've found nothing else I want to replace my old Boxster with :-)

1970's dirt bikes started it all. Watch On Any Sunday (Bruce Brown, 1971) and you'll understand.

An intense passion for all things mechanical, and the thrill and exhilaration of the perfect 4 wheel drift.

When I was a senior in HS, my older brother showed up with a 1969 911S in tangerine. The howl of the flat six was intoxicating and I was forever hooked.

So I went out and bought a Karmann Ghia, because that's all I could afford...but we did customize it since it got hit in the front end!

It become commonly known as the "Karmann Kruncher"


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It's genetic like men have a passion for women.

My dad's side of the family loves cars, I was told when I was 2 years old I was pushing blocks around saying "vroooom" and my parents had never "played cars" with me before. By the time I was in 5th grade my uncle borrowed my dad's e34 bmw 525 and totaled it leaving him no choice but to fix it since it would be my first car. my dad put a reiger body kit on it and repainted the car along with a few m5 suspension parts, new wheels, and lowered it of course. he let me make a few minor decisions with him such as the new color and just let me be involved with the whole process

when i saw the car when it was finally finished after seeing the whole project developed i knew that this was going to be my biggest passion.

Now i'm in the works of turning my passion into a career by majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor of automotive engineering at Auburn University.

I have to agree with ekam, it's in the blood.

My first love, at five years old, was a toy Opel GT:

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My first car:

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My current car:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1360730126.jpg

What next??