So I drove a 67 Camaro

[Perfectlap]

to be honest I've never really had an interest(in possibly owning) Muscle cars.
A big huge lumbering car sitting on leaf springs has never appealed to me. Always made me think of NASCAR (the ole NASCAR not this new slick version). Low tech power assited-nothing,no r&p steering, carbeurated evil on big huge rear tires.

Former Indy 500 Juan Montoya chose NASCAR instead of following a different road course formula for his post-F1 career. After driving this Camaro I can see the logic/apppeal. I felt bored driving home in my uber refined BoxsterS afterwards, never thought that would happen as consequence of driving a 'Made in the USA'.

[Brucelee]

The early Camaros were fun. Cheap to buy, quick out of the gate, decent handling for what they were. They looked good, relatively light etc etc.

Good stuff.

[BadBoyS]

I've had my 68 ss 396 camaro for 5 years now and when ever I need the
horsepower rush I jump in and drop the clutch on the Muncie 4 speed and grab rubber in all gears. I'm lucky to appreciate both worlds the rawnessof the Camaro and the precision of my Box S. I just wish the box was appreciating like my other cars!!!!!!!

:dance:

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

to be honest I've never really had an interest(in possibly owning) Muscle cars.

Low tech power assited-nothing,no r&p steering, carbeurated evil on big huge rear tires.

I felt bored driving home in my uber refined BoxsterS afterwards, never thought that would happen as consequence of driving a 'Made in the USA'.

I had one of my musclecars out yesterday. They're great fun but they don't make me bored of the Boxster. They have very different purposes. You have to view them each for what they are and understand that it's not an either/or proposition. A musclecar is a loud, obnoxious, attention grabbing pig. My Mach 1 has waaay too much horsepower (most of which is wasted because of traction limitations), gets about 11 miles to the gallon, and sounds like an earthquake...But, if you're looking to draw a crowd, get horn honks, thumbs ups, and scare the kids in their stupid fart cars, there's nothing like it. The nice thing about having a later musclecar is that there is air conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, etc. There was no rack and pinion in '72, but they are reasonably precise if the box is tight. The drawbacks are that they don't go around corners, you're not having an intimate conversation in one (at least not mine), your date is not going to enjoy smelling like spent fossil fuel all night and they're tempermental as hell.

The Boxster, on the other hand, is docile and civilized. It's as comfortable at the yacht club as it is at the autocross. It is exclusive, but still pedestrian enough that you can arrive in relative anonymity. It is quiet enough to enjoy your George Winston CDs, romantic on a starry night, and comfortable enough to drive to work everyday.

If you have the storage space, I strongly recommend one of each!

[Ronzi]

In '68 I had a decision to make ... a Z28 Camaro, an SS396 Chevelle, or a Plymouth Road Runner (the 383 variety; the Hemi was, as I recall, $900 extra). I picked the Chevelle, 350hp, 4spd, no power steering, no AC.
After two years of more or less constant valve guide problems on the big block 396, I regretted not getting the Z28.

[crzn427]

I can remember riding home in my Dad's new '67 Cougar in the fall of '66. It came equiped with a 390, 4 bbl, 4 spd, AM only radio, no P/S, no P/B, no A/C.

I bought it from my Mother when Dad died. It never fails to put a smile on my face when I drive it. It has a smooth ride, is quiet inside at highway speeds, handles better that most Muscle cars of the era, and is very quick.

I can, and do, perform the maintainance needed to keep it on the road for around 20% of what the boxster costs.

It gets around 17 on the highway, I don't bother to check city mileage, polutes more than it should, has those aforementioned hydrocarbon smells from time to time inside, has poor performing drum brakes all around (one of my soon to happen up-grades), needs a paint job and some other TLC.

It will be in the driveway when the Boxster gets replaced with our next "modern" car.

It has style, it has charm and it has grace. It is a nasty beast when provoked and I love it.

The Boxster has a whole set of values, attributes and acolades that are totally different and every bit as enjoyable.

The only thing the two have in common (other than four wheels and a drive train) is the joy to drive them as often as possible.

[Brucelee]

In 1966, I was looking at either a new Mustage or Camaro. Spend most of my Junior Year in HS thinking about this. Perhaps I should have been studying?

Bought a '63 Stingray.

Man, what a car for the summer of '66!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Well, it's a beautiful early Fall day here in Minneapolis, 75°, not a cloud in the sky - perfect driving weather.

I just got back from having lunch with a friend who wanted to show me his new car - a 1965 Ferrari 275GTS Spider! One of 200 produced.

It is truly beautiful, Red with Black leather interior and Black top, Magnesium Campagnolo Wire Wheels. Under the hood lives a 3.3L V-12 w/ 6 dual Webers on top (mounted front mid-engine), capable of 383HP. Owen actually bought the car 2 years ago and just got it back from a full concours restoration.

Owen nonchalantly tossed me the keys after lunch and off we went. Started instantly, with a throaty rumble only a Ferrari V-12 is capable of (I don't know what Marranello is paying the guy who invented this, but it ain't enough). The clutch is a little heavy, but the gated 5-speed was butter smooth, a little long in throw, but from a time when these were built for Men to drive.

At Owen's insistance we went to a suburb where the State Highway Patrol maintains a driving course and I got to use the WOW pedal - WOW!! The distinct mechanical sounds coming from the engine and valvetrain are truly amazing. The torque is impressive and the car eagerly runs to redline between shifts. 0-60 in under 6 and tops out at 155, same as my Esprit, but not really the same at all!

It was truly a priveledge to drive one of the best cars of all time from one of the world's greatest manufacturers, much better than anything coming from the Scuderia of late, they're great too, but not really in the same league.

I told him that Mrs. MNBoxster is gonna fall in love with it and he has insisted that I come over this weekend and take her for a drive. He's going out of town so he said he'd leave the keys with the neighbor for me. It's her birthday this weekend, so I'm planning on taking her on a drive along the mississippi in it.

Boy I wish I'd studied as hard as Owen did in school so I could park one of these in my garage. As it is, Owen parks it next to his 1966 Fiat Dino Cabriolet - Ferrari 2.0 L V-6 Dino Engine (2nd Place at the Concorso d'Italiano at Pebble Beach in '04 - http://www.concorso.com/website%20updates/images/big/winner_fiatdino.jpg ), 1964 Fiat 124 (pristine, 8k original mi.), '05 Catherham Seven (which we built together) and '96 1st Gen Grey Market (SUN Conversion) Elise (w/ Honda V-TEC engine). But, I guess it's good enough to just have a friend as good as Owen.

I've tried to post some pics I took of it, but the attachment function doesn't want to work. I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but it is a '65 and from the same genre...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[NickCats]

Nice write up, Jim. Two questions :

1. Is that the same car featured in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off " ?

2. Any idea what that car is worth ?

Sounds like you have some very cool and generous friends !

Thanks,

Nick

[Iatros]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

to be honest I've never really had an interest(in possibly owning) Muscle cars.
A big huge lumbering car sitting on leaf springs has never appealed to me. Low tech power assited-nothing,no r&p steering, carbeurated evil on big huge rear tires.

Funny... those are the exact reasons why I love my 74 Vette

[Brucelee]

Originally Posted by Iatros

Funny... those are the exact reasons why I love my 74 Vette

You had to be there!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Well, it looks like the techno-geeks have figured out the attachment problem, so as promised, here are some pics of my friend Owen's 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS. These were taken saturday at a local Wheels of Italy Car Show where Owen recieved Best of Show for this car. BTW, the guy will even bring his rare, $$$, and unique cars out in the rain, a true Enthusiast! There is even a rare pic of Mrs.MNBoxster standing shivering under the umbrella... enjoy

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

My first car was a 1974 Challenger that I bought when I was 14 to "restore". By restore I mean I had no money and no clue what I was doing but the car only cost me $100 and at the time it was 12 years old. Floor panels were all rusted out so I replaced them with sheets of metal. Quarter panels were replaced with cheap fiberglass replacements since I could not weld good enough to put on metal ones. I also replaced the front fenders with cheap fiberglass replacements. I spent two years working on that piece of **************** so I would have a car when I turned 16 which is the legal age to drive where I was. Over those two years I taught myself how to weld a little, how to do bodywork, how to remove and engine, etc. I painted it bright orange and put on the necessary spoiler and black stripes.

I know how people like to reminisce about the "good ol' days" but I hated that piece of crap. It got me girls so I thought it was great at the time. But the thing broke down more often then I changed my underwear. I learned how to "push" a car far more than I ever wanted to. When it got up to 100 miles an hour it floated all over the road. Corners? haha....not at any speed. And I do not even want to talk about driving it to school in the snow during winter. I am just lucky I did not kill myself and the 6 losers who were always piled in it since only I had a car.

The Porsche though, now that is a different story......

[CJ_Boxster]

My first car was a 1967 Mustang GT Coupe, I loved it till my sister crashed it, then i bought a 1967 Mustang Fastback and put a Eleanor kit on her, She was a hotty, Car cost me $10,000, the Kit cost me $8k, sold her for $25k, She was a hotty but damn no AC and GD carb issues would kill me!

[JP-s-in st. louis]

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

Well, it looks like the techno-geeks have figured out the attachment problem, so as promised, here are some pics of my friend Owen's 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS. These were taken saturday at a local Wheels of Italy Car Show where Owen recieved Best of Show for this car. BTW, the guy will even bring his rare, $$$, and unique cars out in the rain, a true Enthusiast! There is even a rare pic of Mrs.MNBoxster standing shivering under the umbrella... enjoy

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

That is a great car..I would love to have an older Ferrari someday. On the other hand a 67 gt350 Mustang white with Daytona blue stripes would be my choice of old american iron.