Have a story of my own
In 1977, I was given a 1972 Cuda 340 for my birthday. It had 22,000 miles on it and needed a little work, but my Dad repainted it a slightly different shade of yellow and it was all mine. I vowed to one day fix it up, but for the time being I drove it all through high school as the envy of all the bullies and low-lifes. I did have an opportunity to buy a 1970 Hemi Challenger in 1978 from the same guy my father got my Cuda from, but nobody would loan a 17-year-old kid $3,500 for a car. So that one slipped right through my fingers. But I still had my Cuda...
After high school I wound up in the military and couldn't drive it for a while. But I drove it in my dreams - literally.
Wasn't too long until we were reunited. Drove it again for years - all through college and my first military assignment. Then family needs dictated a newer car able to put a childseat in the back. So I had to park the car - at my grandmother's house. It stayed there for 11 years until...
Fast forward to 1998. It was time. Traveled 1,000 miles to get it and hauled it home. 5 1/2 years later, she's "Cherry." I spared no expense. New wiring harnesses throughout. New fuel lines. Rebuilt the old 340 and bumped the CR from 8.5:1 to 10:1 with headers, a mild competition cam, and Edlebrock 4 bbl carb. Painted her Royal Purple (a little darker than Plum Crazy). Rallye gauges, Rallye hood, and the pistol grip 4-spd, along with all new interior, and well, she's my baby.
The first time I drove her after the restoration, at 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning (because there was little to no traffic to potentially hurt my baby), a girl in a beat up old junker came flying by. She hit the brakes, allowed me to catch up, at which point she gave me a big smile and thumbs up, and then kept right on going. What a great feeling.
Fast forward to 2010. I was changing the thermostat in my Dodge pickup and promptly broke one of the housing bolts. Went around town trying to find a replacment when one of the guys finally said, "You're going to have to go to Dodge. If you hurry, you can get to the parts counter down the street before they close." So I hurried on down.
Walked into the showroom floor on my way to the parts counter and ran right into - I couldn't believe it - a Plum Crazy Purple Challenger SRT8 with 6-spd tranny. I didn't know they were painted purple! Grabbed my cell and called my wife, obviously a little upset because I knew I couldn't afford it. Here's what she said: "I think you should go ahead and get it. As hard as you've worked all your life, you deserve it."
Is she sweet or what!?!
Although that car was already sold, I managed to find another through a different dealer. Explaining that would take another novel, so I'll close with what happened just two days ago.
My oldest son had not seen the new Challenger since I bought it 3 months ago, so when he came to visit for the Memorial Day weekend, I took him back to the airport in it. Guess what happened?
A girl came flying by, hit the brakes to allow me to catch up, gave me a big smile and a big ol' thumbs up, then kept right on going...
Hopefully, that kind of thing will never stop.
And that broken thermostat housing bolt? I keep it in the glovebox of my new Challenger.