The first victim

[JN4OldSchool]

Dearly beloved, we are gathered together to mourn the loss of one fine German automobile. The first victim the concerted effort to ditch the O'Brien trash. I pulled her out of the woods two weeks ago, after a ten year hiatus in which she gathered moss and rust. I then tried to pawn her off on our friend Schwim but he was smarter than that! And didnt want to leave Disney world for the ride up to see her. After spending a day lovingly wiping her down and clearing out the leaves, wasps, rodents and other debris I came to the sad conclusion that she had deteriorated beyond any reasonable chance of restoration. Yet I still procrastinated a week, walking by her rusted hulk on the way in and out each day, so reluctant to let her go. Today I summoned the courage and called the flatbed. The scrap price was less then the tow costing me a full $20 just to unload her. Me and the kids sadly waved bye-bye as the flat bed driver popped the clutch, shifted into second on our uphill sugarsand driveway and promptly buried it up to the axle. I had the last laugh as he had to call a tow truck to winch him out.

It was a wonderful ride my dear Ghia. You served me well. You never won any trophies but you caught many eyes. You showed well in your prime. I rebuilt you more times than I can remember, you were a well known customer at Rocky Mountain Motorworks. You dripped oil on my driveways and threw several rods. You ran rich and loud. You were the epitome of what an air cooled Volkswagen should be and I will miss you. Rest in peace my friend.

[Dan]

Man, I can sympathize Sean.

Just before we moved, I parked my old Power Wagon on a used car lot ... and drove away in something else. Felt like I had abandoned an old friend.

It got even lower when I woke up the next day, and looked out the window, and realized that for the first time in 25 years, it wasn't faithfully waiting for me in the driveway. <....>


Dan

[sailor]

For me it was my 69 Pontiac Custom S...served me well for many years...then it died.

[rjstaaf]

Had that feeling many a times. One of the more memorable was one of my motorcycles. It was a 1996 CBR1000F that I bought brand new out of the crate from Seminole Powersports in Longwood, FL. I rode her to work at the University of Central Florida every day for the next 2 years but unfortunately the time came when I decided to sell her to get something the wife would feel more comfortable riding on with me. I really didn't want to sell but I made the decision and put it on consignment at Seminole Powersports. The day came sooner than I thought when someone bought her and to add insult to injury promptly wrecked the bike leaving the lot

[bob]

Actually, that Ghia looks a lot better than my beloved 1971 Buick station wagon, which I bought used in '76 with 108,000 miles and ran it another 14 years. 'Twas a lovely burnt orange in color which did camouflage the rust a bit and had a mighty V-8 that ran on 4-5 cylinders most of the time. Sometime in the mid-80's, the two-way rear tailgate rusted shut and then the rear window fell out. Since I couldn't get the gate open to repair it, I opted for a solution of a sheet of plywood cut to size with a piece of glass in the middle. Lovely!

Ah the times we had! The original muffler bit the dust and then sections of tailpipe fell off, so I ended up with a glass-pack jammed into some semi-solid pipe about mid-way back. Coupled with a mis-firing motor, you could backfire that puppy for miles. Great fun dropping the kids off at school or picking them up from a dance. I'd backfire all the way and then stall it out right in front of the school, where my kids would crawl out from under the seats and then run away as fast as possible.

Sadly, after a short 14 years and about 300,000 miles (odometer broke at about 180K), she wouldn't run & I had to sell her for $100 . Saw the guy two weeks later and it turned out a wing-nut from the air cleaner had lodged into the carb. He pulled it out and it was road-worthy once again. He refused double what he'd paid me and ran it for two more years (the BASTARD!)

[sailor]

Oh Yeah I had a Suzuki GT 750 that I wrecked, rebuilt, got stolen...I finally put it out of it's misery...

[Dan]

Now that you mention scooters. I miss my last one too.

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod..._zl1000_86.htm

Altered to 130 HP. Crazy/Stupid fast!


Dan

[sailor]

I got the Suzuki up to 130 mph...but discovered a severe wobble in the front wheel...I almost soiled myself gettin her back down to reasonable speed...
The Suzuki was a 3 cylinder, water cooled, two-stroke, 6 speed ...beast.

Leigh, my brother had a old old Suzuki 185...the gear shift broke off and he continued to ride using a pair of vice grips on the end of the gear shaft.
Dan, I can't picture you on that bike ....

[sailor]

You probably needed a steering damper + a diaper

It probably needed a balancing too...damn spokes...the front forks used to leak alot too... but I still love that bike *sniff*

Suzuki made a 500cc 3 cylinder air cooled(ram-air) crotch rocket and it could move! ...5 speed all up...another friend had one of those till he wrecked it.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by sailor

... Dan, I can't picture you on that bike ....

Yeah. Kinda hard to believe! But while you're chewing on it, put the War Department right beside me on one of these. Except in bright red. http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...i_zl600_86.htm

Matching brain-buckets of course.


Dan

[Seve]

Hello:
I had the following Bikes at one time or another. Another example of a mis-spent youth

I'm sure I left out a couple and might well be off a model year or two as this is really testing my feeble memory and I am not going to dig back over 30 years to find the scrap-books.

But since we are reminiscing

1972 Triumph Bonneville 650
1974 Kawasaki 750
1970 Kawasaki 100
1980 HD Sportster 1000
1983 Yamaha 125
1985 Can-Am 250


Circa mid 80's I had an awakening

Seve

[JN4OldSchool]

Got rid of my Harley a few months ago and we sold off the old '79 Ford when we got the new Toyotas so I know that feeling of loss from a good old truck that has seen many miles. The Durango is going up for sale once we are fully moved also. It was my wife's truck but it is no longer needed. 4X4 with a 318, it only gets 14MPG but it has been an awesome vehicle. I have loved that Dodge front end since it came out in '94. But with my wife's promotion she is on the road a lot so we got an '07 Prius. Forget all that "green" crap, the car does get a solid 55MPG and is a sheer blast to drive. I cant believe the balls that thing has. No, it aint a sports car, but it aint no slug either. The one ray of sunshine is my wife gave her blessings to keep the bug and rebuild it. It needs an interior and paint mostly along with a few upgrades. I am going to put 4 wheel discs on it, a hurst or berg shifter, new stinger and a little more bling. It will be the 3rd vehicle and sunday driver. When all is said and done the Ghia had a long life. It was reborn at least 3 times and it was 100% my neglect and stupidity that ended it's life. I parked that car and turned off the key before I stripped it for the last time ten years ago. Life just got in the way of finishing the body off and she got pushed to the back burner. It was borderline on scrapping her, but the heater channel was starting to go and she had too many small problem areas. Ghias are just not that rare yet and there wasnt enough there to justify trying to sell. I had to get out from under it. Maybe I can redeem myself with the bug.

[Seve]

Hello JN4:

What year was your HD ?

Seve

[JN4OldSchool]

'90 sportster 1200 XLH. It was a beater and I hardly ever rode it. It hasnt been till the last few years that I wasnt on site working all the time and now I am just too old to enjoy it. Besides, the traffic around here gets worse every year and life gets more precious.

[Seve]

Hello:
I know what you mean.

I tell ya I never walked and hitch-hiked more in my life while a drove that thing of mine.

Seve