The thing I love most about my GTO

[ShoddyHog]

I've become a car fan again.

At 43, married, and with a 10-year-old daughter, I'd gotten way out of touch with cars. I couldn't afford squat when I was a kid, then joined the Army, married, had a child. The words "performance" and "car" haven't been in a sentence together for perhaps the last 20 years of my life. Thas is until I went out this spring to buy a new Bonneville or Acura TL or something reliable to replace my aging Bonnie. After searching the lots and finding out that the only Bonnies left are crappy colors with loads of crap I don't want, I walked back to my car with the salesperson I spoke to about a Bonneville, and I say, "Man, that Goat (dark red) sure looks pretty."

She says, "Take it for a spin." And I reacted like any old fart my age would...proclaiming that I need to go, don't have time, my wife would kill me if I got that car, and then I said to myself, WTF? Why NOT just take this thing out for a spin? In minutes I was heading south on I-55...and there's a stretch of road before you hit the Imperial exit where it is flat and wide open four lane. On that day, there wasn't a car in front of me at all, so I downshifted, respectfully took her up to way more than I'd admit here, turned around at Imperial, and the decision was done.

No more child seats in the future for me, all I had to do was convince the "finance committee" that I'd decided to buy the first real muscle car I've ever owned. She didn't bat an eye, "OK...whatever you want is fine with me." Jeez...I married my best friend 20 years ago, but I expected at least a little resistance.

Five months, and 15,000 miles later...I still love this car more and more each time I drive it. But the best part is that when I'm driving it...I slow down (not in speed, but "smell the roses" sort of thing), and now actually look at the other cars on the road and admire them...even some Fords.

Today was a good day...diverted my cruise route to follow and pull up beside a black Firebird in Festus today. I just had to get him to roll down his window and ask what exhaust he's running. He yelled back two things. One was "SLP LoudMouth" and the other I didn't hear. Whatever it was, that sounded so damn good I just had to tell him. Like any respectable driver, I heard him shout a nice comment about my car too. I hope to see that car again and have a chance to ride with him.

I was out of gas after my three hour trip to a store 15 minutes away, so I returned to my local O-93 spot, and raised the hood to check the oil even though I've just changed it less than 200 miles ago. As I grabbed paper towels, I noticed this 70-ish year old man come out of the store and divert his path toward me. I, of course, told him to help himself at the request to look at the motor, and gave him the quick stat list. I spent the next 5-10 minutes chatting with him, swapping stories about old muscle cars, and he said, "Yeah, they were nice, but they wouldn't even touch this car."

Lol...I just replied, "Yeah...technology", and we both laughed. He was sort of shocked when I told him it was an Australian car. He was a really cool guy. I've always wanted to "blend in" with others my whole life, but the GTO has changed that. Damn...I love my rolling car show.

I even gave a Rustang a Thumbs Up today. I left that Citgo to go home and saw a bright orange one in the right lane. I passed him with a mild 4th gear "hello" around 90 and he followed. Then there was traffic. Four cars 2x2 all going the same speed, completely oblivious to others. I kept looking in my rear-view and saw him throwing his hands up in the air like "WTF?" So I did the same, and he was laughing too. I went past my exit home to see if we could find open road, but today wasn't the day. I signaled, slid, in the right lane, rolled the window down, and put the thumb out as I took the next exit...and he gave me props back with the horn.

Anyway....I guess I could some it up in just four words: I LOVE MY GTO!!!

Gerry

[romans8:28]

Great write up! thanks for sharing it........ I feel basically the same way about my Cobra.

Driving itself is the point now, instead of just trying to get somewhere. I ALWAYS take the long way home now.

[yesbill]

The thing I love most about my GTO .............It's paid for!!

[ShoddyHog]

Great write up! thanks for sharing it........ I feel basically the same way about my Cobra.

Driving itself is the point now, instead of just trying to get somewhere. I ALWAYS take the long way home now.

I made a post last night about the only time I've ever gotten the chance to hear a Cobra...and it sounded so sweet. A Ford mechanic was at the helm at the time, just mildly running through the gears, and I had my window rolled down enjoying it. Sweet ride.

One of my first cars was a 66 Mustang with enough horsepower to barely spin the tires on gravel, but I loved it. Low-back buckets, 20 Watt 8-Track, and she drove like I could just will her to go where I want. Damn...sort of like my Goat. The Goat is much more comfortable for my old body though :drink:

Gerry

[romans8:28]

Yeah, something about the 32V 4.6 mod motor with an agressive CB exhaust!

They really do sound good........

Props on the GTO though, would be in one in a minute if I had not landing the deal I made on my car.

[ShoddyHog]

Great write up! thanks for sharing it........ I feel basically the same way about my Cobra.

Driving itself is the point now, instead of just trying to get somewhere. I ALWAYS take the long way home now.

I should have added that I now take the long way home (http://www.carbondaleporkdistrict.com/forum/MyFal lGTOCruse/) a LOT these days. When I drive this car, I pay attention to horsepower and road. TOTAL stress relief for sure.

I also got the M6 knowing damn well I wouldn't be able to drive it at times because I have bad knees. Guess what? No knee problems in 5 months!!!

Gerry

[jumbojet]

3rd gear!!!!

[argus]

Nice post. I too am a member of the the early midlife crisis club. lol Definitely the best time of my life so far. Was originally going to buy a G6 coupe to relive younger days and the wife talked me into a GTO. Bless her heart. Btw, part of your story reminded me of a quick cat and mouse game with an older guy and his wife in a new Mustang convertable while my wife and I were heading up I-35 to Austin for the Oasis meet last month. All threw each other an appreciative thumbs up once done playin, and continued to cruise together the remainder of the trip.

[HotRodKush]

The fact that everyone who sees it loves it, even though they don't know what the hell it is....and those who do are even more interested because they've never seen one in person before.

[ShoddyHog]

Yeah, something about the 32V 4.6 mod motor with an agressive CB exhaust!

They really do sound good........

Props on the GTO though, would be in one in a minute if I had not landing the deal I made on my car.

I've owned cars from all of the big three and have called myself a loyal GM owner for years because I love my Bonneville. I was prepared to switch, but once I drove the Goat? No question...this is the car for me. IMHO, it is the best performance car for the buck that doesn't beat the livin' shiz out of this old body. I would say I "could" drive all day in this thing, but "could" is the wrong word. I've driven this thing sunrise to sunset several times. I've owned it 5 months, and have barely gotten to drive the thing in the last two, yet I still have racked up over 15,000 miles on it.

The best 4x4 I've ever driven? Dodge. And by the way...I kept my Bonneville as my "daily driver", but the term daily has turned into once or twice a week.

Gerry

[MarylandSpeed]

I have always been a car guy. I am 26 and the GTO is probaly my 20th car. I have had 2 Firebird, and Camaro, 2 Grand Prixs (a GTP Comp G, and a GXP), plus other stuff.

I am always glad to see someone rediscover their love for cars..it is part of what makes selling parts so great. I hear a ton of stories every day, and am able to basically shoot the shit about what I love to make a living.

[lisatw151]

Great post! I know exactly what you mean. I'm the 41yr old mother of 3, and I have absolutely gone off the deep-end over this car. My 21 and 19yr old boys tell me on a daily basis that I've lost my mind. LOL. Everytime I load up my drag radials to go to the strip, my oldest shakes his head at me. LOL. I've had my goat over 2 years now, and with 48,XXX miles, it's the first car I've ever owned where I still get excited anytime I have to go somewhere. :gears: I've always been into cars, but never to this depth. :p

And this site... I have met and made soooo many friends here it's unbelievable. And I mean, close, trusted friends that I know would be there for me in a heartbeat if I needed anything.

So yeah. I know the feeling. :turbonaug

[ShoddyHog]

Nice post. I too am a member of the the early midlife crisis club. lol Definitely the best time of my life so far. Was originally going to buy a G6 coupe to relive younger days and the wife talked me into a GTO. Bless her heart. Btw, part of your story reminded me of a quick cat and mouse game with an older guy and his wife in a new Mustang convertable while my wife and I were heading up I-35 to Austin for the Oasis meet last month. All threw each other an appreciative thumbs up once done playin, and continued to cruise together the remainder of the trip.

Yeah, my wife still gives me the "midlife crisis" crap :stickpoke but I know she's just playing with me. The first time she said that, I just layed it out like this. I couldn't afford a muscle car when I was a kid. After we got married and had a child, a 4-door car was practical. At this point in my life, I can afford to buy a muscle car I've always wanted, so why not? She pretended to buy that explanation.

Now, I have a $300 shifter waiting to be installed and I'm already talking up why I need a cam, LTs, and louder exhaust...still toying with planning a trip to HPE for a C-Cam in the spring.

OK...maybe it is a midlife crisis. If I've only lived half of my life, the LAST half will be spent burning rubber :gears:

Gerry

[JimLINY]

I predict you will be the choice driver for 10 year old girls in your neighborhood for school, social and athletic events.

I know I was with my four and their friends. Thank goodness for the goat only one is under 16 now, the other three drive or have rides.

It's amazing how many students or football, soccer, lacrosse, softball and baseball players one can fit in a four seat performance vehicle!!! They all wanted to ride in the Z28, not their parent's Mercedes, Lexus', Infinitys, Jeeps, Suburbans, minivans ...:) Now with the coming of the goat they all want to buy the Z!

[RobertHammen]

I played the mid-life crisis card to get my GTO.

I don't know if I'm having my mid-life crisis yet, but I'm certainly enjoying the car. Got to stretch her legs a little today, on the 2 hr. cruise to Speed Inc. for dyno day, and then 2 hrs. back home. God what a rush it was to hit triple-digits on a (slightly curving) freeway entrance ramp ;-). I know the car is gonna go to sleep for 4-5 months, sometime in the 2-3 weeks... just like life, I'm trying to enjoy it while it's here/while I can...

[ShoddyHog]

I predict you will be the choice driver for 10 year old girls in your neighborhood for school, social and athletic events.


Sorry to y'all for abandoning this thread, but my brother called and he's leaving for his 2nd tour in Iraq in a few days. I hope he comes back in one piece...again...

Yeah, you are right. I sit at the end of my road every day with my daughter waiting for the school bus, so that gives us time to talk. She just loves the Goat, and we both crack up at the neighbor kid that takes off with his SRT4. My daughter heard his car and was ?????? at the bottle-rocket sound he makes during shifts. I just told her something like, "That's the sound of an itty-bitty car trying to sound like, and run like my GTO". She smiled, nodded, and I'm sure she "gets it".

God Bless America and our troops.
Gerry

[ROKS ROKET]

I'm past my mid-life crisis so what's my excuse? I bought a 96 Trans Am for my MLC and kept it for 2 years. And then bought a 98 GTP for my 2nd MLC car. Then a 04 SUV I bought in 03, then the GTO in 04. So I started my MLC car experience at the age of 41 now at 51 it's over. So I guess I bought the GTO because I've been a fan of Pontiac's since 1971 with my first one. (66 LeMans) So it really doesn't matter what age you are, you're going to enjoy your GTO no matter what.








FROM THIS
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/9999/myfirstponti acdc2.jpg

TO THIS
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/5264/img0038zu0.j pg

All in a span of 35 years..........

ROK

PS: And I know there's a lot more people older than me driving GTO's. It's all for the love and thrill of the car.......



.

[ShoddyHog]

3rd gear!!!!

Amen. I didn't want to race...just wanted to show my nads. If I really was waiting on him to romp on it, no way I'd have been in 4th. It sure was fun though...I did downshift to 3rd after he fell in line....and was blipping the throttle. So much fun just to see the nose of this car rise and dip.

[danrieke]

Mostly...

That it is mine.

And more than 6 billion people will never own one.

[littlemissGTO]

I guess I started my MLC early. At 30 I cut my hair and two months later I came home with the GTO.
The first time I took the kids out for a spin my oldest son (11) said "Mom can you bring this car to our first field trip?" Seeing the look in his face (my non car guy) and how excited he was about the GTO made my day.
In fact the first time I got pulled over he was in the car with me. When we got to our destination the first thing he did was find his friends and say "Guys look at my mom's GTO. Guess what we just got pulled over."
My older brother's have always had sweet classic muscle cars 66 Chevelles, 67 Chevelle SS. 68 Impala cool cars like that. Heck my uncle has a 68 Camaro in someone's garage right now. Because of cars like that I've wanted a muscle car since I was 10.
I don't think I'll ever forget my brother's face when he saw the GTO. He had just gotten home from drag racing in KC and was talking to someone on his phone. He looked up and said "Oh s h i t. You should see this car Shauna just bought. It's pretty as Hell." At that point he about dropped the phone. All I could do is smile from ear to ear and say "you wanna take it for a drive? Here's the key." He absolutely refused to drive it. So I took him around the block. The street behind him is always empty and is pretty darn flat and he frequently uses it to test run his 63 Nova. I figured ok I'm going to show big brother how little sister is doing things now. Before I got to third gear he said "Shauna there's a stop sign there at the end of the block." I said "I know and I've got really good brakes."
My other brother is just waiting for me to go out of town and leave the keys with him. I left my truck with him so he could do a few things to it and keep and eye on it while I was out of town. When I called to tell him that I picked my truck up he said "darn I thought you were going to leave the GTO with me" I couldn't do anything but smile and laugh just a little bit.
My brother's and I have always been close. Now we have something else to share with each other. Every time there's a car show or something like that going on the call and ask me to bring my car out. I don't get to do that often (thanks to my work schedule) but when I do it's such a cool thing. I also find it a bit amusing when all of the guys rush my brother's to ask them about MY car, and the looks on said faces when the look over and see me smiling.
Gerry I can relate to just driving to "smell the roses" aside from this speeding ticket I just got, I usually drive about 5 over the limit and just watch cars and the scenery. Man I love this car. So much so that it interfers with my other passion. Mountain biking. Now the trick for me is finding a way to balance my time and my passions.

[ShoddyHog]

Gerry I can relate to just driving to "smell the roses" aside from this speeding ticket I just got, I usually drive about 5 over the limit and just watch cars and the scenery. Man I love this car. So much so that it interfers with my other passion. Mountain biking. Now the trick for me is finding a way to balance my time and my passions.

I loved the comment about your 11-year-old. I can relate. Though she's never said a word, I can see the look of disappoinment on my duaghter's face when the answer is "Bonneville" when she ask which car I'm driving to work. And all she gets is a 200 yard drive and a 10 minutes sitting in it while waiting on the bus.

And, "So much so that it interfers with my other passion. "? He he...I can't tell you how many personal responsibilities I've completely blown off over the last five months because of this car. Doesn't matter though...when I walk around with a huge SEG in the house and my wife just rolls her eyes at me, it makes it all worth it. I've got plenty to do around the house today, but you live in St. Louis and know what the weather was like...so I just had to wash Charlotte and take her out.

Gosh...what a beautiful day. I spent most of it doing the speed limit on twisty back roads with the windows down enjoying the rumble. I also got more waves today than I think on any single day ever driving her. I even caught the cops directing traffic on 67 near Kimswick sneakin' a peek.

I got home, walked upstiars, and told the wife, "I know I've said this a thousand times, but I simply love that car."

She said, "Really? I couldn't tell." :ftw:

Gerry

[rockit2001]

My plate says it all as far as I'm concerned, GTOHBABY.

[ShoddyHog]

He he...too many characters for my state, but it certainly does say it all.

That's another thing...never had vanity plates, and for the first time, I'm considering it. If I come up with the perfect one, I just might do it. If I have the money and time to do the mods I want, every cop in the county is going to know my car soon anyway.

Gerry

[rockit2001]

He he...too many characters for my state, but it certainly does say it all.

That's another thing...never had vanity plates, and for the first time, I'm considering it. If I come up with the perfect one, I just might do it. If I have the money and time to do the mods I want, every cop in the county is going to know my car soon anyway.

Gerry


It didn't take long after I bought the car that I decided to get a vanity plate. I always wanted one and thought that the car should be worthy of one. I've met a few ladies because of it, so it has it's advantages.

Say, after the mods are installed, how about WUZAGTO?

[ShoddyHog]

It didn't take long after I bought the car that I decided to get a vanity plate. I always wanted one and thought that the car should be worthy of one. I've met a few ladies because of it, so it has it's advantages.

Say, after the mods are installed, how about WUZAGTO?

He he...I like that one too. One character means all the difference though...

"License plates may be personalized. Regular personalized license plates with no emblem or wheelchair symbol may have up to six letters including one space, dash, or apostrophe."

I was thinking of something simple like LS2-GTO or something like that. I'm sure everything I've thought of has been taken though.

Gerry

[romans8:28]

I used to run a vanity plate until I came to understand how much trouble they can get you into......... to many disturbed people these days to label a car

[littlemissGTO]

Oh man the weather today was absoutely beautiful. I went by my brother's house and did a Zaino job. Shortly after I got home I was out like a light. I think I'm going to head down your way next Sunday if the weather is nice. 67 and HWY 8 are some fun roads to drive on.
My plan today was to avoid downtown and my neighborhood as much as possible from noon til about 6PM with all of the celebrations going on.
As far as the vanity plate goes I was thinking SCRMOM or MASGTO. You know something just the opposite of what my car and I am.

[ShoddyHog]

Oh man the weather today was absoutely beautiful. I went by my brother's house and did a Zaino job. Shortly after I got home I was out like a light. I think I'm going to head down your way next Sunday if the weather is nice. 67 and HWY 8 are some fun roads to drive on.
My plan today was to avoid downtown and my neighborhood as much as possible from noon til about 6PM with all of the celebrations going on.
As far as the vanity plate goes I was thinking SCRMOM or MASGTO. You know something just the opposite of what my car and I am.

If either of those are still available, it would be your #2 pick.

The person that posted before you did remind me of something though. When we lived in Virginia, we had a friend with a Firebird. Ex-Cop, and I think that's what his plates said. If not, it was something similar, and he finally gave them up because people kept stealing them. And people who steal plates, don't gently remove them with a screwdriver.

Hmmmm...don't know where Highway 8 is, but I'll have to find it, and drive it. If you come down 67 and might want a suggestion, try turning west on Highway M and your choices from there will be limitless. I like to take 21 south, then A back towards Festus, then right towards Hemmetite. That's the road you see in most all my pictures I posted.

You can also cut off of 21 to drive to the Sandy Creek covered bridge. Once you get there though, you'll probably do like me and say, "Wow, that's a pretty bridge, but why am I standing here lookin' at a bridge when I should be driving?" At least I get lost each time I go there, and I don't whine about gettin' lost in the Goat.

If you know where Surdyke Harley is, I live a couple miles back in the woods behind them. There's a ton of fun roads around here. I can spend hours driving the limit, not even get 20 miles from home, and still see new road all the time. Be careful though...Jefferson County cops, IMHO, are the best at using instant-on radar. Well, the best I've seen at least.

Gerry

[littlemissGTO]

If either of those are still available, it would be your #2 pick.

Hmmmm...don't know where Highway 8 is, but I'll have to find it, and drive it. If you come down 67 and might want a suggestion, try turning west on Highway M and your choices from there will be limitless. I like to take 21 south, then A back towards Festus, then right towards Hemmetite. That's the road you see in most all my pictures I posted.

You can also cut off of 21 to drive to the Sandy Creek covered bridge. Once you get there though, you'll probably do like me and say, "Wow, that's a pretty bridge, but why am I standing here lookin' at a bridge when I should be driving?" At least I get lost each time I go there, and I don't whine about gettin' lost in the Goat.

If you know where Surdyke Harley is, I live a couple miles back in the woods behind them. There's a ton of fun roads around here. I can spend hours driving the limit, not even get 20 miles from home, and still see new road all the time. Be careful though...Jefferson County cops, IMHO, are the best at using instant-on radar. Well, the best I've seen at least.

Gerry
67 and HWY 8 intersect. I'm not sure how far that is from you. I usually go 55 to 67. 67 to 8. 8 to P. P to DD and about 20 mins later I'm parking to pitch my tent and go for a ride on my bicycle that is).
I usually take 21 to Potosi when I'm headed camping at Council Bluff lake. I know where the turn off for the covered bridge is, I've just never taken it.

I know right where Surdyke Harley is. I usually pass it when I'm on my way camping...LOL Yes, there are LOTS of ways to get to Council Bluff lake and Johnson Shut Inns.
I can only imagine how beautiful it is down there right now with the fall color change.

[BlueStreak]

Shoddyhog,

Thanks for posting! I get a kick out of reading stories like yours. I too am in my forties, and I have two sons (6 and 9). They both like riding in my GTO. I love driving it on curvy back roads, it's just a joy to hum along like a finely conditioned race horse that's just trotting casually and not even breathing hard... until you dig in the spurs that is :cool:

[ShoddyHog]

67 and HWY 8 intersect. I'm not sure how far that is from you. I usually go 55 to 67. 67 to 8. 8 to P. P to DD and about 20 mins later I'm parking to pitch my tent and go for a ride on my bicycle that is).
I usually take 21 to Potosi when I'm headed camping at Council Bluff lake. I know where the turn off for the covered bridge is, I've just never taken it.

I know right where Surdyke Harley is. I usually pass it when I'm on my way camping...LOL Yes, there are LOTS of ways to get to Council Bluff lake and Johnson Shut Inns.
I can only imagine how beautiful it is down there right now with the fall color change.

The colors have been stunning. This is our 2nd fall in Festus, and our 9th year back in the St. Louis area, and the best I think I've seen in that time...at least down here. We got a good soaking rain at perfect times, so I think that helped. We still have some really beautiful Oaks that are brilliant red. With all the hours I've had to work lately, I had a choice...wash & take pictures, or drive drive drive!!! Guess I don't have to tell you which choice I made since the only pics I took were through the windshield :gears:

I did give her a quick was before Sunday's ride, but I could barely wait to get on the road. I'm soooooooooo glad I chose black. That thing is just STUNNING when washed up...but you know that already, eh?

Gerry

[ShoddyHog]

Shoddyhog,

Thanks for posting! I get a kick out of reading stories like yours. I too am in my forties, and I have two sons (6 and 9). They both like riding in my GTO. I love driving it on curvy back roads, it's just a joy to hum along like a finely conditioned race horse that's just trotting casually and not even breathing hard... until you dig in the spurs that is :cool:

That's exactly what I'm talkin' about. I just let her easily pull on an uphill, left turn the other day in front of a pickup...rumblin' like she owned the road...look in my rear view mirror to see the guys in the pickup waving.

Silly as it sounds, that's one of the reasons why I want to get a cam and headers on this thing...more rumble and props at low RPM. Well, I won't bitch about the extra horsepower either, but I'm not lookin' to race.

I just asked my wife, "So when are we planning our trip to Houston?" She just sort of shrugged and started shooting ranges of dates we could go down. I said, "I guess early spring will work for me, but I'll have to check the work schedule. Hell, I need to save up now becuse the mods I want should cost about $2,000."

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

She thought I was talking about visiting FAMILY!!! lol NOT...they live in El Paso. He he. I'm thinking HPE C-Cam baby!

Gerry

[Dan_E]

45 y/o, Army, wife actually bought my car for me before I got back from Iraq (yes, she is an angel). As Loverboy said, "Lovin evey minute of it."

Enjoy.

[ShoddyHog]

45 y/o, Army, wife actually bought my car for me before I got back from Iraq (yes, she is an angel). As Loverboy said, "Lovin evey minute of it."

Enjoy.

Well, I hope you bought that angel somethin' special in return. Military spouses and families are the unsung heros of our day. I was a AH-1 Cobra mechanic and left as SSG in 1993, and my my younger brother is a SFC heading back for his 2nd tour in Iraq.

He leaves tomorrow :-patriot:

Gerry