TTAC’s very own William C. Montgomery writes:
I have a friend that is an incurable GM F-Body fanatic; he currently owns a Camaro (daily driver) and a Firebird (big block restoration project). He just turned 29 and should have outgrown these pubescent urges by now. His life is a never ending automotive drama of slumming around junk yards for cheap fixes, trolling online forums and classified ads, and experimenting with mail order enhancements to cure perceived performance problems.
I know you haven’t been able to kick your Fox Platform habit. Even so, I would like to know what you think I could do to help cure him from this filthy F-Body addiction.
Sajeev answers:
Ladies and Gentlemen, since Bill and I go way back, I gotta keep it real this time.
See, the problem with guys like Bill Montgomery is they put F-body worship behind adoration of their lovely wife and beautiful children. They only have time for a hit of the Pistonhead sauce on a freeway sweeper in their 2001 Honda Accord.
But Mr. Montgomery, your Accord does not complete you. You’ll have an overabundance of free time (and money) after the kiddos leave the nest. The dormant passion for hot Firebirds (or perhaps sleeper Lincolns, Fairmont sedans and wood-paneled Cougar wagons (motivated by 5.0 monsters?) will rise up and burn. Burn like a nasty itch.
The need for personal expression via skid marks [on the street], Journey’s Greatest Hits at high volume and the freedom to shamelessly perform bodily functions like a solo artist is undeniable. Go ahead and give in: crank up the tunes, pop the T-tops, drop the clutch, let ’er rip and act like it’s all cool. Because it is. And you are.
Thanks to Bill, everyone knows my mad automotive skills works wonders with the ladies, so when the time is right, I’ll hook you up with my Thunder-Mustang-Conti-LTD-Cobra infused Cougar XR-7 and show you the light.
After all, misery loves company.
[Please send you mechanical queries to sajeev.mehta@thetruthaboutcars.com]
Nothing wrong with an addiction is like that, provided you hobby doesn’t come before the family. However, this is a great way to help your kids become knowledgeable about cars. Today’s generation eschews anything to do with getting their hands dirty. Too bad; there is such a sense of satisfaction in repairing something yourself. No true enthusiast is going to satisfied with just an Accord, even if it is because it doesn’t break often enough.
Still have my first ride sitting in the garage, with boxes all around it as I find parts on eBay, etc. Nothing left in the junkyards, though I remember those days fondly. Most people around here went to Southampton to wine/dine or party. Not me; I went to Universal Salvage to find parts, add options, and envision a cool car. Back then, there was no eBay, and today, there is little reproduction stuff available for cars like mine. F body people don’t have such problems, you can buy everything you need as long as you have the cash.
I don’t see a problem here either. And 29 is too old for an F-Body???
Check out Barrett Jackson on tv sometime. Some of the dudes bidding on the F-Bodies appear to be a century old! Most F-Body types around Detroit are retiree aged.
What’s the saying? Once you go mullet, you never go back. Or something like that.
Watching the Mecum auctions on Discovery HD is an exercise in frustration; I love to see the cars, but when restored 69 Camaros get hammered for $30-50k, I just get depressed, as I know I could never afford one. Still, that should give heart to one who wants to resurrect a barn find – you could actually make money on one.
I am 32 and I have a 83 and a 93 fox body mustang, and no I do not think I am too old at all. Especially since my daily driver is an 05 Mustang. Then again I am divorced and I have no kids so go figure.
What’s the problem ? the guy isn’t out every weekend drinking till he pukes, doesn’t appear to have 3 or 4 kids with a couple of different women that he doesn’t support.
This is a lifetime affair with cars. one doesn’t grow out of it.
You might better ask why anyone over 21 is still playing video games.
Don’t whine when that 340 Duster leaves thee behind, inhaling the exhaust of that mighty Mopar.
Hmmmppphhhh… I have a friend of mine who has seven kids (yep, that’s right) and is about mid to late 40’s.
He drives a 1992 Pontiac Firebird as his commuter car.
When he asked me whether it made sense to replace it, I tell him no. It’s paid for. He loves it… and until they start making affordable and fun electric cars, there’s really nothing out there ‘new’ that will give him a bigger bang for the buck.
RWD V8 domestic cars can be kept so long as maintenance and driving habits (and the weather) make them so. At least that’s the conventional wisdom in my neck of the woods.
What engine does your friend have in the Firebird?
I’m a 55 year old retired auto worker and a proud owner of a 2000 Firebird 3.8 auto, convertible white with a black top.It rattles and squeeks,leaks oil,and eats motor mounts{so far so good sajeev}Yes it’s kinda of a chick car.
Today was sunny and cool.My wife and I took the Firebird for a 60 mile cruise top down.Stopped for a pint and a bite.
Hey! for me life don’t get any better than cruising with MY F body.
Hey – I got bad news. There ain’t no cure.
And it’s not a filthy addiction either. Only blue-oval types would consider F-bodies to be “filthy”
I took my 73 Challenger out last fri night, got a six pack, and drove around town for hours listing to Skynards greatest works. There is just something about that music, coming over good 6×9’s, watered down with a headered, glasspacked, big block and the ability to break the mains loose at a rolling 30mph romp.
It’s simply unexplainable. That’s why I have a 69 GTX, new and old challengers, and a 73 charger.
I’ve got a habit too.
As Samir said, there ain’t no cure. Along with the old ’63 Dodge, I’ve got a ’98 Firebird. I’m 56 and love the thing. Just love screwing with the “rice boys” at the stoplights. In reality, I get alot of questions from the younger folks about the F-Body and the old ’63 B-Body Mopar, and I never turn down anybody that wants to talk about either. Just yesterday I had a kid (21 ….) come up to me in the parking lot at the autoparts store wanting to talk about the ‘Bird. From my observations, quite a few of the younger folks are developing an interest in both the older muscle cars and the later model F-Bodys and Fox Mustangs. That makes me grin ALOT!!!!!
Life just doesn’t get any better. If you haven’t owned one of these, you just don’t know what you’ve missed (OK … rattles and such, but who cares when you can leave 100 feet of dual 275mm wide tracks of rubber on the pavement?????)
Anyone who gets that much pleasure out of an F-body, or any other automobile, more power to them. It sounds like William Montgomery’s friend is really into the restoration. And that’s great, too. He’s learning skills, and there’s nothing to make life seem fulfilling like a big project that you love. And all that happiness is contagious. WM probably needs to spend more time hanging around with his friend, and heck, maybe bringing the kids along so that they can see the joys of car restoration.
Maybe there should be a place on TTAC where people with cool cars can post photos.
Yes, it’s true that my only car is a ’99 Accord (with a stick!). But mine is probably the only Accord that has cruiserline ventiports. (Not those tacky chrome ones you can buy, but some magnetized plastic ovals.)
racebeer, which ’63 Dodge do you have?
wow, guess I’m on my way to being old. I’m 24, live near Detroit (Ypsilanti), graduate Eastern Mich. in Dec. and have proudly owned a not so stock 1982 Firebird since 2002. Only question is what will I do with it once GM goes C11?
You’ll get ever more clever about where to find parts. Or make them yourself. And have a great time doign it.