Thank You!
The hours, unpredictability, etc. are tough on the family, and I really do mean thank you and appreciate it. So many seem to not even know there is a war on.
And I want to thank the other veterans, and also state that yeah, I have been shot at and had some close calls, but I KNOW others of this generation and especially previous ones have had it far worse. I get it. Thank you.
I love my family, I love this country,
and man do I love it's cars!
conceived in the back of a 65 Tri Power GTO
home from the hospital in a 68 442
carted around in a 70 SS454 Chevelle
first day of school in Mom's 69 Daytona (sadly sold in 66)
remember hearing the first 8 track instead of radio in our 69 Z28 around 75 (a cheap used car at the time.... man I wish I was an adult then instead of now!)
watched the old man in his dirt circle racing days before I was even in school and then in grade school some. Died in a truck accident when I was twelve. Too soon in my opinion but I learned to hunt, work hard, be honest, and love cars before he went.
small block 400 quadrajet first gen Monte Carlo in HS (totalled)
followed by Impala V8 (beat to death)
followed by 69 GTO (killed a 350, slipped a 455 cam bearing, killed a TH350, cracked the bell housing on a TH400- then parked)
shamefully followed by a 4 cyl. Chevy Monza as I could not afford to keep the GTO going that last year of HS.
85 Z28 half payed for by my Infantry/Airborne/Ranger enlistment bonus in 86.
married a woman who is still my wife 22 years later and went to honeymoon in her V8, column shift, bench seat Cutlass Supreme (who needs a hotel room with a ride like that!)
strayed into the AWD turbo 5 speed but at least made in America
then a life of reasonable 4WD SUVs, 4 door 200hp ish sedans, etc. until the youngest of all those kids was finally out of a car seat!
Then Game On again!
Daily driver 5.7L 13.21 stock quarter miler Hemi
A 69 GTO to replace the one I sold soon after married.
(previous owner rescued from a junk yard in 90s. NOM RAIII spec engine, automatic replaced by M20, Judge appearance)
1971 Javelin SST 360 console BWM11B auto trans rescued after sitting 20 years and about to get parted out or scrapped
can you tell I love this country from it's transformation?
1974 stalled project in primer 74 RR small block 904 console car saved from being parted with 73 satty interior, random 318, cheap winshield, etc.
again, what does the transformation tell you?
Still on a pager, still deploying, and still keeping up with guys that were not born yet when I was was first in their unit. I'm not as lean or as fast as when I first went in, but I'm smarter, stronger, and proud to still get outside the wire and on the objective.
And a new 5.0 convertible to thank my wife for putting up with me, the cars, and the lifestyle. Her first dream car would have been a convertible Mustang, and she did get a Ford that started with an M. But she got a 6 cyl . Maverick. She likes this a lot better and sure as heck deserves it.
Anyways, did not mean to go so long. I truly appreciate the thanks, sincerely Thank you others and those supporting or having borne the burden of those other's sacrifices.
Hell, this is too heavy. Was not my intent. Time to lighten it up some.
I DO know where our old Daytona is. Just can't afford it.
Anyone with a rollback, some bolt cutters, some hooligan tools, wanting to roll out of here on a capture mission give me a PM...
