Cool cars

The cars that usually catch my eye are things that most people probably don't look at. Obviously the Vanagon fits that category. But so do cars like Audi Coupe Quattros, Classic Mini's, VW Squarebacks, Corrados, second generation Golf's and Jetta's (particularly with the 16 valve motor), older Porsche 911's, Audi 4000's, and pretty much any of the Audi Avant's. Obviously I prefer German cars but I didn't start out that way. When I was younger my first car was a 1968 Chevy Camaro. I bought it and wanted my dad to help me restore it. He was/is an excellent mechanic and can do anything including mechanics and bodywork/paint. Unfortunately he was too interested in the bottle to make that happen and any father/son time in the garage resulted in yelling and wrench throwing (on his part). A few years later, I began riding and running (anything to avoid him) and in an effort to really piss him off....I sold that car and bought a Datsun 280ZX turbo with t-tops. He was so mad. It was great. Until the clutch went out on it during the winter when I was coming back from visiting my g/f at college in Champagne/Urbana. I called him late at night after hoofin' it for miles to find a town with a payphone. He was pissed that I woke him up and hung up on me. I ended up calling my g/f's mother who drove up to get me. My father did go up with me a few days later to tow it home but I ended up dropping the trans (my first) out in the street during a snowstorm b/c I had to get it fixed so I could get back and forth to work.

A few years later I would meet my dear friends (I actually refer to them as my brothers) Adam and David Corbitt. We all worked together at the Touring Cyclist and Adam and I eventually moved in together. I will never forget their mother (Mommy 12). She insisted that I come to X-mas day and even went out and bought me gifts (socks and underware). I cried. She passed on several years later and I cried again. She was nicer to me than my own mother. Anyway...the Corbitt brothers were the ones that introduced me to German cars and actually taught me to work on them. So that's why they get my attention more than anything else.

However...I still rubber neck when a nice classic Camaro drives by (especially a 69 or even a 70 split bumper). But one of the cars that I have always admired is the AC Cobra. A few weeks ago I was out riding that darn bike and missed a walk with Heather and she told me about the 15ish Cobra's she had seen cruising through town. Well today on my ride I saw one in Cascade of all places. It was parked at a little Subaru repair shop. It's been there for a few weeks but it was under a tarp. Today the tarp was off and there was a for sale sign on it. I stopped to check it out. It looked to be a kit car but I couldn't even afford that. It was pretty much setup for the track too. Did you know that the original Cobra fenders were all created with an English wheel tool (by hand)? That amazes me.

I was looking at Cobras on ebay and stumbled upon this one tonight. Silly.