[radz28]

Another birthday for Camaro.

I've had a Camaro in my life for almost as long as I could drive. I bleed Camaro. Many of you have probably had many more than I, but I assure you of my faith. My family bought a Teal '94 A4 2.73 hardtop in (about...) April of '94. That was based, mostly, off my encouragement, lol. In 1997, I bought my first car, a Mystic Teal '95 Z28, with T-tops, cloth, and M6. I taught myself how to drive stick in that car. Then, I traded that one in for a Navy Blue Metallic '02, A4, 3.23 T-top car with leather in 2003. I got rid of that car when my first ankle biter came, in 2009, and my stable was missing a Camaro, until this day in 2019, when Fury came home with me.

That '95, with 7600-miles on it, was super fun. By the time I traded it in, it had SLP 1 3/4" shorties (which were more like mid-length, but CA...), a K&N CAI (super worth it), a dual-58mm TB (I port-matched the intake manifold inlet), 4" intermediate pipe that flowed into the Borla adjustable catback, Kenny Brown Double Diamond subframe connectors, and washed and waxed that silly thing weekly. I put more than 90k miles on that car, with at least a hundred passes down the strip. I put 4-clutches in that car (turns out kevlar pucks don't like burnouts, lol) over that time (SLP's clutch was the best I put in there). A skip-shift eliminator made driving easier around town. I loved that car.

My '02 was even more fun. I got that car with about 4k-miles on it. I added a factory 12-disc CD-changer to supplement the Monsoon stereo, lol. I added an indiglo instrument cluster insert to it, along with a compliment of a 3-gauge pillar pod. I had about 4-sets of headers over time, including (2) sets of QTPs (I ended up staying with the HVMCs), a set of mid-length MACs, and eventually tickets (it's CA...) pushed me into installing some garbage Edelbrock shorties with a non-crushed Y-pipe, squirting fumes though an adjustable Borla with a QTP cutout. An SLP lid, and ported TB took care of the intake-side. The rest of the powertrain was pretty stock, except for the Yank SS3800, which really woke the car up. After a tune, that car put down 360-WHP with those mods'. It only ran a 12.5@112 (I think - maybe it was a 110-111), but hit the limiter at the 2-3 shift several times, so I think a bottom 12 was possible (on DRs). Chassis mods' were SLP SFCs, Spohn Adjustable Torque Arm, BMR LCAs/Brackets & PHR, and I was running on polished replica Cobra R-type wheels, in 17 x 9 and 17 x 10.5. It would spin the tires on a 4-2 shift @ 40 MPH, and if you know anything about those A4-cars, they were pure poop at that speed because of the HUGE gear ratio gap in that 4L60E, from 1st to 2nd. From about 35-45-MPH, those cars were dogs, but that SS3800 (it actually behaved like a 4000-stall converter, really) REALLY woke that car up, especially down low. I had (2) HUGE B&M tranny coolers on the car, so temps never got above like 180*, and at the strip, my shifts never fell below 5200-5300 RPMs; the shift extension was that good. That converter was a better improvement than any other mods' on that car. So much fun, and so many passes (probably as many as the '95), and it never broke.

Which brings me to my favorite memory - getting my dream car: a simple Camaro. Nope - no Lambo or Pagani here. Not even Corvette. Just simple American power. That's just me. No showing off - just simple. 3-years ago, today, I'd be landing at Ontario airport (LA) in a couple hours, to make my way about 16-miles to Glendora Chevrolet to meet my dream car. After a couple hours, my wifey and I were off, on our way home, on an 8-hour drive. I christened him Fury (I have a temper, and his exhaust inspired me, lol) on the drive, and it's been a dream come true since. Most of the mods' are in the signature, but I can come home, pretty much any day, and walk into the garage to go for a ride that will wisk me away and leave me with a smile every time.

Yup - it's a stupid car, and maybe pathetic that I can't dream of something better. What can I say? I'm simple and Camaro has always seemed a perfect reflection of my personality. It's a car, to me, that says I don't want to be noticed, but I won't be ignored (a quote from someone I can't recall). I get kids and some adults that still give me a smile, or thumbs up, or point, jaws agape. It's funny, and surprising. Fury just has character.

Happy Birthday Camaro! Thanks for all the memories and fun. I look forward to having more until I can't put fuel in Fury any more.

[ApolloX75]

Nothing wrong with wanting and loving a Camaro!

I've always been an American muscle kid; grew up on it, probably my dad's fault. I've owned a '75 Buick Apollo that I mutant modded for years, '80 Firebird, '88 Trans Am, '92 Formula, '77 Skylark, '87 Grand National, '13 Camaro LS, '16 Camaro 1LT V6 and now I'm on to my '22 Camaro LT1.

She'll probably be one of my last ones at this point. Not because of age, I'm only in my 30's, but I have an injury from my years as a mechanic/tradesman that prevents me from doing a lot of the wrenching that I've done throughout my life.

It is what it is.

Cars aren't an exclusive club, everyone should be able to participate in the hobby and enjoyment no matter what the background or preferences.

[PostalLDMC]

I've been a CHEVY fan since I got my first car 1963 Corvair, then I was hooded traded up to a 63 409 4 sp. all red. Next came 1966 SS396 Chevelle 4 sp. Got out of the service new 1972 SS Chevelle auto. Still at it I'm now in my 70+ and have a 2022 vert. Even with a 6cyl. I'm loving it.