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THE EARLY YEARS!

As you can see at just one year old I was already anxious to strap on the ol' helmet and hop into my fathers latest of a long line of home built creations, a propeller driven dragster powered by an inverted GM V-8. A slow starter at the line but fast down the track!

Feeling sorry for me, dad set out to build a rail of my own just 2 years later. Slicks, a three-point roll bar and Briggs & Stratton muscle! My racing career was tragically cut short when I was forced into retirement in order to start kindergarten. 

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L to R: Early 1965 picture during construction at my Chicago home; late 1965 running at Great Lakes Dragaway; 1967 photos in the backyard. The trophy was won at either a McCormick Place or International Amphitheater car show.

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1988 PONTIAC SUNBIRD S/E

Some 10 years after "Smokey & The Bandit" was all the rage I picked up my first Blackbird.....well, sorta. Not quite the same but this was my first new car, it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed owning it. Little did I know at the time that better Pontiacs were waiting in the wings.....

 

1992 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX S/E

With a change of careers and a bit more money to play with comes more car to play with too. Out went the Sunbird and in came the Grand Prix, vastly superior in every way.

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1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

The fulfillment of my childhood dream of owning my own Corvette finally arrived in early 1994. Despite the reduced power thanks to smog control restrictions of the era the 1980-1982 Corvettes have always been my favorite. Short on power but long on looks! The last of the curvaceous sharks at least stood out in style points. Driving this with that long nose out in front was like steering a freight train. Equipped with a 350 V-8, auto, charcoal leather interior, mirrored T-tops, full power options and mandatory eye searing Bright Red paint left me with no regrets choosing this one.

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These two pictures were taken at the final stop in Detroit on the 1996 Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour. Behind my car is my friend Bill Lynch's big block 1972 Chevelle Convertible.

1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD TRANS AM WS6 

Easily the baddest car I've ever had the pleasure of sizzling the tires on. My Corvette had spent more hours in storage than on the road and the extra burden of owning it along with a second car as a daily driver led me to cash in both of them for this Firebird. It eclipsed the Corvette's performance dramatically in every area but was a tricky handful to drive through snowy Chicago winters.

This one was brought home exactly as I wanted it equipped with the WS6 Performance Package, 6-speed transmission, pewter leather interior, T-tops, 500 watt Monsoon stereo, full power options.....and painted Black as the good Lord intended T/A's to be!

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These pictures were taken just a few hours after delivery from Sullivan Pontiac in February 1997. Nothing quite as nerve wracking as putting a brand new car out on icy roads but at least the deer in the background was impressed. The picture on the right of the main text frame is from the last stop in Lansing, Michigan during the 1997 Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour.

Other rides that figure in to the equation but are not pictured included 2000 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4, 1995 Pontiac Grand Am GT, 1993 Isuzu Amigo, 1981 Plymouth Horizon, 1979 Dodge Aspen, 1972 Plymouth Fury, 1969 AMC Rambler American, 1969 Volkswagen Beetle, 1964 Ford Galaxie & 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Wagon. Thank you for visiting my Real Rides page!