Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

View attachment 3705616 Please don't start on cars; I'm depressed enough already. Last Saturday I went to the local Chevy dealer, and he had one of these on the showroom floor. A NOS '16 Z06 Corvette 3LZ, with every option you could get. The $5K wheels; the carbon fiber roof panels; the clear window in the hood; everything. And, if I traded my truck in; wiped out most of my savings; and ate ramen noodles for the next couple of years, it could have been mine. I got in it without too much effort and... that leather bucket seat was like sitting in Moma's lap.. And, the 7 speed manual transmission? Pure automobile heaven. And then... I tried to get back out of it. It only took me 3 minutes, but I managed it - by myself, too. I almost broke down and cried; I finally reached the point where I could have a car like that, and - I'm too old, crippled, and beat up to get in and out of it...

Just takes practice!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I totally get it. Part of why I stick to stock car racing is because I can build them cheaper than I can buy them and I can still get in and out of them. Some of my stock cars over the years -
The early years:
View attachment 3706110 View attachment 3706112 View attachment 3706109 View attachment 3706111
Then things started getting expensive:
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And she was on the cover of a magazine once too:
View attachment 3706114

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

What's up with the no PG Chuck?

really digging the deep, rich (pic doesn't do it justice) Gibson burst....thinking about getting a clear PG made for it..

 

[JJR58]

really digging the deep, rich Gibson burst....thinking about getting a clear PG made for it..

Does look nice without it.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Hahaha! I mean, everything was on fire, then everything flooded. What's the worst that could happen now?

Volcanoes? Billions of locusts? Tornadoes? A resurgence of Nickelback popularity?
I personally know people whose lives were upended by each of those.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

... LOL - gotta admit I'm in a similar place. Sold my Porsche Cayman track car last year and bought a Cayenne GTS instead, and Lovin it. Sure I miss the Cayman but at least I can still get in and out of my 911 ok (unfortunately, my wife's Boxster is even getting to be a challenge). I'm looking forward to the day Ferrari comes out with a geriatric model.

The 2020 Ferrari Geriatro, coming soon to a dealership near you!

 

[TerribleTim68]

...Fun times and nice rides!
There's definitely cost plateaus in racing. When I was competing it seemed like you could only go so far in a given class before you'd needed to ratchet up the funds to get to the next level. Sponsorship helps but it's definitely not a shallow pocket sport.

Yeah, sponsorship, that would be cool! I haven't had any in about 7 years now. Ever since that whole economy crash thing businesses just aren't interested in it or they simply don't have disposable income any more. It's been really tough to find a single dollar, so we do the best we can. Luckily, the current car we are literally building out of old stuff we shelved as it became obsolete. The joy of stepping down a class is that the stuff that became obsolete now has a use!

 

[Gaolee]

Yeah, sponsorship, that would be cool! I haven't had any in about 7 years now. Ever since that whole economy crash thing businesses just aren't interested in it or they simply don't have disposable income any more. It's been really tough to find a single dollar, so we do the best we can. Luckily, the current car we are literally building out of old stuff we shelved as it became obsolete. The joy of stepping down a class is that the stuff that became obsolete now has a use!

There's a reason I raced motorcycles. Aside from being fast and fun, they are far cheaper than cars.

 

[Cardinal Fang]

Thunderbird sighting, Mother Mother by Tracy Bonham:



That song was one of a kind.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There's a reason I raced motorcycles. Aside from being fast and fun, they are far cheaper than cars.

Unless you emulate Kevin Schwantz a lot.

 

[TerribleTim68]

There's a reason I raced motorcycles. Aside from being fast and fun, they are far cheaper than cars.

Unless you emulate Kevin Schwantz a lot.

Yeah, at my age I felt I was better off with a full roll cage around me. Self-preservation.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Less drama these days, I hope?

Eh? Unless ... the photo is from a year ago, when there was plenty of drama.

Less drama now with the guitarist and me jamming in the spare reoom.

 

[mr zee]

the audacity...
View attachment 3706126

Is it time for my dinner?

 

[fasterpussycat]

Awesome pic! Has Prog rock legend written all over it. Any luck pulling a band back together to release more songs?.

Still early days. Not going to hurry things this time around.

 

[PillO]

The 2020 Ferrari Geriatro, coming soon to a dealership near you!

It will have features such as a 7 speed dual clutch transmission that will not allow you to exceed the speed limit when driving in the left lane and a left turn indicator that can't be shut off.

 

[RedVee]

It will have features such as a 7 speed dual clutch transmission that will not allow you to exceed the speed limit when driving in the left lane and a left turn indicator that can't be shut off.

Room for a hat ?

 

[MCF]

Room for a hat ?

I would have put money on it that you would have said melon.

 

[PillO]

I would have put money on it that you would have said melon.

 

[mr zee]

View attachment 3706404

Is there a version in cantaloupe or galia, or even honeydew.

 

[Gaolee]

Unless you emulate Kevin Schwantz a lot.

Rebuilding a racing bike that you threw into the bushes is far cheaper than unbending a racing car that you parked in the bushes. Plus, my body crashes well so far. I haven't been on the track for almost ten years now, so I may not crash as well any more.