|
My story is still open ended since it will be awhile until I can get into a 5th gen, but the passion is still the same.
My parents bought an '82 Vette when I was 4 years old. They joined a local Corvette club shortly after and I was surrounded by muscle cars of all sorts from that point on. My dad bought an '88 Camaro new in '88. Then my parents won a '68 Corvette convertible at the Corvette show in 1990. They had all 3 cars when I turned 16, but wouldn't let me drive any of them. Finally, for my 18th birthday, my dad let me drive the '82 Vette. I spent my entire childhood admiring this car and I finally got to drive it! I was the only time I ever drove the car and it is still one of the best memories of my childhood.
In 1998 I bought my '95 Camaro and aside from being an automatic (I really wanted a stick) I was in love from the start. I drove that car through absolutely everything (all 4 seasons) and only ever had 2 near accidents in the 8 years I had it. The best part of the car was that it became part of me. When I drove it, it was almost like a third arm. I could make that car do anything I wanted and it responded happily.
Since I had the car for so long and through a particularly active part of my life, it was there in some manner through so many important parts of my life. It was there on our wedding day, when I graduated from college, and even when I out ran a tornado (not kidding!).
But, eventually, it started having some issues with nearly 200,000 miles on it and our family had grown. I needed something bigger but didn't want to lose the muscle car, so my wife and I compromised by buying a 2006 Magnum R/T. I love the Magnum and I've had it for 3 years now. But, it is still missing the bond that I had with my Camaro. It's fun and comfortable, but it is still just a car. And for that reason alone, I still miss my '95 Camaro. The Magnum makes sense for us right now to run the kids around and for going on various trips, but it's not a Camaro.
So, with 3 years of payments left on the Magnum, I can only drool at pictures for now with memories of my old Camaro.
|