This morning climbed into the loaner 2012 Black Suburban LT, that I have been stuck driving for the last two weeks, turned the key, and nothing!
Oh the vehicle started just fine but that was it. There was no ice blue rotating
CAMARO embossed bowtie projected onto the windshield... a reminder that this car :5thgenvert:is far more about driving than about transportation.
I wait and no, not a single shake or lope in this Suburban, idle is smooth as glass. When I start the Camaro in the morning there is a slight shake and a pronounced lope, I can feel that this car is alive! The shake and lope of the modified LS3 engine is broadcast through the long tube headers and high flow cats, exiting loudly through the mufflerless tailpipes. Oh what a beautiful rumbling-symphony to shatter the early morning silence! Now the entire neighborhood knows this car not only runs but breathes.
I have my foot on the huge brake pedal of the Suburban as I grab the column shifter and drop it into D. This is the last interaction I'll have with the transmission till I arrive at work when I slide it back up the column to P. Getting the Victory Red SS moving takes a little more work. I slide my foot over to the man pedal
and press it to the floor, my right hand moves over to grasp the Hurst Short-Throw Shifter. And in concert the shifter is slid into first gear the left leg raises off the clutch pedal and the right foot moves into position over the go pedal. And this beast begins to move but does not want to cooperate. She bucks and shakes and lurches. To bring her under control I feather the clutch and modulate the amount of fuel
and as though she is being caressed at once she is ready! Left foot to the floor again and a slip into second gear... my hand will remaining on the Hurst shift knob for the majority of this ride to work.
As I wait for the electronic gate to open I reach up and press a button on the Suburban and the glass on the sunroof slides back and lets is a small square of sky. I am still inside a box.:( Not so in the CAMARO drop top. There is a handle that must be pulled down and twisted with authority and now with the push of a button the car truly
transforms its shape. As the whine of the convertible top motor is heard I begin to feel the sun on my face, I can smell the slight breeze and hear even more the rumble of the engine, which is a foreshadowing of what is to come. I have just become a part of my surroundings as I look up and around unobstructed at the clouds and trees and birds. A quick check in the rearview to make sure the Oakleys are positioned properly and drop the clutch, a quick chirp and I'm off.
As I approach the street I must merge onto in the loaner black Suburban I feel an uneasiness. There is plenty cross traffic and the frantic flow rushes past. The yield sign becomes a stop sign for this large slow and unresponsive Suburban. I sit and wait and wait and wait for a large opening to exploit. Oh what a difference in the Camaro. I approach at speed downshifting into second revs the engine to about 2500 rpms having the utmost confidence in the large Brembos and sticky P-Zeros I look for my opening and press the go pedal the car responds at once and just like that I am into third and merged into traffic.... no waiting.
Here comes the first traffic signal and it is red. A real non-event in the suburban. In the Camaro with the top down, this is
always a chance to meet new people. The car is wide awake now. The paint shimmers in the early morning light. The lope causes my head to shake in time with the rock-n-roll blasting from the speakers. And it happens, and it ALWAYS happens... I look over to see the gawkers. Sometimes they try to hide that they are taking it all in, secretly resenting their ride to work in their boxes. Other times they blast a smile and a big wave and over the roar of morning traffic, comes, "NICE CAR!"
Of course I flash my permagrin, and give a little wave, don't want to look too goofy, and reply, "Thanks, its a CAMARO!!"
The best is when you look over to a young child trying desperately to get their parents attention pointing and gesturing frantically, less their parents miss the coolest thing they will see ALL day.
All this and I haven't even left the line yet.
I have been without my car, due to warranty repair issues for 56 days out of the last 68 and the car is still in the shop 
:( :( :(
To be continued...