Redball Express
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Have not thought about that in awhile.Mine was a 1989 Nissan Hardbody truck. I was 17 when I got it in 1997. The customizing movement during the 90s was minitrucks. They were everywhere and everybody was in a club. I was infatuated with it through my late teens before I eventually fell out of it for cars. They were fun times and you don't see them, really, at all anymore. Pretty much a dead sport now. Back then though it was the thing. I had altered suspension with air shocks to lower it, a "C-Notch in the back frame so the rear axle wouldn't hit the frame, shaved the door handles, updated the nose, and had a bed box with 2 10" subs in it. Looking back, the truck was really a pile and it was silly, but, at the time I was just a kid and I thought it was the coolest thing on the planet. Funny how you grow up and out of things. I'm thankful for the experience though because it kept my head looking forward at something to work hard for, because I was passionate about it, and kept me from the wrong crowds and drugs.
Anyway, that was my first ride. What was yours?
I had a 1973 Camero SS 396.
Metallic dark blue, black dual racing strps from hood, roof to rear deck.
Factory mags and Delco 8 track radio. I later put on headers which were blue printed to the manifold. That meant the manifold and header where the manifold gasket were are grind down to form a high compression seal.
After that, I added a full racing cam and changed the rear end gears for faster 0-60 mph instead of a high end cruising speed.
My best buddy had a 442 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible and we would go racing in city streets and race other guys all the time.
I traded my Camero in on a Datsun 260 Z and put headers and and a Hurst shifter for the 5 speed tranny.
It too was a screamer until one night on a rainy night I turned into what I thought was a shallow runoff and it turned into 3' deep flood.
My car stalled as the water started coming over my hood. I got it fired and backed out of the water and heard a bang.
I limped home in the rain as it would not get up to speed.
Got home, waited for the rain to stop and took a flashlight underneath and saw a hole the size of a beer can in my engine bottom.
The water had blocked the tailpipe and when I restarted the engine, the back pressure had forced a piston rod back thru the block and shot it out of the engine.
I was just freaking sick about it. I had bought the car with a warranted on it extra before I did the mechanical upgrade. I turned the car back to the dealer and they asked me if I had done any work on the car.
I said no, I had bought it from them like that. The dealer rep said they were going to total the car. They said I could go pick out a new 280 Z of the lot as a swap out.
I went in the showroom and found a white with black leather interior 280Z and drove it off the showroom.
I was totally pleased and counted my lucky Irish stars.
