Sorry for the wait...

[Sixty8panther]

Okay.... sorry for the delay. A few of you have been in touch with me to finally spill the beans about my absence and all the crazy happenings in my life that have transpired in these last few "exciting" weeks.

I've had several very depressing and strange things happen to me recently. I've been very unhappy with my life as of the last few days mostly due ot problems with my relationship wiht my girlfriend. I don't want ot go into it but let's just say I was so upset the other day I contemplated nirvana in the physical sense. Even as I type this I'm sleep deprived, slightly over worked and melancholy.

But F$@# that, I want to share all the GOOD craziness that has happened since my last update. So here goes.

My first ever Cadillac was a 1987 Fleetwood Brougham Delegance that I bought off my buddy John a few years ago. It had the typical leaky as a faucet valvecover gaskets & loose seals that pissed oil out at an amazing rate. After working 27 hours in two days at Chevrolet of Lowell (huge sale) I got in my Brougham and flew down Rt.3 to get hoem and get some rest. (another 13 hour day awaited) As I came off the exit for Drum Hill I thought to myself I need to add oil to this beast so I don't blow up this deathtrap... I'll stop at Sunoco. As I near the top of the ramp (I can see the gas station) the car dies.

Long story short the 307's oil pan had run bone dry and was now smiking out of the air cleaner like a canister of tear gas. Joh had given me the high milage car for $200 so I just wanted to get rid of it and make sure it would not get junked.

A month later in Oct. 2002 I sold the car to a gentleman who said he was going to clean her up and drop in a 350 chevy so that his son could have a nice Caddy daily driver.

Allan handed me a hundred dollar bill and I gave him the car, an extra battery, two gator-backs off of my buddy's 1991 GTA wiht 75% of their tread, the original 24K GOLD keys and a clean title.

He put the car on his flatbed and drove off. I lost his number and often wondered what happened to that old beast.

(her name was "Bertha" and she was white wiht a navy blue Delegance interior)







almost three years go by....

It's late August 2005 and I have just finished taking some photos of a 1966 Corvair Monza 4dr hardtop I want very badly. I get back in the Datsun and drive towards the enterance to Rt. 125 when I notice a gunmetal gray 1965 Chevelle SS off in the opposite corner of the parking lot. I turn then car around so I can go check it out and all of a suden freeze. I think I'm halucinating. There on a decrepid old 300K mile GMC flatbed (454 four-speed manual) is my old Brougham.

I'm 35 miles away from my house where I sold the car and by shear dumb luck happened to be in that used car lot/storage yard because I was checking out the Corvair. I throw the Maxima out of gear and pull on the E-brake and jump out yelling:

"That's my old Brougham... I sold you that car! It was Allan right?"

Truns out three years go when he drove off wiht the car he dropped it off in a friend's back yard in Andover Mass. (my old hometown after we came ot the USA) it sat there for all that time while some health and financial problems prevented Allan form putting the car back togeather and getting it on the road. The same day I ren into him was the first time he touched the car. It had sat dormant the WHOLE time under a tree while mold and moss grew all over it, it sank inot the ground and the gold hood ornament was stolen. The same day he winches it out onto his flatbed to move it to his storage yard is the exact same day I show up in the same yard and check out the Corvair.

Like I said: Twilight Zone!

In the front there are still old gas receipts and a few random automtive products I gave him. In the backseat the tires off my buddy's Firebird GTA are still there wiht cobwebbs and dust allover the place. My Metallica sticker is still over the rustsopt on the trunklid. Freaky shit.

As I drive off I consider it a sign. I should sell my Brougham and pick up the Corvair. It makes perfect sense. I that old beat up Brougham is still aroudn there's a million more classic Caddys out there as nice or bettter than my '86. Sell it and move on. The Corvair awaits!

Later on that day I tell my buddy Duffy over the phone about the whole thing and tell him I've desided to sell the '86 Brougham. "Besides", I say: "I'll just get another one down the line... a NICER one. Perhaps a Delegance with the CHevy 350.... OR even better a late 70s Coupe DeVille wiht a REAL Caddy engine" A few days later I'm browsing eBAy for Coupe Devilles just to see what the future may bring. I decind SOMEDAY I'll own one. Probably within another 3 years.










Meantime things get hectic. Work, play, work, work, work.... and then Sean get's desparate to sell his '69 Camaro. :(

After all that back and forth we settel on a price, put it on a trailer and brign it down 850 miles to No. Carolina the 7th of Sept. (my mom's B-day) After al kind of Bullshit and back and forth negotiation the car is sold. Sean looses his shirt on it and we end up deciding it would he been better to just sold it localy for $2000 less and saved the agrrevation, gas ($3.29 gallon and we towed the car wiht a 460 big block powered truck) and time. Still I'd never driven past Pennsylvanian so it was fun. I got to meet Sean's brother in Virginia who does Suburban, Excursion and H2s for the Feds. (installs much of the military/inteligance components on the trucks)

Over all the trip was fun and I enjoyed driving about 75% of the distance. The bset part was seing my first REAL 1969 Yenko. an original car with low miles that was in the shop where we dropped of Seans '69. Fathom Green and so clean it's technically OVER-restored. The owner even has a photocopy of the original title with Don Yenko's signatuire on it. I was in heaven! :wub:

Notice the two other first gens. and there was a fifth in the OTHER garage. (dover white 1969 Z/28) Talk about 6-tee-Eight heaven!




Here you see the 430HP 427 BBC that will be going inot the Camror we just sold them. This will become a 100% mint and factory spec. COPO clone. It supposedly will sell for around $57K at Barrett Jackson next year.








When I get back to Mass I have a ton of messages wating for me... all kind of bullshit and crap to deal with. My buddy Ross from AutoZone (really nice kid) called me a couple times. All Macia remembered was that he wanted me to "take a look at a car". Things get hectic and I nebver have a chance ot call him. I figure he picked himself up a winter beater since his daily driver is a GORGEOUS 1996 White Diamond Pearl Buick Riviera wiht the super rare chrome wheels. It's not supercharged but it's still gorgeous. He loves taht car and is a true GM fanatic. He has helped me out a ton of times in the past wiht the Camaro and Brougham in terms of tracking down a part or a discount. Real gentleman.

Well a few days go by and I get a phone call from him.

He picked up a 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille off of an old guy for $300. (insert image of a 150,000 mile POS beater with saging doors and rusty fenders here)

The guy was getting shipped off to a retirement home and his kids were going to junk the car since it was so useless to them. The rear bumer needs repair since one side is pushed in (the shock) it needs a new radio antena, the driver's side seat needs to be re-upholstered and the right side window is stuck down. That's it. The car starts adn drives well and the bady is 85 % rust free. A few bubbles here and there.

Ross had left his number woiht the guy when he saw it sittinfg for a while not being driven and he calls him one day saying "If you still want to car some and get it today otherwise it's going to the junkyard!" (some people are SO ignorant!)

So now Ross tells me that he needs to get the car out of his grandparent's back yard where he was storing it otherwise THEY will ship it off to the crusher. He says: "just take the car off my hands PLEASE... you'll be saving it from the junkyard for the second time in two weeks. I'll give it to you for a very reasonable price and you can pay me whenever. I know it will have a good home with you."

I tell him I'm working untill about 11:30 pm and so I can NOT meet with him that night, he says 12:00 is okay at AutoZone if it's not too inconvenient but time is of the essance. he has the registration but the old man lost the title (not something I can't get around... I've done it twice now) The night I arrive at the Autozone paking lot at midnight and I see a gorgeous '79 Caddy. Not a rusting hulk of crap with a broken windshield, missing hubcaps and faded paint. He lets me drive it around the parking lot and it runs like a top. It's got only 72K miles and the car has been repainted within the past year The 425 Cadillac block (7.0 Liter) purrs like a kitten and the TH400 shifts as well as it did new. It's FIRETHORN red wiht a white top an leather interior. I'm amazed. I feel like a prick as I offer Ross $450 for the car since I'm not doing great financially. I tell him to not get insulted.... esp. since he just got a BRAND new battery and air filter for it and he's allowing me to pay him back at my conveniance. I'm giddy like a school girl wiht candyin her pocket. We drive the car to my house and I drop him off at his Riviera a few towns over. He thanks ME for saving a classic from an untimely death. I drive off wiht a huge F%&$ing smile plastered to my face. I just scored a pimpin Caddy for $200 less that my Brougham and it's tons cooler, has a huge Caddy V8 and will never need to be emissions tested. Sweet.


As it stands I have to sell the Brougham so I can pay Ross and start repairs to the CoupeDeville. But once it's fixed up I'll have a kickass weekend cruiser!


So that's the crazy, amazing, strange-but-true story of how my past few weeks have been going. Truth is stranger than fiction!

Edited February 9, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[razoredge]

I actually read all of that. Sylv you have issues. Perhaps this is why you're having troubles in paradise ? Good luck - brother !

[Sixty8panther]

Trouble in Paradise... more like a bad day in Pergatory. At least that's the way my social/personal life has felt as of late. But even when I'm not TRYING I still manage to find great deals on "classic" GM cars. I appologize for writing a novel back there. I gues a lot has happened in the past 8 weeks. Actaully I stil left out several funny events.

[ocnblu]

Thanks for the pictures and novella, Sixty8. The car looks good. You know there are companies that specialize in those plastic bumper fillers, right? They're usually pretty reasonably priced. Take care of yourself, Sly!

[z28luvr01]

I hope everything works out with you, Sly. Especially with Marcia....cars come and go, but nothing makes life worth living more than the special people in your life. That CDV is awesome. It's the quintessential pimpmobile!!! :lol: The body is in excellent shape, especially for a 79. It looks like they did a pretty good job painting it too. And aside from the driver's seat, that interior looks to be pristine.

[Sixty8panther]

Thanks guys... yeah most of the car is darn solid. It's even more cushy than the Fleetwood. LIke floating on a freekin cloud! And the seats have even more padding. Or perhaps the 72,000 miles means they're a lot less quished than my 185,000 mile Brougham's. Either way it's a living room on wheels. :)

[mustang84]

Sounds like you've gone through a lot--good and bad--lately. I love that Coupe DeVille...ever since I saw the black '79ish DeVille limo in Pink Floyd's movie "The Wall," I've been in love with those things.

[Sixty8panther]

Wow. I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I barelly remember that limo. Back in Middle School as a kid I was listening to Pink Floyd... my favorite was Dark Side of the Moon & Wall. A lolt of guys called me a loser and a dork for being so into old music and old cars... while they were listinging to L.L. Cool J, MC Hammer, Aerosmith & G&R. They all thought the imports were so much cooler than some POS old American musclecar. (it was a rich town in the early 90s)

Then guess what happens a few years later in junior and senior year of High School?

Al these same morons are sporting Pink Floyd t-shirts and talking about the '57 Chevy they saw at a carshow wiht a sweet 289 in it. I hate people who stand for NOTHING and just follow.

I was still listening to Led Zep, Beatles, P. Floyd & various new stuff but just laughed when I heard them talking about how cool the Animals album was or whatever. Mindless sheep. BAAH BAAAAAHH!

Damn it, how do I get on these random tangents???

BTW: Did you know the very first CD to be burned durring the development of the technology was Dark Side of the Moon? I stumped a radio DJ with that one and won a shitload of CDs once. (WXLO)

Edited September 22, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[Croc]

Damn it, how do I get on these random tangents???

[post="18504"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Hardcore ADD. Don't fight it, just embrace it.

[Cory Wolfe]

Woweewow... That was a mighty long read. :P Looks nice, Sixty8. An absolute steall, too. This reminds me of a 77 or 78 Thunderbird sitting in my neighbers' garage. It's in very good condition inside and out. Not sure how it runs, though. But it just sits there and has been for as long as I can remember. One brother also has a late 80s Caprice Classic is good condition. Once again, not sure about how it runs. It's located in his barn. His brother across the street has a few cars in his barn. I can't remember what they are... It's been too long since I last raided his barn. Yes, that's how I found out about all this stuff. I was a curious kid... Still am. :D Anyways, does this mean you are not going to get that Corvair?

[turbo200]

I read the whole thing too. Your story brought a smile to my face, sixty. That Caddy is sweet, pimp. I can just imagine that butterscotch ride on it. It actually made me want to get an old-school ride that's relaxed just for cruisin, and that's a big deal. Hope everything settles soon, whatever it is, trust in yourself and beleive in better things to come.

[Sixty8panther]

Thanks guys... I appreciate the kind words. Croc, I guess you're right; A.D.D. Now what was I talking about? :P BTW B.V. I'm the same way... I often wander into people's back yards to take a peek at a classic car. here's a '69 Rally green Camaro sitting in a lady's back yard in Haverhill MA. It's supposedly been there since the 70s. It looks it too, I think there's more iron oxide on it than steel. As the story (typical urban legend) goes the son parked it there when he shipped off to Vietnam saying: don't sell my car mom... I'll be back. I've stopped by and asked her twice now if she'd sell the car and each time the door get's slammed in my face. :(

[Variance]

Man, that is a nice ride for under $500.

Makes me wish I had the money (or the room) to buy any random car I come across. :P

Seriously, when's the last time you bought a new car, Sixty? Edited September 22, 2005 by VarianceJ30

[mustang84]

Wow. I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I barelly remember that limo. Back in Middle School as a kid I was listening to Pink Floyd... my favorite was Dark Side of the Moon & Wall. A lolt of guys called me a loser and a dork for being so into old music and old cars... while they were listinging to L.L. Cool J, MC Hammer, Aerosmith & G&R. They all thought the imports were so much cooler than some POS old American musclecar. (it was a rich town in the early 90s)

Then guess what happens a few years later in junior and senior year of High School?

Al these same morons are sporting Pink Floyd t-shirts and talking about the '57 Chevy they saw at a carshow wiht a sweet 289 in it. I hate people who stand for NOTHING and just follow.

I was still listening to Led Zep, Beatles, P. Floyd & various new stuff but just laughed when I heard them talking about how cool the Animals album was or whatever. Mindless sheep. BAAH BAAAAAHH!

Damn it, how do I get on these random tangents???

BTW: Did you know the very first CD to be burned durring the development of the technology was Dark Side of the Moon? I stumped a radio DJ with that one and won a shitload of CDs once. (WXLO)

Oh, it's the same thing with my generation...except it's now about what's the MTV flavor of the week. I love older rock and have never really gotten into the new stuff, but now it seems like the 80s are coming back into vogue around campus. Kids are popping their collars and listening to new wave like it's 1985 all over again. I like some new wave stuff too, but I started listening to it before it became a trend. It's funny, because back when I was in high school around 2000, people made fun of 80s music...and now it's "cool" again. Whatever, lemmings.

[knightfan26917]

So that's the crazy, amazing, strange-but-true story of how my past few weeks have been going. Truth is stranger than fiction!

*grins*

Ya know, I can just about hear Waylon Jennings say these words ... you know, like he used to end some episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard with something like, "...and that's how the Dukes...." He he he


Sounds like you've had a bunch of ups and downs, Sixty8.

I definitely like that red Caddy ;).


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
"I'm not the only person with these things in mind" ... Linkin Park ... 'Somewhere I Belong'

[Sixty8panther]

Thanks Knightfan. That's quite a complement. I guess I do tend to drive my Camaro like the Duke boys and have powerslided it on a dirt road enough times to feel guilty about rock chips and scrathces on my rocker panels. Mustang84: See, exactly what I'm talking about. The more things change the more they stay the same. Variance: I almost bought a 2002 Camaro but I couldn't afford the payment AND the uinsurance in this crazy state of mine. Insurance woudl have been like $4000 a year. And I actuially had a pretty clean record back then. If a 1st gen retro Camaro comes out I WILL buy one ASAP and take the "hit" in depreciation to give GM a new car sale. My little contribution to make sure it NEVER goes on Hiatus again! I might buy a new Colorodo in the next few years. Edited September 23, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[razoredge]

Naw - Sly dont have ADD, whats up with drawing that conclusion ? :P

Music - Old Aerosmith is the best Areosmith, they were an important pioneer band, right along with Ronnie Montrose and his greatest gift, fat solid guitar riffs and Sammy who was behind the riffs as well. Fat guitar..lets not forget Leslie West Mountain and Nantucket Sleighride, a must have(Mustang http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/AH-HA_wink.gif ) As for the slow to catch on issue I have one of the best, oldest and saddest.... Led Zeppelin ! I found out about this radically different, heavy, new sound around 70 when they had already cut 3 records, which I promptly bought up and was a die hard , hard rock guitar screaming freak. Then came #4 in 71. I came to this song Stairway to Heaven and wept, smiled, fell to my knees, rolled on the floor and found new emotions I never knew. I played it again and again and again so many repeats that I had to recut the first groves of the song with a needle because it skipped so bad. I told everyone about this amazing band and sound but they ignored and listened to their more basic top fourty stuff. Then around 75 everyone began to catch on and Stairway to Heaven got played to death on the radio, ruined for eternity but that wasnt enough it had another resurgence in the late 70's and really pounded into the ground. It was the theme for our Senior Prom in 1976 - 5 years after I had already scratched my album all to heck, by that time there was this band Rush we non conforms were already jamin but that took a few more years to catch on, Working Man did the trick.

What was this topic about ????????? Oh its one of Slys....its OK then B)

[knightfan26917]

Thanks Knightfan. That's quite a complement.

You are welcome, Sixty8 :).

And, I hope that Camaro isn't too scratched up....

[Sixty8panther]

Razor: Embrace the randomness of the thread. Be one wiht your tangent. :) Knight: It's a driver. Someday soon it will get redone and then it will be a sunday driver, to be taken to car shows and waxed but I have mixed feelings about that. I love to see classics that get driven as CARS not just trophies that come out every other sunday from April to October. There's something to be said for that. There's a near mint condition) 1939(?) DeSoto in my town that sees the road almost every day. On my commute to the dealership I used to see him almost every single morning from early spring untill late fall. The car's black paintjob is flawless and the chrome and glass is perfect but the car gets DRIVEN. Cars are meant to be enjoyed on the road not in a garage.