She made me proud today

[bogie1]

I saw her black polished body in the Buick dealership back in Feburary 1986. I feel in love. I haggled with the salesman for 5 hr until we made a deal. I drove off the lot in a new 1986 Grand National. I made it to the 1987 GS Nationals in Bowling Green in 1987 and ran up near the top of the pure stock GN @ 14.2 in the 1/4. Life is change and we kinda split up I gave her to my wife. My wife needed a car to get to work and to town and I needed a commuter car that got high milage. I neglected the old girl for 16 years, just doing oil changes and fixing whatever broke. I had no Garage. She sat out in the rain, snow, sleet hail, burning sun, survived two hurricanes. Went the starter went out I let her sit for a year. When the power master quit I told my wife we needed to sell her. My wife reminded me of how much I loved that car when I saw her sitting in the buick dealers lot. The bumper fillers have rotted out from the sun, the paint is gone, and she looked like a broken hearted mare waiting for the glue factory. I took her to the local track and the old girl tried to carry me the 1/8 mile but her spirit was broken. I made one run, she was choking and coughing spitting up blood, 9.6 sec 76 MPH. Her proud heritage was marred and it was my fault. I promised her that I would never let that happen again. I found the turbo buick websites and started to read. I did the sping cleaning, installed a K+N filter, new FP, hot wire, exhaust, Street chip, got a scanmaster. I took her to the track today. When was staging at the chistmas tree I looked at the odometer, 133,200 miles. I lined up next to a 2000 something Mustang. The shinney red Mustang was a stark contrast to my faded and chipped black G body. I asked my old steed to gallop for me one more time. I was very rusty, it had been a long time since I had raced. I staged first (both yellows) the stang came up slow and as soon as he hit the second yellow the tree started and he was out of the gate by 1 and 1/2 car lengths on me. I didn't build much boost maybe 1 lb or 2 before I lifted the brake pedal and mashed the spurs one more time. Half track I was even with the stang and by the time I cleared the traps I had him by 1 full car length. I made the turn and picked up my time slip 8.47 @ 84MPH. I almost cried. My aging 18 year old G body exceeded all my expectations. The trans was slipping some and I headed home. I promised her from now on she is going first class. Monday she is going in for the front end work and next Saturday she has an appointment with the hair dresser. A doors off, hood and trunk off Paint job, with all new emblems and bumper fillers etc. After she has her make over I am taking the old girl to the Gym. I have a new TA-49, PTE front Mount, 3"DP, RAzor's Alky, LS1 MAF + xlater, + Extender, MSD 50's, PTS extreme Strip/street Tranny, Billet 9X11 3000 converter, ramcharger Fans, etc. Next time Baby goes to the track she is going to kick some ass and turn some heads too. We are a team for life, till death do us part.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

great story man!
sounds like in NC there are alot of guys who could give you a hand to make sure she gets done soon...


dont forget you will need some sticky tires too

BW

 

[kgouldsk]

Bravo! I think you made the right choice. I think all the TB boys (and a few girls here too I guess) are thinking you should give your wife a kiss right now for stopping you from getting rid of it. There's a smart lady....does she have a sister?

 

[Bobtempest]

Great story, to go with a great Superbowl.
Thanks

 

[bishir]

Better get a new timing chain and some valve springs if ya plan on running your 133k car with all those mods. Also, try to do one mod at a time and getting it to run right before you just slap everything on there. Then if you have problems you won't know what to look at first. Good Luck,

James

 

[GRAYGHOST]

Hey Bogie, if you're close by, give me a yell, and I'll be glad to help ya get the old girl up to SPEED....

 

[BigTurbo6]

Damn and I only got a 10.5 outta my 2 times to the track, oops I wasn't sposed to tell.

 

[gnturboray]

Do before and after pics so we can see the progress.