Car History (Bikes too)

This is my owned (0r driven for a while) vehicle History. Most of the cars or bikes that I have driven are ones that I would have again. Their are a few exceptions as noted by the ‘POS’ in the description (you can figure out what that means), but even those cars had something that I really liked about them, be it style or engineering. At the bottom of the page is a gallery of all the cars, some are NOT my cars, but just images I grabbed off of the web.

• 1963 Buick Rivera First Hand me down car. I Did not know what I had at the time, great car.
• 1975 Plymouth Fury Wagon, known as “The Hearse” Big, POS with huge engine that made no horsepower
• 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS396 (with a 427) My first Hot Rod – LOVE THIS CAR
• 1969 Chevy Corvette 427, POS hard to work on, cool looking and Big Block was in bad shape.
• 1975 Plymouth Pickup Truck with a 440, Extended cab
• 1977 Plymouth Van Long with a 440, Hauled A$$.
• 1981 Chevy Corvette POS Looked nice but another fail on GM engineering
• 1975 Kawasaki H1, “The Toilet” 3 Cylinder 2 Stroke, enough said.
• 1984 Buick Grand National, First year for GN, GREAT CAR burnt up 3 Turbochargers under warrenty
• 1986 Suzuki GSXR-750, Known as “Mr. Pibbs” after my family’s mean cat with twity eyes, Fast Bike of the era.
• 1980 International Harvester Scout II TD with a Nissan Turbo Diesel later swapped with a 377″ SBC
• 1975 Triumph Spitfire
• 1984 Cadillac Eldorado, POS HT4100, Iron Heads Aluminum Block, POS Gets a Double POS for GM Engine Engineering
• 1989 BMW 750iL “Mr. Pibbs” reincarnated as a Car due to mean 750iL and the headlights. LOVE THIS CAR
• 1993 BMW 850ci “Gretta” LOVE THIS CAR
• Herb Adams VSE Cobra Kit
• 1980 BMW 323i Alpina “Sparky” This was a can do car, 323i but with all the Alpina Mods, very fun car.
• 1966 Ford Mustang K-Code 289, “Blue Beard” Sold to pay for Ripper Parts
• 1965 Ford Mustang “The Ripper” – Keeper
• 2000 Infinity QX4 – Great Truck, Sold for the Diesel Excursion
• 2003 Ford Excursion Diesel, “Jolly Green Giant” Still Going Strong!
• RCR-40 GT40 Replica from Race Car Replica
• 2003 Aston Martin DB7GT “The Count” – I bought this with ‘Internet Cash’
• 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Mk1A “Tony the Tiger”

Car that I would like to have

• Ford Lotus Cortina or ‘Tribute’ Cortina
• BMW 750iL Like what I had
• BMW 850iL Like what I had
• Early 60’s Falcon
• Ford F650 Roll off Tow Truck
• Kawasaki Tripple, RD400 or something with a 2-Stroke!

POS == Piece Of $hit

BLUE == I Still Own

Image Gallery Below

Click images for larger size (If available)

1963 Buick Riviera

This was the first car that I had driven. Was a family car that I drove for a while that we bough from the next door neighbors. Had a 350 Buick and Powerglide. Engine went bad and I got a ticket for excessive smoke. Was a really great and well built car.

1975 Plymouth Fury Wagon

Stepping out of the luxury of the Buick it was time to move to a station wagon. This car was subject to the first year of catalytic convertor and all the smog devices that made a 400 cubic inch engine make about 90 hp. Drove this car delivering meat in high school. My friends called it ‘The Hearse’

1969 Chevelle SS396

This was my first car that was actually mine. I was looking for a SS396 Camaro but found this and loved the style. It was a real SS with all the good stuff until I got done with it. Ended up gutted with a healthy 427. Great looking car.

1969 Corvette 427

At some point found a beat up Corvette, really beat up. It did have a 427 and a 4 speed so it had a good start. Well got to working on it, brother blew up the engine, and someone finally hit me (well ran over the front end). Totaled. This car had a lot of fun gadgets, flip up head lights and wiper door oh, and a very cool mechanical tach (until the distributor gear strips).

1977 Plymouth Club Cab Truck

At this point, no running cars so I inherited a Plymouth Club Cab. Was a nice ‘car’ truck. Had a 440 engine, still down on power a bit, but at least it moved and towed OK. It had an in dash CB radio and the truck was painted Red, White and Blue. We got this from a different neighbor.  I drove this while in college for a bit until my mom wrecked it while going to a garage sale. At one point I had the catalytic converter removed and added dual exhaust. Helped a lot back in the day.

1977 Plymouth Van

Sharing the pickup truck with my mom and dad, I often drove the van. We got it from the same neighbor so it was of course painted red-white and blue. Van hauled a$$ with a 1 ton (I guess) van it had no smog. The pic is a Dodge, but rest assured it was a Plymouth I dove.

1981 Corvette

At some point my hard working mom and dad were going to get me a new Camaro. The deal fell though but the Corvette was not much more as they were clearing them out. So I lucked out and got a nice new Vette’. Sad thing is that it was a solid LEMON POS. Bad engineering and stupid Chevy dealer.

1975 Kawasaki H1

OK, your thinking I’m a car guy… But I came a cross a trade for the BBC engine out of my Chevelle that was just sitting around. So got a basket case Kawasaki H1 500cc 3 Cylinder 2 Stroke, frame was nickle plated, motor needed work as well as everything else. It was a scary unsafe bike, yes I would have it. I think it’s the Sunbeam Tiger of bikes in retrospect.

1984 Buick Grand National

All comes full circle back to Buick. I had a friend in high school that had Turbo Regals for many years. The ’84 was the first for fuel injection and a I ordered one. Due to a delay in the order I purchased a dealer demo Grand National. Car hauled ass, but still plagued with GM crap. Sorry I sold it, but ate turbos like crazy to the point of not wanting to fix it…

1986 Suzuki GSX-R750

Well after some time riding the Kawasaki Triple I was reading a Motorcycle magazine and saw the GSX-R series of bikes. Was love at first site, traded in the H1, got a new helmet and made monthly payments at 21% interest. Bike was stolen a month later. Bikes name was ‘Mr. Pibbs’ after a mean cat we had.

1980 International Scout II Traveler

Enter the 4×4 phase of my cars, the International Harvester Scout II TD with a Nissan Turbo Diesel later swapped with a 377″ SBC. This was a tough truck. Must of had 200k miles when I got it, eventually the TD just wore out. Got an SBC and conversion kit and had at it. I pee a lot after driving it’s stiff suspension for a few years. Picture is not mine, mine was Green. Dig the modern square headlamps! Mine was fitted with an 8 Track so I could roll the tunes!

1975 Triumph Spitfire

Only had this car for a few months. Shared it with my cousin. Picked it up for around 750 (we each came up with half) and drive it around for a bit. At some point on the freeway I was driving next to a LARGE truck or so it seemed, it was a Datsun mini-truck and it towered over me. I decided that this car was way to small.Pic of car is not mine but similar.

1984 Cadillac Eldorado

I have always loved the look of the Eldorado, back from the 68 with it LARGE engine and sharp lines. I really liked the ’84 look. It was only a few year old when I got it off a crappy car lot for $4500 bucks. I had not done any research (pre internet) but the HT4100 engine with its aluminum block and iron heads and dribble fuel injects was a BAD GM piece of engineering. FU GM for making a great car with such a POS power plant.

1989 BMW 750il V12

I traded in the ’84 Eldorado for a BMW 750il. Saw these for a few years and decided that I ‘needed’ one. The Cadillac was working OK but the replacement engine was not so good. I was making bank so I bought a used BMW. This was German cars at it’s best. Huge car with a smooth V12 that once you were moving hauled a$$, and at the time was the fastest I had driven in a car (just around the 150 mark). Great car with some standard German engineering gotcha’s. The car received the name of ‘Mr. Pibbs’ from it’s mean looking demeanor like the GSXR.

1993 BMW 850ci

After some time being a ‘German’ car guy I saw the BMW 850’s and again really liked the spartan style. The cars were not selling well and where heavily discounted. Picked me up a new on that was a year out of date for a great price after trading in the 750il. The cars name was ‘Gretta’. First car I broke 150mph in, didn’t know it until the engine limiter kicked in.

Herb Adams VSE Cobra

This is my Cobra kit. I had been collecting parts from VSE for a few years. This is the finished view on the trailer back from Monterey where Matt Adams did the paint work. Click HERE for more info.

bmw 323 aLPINA

After having to sell the 850ci as work had a slow down, I got lucky and my cousin lent me his 323 Euro BMW. This was a gray market car and always was tricky to get registration. Still a fun car, had it painted, fixed it up and drove the $hit out of it. Great motor, and handling car. Still based on a 320i carcass that was a cheep car. Fun with the illegal 6 cyl. Picture is not my car but looked exactly the same.

1966 Mustang Fastback K Code

I was back in the Green with work, and was really looking for a Mustang Fastback. I had looked at the Ripper, but he wouldn’t take my offer. Found the K Code and bought it. This was a solid car, solid lifter motor, headers, top loader and overall a nice example of a Fastback. Ended up selling it after I bought The Red Fastback. The bottom picture you can see the 323 Alpina, and in the far back the Red Fastback (later to be ‘The Ripper’)

1965 MuSTANG fAStBACK

After a windfall year at work, I saw the guy still had not sold the Red and Gold fastback. So I called and made another offer, and he accepted. This car was going to be used for hot rodding. Well my plan was to do a little work and be done. Little did I know what I was in for… The car kept getting torn apart and more and more parts fitted. Ultimately ending up as mostly a track car. Still street legal but not advisable. See HERE for more details.

2000 Infiniti QX4

It had to happen at some point. I needed a daily driver, and something possibly that could tow The Ripper. These were on special so let it be done. Nice engine, great styling and the right mix of technology. This was eventually sold for the Excursion.

2003 Ford Excursion

The work horse of the stable. This is my 2003 Ford Excursion Diesel. It’s packed with old school Power Stroke technology, yes the 7.3L. It has about 200k Miles or so and with some work will keep rolling. Great Truck. Click HERE for more details

RCR40 Gulf GT40

Working like a dog, and finally reaching out to build a GT-40. I love the style of the car, especially with GULF flares and color. It’s only one of a handful of cars that look good in that pain scheme IMO. Fitted with a healthy aluminum Small Block Ford and other fun stuff.  See HERE for more details

2003 DB7 GT

It had to  happen at some point. While hanging out with Adam Carolla (might be Alan??) we got invited to an Aston Martin event. Always was a fan but in some  swag they gave was a deck of cards with every car model they made. One was the DB7 GT. I knew right then I ‘needed’ it. So the quest begins.  With my internet cash from my stock options I was on my way. The cars name is ‘The Count’ as in Dracula. Click HERE for more details

1966 Sunbeam Tiger

Not having enough to do, I picked up a Sunbeam Tiger. I had been at the track with The Ripper and saw a few Tigers. Really liked them, Ford powered, scary fast, yet a bit sappy. Perfect project car. Found one on eBay that was a driver but had been in a wreck. Perfect for me. Another racer on the way. Click HERE for more details