Oh To Be Young Again, Right?

Oh, to be young again, right!? Well that’s a matter of opinion, however the excitement and experience of a young man’s first car is another matter. I recall my first car which also became my first hot rod restoration project. Growing up in the seventies in Wisconsin my grandfather owned a  Chevrolet dealership, so my first car had to be a  1969 Chevy Biscayne. It was a two door hardtop. A previous owner had replaced the original three fifty with a four hundred small block four bolt main. Sweet! The Biscayne is a plain Jane  Impala, so it was a manual transmission. Cherry! Three on the tree........not so sweet. Not too cherry either. 

I was just 16 when I got this car and as soon as I got it home, I started to pull the engine out. The four bolt main is the best for hot rods, it’s more rigid and therefore less crankshaft and block flexing. This feature also allows for higher rpm redline. Sweet! The sixties Chevrolet small blocks equipped with four barrel carburetors were also notorious for the double hump cylinder heads with larger valves.  Iskidarian camshafts were the cream of the crop back then so I had to have one and the full Isky valve train. More lift, more duration…the hell with gas mileage!!! I’m living with mom and dad and I got money to burn baby!!! 

During that era in Wisconsin, girls could be gear heads as much as some guys. I was a bit of a geek back then but was a major gear head so with both melded together I was able to build this 400 small block to an impressive level of performance and consequently was able to beat the reigning local street race champ and, without prior warning, had gained the attention (and companionship) of the former champs girlfriend. I knew there was a reason why I didn’t gut the interior. I love to drive, but Jackie taught me to really appreciate the back seat of a car…but that’s a whole other story.

Among the modifications I’m proudest of would have to be the addition of a Muncie M22 Rock crusher 4 on the floor. A well executed shift lever hole in the floor and patch the hole where the three speed shift lever protruded from the steering column and this was a one of a kind Biscayne. My first “real” race was against Rickey, 1970  Chevelle 402 big block, you know, Jackie’s ex. 

So anyway, this was before drifting and such, it was all about the quarter mile drags. You may be wondering why I was racing the top dog on my first official race. Well he friended me (3 decades before Facebook) because I was top dog in the auto shop, and he needed help fine tuning. It felt weird making sure the opponent’s car was 100% but I realized he was apprehensive because he believed my engine was superior.

I was apprehensive because my car was standard, and he was equipped with a race ready automatic and 1500 rpm stall torque converter. A few days of prep (I did most of the prep for his  Chevelle) and I practiced shifting when I had the time. Rickey confided in me just before the race that my engine and his engine were basically the same size, but I had a small block and he had the big block. 

Bigger is not ALWAYS better. Rickey believed his big block was inferior because it weighs more than the small block and wasn’t as high of a redline. And automatic is for girls. So y’all already know I won me a girlfriend on that warm Wisconsin night, just like in a movie.

Staying out late and running my hot rod. The neighbor was our land lord and he loved hot rods too......but he also loved a good night sleep and soon after my beast became my midnight chariot the double crossing land lord complained to my father and I was forced to come up with a plan that would fulfill my needs and meet their stringent requirements. No worries mate, I got this all figured out. I’m going to light ‘em up about a mile away and haul ass toward the house...when I’m between half and three quarters miles away I’ll shut’er down see? 

Coast to the house, yeah that’s the ticket! Brilliant and simple, I’m a freakin’ genius. Had to dial in my calculations a bit. First time I had to fire it up 3 times before I was home. Towards the end I could (it seemed) shut’er down after I dropped Jackie off and coast the next 20 minutes home. Somehow the silence was as pleasing as the loping of the 400 small block beast. Later additions included a 12 bolt posi upgrade from a 1970  Caprice, along with the power front seat. I was the Vin Diesel of my neighborhood. I, personally, turned my passion into my profession and 4 decades later I realized that I lost the desire to spend my free time enjoying auto racing and especially engine modifications for racing. Times change and we all as human beings change as well. 

Anybody who says people don’t change is blind to the reality. The truth is that change is inevitable, it cannot be stopped. I too have changed and I’m currently working on my latest project. A 1992  Toyota Supra. I’m gonna drift my way through the quarter mile, lol. It’s got a 7mge in line 6 but the dedicated drifters prefer the 2jz. Or maybe, just maybe I’ll combine my early years with the present and do a Supra LS1 swap. WHAT!!!!! Drift for days my burn out brethren!!! I’m already picturing the Supra tubbed with a snubbed diff. I’ll have to eliminate the back seat that’s for sure. Sorry Jackie. I love my orthopedic custom built sleep number sleigh bed and I realize I sound like a grandpa and not the young, long hair high school hot rodder of yesterday, but I’ll bet you pink slips I will whoop his ass!!!!!