gambit
PROFESSIONAL
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2009
- Messages
- 28,569
- Reaction score
- 148
- Country
- Location
When I was stationed at MacDill, I had an '86 IROC-Z. Yup, F-body Camaro. T-top. I rigged it up for SCCA racing. Back then, the rules were simpler. Must have a roll cage, even a pseudo one, and 5-points harness. No direct engine mods allowed, but mods to the intake system was fine, so I modded whatever I could to the TPI system and gained 5 hp on the dyno. I swapped for larger sway bars and dropped one inch height. I raced it so hard it twisted the body to the point that both glass panels for the T-top no longer fit. Each was out of alignment by a couple mm and would require a little force to latch. When it rained, as summer Florida would rain daily, the T-top would leak water a bit.Seems to be a trend with the over 50 crowd..you two riding motorcycles and Gomig-21 and I having our Firebirds
I also had a lot of fun with that car off the track. One of my most memorable events with that car was shortly after I bought it. Me and a gal was on our way over to the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg and took the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The T-top was off. It was summer and the lovebug mating season was on. Big mistake. Once we got on the bridge and under speed, the damn bugs went over the hood, over the windshield, and straight into our laps. My date screamed and pulled the picnic blanket over herself. I could not realistically pulled over on the bridge so we had to suffer. We laughed about the day and I never drove the car with the T-top off during lovebug season again.
The car got stolen from my apartment when I carpooled. One night during one week of late night training sorties, got home around 0300 and found the car gone. About a month later, the po-po found the car parked behind a strip mall in downtown Tampa. The rims were gone and the car was resting on all four brake rotors. Cigarette burns on all seats and stereo gone. The stereo was aftermarket and top of the line. Automatic reverse cassette and more stuff. Installed it meself. The thief left me the Heavy Metal soundtrack tape. It was my favorite driving tune. ♪♪♪"You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars"♪♪♪
The worst part was when we inspected the engine compartment, we found salt water mark half way up the engine and the firewall. Daytona Beach allow driving on the beach so that was the logical explanation. I had an '86 Jeep CJ7 and went to DB many times so I know. The insurance company -- I forget who it was by now -- insisted on repairing the car so I had to accept. I never race it again and eventually donated the car to the Hillsborough high school system so the kids can use it.
Fun times...