my story is somewhat similar:
My dad is a body man (runs his own body shop now). Back in the day pops worked on the side out or our garage at home. There were always cars in and out of our place. I do not have any memories of muscel cars, mosty corvettes to be honest (which I still love today).
Pops had a 75 vette that he bought wrecked in 76 (man was it hit hard). It sat in our garage, fixed, but never painted. My brother and I got in troubel more times than you can count for playing in that thing (loved the 4 speed). I always remeber how clean the engien bay was on that car.
Pops had a 40 ford in the backyard for years that he was going to hot rod. He never did get entiher of those cars done.
One of my earliest memories was my dad brining his stone stock 29 Chev to my kindergarten class (I was 5) and giveing each and every kid a ride around the block (the long way). I had a girl tell me in high school that she always remebered that day.
There were other cars over the years. Basically I just grew up around cars.
In 91, my dad said it was time to start looking for a car of my own, so we stared lookimg at the auto trader for old muscle cars, hey what else would a 17 year gear head want. We spent some great weekends together going to look at cars (man there were some duds). I was actually looking for a 67 -69 firebird, but we could not find any that were anywhere close to good.
I had looked at a 70 cuda over the summer, but pops said no way as it had glass fenders on it, and was probably a rust bucket. I really liked the look of the car. Just real agressive. A guy I knew, the local mopar guy, said he new of a 74 cuda that was for sale just out of town. So we wnet and looked at the 74, it was dented to hell (hail storm maybe) but was a good southern car, with not much rust at all. I fell in love with it. It was just a great looking car. So the guy, who's wife was about to have a baby, made us a goood deal and we bought it. This was the first Mopar in our family that I can think of. I caught heck at every trun from my brother for buying a DODGE (duh its a plymouth).
That was Oct 91. I spent the next few years tinkering with it, along with my dad and we got everythign just right in the spring of 93. I dove that car every day that summer. My dad and I went to a car show almost every weekend. Took home a bunch of tropies too. That was proably the best time I have ever spoent with my dad (man what great memories).
Soon after that summer the car went into storage, and for variosu reason over the years stayed in storage untill last year.
Spent all winter and summer putting back on the road last year. First big trip was down to see my dad (2 hrs away) and take him for a spin. Boy was he surprised to see me in the Cuda!
Well, maybe that is the stroy of whay I love, and will never sell,
my ebody, but also how I came to love the cars in general. I would jump at the chance to buy another one in the future.
Jas