The car that got away from me

[fitz]

  As I was packing up my belongings to get ready to move into my new house, I stumbled upon some photos of cars that I've owned in the past.     
  Like most of us, Ive owned a few. Most of mine were square body's, 69 camaros, and corvettes. There is 1 that I want back.
  A 79 Trans Am.
  Flash back to 2001.  Its 7:00 pm on a weeknight.  As I'm getting home from the gym, I run through the front door to answer the phone (back when I had a home phone).
  It was a friend of mine calling to say that the local Dodge dealer just took in a 79 Trans Am on a trade.  He works out at another gym with the sales manager at the dealership.  The sales manager from the Dodge dealer had the Trans Am at the gym that night.  My friend checked it out and decided that I should buy it (I knew nothing about the deal). He knows that I always have my eyes out looking for a deal, and he convinced the sales manager to sell me this car wholesale ( sold "as is" with no warranty).
  So at 7:00 pm and I get the call saying I should go buy the car.  I was caught off guard.  Tha last thing on my mind that night was buying a car.   I crack a couple of Burt Reynolds / Smokey and the Bandit jokes and dismiss the idea.  My friend convinced me not to pass on the deal.
  It's now about 7:15 pm. I call the sales manager and tell him I'm on my way.  He tells me that they close at 8:00 pm.  I ran out the door, stopped at the ATM machine, and made it to the dealer at 7:45 pm.  I walked in, introduced myself to the sales manager, and handed him the cash.
  I had just bought a car sight unseen.  The sales manager told me that the car was out back in the shop.  I went out back and was pleasantly surprised.  It was a solid rust free car.
  I went back the next day to pick up the car and get the paperwork on it.  The title showed that it was previously titled in California, that explains why it was rust free..
  When I got the car home I gave it a good once over. It was a cold damp day and you could see the outline of a "United States Marine Corps" sticker in the rear window. Checking out the interior, over the drivers side visor I found the travel itinerary outlining the Navy Bases for a road trip from California to Massachusetts.  It seemed like the car had just arrived in Mass.
    At a family get together a few weeks later I showed the car to my Father and one of my Uncles (both Ex Marines).  I  pointed out the outline of the USMC sticker and I showed them the travel itinerary. They explained how the Marines were a branch of the Navy.  They were saying how a young Marine probably had allot of fun driving a car like this across the country staying at Navy Bases along the way. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the 6.6 liter 403's bark was worse than its bite.
  It was a fun car, but I didn't keep it for long.  I already had the 69 Camaro that I still own today.  After a few months, the Trans Am was sold and replaced with a 98 Corvette.
  Life went on and I really didn't put much thought into the Trans Am. 
  In 2005 I was watching the late night news and I seen something that sent chills up my spine.  The newscaster was interviewing a local Marine who's brother, also a Marine, was Killed in Iraq.  I recognized the name.  The  Marine being interviewed was the one that traded the Trans Am into the Dodge Dealer.
  I omitted the names to respect the privacy of the Marines.  I would hope that anyone who searched their names online will find the stories about the Hero's that they are, not my ramblings about an old car.
  The Boston based band Dropkick Murphys immortalized the fallen Marine in the  song Last Letter Home.  Its a chilling tribute that has quotes from the last letter that the Marine wrote home to his wife and 2 young sons.
  Maybe I'll play the lottery tonight.  If I strike it rich I will find that car, buy it back, and return it to the rightful owner, the Marine who drove it cross country many years ago. 
  To all of the Veterans on this site, I thank you.
  Fitz
 

[Stewart G Griffin]

The other peculiar thing is i've seen two 70's trans-ams----one a 76-77 and another 79ish in the last week.  You never see ANY 2nd gen F-bodys around here anymore.

[bd]

That's a wonderful story Fitz and a gracious acknowledgement of veterans and their sacrifice.  I wholeheartedly and humbly concur.  Thank you!

[Stewart G Griffin]

Saw ANOTHER 70's trans-am on sunday.  That's 3 second gen F-bodies in about 2 weeks and they were all pontiac not camaro!

i'm really intrigued by the 80-81 turbo transam.


Oh yeah and thank you to all veterans.

[SomeTexan]

Saw ANOTHER 70's trans-am on sunday.  That's 3 second gen F-bodies in about 2 weeks and they were all pontiac not camaro!

i'm really intrigued by the 80-81 turbo transam.


Oh yeah and thank you to all veterans.

You don't want one of the early turbo t/a's. The 301 isn't very reliable and keeping them running can be a nightmare. Now, an 87 with the grand national engine is a blast. The rest of the second gen TA is nice, just an engine swap from being a sweet ride.

[Stewart G Griffin]

i would still go with a camaro over a firebird, but one thing i really like about the 2nd gen firebirds is you had a wide choice of engines and wheels.  Like, for 79 i think you could choose from buick v-6, chevy 305, 350, pontiac 400, olds 403.

[SomeTexan]

i would still go with a camaro over a firebird, but one thing i really like about the 2nd gen firebirds is you had a wide choice of engines and wheels.  Like, for 79 i think you could choose from buick v-6, chevy 305, 350, pontiac 400, olds 403.

I may be wrong, but I believe the 2nd gen firebirds didn't offer Chevy engines, just the BOP (Buick, Olds Pontiac). The Pontiac 400 was actually a 403, the 6.6L. And the 350 was a Pontiac block, based on the 403 or 455, basically a big block 350. But they did have an inline 6 or two, so you did have a lot of options back then.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Saw ANOTHER ONE today.  What is going on?   i don't remember when was the last time i saw a 2nd gen camaro.

2) i think for 79 you could get the  chevy 305 or 350,   77-81 you could get the 305.