Taillights

      As we go through the rest of this week, I get the feeling that we’re watching the taillights of the year moving away down the road, ready to disappear over a hill in the distance.  For better or worse, this year is almost finished, and we can look forward to making the next year better than what we just went through.

     I’ve mentioned before in my blog posts, how much I like the taillights of many cars, some of which I have owned myself. The one that has got my attention lately, is the new Bugatti W16 Mistral, that I saw posted on Twitter.  Those are some spectacular taillights.  Just what we might expect from a car of the future. 

                  The new  BUGATTI  W16  MISTRAL  ( Twitter photo )

Tiger Years

      This year has been the “Year of the Tiger “ .  I wrote a blog post about it back at the first of the year.  Major changes have always happened in my life in the Tiger years of the past, through out my whole life. I wasn’t sure of what this year might bring, but, major changes did come about this year.

      We lost three of the older generation of our family in the past few months. The process of going through all their stuff, and getting their homes ready to sell, was a real “wake up call “ for me.  I started going through my own stuff, and sorting out things I could pass on to my own kids and grandkids, while we’re still alive to do it.  It has become a major project for the next few years.  We’ve already got a good start on it in the last couple months.  I can already see this is the major change in my life for this “ Year of the Tiger” 

The End in Sight

      We’re getting close to the end of another year, and if you’re anything like me, we’re wondering what the next year will be like.  What new “ craziness “ will be going on in this world? How will it affect our lives?  I plan on trying to live the best life I can, making changes where necessary.

     This is the time to re-think how we are doing things, and see what improvements are possible in the future. Health and fitness are my number one priority now, and I plan on keeping up my efforts in the next year.  Hope all my friends and family can have a great year too. 

Shelby Sunday

      As I was looking through the great car photos on Twitter today, I noticed plenty of "Shelby Sunday"  Mustang pictures. Every time, it brings back so many great memories of time spent in my own Shelby Mustang, now over ten years ago.

     Though I have owned many great Mustangs over the years, I only had one Shelby GT, and that was the awesome 2007 Shelby GT 500 that I owned for about six years. I took many pictures of that car, in many beautiful locations, and they are all important to me still.

     Anyone interested can find my book, just follow this link: Grab Some Gears

 My 2007 Shelby GT 500 Mustang  , in beautiful Southern Utah

Fond Memories in Beautiful Places

      Last month, I wrote a post about the Honda 200 X three wheeler that I owned for many years. Just last week, Facebook reminded me of a photo I posted there over ten years ago.  The fond memories of that beautiful place came flooding back.

     When I first moved to Southern Utah, over 12 years ago, I still had my 200 X, and it didn’t take long before I discovered the beautiful off-roading area known as Sand Mountain. Over the first few years living here, I would make many memorable trips out there, to enjoy the dunes, and soak in the amazing beauty of the area.

     This picture of my son Randy and me riding the dunes brings back so many fond memories of those times in that beautiful place. 

Mustang Monday

      Yes it’s Monday again, the start of the new work week, and the long list of the things we have to accomplish in the next few days. We all have those things that stress our thoughts on Monday, but for me, I like to take a little time to check out the Twitter posts, to brighten my day.  It’s “ Mustang Monday “ , and there is always a lot of great pictures posted every day.  Just enough to take our minds off the mundane tasks of everyday life. 

      My 2007 Shelby GT 500 Mustang,  from 10 years ago.

1970 Torino Cobra

      Many times before on this blog, I have mentioned many of the cars that I have owned over the years. The ones I want to highlight today are the 1970 Torino and Ranchero models I owned about 35 years ago.

     My 1970 Ranchero GT was equipped with a 429 Cobra-Jet and 4-speed from the factory. I rebuilt the the engine into a bored and blueprinted 468 cubic inch monster. It became one of the best performance cars I’ve ever owned.

     The other one was the 1970 Torino Cobra I owned for a couple years after I sold my Ranchero. It was also equipped with a 429 Cobra-Jet from the factory, but only got a few tuning modifications while I owned it.

    I have always loved the styling of those vehicles. They are still among my favorites.

     1970 Torino Cobra  ( Twitter photo )

Missing Summer

     Though we are only about a month into Fall, I'm already missing Summer. I'm lucky enough to live in a place that has pretty mild winters,  and although we have some very hot summer weather, I still love the summer time.

     Maybe it is just the way my mind was conditioned, from all those years living in colder, Northern, parts of the country, but I still love the Summer. Being a life-long "car guy" may have something to do with it. In many parts of the world, Summer is the best time for car related activities. And . . . . , do I have to mention,  I also like the clothes the ladies wear in the summer time.

     Anyone interested can find my book, just follow this link: Grab Some Gears 

                           ( Twitter photo )

Time Travel

      Sometimes I find myself thinking back on some of the vehicles I owned in the past, and wishing I still had them. Anyone as old as me, who has owned as many different vehicles through as many years, knows it's just some old memories coming back to haunt us.

     The one on my mind today, is the Honda 200 X three wheeler that I bought new in the early 1980's, and sold to a collector about 15 years ago. Though it was over thirty years old, it still looked like new, and ran perfectly.  ( the picture below was taken just before it was sold ).

     I still miss riding that three wheeler over the sand dunes here in southern Utah. I wish I had a time machine, so I could go back and ride it one more time.

   The Honda 200 X  ,  that my family owned for over 30 years.

Taillight Tuesday

      A lot of the cars I like best have very good looking taillights. Some of the favorite cars I have owned, even in the last few years, have had some very nice taillights. The 2014 Dodge Charger was one of my favorites. I loved that car for many reasons, but the taillights at night were spectacular.  

     Anyone who follows my blog will know that the 1967 Shelby GT 500 Mustangs are my favorite cars of all time.  The taillights on those cars are among the many styling features that make them so special. That is the detail that I want to feature today. After all, it is  " Taillight Tuesday ".

     Anyone who may be interested can find my book, follow this link: Grab Some Gears

          The 1967 Shelby GT  ( Twitter photo )

Shelby Saturday

      On Twitter, you find something for almost every day of the week, so today is “Shelby Saturday”. We often try to find the best photos from our collection to post, and it’s the same with me. Sometimes it’s just a little hard to choose from so many beautiful examples, but here is my pick for today.  Hope everyone has a great “ Shelby Saturday “ , and a wonderful weekend. 

           ( Twitter photo)

  

Never Enough

      As a life-long car guy, there is no end to the number of cars I adore. Some of them very old, some of them brand new, from pure stock to very customized, and everything in between. I just love cars.

     Most readers of my blog, or my book, will know that I often will single out one particular model as my all time favorite. That would be the 1967 Shelby GT 500 Mustangs that I have loved since I saw the first ones at a Ford dealership in 1967, when I was 17 years old.  For me, I can never get enough.

     The always awesome  1967 Shelby GT 500    ( Twitter photo )
 

All in the Details

      When you see a car that really catches your eye, on the street, or maybe at a car show, there is something about it that makes it different from the rest. Maybe you really like that model of car, or the paint color, and it could be that it's extra well cleaned and polished. Sometimes, it's all of the above.    When I'm cleaning and polishing my car for a car show, I pay special attention to the details.

     The interior has to be clean and free from extra stuff setting around. The glass has to be clean, inside and out. The wheels and tires are an important part. The tires need to be clean and freshly treated with tire shine. When every thing is as perfect as can be, people will notice. It's all in the details.

     Anyone interested can find my book,  just follow this link: Grab Some Gears 

 My 1999 Mustang GT  ,  from over 20 years ago.

Drag Strip Days

      During the 40 years of street racing I talk about in my book, for a ten year period of time, between 1987 and 1997, I also ran a few of my cars on the legal drag strip.  I ran bracket racing in the street legal classes. I ran many runs in my black 87 Mustang LX 5.0 , and a few in my 1970 Torino Cobra. But the last runs I made were in my 1996 Mustang Cobra.

     The red 96 Cobra was mostly factory stock, with only minor tuning tricks, and a set of drag radials on the rear wheels. It ran very well, but on my last day at the track, a few things happened that had me re-thinking running my street cars on the track.

     The Cobra was an awesome performer, but the sticky drag radials put a lot of extra stress on the drive train. The car was pretty new and still under warranty, but any damage from running on a drag strip would void the warranty.  Also, when I was waiting near the start line between rounds, I over-heard the track officials call the street legal bracket racers "garbage cars" .  That just spoiled the whole experience for me. All they cared about was the pro cars, dragsters and funny cars, and such.  That was the last time I ever ran a street car on the drag strip. 

My 1996 Mustang Cobra , on my last day at the drag strip in 1997.

My Book

       A few years ago, when I first got onto Facebook and Twitter, the main reason was to get some exposure for my book.  Facebook was a way to let family and friends know about the book, and I thought Twitter would be a great way to reach other car enthusiasts around the world. Over the past few years, I have found other reasons to keep using Facebook and Twitter, but the book is always a secondary reason.

     I haven't sold very many books in the past few years, but I like to still keep promoting it from time to time. I always get great reviews and feedback from car enthusiasts who have read it. Thank you to those who have let me know.

    Anyone who may be interested can find it by following this link: Grab Some Gears

                      The cover of my book.

Picture Perfect

    Over the years, I've owned many great cars, most of them good performance cars, and three of them were exceptional performers. But, only one was a Shelby Mustang. I owned my 2007 Shelby GT 500 for six years, but only put 12,000 miles on it during that time. It sat covered in the garage most of the time, always perfectly clean and detailed, and ready for the next car show. Always Picture Perfect.

     During those six years, I had it in many car shows, and it won plenty of awards at those shows.  It always attracted a lot of attention, and I enjoyed showing it and answering plenty of questions.  I've always enjoyed driving all of my cars, but the Shelby was a collectors item, and I felt I should try to keep the miles down on that one. That was the main reason I finally sold it after six years, I like driving my performance cars.

     Now, I kind of wish I could own a new Shelby GT 500. But the new ones cost twice as much as my 2007 model, and gas prices are over twice as much as they were back then. I don't think another one is in my future.

     Any new followers of my blog, who may be interested, can check out my book, and read sample pages, just follow this link: Grab Some Gears  

   My 2007 Shelby GT 500 ,  from 10 years ago.

Doctors Orders

      We are lucky enough to live in a very nice place, with spectacular red rock scenery all around our area. Our weather is very nice, most of the time. It's easy to take a beautiful drive up the canyons, most any day. I know not everyone in this world is quite this lucky.

     I don't listen to the news anymore, too much bad stuff happening around the world, and nothing I can control. My doctors tell me the stress is not good for me, and not to watch the news if it stresses me out. So I don't.  I hope to be around for many more years, so health and fitness is my number one priority now.

     Getting out and driving my Mustang around this beautiful area is a perfect stress relief activity, so I try to do that every chance I get. Today is a beautiful day, so I think a ride up the canyon is just what the doctor ordered.

    My Mustang , close to home in Southern Utah.

American Graffiti

      Many years ago, a movie was released that came very close to portraying my life style at that time. The movie was “ American Graffiti “ , and it is something that I still relate to, and refer to often. The type of street racing that movie portrayed is something I participated in for over 40 years.  Eventually, I wrote a book about it.   Follow this link to find my book: Grab Some Gears

     Many other movies have been about street racing, such as the “Fast and Furious“ series. Most of them are filled with over-the-top craziness.  Most of them are not as realistic to that real world activity. I referred to it often as “ the old-style street racing “.  I still love that movie to this day.

     Scene from the "American Graffiti" movie.   (Twitter photo).

Car Clubs

      Over the years, I have been associated with several different car clubs. Some of them national, such as the "Mustang Club of America" , and the "Special Vehicle Team Owners Association".  But most of them were various local car clubs that operated near places I have lived.  They hold meetings, plan little day trips, hold small car shows, and various other activities. They have always welcomed me, and have enjoyed having my cars as part of their car shows.

     I have always tried to fit in, but, I am not very social, I'm more of a loner.  I can talk various car stuff with the best of them, but I'm not good at setting around just chatting over lunch, or showing up for a breakfast meeting and car show around a local restaurant.

     I've participated in many of the local car shows , and tried to fit in the best I could, but have fallen away more and more in the last few years. I'm a loner, and guess I always will be. 

    My yellow 2015 Mustang GT at a local car show.

Only The Best

      Several years ago, when I first started posting on Twitter, I made the decision to try to post the best quality photos I could find on my page.  I think I’ve done a pretty good job of it, most of the time.  Every once in a while, when I feel the look of my tweets may be slipping, I try to renew my efforts to watch the quality of the photos I post or retweet. 

     With so much bad stuff being put on all sources of social media these days, I want to refresh my attempts to keep up the quality of my contributions. I hope my followers approve of my efforts.

    Also, any of my followers who may be interested in my book,  can find it, and read sample pages,  by following this link: Grab Some Gears 

         ( Sample Twitter photo from some of my posts )

The Future

      A few days ago, I saw a post on Twitter about a future jet fighter that is being developed. It’s very sleek and futuristic looking, and reminds me of comic book images from years ago. I’m an Air Force veteran, and a lifelong car enthusiast, so those things are of interest to me, but other things matter too.

     We are always seeing images of our future. Sometimes it’s cars, sometimes it’s aircraft, and sometimes it’s bleak ideas of what is happening to our planet.  Nobody really knows what our future will be like. All we can do is the best effort we can muster, to do our part to make it the best outcome for the kind of world our posterity will have to live in. Let's get this right.

        ( Twitter photo )

Racing in the Street

      About 40 years ago, singer Bruce Springsteen had a song out titled; "Racing in the Street".  I wasn't aware of it when it first came out, but, the mid 1980's  was a time in my life when I was often involved in street racing.  At the same time, my youngest brother was also involved in street racing of motorcycles. He discovered the song and introduced it to me. It was perfect how that song portrayed the street racing lifestyle.

     About 15 years later, I would publish my book about the years I was involved in that lifestyle. The other day, I brought up the old Bruce Springsteen song on YouTube.  It's amazing how much I still relate to that song after all these years.

     Anyone interested can find my book, and read sample pages, just follow this link: Grab Some Gears

Catch your attention.

      While setting at a red light the other day, I was watching as the cross traffic came through the intersection. Car after car, SUVs and minivans, and nothing that would attract the attention of a car enthusiast.  Nothing that would inspire a young person watching to become a car enthusiast.  

     What a difference from when I was young. Back in the old days, as young people were getting close to becoming new drivers, the streets were filled with interesting cars.  Many different styles and colors, with plenty of two door hardtops and a few convertibles mixed in. Always something to grab our attention.

     With some of my grandchildren reaching that age now, its sad to think that there is almost nothing on the streets today that would inspire a young person to become a car enthusiast.  With the lack of young people showing up at the car shows, It makes me wonder if we are a dying breed. 

     Follow this link to check out my book: Grab Some Gears

   Kind of cars on the streets when I was young   (Twitter photo )

All Time Favorite

      We never get tired of seeing great photos of our all time favorite cars.  That is a major reason I spend a lot of time on Twitter, and follow some of the best auto enthusiasts pages, especially those who post the best quality photos.  I’m always happy to see a great 67 Shelby GT 500 , still my all time favorite cars.

     Being a car guy all my life, there are many cars I love, some old, and some new. Many models I have owned myself, and many I have admired from a distance. But the 67 Shelby will probably always be at the top of my list. 

     If you want to checkout my book, follow this link: Grab Some Gears

     1967 Shelby GT 500   ( Twitter photo).

How Many Years

      The question has come up several times in the last few weeks, how long have you been a “car guy”? For me, it has been most of my life, well over 60 years.  I had enough experience with many kinds of motor vehicles, well before I was actually old enough to have a drivers license.  One of my first jobs, while still in high school , was detailing cars and doing light mechanic work. Anyone familiar with my book will also know that I was also experienced with some amature racing activities by that time.

    By any definition, I have been a “car guy” for most of my life. Many other car enthusiasts have similar stories of how their lives have gone. The vintage picture below is of me and the 66 Mustang I owned during the first couple years of my married life, while I was still in the Air Force.  That was just one of the long list of great cars I have owned over the last 50+ years. Yes , I am a "car guy".  You can find my book by following this link;  Grab Some Gears

Clean Cars

      About a week ago, we were having a very windy day, and by the afternoon, the air was filled with dust. That continued well into the overnight hours. Sometime in the middle of the night, we had a short rain shower. It was just long enough to mix with the dust in the air, and put down a serious mud bath on any vehicle parked outside, and everybody's house windows. The next morning, as we got out onto the streets, it was easy to tell which vehicles had been parked outside the night before.  Some of the dirtiest cars I've seen in a long time were driving around on the streets. They had used windshield washers and wipers so they could see out the windshield. The car washes around town had long lines waiting to get in. But, it was obvious several days later, that many people had made no attempt to wash their vehicles.

     That was a week ago now, and it's surprising to me to see how many dirty cars are still running around town.  I have wrote about this before in this blog, but, to many people, their vehicle is just a transportation appliance, and they don't care how they look.  Many people have nice garages, but park their vehicles outside, because their garages are filled with stuff. Just a big storage unit.  I have owned four different homes with garages in the last forty years, and they have always been a nice place to park my vehicles. Maybe because I have always been a "car guy" , and I like my vehicles to be kept clean and polished. 

    My 2015 Mustang GT  -    "clean as usual".

Road Trip Ready

      It's been a long, problem filled, couple of years.  We all need a break.  We need a change of pace.  We need to find something to put a smile back on our face.  I'm thinking I need a road trip.

     The Mustang is setting in the garage, clean and polished, ready to go. I'm lucky enough to live in the middle of some very beautiful areas of the country, with plenty of nice little two lane highways, that travel through miles of those beautiful red rock canyons.

     Just as I have mentioned before in this blog, I have also wrote stories about in my book. You can check it out, and even read sample pages. Just follow this link: Grab Some Gears  

    My 2015 Mustang GT  -  along one of the roads I mentioned above. 

Shelby Sunday

      For us Mustang people who post on Twitter, this is “Shelby Sunday”.  We always see plenty of great Shelby photos appearing on these days. I’m one of those people, always the best ones from my files will get posted, of the many different types, almost every day.

     As far as Mustangs go, I have owned many through the years.  A lot of high performance models, but only one Shelby.  The red 2007 Shelby GT 500 pictured below, was my pride and joy for six years. During that time, I only put about 12,000 miles on it. That will probably end up being the greatest car I will ever own.  

     To check out my book, follow this link: Grab Some Gears

Ghosts and Angels

     Through our lives, most of us have the feeling that we are being in the presents of ghosts or angels at one time or another. For me, those ghosts are of the friends I have lost over the years, and the angels are of some very special loved ones who have passed away.

     Maybe it’s when I’m working on a car in my garage, and I can imagine the ghost of an old car buddy watching over my shoulder, and making sure I’m getting it done the right way.  Or, maybe giving me a hard time because I’m doing it wrong.  

     Sometimes it’s an angel along for the ride when we are on a drive, reminding us to watch what we’re doing, and making us think about driving as safe as we can. 

    Angel :   Our grandson Caden, - lost to cancer over four years ago.

Dream Car

      With everything happening in the world the last couple years, and especially the last couple weeks, do we still have such a thing as a “ dream car “?  New car prices going through the roof, gas prices going up every day, and availability in question for many models, do we even dare to dream? 

     For those of us who have been life-long “car guys” , and especially the high performance enthusiasts like me, I think we will always have a dream car somewhere in the back of our mind.  Even if it seems so very far out of our reach, it is still something we can dream about.

    My aspirations have mostly centered around the top performance Mustangs of the times, so for now, that would be the current Shelby GT 500 models.  No matter what is happening in the world, we can still have our dreams.

     Follow this link to check out my book; Grab Some Gears

 

    (Twitter photo)

First Drive

      How many people remember their first drive in a vehicle?   I remember mine, partly because my mom took a picture when I got back, and also, my dad and grandad talked about it for years.

     It all started when I went for a ride with grandad to our family cattle pasture land to check fences. It had rained a few days before, and as we crossed a low spot at the edge of a field, we got the Jeep pickup stuck in the mud. We walked the mile back to the farm to get a tractor. Nobody else was home at the time, so it was up to me and grandad to go get the Jeep.

     We got back to the Jeep, and grandad hooked a chain from the tractor to the Jeep.  He stood me on the front seat so I could guide the Jeep to follow the tractor. It worked to get us out of the mud, so he told me what to do to follow the tractor back home. When we got home, mom was there, and took the picture you see below.  I was 4 years old at the time.

     To check out other of my stories, follow this link: Grab Some Gears 

Area 51

      One of the last road trips I made in my 07 Shelby , was a visit to Area 51 in south central Nevada. It's an area I have been to a few times over the years, while visiting family in this part of the country.  Now, it's only about a hundred miles west of my current home in southern Utah. I still haven't spotted any UFO's , or any of the things Area 51 is famous for, but I will say, if you stop for any time along the highways in that area, it won't be long before you catch sight of a security vehicle on one of the dirt roads in the distance, moving in your direction. That place is still under high security.

     For me, one of the attractions of making the trip over there in the Shelby was the chance to make a high speed run on one of the vast open stretches of highway in that area. Sure enough, as I topped a hill with about a five mile view of open highway ahead, and a silent radar detector, I let her rip. As I passed 150 MPH, I let off,  you cover a lot of ground in a hurry at those speeds. 

How Many Years

      Many of us have been automotive enthusiasts for many years, and for some of us, we have been in that category for most of our lives.  For me, that’s well over 50 years, and that makes a lot of car models that have come and gone during those many years. How many years has it been for you?

     With so many cars that have crossed our paths over the years, some have to stand out as our favorite. Some of them we may have owned ourselves, and many we have observed, but never have been lucky enough to have owned. 

     I have been lucky enough to have owned many pretty cool cars during my life, and most of them still hold a special place in my heart.  I have wrote about many of them in this blog, but the one that is on my mind today is the always awesome 1967 Shelby GT 500 Mustang. I have never had one of my own, but, it will always be near the top of my list of all-time favorite cars.  

     Check out my book by following this link: Grab Some Gears

       1967 Shelby GT 500.   ( Twitter photo)

Year of the Tiger

      In a few days, we will be at the start of the Chinese New Year, the “Year of the Tiger”.  Many people are familiar with the ancient Chinese tradition of each year celebrating a particular animal, and for people born that year, that is their astrological sign. There are 12 of them, and they repeat every 12 years. 

     I was born in the year of the Tiger 1950, and it is my year again this year.  Many people who have looked back over their lives, find that important events in their lives have happened on “their” year. And it is the same for me.  When I first learned of the Chinese astrology ideas, many years ago, I was surprised to find that major changes in my life have happened during the “ Year of the Tiger “, several times throughout my life.  None of them were planned ahead of time, they just happened. 

     This year, I have been thinking about it ahead of time, but I have no idea what major changes might happen this year.  I guess I’ll have to wait and see. 

Mustang Monday

     The number of people who post automotive pictures and remarks on the numerous enthusiast sites on the internet these days is impossible to accurately calculate, but has to be in the millions. On some of them that I'm familiar with, they refer to this day of the week as "Mustang Monday", especially on the many Mustang enthusiast pages.

     I must admit, I am included in that number, I post plenty of Mustang photos every Monday. Most of them are photos of cars I have saved off various sources on the internet sites I visit every day. But, some of the photos I post are of the many Mustangs I have owned myself over the years. At the best of my recall, I have owned 17 different Mustangs over the last 50 years.

Anyone who would like to know more of my story should check out my book. You can find it by following this link: Grab Some Gears

     My current 2015 Mustang GT , overlooking my home town.

History

      When I wrote my book, over 15 years ago now, I knew I was writing a book about my personal history and experiences in the automotive world, and my involvement in street racing. In recent months I have come to realize that it has also become as much a book about automotive history itself, as it was a document of my personal experiences. Cars themselves have gone through some major changes in the last few years, and especially in the last few months.

     The things that I have been reading about the coming changes in the automotive industry, make it pretty obvious that our future will be much different than the world us "car guys" have enjoyed in past years. Love it, or hate it, it doesn't much matter, the future will be very different. We might as well make the best of it, because it's coming.

     Anyone interested can find my book by following this link: Grab Some Gears