Public admiration for your vehicles - can it get all too much? lol

[TZENU]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

I love it when we are out driving, you give it a squirt & your wife's head snaps back. lol.

Then you get the obligatory clip over the ear... Why didn't you tell me you we're going to do that????

I do the same... Always give the thumbs up to those out cruising their cars....


Whilst filling up the XY at my local servo an orange Gallardo pulls in... Owner walks over to me and we start chatting.... Awesome bloke... We even talked about how good it would be to get the two cars together for a photo shoot... We agreed that next time we saw each other on the road we would!

We ended up cruising together for a while... All I can say is those things pickup traction in an instant and then Bam, GONE!!!!... And that engine at full noise

[Neeek]

I've lost count of the number of people who've given me a thumbs up, commented on my car, etc. As others have said, I didn't buy the thing to impress others - I bought it for me because I wanted it. The fact that it draws so much attention isn't something I asked for, but I figured I could live with it!

Fortunately I've not had anyone annoy me yet, apart from one bloke who thought he knew all about them (started off telling me it was a nice Fairlane!) but actually didn't.

Some highlights in the last six months of ownership:

- a kid had his picture taken in front of my car
- everyone asks how much I paid (I've stopped telling them!)
- young lady asked me at the lights about importing an American car
- 2 blokes have offered to buy it, and one even handed me his business card through his driver's window (being LHD, you can have a nice chat with people stuck in traffic if they're on the inside lane!)
- people stare/point/beep a lot
- every other time I fill her up, another customer at the servo says something nice about it
- thumbs up from just about anyone driving past in an old car
- have done one formal and I'm doing a wedding next month!

It goes on and on. Although last week I was at the shops and parked up next to a battered (best described as honest!) XP coupe. Just had to! When I came back, said XP owner was putting her shopping in the boot so we stopped and had a really nice chat for 15 minutes.

And just yesterday, perhaps the most bizarre... I pulled up at Coles to get a few things and as I got out and walked to the shops a bloke called out "HEY!". I turned around and he said "lovely, mate" and started clapping!! Crazy guy...

I could do without the attention, but let's be honest, I love it. I remember when seeing a nice old car on the road made my day. Now my car makes their day. Wouldn't swap it for anything.

[dave289]

I have a 66 xr fairmont v8 but usually only drive it on the weekend. I often have people ask me if it is for sale.I only paid $2,900 about 4 years ago and have not really done anything to it. Shannons insured it for $12,000 after I sent them some photos. It needs some work and is nothing to special really .last year after returning to my car I noticed some paper on the windscreen and thought that some one else wants to buy it. It was from a foxtel film producer wanting to use it for flickerfes 2010. I gave him a ring and he asked if he could use it for a film shoot on bondi beach for the festival. Theres not a lot of footage of it but it was fun and I enjoyed going down for a look, even though I had to be there a the crack of dawn. The link below shows the clip. click on festival trailer. Hope the link works ok.

http://archive10.flickerfest.com.au/Trailer_List.aspx

[mrbaxr6t]

girl who my wife works with has a modern clubsport and talk about rage up when these two little turds were leaning on the car and stuff whilst a third little **** took photographs, she went off like a frog in a sock with a firecracker! I swear these kids didn't know what was happening, and she also says that she hates little shits that do that sort of crap if you like it that much that you will find one parked and take photos of yourself near it what say you get a job and buy one?

One I got once was "your car must get hot" "what makes you say that" "its got the largest silver radiator I have ever seen", whist pointing to my intercooler, I laughed my **** off got in my car and drove away...

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by dave289

I have a 66 xr fairmont v8 but usually only drive it on the weekend. I often have people ask me if it is for sale.I only paid $2,900 about 4 years ago and have not really done anything to it. Shannons insured it for $12,000 after I sent them some photos.

Nice car at a bargain price! My Dad had an XR Fairmont V8 when I was a little kid .. I'll aways have a soft spot for them ..

[red_hotxr6]

Well last week as i was going through strathpine heading towards Narangba i heard a car horn beep, i ignored it as i was travelling at a sedate 60 klms an hour, again, bep beep, i turned my head and this guy in a ford corsair, told me to pull over he wanted to talk to me. Lo and behold it was Mr Jeff Bloom from aussie muscle cars. We had a bit of a natter, he took a few photos of the car and expressed an desire to buy the car, my xf svo..to which i politely declined. No figure was mentioned, but it is strange how things happen as sometimes no one says anything to me about the car or within a matter of 4 different locations/stops other people will walk up to me and talk to me about the car.....by the way the car is not up for sale as my kids wont let me sell it...the car is not the bees knees, but at the moment its the only one of its kind. By the way i found Jeff to be a very friendly and approachable person...

[dave289]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Nice car at a bargain price! My Dad had an XR Fairmont V8 when I was a little kid .. I'll aways have a soft spot for them ..

Heres a couple of pics I took on the day .











And a bit of filming below.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by XBCoupeGuy

I'm a fairly quiet guy and I am finding it increasingly embarassing that even just going to the servo ends up with people taking photo's of the car and wanting to talk.

Sheesh, don't buy and orange Dodge Charger You'd hate the people chasing you down to take photos.

[Fled74]

There was a green '68 Mustang behind me on the way to work this morning. I think the driver was a bit annoyed that I kept perving in the rear view mirror because he slowed down and let a few cars come in between us.

[zoesgift]

heres a couple of beauties for u both 100% true

1999 gt nationals in adelaide some "enthusiast" with his young son, maybe 3 yrs old all over my car visually not touching just all over it at the display. proceeds to tell me that u need to be so careful with these cars dont u....within 30 sec of him chatting to me, he was quite knowledgable about the car, i had to tell him to stop his son from trying to peel off the superroo off an original 65000 mile xygt drivers side stripe. CAR WAS MINE AND STILL IS!

Did a friends wedding for him had to ask a lady to not chang her childs nappy on the same drivers side guard. when, as politely as i could ask her, what she thought she was doing. her reply, wait for it, laughing as she said it in front of her rellies it was the cleanest place i could find!!!
for the most part i dont mind the attention and generally find that people get out of the way so they can get a better look

[superyob]

My battered and bruised ZD Fairlane draws more than its fair share of attention which is a deterrent to me leaving it parked anywhere I can't see it.

[mick10010]

My old '77 Celica used to draw a bit of attention from the right people.

But the HZ Ute on shiny dragways with no mufflers and a lumpy cam takes the cake. Drive past a pub on friday arvo and people used to yell out to "light it up", i thought it was pretty funny

[Danny]

Well I have a story and can definitely vouch for the overwhelming-ness of people admiring the vehicles! I was in Thornbury in the Meggy today (as I picked it up on Monday), and a Bus pulled up beside me, and the bus driver hangs out the window to tell me I had an awesome looking Megane, and askined me how it goes, and what engine it had and whether it was a turbo! Just as I said thank you, the car on the other side winds his window does and the driver says "man, thats a *cking machine of a car, I've never seen one on the road it looks so good, show me how it goes when the lights go green" (although I can't ive only got 350 kays on the clock). Then on the way home in Templestowe, an Orange XR5 starts tailing me as reynolds Rd becomes the windy Ringwood-Warrandyte Rd, so I decided to not turn off toward my house and frolic for a bit. after a few spirited corners with the Focus behind me I pulled off and did a u turn back to my house, and the Focus driver slowed down and gave me a fist pumping thumbs up.

I'm very surprised at the attention I am getting in this car. Every now and then people look at the F6, but this one has just taken the cake. People are just drawn to it, in awe of it. It's very overwhelming, even a little embarrasing and awkward!!

It is very nice to know that others get pleasure out of something you do too however

[93EB_SXR6]

Good Points:
About a week ago, I filled up the falcon at the servo...
Just as I was walking in to pay, a beaut of a HR pulled in (one shade darker than mine).
The owner was about 50, I paid for my petrol, moved my car into the parking area and went over and said hello.
He smiled when I told him I had a HR just like it at home, he told me his had a 186... I said "yeah, I've been looking for one for a while now to put in mine, with a 4 speed box" he told me that he had a 186 sitting in his shed I could have for $300.
I didn't hold him up; I merely spoke with him as he filled his car up, then I got his phone number off him to call about the engine and I went off to work.

Unfortunately I'm a bit short for the next couple of months but with any luck he'll still have it after the gf's birthday.

Bad Points:
I had a mate come over a couple of days ago to buy speakers and an exhaust tip off me.
He's a diehard Holden fan, [the type that say "nah, they circled the problem" and point to the Ford badge] so I figured I'd show him the HR (its locked away in the garage with dad's F100).
I took him into the shed to have a look at it, he was running his hands over the paintwork (which is covered in dust) and he even opened the driver's door/was about to get in/probably try to start the effing thing without asking.
He told me: "Man, that paint is immaculate" - which it is.
When he looked at the interior he said: "but the driver's side seat has a tear in it" (from someone putting their dog on the seat, if I ever find out who it was there will be hell to pay) luckily the tear is nearly un noticeable unless you're scrutinising the car.

I don't know what people expect these days, the car is ~44 years old, of course the interior won't be perfect.

I've had people hit the front guards (common rust spot on the HRs) to check if they're still solid.
To which I say: "yeah mate, the whole car has been bare metal resto'd, those are fibreglass guards and you better hope theres no dent from you doing that."
I had someone I went to school with try to "buy" it off me for ~$100 about five years ago (when I was 13).
Then he got angry when I declined.
I've also had people put tools on the bonnet and boot of the HR when working in the garage... "Hey, it isn't an effing workbench, pick that up!"
...or people "testing the suspension" by pushing down with all their might on the bonnet/boot.


Worse than "admirers" are bad pet owners IMO. Every car I've had has been covered in muddy cat paws and scratches at some point.
When I've registered the HR again, I'll be keeping it in the garage after every single drive.
I just wish people would take their damn cats inside at night!

Don't get me wrong, I'm only saying this because the car isn't on the road at the moment.
I know that as soon as I'm driving it all this will fade away, but its hard trying to finish a car off and having numb skulls doing stupid things around it.

I love having chats with fellow enthusiasts but its not as if I'll touch their property without asking first.
I don't like being told to put a 350 in the HR, its my car, I'll do what I like with it.
Everybody's aunt/uncle/brother/fiance/dog/cat/sheep has owned a HR, it doesn't mean you have a right to touch mine without asking.
If I'm asked, I'll give you permission.

People have tried to lift the bonnet on dad's F100 to see the V8 before, the bonnet has a tool box on top of it (sitting on carpet)... if I hadn't stopped them, it would have smashed his windscreen etc.

[pottery beige]

^^^ stop taking ya dh mates out in the shed then....

[JG65TE]

funniest one i have had, was a kid at the drive in, walkin past with his dad and the kid says whoa! look dad its got a pop up motor. its rammed and hangs thru the bonnet a touch

[atec77]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

^^^ stop taking ya dh mates out in the shed then....

SOunds dity >

Young bloke who viisits from time to time has been admiring my almost completed Bronco and dropped by yesterday morning , the usual look and touch happened and his face when I said you want it ? t'll cost you xxxx ,un-beknown to him I had just bought a tidy ab110 pickup (Ol'Blue )and need the room . SO anyway he thinks slowly and made some noises and mumbled "Gimme a week or so"" ,I hope he can find the very small price or I might have to actually sell it to a stranager ( 351 c6 jacked etc on gas) , now to wash it and remove the marks he left through the sanding residue either tears or drool .

[93EB_SXR6]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

^^^ stop taking ya dh mates out in the shed then....

Yeah, the last one wasn't so bad cos he didn't actually damage the car - I just wasn't happy that he was running his hands over the dusty paintwork (don't want scratches in it).

I won't be taking any more people out there. The bloke that hit the quarter panel was my sister's ex boyfriend... what a nugget - He drove a lowered 88 Pulsar with a fully hektik body kit and chrome mags.