Every dog has its day

[ga.spyder]

Went to a local car show today, because they had a category for sports cars.There are some really great cars up here, most being muscle cars. A sports car category includes vettes, mustangs, camaros, etc... Anyway to my shock:




People's Choice-Best Sports Car.
Craig
I don't know why 1/2 the pic is missing?

[4babycar]

CONGRATS!

[pope]

Craiggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

You the man! Congratulation. I told you it was a beautiful car.






Pictures need to be 600 pixels wide or less, to show up totally on screen. That way the guys with dialup dont have to wait so long with the pics.

[mbouse]

at least the best half of the picture posted. Congratulations.

feeling on top of the world? well, GOOD!

[ga.spyder]

Thanks ,guys
It does make you feel there is a little appreciation for your work.I will contact rlux to fabricate a mount for my trophy..I think it will be a dandy hood ornament!! Another try a a pic thanks ,Pope

[rlux4]

HOT DAMN!!
People's choice, in my opinion, the most meaningful trophy of all.
Little big for a hood ornament though. It should fit in the passenger seat whenever you go out on a ride maybe?
Way to go, you dog you.
Ron

[fiasco]

CONGRATS!
That's quite a compliment - you should be very proud.

-- se

[Nick]

Thats awesome! Congrats! You deserve it entirely! Thats a Beautiful car! If it had a luggage rack you could strap it to the back....

Its surprising that it'd beat muscle cars, since most people are such muscle freaks all the time.

[73Spider]

Congrats. Beautiful car.

[mdrburchette]

Wow Craig! That's awsome...and to think I sat in that wonderful steed of yours. I'll have Ron get right on making you a trophy stand just like mine!

[TulsaSpider]

Huzzah!!!

[kristoj]

Craig,

Congrats and well deserved. Your car is beautiful from all of your hard work. I have a theory regarding muscle cars. And don't get me wrong as I like muscle cars as much as the next guy. When I was in high school (early 80's) my freinds and I all drove muscle cars because those were the only cars we could afford as they were very much out of favor then. The kids that greater financial resources (wealthy parents) drove BMWs, Alfas, Porsches and, yes, Fiat Spiders -- the fuel injected ones . Over the last five or six years, muscle cars have shot into the stratosphere in value and everyone and their brother has dragged out their second, third and fourth tier muscle cars for restoration.

Frankly, I think people are beginning to tire of the whole muscle car phenomenon. The thing I think people find so intriguing about ou cars is that you just don't see them every day. And now, more and more people are restroring and really dressing up there Spiders like Craig. It' about time these wonderful cars begin to get some recognition.

I also believe that as guys of my generation age and have more disposible income, they will seek out the cars we desired, but could not afford in our school days. And in the '80s, muscle cars were dinosaurs and everything cool came from across the Atlantic, be it music, fashion or cars. I've got my Spider and M3 from that era -- next will be a 911 SC or Carrera (incidentally, all three of these cars in near perfect condition can be had for less than the cost of a driver-level '70 Chevelle SS 454). And if I win the lottery or get an unexpected huge inheritance from some distant wealthy relative, I'll be shopping for a 959, an F40 and a Countach!

But seriously, I think Fiats will continue to be discovered and enjoyed by more and more people moving forward, which is great for our hobby.

Congrats again, Craig!

[baltobernie]

Congratulations, Craig! You done us proud.

Kristoj, I echo your sentiments regarding muscle cars. Another thing that has turned me off the genre is the proliferation of clones, and the ability, now, to virtually build a car from a catalog. I think the Rat Rod is a valid rebuttal to this trend. There will always be Trailer Queens, but Denise's regular thrashing of her show winner is what epitomizes the sport. While I'd like Spiders to appreciate to cover the cost of a full restoration, I'm glad they aren't so valuable today that people are afraid to drive them.

[ga.spyder]

Amen ,Bernie
Thanks everyone for all the support.I dont consider my car as a show car.I drive it hard ...often.I dont see the fun factor in a car you cant drive! John has ome very valid points re. muscle cars.I grew up in that era ,that what we drove.I had a (among others)a 69 GTO Judge.I could pay off my house with what they are worth now.It was a cool car...in a straight line.Dont try to speed through curves or stop it!!! The truth is the new GTO, mustang, charger, vette ,etc... are better cars than their predecesors.They just dont have the''Barrett-Jackson'' factor.
I got lucky in that the show yesterday attracted people that appreciated real sports cars,which I dont include mustangs and camaros! Also,being the shy withdrawn person I am,everyone that came near my car I chatted with. Amazing how many people that have owned or always wanted a Spider. Also ,I kissed their babies and paid them to vote! Should of thought of that sooner!!
Craig

[kristoj]

I envy the guys that remember muscle cars in their heyday. The early '80s was kind of the dark age of the automobile. We could buy a low-mileage muscle car in great shape for $3,500. Unlike Craig, I never got my hands on a GTO Judge. My junior year in high school I bought 1972 Chevelle Malibu 350 with 60,000 miles on it for $1,600. I spent many weekends and evenings wrenching on that car and eventually it was putting down close to 300 HP -- mild by today's standards but not shabby back when a brand new Porsche 911 made 180 HP and a new 'Vette even less than that. Of course, you wouldn't have wanted to have to stop quickly or turn at speed in my Chevelle. But I could embarrass most everyone at a stoplight! That was fun at the time, but I have never really wished to go back to a car like that. Again, that's what I drove because that was the only "performance" car I could afford. I sold that car for $2,750 when I went off to college in the fall of 1985 and thought it was all the money in the world! My next car was a 1980 BMW 320i, and I've never looked back.

Here's a picture of my beast taken in 1984 with me and my wife (she was 16 and I was 17 at the time -- love those hairdos!). I was in the process of reupholstering the front seats at the time -- hence the hefty bag covers in the photo. Craig, would love to see some pix of you in the GTO!



Still together after 25+ years, but having much more fun now...