[DeTomaso] NPC (mostly): Cars you have owned

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/7/13 18 52 6, spkorb at gmail.com writes:


> Chronological to first drive or possession
> 

1986 Kawasaki 600 Ninja
Still own it.   Let it sit for ten years due to an engine miss; later 
discovered to be a bad plug wire.   Got it going again, have ridden it only a few 
times in the past couple of years.   Now down again for another engine 
miss.   Probably another plug wire.

1982 Kawasaki GPz1100.   
Still own it.   Bought it with 3400 miles on it in 1988, put another 90K 
miles on it and flat-out wore out the engine.   In fall of 1998, gave the 
engine to Doug Deryke (Jack's son) for an engine rebuild that was to take 30 
days.   Life got in the way over there, got it back fully rebuilt seven years 
later.   Slid it into the frame, life got in the way over here, still waiting 
to finish assembly.   Hoping to get it on the road (with a checkbook) in 
the next couple of months.   

1972 De Tomaso Pantera
Still own it.   Paid $13K for it, lost count of how much more I've invested 
since, but certainly well over $50K.   Value today?   Priceless.

1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica.   
Still own it.   Very rare and desirable collector's item; I spotted it 
languishing outside a shack in Enid, Oklahoma, and bought it for only $1400 in 
1990.   It needed a full restoration although it ran great.   I blew it to 
pieces in 1995 and sent every black component (frame, swingarm, brackets etc.) 
to be powdercoated.  While the bits were there, I was handed short-notice 
orders to move to Korea.   Got the bits back, and with Mike DeRyke (Jack's 
other son), assembled the entire bike in one day, with every fastener only 
finger-tight.   The idea was that I would take it all apart again and 
reassemble it properly when I got back home in 1996.   It is still sitting, waiting 
its turn.

1981 VW Scirocco

Still own it.   Paid $350 for it in 1989, drove the snot out of it until it 
blew a head gasket and got stuck in a field for an engine transplant, in 
2006.   Just got done investing $5000 to get it going again and got it back a 
couple of weeks ago.   Today it is worth $350.   That is, if somebody was 
feeling especially generous.

1966 Shelby GT350 clone
Still own it.   Paid $10.5K for it in 1994, worked with Doug to convert to 
four-wheel disc brakes, then later rebuilt the engine.   Not long 
afterwards, Mad Dog was riding with me when the air cleaner stud snapped and fell into 
the #8 cylinder, making Expensive Noises.   Gary Roys flew out on vacation 
and we rebuilt the engine again in my garage.   Shipped it to England in 
2004, spent two years driving it all over Europe, then shipped it to Gary in 
Detroit for a six-month restoration.   After the engine builder stole $6000 
from me (and compared to many other people, including several Pantera guys, I 
got away lucky), eventually we gave up and I paid another guy for another 
engine.   Seven years passed before it came home, almost exactly a year ago.   
It needs about four days work to be complete.   So far I have only devoted 
about two hours to the task.   Hoping to get it sorted shortly before or 
after the Fun Rally.   The only sound financial investment I've made (other 
than the ELR mentioned above), as it's probably worth $40-45K now.

1966 Contemporary 427 Cobra replica
Still own it.   Bought it while living in Korea in 1995.   Drove it for 
three days, handed the keys to Doug to look after it for me, and headed back to 
Korea.   I wasn't even there yet when the car fell apart from under 
him--rear A-arm broke due to defective weld.   Car was laid up for a couple of 
years while it got sorted with no insurance involvement, as the manufacturer 
took responsibility and said they would pay for all damages.   A year into 
negotiations I got replacement parts, I then paid to have the bodywork repaired, 
and just as the paint was drying, manufacturer went bankrupt, leaving me 
stuck with the repair bill.   Engine never really worked as advertised; it 
went to Detroit where Gary supervised its overhaul.   The aforementioned engine 
builder/thief was still in business and doing good work at that time, and 
built a fantastic engine.   Got it back home and drove it and enjoyed it for 
years.   A year ago, was driving in the mountains in the middle of the night 
and apparently spun a bearing.   Turns out it had an oil leak and the 
dipstick lies.   When I would pull it to check, it always showed full.   After it 
blew up, it still showed full, until I turned it over, and it was dry as a 
bone on the other side.  Expensive lesson learned.   Now sitting in a 
corner, waiting its turn to get fixed.   I'm hoping I can get away with turning 
the crank and oversize bearings, but I'm preparing for the worst.   427 side
oiler repairs might not be cheap.   The car is worth about $15-20K more than I 
paid for it, but then again, I've probably spent $15K on repairs and etc. 
so I'm about even on that deal.

1980 VW Scirocco GTi
Still own it.   Found it abandoned at Travis AFB, and (long story short) 
bought it for $35, just because I wanted the wheels.   Got it home, discovered 
it was (despite its horrible appearance) a pretty good car.   Yanked the 
seats and sold them for $400, and replaced with factory Recaro seats purchased 
from the junkyard for $50.   Had a used 1.8 liter engine installed, and a 
few other things done, and it has been serving me well ever since, as both a 
'truck' and a track-day car.   Best money I ever spent in my life.

1981 VW Scirocco S
Still own it.   Helped a friend from Chicago buy this car in San Francisco; 
he took it to Seattle and used it as his airport car (he lived in Chicago 
but his Air Force Reserve gig was in Seattle).   Somebody gave him a Volvo 
850 Wagon for a dollar, and since he had three babies at the time, it was a 
better car for him.   He made me a deal I couldn't refuse, and it came back 
here.   It also got a new engine, lots of trick suspension and brake goodies, 
runs like a top, fast, fun to drive.   

2001 Honda XR250R
Still own it.   Finally woke up to the fact that I had been riding 
motorcycles since 1986 but never rode a dirt bike.   Dumb.   Fixed this problem by 
buying a 2001 bike with under 100 miles on it, in 2008.   Originally a 
dirt-only bike, I converted it to make it (barely) street-legal, just so I can 
ride in places like Death Valley.   Time constraints mean I only get to ride it 
2-3 times a year, but those are great days.

1981 VW Scirocco S
Still own it.   My original Scirocco was stuck in a field for six years 
with a blown head gasket, and some punk busted the turn signals to steal the 
bulbs!   I found a set of replacement turn signals for sale, and it turns out 
the guy also had a really nice Scirocco for sale.   It sort of followed me 
home.   Yes, I have four of them now.   It has the original engine, burns oil 
from one cylinder, and is much slower than the other three, but its the 
nicest of the bunch from a cosmetic perspective, and the one I normally take on 
longer journeys, as the stereo, heater, etc. all work quite well.

So, in my life I have owned seven cars and four motorcycles, and still own 
and enjoy every one.   Yes, admittedly, my garage looks like a vehicular 
Jonestown, with half my fleet down for one thing or another (usually quite 
serious) at any given time.   But I do have ambitions of having everything up 
and running again by this time next year, which will be a remarkable thing if 
I can pull it off....

Mike