"I have a need. A need for speed." As quoted by Tom Cruise (one of the biggest idiot actors of our generation) from the movie Top Gun.
Well, I have a need for speed too. BIG time need for speed. Ever since I can remember my very first roller coaster ride, I have wanted to go fast. I tricked out my early motorcycles for extra HP. My first car was a Dodge Charger, and holy cow, did I ever pay the big bucks for that beauty to have extra speed gear added on. It's wasn't the fastest Dodge Charger in high school, Scott Ambler had that beast, but it was a worthy challenger.
I've had an adult only Kawasaki rice rocket that was so fast it was scary (and was the culprit for putting me in defensive driving school and having my license revoked for 3 months). I've owned a Datsun 280Z, a Firebird Formula 400, a TransAm 400HD, a TransAm 400SD, a TransAm Turbo, a Buick Regal Turbo; and then the mid 80's and 90's happened and I became a sensible Dad driving mostly Cadillac Sedans . . .
But, I could only hold off the speed bug for so long, so in 2000, my first Vette was purchased, and you've seen my previous blog about her. A gorgeous red head turning stunner. Fast, goodness she was fast, and in only 3 weeks time after I put her up for sale, she was adopted by an even older grandpa than me, that has since given her a good home in Bartlesville. (It was his 6th Vette to own).
Then, along came blue. She was named Bliss by the previous owner, and she's still going through a bit of an identity crisis as I've only had her for 5 weeks. I've been calling her Blue, and VII (although she is technically the newer VII, not the original), and Joe named her 1Nation, which I like a lot too, and might end up getting her tagged that way. Her color is Jet Stream Blue Metallic.
She just turned 4, and had 13k on her when purchased. Not a blemish to be found inside or out, under, or beneath; just like a car like her should be.
She is my land jet. Rocket fast. 6 speed manual gears of pure fun, super charged adrenaline. Man does she have an incredible growl when you ignite her after burners. And the Z06 air intake hood vent amps up the volume. I read that the top speed is 197, but I'll only do that if I can get on a race track, or out to the Bonneville salt flats. For now, I am limited to on-ramps, and have to shut her down before merging :-). Joe and Angela both were able to experience the thrill of 83 in 2nd gear, and we got there pretty quick . . .
Before you ask, I've only been to 92, and that was for a brief stretch of lonely highway while I was driving her home from Indy. Her previous owner lives in a suburb of Indy, and I made a flight to Indy to pick her up and drive her home, where we became quite familiar with each other on that 14 hour road trip home spread over 2 days.
Good gosh, she is so quiet on the inside. The faster you go, the quieter she becomes. Low speeds, she moans, she groans, she whines, she cracks, she pops; she HATES to go slow. But get her onto the open road and open her up, and everything seals, she hunkers down for low drag, has no wind noise, and her big soft luxuriously soft leather seats just envelope you and lull you into race mode. (Her seats are actually more comfortable than my Lexus seats were).
And the sound system. Wow. I've got an incredible sound system at home with all kinds of techno gizmo's, amps, tuners, high watt speakers, super cool Elite Sound that surrounds me and cracks the plaster on the walls at about 3/4th's volume. But, inside the Vette, especially with some classic Queen or classic Def Leppard; oh man, be prepared to be amazed. And of course, when Flo Rida's bass hook kicks in on "I've Got A Good Feeling", people probably wonder about my ethnicity; especially when it is cranked up.
Yes, if you come to my home for a visit, I'll gladly take you for a 'test ride' as my co-pilot; though please don't ask to pilot :-).
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