We all love our birds, and for many different reasons, and I'm sure more than one. But where did these reasons begin? Was it the memory of the day you first brought it home? Was it the first time you got that new engine running? Could it have been remembering that "Just Married" on the side when you started your new life? The first race you won? Or is it still there when you look into that passenger seat and see someone who is no longer with you?
Many are the miles and many are the memories, no matter how long you've had that car. Think about it. For more than one memory can be made in a day, though years may go by while remembering only the things that consume our attention each day. As silently she waits in that garage to inspire us yet again. What is (or are) your favorite memory(s)?
One of mine is a black mustang (with a 289) who's owner constantly proclaimed he'd easily take me in the 1/4 because "it was all about gears". Odd that when I beat him by 2 seconds at the track all he could say was "well yeah, that's because you have a 400!"
Only one of the many......
What are your favorite memories?

Or are your (our) best memories yet to come?

We are all soooooo blessed!

Cme469

great post. my 68 is just a little ole 350 2 barrel so Im not going to beat anyone in a race anytime soon. my first memory is ridding around in my uncles 68 firebird 40 years ago. bringing her home for the first time was a good memory. I had no idea what she was or wasn't. researching what was original and what wasn't.

but my best memories are are simply driving her around. taking her out for her weekly exercise. driving her during sunrises and sunsets out here in the high desert.

not so good memories: when people call her a maro.

my favorite is when I let my then +_20 yr old daughter drive it (w me as passenger) , we drove around town , eventually came home, she parked , and while beaming said :" dad, did you see all they guys looking at me"?

me,( cruel dad): " no honey , they were looking at the car"

granted, they probably WERE looking at her...lol

To make along story short (I produced a book on it that I display at shows and cruises), the '68 I have now was my first car. A lifetime of memories can be recalled 49 years later when driving, working on, or just looking the car that I have enjoyed most of my life.

Never forget taking the car on our honeymoon, driving Pike's Peak with the top down 30+ years before it was paved; another Colorado 1976 camping trip with camping gear, wife, toddler son in car seat, and dog; driving my wife to the hospital to have our daughter; and now taking my grandsons for rides.

My biggest memory was getting the crabby side comments and frowny face from my better half about the $$, lack of garage space, time and effort, etc, until the day I showed up with her '25th anniversary present" (her own '68 convertible).
She was grinning ear to ear, posting pictures on FB, telling her friends, running around screaming, etc. Pretty much changed my life. She now completely has my viewpoint about owning classic cars, and she even lets me driver her's from time to time (if I've been good).

My favorite memory was the first time I seen my first Firebird . I had been out all morning with a friend looking at a few cars, a 19691/2 trans am, a 1968 charger r/t 440 and a 1964
Impala with a 409, all for around $800.00. But when I got home my dad was not sure about any of the cars ( not a car guy ). So he tells me we're going to look at a car a guy at work is selling.
It was 11:30 in the morning, we made a right hand turn on to the block, the sun was cutting between two trees lighting up the firebird like it was on a stage under spot lights. There set a 1968
400, it was dark green with a black vinyl roof, sitting a little high in back, wearing rally II all the way around. Love at first site. Well it ended up that my dad not being a car guy worked in my favor.
The motor was built along with the trans, as I talked to the owner about the car my dad just walk away not knowing what was being said. $650.00 later and I owned my first car a very fast
1968 firebird 400 ( the year was 1977 ). Funny story after having the firebird for awhile it need a new carb, being winter I had a shop install it for me. My dad went and pick it up for me when I
was at work. The owner of the shop stopped my dad and asked who's car it was, he told him it was my sons car. Being an odd question my dad asked why he asked, the owner told him that he
took the firebird out for a test drive, he jumped on it from a dead stop and spun the car 360 then jumped the curb and ended up in a parking lot. He said he took the firebird back to his shop
checked it for damage and changed his pants.

Love all of your replies! I too, did a 360 and ended up on a curb the first day I had my car! Had forgotten that memory, thanks a lot, LOL.

Just returning home from our trip to Phoenix. Sightseeing, visiting family, friends and the car show. We did not take the bird this time, (still in body/paint shop) we took a rental. While on the drive my wife and I had hours to talk about the trip, our lives, our kids etc. We also talked about the many times we had taken this trIp over the years, and one of the times we had taken the bird. She began telling me about a time she was driving and I had fallen asleep. She goes on to tell me about a corvette that had come along side of her, toying with her and wanting to race while westbound on I-10. Finding herself growing irritated (imagine that) she claims to have "pushed the gas thing" down as far as she could until she saw the corvette somewhere in the rear view mirror. I enjoyed her story too much to be mad at her, and was happy that we had survived. I guess I have a new firebird memory that I don't remember!

Cruising to a party one evening a early 2nd gen Camaro pulls up along side me wanting to race. My bird at the time had a 1965 421, worn out lifter ticking smoker. Whooped his *** twice, when he pulled up beside me his passenger asked what I had under the hood. I told more than you can handle & smoked my tires & left him in the dust & smoke. Beating Chevy's is a pleasure!!

My father in law bought the 69 350 coupe new in 69 and used it as a commuter car. That sounds so funny today. But it was a great cruiser for the 3 days a week he traveled from NY to Philly on Navy business. Apparently the cops were very forgiving of uniformed officers in those days. He would routinely try to "beat his last time".

The old guy loved trains and had a radio that he could hear the engineers talking and knew where and when the trains would be at a known crossing. He would take the grand kids to get ice cream in the Firebird and then they go to selected spots and "bag a train". The kids would love it. Especially when they blew the horn for them. When I got the car after he passed I found a railroad spike on the floor in the back seat. One of the kids must have collected it.

I left it there...

Cool. As I've said before, my daughter has claimed ownership of my 69 I suspect because she has history with the car. I'll have to ask her what her memories are. Wonder if I'll remember it the same way she does?
I remember doing the only Car Craft National show they ever held in NorCal. Bunch of us rented a hotel room. Pulled the mattress off on the floor. Somebody slept in the tub.( you remember those days?) I was so hung over the next day I was passed out in the car in about 100+ heat in Sacramento in the summertime. Only saw a few of the cars right near where we were parked. People kept walking by and asking me questions about the car. So annoying,lol. Ah, good times.
One time we went to Merced for the West Coast Streetrod Nationals. Got there late and threw our sleeping bags on the lawn in the park. Woke up about 4 in the morning to the sound of the sprinklers coming on. That'll get you going?

Keep them comin' guys!!
I was recently reminded of another memory when I stripped out the old carpet for my current build. Under the carpet in the side of the driveshaft tunnel is a near perfect imprint of a driveshaft, showing even the bearing cap of the u-joint!
It's all coming back to me now.... cool summer night 1978, fresh 400 + pop up pistons + new clutch + dual quad opened + speed shift = driveshaft/floor contact. One more of the stupid/crazy kid things I've had to pay for as an adult!