A Sucker for late 70's early 80's JDM, EDM cars...

[[mXm] BalzOnYer4Head]

I am a 35 year old man. I grew up when cars were crap in America. Not during the glory days of the early rat rods and modified BelAires, not during the super powerful muscle car era, but instead during an age where America was making crap cars. Aside from a few gems here and there, these cars were mostly huge lumbering land yachts that had large engines with lackadaisical power curves, and suspension made of used sponges.

Combine this with a father who was a car guy, in the Army, stationed in Germany, and you get a me that had exposure to all these cool foreign cars. Small little cars that made such proper sounds as they accelerated away from the light. Unlike the wheezy deep moan of a labored US engine, but a snarling and sometimes popping of a small displacement import motor.

Of course these little fire breathing demons have been modified, and my Dad was one to tinker. He had a 79 Rabbit or Mk1 Golf as its known in the EDM. It was a dark orange color 8 valve that he had modifed to have a sharp exhaust note, that could scoot down the road, and corner like it was on rails. Loved that car.

There were Datsuns 510s, 240zs, Puegeot 205 GTI's, VW Mk2 Jetta and GTI's, 3 Series First gen BMWs, Mazda 323 GTXs, Toyota Celicas and Supras. Some you could get here in the US, others you could not.

Which brings me to today. These cars that were lusted after as a kid and young adult, but out of reach due to legal driving age limits or finances, are now obtainable for someone who has settled in to life, but still in to those "old" cars. Some are so old that you can legally import them cause they were made prior to a certain year.

So what are some of your old boyhood car dreams? They can't be all of the poster cars that we adorned our walls with like Lambo's and Ferrari's. What was that one car you would see every morning while you were sitting on the school bus, the one you would try and find the whole ride to school, just so you could put the window down in time to hear it accelerate away?

Mine was a Datsun 510. Looked and sounded like the cars in the below video.
Found on Jalopnik
http://vimeo.com/42180356

As many of you know of course, I do own my first love, A Mk2 VW, but after watching that video, I am gettin the urge to find a carb'd JDM beater. Just gotta figure out how to justify it to the soon to be wifey...

[[mXm] gordy]

My brother was really into cars always tinkering with his and I fell into his footsteps in loving cars too, I can't do a whole lot of working on them but I do enjoy them.

Growing up I wet dreams to the usual countachs, diablos, and f40s, but that was fantasy land. In real life my favorite cars were 300zx, supras, 3rd gen camaros (yes I know that is the epitome of white trash but I grew up in tn what do you expect), and mustang gt usually all made me jizz my pants when I saw them.

[[mXm] BalzOnYer4Head]

Oh yeah, the 89-93 5.0 notch back was a fav of mine. I also owned 2 3rd Gen Camaros. An 88 Coupe (305 throttlebody) and a 92 drop top 25th Anniversary Z28.

[[mXm] gordy]

I failed to mention 240sx and that car in the video sounds pretty mean.

[[mXm] andy19]

That was a great video Balz.
Growing up, my dad being a mechanic I got to learn to tinker and fix things. He was always a muscle car guy so that's what I grew up with. Chevelles were huge, I loved the Nova, Bel Air, Corvette (obviously), El Camino. Any 65-72 GM with a big engine was what was posted on my walls in my room - anything after 72 was shit in my books. I absolutely loved the '71 Olds 442 though. That was my car back then.

It wasn't until I picked up the original Gran Turismo that I was introduced to the wonderful world of European and Japanese cars.
As with most people, the 240 was the car you'd stop and watch drive by if you saw one down the street. An art teacher at my school had one and would bring it into the shop for us to work on. I love those 510's as well. There's actually a guy down the road from me with 2 - one is done up with a rally style to it. Haven't had a close look so I'm not sure if he's got the full roll cage and whatnot, but it's a sharp looking car.

Another one that I'm sure everyone can agree is an awesome car is the Mini. Not sure if it really applies since the style wasn't changed for 30 years, but it's a fun little car. My dad recently traded a pickup truck for a '78 Cooper. Being rebuilt as we speak and is going to be a blast.

[[mXm] andy19]

I should also give honourable mention to the early 80's Mazda RX-7 and the 1980 Renault 5 Turbo. Loved those as well, especially with those rear fender flares on the 5 Turbo.

[[mXm] BalzOnYer4Head]

All three cars I would rock. Especially the Renault. I also think Coopers are awesome race cars. Wheels on the corners and super light. That's the way to go around a corner.