[RossGN]

Saturday night, Summer 1976.....I get the call that there is a V8 Vega in town looking for a race. Just my luck...my '65 Lemans is out of commission with another blown 10 bolt. I'm heartbroken to have to miss the opportunity. We're all gathered at the Dairy Queen (including the Vega) when a Class of '73er pulls into the parking lot in is '73 White Trans Am. Well, the Vega dude is calling out anyone and everyone and Trans Am dude accepts! Nobody's giving the TA a chance in hell, as by '73, the 455 was known to be only a shadow of it's former self. So kinda picture the American Graffitti scene of cars heading out of town. We raced "between the bridges" on a farm road north of town. About 5/16 mile between bridges with a slight curve at the end. Everyone is mostly wanting to see what the v8 Vega can do. So the line up and on the 3rd honk they're off. Jaws drop and and looks of puzzlement on everyones faces. "I thought he said the Trans Am was stock?" The TA obliges the Vega to two more runs, but same result. Baffled, we all head back to the Dairy Queen. the Vega heads back to the bid city with it's tail tucked between it's 50s.
I am then educated on the 455SD. I have to have a ride. He obliges...we head out of town to the bridges and he makes a pass. Wow! He then proceeds to continue on and through some twisties. I am white knuckles. I've never been through curves at 80-90 with radials squealing. come to find out, he had been doing hill climbs with some success.

The TA guy was just in town visiting his folks so never saw the SD again. Next time I saw him he had traded it in on a Porsche 914!

Well, thus was the start of my obsession with the SD. Fast forward to 2001, I find an ad for a '74 SD in of all places Juneau Alaska....$10,000.00 Repainted an ugly lighter shade blue metallic, I don't care. We do the deal...he pays to ship it by barge to Seattle. I pay for shipping from Seattle to TX. Drove it for a week or two and then start my 1st ever restoration. 2 years with a very patient wife allowing the 4th bedroom to be used as parts storage. Could never have done it without this board's help.

Cleaning out some boxes and came across the only two photos I have of the car. Got the hots for an '03 Cobra and sold the TA in '04. Many cool cars later this one will always be one of my favorites.