Here’s a classic debate for the ages. As a young male, I couldn’t wait to start modifying the 1979 Chevy Caprice that wound up being my first car officially under the knife with hope of running afterwards. I wanted it lower, I wanted it louder and I wanted it faster. My stepfather was a cunning enough man that he knew how to pick and choose this battle: he allowed for louder, he helped me lower the car via heating the coils, and as for faster, he wanted me to get comfortable with the rip-roaring power of a 305 Chevrolet that was being drowned in fuel from too large of a carb. On the first drive post modifications, I came to the conclusion that I was an idiot. The noise was fine and the speed was for the best in the short term, I had to admit. But the suspension? Yep, screwed that pooch. The Caprice was so low that on certain sections of the road between the house and the gas station, the frame would scrape and it would still roll like a top-heavy sloop in a storm in the corners.
At what point does a modification or two go from basic to butchery? The heated and ruined springs on the Caprice was my line. The day I ditched the stock wheels and hubcaps for a set of modified Lincoln turbine wheels for my 1978 Chrysler LeBaron was the day I heard seven shades of hell from my grandfather on the subject. There’s always the line that you never knew you crossed.
In this ad for the 1970 AMC Javelin, you’ll find that Junior has built himself a little badass machine here. Dear old Dad might be smiling, but just wait for the punchline. Has this scene played out for you before?
Thanks to Chris Conn for the tip!
Ironically by now it would have been returned to stock condition and be worth a shedload of cash!
All hotrodders/gearheads has been trough the Challenge of explaining to a parent or neighbor the need for speed and Being loud to the point of stupid. My parents had a hard time explaining the neighbors why i needed to have a rustet out and stupid loud 4 door 73 ford custom parked in the street in our Nice hood. I Got alot of heat for the burnouts and the noise in the morning going to work. No one understood and still dont. I made alot of mistakes trying to make my rusty cars look cool on a small budget. But i cant leave my cars Stock cause it runs in my blood. And i see a cool hotrod in almost every car i come across. However i have learned over the years to Think twice and research before embarkin on a modifying adventure.
I remember this ad, and of course I thought it funny, but there was a 2-page version of this ad in print. I recall that there was a stock Javelin next to the modified one.The teenager was sitting on the roof of the modified Javelin. I think the caption on that one was “But Dad, it’s a great car, I only made it better”.I’ve not since seen the print ad, but I’m glad someone save the TV version
It\’s a 1969, not a 1970 😛