New Here But Not To Ford

[PCA-1]

Hello everyone. I am very pleased to have joined the forum. May be a bit while I sift through knowledge (search) available and look to have a positive impact on the community.

 

My Ford roots intially came from my grandfather's 1967 Cougar, one of the first off the line. I learned to drive in that car. Can still hear that platform's exhaust. I washed and waxed that car so many times, enjoying every minute. It was kind of nice he let me do what I wanted and didn't hang around and watch over my shoulder (this wasn't the case when I cut his lawn though, lol).

 

My next love came in the form of A 1969 Mustang Grande coupe. My first job was at an auto parts store. One of the employees there owned the Mustang and we were great friends at work, making the best of it, joking and laughing as much as possible. I miss that guy. Unfortunately he was always ribbed by the Dodge and GM guys, that is until one day he had enough and got goaded into a race with a 440/4spd Charger.

 

Back in those days, working on Saturday at the auto parts store was like a rolling car show and quarter mile wrapped up into one. Positioned on a corner, facing the highway, leaving the parking lot was an invitation to light them up, or run somebody. Hours of V8's gasping for air through Holly carbs, headers and glass pack mufflers screaming, and the smell of unbridled exhaust and melted rubber. I was a kid in a candy store.

 

Back to the race. My friend, as stated earlier, took a lot of crap for having his Mustang. And over time it built to a head, and it was the big day. No one thought the Stang had a chance. I was working and could not be there, but saw a lot of surprised faces when some of the guys came back in. The 302 small block Mustang had beat the big, bad ass Charger. Needless to say my friend was all smiles and the ribbing mysteriously disappeared.

 

When the time came for me to purchase my first brand new car, I chose a 1993 Ford Probe GT. I wasn't a mechanic and, having built so many cars in my head over the years, knew I had better buy something that had everything on it. The Probe GT fit the bill. No, it wan't the fastest thing on earth, but it came with all the goodies. I remember waking up early just wanting to go row through the gates over and over. I should have kept that one.

 

Fast forward a few years, with a life event thrown in the mix, and the Probe GT was gone and I needed something reliable and picked up a new Aspire. No, it was not my finest hour, but I got what I paid for and it held up without raping me, long enough to sell it and pick up my 02 Focus ZTW wagon. Yes a wagon. Well I actually bought it for my wife, but she just couldn't drive a station wagon...no problem for me, I took the fully loaded wagon under my wing and discovered internet forums, the place where dreams come true.

 

The ZTW was treated to a full Eibach suspension (dampers, coil springs, and f/r sway bars), an MBRP 2.25" cat back, a high flow cat, 2pc underdrive pulleys, a better (earlier model) intake manifold, an intake, and cam gears. New European Ford 17" wheels wrapped in 215/45/17 Continental rubber, and I had a blast. I, back then, was a "drive a slow car fast" master. Of course, no one thought to race a wagon, so I had my fun blazing my 52 mile commute home from work. While I still drive my ZTW (made a promise to myself I would drive her till the wheels fell off), I have passed the fun days of driving. Sure I love to drive, just mellowed out. It happens, but the dreams never end, and I will have the ride of my life before my day comes.

 

The ZTW opened up a whole new world for me back in 2003. I had not been on a forum before and it was an exciting time. Throughout the years since, I have not put down the forums, even on vacation lol. As luck would have it (an my days as an auto part employee might have dictated) I also discovered ebay. I scoured ebay for parts. Back then, there were only 50-60 pages of parts and it was a catalog to find parts cheap...well cheaper anyway. As time passed I helped the community with group buys for Roush body kits, Hella head lights, Ford Racing parts, and last but not the least, Team Dynamics wheels. My passion for finding great deals on parts to pass along to the community ultimately became a business, Perfect Circle Autosport. 3.5 years later, and PCA Team Dynamics #1 North American spec order wheel dealer, and a seller of many brands. Yes, that has lead me here, not going to lie. First the Focus, then the Fiesta, and now the Fusion. Keeping it Ford.

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I did reminiscing to "back in the day" through to today. The Fusion has been a sweet ride and the latest gen sure raised the bar. That being said, I am not telling anyone anything they don't already know. Good stuff. Is a Fusion my next ride? Seems my ZTW is telling me I will have my trustworthy steed for years to come. Being here may just change things sooner rather than later. Only time will tell.

Edited July 11, 2014 by PCA-1

[propwash]

Welcome to the forum! I think you'll find out you can learn a lot here. Thanks for the history narrative. Sounds like you've been a Ford guy for quite awhile.