Frosty

JUSTA6's V6 Sunbird "Kustom"

I read somewhere that Knight was quoted as saying he was the "first man in history to blow through $13 million dollars!"

Thanks Joe!

Glad we could help!

True that!

I am so glad you've heard of Terry Knight and the Pack. Most people haven't. Terry Knight started out as a local DJ and then formed the band. When Knight didn't perform with the band, they'd call themselves the Pack or the Fabulous Pack. Farner and Brewer came from the Pack and Mel Schacher came from Question Mark and the Mysterians ("96 Tears" fame). Knight became GFR's manager and they eventually fired him in 1972. They performed a song called "Wide Track" as the Faboulous Pack. I don't know if you've every heard of it. I use to have the 45 record shown below. I gave record to a fellow Widetracker for safe keeping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xUSYUaLMAA A local electronics store chain in Michigan (Highland Appliance) use to say "More speakers than a Grand Funk tour". Those of us who'd seen them live in concert knew what it meant. Grand Funk's Concert for Bosnia at the Palace of Auburn Hills concert and album, I was at that concert! So I guess I'm on the record! I was also at the 1980 Grand Funk Lives album and tour that started in Flint. The movie "Heavy Metal" had also come out at the time and their Queen Bee single was part of the soundtrack. Personally I like the cover of "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" better. BTW - Farner went to my high school, Flint Kearsley, but he never graduated.

I never heard your story on the 'Bird JUSTA. Thank you for sharing it with us. Slight correction on the V6. Buick developed the V6 back in '62 with the "Fireball V6", it came in 198 and 224 CI displacements. Kaiser purchased the engine and tooling from Buick in 1967 and put the Dauntless V6 in the Jeeps until AMC came along put the straight six back in the Jeeps. After the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, Buick bought the tooling and engine back from AMC in April of 1974. That's when the infamous 231 V6 came out.

I agree that this car is way cool. My point is it is looker and not a real performer. Let's not forget the H-body was specifically the Vega and Astre and they were built with 4-cylinders only. The H-Special was the Monza, Firenza, Sunbird, and Skyhawk. The H-Specials were built to accept the 305 V8s but not the H-bodys. My point is the added torque of a blown 350 with the stock running gear should have damaged the car in some way because of the excess torque unless hardened parts and a sub-frame connector was bolted in. You are right, there are a lot of questions we can't answer.

I do try to have fun Last Indian. As much and as often as I can. It's funny that you mention vehicles of motion. My dad was both an aviation and automobile engineer during his career. So to that end, he has flown in every know aircraft. Military transports, work on navy warplanes in Corpus Christi during WWII, commercial aircraft, personal aircraft, gliders, helicopters, and hot air balloons. I don't think he has ever parachuted. I have an eclectic choice in music. I most closely associate with rock/pop/metal. I do like some easy listening,' 40s big band/swing, bag pipe and drums, some Hawaiian and Celtic music, Jimmy Buffet / island music, and various vocal acts. Favorite acts have to be Jimmy Buffett, the Beach Boys, the Reflections, CCR, Kiss, and our local group Grand Funk Railroad.

What? No cold sodas? No cold beer? A man gets awful thirsty pickin' off zombies.

It turned out the guy was practicing an illegal religion and had enough nerve to protest in Tianenman about it. I also learned after that incident that in Chinese society, if the state executes a loved one, they charge the family for the cost of the bullet. It is considered quite a family/societal shame. As for Ireland, I wouldn't mind trying their beer(s). English beers are like making love in a canoe...f'ing close to water. Scottish and German beers are a whole lot better.

Yeah, it was the local police. However, as you know, both the military and police all dress in the same drab green uniforms. It was a police van that pulled up and dragged this guy's carcass, his wife, and daughter into the van. The wife wants to go to Ireland and Italy. She's half Italian and half Irish. I'm a goner.

He street raced it alright. From the traffic light to the first 1200 feet and then he let off. Any bets that is a real 350 and not just a dressed-up 305? As the Beach Boy song title goes - a "No-Go Showboat". Stop and think about it. If most of the stock drivetrain is retained, the engine can't be generating much torque or the rear window would have shattered, the body would have twisted, the rear end would have blown, or the drive shaft would have twisted or come apart from a lack of support from the missing sub-frame connectors. Stock tires and a 4-bolt lug? Stock front disc brakes? In my opinion this is a hack job. Granted it did look good and it's nice to still see it on the road.

Technically I've been in Washington and New Mexico. I flew into Seattle on my way to Hawaii but other than the airport, I didn't see anything so I don't count it. The only way to get to Four Corners Monument is through Highway 597 (4 Corners Road) in New Mexico, coming from Arizona. Since this the smallest corner of the state, I don't count it. I have also been to Scotland, England, France, Germany, Austria and China. My trip to China was not your typical experience either. A protester in Tiannenmen Square was beaten up 10 feet in front of me on my first day in Beijing and the whole thing was filmed by CNN International, and a stowaway was found on the plane returning us to Detroit. The Great Wall is humbling and cool though. Let us know if/when you decide to come up. I am sure Indyman Joe, JUSTA and notallthere can try to arrange to be around.

I traveled a lot particularly in my single, misguided youth. Not so much as I'd like with the wife and kid in my life now. Still we've taken some really nice family trips. I often have a spare ticket for a game. C'mon up for one sometime. Then we could go cruise Woodward. I've been to 46 states (Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and North Dakota are the ones I haven't seen). I've been to the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. I love the Canadian west particularlly. Utah skiing is some of the best in the country. Powder days especially. Skiing at Park City, where they still have old silver mining buildings and equipment on the property, adds character. One day I want to do the "interconnect". It is a guided tour / back country skiing day trip that takes your 5 ski resorts in a day. You start at Park City, ski over the back side of Jupiter Bowl. Take your skis off, walk across the road to Solitude. Solitude has a hidden trail to Brighton. Ski back to Solitude, go over the ridge, ski down Snowbird. I think there is a connection between Snowbird and Alta too.