So my first car was a 1982 Datsun 280zx turbo. I loved the car, but being 10 years old and having way too many complicated parts is not the best match. I think my parents spent as much keeping the car running as they did buying it in the first place.

Secured a scholarship my junior year in high school, which equated to a new(er) car. I promptly lost that scholarship after a year, so at least it was good for something! I did have a set of restrictions:

• No v8's
• No convertibles
• Lower then $10,000
• Had to be lower miles/newer car

I quickly found out that being 17 and trying convince people your Dad really is going to buy you a car is pretty tough. I did my best to find a 300zx, but the 90's were way out of the price range while the 87-89's were next to impossible to find. I had checked all around the coast and didn't find anything I liked. I finally convinced my Dad he *really* needed to be with me and we took off for Slidell (They had a better selection of dealers, plus we usually looked through Bay St. Louis on the way back). I'm pretty sure the first stop was Levis Chevrolet. We laid out our restrictions and jumped from one boring car to another. Finally the salesmen said he was going to pull a car around they just got in.

Around the corner came a bright white 92 Firebird and it really had just come in on trade. Big scratch on the ground effects, nothing power worked, animal crackers everywhere, etc. I honestly didn't like the V6 (even though I knew nothing about them), but I did like the fact it looked like KITT. I hadn't noticed too many of the 91-92's around the coast and really thought the new style nose stood out. My Dad was not going to buy a car that looked like it did, so we placed a deposite and would get a call when they got through with it.

About 4 days later we were heading back to Slidell. The air-brush guy was running late, so we sat sround the lot for a few hours before we finally got to see the car. They had taken care of everything and my Dad was now the proud owner of a 92 Firebird. A completely stock yet fully optioned V6. I'm not sure what month it was, but I remember it was cold. That didn't stop me from running with the t-tops off most of the way home!

Long story about getting my first f-body. Next update, the obsession begins.