Apparently I violated the maximum text limit for a posted message with my
own PACER story.
I'll try and cull it down and resend it. Hope this makes it though.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
GUILTY!
I owned a pacer.
(long rambling story ahead. . . It does have a fair amount of LBC content,
but I'd press delete now for your own safety.)
First three cars were TR-4s. I went through them quickly as I was a very
dumb (probably typical) High School guy. Car accidents, neglect, abuse
etc.
First one I bought around March 1986 and by May 1988 near the end of my
senior year I found myself with: The wrecked remnants of car #1. Abused
Car #2 with dying engine and busted transmission. Car #3 (which was meant
as a parts car, but is actually the rat roadster I'm driving to work every
day now) had a big time wiring melt down.
At that point, I've still got a month of high school left, and the summer
before college.. and I've killed all my TR-4s and I have almost no money.
What am I going to do?
My mom tells me about a car that was donated to, and auctioned off at an art
studio she was a member of. The bidder paid for the car (like $200) but
never picked it up.
They had all of 8 parking spots and it was taking up one of them for over a
year.
Yep . .. a PACER.
1977 model I think.
It was a 4 door station wagon(ish) style.
Fully loaded.
I offered the gallery manager $25 for the car.
She laughed at first . .. . then a day or so later . .she said .. "if you
can get it out of here, you can have it for $25."
I little bit of gasoline and a battery (both probably from a Triumph) and
the beast fired up.
I was off and having fun.
A disposable car for a crazy guy about to graduate from high school.
That car leaked EVERYTHING it was possible to leak.
For the next couple of months I was perpetually renewing the state
"rejection" sticker on it as I happily drove it off road and tried to see
how big a tree I could knock over with it.
Neutral drop burn outs and never ending doughnuts, all with 5 guys crammed
in the back.
The amazing thing was, everything actually worked on that car.
Cruise control. AM/FM stereo with Cassette. Tilt wheel. Power steering,
maybe power seats. Intermittent wipers. Air conditioning (the one thing
that didn't leak I guess)
I wanted to paint it rattle can silver and cut a "hatch" in the roof.
I made it through the summer with the car.
Although it was pissing me off so badly on a trip to the land fill that I
seriously considered letting it do a "Ghost Driver" off the edge into the
refuse.
Off to college I went . .car less. . . thankfully.
The Pacer rotted in the backyard for a few quarters until my mom demanded
that it be disposed of.
I think the guy who towed it away actually paid me $25 for it. Go figure.
Scott Tilton
1963 TR4 Everyday
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