MY METALLICAR

Gotta be totally honest, I did not come up with this cool name for my car.
Actually, her original name is : Filou`s RoseRoyce.
Named after my kids.
Being too long I was looking for something a tad shorter for my baby.
The real Metallicar is a 1967 Chevy Impala that stars in my favorite show.
The fans of the show came up with the name, I didn`t .
I think it`s the coolest name in the world for a car therefore I stole-well borrowed it.
My baby just so happens to be metallic grey-how appropriate.

Why is it that muscle cars ( mostly Mustangs ) make Pierre and I go completely gaga with a capital G ?
I wish I knew.
Then I could explain it to my friends and family who stare-no gawk really, every time we look,touch, talk about her.
We would look less stupid when sitting among friends and family while Pierre and I watch her ( for the millionth time ) on our giant screen looking , listening to her on the speakers really loudly- loud-really loud.
Why DO I get goosebumps every time I see her or hear her on the screen ?
My theory is that Pierre and I both suffer from a mental illness and fortunately, my kids are likely to get it.
Which is a good thing since they will inherit it when we leave this place.
If there is medication for this type of mental illness, I don`t wanna know.

The thing about this car is its representation more than what it actually is.
Yes people I do make an effort to analyze therefore comprehend this strange phenomena.

What it represents most of all is, and Pierre might disagree with me,but what the heck :

First : freedom. You are no longer a parent, a teacher once you`ve settled your buns in the black leather interior. You are an invidual,period. Schedules, deadlines, bills, kids, students,responsiblities simply disappear.
The only goal is acquiring pure pleasure from driving, smelling and listening to her.
What a treat. For a few hours, minutes, every thing else dissipates and it`s all about you and her.
Even buying milk at the corner store is an adventure.
Being an old car, she sounds differently, you pay attention to any abnormal creaks or peeps should might make. You wanna make sure she sounds alright-healthy.
You get to talk to people at stop signs, headlights because people ask a lot of questions and if I believed every stranger I`ve spoken to , they ALL owned a Mustang at one point in their lives.
What`s the model, year, motor, original colour are the most frequently asked questions to name just a few: 1973 Mustang Coupe 302, 2 venturi,automatic transmission ( her only flaw ), bright green( Mustang 2 B ), black leather interior.
This car simply makes you feel like you can be and do anything for a while.
Until you park in the driveway, you are young, wild and free. ( Styx song in my head again....)

Second, its history.
If this car could speak, I`m sure I `d have to censor most of it to put it up on my blog.
I just hope all her prior owners treated her well and with respect.
But no matter what, she`s in good hands now.
So she doesn`t smell like all the other new cars, you know the smell I`m talking about.
She has her own unique " I have a history " smell.
I call it the Metallicar smell.
I wish I could bottle it, I`d make millions I`m sure.

Third, it`s a project for both Pierre and me.
We talk about her, we look at her together. We inspect her together ( there`s not one inch we haven`t inpected with this car). We discuss and negotiate future accessories we want to buy for her, repairs and improvements together.
We talk about her with pride and passion knowing very well no one else can understand ( except the other fanatics- I know who you are ! ) this illness.
It brings us even closer since we share the same passion.

Finally, it really is a token of our love for our kids.
Is it because it tells my kids that even if it`s old it`s still very alive and kicking?
Or that things and people have more value when you invest time and love into them ? Probably.
Or that we always took care of it with them in mind ? Guilty.

The funny thing about this is that our kids LOVE the Metallilcar simply because of how we feel about this car. It`s more than just a set of tires with big doors and a cool sound.

Now if you think we are crazy, then I invite you to one of the auto shows we like to go across our great province.
There are Mustang fanatics out there with big wallets and lots of money to splurge on their baby or babIES. We`re not THAT mental after all.
Mustang owners at these auto shows are, quite honestly the coolest, most generous bunch of strangers I`ve ever met.
When you own an old car, EBAY, Google and other Mustang owners become your allies.
You need them to get the job done sometimes.
They make you save a lot of money and time.
Some are QUITE interesting too if you know what I mean...

So without further ado, here are a few pics of our Metallicar.





Just 2 months before she gets out of the garage !

TaTa,

Annie.