F-Body Europe

Hi folks, I found this on amazon.de when I was looking for a LS1 repair handbook. I thought I should let you know what our REAL problem is (well what feminists think it is, haha!!). THey will never understand!

The pressures facing the teenage and early 20's male have remained the same throughout history: the primordial need to express one's independence from the family unit while simultaneously attracting a mate.

The pressures are exerted in the same manner from one generation to the next, each one contextualizing objects and methods to best suit their era. At first glance the objects of a young man's world appear to be different -- the horse, the pirate ship, the chariot. But in reality they all serve the same function.

In late 20th century North America, the automobile crystallizes much of the young man's primal dilemma. It serves the multiple functions of phallic/status symbol, fortress, and bedroom.

Perhaps no other vehicle embodied these multiple functions as well as the Chevrolet Camaro. When the Camaro was introduced in 1967 it was the sporty option for affluent 25-35 year old businessmen. It was not until the mid 70's that is it had depreciated in value enough to become accessible to paper-route financing.

The most money and effort then went into customizing the car, a reflection of the desperate need to display virility. Oversized rear tires, phallic blowers and exposed engines, and other sexualized modifications were far more over-the-top than the car's designers had ever imagined.

The Camaro's lengthy reign as the quintessential high school cruising car lasted from approximately 1975 until the late 80's, it's redefined relevance exhausted. Inevitably, the Camaro lost it's cultural currency, developing a stigma that was just as likely to repel the chicks as attract them.

The Acura Integra, arriving in 1986, was again too expensive for the young consumer. More significantly, it was completely out-of-sync with the metallurgic sensibilities of the hard rock youth of that era. Thus the Acura was fated to mellow innocuously in graphic designer's townhouse driveways for seven years or so. Then as it lost Yuppie prestige in the early 90's, it was handed down to the high school man, who redefined it's purpose to reflect upon his world.

The late 80's saw the evolution of a more subtle visual spectacle and the elaboration of the aural, as the giant sub woofer replaced the blower, the 'No Fear' sticker replacing the air-brushed 'Valkyrie vs. Dragon' hood scene. Perhaps sonic barrage has replaced spectacle as the new means of drawing sexual attention.

Who knows if the Integra will become as full-blown an icon for the teenage zeitgeist that the Camaro did, but we do know that somewhere is a vehicle that will be dormant for years until it is called forth to be the new steed of the 21st century high school man.

Yeah, I feel much better,now that I know my problem!!!
Cheers!
Gunnar

I have had females get excited in my car!!!

Me too, but only one, and unfortunately it wasn't my wife....

TOOOOOO funny Jack!!!!!! You guys do know that there are women that do like cars..... Like I told George, I don't want to be refered to as the "speedometer" I want to be the N2O. "Go big or stay home." Nike

So I guess blowers are Kewl.LOL

I can agree with that. My wife loved my Civic and she hates the Camaro. But she was and always will be the speedometer in both. Oh well can't have it all.

I can't get the keys for the Z28 from my wife. She uses it for her every day work car (and pays for the petrol for me).

I have to drive a diesel Ford Mondeo. Talk about slow or what!!!!!

My wife had a big fright the other night. It was dark and a car with bright lights was very close to her rear bumper. So she slammed the power and left the car stood. After some minutes the same bright lights were back close to her rear. This time the car behind put the blue flashing lights on.

She pulled over but the police just drove off. I laughed so much and I bet the police were having a giggle too.

Now that is funny!

just trying to fill the board

Good story Jagsy!!