Look what can happen in a year...(lotsa pics, beware)

**Dantra** · 09-28-2008, 08:44 PM

Once the Mod Bug bites. A tale of Magnum love

Everything that has been going on with Elcobra44s car has had me digging through alot of old pictures and memories. It all started the first week of October last year when Tracy pushed my OCD to the limits for her dream car...a Magnum RT. I really had no intentions of getting one of these for myself but still my OCD was in full force to find one in a price range we could afford for her. Once I was on a roll it didn't take long before I was talking to a salesman some sales over 300 miles away with the best deal out there. I left for Milwaukee WI from Indpls In. after work and it put me back home at 5 am but for that look on her face I'd do it again TWICE.

Here it is when it came home

Something happened to me on the way home tho, something that if I had to explain it...you just wouldn't understand. Suddenly I had to have one too. The problem was that we just couldn't afford 2 payments so the only options were for me to either sell my soul or buy one out of a salvage yard. Had plans for my soul so I went shopping and found one in a salvage yard in Illinois that had been totaled due to flod damage... Less than a month after bringing hers home I sold everything I had and bought this on Halloween day (ironic) and Tracy quickly named it The Swamp Beast

Initially we just loved the cars the way they were. Then we discovered LXF and that infecting little mod bug. This forum has just changed everything about what our cars were and gonna be.....Suddenly we both had our own tastes and dreams of what each car should be and have pursued that dream. She has her taste and I have mine but we'd both be about the same if it wasn't for this forum and the people that share it with us. We've probably made more actual friends here and at the events in the last year that we have made ANYWHERE in the past 5 years. So LXF has changed not only our cars, but has changed us too. There are so many people out there that we are still looking forward to meeting...Good solid people too. And the best thing is that we have done this together, just the way best friends should.

Ya know, I started this thread just to toss on some pics of the transformations that our cars have been through in the past year and got a little sidetracked..it's the ADD side of me that competes with the OCD side. Anyway here is what LXF and it's members have helped us do...

Glory...as she's called. Tracy's (Mom's Hemi here on LXF) 05 RT

Wow...tinted windows and Magnaflows!

Then the eyelids...

Her dream wheels really began to bring it all together

The WOW hood

A little engine dressing

And the last thing was to primer the hood black and add a honeycomb grill with a R/T emblem (compliments of BrianG

)

My story, which I'm sure some of you are familiar with is a little different. I began with something that was tossed aside and unwanted...The resurrection began.

The Swamp Beast...05 RT

The clean up began

And finished

Out with the old

In with the new

My B-Day gift from Tracy...A Swamp Beast on my engine cover

A little tranny clean up and a new pump (Doh!)

Installed some Halos

Picked up some nice used wheels

And finally lowered the Beast

It just still amazes me as I go through and pick out these pictures to see the good times that we've had along the way and the GREAT LX people we've met. The work and passion that has went into these cars can't be compared to some of the other LXs out there. If you're talking to someone about LX, the Forum or the great times and they begin to get that glazed over look just remember...
If you have to explain, they wouldn't understand.

Happy Moddin' LX Members and Thank you

**fnkychkn** · 09-28-2008, 09:02 PM

great story, Dan.

thanks for sharing.

**Fargo59** · 09-28-2008, 09:28 PM

yeah, i know how you feel. tomorrow is one year i'll have had my car. and even though i havent done anywhere near as much to it as you (every other car ive had, i had to do major work to) it seems like so long ago. the number of people ive met over the last year through lxforums is astounding. all awesome people.

**gooeytek** · 09-28-2008, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Dantra

Once the Mod Bug bites. A tale of Magnum love

...

Something happened to me on the way home tho, something that if I had to explain it...you just wouldn't understand. Suddenly I had to have one too...

The work and passion that has went into these cars can't be compared to some of the other LXs out there. If you're talking to someone about LX, the Forum or the great times and they begin to get that glazed over look just remember...
If you have to explain, they wouldn't understand.

I was reading through this wonderful tale, and omg...Dan, I completely understand !!!

**bklynmag** · 09-28-2008, 10:31 PM

That is some journey you've had with that mag . .but I'm sure that journey is what makes it all worth it!

**Mom's Hemi** · 09-29-2008, 07:56 PM

Wow....thanks, Dan, for indulging me with my dream car~ I would apologize for getting us started on the LX craziness, but I'm not sorry! Nobody could have told me a year ago how I would feel about these cars, and how much fun we would have with them. May our magnums live forever...here's to many more years of fun together with our cars and friends!

p.s. I love ya!

**Mister HP** · 09-29-2008, 09:26 PM

Cool story guys, I've said this to you two before, but in 15 years of building cars for a living I have never met a husband and wife with bookend cars! I always thought that was so cool about your cars!

Congrats, you're both getting exactly what you want from this hobby

I still want to know if your neighbors think your crazy?

Ed

**Dantra** · 09-29-2008, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Mister HP

I still want to know if your neighbors think your crazy?

Ed

Are you kidding?

The whole damn neighborhood thinks we're crazy. Especially when they drive by and we're just standing out there...doing nothing....not moving...lookin' at the cars

**02Max4Me** · 10-03-2008, 01:07 PM

So i'm going to be brutally honest here

I'm not a huge fan of the magnum... When I first started reading this thread I was like "ok... buying it for the lady, I get it, I guess *sigh*"

Then you say you NEEDED one, but couldn't afford one so you went to the j/y... GOOD THINKING!

Then I see you got the exact same car as her and i'm like "fag"

Then I keep reading your story, and the subtle (cept for hood) but cool mods you guys did, and the fact that you guys each did something slightly different and I thought that was neat

Then I see that she got you a gift of the engine cover... and I got jealous... LOL Getting a car gift that you LIKE from a woman does not happen often, and I found myself happy for you that you have found someone that you can share an interest in AND that she can buy things you'd like for you! LOL

So I end this post by saying good job, & thanks for lifting my day w/ a good read

**Ponch** · 10-03-2008, 03:27 PM

I love these "history of my car" threads!

**sugar-tj** · 10-03-2008, 05:14 PM

great story... great job...
thanks for sharing...

**rwalshphoto** · 10-03-2008, 06:10 PM

Sweet! Nice story.

**Pigman 440** · 10-03-2008, 08:46 PM

I remember when you told me about the "swamp beast" and I thought man ,that is going to take a LOT of work. You guys did it with great results and most importantly you had fun and did it together!!! Congrats and hope to see you guys again soon.