New Life for the Red Dragon

I'm proud to say I'm back to being a two car family. The Jeep is back on the road.

I had my eye on new vehicles for most of the spring as I was sure I had no intention of getting the Jeep to pass inspection in June. The little red wagon needed serious exhaust work, a lot of body work, and neither inside door handles work. The Maine State Police frowns upon all of these. So I knew at some point I would be in need of new wheels. Uncle Henry's helped me out and I made some calls about some possibilities and happened upon a 1986 Volvo 240 near the end of June and fell in love.

She's got some quirks and I'm still plugging along with some minor repairs, but she's been my daily driver pretty much since I picked her up. It was a nice change. By mid-summer the Jeep had blown a tire and, of course, the rim was rusted onto the hub so no matter how hard I beat on that bastard with a sledge (and let me tell you, I hit that little turd hard) I was down a vehicle as my baby, my first (my last, my everything) car was out of commission.

That was until this week, when I finally decided to break down, trash the tire and just drive her down to my auto repair shop to get some help in throwing my spare on. Decided to get the oil changed too, figured what the hell. And over the past 2 days, I've remembered exactly why I never wanted another vehicle. There's nothing more fun than that little red wagon.

Granted, it doesn't go over 70. That doesn't mean I choose not to go over 70 with it...but it is not possible. In high school I maxed it our at 73...with my foot on the clutch as I was going downhill. That's all she's got. But for an in town car this little sonofabitch zips. Glass is everywhere so you can see everything, it's shorter than I am so it turns on a dime and parks like a breeze, you really can't ask for more. And the summer months it sheds its doors and top and that's when the magic happens. Ah, memories. Those of you who have been in it need to say nothing. Those of you who haven't will just never understand. The CAP-1 will always live on in the good ol' days.

So, the volv is a nice piece of machinery. It still catches the eye and elicits smiles as I pass down the pavement. I don't plan to lose it any time soon, if she's still going in 2018 you know I'll still have it because that's just how I operate. The Jeep is still not inspected, nor will it probably ever be again, at least while I'm paying. Hey, fuck the man. But as we come upon the holiday season I just want to give thanks to my baby, the Red Dragon, the Little Red Wagon, the Cap-1 mobile, the 1991 4cylinder Jeep Wrangler who has been one of my best and closest friends since we met that April moring in 2001. Auburn has never been the same since.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone to you and yours. Cheers.