Tuesday, July 25, 2006

This is How We Roll(ed)

Remember when cars were more than cars back in the day? They were status symbols. Even more than they are now. Sure, we get all of the Attention Deficit Disorder inspired children who look at cars that the current top 40 Hip Hop Artist has in their 'Cribs' inspired garages, but most of that is in excess, and even in the most Generation Y hype, they even know that.

But ah, back in the day, the place where we partaked in indulgence to the nth degree, complete with turkish necklaces, burgundy and blue black cellophanes, daytons and inky rims, feathered hair, jheri, california, and s-curl inspired looks, when we looked out in the world through our 'EK' and Laura "Ba-Gotti" sunglasses, we were often escorted (via friend, lover, or somebody's else's ride), we was rolling in somebody's borrowed, owned, or soon to be reposessed vehicle. Here are some of the more memorable cars from back in the day.

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Chevy Beretta HAHA! What y'all know bout this bitch, yo. Man, my friend's boyfriend had a white one with Daytons on it. We were equally star struck as well as terrified to ride in it, considering that people were getting killed over those rims back in the day. But he would pick her up in front of the school, IN FRONT of everybody, and boyyyee!! The looks she would get. AND he had a pullout!

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IROC - Z: Sheeot! That was IT, and that was ALL! I was a senior in high school and this guy that used to dig me, his name was Darnell (how played out is THAT name), offered to take me to and from work for a minute. He had THIS car with T-TOPS. When he took me to work, playing Keith Sweat in the car, you couldn't tell me a mutha fucken thang. I had a blue black cellophane, Magenta Mist lipstick from Fashion Fair, and Curved nails, with charms on them to boot, accentuated with Garnet Red nail polish. AND HE had a California Curl. I was his freak that he could show off. I think he was slanging. See below for the other car he had.

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The Mini Blazer - That was the other car he had. This fool was rolling. It was blue with all kinds of what is now know as Pimp My Ride graphics on it. It was lowered with rims on that as well. He lived in Compton in cuz territory , so it was blue. I often wondered how he was able to take the IROC out for a spin and not worry about being harassed by the crips, (y'all this was some SERIOUS business back in the day), but he seemed to have no problems. Anyway, this truck was the bomb. See, you had to get the MINI blazer. The big blazer was oh, so not cool.

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Mustang 5.0 - Ooh, Wee! See, now, you just couldn't have ANY mustang, yo. We wanted to know if you had a Five-Point-O mustang! And if you lied, see we could check, because if it did-ent say so on the car, then you just had some regular sheeot going on. Don't have NO european plates on them man, you were set! You were cool if you had the hard top, but if you had the CONVERTIBLE 5.0, then you were doing big thangs, big thangs, probably most of which were illegal.

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Suzuki Samurai: Um, prolly in my top five list of the most dangerous vehicles ever made. Designed to kill, I say (Ford Pinto tops the list, and bringing up the rear in a CLOSE second is the aptly titled Pontiac Fiero). These cars were cool and fun, and were this close to tipping over faster than a one hundred pound man with a bottle of Mad Dog 20 20 in his back pocket. But it was cool if somebody had one.

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300 ZX - Who would have thought that we would drool over the sequel to the much beloved classic 280 ZX ?? (which by the way, I would STILL roll in that bitch). This car was it, and usually was accompanied by T-Tops and some serious Pioneer - laced sounds. Rolling in this (and I did date a guy that had this car, you couldn't tell me nothing), was the epitome of being grown. PS: I dont know why I thought I was so cute in his car that sheeot wasn't mine I was rolling a nine year old Toyota Cressida with the automatic seatbelts that potentially could render you unconscious if you weren't paying attention.

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The Legend: Yes, that one. The Acura Legend. I personally have a conspiracy theory regarding this car. I believe that they knew that I would just be too sexy for my shirt, to drive this car, and before I could get out of college, they discontinued it. I also believe that the executive or upper management personnel that were responsible for making this decision were eventually managed out of the business, because this is, in my personal opinion, far and beyond, the very best car they have EVER made.

What were YOUR cars back in the day? Did you have one? Or only DREAM of having them?

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

late in 1994 I drove a black on black 1995 Ford Mustang GT convertible with the modular 4.6L V8 32 valve engine and a mach 460 sound system, (which in 1995 was the ish) from Reading, PA to Suburban Washington, DC.


I was supposed to spend the night at a hotel and drive it in the morning.

I was so excited I drove it THAT night...

NegroPino™ said...

THem ACURAS are stil the shit........i always wanted one...but like u said they discontinued them....Growing up in Cali those cars were teh norm, especially teh low riders. the EL Caminos..the Monte Carlo's....then the Jettas...hell anybody that had a car and I didnt....now u gotta have 22-26's....a C-E class.....some tint....2-4 TVs.....

Nexgrl said...

I currently drive the Legend Coupe that you have featured. Same color and everything. I purchased it in 2003. It is the only Acura coupe style that I like. I went all the way to Kensington, Washington to get it because I only wanted a 5-speed. It came with the 17" rims, 6 disc changer, and amp.

P said...

Nexgrl:

I'm coming to Jack you for your ride.

Seriously.

There is this paper supply company that I go to for supplies. I drove in and saw the legend. Why did I start interrogating the staff to figure out whose car it belonged, to, and then quizzed the brother as to how long he had it and where did he get it from.

He told me he, too, found it in the boondocks, and that it is in mint condition.

I wanted to knock him over the head with a ream of paper and take the car.

Nexgrl said...

P, I was approached by a man in the Safeway parking lot about purchasing my car. I had not had it a year. I was stopped on my way into Macys by someone driving by, he told me to come looking for him when I decided to sell it( he was a salesperson.) The boyfriend I mentioned in the e-mail was approached at a carwash. The guy offered 15K cash for the car on the spot. I was tempted, but it took me so long to find the car, I just couldn't.

Carmell said...

i wanted a Nissan Maxima. with the pearl /champagne color with brown tinted windows. and some gold rims... i did wind up getting a Nissan Altima... but now that i have 5 kids and need it more as a way to transport kids. i have a Lincoln Aviator with black tinted windows and my hubby is talking about getting some spinners... and a system... WTH do i need a system and some rims on my baby mobile for!!!

P said...

KB:

My sister's boyfriend had a burgundy maxima lowered with gold trim, and had a 14K gold steering wheel (that her dumb butt paid for) installed.

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

i'm like PP...i still dig the AcHurst...(Acuras)...i drove a beatup beretta (after the death of my beloved "gray ghost")...hood was tied down...i would be on the highway...and all of a sudden the damn hood would flip up...i know dangerous as hell...

Miz JJ said...

My first boyfriend drove a 300ZX. We thought we were on fire in that car. I wanted an Acura Legend back in the day. Those cars were real nice.

Cool AC said...

I wanted to push a Q-45 infiniti in HS because Nas said it was cool in that song - If I ruled the world! LOL!

Isha said...

Girl why you playin'. My mom had 5 speed red T-Top Camero!!! Whenever she'd let me take it out my girlfriend and I would drive around the corner and at the stop light, pop the top and take the wings out. Learned how to do both sides and put them in the trunk in the span of one red light. It could be the middle of winter and we had the top out and the heater ON. Just crusin' Crenshaw in 89' was so much fun. We were hot!

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

why you still see people with acura legends...they stopped making those what in '96?....i still wouldn't mind rockin' those....they still are my favorite cars....

Rashan Jamal said...

What I wanted: I wanted to be the only person in Savannah, Ga with a 64 Impala. Candy green paint with Daytons. With those West coasst rims (I think they were Daytons, but I can't remember)I was biting the Snoop and em.

What I had: A 1987 VW Fox, That was burgandy, with white spots and rust on top from where the paint wore off. It had a CD player that kept blowing my fuses and a stick shift that kept coming off at inopportune times. But once I got it painted Cobalt Blue and got my Airbrushed license plate with my Jamal X on it and a blue and orange Tiger (for my school mascot, you couldnt tell me nothing.

P said...

Ms JJ & Jaimie:

Were not the 300 ZX's like the grownest sexiest cars back then?

Sarcastik:

YUP. The "AcHurst" are still the bomb, I still stare at them. I told you I was quizzing that brother how did he get it, like he was holding the Holy Grail or something.

TCas: You are a hot mess. From the time you told your teachers the riots were a long time coming, to you clowning the Al-Quedas at your job, to you wanting to Roll, down, south, the O.G. Impala W/the daytons, yo.

That Girl Tam said...

Ok, how come everyone I saw back in tha day (cuz this IS L.A.) had fixed up Sentras or dropped Nissan Trucks?

And DAMN, Missy brought back the El Co's and Jettas...lol...

If you rolled old school...you had a Cutlas on Daytons or a CAPRI!! Remember those? Oh how I wanted one and now I have no idea WHY! HAHAHAHA!!

I always wanted a convertible Bug - I was a simple child...

Of course, how come I could only channel my St. Bernard days with this post?

As I got older (read in my 20s), I wanted an Acura Integra like NOBODY'S BUSINESS!! My last two cars were SUPPOSED to be Integras, but I ended up with a '93 Honda Wagon (one of their best models) and a '97 Maxima (and I absolutely HATED that car because it was MY money and XL picked it).

P said...

@ The Phoenix:

My sister had the CAPRI hatchback and I was feening it. Then she had the nerve to get a light blue one right after that.

Of course, her, being the crackhead she is, both of them ended up being towed somewhere because when they would break down. She would just leave them.

Y'all going REAL old school with the Cutlasses and ElCos's. Even though the only person that could fit in the ElCo was the driver.

Convertible bugs were the bomb. There was this obscenly fine guy that used to go to my school with one and we thought he was ultra-cool.

African girl, American world said...

I am STILL mad they don't make the Legend no more! *hmph*
What was the other one? The Vigor or Vipor?

Sangindiva said...

I'm with KB I thought the Nissan Maxin=mas back in the day were the SHIIIIIIIIIIT!
But alas... the time for them have gone....
It's all about the BMW 525i BAYBAY!!

tia said...

Girl, I got me a Legend!! It was my fourth car and the only one that wasn't brand new, but I got me one!! lol I never could understand why they discontinued it, and I agree that whoever made that dumbass decision is probably on the curb, but I also don't see why they couldn't bring it back! I know no other Acura has compared since.

Anonymous said...

In 1984 I wanted a Cabriolet now known as the Cabrio. I begged and pleaded with my parents for one. That joker was a convertible and candy apple red (so, so beautiful) and at the time the sucker was going for about twenty G's and my folks thought I was smokin' something cause it surely wasn't in the budget. What I ended up with, ha my moms old ass AMC white concord piece o'crap cause she bought a Honda Accord. They did me wrong!

The Cocoa Lounge said...

You're taking me back with this P! Since high school I've wanted a baby blue '66 mustang with a white convertible top and matching interior. I'm still working on making that little dream come true...and when I do, watch out world! LOL.

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

what you know about a cutlass with wrinkles, with them glass packs, duel exhaust engines, on them gold thangs...oh i was a lover of cars when i was younger, which is funny cuz i never really wanted to drive.

and being from oakland i think we invented have tv's in your cars, cuz dude were doing that back in the day...they were big ass hell though, not like these flat screens.

in the summer time i always like a man with a motorcycle though...nothing like a hot rod

damn damn damn you brought back some good memories!

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

P...what it do?...stopped thru looking for the next "P" journal....

Sangindiva said...

O.K. dude I can't hold it in any longer!!

BLOG SUMPTHIN'... DAMMIT!

now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Whirlwind said...

The whitest white girl car ever!!

I had a VW Cabriolet convertable, it was teal grean with a pink stripe that turned purple as it fattened towards the back. Jet black tinted windows, with a black rag top!

Oh, but how cute I was in it!!

P said...

@ White Chocolate:

I'm sorry, but YOU KNOW that is the whitest car of all time.

Whirlwind said...

right?!?!...I'm sooooo sending you a picture of it!