Hi,
I'm kinda new, I've posted a few questions on the technical forum and got lots of help. I'm just starting to explore the site and I came upon the Pub.
I grew up in Queens, New York and had a love for cars (like everyone else on this site). My dad loved cars too and our family car when I was in the single digits was a 1965 Mustang. Incindently I was born in 1965 as well. Growing up I absolutely loved the Lotus Esprit from movies and magazines and dreampt of having one some day, untill one day..
I would take public transportation to my high school (Francis Lewis HS, for any New Yorkers) and upon obtaining my driver's licence, on my first trip home by car, as I got off the highway exit ramp I saw a row of the most beautiful cars I had ever seen in a rainbow of colors..I was a teenager who loved cars and it had me at hello. Apparently this was a shop that worked on them. I don't know if the shop is still there, off of the Van Wyck Express Way near JFK. So I eventually met the guys that work there and they let me sit in a few cars....I was in love with the DeTomaso Pantera.
I followed the car for years, made drawings of it, had Pantera books signed by the authors and 23 years later, thanks to my beautiful wife, on August 12th 2006 I bought #3331 - a 72 pre-L.
I did own a Maserati Biturbo after graduating college for a few years, and hence the Duz185, from Joe Walsh's hit, "Life's been good to me". It was a beautiful car, very passionate but very under engineered. It left a trail of oil down the street and spent more time on a flat bed than the road.
I've also owned a few BMWs in the past 10 years - 1994 318, 1998 Z3 and 2001 330i. Great machines but short on passion.
I'm a mechanical engineer, graduated from RPI in Troy, NY and now live in Indianapolis. I am manager of engineering for Integrated Project Services, an engineering design firm that specializes in the pharmaceutical and Biopharma industries. I have a wife, two kids, an 11 year old step daughter and a 3 year old son. It almost seems like the kids love getting to ride in the Pantera more than I do, its great!
Since getting the car we've met two great Pantera owners and their wives here in Indy, Dave and Jack. They have welcomed us to their group and helped us out. We've already gone to a few car shows together. Wonderful new friendships, for starters.
Its not just a car, its a way of life....
-William Suarez
Original Post