Shown here are Cecilia Carpenter...
Shown here are Cecilia Carpenter and her two sons, Coleby (left) and Keegan.
I was born and raised a Pontiac girl. My dad and his brothers have always had, and still have, Pontiacs. Mom told me that as a little girl, too young to read, I would sit and look at the pictures in my dad's car magazines. In school I can remember sitting in class, drawing pictures of cars. As a pre-teen and teenager, instead of having the hottest teen-idol posters hung on my walls, I had posters of Pontiacs.
Yes, I may be a bit obsessed. My passion for musclecars was so obvious that a family friend nicknamed me "lilhotrod" at a very young age, and the name has become my second identity.
Our family currently owns a '69 LeMans, a '63 Tempest, a '69 GTO with a Ram Air IV, a '69 GTO with a Ram Air III, a Tri-Power '65 GTO, some Grand Prixs that need to be restored, and my '96 Trans Am Ram Air WS6. I personally have owned a '78 Trans Am, a '79 Trans Am, an '80 Trans Am, an '81 Turbo Trans Am, an '85 Trans Am, an '89 Grand Am, a '96 Grand Prix, and now my '96 Trans Am. I wish I still had them all.
I purchased my '96 Trans Am WS6 in 2000 with only 6,000 miles on it, and it currently has less than 95,000. It was my daily driver for a few years and has always been garage kept. It's all stock with most of the original paint; only the front and back bumpers have been repainted. The interior is all original and cleaned often. I've learned a lot since I've owned my T/A, and I constantly strive to learn more about its mechanical details and all aspects of caring for it.
My plan is to keep it stock and well maintained until something finally gives, then I'll begin the modifications. I drive it sparingly now to shows, car events, and for some occasional "just wanna have fun" days.
I'm encouraged by the number of females that I now see at car events. More and more women are getting involved in the car hobby, not just as observers, but as participants. The doors are opening wider and the acceptance has grown immensely for women who are true car enthusiasts.
The longest distance I've taken my Trans Am is to the Trans Am Nationals in Ohio, which was very enjoyable. However, the most fun I've had in my T/A is when my son and I took a special journey together, participating in the 2007 Bandit Run. Although we didn't get to run the entire route, it was a time together that I'll always treasure, and I hope that it holds a special memory with him, also. It was awesome to see his excitement and enthusiasm as 100-plus Trans Ams ran together. Yes, I think the passion has been instilled in him, too.
I hope to enjoy many more events in my Trans Am with my two sons, creating lasting memories and the desire to preserve musclecars--especially Pontiacs!
My Pontiac and Me spotlights reader experiences with their own Pontiacs in their own words. To be considered for publication, submit several high-quality color photos (if digital, each photo must be larger than 1 megabyte in JPG format--no other formats, please), your own Pontiac story (typed, approximately 500 words), your name, address, and telephone number to:
High Performance Pontiac MagazineMy Pontiac and Mec/o Christopher Phillip9036 Brittany WayTampa, FL 33619or christopher.phillip@sorc.com
Please note: HPP pays $50If your story is printed. A contract release and W-9 with your social security number will be required.