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Iraq War vet returns home to four-wheeled surprise
Ft. Wayne News Sentinal ^
| 3/25/06
| Associated Press
Posted on 03/27/2006 5:04:24 PM PST by Rate_Determining_Step
An Indiana National Guard soldier who spent a year in Iraq returned home to a big surprise: In his absence, his friends had transformed his rusted 1967 Plymouth Barracuda into a deep blue, chrome-trimmed car lover's dream.
Spc. Bob Metcalf, who had stored the rusted, hoodless, fenderless Barracuda in his brother's garage, left for Iraq last year. He had planned to someday fix up the old muscle car.
(Excerpt) Read more at fortwayne.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; mopar; oifveterans; supportourtroops; surprise; vet; welcomehome
Guess his friends and neighbors worked six months on it bring it back to life. Wonderful story!
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Thanks for the great story - we need more of those -
Of course this will be on the MSM..........
2
posted on
03/27/2006 5:06:17 PM PST
by
maine-iac7
("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
To: SandRat
3
posted on
03/27/2006 5:07:07 PM PST
by
cyborg
(I just love that man.)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Damn... My 2nd Cousin had one the exact same color - with a 383 magnum 4spd to boot!
One lucky vet indeed - and I bet his friends are proud too...
4
posted on
03/27/2006 5:07:10 PM PST
by
xcamel
(Press to Test, Release to Detonate)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Wow! What an incredible welcome home present!
All I got was a T-shirt! (just kidding)
5
posted on
03/27/2006 5:07:16 PM PST
by
stm
(You can fix a lot of thing s, but you can't fix stupid)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
What a great story! Thanks for posting it.
Funny thing, that car was one year old when I went IN the Army.
6
posted on
03/27/2006 5:07:46 PM PST
by
Cagey
(You don't pay taxes - they take taxes. ~Chris Rock)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
AAAAAAAWWWWWWWW how really really neat of his buds.
7
posted on
03/27/2006 5:09:37 PM PST
by
OldFriend
(AMERICA WOULD NOT BE THE LAND OF THE FREE IF IT WERE NOT ALSO THE HOME OF THE BRAVE)
To: cyborg; 2LT Radix jr; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; 80 Square Miles; A Ruckus of Dogs; acad1228; ...
Now that was a job of love and appreciation! Move over PIM MY RIDE! You have some real competition here.
8
posted on
03/27/2006 5:10:26 PM PST
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Didn't see a picture of the car at the link.
Where'd you get it?
9
posted on
03/27/2006 5:14:04 PM PST
by
ButThreeLeftsDo
(Carry Daily, Apply Sparingly)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
10
posted on
03/27/2006 5:14:12 PM PST
by
ncountylee
(Dead terrorists smell like victory)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Did a nice job too.
Good for him.
11
posted on
03/27/2006 5:14:37 PM PST
by
tet68
( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
A Damned nice thing to do.
To: Snapping Turtle
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Wonder if it had one of the original hi-reving 273 V8 and wide ratio rock crusher tranny?
14
posted on
03/27/2006 5:20:22 PM PST
by
Feckless
(En Temps)
To: maine-iac7
Front page of the New Yawk Slimes!!!!
15
posted on
03/27/2006 5:24:48 PM PST
by
GW and Twins Pawpaw
(Sheepdog for Five [My grandkids are way more important than any lefty's feelings!])
To: Rate_Determining_Step
*Those* are friends. Very cool!
16
posted on
03/27/2006 5:26:35 PM PST
by
Riley
("What color is the boathouse at Hereford?")
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Great story.
I hope this guy wasn't looking forward to actually doing it himself!
I mean the guy comes home and his car is impounded and on display, rebuilt, repainted, new wheels, rubber, etc., etc.,. Everybody is happy, people are gawking, beer and smiles all around ....but now, all those months he was thinking about rebuilding it with his buddies are gone...... :-(
Nothing left to do but drive it!
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Man, that is just awesome!
18
posted on
03/27/2006 5:27:38 PM PST
by
VeniVidiVici
(What? Me worry?)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Oh hell yes, that aint no Jap car!
19
posted on
03/27/2006 5:30:19 PM PST
by
38special
(Imports still suck!)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
reminds me of the song about Pvt. Andrew Malone
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
21
posted on
03/27/2006 5:37:06 PM PST
by
Rate_Determining_Step
(US Military - Draining the Swamp of Terrorism since 2001!)
To: maine-iac7
Of course this will be on the MSM...Unless they mention that it's a gas-guzzler with no emission controls and lacking in modern air bags and anti-lock brakes.
Of course, I'd love to have one!
22
posted on
03/27/2006 5:41:09 PM PST
by
FormerLib
(Kosova: "land stolen from Serbs and given to terrorist killers in a futile attempt to appease them.")
To: 38special
I'm a car guy. I can appreciate all kinds of cars.
23
posted on
03/27/2006 5:41:52 PM PST
by
Rate_Determining_Step
(US Military - Draining the Swamp of Terrorism since 2001!)
To: JoeSixPack1
> I hope this guy wasn't looking forward to actually doing it himself!
Few people have the resources to properly redo a car. Even though I do, turn-key rids have their own unique charm!
24
posted on
03/27/2006 5:43:44 PM PST
by
Rate_Determining_Step
(US Military - Draining the Swamp of Terrorism since 2001!)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Thanks. My Mopar lovin' buddy at work is going to LOVE this story!!
25
posted on
03/27/2006 5:45:46 PM PST
by
ButThreeLeftsDo
(Carry Daily, Apply Sparingly)
To: ncountylee
i had a 273 formula s 1966 cuda (glass bubble).
then went for a 1968 notch back 383 formula s cuda,
electra blue with white vinyl top and white leather interior 4 speed possi traction duel exhaust.
2/10 of a second short of a national record holder at st. louis international raceway. beat every car on the road including those above my class, 428 cobras 442 olds,
427 chaveles. the only cars that ever gave me fits was of all things a396 (i think) javalin tricked out to the nines and a 289 tri-pack commet. yow, that one hurt!
26
posted on
03/27/2006 5:46:21 PM PST
by
537cant be wrong
(vampires stole my lunch money !)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
This is a heartwarming story and bless those buddies for their support.
27
posted on
03/27/2006 5:47:32 PM PST
by
TatieBug
To: 537cant be wrong
oh yea. it was also back in the muscle days when it had a 10.5 to 1 compression ratio and i was running a 355 rear end when most had 411's. if they beat me from a dead stop i would challenge them from 100mph on. they were already wound out and my cuda was just gettin warmed up.
speed ometer had 150 i burried the needle and chickened out when the nose started to float
28
posted on
03/27/2006 5:51:07 PM PST
by
537cant be wrong
(vampires stole my lunch money !)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
"I'm probably going to cruise (U.S.) 20," he said with a smile. "And at some point, I'm going to have to take her out and see what she'll do." Ha! Hope the Indiana State Patrol gives him clearance for takeoff! Maybe Oprah (or someone rich and famous) can start a program of "Pimping" soldiers rides while they are deployed??
To: JoeSixPack1
I hope this guy wasn't looking forward to actually doing it himself! I had to wonder the same thing.
There are some things I would just rather screw up (according to the "experts") myself, and have the fun of doing it.
Still, now he has it; and if he wants, he can still find another rust bucket to keep himself occupied.
30
posted on
03/27/2006 5:54:58 PM PST
by
ApplegateRanch
(Islam: a Satanically Transmitted Disease, spread by unprotected intimate contact with the Koranus.)
To: GW and Twins Pawpaw
Front page of the New Yawk Slimes!!!! Is the LameSM getting a hint that the tide is turning - and the truth is on the march - and they don't want to get caught totally on the wrong side?
Rats and lib-socialists will turn on each other at the drop of a hat if they think they're going to found on the loosing side
31
posted on
03/27/2006 5:55:59 PM PST
by
maine-iac7
("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME." Lincoln)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Reason #42 why I'm addicted to Free Republic: uplifting stories like this.
32
posted on
03/27/2006 6:06:11 PM PST
by
6SJ7
To: Rate_Determining_Step
Looks nice and appears to have Cragers. Way to go to everyone involved.
33
posted on
03/27/2006 6:07:10 PM PST
by
Lx
(Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
34
posted on
03/27/2006 6:16:17 PM PST
by
nmh
(Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) !)
To: 537cant be wrong
A friend from college ran the drag race program for Chrysler in the late '60s and early '70's.
During this period factory teams would race on the streets in the Detroit suburbs. The cars only looked stock. They were altered wheelbase, acid dipped, frame drilled, plastic windowed, interior gutted, dyno turned, trailer hauled, fuel burning 8 second monsters complete with parachutes.
There was even a national TV ad that showed one of the Chrysler hemi-cudas loping through Ted's drive in restaurant in Bloomfield Hills.
35
posted on
03/27/2006 6:16:25 PM PST
by
ncountylee
(Dead terrorists smell like victory)
To: ncountylee
some day when i grow up and can do it, i will have another 68 cuda. true story.
i use to drag on the streets all the time.
we have a street Mcdonnel douglas blvd. (brown road.) which was great for racing.i did it many times there myself. well one night some guys were racing as 2nd shift got off fromm Mc. d. and someone hit a guy just getting off work.
in the paper it said he was survived by his wife and 5 daughters. i thought to myself that it could have just as easily been me ruining that mans life and family. the next day i traded my 68 monster in for a 225 slant six valiant and have been driving family cars ever since. i know that if i have the power under my arse i could not help but use it.
i do not regret that decision to this day.
36
posted on
03/27/2006 6:34:20 PM PST
by
537cant be wrong
(vampires stole my lunch money !)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
37
posted on
03/27/2006 7:19:44 PM PST
by
NaughtiusMaximus
(DO NOT read to the end of this tagline . . . Oh, $#@%^, there you went and did it.)
To: Rate_Determining_Step
How cool! Now those are freinds.
38
posted on
03/27/2006 7:22:19 PM PST
by
armymarinemom
(My sons freed Iraqi and Afghan Honor Roll students.)
To: maine-iac7
Far be it from me to get in their way!!!
39
posted on
03/27/2006 7:48:16 PM PST
by
GW and Twins Pawpaw
(Sheepdog for Five [My grandkids are way more important than any lefty's feelings!])
To: SandRat
40
posted on
03/28/2006 3:09:39 AM PST
by
E.G.C.
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