This is how I got my start into the wild streets of Mexico.
I have had three Fox Bodies. An 1988 Coupe the one in this story, 1989 Convertible (Two kit car), and a 1982 Capi. Along the way I picked up a 1993 SHO (my daily and she robbed me every chance she got). Two Thunderbird SC's (one was built and a solid 13.4 car). Then for past 8 years I have had two Twin Turbo E85 Camaro's.
I used to street race a lot all through So Cal. I know and have raced with and against some of the big hitters that you have seen on Street Outlaws when they raced the Cali guys. I have been to numerous Compton Christmas Shootouts, and have won a money race on the World Famous 135th and Main.
I purchased my 88 coupe and prompty overheated it and blew a head gasket. When I was in there, I put an X cam, shorties, and full exhaust. Put a drag radial on it and went to run the world. First race a turbo Honda beat me. I then put a wet nitrous kit on the car. NX said do not put anything over a 150 shot it with a stock fuel
pump. What do they know? LOL. Yep 100 shot was good all day. Went back and beat the turbo Honda. Pilled it to 150 and she was riding. Pilled her to 175, and boom another head gasket. Damn it. Fixed the HG, and back it down to a 125 shot.
I was holding my own against the world....until I raced a older guy in a El Camino with a "396" in it. I had taken my Mustang to the track and it went 12.80 and left pretty hard on the street. I locked in a race with this guy for a couple of hundred dollars and he beat me by about half a car. This is where the story gets good. The guy in the El Camino says, that was close and you were pulling me on the big end want to run double or nothing? I though about it, and before I opened my mouth another older gentlemen grabbed me and said no he doesn't. Little did I know the El Camino had a 496 with two kits of nitrous that made over 800hp to the tire. It was a bottom 10 second car on a small drag radial on one kit. He was just playing with me on motor.
The guy that pulled me out of the double or nothing race ended up telling me the rules to street racing and has been a good friend of mine for over 17 years now. He is the guy that I would purchase my Convertible from. Here are the rules that were passed to me. 1. Be weary about racing anyone that is 10 years older then you esp if they ask for the race. Most of the time they have been there and done that and make more money. 2. If you lose a close race and you know there isn't much room for improvement, never re-race for double or nothing. Most likely it is a trap and they are sandbagging you. 3. Never bet money you are not comfortable losing. That's it. Those rules have helped me win a lot of money over the years and saved me a bunch of money over the years.
I left a large car show here in AZ in the SHO and new ST with a loud blow off valve started messing with me. It was a car full of kids, and the driver was looking to show off. I rolled down my window at about a 20 mph roll and to told him, "no RS no care". He laughed and said come on, and I told him to just "go". I let him get out about five cars on me and reeled him quickly, and then yanked him. The next stop light, he was like WTF? I said, "it's just a Taurus, and to pull into the next parking lot". He showed me his ST, I showed him the SHO, and that I actually had a ST as my daily. He just got quiet as his friends laughed. I told him about the story with the Elco and then passed along the rules. They were pretty cool kids, and actually asked a lot of good questions.
I try to act like my friend and pass that knowledge along to the younger gearheads. Riding high and mighty in a new ST with your buddies is great, I remember those days. However, getting your s*** pushed in by my family car is something your friends will never let you forget about it. I still catch crap from my friend about the Elco 17 years later.