"No you didn't!".....A#$%hole!!!

Maybe it's the post holiday blues, or maybe I'm just getting old and cranky, but for some reason stupid people bother me more than they used to. I guess I should invoke one of "Murphy's Laws"-"Never argue with an idiot, because people might not know the difference."  But sometimes you just can't let shit go in one ear and out the other, you have to disagree. What's getting my goat this week is people claiming to have owned some super-rare car, and after talking to them, you realize they didn't, and their talking out their ass about a totally different car!  Here's some highlights of what's put me in such a state...# 1. I recently sold my one of 1,097 ever built 1973 Hurst / Olds. It was white and gold with the swivel captian's chairs, Hurst Dual / Gate ratchet shifter, digital tach on the console, and the 455 / TH400 powertain. I even had the original owner's manual and the original spare in the trunk. The buyer came all the way from Kansas City, Missouri to buy it. Anyway I was talking about Olds 442s with a co-worker when this clown from another shop looks at the picture of my car and says "I had one just like that." "Just like that?" I said cynically. "You had one of 1,097 ever made?"  Was it black or white? I asked. "It was green." The guy said. "Would you like to go for double jeapordy where the scores can really change?" I said. "1973 Hurst / Olds' were only available in black and gold or white and gold." He produces a picture of green two-door '77 Cutlass!!!  It wasn't even a 442, just a garden variety Cutlass.  Moron!!  I guess you could say their both Cutlasses, but a generic 350 '77 Cutlass is a far cry from a '73 Hurst / Olds!!!  # 2. A neighbor of mine has a for-real, one of 1,603 1969 Boss 302 Mustang.  He had his garage door open the other day and we were chatting about cars. A guy walking down the street stops and says-( I cringe when I hear these words ) "I had one just like that." My neighbor and I both roll our eyes like a 14 year old girl. The guy caught it. "What?" "You don't believe me?" "No I don't believe you." I said. "Of the 299,000 Mustangs Ford sold in 1969, this is one of 1,600 ever built." "I seriously doubt that you had one." "Was it a 4-speed or an automatic?" I asked. "It was an automatic." "Sorry, you lose." "Boss 302s were all 4-speeds." "Mine was a 351, but it looked just like that." "Then you may have had a Mach 1, but you didn't have a Boss 302." The guy calls his wife and has her text him a picture of his old car from their photo album. Sure enough-a nice looking, 1970-not '69 by the way-Mach 1. I'll admit that the Mach 1 graphics look similar to a Boss 302, especially with Magnum 500 wheels and "Sport Slats" ( rear window louvers ) it would be easy to confuse them at 20 feet. But again-a 351C / C6 '70 Mach 1 is a nice car, but it's not a '69 Boss 302!!  # 3. This one really drove me up the wall. I was at Summit Racing and ran into a buddy there. We were discussing rare Pontiacs. The DKM "Macho T/A's" came up. My pal brought up a picture of a blue and silver one on his i-phone. ( What posesses these assholes to insert themselves into two total strangers conversation?? )  A passerby again says-"I had one just like that."  "Except mine was a Turbo."  Knowing that DKM only built about 600 cars from '77-79 and that only about 45 total ( 27 in '78, and another 16 in '79 I beleive ) had the H-O Racing Specialties Turbo installed, we both blurted out in unison, "You had one of these with a Turbo?"  "Yeah." I bought it brand-new in 1981."  Arrrrggghhhh!!! Red Flag right there!! Here's why.  DKM tried to play with a few 1980 Turbo 301 T/A's, but unlike the 400 Pontiacs and 403 Olds motors, they couldn't really be hopped up, especially with the then-fledgling electronicially controlled ignition,carburator and Turbo. They swapped small-block Chevys into a few, but ultimately Dennis Mecham said they gave up, and only something like 7 ( seven ) 1980 "Machos" were built before they quit. There were no 1981 Machos at all. Mecham tried again in 1983 with the "MSE T/A"-( Mecham Special Edition ) but the 305 powered 3rd gen models had nowhere near the success or "cult" following of the "Machos."  After much argument this guy goes to the book section of the store, comes back with a copy of Michael Lamm's book-"The Fabulous Firebird" and shows us a picture of a 1981 Turbo Formula!!!  It wasn't even a T/A!!!  "See, that's the car I bought in 1981!" He says triumphantly. Ugh. Sorry, pal a Turbo 301 '81 Formula, is not the same as a 400, H-O Racing, Turbocharged one of 27 ever built '78 Macho!!!  # 4. Another late '70's "Macho" machine. This one we saw at a Mopar club "Show&Shine". It was a '78 Dodge D150 "Macho" 4x4 pickup. It was pristine, with the black and yellow paint job, roll bar, "Macho" graphics, and huge tires on black spoke wheels. This one also had a 440 under the hood. Since a 400 small-block and a 351 / 400M with a 2bbl were the biggest engines avaiable in a Chevy K10 and Ford F150 respectively, this was a Macho truck indeed. Again-Mr "I have one just like that". shows up. "Is it here?" we ask. "In the Parking lot" "Let's go see it." my friend and I ask. The guy leads us to the parking lot and proudly shows us a long bed, primered, 3/4 ton '76 D200 with a 318 under the hood!!!  Really???  Ok, their both Dodge Trucks, but the similarity ends there!!. That's like saying a V6 regular cab '03 F150 is "Just Like" a crew-cab, Supercharged Harley-Davidson Edition!! ( Basically a 4-door "Lightning" with a 340 hp Blown 5.4 )  You can say I'm splitting hairs,but for god's sake-saying you had something "just like" something rare is pretty stupid, when your not sure what your talking about. I wouldn't walk up to a rare gun dealer selling a "Buntline Special" ( an 1870's Colt .45 with a 10 inch barrel presented to Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and other famous lawmen by Colt and Sportswriter Ned Buntline ) and say "I have one just like that". And then show him my 1996 Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum with an 8-inch barrel!! Yes, their both single-action revolvers, but that's about it!!!  If your not positive, then keep your damn mouth shut, and don't jump into other people's conversations with dumb-ass comments!!  Just had to vent that.  Mastermind