Today was the last day of the year for the BudChev. It has been retired for the season into storage, safely locked away from the harsh Canadian winters it has dodged all its life. I spent the morning washing and driving and I took about another hundred pictures. I'm going to miss that car.



It was an amazing year for my Monte Carlo. There was certainly a fear, or at least some sort of anxiety that owning a Budweiser #8 may start to lose its luster after Dale Jr. himself had moved on (though it hasn't been to bigger & brighter is another conversation alone). I can assure you the familiarity or popularity hasn't faded yet. On Friday I watched someone posing for photos beside my parked car at work - the third time I witnessed that this week. Earlier in the week it was a whole family. Some brave fans (Junior fans or car fanatics?) come in and ask about the car and I have never denied anyone the opportunity to pose for photos in the car behind the wheel. Kids in particular love it. I offer the driver's seat (although not the keys) to anyone who asks or seems interested, and that happened a lot this year. I love sharing this car. Its not losing its luster.

The technical upgrades this year were huge. Though cosmetic upgrades had begun when I got the car 2 years ago, I didn't start to turn this thing out until spring this year. I was inspired and honored to share Monte of the Month this past May with 2003supersport (that's a fast car!). By months end the car had a Wizaired CAI, Ceramic powerlog, ZZP Modular pulley and other supporting mods. Getting faster! And I started making it prettier underhood as well. Before the season ended I added a transmission cooler, the exhaust was completely redone in custom 3" stainless and the pcm custom tuned as well. The BudChev was never even really tested yet, as time ran out before I could make it to the track. I even added roof rails - high performance stuff!



This car has been really good to me. It has yet to suffer its first mechanical failure of any kind. I'm not particularly hard on the car, but I drive it. I drive it pretty good sometimes. But not again until April, when it will re-emerge ready to win another Monte of the Month honors. And possibly ready to celebrate its Monte of the Year victory?



Thanx for reading my long emotional rant. It was therapeutic!

 

wow, that was great man, i love your car, it is absolutely beautiful, thanks for taking the time to show it off for us!! until april we will only have great memories of your car.

 

What you have done to your Monte is just incredible! I too have put Precious into storage for the winter in my Dad's garage - all I have to do is put some StaBil in the gas tank and disconnect the battery (it is already under the cover to prevent any oops from my Dad being careless LOL!

 

Wow I don't think I could put a car away all winter. I know why you do I just couldn't. We get to many sunny clear days during the winter. You have an amazing car.

 

Thanks Jenny, will have another try this weekend. Am not to great on computers so will get someone to show me how to transfer review from Word Document.Annie

 

 

As always your car is looking good man! I hope April comes quickly for you!

 

The more I look at your car, the more I wish it had those blacker headlights

Looks fantastic, can't wait to see what you get done next year with it!

 

Love car you have there. I'm loving the roof rails great add on. Like two little mohawks. ^.^

 

Thanks! Winter is really hell for me. Even without the car woes, it is depressing and gloomy in Canada - to me. Some like it, but I don't know how I ended up Canadian - really. I just can't imagine what the f* my ancestors were thinking when they were crossing the land and decided to settle here. Obviously, it was during the summer - winter must have pissed them off, but not like it does me.

Thanks! silverbullitt introduced me to the idea. I feel the need to credit him with the idea


I like the blacker headlights and the tinted covers a lot, but I would never do it to the BudChev. I don't really ever modify anything away from the Nascar theme. Since the actual race car Junior used had decals to emulate these headlights, its the way its gotta be. Also the reason only my right headlight is decaled.

I know the car's not perfect, but I'm always dialing it in. I got 6 months to plot next year's upgrades.