pl8ster.net :: Vehicles of my past.

Heep 1
Heep 2
Heep 3
Heep 4 The first vehicle I ever called my own, the Heep, driven from June, 1986 until June, 1989. A 1982 Jeep Wagoneer Brougham with a straight 6 engine. To say it was anemic is to be charitable, but it sure had more than enough character to overcome that. A unique vehicle in both Maine towns it called home, it had a bizarre appetite for carburetors and door-mounted armrests.
The "Heep" license plate was a gift from some friends; it only added to the character. If you look closely at the rear view shot, you can make out the number 35 on the bumper. Only two sets of Maine plates for this one: black-on-white 4259 E and the lobster base "HEEP".

'80 AMC Eagle Wagon Upon moving to North Carolina in 1989, we inherited this 1980 AMC Eagle wagon from my grandfather (identical to this AMC photo). I drove it for one summer before getting the Corona. Underpowered with boat-like handling, but far, far ahead of its time (notice the proliferation of all-wheel-drive wagons on the road lately?). Can't recall the plate, possibly CVZ-xxxx.

'78 Corona Wagon After I went away to college in Tennessee, my parents moved from Maine to North Carolina, and I was given this '78 Corona wagon for the 6-hour drive to and from college. It was perfectly reliable until a summer trip from North Carolina to Maine and back, but was never the same after that. In fact, in this shot the front fender is dented because it died on me at the airport, and in my anger, I kicked the fender as hard as I could. I drove this car from September 1990 until January 1993. Only one set of plates, North Carolina DWN-5378. Note the Maine plate on the front - common practice in one-plate states to display a plate from your 'home' state on the front if you're from out of state.

1981 98 Regency - front
1981 98 Regency - side During the time I had the Corona, I inherited a 1981 Olds 98 Regency Brougham after my grandmother passed away. It was similar to the car in the bottom picture (upper pic shows the unique-for-1981 grille), except the body was a lighter blue and it had opera lights behind the rear windows. Opera lights! It was a former diesel with a non-catalytic converter-equipped 350 V8 dropped in, which made it quite possible to spin the rear tires. Drove it from about October 1991 until sometime in early 1992. One NC plate during that time, possibly an ENV-prefix plate, but I can't find a picture of the actual car.

'89 Integra This was my favorite - my 1989 Acura Integra. After the airport incident with the Corona, I decided I needed a vehicle that would be able to make the 2000-mile round trip from Charlotte, NC to Portland, ME reliably and often. While this may be a bad example to show off the car, it was taken in Maine about a week after I bought it...the temporary NC tag was still on the back. I drove this car from January 1993 until April 1995, and this is the car that the NC '2BNMAINE' plate was on. Before I sold it, it had displayed two different sets of NC plates, two different sets of Maine plates, and a set from Wyoming (don't ask!).

'95 Golf My 1995 Golf GL wasn't a terribly reliable car (towed to dealership on Day 3 of ownership), and although it was a bit slow, I loved the way it felt - high seating position, great in the snow, neat door chime. I drove it from April 1995 to November 1996, when I ditched it for the next vehicle. Only two sets of Maine plates that I can recall: University (UMS) plate 1666 and Loon plate 99998.

'96 King Cab 4x4 My 1996 Nissan King Cab 4x4 was short on creature comforts, but it fulfilled my desire to have a truck again. It was slow as molasses - even with a 5-speed - but super reliable. This truck did a Maine-Charlotte-Maine run in 1997 and carried me to lots of mountain bike races in the summer of 1998. Drove this from November 1996 to November 1998. One set of Maine plates for this one: low number 1367 on the Lobster base of the time.

'94 Dakota
Clean Dakota This was my '94 Dodge Dakota Work Special longbed 4x4. It had a V6, which was a welcome step up from the Nissan's 4 cylinder. Drove it from March, 1999 until June, 2004 - a record for me - and it displayed seven different sets of Maine plates during that period: old lobster base 1 BX and 94 ES, chickadee 9 GA, 35 FX, PL8STER, commercial 3500 and four-digit 3535.
Say what you will about mid-90s Detroit vehicles; this truck only stranded me once, when its fuel pump went. Notice how much better it looked after I painted the bumpers with "aluminum"-colored spray paint.

'03 Accord EX I4/5M I got a new job in June 2004 with a car allowance, and I got a great deal on this low-mileage 2003 Accord EX. Legendary Honda reliability, great fuel economy with the 4-cylinder/5-speed combo, and a fair amount of acceleration. I miss having a truck and 4WD, but 30MPG around town sure is nice. Three sets of Maine plates so far: Combination plate 100-001 (the first number issued of that type), four-digit 3535 from the Dakota, and a set of optional Agriculture plates.

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	The first vehicle I ever called my own, the Heep, driven from June, 1986 until June, 1989. A 1982 Jeep Wagoneer Brougham with a straight 6 engine. To say it was anemic is to be charitable, but it sure had more than enough character to overcome that. A unique vehicle in both Maine towns it called home, it had a bizarre appetite for carburetors and door-mounted armrests. The "Heep" license plate was a gift from some friends; it only added to the character. If you look closely at the rear view shot, you can make out the number 35 on the bumper. Only two sets of Maine plates for this one: black-on-white 4259 E and the lobster base "HEEP".
	Upon moving to North Carolina in 1989, we inherited this 1980 AMC Eagle wagon from my grandfather (identical to this AMC photo). I drove it for one summer before getting the Corona. Underpowered with boat-like handling, but far, far ahead of its time (notice the proliferation of all-wheel-drive wagons on the road lately?). Can't recall the plate, possibly CVZ-xxxx.
	After I went away to college in Tennessee, my parents moved from Maine to North Carolina, and I was given this '78 Corona wagon for the 6-hour drive to and from college. It was perfectly reliable until a summer trip from North Carolina to Maine and back, but was never the same after that. In fact, in this shot the front fender is dented because it died on me at the airport, and in my anger, I kicked the fender as hard as I could. I drove this car from September 1990 until January 1993. Only one set of plates, North Carolina DWN-5378. Note the Maine plate on the front - common practice in one-plate states to display a plate from your 'home' state on the front if you're from out of state.
	During the time I had the Corona, I inherited a 1981 Olds 98 Regency Brougham after my grandmother passed away. It was similar to the car in the bottom picture (upper pic shows the unique-for-1981 grille), except the body was a lighter blue and it had opera lights behind the rear windows. Opera lights! It was a former diesel with a non-catalytic converter-equipped 350 V8 dropped in, which made it quite possible to spin the rear tires. Drove it from about October 1991 until sometime in early 1992. One NC plate during that time, possibly an ENV-prefix plate, but I can't find a picture of the actual car.
	This was my favorite - my 1989 Acura Integra. After the airport incident with the Corona, I decided I needed a vehicle that would be able to make the 2000-mile round trip from Charlotte, NC to Portland, ME reliably and often. While this may be a bad example to show off the car, it was taken in Maine about a week after I bought it...the temporary NC tag was still on the back. I drove this car from January 1993 until April 1995, and this is the car that the NC '2BNMAINE' plate was on. Before I sold it, it had displayed two different sets of NC plates, two different sets of Maine plates, and a set from Wyoming (don't ask!).
	My 1995 Golf GL wasn't a terribly reliable car (towed to dealership on Day 3 of ownership), and although it was a bit slow, I loved the way it felt - high seating position, great in the snow, neat door chime. I drove it from April 1995 to November 1996, when I ditched it for the next vehicle. Only two sets of Maine plates that I can recall: University (UMS) plate 1666 and Loon plate 99998.
	My 1996 Nissan King Cab 4x4 was short on creature comforts, but it fulfilled my desire to have a truck again. It was slow as molasses - even with a 5-speed - but super reliable. This truck did a Maine-Charlotte-Maine run in 1997 and carried me to lots of mountain bike races in the summer of 1998. Drove this from November 1996 to November 1998. One set of Maine plates for this one: low number 1367 on the Lobster base of the time.
	This was my '94 Dodge Dakota Work Special longbed 4x4. It had a V6, which was a welcome step up from the Nissan's 4 cylinder. Drove it from March, 1999 until June, 2004 - a record for me - and it displayed seven different sets of Maine plates during that period: old lobster base 1 BX and 94 ES, chickadee 9 GA, 35 FX, PL8STER, commercial 3500 and four-digit 3535. Say what you will about mid-90s Detroit vehicles; this truck only stranded me once, when its fuel pump went. Notice how much better it looked after I painted the bumpers with "aluminum"-colored spray paint.
	I got a new job in June 2004 with a car allowance, and I got a great deal on this low-mileage 2003 Accord EX. Legendary Honda reliability, great fuel economy with the 4-cylinder/5-speed combo, and a fair amount of acceleration. I miss having a truck and 4WD, but 30MPG around town sure is nice. Three sets of Maine plates so far: Combination plate 100-001 (the first number issued of that type), four-digit 3535 from the Dakota, and a set of optional Agriculture plates.