[Norah]

Hi everyone,

I'm the former owner of a 1984 Z28 which perished as a result of a catastrophic engine fire. Its a long story that is hard for me to tell, so its here on my blog:

http://norah-justintv.blogspot.com/2008/06/its-been-6-months-do-you-know-where.html

Losing that car broke my heart as well as destroyed my confidence. A few months later, I sold the '04 GTO I had bought to replace my Camaro and moved five times until settling in San Francisco a year ago (partly to avoid owning a car.) Everything was going fine until January of this year, when I became part of the .003% of the US population under 40 years old to be completely disabled due to Idiopathic Polyneuropathy (this is basically what the blog posted above is for). Out of work and unable to attend school, I've done a lot of googling. A month or so ago, I found this forum and watched a video of the new Camaro.

And I felt that silly car giddiness I thought I had lost. It sounds pissed off, looks agile, and the design is (almost) flawless! With that, I set a goal for myself: I want to be off medication and able to walk by the time the new Camaro is released. With a stick shift Z28 in mind, I've been able to walk (with forearm crutches) in public. I didn't get very far, but with each passing week I am progressing.

It's safe to say that the new Camaro has turned my life around (which is kind of silly, since I haven't seen it in person yet ).

Thanks for making this a great forum!
-Norah

p.s. If anyone knows of any events that have a new Camaro involved in the west, let me know! I would love to go to that Indy event, but I can't tolerate the flight

 

[OctaneZ28]

WOW! I must say, that is truly inspiring!

You have a great passion for these cars, and it's great that has given you a renewed outlook!
Keep yourself in that positive mindset, and you'll definitely meet your goal.

All of us here at 5thGen.org are pullin for ya, and looking forward to seeing your new Camaro when you get it! :thumbsup:

 

[el ess X]

That was a very cool story (no pun intended), and your dream should come true soon. Passion for the new Camaro seems to affect all of us in generally the same way. I'd say on a scale of 1-10, though, yours is about an 11!!! There's a Camaro out there in boxes just waiting to be assembled that's got your name on it. (No, not that one, that one's mine. Yours is the other one.)

 

[brandonppr]

Ditto and welcome to the forums:hello:

 

[OverAnxious]

Welcome to :5go:

 

[Daniel U]

Very inspiring story. I lost my '84 when my wife was rear ended on the freeway. It was also a dual snorkel Z/28. Then I got an '88 Gun Metal Grey 5.7 IROC-Z and made plans to use the power train from the '84 for my '54 5 window Chevy pick up. My story has a happy ending and your's will too(wether you get another 3rd gen or a new 5th gen). Good luck! I want to hear an up date on here soon. I hang out here too:
http://www.thirdgen.org/
A few pics to cheer you up:

My daily driver(despite paying $4.90 a gallon)

The Camaro lives on in the '54!

 

[3rdGenOwner]

You would make a very good writer, Norah. I like the way you told your story on your blog page. Just hang in there, good things will come your way if you keep positive.

BTW, I love your signature picture! I couldn't help but laugh when I read "Hell = Ford day at my favorite track" then I looked at you and the expression on your face as your picture was taken in front of all those Mustangs.

 

[Devryn]

Awesome story and blog. Your humor and outlook will be inspiring to others in your condition, I especially liked this quote:

I loved that car more than I loved my cat. (I'm a dog person!)

 

[slims00ls1z28]

Welcome aboard truly inspiring story good luck and have fun here!

 

[USA1Camaro]

Welcome.

I hope you can reach your goals.

 

[Camaro Scotty]

WELCOME!

 

[Jinx]

I love you. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Norah]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the support. You all will be the very first people to see the pics of my 5th gen Camaro!

 

[Speed_Racer49]

i totally feel ya i still have my 84 Z/28, it was my first real car, tho it now sits waiting for something to happen to it...in Kansas...but i want to tell you that i am part of a Northern California Camaro Club called Camaro Generations, www.camarogenerations.com , centered around the greater Sacramento area, and we are in cahoots with the local Chevy dealerships, we have our monthly meetings at 2 of the major, and i have some friends on the inside too, and there are talks that when one or a few get the new Camaro that they want us for like a little unveiling party to show all the generations of the Camaro. so if your interested, check out our website for details, we have a forum as well. and you have such a strong story you should tell some of it to the Camaro Performers magazine.....

 

[super60]

Norah

I work in the Camaro plant and i hope someday you'll get that new 5thGEN and i'll be a part of the build team. Best of luck from all of us here in Oshawa.

 

[Norah]

@el_ess_X As long as it has T-Tops... I don't care if the design doesn't make it into the production line. Oh, and if it's an automatic V-6, then the gods have truly disowned me.

@3rdGenOwner I hesitated using that picture for my signature, mostly because it was instant evidence that theres something slightly unusual about THIS Camaro lover. However, having people stare at me whenever I go out because of my wheelchair or my crutches is very liberating for my qualms about being a female non-Megan Fox grease monkey. I wasn't sure if you could make out my facial expression between the monstrous Summit hat blocking my face and the fact that I look like I'm the size of a GI Joe. I got plenty of confused looks from all the Drivers Returning On Foot. Shorts boy in the back tried to hit on me afterwards. BAH! When pigs fly, my friend!

@Devryn Yeah, this is why @Jinx's proclamation of love gets a bit of a cold shoulder. Cats, bleh.

@Speed_Racer49 Oh that would be awesome! Boooyah! As for magazines, I'll wait till I have a happy ending before I start selling my story. It would be pretty disheartening if they did a big human interest piece and then a week after publication, POOF.........I turn into a Ford lover, a fate worse than death!

@Super6 ****, now I'm kicking myself for not celebrating Canada Day this year. Please don't forget engine mounts, air bags, or brake pads! You can forget a couple of the chevy emblems tho

 

[tazjetman]

@Super6 ...You can forget a couple of the chevy emblems tho

:lol:

 

[LorcinLS1]

your sig is excellent, welcome

 

[chevyt454]

You won't be disappointed when you see the new Camaro in person!

 

[Norah]

Thank you

I can't wait to see it in person! I'm really worried about the gauges inside the car:

As well as the back of the car. Gah, plastic covering with mufflers hanging down? Oh noes!