Kristin Hill
I grew up in a family where I was
surrounded by an interest in cars that I didn’t really take notice of (and I
actually really had no interest in cars at all!). My grandfather (who died
when I was ten) was the manager of a paint and body shop, and my stepfather (who
died in ’91) had at one time worked as a mechanic and was always working on the
family cars, and I have an uncle that retired after working for General Motors.
My mom had a fastback Mustang for a few years, and I learned how to drive in a
1970’s model Pontiac Catalina that was in our family.
Unlike many people, I never went looking for a Trans Am, I just
sort of ended up with one and am happy I did. In 1990 what was
to become my car pulled up in my driveway, and into my life. Unknowing to me
I belonged to the car that very instant, and as time went by the car became
mine to drive, and finally became mine on paper in the summer of 1997 when I
struck a deal with my car’s previous owner (now my ex boyfriend) and the
loan company that held the title which was used as collateral for a loan he
had.
Although for years I was suspicious that the car was a Special
Edition, one night a few years ago, I ran across information on the old
Bandit Club site that some of the S/E’s had a Y code stamped on the cowl
plate. I went out to my car that very moment with a flashlight in
hand, popped the hood, and saw that my car was stamped with a “Y-84”.
By February of the following year I had my PHS paperwork in hand confirming
that it was a Special Edition, built in Norwood, that had gone on to a
Florida dealership.
My car is like a member of the family, and practically any story I
could tell would involve my car in it somewhere. My car has been there
for me through good, bad, happy and sad times, and although it sometimes
exhibits what I would say is it’s ‘own personality’ my car has always been
some type of steadfast presence in my life.
In 2004 I decided it was time to try to protect my S/E from the
perils of serving as my daily driver and purchased a 2002 Firebird.
Now the S/E is deservingly parked in the garage (along with an 88 Trans Am
that I acquired in 2005), but I take it out every weekend for a drive. With
the S/E not being the only car, I’ve been able to start getting more
projects done on it (such as the interior and engine compartment) and
eventually want to get it repainted.
I finished a post BA teaching license program in 1997 and went on
to complete a Master’s degree (in Family Studies) in 2001. I have been
employed as a substitute teacher, a reading teacher, and a 5th grade
teacher, but have decided to get out of teaching and go back to school and
try out other opportunities and interests. Other than the cars, I have
also been involved in showing Shetland Sheepdogs (a.k.a. Shelties or as some
people incorrectly call them “mini Lassies”) since I was 12 years old.
Kristin
