Auction Direct Twitter Interviews

Introducing Ralph Paglia; Director of Digital Marketing and Advertising Solutions at ADP Dealer Services

What was your first car?

• I bought my first car in 1973 when I was 16 years old from the head mechanic at Bob Johnson Chrysler Plymouth in Springville, NY. It was a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner that he had special ordered from the factory with equipment combinations not normally included. I paid $550 for that light yellow pillarless hardtop with black interior, 383 Magnum engine with Offenhauser intake and two 650CFM Carter AFB 4 barrel carbs, Hooker adjustable headers, special order Hemi Torqflite 727 auto tranny and a Surgrip 373:1 rear end. That Road Runner was so fast it was like driving an amusement park ride!
  

Any significant memories w/that car?

• Oh my God yes! Too many for this space, but my first street race is a good one. One of the jocks in my high school had just received a brand new 1973 Chevy Camaro Z28 from his dad. I had my Road Runner for 3 days when he challenged me to a street race… Across the Rt. 219 bridge that connects Erie with Cattaraugus County NY over a 2,500 foot gorge (Zoar Valley). Too many cute girls around to say no, so I accepted his challenge and agreed to wager $300 I did not have. The race was set for midnight on Friday when we could close the highway from both ends, in true outlaw street racing fashion. I was so scared I was nauseous, but luckily my step-sister’s boyfriend had a beef with the Camaro owner and offered to cover the bet if I let him drive my Road Runner. I agreed and we met on the Cattaraugus side of the bridge at 11:30 PM. When he opened the hood of my Road Runner his eyes bulged and he asked “who did all this?” pointing to the 2x4 barrel carbs sitting on top the hirise Offy manifold and the Hooker headers. I said “that’s the way I bought it…”. Anyways, I watched from the finish line on the Erie County side as my yellow Road Runner kicked that Camaro’s ass by more than 5 car lengths in less than a quarter mile. We had set flares at both ends about a half mile from the bridge each way. Our motörhead friends were wearing road worker vests and had traffic stopped in both directions. As I ran to the Road Runner and jumped into the passenger side, we could hear the wail of police sirens, so my buddy kicked that Road Runner down activating the secondaries on those big Carters and I was smashed into the back of the seat by G forces as we rocketed up the grade from the bridge Northbound on Rt. 219 and soon rolling at over 120 MPH. After the night I was accepted by the Motorhead Clique, and hot ridding and street racing became a big part of my life all the way through 4 years of college and 2 years of Grad school. I had so many adventures in that Road Runner that if I could buy it back today I would surely pay stupid money for it. But, then there were the Dodge Super Bees, Plymouth Cuda Convertible and a brief fling with a genuine 426 Hemi Road Runner that followed and they all have great stories to go with their descriptions. Here’s a trivia question for muscle car collectors; what did Plymouth name the engines in those few 426 Hemi Road Runners built between 1968 and 1971? Right on top of that big Dual Quad aircleaner that sealed to the cold air intake hood was the bright metal circular insert that had cartoon characters and announced the big Hemi as the “Coyote Duster”. 
  

What’s parked in your driveway now?

• I have 3 cars in my garage at home in Gilbert, AZ. 1. A 2006 Chevy HHR mildly customized with lowered suspension, 18” Chromed Alloys and Pirelli P-Zero low profile wide tires, full tint and custom blue candy apple paint… I have it for my mother in law to drive! 2. 2008 Cadillac CTS with HO Direct Injection engine option, Xenon HID lights that turn with steering wheel, Navi system, killer tunes and every possible option except AWD (Arizona!) 3. 2002 Ford Expedition XLT 4x4 with optional big Triton V8 and all the goodies that made so many of us love big SUV’s… And I still love my Expedition! 92,000 miles on it and everything still works perfect, but it is actually better than new because it is paid off, as is the HHR! 
  

Does your car reflect your personality?

• The Cadillac is fast and aggressive when I am in the mood, and the Ford Expedition reminds me of me moving through a crowded airport getting my business done and anyone in our way better move… Now! So, yeah in some ways. But I miss the Impala SS I had which was blindingly fast and slippery through Phoenix traffic. 
  

Favorite vehicle(s)?

• 1. 2010 Ford Taurus SHO 2. 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 3. 2000 Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG 4. 2010 Ford F150 Raptor edition 5. 2010 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 6. 1971 Dodge RT w/426 Hemi 7. 1968 Plymouth GTX Convertible 
  

Favorite vehicle…if money were no object?

• 2010 Bentley Continental Coupe 
  

Vanity Plates?

• CA tags: BUY BIDS NY tags: PAGS TR7 
  

Must have car gadget?

• GPS Navigation Satellite Radio 
  

Favorite driving tunes?

• Anything by the Classic Crime, Disciple, Demon Hunter, or the Wedding. Golden Earring; Radar Love Grateful Dead; Truckin’ Sammy Hagar; I can’t Drive 55 Humble Pie; 30 Days in the Hole Mountain; Mississippi Queen The Crystal Method; all of their stuff DJ Rapp; first CD Tragically Hip; New Orleans is Sinking

Favorite Hollywood movie car?

• The blown Dodge Charger in Fast and Furious

http://twitter.com/ralphpaglia

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