Until the summer of 1998, the introduction on this page began:

My car is a 1984 Toyota Tercel Wagon. It isn't dead quite yet, but it will be soon enough. My dad and I decided that we will sell it after college, unless it breaks down first, so after June 1999 this page will be a memorial for sure.

I have been riding in this car since before I can remember. Girlfriends have come and gone, but the car remains. This is a documentary of our joint history. A boy and a car who grew up together. It kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

Well, it finally broke down for the last time. I hope you enjoy the narrative that I've drawn from my long relationship with this machine.

You can browse from the table of contents at right, or use the arrow buttons to progress through the chapters in order. The license plate will always bring you back to this page. Enjoy!

Copyright © 1998 by Nick Baker.

Chapter I:
The Salad Days

Chapter II:
Dark Times

Interlude:
The Tilt-O-Meter

Chapter III:
Back From the Brink

Chapter IV:
Running Well

The Epilogue:
Not Quite Dead