What great memories your Fill in the Blanks brought to mind.  I had some boring, run-of-the-mill sedan, but my roommate, Mark “Bitter” Brandon had an old (it was even old back then) VW beetle.  It had terrible traction so all winter long we’d slide from one snow bank to another.  I also remember that it never started on its own, so Mark always had to have someone ride with him to give him a push until he could pop the clutch.  That was the good old days!

Fred Sansom
BSChE 1980

We’re spoiled these days with traction-control systems, that’s for sure. Otherwise my little shoebox of a car wouldn’t go up any of these hills. –Kevin

So, I couldn’t help but read the article with the “cheery” yellow Solstice.  See… while I was at MTU, I drove a silver Chevy (really an Isuzu) Spectrum.  Now, I drive a yellow Solstice GXP.

I liked you using “cheery”, mainly because these cars all have emotional names for their colors.  Black = mysterious, Green = envy, Yellow = Mean.  Yes… what you have in your picture is not a “cheery” yellow Solstice, but in fact a Mean Solstice!

-Rich Hammond ‘98

Yellow? Mean? I had no idea the photo was of such a grumpy car! Thanks for this. –Kevin
The chief engineer of the Pontiac Solstice was a MTU grad – Doug Parks.  Don’t know his graduation year.

I was the Vehicle System Engineer responsible for the engineering development and launch of the Interior of the Solstice.  I had a team of about 12 release/component engineers working the various areas of the Interior for me.  I am also Tech grad – February 1989.

Best Regards,
Patrick L Brown

That’s one of the things I love about being here at Tech. Most of the time, when I find something cool out in the world, one of our alumni had a hand in it. Remarkable, all of you. –Kevin
Kevin -

I attended Tech from 1982-86 and my last three years there I was the owner of a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The hood, as you might be able to tell from the attached picture, was almost long enough to land small planes on. My main memory of this car came after the Thanksgiving storm of 1985. After a 16-hour drive from near Grand Rapids back to Tech, the next morning I chipped the ice off my car and headed up the hill to campus from our apartment down near the canal. My car stalled out at the top of the hill. I set the parking brake and opened the hood to find the problem – the entire engine compartment had blown full of snow.

Fun times.

Dennis Sage, PhD
BS STC ’86

I made the mistake of using my roof rack to move up here in March, and most of my bearing surfaces were full of ice and snow. This must be how we learn to improvise. –Kevin