[imitchellg5]

I've seen a silver McClaren F1 at Taco Bell multiple times here.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

I've seen a silver McClaren F1 at Taco Bell multiple times here.

It's quite a sight, isn't it? Nothing quite like it. Although I've not driven the one around here, I have ridden in it a couple times (once when he was giving it the beans), and it's a unique experience. The two words that first come to mind are; electrifying and raw.

[Shaddim]

Well, I just dumped the last public car forum today. Jesus, it's so damned hard to be a member on those, the trolls and asshats are too much to deal with. Sure, there are a few decent folks, but they're too few and far between.

Oh well. Anyway, I was taking a day-long daddy vacation Saturday (I love being a parent, but you have to take a break sometimes) and dropped by the hot rod shop, while hanging out and looking at everything, I saw a For Sale flier; "1997 Acura NSX, LoveFab Stage 2 twin-turbo, var. boost 6-15psi, ARK coilover adjustable suspension, 328mm Brembo disks, etc." the whole car has been rebuilt and upgraded. There was a photo attached, it's the same color and body kit (it isn't lowered as much as the one in the pics and has more sensible 18" wheels:

6369/width/200/height/400[/IMG]6370/width/200/height/400[/IMG]6371/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I asked the guys who work there and they knew of the car and were impressed with it, saying it's in great condition. The price looked attractive, so I called the guy up and setup to meet him later today and check it out. We'll take it out then get the guys to give it checkup. The NSX was one of my dream cars when I was a kid, had a poster of a red one on my wall.

[olePigeon]

I think the funniest thing I saw was a guy in a GT trying to use a drive-up ATM machine. He couldn't reach the ATM because he was too low, so they tried to open the door, but couldn't because there wasn't enough room from the overhang. Then the subsequent driving back and forth trying to distance from the overhang on the machine and checking the door clearance (but still not enough room, and trying not to back into the person behind him), and the inevitable pealing out and whipping around the corner to park on the street and walk up to the ATM.

I kept thinking about when Hammond had Clarkson park his GT between two cars, and couldn't open his door. Guess you never learn until you try.

[BLAZE_MkIV]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

The NSX was one of my dream cars when I was a kid, had a poster of a red one on my wall.

Hmm, find out what car posters were really popular 8-10 years ago. Buy a bunch and warehouse them Nevada somewhere for 30 years.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

It's quite a sight, isn't it? Nothing quite like it. Although I've not driven the one around here, I have ridden in it a couple times (once when he was giving it the beans), and it's a unique experience. The two words that first come to mind are; electrifying and raw.

The design still looks fresh after 20 years and very clean.

Speaking of the F1, didn't Gordon Murray claim some of the interior's design was inspired by the NSX? Murray owned one for a long time. The NSX has always been one of my dream cars too. There is one in my area and it sounds so good. Another design that still looks modern today.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I rode in one a couple months ago - dark silver. Beautiful, beautiful car. Design still holds very true.

[Shaddim]

It still looks so contemporary, very few other cars hold up that well. Though, the NSX is one of them.

Speaking of, I did finalize the deal on the `97, it's pretty nice and the variable boost and air/fuel mix is slick as snot on the proverbial doorknob. Hopefully Honda will follow through on an updated NSX with 500+hp. If it's even close to this tuner version (it makes 587whp at 15.6PSI), it will be a homerun. It's quite a dichotomy; leave the TC full-on, turn the boost all the way down, set the suspension to Street, and it drives like a very balanced Prelude. It's extremely tame, though a little wide, and comfortable, with outstanding visibility (and the computer told me I was getting 23-25MPG). Set the boost to 12+PSI, suspension to Track, and set the traction control to minimum, and it changes from Driving Miss Daisy to Highway to Hell. The acceleration pins you into the seat, the back-end barely holds grip, while the exhaust wails and turbos hiss. It's diabolus ex machina. Wheel spin at 120MPH, shifting from 4th to 5th? No problem.

But if you want to get serious, set the TC full-on and boost to 14. 0-60 in 3.2, 0-100 in 6.3, grips like Stickum on a football, and responds faster than Spheric pouncing on a Chinese spammer. I did put on some new Michelin Pilot SS tires, which are an improvement over the Bridgestones it came with (I'm holding on to those, they look like nice A-W radials), but it wasn't a night and day difference, the car just handles amazingly well.

[MacinTommy]

Shaddim, can I request a picture of your entire fleet?

[reader50]

MacinTommy, you may not have a wide enough monitor. Especially to appreciate them properly.

[MacinTommy]

Originally Posted by reader50 

MacinTommy, you may not have a wide enough monitor. Especially to appreciate them properly.

This is true.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by MacinTommy 

Shaddim, can I request a picture of your entire fleet?

Absolutely.

Originally Posted by reader50 

MacinTommy, you may not have a wide enough monitor. Especially to appreciate them properly.

No soup for you!

[Spheric Harlot]

Ooh! I'm in!

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Ooh! I'm in!

In what?

We're getting loaded up and heading to a Halloween shindig, we're all dressing like Harry Potter characters. Emma's dressed as a little goblin.

<--- Dumbledor

[olePigeon]

Back to electric cars: Fiskar reported that their 16 new cars in their New Jersey port caught on fire and burned when they were submerged in flood water. Hopefully Tesla tested their batteries a little more. Lithium + water = bad.

I'm not saying Shaddim's car is gonna catch fire or anything when it rains...

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

Back to electric cars: Fiskar reported that their 16 new cars in their New Jersey port caught on fire and burned when they were submerged in flood water. Hopefully Tesla tested their batteries a little more. Lithium + water = bad.
I'm not saying Shaddim's car is gonna catch fire or anything when it rains...

It hasn't yet. Kim loves it, though she does occasionally forget to hook up the charger...

"You know, it's only a benefit when there's electricity in it."
"Asshole."
"Just sayin'." 6474/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

[Shaddim]

In the NSX, with full boost, after lots of shifting practice (only 1 shift needed, it can do 85 in 2nd gear), on a nice flat driving surface (airport runway):

0-60mph: 3 sec, dead
0-100mph: 6.15 sec
1/4 mile: 10.85 sec, 131mph
0-60-0: 6.4 sec

A supercar that doesn't cost as much as a supercar, that's a whole lotta bang for $45k.


Oh, hey, 15000 posts. Woot!

[imitchellg5]

You have an airport runway too??

[MacinTommy]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

You have an airport runway too??

I thought everyone did..? No?

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

You have an airport runway too??

Nope (not yet ), but I'm friends with the small local airport's manager and maintenance staff. Of course sometimes I can't, but if it isn't busy, they don't mind.

"Hey, can I borrow a runway?"
"Sure, whatcha got?"

When I have something new, they want to go for a ride, it's hilarious hearing grown men scream.

Originally Posted by MacinTommy 

I thought everyone did..? No?

Have you ever just asked them? You might be surprised.

[Shaddim]

The DT Pantera arrived... frame/body + 3 crates. It was another man's project, but he wanted out because he didn't have the time to put into it. I was like, "Where are the heads and intake manifolds? Ah, they're in this crate, wrapped in bath towels". This will be a good, long winter project.

[Spheric Harlot]

Hey, you got a bunch of bath towels as a bonus?

Cool!

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

It still looks so contemporary, very few other cars hold up that well. Though, the NSX is one of them.

Agreed.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Agreed.

I stopped at the market, an acquaintance was walking to his car but changed direction and intercepted me.

"Is that a new NSX?"
"No, it's an old one, a `97."
"You're kidding me?"
"Nope."

The tragedy is that, overall, cars are getting uglier.

6515/width/350/height/700[/IMG] VS. 6517/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

[subego]

I like the hood to ass ratio more on the new one, but those... what are they? Air dams? Are awful.

[Shaddim]

The front air scoops? Yeah, they're hideous. What bugs me the most are all the sharp angles with no curves, on the new one.

6518/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

better side shot on the `97.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Hey, you got a bunch of bath towels as a bonus?
Cool!

Yep! Washed `em up and using them as shop towels. Big score.


And, as if there wasn't enough automotive weirdness in the world.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

The front air scoops? Yeah, they're hideous. What bugs me the most are all the sharp angles with no curves, on the new one.
6518/width/350/height/700[/IMG]
better side shot on the `97.

If they were curved, it'd look exactly like the Audi R8.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

If they were curved, it'd look exactly like the Audi R8.

Yeah, it seems that's what they're shooting for.

[sek929]

I find something unsettling about the rear haunches and the way they interact with the door. Doesn't look very good, from this angle at least.

[Shaddim]

they look better at this angle.

6545/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

[imitchellg5]

Not a fan of the Vanquish. Later designs were much cleaner and refined. And the Vanquish's gearbox is way too jerky.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

Not a fan of the Vanquish. Later designs were much cleaner and refined. And the Vanquish's gearbox is way too jerky.

AM will still "upgrade" it to a 6-spd manual, if you want. I'm a fan of their styling, looks more aggressive.

[Shaddim]

What's goin' on? Well, I'm hiring a part-time mechanic to help with maintenance (oil changes, tune-ups, etc.). I figured I would, sooner or later, it's getting to be too time-consuming. I enjoy doing my own work, and still will, but I'm going to focus that time on my bigger projects. Plus, they can help with those too, because frankly I sometimes get in over my head and could learn a lot from them. I'm one of the best at taking something apart and putting back together properly, but diagnosing a complicated issue isn't my forte.

The guy I'm hiring is about my age, ASE certified (a ton of A&B certs), has vast import experience, and already does some wrench work at a local dealership. Nothing automotive scares him, and he's done a considerable amount of work on exotics. Part of the deal is allowing him to do and store his current projects in my garage, he buys and flips classic Italians and British dropheads. As a bonus, he has a little girl that's only a couple months older than my daughter (single dad), so he can bring her and they can play and socialize, I don't want Emma to become too insulated.


In other news, I drove the Vanquish S, and I'm not entirely sure what people are on about. Sure, it isn't as smooth as other cars in that class, but the shifting isn't awful. I'd call it eager and raw, uncomplicated. It has its own character, that's for damned sure. But it's charming and direct, like Daniel Craig as Bond. It's not a breeze to handle, either, you need both hands on the wheel, with TC off it's very tail-happy and a bitch to drive fast, but it sure is fun. If the 458 is a sabre, and the Gallardo is a cleaver, this is a hammer. A big, storm cloud grey, 4100lb, splitting maul. It's fantastic, to whom do I make the check out?

[Laminar]

One step closer to becoming Leno.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

One step closer to becoming Leno.

18 + 3 on order (the Carrera S, 12C Spider, and Atom 3 SC), that still leaves me ~200 short, at least. I have some nice little cars, but no $1M+ monsters. Honesty, I've toyed with the thought of getting a Koenigsegg, Veyron SS, or a McLaren F1, and still might on the F1 (I know where one is hiding and the owner is kinda-sortof open to offers), but just the thought of it... it makes me itch, really. Something in my being says it's wrong, even when my family says it's okay. The DB4 GT was bad enough, it's the most expensive car I've purchased, and it gave me a knot in my stomach.

However, if that F1 guy and I can ever come to terms on a price, I'll do it, but that's probably the only such car I'd pay 7 digits for. Then I'd throw up.

[imitchellg5]

Most of the cars that you own I'd feel comfortable driving in public, but the others are just too beyond this world. If I even got a bug splatter on a Koenigsegg, I'd probably throw up. I've been in a couple of Ferraris and Astons and one Lamborghini and, though they're special for sure, they aren't legendary like a a McLaren or Koenigsegg.

[Shaddim]

It's not the being seen part that bothers me, quite frankly most around here (99%) wouldn't have any idea the expense of an Agera R relative to a 458 or Gallardo, they just see them all as "supercars". The cars that probably get the most attention, believe it or not, are the DB4 and Dino 246, and that's due to their iconic nature and rarity. Typical reactions; the Italia is, "holy cow that's pretty", the 246 is, "WTH is that?", and the DB4 is, "Bond, James Bond. Could you take my picture with me standing next to it?" However, the Auburn, in contrast, draws octogenarians, "now that's a real car". If they're very interested, and I'm not pressed for time, I ask if they want to take a closer look or have a seat behind the wheel. I love people and their reactions, they start out with their faces neutral, but they walk away with a smile and a story, and that's worthwhile to me.

[imitchellg5]

I wasn't really referring to being seen, just the general ignorance of every other driver. If I were rear-ended in a McLaren F1, for example, I'd feel like part of automotive history would be destroyed. A 458, you can replace. But not something like that.

[Shaddim]

It's not really that horrendous, though it isn't good by any means, McLaren has an extensive supply of replacement parts for the F1. When Atkinson demolished his they were able to restore it back to 100% in a jiffy, though I'd say they took a big-juicy bite out of his wallet to do it (that's part of the game, really).

6581/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

That makes me shiver... honest to God.

I get what you mean, however. Although it can brought back up to spec, I'd weep because that model of car means so much to me on a historical and personal level. There's only 100-ish and they're the greatest cars ever made. I have wondered how many of them have never been in a wreck, something tells me that number is relatively small. I know the one in K-ville was in one fender-bender at a show, when it was smacked by a retard in a Testarossa, while parked. I'm pretty sure that's its only mishap, because after that the owner stopped displaying it.

Next time I see him I'm going to, tactfully, pitch him a strong offer. I have the space (well-equipped garage) and resources (pro mechanic) to really care for it now, and I think it would be in its best interest.

[Shaddim]

Hmmm, chassis #051 is for sale in Japan, 400M yen.

really old pic:



Screw it, I'm going to just call the guy in town.

[olePigeon]

Car looks like it stopped too fast, then everything got squished up front.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

Car looks like it stopped too fast, then everything got squished up front.

Hmmph...




In related news. No dice on the F1. The guy won't sell, not even for borderline crazy money, and the best deal from a broker is... drum roll... $7.2M. And that's for one that needs a complete overhaul and moderate body work. Although, I can get onboard with one of the first 5 Pagani Huayra imported to the US. No thanks. Now, the Agera R... with my F1 dreams destroyed, that's looking more attractive (and a much better value for money). Okay, not really, but it is the most badass of all the hypercars.

[Shaddim]

I'm working on the Pantera and the Mechanic walks by and says, "You know what Pantera stands for, right?" I look at him, "Panthera is a genus of large felids". "Nope, it means Cheap Italian Mustang."

[mattyb]

Interesting F1 tech stuff that I thought readers of this thread might like : http://jalopnik.com/5960423/this-chart-explains-why-formula-one-cars-are-so-damn-fast

[Shaddim]

Cool story, bro.

No, seriously, it is a cool story. The anatomy is so different than consumer autos (even exotics). A few are somewhat similar, the Ariel Atom and a couple others, but they still require a different mindset while driving. In F1, speed is good, the more the better, because you need that downforce. More wrecks occur at lower speed, because if you aren't sticking to the road, you're flying off of it. To not get killed in those cars you essentially have to learn how to drive all over again; you brake much later and get on the power much sooner, to keep the heat in the tires and air flowing over the body. It's insane and requires large testes.

[Shaddim]

Bidding on the Mecum auction via phone... nothing is selling, maybe 8 of 25 lots so far. It's crazy.

I bought a `78 RR Silver Wraith II in 9/10 condition, 32k miles, for $8700.

6717/width/350/height/700[/IMG]

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Cool story, bro.
No, seriously, it is a cool story. The anatomy is so different than consumer autos (even exotics). A few are somewhat similar, the Ariel Atom and a couple others, but they still require a different mindset while driving. In F1, speed is good, the more the better, because you need that downforce. More wrecks occur at lower speed, because if you aren't sticking to the road, you're flying off of it. To not get killed in those cars you essentially have to learn how to drive all over again; you brake much later and get on the power much sooner, to keep the heat in the tires and air flowing over the body. It's insane and requires large testes.

That's the part that really struck me when Hammond was in the formula car. His brakes weren't working because he wasn't going fast enough.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

That's the part that really struck me when Hammond was in the formula car. His brakes weren't working because he wasn't going fast enough.

That's the size of it, no pun intended. It takes nerve (Senna), or idiocy (Hamilton), or both (Schumacher). Those cars don't work, at all, unless you're on the bleeding edge.

By the way, the Atom is due to arrive today. Looks like it's going to be reasonably warm and dry, so that's good.

Also, for those interested, one month with the Tesla was 1200 miles and 79 MPGe. It isn't what they claim, but I imagine it will improve with familiarity. Getting it away from my wife now would be impossible, she says it's the "most amazing car I've ever driven".

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

That's the part that really struck me when Hammond was in the formula car. His brakes weren't working because he wasn't going fast enough.

Can't be arsed searching, but isn't this also why Senna crashed? Or was it cold tyres?