I was exactly 10 years ago, today, I purchased my '91 Formula Red from a buddy of mine.
He had sold his Guards Red turbo-look mid-80's 911, and was looking for a car. He bought the NSX from a friend of his, and drove it over to my house to show it to me. He even let me drive it the first day he had it. I told him then, it must have been 14 years ago "When you sell this car, I'll buy it", requesting first right of refusal.
FF about four years: "It's time to sell the NSX." I hemmed and hawed (I already had my '94 Miata as a weekend toy), on the fence, constantly bugging my wife "should I buy it? Should I not? It's not a small investment. But I've always wanted one." - to the point my wife made the self-flagellation motion of whipping one's back exclaiming "Deny, deny, deny - you Italian Catholics love to deny yourselves. Would you just SHUT UP AND BUY THE DAMNED THING?!?" (Er, not that I really relate to being Catholic, but that's a whole 'nother story.)
So, for my 50th birthday (November, ok, so I was a little early), I treated myself to the NSX. There have been three cars I've always lusted after, that were almost within reach: 1970 Boss 302, 1972-1974 Dino 246, and the NSX. And when the NSX presented itself and it was actually affordable, I went for it.
At the risk of making this too long a post, having bought it from an enthusiast friend, I started looking a lot closer. "I think I'm going to track it soon. When was the last time you changed the oil?" "Oh, not very long ago." "How many miles ago?" "I think around 7,000." (??!!?!?) "But you used synthetic, right?" "Um, no."
So, out went all the fluids and in went fresh stuff: brake, crankcase, gearbox, coolant.
Then noticed the interior needed freshening. So out came the seats, Leatherseats.com kit went in, carpets and speaker covers oxy-cleaned to near-new. A few years later a paint correction, then Bilsteins on lowered spring perches. Round, black shift knob (I think it's Voodoo, I can't recall.) Repair on the nose after a woman backed into me at a gas station (needed to be painted, anyway, so that worked out OK, free paint on front bumper cover and valance). Usual maintenance including TBelt (twice) and all hoses. And finally, last summer, new aftermarket wheels.
In between tracked it a half-dozen times, never got comfortable in it (always remembering "It's all aluminum. Any contact and you write it off."), so retired it to weekends (purchased another Miata this one dedicated to track duty), occasional drives to work, and occasional shows and C&C.
Met a number of great people, some locals, some on Prime, and have made many virtual connections here on Prime.
It's been great fun, and it's not over. Not by a longshot.
He had sold his Guards Red turbo-look mid-80's 911, and was looking for a car. He bought the NSX from a friend of his, and drove it over to my house to show it to me. He even let me drive it the first day he had it. I told him then, it must have been 14 years ago "When you sell this car, I'll buy it", requesting first right of refusal.
FF about four years: "It's time to sell the NSX." I hemmed and hawed (I already had my '94 Miata as a weekend toy), on the fence, constantly bugging my wife "should I buy it? Should I not? It's not a small investment. But I've always wanted one." - to the point my wife made the self-flagellation motion of whipping one's back exclaiming "Deny, deny, deny - you Italian Catholics love to deny yourselves. Would you just SHUT UP AND BUY THE DAMNED THING?!?" (Er, not that I really relate to being Catholic, but that's a whole 'nother story.)
So, for my 50th birthday (November, ok, so I was a little early), I treated myself to the NSX. There have been three cars I've always lusted after, that were almost within reach: 1970 Boss 302, 1972-1974 Dino 246, and the NSX. And when the NSX presented itself and it was actually affordable, I went for it.
At the risk of making this too long a post, having bought it from an enthusiast friend, I started looking a lot closer. "I think I'm going to track it soon. When was the last time you changed the oil?" "Oh, not very long ago." "How many miles ago?" "I think around 7,000." (??!!?!?) "But you used synthetic, right?" "Um, no."
So, out went all the fluids and in went fresh stuff: brake, crankcase, gearbox, coolant.
Then noticed the interior needed freshening. So out came the seats, Leatherseats.com kit went in, carpets and speaker covers oxy-cleaned to near-new. A few years later a paint correction, then Bilsteins on lowered spring perches. Round, black shift knob (I think it's Voodoo, I can't recall.) Repair on the nose after a woman backed into me at a gas station (needed to be painted, anyway, so that worked out OK, free paint on front bumper cover and valance). Usual maintenance including TBelt (twice) and all hoses. And finally, last summer, new aftermarket wheels.
In between tracked it a half-dozen times, never got comfortable in it (always remembering "It's all aluminum. Any contact and you write it off."), so retired it to weekends (purchased another Miata this one dedicated to track duty), occasional drives to work, and occasional shows and C&C.
Met a number of great people, some locals, some on Prime, and have made many virtual connections here on Prime.
It's been great fun, and it's not over. Not by a longshot.
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