08-05-2004, 04:45 PM
I too would like to hear RJs story, as well as Gerald's and Evan's
As for my story/novella, into the rabbit hole we go....
Rewind back to 1998, its summertime, and I'm turning 16. Dad and I have talked about cars, but they aren't a real big thing to me. I always notice nice cars, and I want something kinda sporty. Dad rolls home one day with a older Maxima (I think it may have been a distant cousin of Scotty's) with a semi-working sunroof and 4 doors. Pretty nice, but not quite what I wanted. Dad kept the car for like 5 years and eventually sold it. I wasn't being picky, since I could tell he really wanted to keep it for himself anyways. Then, he comes home one day with a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipes 1.8L coupe. What, you say Eclipse only had 2.0 L; you're wrong this thing had no go and was the bottom feeder of the DSM lineup, but I loved it, I thought it was fast (WTF was I smoking?) and I still sometimes wish I had it (primarily so that I could drive it into the ground on track). I drove this car everywhere and missed it dearly during my freshman year at college in 2000. I had grown more and more interested in cars and had thought of all sorts of crazy stuff (I wanted to body kit, neon glow the Eclipse and then transplant a GSX engine and driveline into my Coupe; again WTF was I smoking?)
Now it's sophomore year in college, things are starting to break on the Eclipse and I'm not enjoying it as much. The previous summer mom and I talked about buying new cars and I'm really liking the WRX and the RSX-s (test drove it the 2nd day it was on the market). So, I get to thinking about how expensive a new car is and how I really ought to get something that I really want. I'd been saving money for quite a while so I had a sizeable chunk of change. Over the course of the fall, I decided that I wanted a Supra and managed to memorize damn near every mkIV supra for sale for under 20k. It was tough, these cars would sell within 3 days of the ad going up and since I didn't have that much cash just saved up it was hard to just roll down and purchase. I finally talk to a dude in MD who says that he has several people coming that weekend to check it out and the first person with a deposit gets the car. I immediately call dad and inform him that he is coming up that Friday afternoon and we were going to MD, regardless of if he was available
. I get there, test drive and fall in love with an anthracite (aka Monkey Shit Brown) naturally aspirated mkIV Supra that is bone stock except for a Greddy exhaust and K&N intake. I give him $300 and sign paperwork saying that I would arrange for financing over Christmas break and he would have his money by Christmas. Fast forward to break-> having major issues getting loans but am eventually able to get $8000 loan at 11.25% with no co-sign and no prior credit history. Sold the eclipse to Dad, and added it all to my savings and I finally had the funds. January 2nd, I pick up my car and is definitely one of the best days of my life, despite driving home in snow (mind you I'd never driven a RWD car) and sliding into my driveway and having to let the car sit until the snow melted 
. This car is still my most favorite of all time and I have no intentions of ever selling it. I did some stupid shit with it and thought I was hot shit, but I've come full circle and truly respect the car for what it is.
Advance one more year and I find myself refinancing that loan on the mkIV for $10k at 8.25% so that I can buy a mkIII. You guys know the story. I order a 1JZ clip from a dude in Canada, pull the motor out of the car the day before it is supposed to arrive. Engine never shows. Fast forward 8 months and about 5 grand later and the car finally starts again with a 1JZ powerplant the night before one of our parties. Definitely had something to celebrate. Love/hate relationship with this car but it is responsible for my bout with b00st rot and realizing that pumping more and more money into a car will not always make it better. I wish I'd never bought the car and it rests at my home now with a blown head gasket due to major overheating as I try to sell it to somebody who will develop it's true potential, I wanted it to be a track car, but it just doesn't suit my needs.
March of this year I buy a black 240sx hatchback with a busted auto tranny and it sits today as my current project/toy. I also co-own a 240 parts car with Rex where I got a manual tranny and assorted parts. This car will be my track car and daily driver and I have applied many of the things that I learned from the busted pile to this project.
Many plans have been thought up for my automotive future but what will really happen only time can tell.
As for my story/novella, into the rabbit hole we go....
Rewind back to 1998, its summertime, and I'm turning 16. Dad and I have talked about cars, but they aren't a real big thing to me. I always notice nice cars, and I want something kinda sporty. Dad rolls home one day with a older Maxima (I think it may have been a distant cousin of Scotty's) with a semi-working sunroof and 4 doors. Pretty nice, but not quite what I wanted. Dad kept the car for like 5 years and eventually sold it. I wasn't being picky, since I could tell he really wanted to keep it for himself anyways. Then, he comes home one day with a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipes 1.8L coupe. What, you say Eclipse only had 2.0 L; you're wrong this thing had no go and was the bottom feeder of the DSM lineup, but I loved it, I thought it was fast (WTF was I smoking?) and I still sometimes wish I had it (primarily so that I could drive it into the ground on track). I drove this car everywhere and missed it dearly during my freshman year at college in 2000. I had grown more and more interested in cars and had thought of all sorts of crazy stuff (I wanted to body kit, neon glow the Eclipse and then transplant a GSX engine and driveline into my Coupe; again WTF was I smoking?)
Now it's sophomore year in college, things are starting to break on the Eclipse and I'm not enjoying it as much. The previous summer mom and I talked about buying new cars and I'm really liking the WRX and the RSX-s (test drove it the 2nd day it was on the market). So, I get to thinking about how expensive a new car is and how I really ought to get something that I really want. I'd been saving money for quite a while so I had a sizeable chunk of change. Over the course of the fall, I decided that I wanted a Supra and managed to memorize damn near every mkIV supra for sale for under 20k. It was tough, these cars would sell within 3 days of the ad going up and since I didn't have that much cash just saved up it was hard to just roll down and purchase. I finally talk to a dude in MD who says that he has several people coming that weekend to check it out and the first person with a deposit gets the car. I immediately call dad and inform him that he is coming up that Friday afternoon and we were going to MD, regardless of if he was available
. I get there, test drive and fall in love with an anthracite (aka Monkey Shit Brown) naturally aspirated mkIV Supra that is bone stock except for a Greddy exhaust and K&N intake. I give him $300 and sign paperwork saying that I would arrange for financing over Christmas break and he would have his money by Christmas. Fast forward to break-> having major issues getting loans but am eventually able to get $8000 loan at 11.25% with no co-sign and no prior credit history. Sold the eclipse to Dad, and added it all to my savings and I finally had the funds. January 2nd, I pick up my car and is definitely one of the best days of my life, despite driving home in snow (mind you I'd never driven a RWD car) and sliding into my driveway and having to let the car sit until the snow melted . This car is still my most favorite of all time and I have no intentions of ever selling it. I did some stupid shit with it and thought I was hot shit, but I've come full circle and truly respect the car for what it is.Advance one more year and I find myself refinancing that loan on the mkIV for $10k at 8.25% so that I can buy a mkIII. You guys know the story. I order a 1JZ clip from a dude in Canada, pull the motor out of the car the day before it is supposed to arrive. Engine never shows. Fast forward 8 months and about 5 grand later and the car finally starts again with a 1JZ powerplant the night before one of our parties. Definitely had something to celebrate. Love/hate relationship with this car but it is responsible for my bout with b00st rot and realizing that pumping more and more money into a car will not always make it better. I wish I'd never bought the car and it rests at my home now with a blown head gasket due to major overheating as I try to sell it to somebody who will develop it's true potential, I wanted it to be a track car, but it just doesn't suit my needs.
March of this year I buy a black 240sx hatchback with a busted auto tranny and it sits today as my current project/toy. I also co-own a 240 parts car with Rex where I got a manual tranny and assorted parts. This car will be my track car and daily driver and I have applied many of the things that I learned from the busted pile to this project.
Many plans have been thought up for my automotive future but what will really happen only time can tell.