NOICE, that is a picture from last years' (Inaugural) M1 Dream Show where Bob joined us with his sweet Lotus Evora.
Michigan check-in & spotting by blodi pt.2
- Thread starter alum04org
- Start date
Congrats on the Honda Acty @sca037! Kei cars are a ton of fun, especially when people realize the steering wheel is the wrong side. Amazing collection display by Neal as expected....and cheers on the new dyno numbers @blodi 
It's been a year since I moved back home to LA but glad to see everyone still having fun with their cars! Life moved too fast for me this past year, but I'll try to summarize the NSX-related bits for your entertainment.
Right after Thanksgiving, I spun the SP8CSHP on a famous local canyon road at speed due to driver error. Things could've ended extremely badly as I ended up 10 ft away from the cliff edge...but miraculously there were no injuries & car was repairable. While the car underwent 7 months of reconstructive surgery, we got married in May & was able to sneak it out of the shop for a quick photo
Once the car was buttoned up in June, I went to register it, only to be told it need to be "VIN verified" at California Highway Patrol as all of its VIN plates were removed from a prior theft. I've heard of cars getting confiscated over this, so I consulted Neal and did a ton of research to prove the chassis matched the VIN on title. I was shitting bricks going in, but luckily the CHP officer was a car guy and reassigned me a replacement VIN plate without any hassle. Only time I'm excited to see someone take a drill to the NSX....
Just when I thought that was the end of my NSX troubles....I found out the car couldn't pass the infamous Cali smog check. I've tried every "proven" fix & snake oil under the sun, but one metric (NOx) just doesn't want to go down. Oh well, smog had to wait as the car got tidied up for my first NSXPO in Scottsdale. Finally found the motivation to install the remaining parts that had been sitting in the basement for years...
On Thursday we drove with a group of SoCal owners to Scottsdale & arrived after dinner. We missed the welcome reception at the botanical garden, but caught up with the crew at the poolside bar at the host hotel. Friday started with a 1.5 hour scenic drive through the mountains with four groups of 30 cars to reach Tonto Natural Bridge State Park for a short hike, and then lunch at a nearby fancy golf course.
(The best kind of traffic)
Was glad to see a familiar face from Michigan! Got to hang out with @RobM & his wife over lunch on Friday. He told me how his main relay failed near Tail of the Dragon and got rescued while on the tow truck by another owner coming from North Carolina who had a spare. Love how the community pulled through for him.
Group photo at sunset, and then dinner at The Vault, a luxury vehicle storage facility. Spent the evening talking to the gentleman who won the 93 Brooklands Green Type R on BaT....his collection is truly mind blowing (Zanardi, all the GTRs, 22B STi...) His instagram is @Vincent.howard.927 for those interested.
Saturday was Science of Speed open house & vendor showcase. Got to see a wide bodied, ALL-carbon NC1, even down to the wheels! Unfortunately, we got hit with some insane downpour and the outdoor portion got rained out rather quickly. Needless to say...there were a lot of salvage titled NSX's by the afternoon
(There are 2 Zanardis and 3 Type S's in this photo!)
Cocktail hour included silent auctions with live music and the stunning aluminum chassis on display. Dinner reception was in a spacious ballroom where everyone enjoyed a fancy meal & was entertained by speeches, awards, live auctions, and finally the reveal of the 2023 host city - Atlanta GA!
Phew....that finally sums it up. Definitely an amazing introduction to NSXPO for a first timer - now I get why some people drive thousands of miles and fly in from other countries every year. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that brings everyone together from all walks of life to celebrate our cars on another level.
Alas, it's been nice to be close to family, but I sure miss Michigan from time to time, especially the fall. Hope everyone got their car itch scratched before the winter comes, and hope Rob makes it home safely from his long drive back from Scottsdale!
It's been a year since I moved back home to LA but glad to see everyone still having fun with their cars! Life moved too fast for me this past year, but I'll try to summarize the NSX-related bits for your entertainment.
Right after Thanksgiving, I spun the SP8CSHP on a famous local canyon road at speed due to driver error. Things could've ended extremely badly as I ended up 10 ft away from the cliff edge...but miraculously there were no injuries & car was repairable. While the car underwent 7 months of reconstructive surgery, we got married in May & was able to sneak it out of the shop for a quick photo
Once the car was buttoned up in June, I went to register it, only to be told it need to be "VIN verified" at California Highway Patrol as all of its VIN plates were removed from a prior theft. I've heard of cars getting confiscated over this, so I consulted Neal and did a ton of research to prove the chassis matched the VIN on title. I was shitting bricks going in, but luckily the CHP officer was a car guy and reassigned me a replacement VIN plate without any hassle. Only time I'm excited to see someone take a drill to the NSX....
Just when I thought that was the end of my NSX troubles....I found out the car couldn't pass the infamous Cali smog check. I've tried every "proven" fix & snake oil under the sun, but one metric (NOx) just doesn't want to go down. Oh well, smog had to wait as the car got tidied up for my first NSXPO in Scottsdale. Finally found the motivation to install the remaining parts that had been sitting in the basement for years...
On Thursday we drove with a group of SoCal owners to Scottsdale & arrived after dinner. We missed the welcome reception at the botanical garden, but caught up with the crew at the poolside bar at the host hotel. Friday started with a 1.5 hour scenic drive through the mountains with four groups of 30 cars to reach Tonto Natural Bridge State Park for a short hike, and then lunch at a nearby fancy golf course.
(The best kind of traffic)
Was glad to see a familiar face from Michigan! Got to hang out with @RobM & his wife over lunch on Friday. He told me how his main relay failed near Tail of the Dragon and got rescued while on the tow truck by another owner coming from North Carolina who had a spare. Love how the community pulled through for him.
Group photo at sunset, and then dinner at The Vault, a luxury vehicle storage facility. Spent the evening talking to the gentleman who won the 93 Brooklands Green Type R on BaT....his collection is truly mind blowing (Zanardi, all the GTRs, 22B STi...) His instagram is @Vincent.howard.927 for those interested.
Saturday was Science of Speed open house & vendor showcase. Got to see a wide bodied, ALL-carbon NC1, even down to the wheels! Unfortunately, we got hit with some insane downpour and the outdoor portion got rained out rather quickly. Needless to say...there were a lot of salvage titled NSX's by the afternoon
(There are 2 Zanardis and 3 Type S's in this photo!)
Cocktail hour included silent auctions with live music and the stunning aluminum chassis on display. Dinner reception was in a spacious ballroom where everyone enjoyed a fancy meal & was entertained by speeches, awards, live auctions, and finally the reveal of the 2023 host city - Atlanta GA!
Phew....that finally sums it up. Definitely an amazing introduction to NSXPO for a first timer - now I get why some people drive thousands of miles and fly in from other countries every year. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that brings everyone together from all walks of life to celebrate our cars on another level.
Alas, it's been nice to be close to family, but I sure miss Michigan from time to time, especially the fall. Hope everyone got their car itch scratched before the winter comes, and hope Rob makes it home safely from his long drive back from Scottsdale!
Yes, thanks Tianbo for the nice update on your many life happenings!
It was cool that Judi and I got to meet your fiance at the St. John's Concours before you moved back to Cali.
sCaRy needing the VIN surgery, but glad to know that you got past that hurdle ;^D
The Acty microvan is just a blast to drive, slooooooow but somehow still fun and engaging!
Do you still have the Autozam, and if so....any issues in Cali with it ???
It was cool that Judi and I got to meet your fiance at the St. John's Concours before you moved back to Cali.
sCaRy needing the VIN surgery, but glad to know that you got past that hurdle ;^D
The Acty microvan is just a blast to drive, slooooooow but somehow still fun and engaging!
Do you still have the Autozam, and if so....any issues in Cali with it ???
TBOX what a photo-filled and thoughtful post - thank you for contributing! As DocJohn said above, your nsxpo news release was timely and informative. I recognize some faces ! Many long time friends made through this car's ownership - you included.
"but luckily the CHP officer was a car guy and reassigned me a replacement VIN plate without any hassle. Only time I'm excited to see someone take a drill to the NSX...."
Yea, I recognize what's happening there. Theft/recovery when the bad guy messed with your spaceship's identifiers.
But you did it right......... get it squared away with perhaps the most strict of all DMV's in this USA.
The aluminum chassis picture stays with me. THANKS for that, and the NSXPO report
"but luckily the CHP officer was a car guy and reassigned me a replacement VIN plate without any hassle. Only time I'm excited to see someone take a drill to the NSX...."
Yea, I recognize what's happening there. Theft/recovery when the bad guy messed with your spaceship's identifiers.
But you did it right......... get it squared away with perhaps the most strict of all DMV's in this USA.
The aluminum chassis picture stays with me. THANKS for that, and the NSXPO report
I found my notes from 6-5-2018 on tbox's 1993 white nsx:
3-25-1997 stolen report to Metro Dade P D (Florida)
10-16-1997 recovered as "vandalized" (explaining the identifiers being defaced/obliterated)
State Farm Insurance Company claim
3-25-1997 stolen report to Metro Dade P D (Florida)
10-16-1997 recovered as "vandalized" (explaining the identifiers being defaced/obliterated)
State Farm Insurance Company claim
You guys are all very welcome! Here are some other videos people have put together if you wanted to see more of the event:
Appreciate the notes, Neal! Those line up with what I could gather too...Glad to have finally sorted out the car's murky history. Onto the next chapter...the dreaded California smog check.
One interesting fact I uncovered during my investigation was that you could call Acura Corporate Client Relations Hotline (800-382-2238) and ask them to provide production & initial sale information regarding your vehicle against your VIN. Here's what I found on mine when I provided my VIN from the title:
@sca037 Yes it was so great to run into you and Judi last year! Glad to hear you're enjoying the Acty! I've actually seen one around me, they look fun as hell. And yes, I still have the Autozam, it spent a long time in the garage getting some overdue work done, but I will be taking it to its first event in 2 weeks. It's still registered & insured in Michigan under my place in Canton (which I am keeping) so hopefully no issues. Simply not worth the $5-10k just to get it CARB compliant. However, I am a little scared to drive it since there are 10x more cars on the road here, and you can't get anywhere without taking huge freeways. And unfortunately those tiny 30-year old brakes do not inspire confidence. Idk if the Acty has the same design, but I actually need to remove the hub, then use a press to separate the rotors from the bearings just to change them. Crazy!
Appreciate the notes, Neal! Those line up with what I could gather too...Glad to have finally sorted out the car's murky history. Onto the next chapter...the dreaded California smog check.
One interesting fact I uncovered during my investigation was that you could call Acura Corporate Client Relations Hotline (800-382-2238) and ask them to provide production & initial sale information regarding your vehicle against your VIN. Here's what I found on mine when I provided my VIN from the title:
- First delivered dealer: Miami Acura (305-232-1400)
- First sold date: 12/31/1993
- Vehicle exterior color: Grand Prix White
- Vehicle interior color: Black
- Engine serial number: C30A1-3300414
- Transmission: 5MT (5-speed Manual Transmission)
- Body style: 2 Door Coupe
- Model release date: 6/1/1992
@sca037 Yes it was so great to run into you and Judi last year! Glad to hear you're enjoying the Acty! I've actually seen one around me, they look fun as hell. And yes, I still have the Autozam, it spent a long time in the garage getting some overdue work done, but I will be taking it to its first event in 2 weeks. It's still registered & insured in Michigan under my place in Canton (which I am keeping) so hopefully no issues. Simply not worth the $5-10k just to get it CARB compliant. However, I am a little scared to drive it since there are 10x more cars on the road here, and you can't get anywhere without taking huge freeways. And unfortunately those tiny 30-year old brakes do not inspire confidence. Idk if the Acty has the same design, but I actually need to remove the hub, then use a press to separate the rotors from the bearings just to change them. Crazy!
Likewise - it was wonderful seeing you guys. Wow, what an epic adventure....and great photo! Glad you finally made it home, hopefully no issues on the way back 
Tianbo! Congrats to you and great epic post there! Great to see the SP8CSHP is on the road!
Congratulations Tim! Happy to see the NSX fixed and on the road (legally..haha).
Thanks for sharing the photos and videos from NSXPO!
Thanks for sharing the photos and videos from NSXPO!
Hey SE MI NSX peeps - hope everyone’s doing well and that your cars are enjoying their winter slumber. Since I sold mine 5+ years ago now, I should probably get rid of these remaining bits that were tucked away in my garage that I came across today. Various chassis nuts, an ABS rebuild kit (many o-rings), a lug nut, an axle nut, plastic cover for door light, etc. Many are still new in dealer packaging. Any and all are free to a good home
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Hey DAVE -underline- 5 !
Always good when you check in.
I spoke with sca037 (Brian) this evening in person. We decided to maybe use your "donations" as a southeast Michigan NSX owners "parts bank" seed. Would that be O K ?
I have some NA1 parts to put in, and so does Brian. Some of the parts I have for spares came from our NSX companion Sparkin3 -
https://www.nsxprime.com/members/sparkin3.24635/
Miss him.
He was an automotive engineer (AVL) like you.
These seed parts - with your generous donations - will be available for self pickup. NOT for sale elsewhere. Brian has graciously volunteered storage and cataloguing. Let us know if approved and one of us will visit you. You enjoyed another round at VIR?
Always good when you check in.
I spoke with sca037 (Brian) this evening in person. We decided to maybe use your "donations" as a southeast Michigan NSX owners "parts bank" seed. Would that be O K ?
I have some NA1 parts to put in, and so does Brian. Some of the parts I have for spares came from our NSX companion Sparkin3 -
https://www.nsxprime.com/members/sparkin3.24635/
Miss him.
He was an automotive engineer (AVL) like you.
These seed parts - with your generous donations - will be available for self pickup. NOT for sale elsewhere. Brian has graciously volunteered storage and cataloguing. Let us know if approved and one of us will visit you. You enjoyed another round at VIR?
Yes, I've made some shelf space available upstairs in the garage for this parts bank idea.....seeded with some of our own.
I would be glad to add Dave's goodies to it, if he's game
I would be glad to add Dave's goodies to it, if he's game
Sounds great!
I probably have some parts to donate as well! I'll have to dig around. Cool idea.
It's still snowy Winter here, but how should we move forward on this little parts consolidation project?
Cheers,
Brian
Cheers,
Brian
- Joined
- 14 February 2021
- Messages
- 11
Hello fellow MidweNSXTers,
Just wanted to post an invite to anyone interested in a spring-kickoff get together for Acura/Honda enthusiasts on May 20th in Okemos, MI. We will have a wide variety of new and old Acura/Hondas in attendance for the day, so feel free to bring any Acura/Honda of your choosing (perhaps the one that doesn't get the love that your NSX does
)?
What will be in attendance? Vintage Accords, 1st gen Insight, Integras, Civic Si's (EM1, EF Hatch), CRX Si, Civic Type Rs, S2000s, Integra Type R, several Legends, Preludes, and a few NSXs are slotted for event.
We are tentatively planning on having food available for purchase on-site as well. If your interested in attending, just shoot me a message on prime or email @[email protected]. Hope to see a few folks dust the winter cobwebs off their cars and make it out for a little fun!
Cheers!
Just wanted to post an invite to anyone interested in a spring-kickoff get together for Acura/Honda enthusiasts on May 20th in Okemos, MI. We will have a wide variety of new and old Acura/Hondas in attendance for the day, so feel free to bring any Acura/Honda of your choosing (perhaps the one that doesn't get the love that your NSX does
)? What will be in attendance? Vintage Accords, 1st gen Insight, Integras, Civic Si's (EM1, EF Hatch), CRX Si, Civic Type Rs, S2000s, Integra Type R, several Legends, Preludes, and a few NSXs are slotted for event.
We are tentatively planning on having food available for purchase on-site as well. If your interested in attending, just shoot me a message on prime or email @[email protected]. Hope to see a few folks dust the winter cobwebs off their cars and make it out for a little fun!
Cheers!
I attended the Northville C&C event organized by the Northville High School kids at the ZF facility, and nothing I had read about it prepared me for its impact.
We live around 15 minutes from this venue, but it took nearly an extra half an hour to get into the Industrial Park once in the que for the show.
Holy crikeys, even with cold (38*F) temps there had to be well over 1000 cars in attendance!
The people I talked to came from all over the Metro Detroit area, including Elliot who drove from the East side with his early Black/Ivory NSX.
Maybe it was because this was the 1st big car show around and there was pent-up demand, but my gut feeling is that in spite of the cold these HS kids have tapped into something pretty huge.
We live around 15 minutes from this venue, but it took nearly an extra half an hour to get into the Industrial Park once in the que for the show.
Holy crikeys, even with cold (38*F) temps there had to be well over 1000 cars in attendance!
The people I talked to came from all over the Metro Detroit area, including Elliot who drove from the East side with his early Black/Ivory NSX.
Maybe it was because this was the 1st big car show around and there was pent-up demand, but my gut feeling is that in spite of the cold these HS kids have tapped into something pretty huge.
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I'm pretty sure that belongs to the owner of Livonia Dermatology. He lives around the corner from that intersection. He's got a crazy car collection.
This fellow stopped in last night. Just beautiful! Triple yellow.
Said BMW of Ann Arbor got in a trade for an M (6,7,8 whatever) SUV that was a Black/Onyx 2017 low mile NSX. Thought they might keep it for their resale rather than wholesale it.
Sounded orgasmic as it departed
Said BMW of Ann Arbor got in a trade for an M (6,7,8 whatever) SUV that was a Black/Onyx 2017 low mile NSX. Thought they might keep it for their resale rather than wholesale it.
Sounded orgasmic as it departed
Speaking of yellow...Tweety, a former Michigan car, is up for sale...I know Al babied the hell out of this thing. Surprised to see him letting it go. New owner will get one extremely well-kept car.
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rkpAAEjl/1997-acura-nsx-t
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rkpAAEjl/1997-acura-nsx-t