- Joined
- 7 November 2012
- Messages
- 99
I've been lurking Prime since '00 admiring and coveting these cars and finally got serious about getting my own.
The dream: It was back in '99 I went over to my friends house after school. Her Dad was known as the neighborhood baller with the crazy house, pool, and toys. (and hot daughter). Stepping into the garage revealed an exotic black NSX fresh off the showroom floor. I remember noticing how low the console was and there was a red Honda V6 engine in the rear. He must be rich! The NSX became an icon and status for me and my group of friends. We would always frame scenarios up when one day we would all pull up in NSX's like a gang and stop the show.
The reality: The hardest part was figuring out which one I really wanted. After going back and fourth between colors and years I determined I was looking for a newer Targa, NA2, black/black, few owners, stock, and taken care of. All the finer details can be fixed to my liking later. Life is short and as such, I wanted a true driver to enjoy and not a garage queen.
That car popped up in the form of a 2000 black/black NSX-T. It was pretty far away from me. Wow, the production numbers are LOW that year - only 27 blk/blk 6 speeds were made. After a clean PPI we struck a deal and I started planning the trip.
The goal: Fly from San Diego CA to Austin TX on Thursday morning and drive back to San Diego BEFORE dark the next day. 1,330 miles...A tall order, but I was up for the challenge! Besides, I had a tennis match Friday evening so I needed to be back. :smile: I detailed out the trip and contingency plans. It was a relatively risky road trip as there were 150 mile desert stretches of road with absolutely nothing. I mean nothing. Without hesitation in his voice the seller said it wouldn't even remotely be an issue for this NSX.
The trip: With a few hours sleep I took the first flight out to Austin, on the start of the F1 weekend. When he rolled up to the airport I was grinning ear to ear, these things are so low in person! OMG the position, the shifter, the widebody, the intake sound next to your ear, the engine screamed for more and more...the car was alive. Everything checked out and keys were handed over, but not before he handed me the silver coffee table book which was the icing on the cake. (Did I mention this was my 30th birthday present to myself ?) Hastily I headed West....in style!
I didn't have time to stop so I snapped pics of my trip from the cockpit. My new car actually has a cockpit...sweet!
1,330 miles, 3 timezones, 1 NSX
Fredericksburg, TX
Empty road
Chasing the daylight
Filling up in Fort Stockton. I pushed it to Las Cruces NM and spent the night (630 miles)
Driving through NM and AZ was tough, no turns for 100's of miles. Who cares, I'm rolling in an NSX
Tucson, the first sign of life
Now we are getting somewhere, crossing into CA reveals the Imperial Dunes
The side AC vents chill the snickers making for a refreshing treat in the desert
Through the Irrigation District
The NSX has a wide pano view out the windshield
Pulled up to the Lazy Lizard Saloon in a post-apocalyptic town called Ocotillo
I must be in CA with these hippie windmill things
Best part of the drive, climbing up over the craggy mountains. This area reminds me of Mars
The signs say turn off AC so the car doesn't overheat up the climb. Instead I cranked the AC and downshifted to go faster
Getting greener and closer to home
Always a pretty part of San Diego to drive through
Victory stretch
Home before dark as promised
Put to sleep in the garage
To conclude, the NSX didn't care about being driven 1330 miles in two days sitting at 90 mph for hours at a time. After stopping for gas it wasn't "tired" or overheated. Instead it demanded you to open it up on the freeway ramp and it wanted more. I think this rough trip speaks loudly for the NSX and was a perfect inception into ownership. Stay tuned for my build thread.
Cheers,
NRG TRADR
The dream: It was back in '99 I went over to my friends house after school. Her Dad was known as the neighborhood baller with the crazy house, pool, and toys. (and hot daughter). Stepping into the garage revealed an exotic black NSX fresh off the showroom floor. I remember noticing how low the console was and there was a red Honda V6 engine in the rear. He must be rich! The NSX became an icon and status for me and my group of friends. We would always frame scenarios up when one day we would all pull up in NSX's like a gang and stop the show.
The reality: The hardest part was figuring out which one I really wanted. After going back and fourth between colors and years I determined I was looking for a newer Targa, NA2, black/black, few owners, stock, and taken care of. All the finer details can be fixed to my liking later. Life is short and as such, I wanted a true driver to enjoy and not a garage queen.
That car popped up in the form of a 2000 black/black NSX-T. It was pretty far away from me. Wow, the production numbers are LOW that year - only 27 blk/blk 6 speeds were made. After a clean PPI we struck a deal and I started planning the trip.
The goal: Fly from San Diego CA to Austin TX on Thursday morning and drive back to San Diego BEFORE dark the next day. 1,330 miles...A tall order, but I was up for the challenge! Besides, I had a tennis match Friday evening so I needed to be back. :smile: I detailed out the trip and contingency plans. It was a relatively risky road trip as there were 150 mile desert stretches of road with absolutely nothing. I mean nothing. Without hesitation in his voice the seller said it wouldn't even remotely be an issue for this NSX.
The trip: With a few hours sleep I took the first flight out to Austin, on the start of the F1 weekend. When he rolled up to the airport I was grinning ear to ear, these things are so low in person! OMG the position, the shifter, the widebody, the intake sound next to your ear, the engine screamed for more and more...the car was alive. Everything checked out and keys were handed over, but not before he handed me the silver coffee table book which was the icing on the cake. (Did I mention this was my 30th birthday present to myself ?) Hastily I headed West....in style!
I didn't have time to stop so I snapped pics of my trip from the cockpit. My new car actually has a cockpit...sweet!
1,330 miles, 3 timezones, 1 NSX
Fredericksburg, TX
Empty road
Chasing the daylight
Filling up in Fort Stockton. I pushed it to Las Cruces NM and spent the night (630 miles)
Driving through NM and AZ was tough, no turns for 100's of miles. Who cares, I'm rolling in an NSX
Tucson, the first sign of life
Now we are getting somewhere, crossing into CA reveals the Imperial Dunes
The side AC vents chill the snickers making for a refreshing treat in the desert
Through the Irrigation District
The NSX has a wide pano view out the windshield
Pulled up to the Lazy Lizard Saloon in a post-apocalyptic town called Ocotillo
I must be in CA with these hippie windmill things
Best part of the drive, climbing up over the craggy mountains. This area reminds me of Mars
The signs say turn off AC so the car doesn't overheat up the climb. Instead I cranked the AC and downshifted to go faster
Getting greener and closer to home
Always a pretty part of San Diego to drive through
Victory stretch
Home before dark as promised
Put to sleep in the garage
To conclude, the NSX didn't care about being driven 1330 miles in two days sitting at 90 mph for hours at a time. After stopping for gas it wasn't "tired" or overheated. Instead it demanded you to open it up on the freeway ramp and it wanted more. I think this rough trip speaks loudly for the NSX and was a perfect inception into ownership. Stay tuned for my build thread.
Cheers,
NRG TRADR
: Biggrin:
