Ten years ago - today!

Joined
9 September 2005
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1,455
Location
Central FL
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.
 
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you are my virtual friend....:tongue:
 
Great post Doug. And of course, I consider you a good friend. I like your Miatas too. Especially the garage queen. BTW I'm going to my dads place in Okeechobee for Christmas. Maybe we could hook up again. This time the meal is on me. Happy tenth. Here's hoping you have many more miles and smiles in that Red beast.

Ed
 
Great post Doug. And of course, I consider you a good friend. I like your Miatas too. Especially the garage queen. BTW I'm going to my dads place in Okeechobee for Christmas. Maybe we could hook up again. This time the meal is on me. Happy tenth. Here's hoping you have many more miles and smiles in that Red beast.

Ed
Of course! I am sure we can make some sort of arrangements. Look forward to it. Maybe with a few other NSXers.
 
Congratulations, man! Now, the most important question, what did you get her for the 10th anniversary? :)

Shhh! She didn't notice I didn't get anything. She didn't even remember the date! :biggrin:
 
Be happy you didn't buy a 246. Been there, done that. POS.
 
Congrats on 10 years. I had my 5 year anniversary last month (I have a thread in another section) and looking forward to 10 years with mine.
 
Congratulations.
Very good looking, everything perfectly in proportion.
What are the wheel/tire specs?
 
Congratulations.
Very good looking, everything perfectly in proportion.
What are the wheel/tire specs?

Thanks! Appreciate the comments.

TSW Valencia:
17x8 +40
18x9.5 +40
Needed 76->70 and 76->64 hubcentric rings
Mounted up Kumho Ecsta LE Sport in 215/40/17 and 265/35/18.

Link to thread when I first was contemplating these and bought them:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/182880-TSW-Valencia-fitment-color?highlight=valencia

Since that thread I found Honda center caps and have a set of Acura caps on the way.
 
Thanks! Appreciate the comments.

TSW Valencia:
17x8 +40
18x9.5 +40
Needed 76->70 and 76->64 hubcentric rings
Mounted up Kumho Ecsta LE Sport in 215/40/17 and 265/35/18.

Link to thread when I first was contemplating these and bought them:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/182880-TSW-Valencia-fitment-color?highlight=valencia

Since that thread I found Honda center caps and have a set of Acura caps on the way.

Thank you very much for the info. I'm also looking to buy new wheels and once again the 17/18 combo looks perfect to me.
Mine is also a Red/black '91 with NA2 calipers.
 
2020 update!

Thread Bump!

I missed it, but August 21, 2020 was 15 years.

Still looks about the same as last post. In the last five years, I've had to replace the radiator and tires (had a blowout on one of the Kumhos, and replaced with 4 Dunlop Direzza Ziii, which I love).

In only the last month or so car is showing some of its nearly 30 years of age; I have a CEL (heating element in front O2 sensor; parts sitting two feet from me as I write this), an A/C leak at one of the o-rings right in the front above the spare tire, and a no-idle problem, so the car is not running at the moment. Nabil is scheduled to help me with these issues, hopefully will be back on the road this week or next.

I'll be honest: I tried to buy a new 2020 Heritage Edition GT-350 Shelby but we were too far apart on my offer, and I didn't want to go any higher than what I could get for this NSX plus a little cash. I had done a nationwide search on the Heritage GT-350 three weeks prior, and there were none to be had; then checked again last week and there was one - half-hour from my house! I couldn't pass up trying to buy it. But it did not happen, so I'll happily continue to enjoy my NSX for the next many years to come. I am sure NOT buying the 350 will in the long run be a really good thing.
 
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congrats on another 5......$ footlong.....but you have to buy 2:mad:...how the world has changed...but then again I love your patience and consistency.The voodoo sounds amazing....I bet you will have plenty of opportunities in the next 5 years to buy one.
 
congrats on another 5......$ footlong.....but you have to buy 2:mad:...how the world has changed...but then again I love your patience and consistency.The voodoo sounds amazing....I bet you will have plenty of opportunities in the next 5 years to buy one.

Thanks. I get attached to my cars and tend to keep them a long time. I really enjoy showing off my ‘94 Miata which I bought new, still sporting original top and plastic back window, paint, and interior. Still looks like new (103k miles). And of course the NSX. “It’s a 1991.” People who don’t necessarily know what it is think it is much newer than it is.
 
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