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Bisbee, Arizona: Legend of the Old West

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on January 27, 2013 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 519,137

Odometer (ILX): 25,854

Fire up the DeLorean, Doc Brown. We’re going back to 1885. Rain or shine, for this weekend’s roadtrip I decided to take the Legend out of town. Bisbee is about 210 miles away from my home in Scottsdale. It was founded as a mining town in the 1880’s and today is home to about 6,000 people (the population has remained constant since about 1950). Check out the route that my friend Josh and I took yesterday (“A” to “B”):

The Phoenix area gets an average of over 300 days of sunshine per year, yet we picked a day when it was absolutely dumping rain. I was more paranoid about getting my car dirty than anything else. The Legend is as sure-footed as ever thanks to a fresh set of Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires that were installed only 7,000 miles ago.

First stop was just north of Tucson, Arizona for some fuel and snacks.

The rain really decided to let loose right around this time. Back on Interstate 10, traffic was at a 35 mph crawl for much of the drive through metro Tucson.

Slowly the clouds parted as we made our way to Benson, Arizona where we pulled off I-10 and took Highway 80 through the towns of St. David and Tombstone. Here is a picture at the Boothill Graveyard near the entrance to Tombstone.

This was the third time my Legend has been to Tombstone – the first was back in February 2006 when I went with my friend Chris. My car had 2004 Acura TL 17″ wheels on it at the time (and only around 209,000 miles).

At that time, Chris and I parked our cars in front of the “legendary” Boothill Graveyard. Chris’ car was a 1994 L sedan automatic in Sherwood Green Metallic.

There are many more pictures from our adventure that day in the Legend forums thread here.

Continuing on Hwy 80, Josh and I made our way toward Bisbee.

Just before arriving in Bisbee on Hwy 80 from the west, we went through the Mule Pass Tunnel which was completed in 1958.

Finally, a one-lane curvy road called Tombstone Canyon Road takes us through what is now known as “Old Bisbee.”

Josh and I wandered around this area and peeked inside some of these shops, including the Bisbee Olive Oil Company that was giving out free samples.

Soon, our new friend Jason arrived. He’s the man behind the blog “Driven for Drives” which captures his ownership experience with his gorgeous silver 2004 Honda Accord V6 6-speed coupe. It has about 109,000 miles on it.

Bisbee lies only about 10 miles from the Mexican border, so we saw a lot of Border Patrol vehicles out and about. I also spotted several vehicles with Mexican license plates, including a van from the state of Sonora and another van from the state of Jalisco.

Following a coworker’s recommendation, we had lunch at a place called Santiago’s, located on the ground floor of the 1902 San Ramon Hotel. The tacos are highly recommended!

Jason, Tyson, Josh – at Santiago’s

Photo Re-Creation Experiment

The November 2012 issue of Arizona Highways Magazine had a special section with “then and now” photos from various locations in the state. The opening picture in the article was Main Street in Bisbee. This picture was taken in 1940.

The opposite page, pictured below, contained a picture from the same angle taken in 2012.

I was determined to re-create the image, so Jason and I sought out the location where it was taken.

We found it. Here again for comparison are the picture from 1940, and our picture from 2013.

And finally, a side-by-side. Thanks Aunt Jodi for putting these images together!

Spot on! It’s been 73 years. The buildings look the same, but the cars have changed.

A couple more shots that Josh took while Jason and I did a drive-by.

Next up, we took a little driving tour of town. Given Bisbee’s notoriety as a ghost town destination, tourists can even take a tour in a hearse! We opted instead to take the Legend and the Accord. Because of the steep terrain, many of these roads are one-laners (but still allowing traffic to go both directions). I feared that we might meet another vehicle head-on and have to back down this road, but traffic worked in our favor and we didn’t.

Homes and shops are built into the side of the side of the Mule Mountains.

Because of the terrain, many homes can only be reached by steps. There’s a 5-kilometer race event called the Bisbee 1,000 Stair Climb that goes up and down 1,034 stairs. The 2013 event will be held on October 19th. I might have to give this one some consideration!

A look at the Copper Queen Mine in the background of the cars here. This huge mine hasn’t produced any ore since 1975, but tours are still offered.

Copper, gold, and silver were the main ores extracted from the hills during the mining frenzy of Bisbee’s birth. One reference that I saw indicated that at one time, Bisbee had the highest population of any town located between St. Louis and San Francisco.

One of the sights I wanted to see was the Shady Dell RV Park which is located just a few miles south of Bisbee. This quaint place right off Highway 80 is a place where people can take a step back in time to the 1950’s and 1960’s and spend a night in one of 10 historic travel trailers. The “feel” here is so authentic because the owners have gone to great lengths to make it seem like a time warp. They don’t even offer wireless Internet – because “It hasn’t been invented yet.”

Thanks to Jason for this great picture of my Legend’s interior.

After parting ways, Josh and I headed back on I-10 to the Phoenix area and chased a freight train near Picacho Peak.

Hope you enjoyed the drive to Bisbee!

The March 2013 issue of Motor Trend magazine is already out, and it looks like their long-term test subject, the ILX 2.4, is doing well. Editor Mike Floyd reports that at just under 10,000 miles, the only maintenance item has been an oil change and the ILX is delivering great gas mileage.

Last night, after dinner with a few friends, as I was approaching the ILX I played around with the key fob and held the “unlock” button for more than a couple of seconds. To my surprise, all four windows and the moonroof slid open! This is a feature I definitely did not know existed before. I continue discovering things like this about my 2013 ILX. Josh spent some time behind the wheel today as we took an airport run.

We picked up a friend and his dog – “Ike” – a French bulldog. First time I’ve hauled a pet in the ILX!

Hope everyone else had a fun and adventurous weekend, too.

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Shifting Gears

Posted in ILX, Legend on January 24, 2013 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 518,703

Odometer (ILX): 25,657

Some of us drivers will never be content to let an automatic transmission change our gears for us (see “Save the Manuals“). In this blog post, I’m going to share five types of manual transmissions that strike me as unique in some way. But first, some pictures of my 2013 Acura ILX taken this afternoon my commute home.

The building seen here is the Scottsdale campus of the Mayo Clinic; it’s one of five Mayo campuses in the greater Phoenix area. I like the architecture at the front entrance to the facility which is near Shea Boulevard and 134th Street, so I pulled the ILX in there for a couple of shots.

Here’s the rundown of five fascinating gearboxes that I’ve recently learned about.

(1) Saab Sensonic. I learned this week in an article on Hooniverse that there is such a thing as a “clutch-pedal-less” manual transmission. It seems similar to the type of drivetrain we had on our family’s Yamaha Kodiak 4-wheeler back in the 1990’s: a manual gear-shift lever, but without the clutch.

From the Hooniverse write-up:

The Sensonic system is a clutch pedal-less manual. In the footwell are the pedals from an automatic Saab 900NG, but there’s a regular-looking shifter. There’s a micro switch in the gearshift that uses the clutch for you, so you just drive with your left foot on the footrest and shift normally as you go along. The system was originally deemed good enough for Saab to hastily introduce a retrofit pedal setup for Sensonic refugees to get back into regular shifting action, as the system often ground to a halt with warning lights a-popping and the shifter immovable.

How weird would it be to drive a manual as if it were an automatic? I liked how the article talked about “ghost-clutching.” More often than once in my life, I’ve slammed down on a brake pedal in an automatic car forgetting that it wasn’t a clutch.

(2) BMW’s SMG Transmission. This stands for “Sequential Manual Gearbox.” My brother had a 2002 M3 with this setup (a $2,400 option). The car was equipped with a clutch, but it was controlled by a computer. The car could be driven in fully automatic mode, or in a mode wherein gear shifts would be activated either by paddle shifters on the steering wheel or input to the shift lever in the center console. There was no clutch pedal. I still have a tough time calling this a “manual.”

Following are some pictures that we took in my hometown of St. George, Utah in December 2009. My two younger brothers have always loved their cars as much as I love mine, so the 3 of us lined up our rides for a photo-op:

Tyson’s 1994 Legend LS Coupe 6-speed: 407,000 Miles
Payton’s 2005 Subaru WRX STi 6-speed: 50,000 Miles
Bentley’s 2002 BMW M3 SMG 6-speed: 80,000 Miles

Both of my brothers have since moved into the diesel truck world and no longer have their sporty cars. More info here on how the SMG transmission operates.

(3) Mitsubishi “4×2 Super Shift” Transmission. Here’s a car with EIGHT forward gears. Back in the early 1980’s (and up until 1990), Mitsubishi offered a transmission that operated a bit like a bicycle’s on its Tredia and Cordia models. The transmission had four gears, but also two secondary gears – Power and Economy. Two gear shift levers — did this car require 3 hands to drive?

From the Wiki page:

In practice, it was very difficult to use all 8 forward speeds in sequence as every second change required movement of both gear levers at the same time – something which was almost impossible without using both hands. Many owners settled on using the transmission in low ‘Power’ mode the majority of the time, and only using the secondary selector to select high ‘Economy’ mode when in 4th gear, effectively creating a 5th gear from 4th ‘high’.

(3) 2014 Corvette 7-speed Transmission. SEVEN gears; that’s right! The C7 Corvette was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, and in the perpetual quest for “more is better,” Chevy has followed suit with Porsche in now offering a seventh gear in its manual transmission-equipped cars. This will mean great fuel economy from a 6.2 liter V8.

My friend Matt was at the Barrett-Jackson auction here in Scottsdale, Arizona this past Saturday night, January 19th 2013 when the first C7 (VIN 0001) was sold for $1,050,000 to Rick Hendrick. Interesting to note that the below pictured car that rolled across the auction block is in fact NOT the vehicle that Rick will get. This is a show car. Rick’s will be custom built to his specifications at Chevy’s Bowling Green, Kentucky production facility later this year.

(4) Three-on-the-tree. I really want to try driving a vehicle with a steering column-mounted shifter sometime. My grandpa’s old 1950 Buick Special had one of these. Here are a few of the old pictures that we have of his car.

What a boat this thing must have been to drive!

Straight-8 engine (248 cubic inches): 110 horsepower
Transmission: 3-speed column shift; synchro-mesh in 2nd and 3rd
Weight: 3,655 pounds
Base price: $1,856

I love the toothy grille and rare “Jetback” / fastback bodystyle. Someday I will own and drive one of these classic Buicks. The last picture here was taken during grandma and grandpa’s honeymoon.

(5) Acura 6-speed Manuals. I love how low the Legend revs on the freeway (fewer than 2,500 RPM at 80 mph). The following is a chart from page 134 of the owner’s manual entitled “Maximum Speeds”. Notice that the car is capable of 125 mph in fourth gear and still has two gears to spare!

The ILX 6-speed is one of the smoothest shifters I’ve ever driven. My friend Sivaram, who drove a Legend 6-speed for 10 years, says the thing he misses the most about being in an Acura (he now drives Audi) is the smoothness of his shifter and the fact that he could change gears with just the effort of a pinky finger. I love the ILX’s “hill start assist” feature that prevents the car from rolling back when it’s on a hill. Though, it keeps me from being able to demonstrate my fancy footwork!

Memory Lane

I ran across some old pictures that I wanted to scan and share. It was around 2002 when I first saw a high-mileage Acura that inspired me. It was this 1987 Acura Integra LS with 5-speed manual. My friend Israel located in Vista, California had this one:

It had 320,000 miles on the odometer and ran great. I wonder if it’s still on the road, 10 years later?

Anyone In The Market?

My last couple of blog entries have featured ads for Legends for sale from various parts of the country. Here’s a needle-in-a-haystack kind of find: Very nice Legend LS coupe 6-speed with only 42,000 miles (that’s only 2,200 per year!). It’s finished in Milano Red with the Ivory (Type F) interior. Somebody in the Minneapolis area needs to pick this beauty up.

Today we’re getting some much-needed rain in Scottsdale, Arizona, but the ILX was sure footed and capable. Pulling out of a Burger King drive-thru in the ILX at lunch, I read this sign as “Thank Come You Again.”

In other parts of the country, winter weather is taking its toll on cars. A friend shared with me this photo page which captures some of the devastation caused by today’s icy rain in Salt Lake City, Utah. Anybody notice the 2nd generation Legend in the picture?

And another. This looks to have been a pretty nice 1990 Legend L coupe before the accident.

Stay safe out there!

This weekend, I’ll be time-traveling to an historic 1880’s mining town in southeastern Arizona called Bisbee. Tune in for the write-up in a few days!

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Legend Drive: Casa Grande Ruins in Coolidge, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on January 18, 2013 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 518,624

Odometer (ILX): 25,497

What started as just a little Sunday drive to get the 5W30 blood flowing through the old Legend’s heart ended up being a 105-mile, 2 hour drive. I visited some 700-year-old ruins from an ancient civilization that once bustled in the middle of the desert between (the areas now known as) Phoenix and Tucson. Yes, 700 years! The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is a 472-acre site that is home to ruins dating back to the 1300’s.

Sunny skies, open roads, and 50 degree temperatures had me itching to spend a few minutes behind the wheel, even though I’d just driven to Sedona and back in ILX the day prior. So, the old Legend cranked into action and we rolled eastbound on I-10 toward the exit for Arizona Highway 387 north.

The ruins are just outside the town of Coolidge. It was $5 to enter the site.

Pictured behind the leftmost Saguaro cactus (and just below that sun flare) is the biggest structure on the site — a once 4-story building known as Casa Grande (Spanish for “big house”).

I didn’t check out the 20-minute video in the visitor center but instead made my way directly to the ruins themselves.

A model inside the museum shows what the Casa Grande looked like when it was built around 1350 A.D.

This is what it looked like in 1880.

According to one of the interpretive signs, in 1892, this area was designated as a federal preserve and a custodian was hired to safeguard the ruins. In order to slow the inevitable erosion and decay of the ruins, in 1932 a massive roof was constructed over the ruins.

This location is the site of the first known civilization in Arizona. Multiple buildings once stood here surrounding an oval court which is believed to have been a place for community activities for the Hohogam people. Hohogam translates to “those who have gone.”

Certain features of the Casa Grande ruins align with the belief that this was a prehistoric observatory. Certain openings/windows in the structure align with various notable times of the year, like a window at the upper left corner of the west wall that aligns with the setting sun on the summer solstice (June 21).

“If these walls could talk,” what would they tell us?

I peeked inside the gated-off entrance and snapped a picture looking upward.

“Compound A” is captured below with a small house in the foreground and the big house in the background. From one of the signs:

Imagine the scene in the early 1300s: People are working; grinding corn, cooking meals, weaving baskets, making clothing and pottery, and going to and from the fields outside the compound.

It’s not clear why the Hohogam people departed from this community in the 1400s.

From the Casa Grande monument, I went down the street to grab some fuel and a beverage at Circle K. Premium ran $3.33 / gallon (mom – this one’s for you – I know that’s your favorite number!).

The surprise was inside the store, where I learned that this my friend Rosalinda works there! She was on the clock. I’ve known Rosalinda and her husband Mark for many years now because of their Acura ownership — I met them at a Legend meet locally. In fact, their wedding day itself was a meet. Here’s the happy couple pictured in front of the 1989 sedan and my 1994 coupe back in May, 2009.

Awhile back, Rosalinda sold her 1989 Legend L sedan and picked up a 1995 Miata Special Edition instead. It’s a whole different driving feel!

Rosalinda gave me the keys to her Miata and I took it around the block. I didn’t want to give those keys back. It sure made my Legend feel like a yacht.

Thanks for the test drive!

Here are some of the pictures that my friend Beau took on last weekend’s Sedona drive:

My friends and I checked out the Barrett-Jackson auto auction this week. Each January, this auction brings around 1,400 high-end and classic cars to Scottsdale to be auctioned off (list here). Among some of the notable rides, I saw the Batmobile (learned that it was actually built on the frame of a 1955 Lincoln Futura).

They also had one of two 1968 Dodge Chargers that were used in the movie The Fast And The Furious, and a truly immaculate YUGO. I never thought it would be possible to see a vehicle with both the motor and the spare tire sandwiched inside the front engine compartment until I saw that beauty. Sadly, I didn’t see anything from Honda or Acura.

Here I am with a 1956 Buick that had fewer than 6,000 original miles on it. That paint is factory original!

Here’s the F&F car:

And a 1981 Zimmer.

Doesn’t it make you think of Cruella DeVille?

My mom’s in town for this weekend’s Rock & Roll Arizona Half-Marathon. While it’s 1 degree Fahrenheit in her hometown, she’s been sitting by the pool and soaking in 72 degree rays here in Scottsdale. The ILX made a great loaner car for her. “That shifter is fun!” she said.

Looking for a used Legend? For $2,200, buy a $43,000 car! This is one example of a Legend for sale in Missouri that’s outfitted with just about every factory accessory that was available in 1994:

I spy:

Cornering lights (rare!)
Fog lights
Gold accent grille
Gold emblems
Moonroof visor
Mud guards
Rear wing spoiler
Factory cell phone (rear window-mounted antenna)
Floor mats

Fully loaded. I like!

For the latest in ILX reviews, check this latest by Autoblog.

Sounds like overall they’ve got a lot of positive feedback on the car.

Acura’s reboot of the near-premium compact car might not be as enthusiast-oriented as the old Integra, but rather than attempting to recreate what has become an iconic model, Acura has focused on offering a broader range of model choices, which ought to help attract more new buyers to the brand whether they are stepping up from a Honda or trading in another luxury make. With its limited scope (one powertrain and no options), we’re not sure what chords the ILX 2.4 will strike with consumers, but we just can’t knock a car that brings a luxuriously appointed sporty sedan to the sub-$30,000 price bracket.

Have a great weekend!

5 Comments »

Birthday Bash #31

Posted in ILX, Legend on December 30, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 518,130

Odometer (ILX): 23,729

That sunset is for real! Just one of the many reasons I love Arizona.

Some of the greatest people drive Acuras! Six years ago, I met a guy named Sivaram when I transported a 1994 Legend GS 6-speed from San Francisco to Las Vegas for some friends in Georgia. I never thought that I’d keep in touch with Sivaram but over the years we’ve corresponded via email. He happened to be vacationing for Christmas in the Phoenix area so I invited him to stop by the house this week.

December 17, 2006

December 25, 2012

I turned him loose behind the wheel of the Legend. He admitted it had been a number of years since he’d driven a stick shift vehicle, but he quickly got comfortable and handled it like a pro. In fact, he prided himself on the ability to shift the car with just one finger. That’s how smooth this Legend’s gearbox operates, even after all those miles.

My friend Ryan was in town from northern Utah for a couple of days. Ryan’s owned a few Acuras but currently drives a Honda S2000. His most recent Legend was a 1994 GS sedan 6-speed. We got together in May 2010 at the Utah State University campus in Logan, Utah for a few pictures of our cars together. My Legend had 420,000 miles on it.

Ryan sold his car last year. This was one of his last pics of it:

But I let him take my sedan for a spin so he could re-live the experience.

And we grabbed some In-N-Out Burger on our way to the airport.

Thanks, Ryan, for the visit and for washing the ILX while I was at work on Wednesday! That was a real surprise!

It’s been nonstop company at the house this month. My dad and stepmom arrived on Wednesday night.

I’ve always wanted to take a hot air balloon ride, so Friday morning I fulfilled that wish on my 31st birthday! My stepmom Tanya and I headed to North Phoenix near the Deer Valley airport in the Legend, arriving at 7:00 a.m. for our sunrise flight with Rainbow Ryders.

Fun facts:

During our 1 hour, 16 minute flight time, we traveled 7.9 miles
Our highest elevation was 7,200 feet (1.4 miles) above the ground. Temperatures were chilly up there!
Our pilot gave a demonstration with a business card. He threw it out of our basket during descent. A business card falls at 800 feet per minute. At that time, we were falling at 900 feet per minute so we were actually able to watch ourselves leave the falling card above us! It really is tough to grasp the fact that you’re descending, and especially at that rate!
The air was so clear that at our highest point, we were able to look toward the north and see the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona which are 135 miles away.
Our pilot, Taylor, had been flying for 12 years. He told us that commercial certification requires 30 hours of flight time.

Our basket held 12 people.

It got colder at the higher elevations. Pictures can’t effectively convey just how huge these balloons are up close!

Great view from up there. It was interesting to be able to look into peoples’ yards. Dogs were barking at us. A few homeowners stepped outside to wave at us. Since the balloon is silent when it’s “coasting,” we could even yell down to the people on the ground and tell them good morning!

Certificate of completion!

Here’s a short video I took with my phone while mid-flight.

We dined at one of my favorite local restaurant chains, Oregano’s Pizza Bistro. I’d highly recommend the Big Rig pasta with chicken — and no meal at Oregano’s is complete without a chocolate chip half-baked pizza cookie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Quick shot with my dad and the ILX. This guy taught me everything I know about how to take care of a vehicle.

Dinner with friends & family at Kona Grill / City North in Phoenix.

When my dad drove down to Phoenix on Wednesday, he brought my old N-Scale train set. My grandma and I put this masterpiece together back in 1996 when I was 14-15 years old. It has paper mache mountains, a resin lake, two tunnels, and even illuminated buildings in the “town” (which I named Tysonville). I dug out the diesel locomotive to see if it still worked. Sure enough! Looks like I was putting miles on toy train sets long before I was driving the wheels off a car.

The ILX and the sedan got a bath yesterday morning, and the ILX was also treated to a one-step Meguiar’s cleaner / wax thanks to some help from my dad.

The ILX also got its leather treated with “Leather Care,” a product by Griot’s Garage.

Met up at lunch with my friend Jeremy who’s driving his “new” (to him) 2006 Honda Accord coupe V6 6-speed. He picked up this car in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday morning and he was in Scottsdale, Arizona (nearly 1,500 miles away) the following night. This guy puts on miles like I do!

Really clean Accord, and it’s a fun car to drive too. It’s got just over 114,000 miles on the odometer and still has an extended warranty to 120,000.

A fitting headline for my blog on the cover of this Sports Car Market magazine:

Hope all my readers enjoy their New Year celebrations!

11 Comments »

Tucson Trip: Josh’s Acura Integra

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Reader's Ride on December 20, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 517,831

Odometer (ILX): 22,228

Is there such a thing as too much speed? If there is, then my buddy Josh is pushing the limits.

He’s got a car that in my mind is the ultimate “sleeper.” From the outside, it’s your standard 1995 Acura Integra LS coupe with a lowered suspension and some custom wheels. Big whoop, right? That’s until you peek under the hood or sit inside while it wickedly rumbles at idle. This car gets up and goes. In fact, under acceleration there’s so much power that the tires can’t even grip. Josh had to “feather” the gas pedal to prevent it from breaking loose entirely through all the gears when he took me for a ride. I’d get myself into major trouble with a car like that.

For my Sunday drive this past weekend, I drove about 130 miles each way from Scottsdale to Tucson, Arizona in the Legend.

The ILX took a break and chilled out at home.

The I-10 corridor between Phoenix and Tucson is a critical piece of infrastructure because it connects the two largest metropolitan areas of Arizona. According to a 2008 AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic) study, I-10 sees over 1/4 million cars a day in Phoenix and over 200,000 a day in Tucson. As of October 2012, there are now advanced discussions taking place regarding the implementation of a passenger rail system between the two cities.

Here we see the back side of the Santa Catalina Mountains that border the north side of Tucson. One of these peaks is Mount Lemmon, home to a particularly fun 25-mile curvy road that I drove with the ILX in August of this year.

Premium fuel was only $3.27 at the Chevron on Valencia Road in Tucson!

On the way to Josh’s place I drove past the Pima Air & Space Museum. This airplane graveyard of sorts is 80 acres of parking for 300 aircraft. For airplane geeks, this is probably like Disneyland. There’s an SR-71 Blackbird among other notable aircraft on display. The next time I’ve got a few minutes I’ll plunk down the $15.50 admission and take a gander.

Here’s Josh – it’s not a very flattering pic of either of us! This guy’s a big Honda / Acura fan, though. His first project car was a Civic hatchback.

Finally I got to take a look at this Taffeta White beast of Josh’s.

Believe it or not, this car started out life as an automatic transmission 1995 Integra LS.

Those are Honda S2000 seats in there!

Here are the tech specs, per Josh:

84.5mm Darton Sleeved B18A1 bottom end
JE Pistons
Manley Rods
OEM Honda B18A1 Crank
OEM Honda B16 Head Ported by Endyn
Skunk 2 Pro-1 Camshafts (nice lope)
Supertech Valves
Supertech Titanium Valvesprings
Supertech Titanium Retainers
72mm Throttle Body
Edelbrock Victor X Intake Manifold
1000cc Injectors
Walbro 450 liter/hr Fuel Pump
GSR Transmission w/Quaife LSD
Full Race Manifold with a Garrett 3076R with Tial BOV and Tial Wastegate.

The Integra runs on E85 and makes 450 horsepower on 16 pounds of boost. Based on my experience in the passenger seat, those 450 horses are all very much alive and kicking. I’m glad I used the restroom before taking a ride.

Thanks, Josh, for letting me take a look at this one-of-a-kind Acura and feature it on the blog!

Have any other Legend fans out there seen this $18,000 Legend GS 6-speed with 98k miles on it in the San Francisco Bay Area? Wow.

More on the racecar ILX that Team Honda Racing – West put together: This is a really great write-up on the the Acura ILX competing at the Thunderhill endurance (25-hour-long) race event in California a couple of weeks ago, written by racecar driver Edward Sandstrom from Switzerland who was one of 5 individuals who spent time behind the wheel. He’s 2nd from the right here (photo by Larry Chen).

ILX Type-S? In our dreams. Actually, though a Type-S package isn’t offered by Acura for the ILX, one Dallas-based dealership has taken the opportunity to create their own. Looks like this one’s outfitted with blacked-out (plasti-dipped?) Premium 17″ wheels, the OEM under-body kit, and a red Type-S badge on the decklid. Thanks, Jeff, for sending!

Even though it won’t be a “white” Christmas for me here in Scottsdale, the season is still very much in full swing. I wonder what I was asking Santa Claus for when I sat on his lap 27 years ago! Toy cars, no doubt.

Last week I went to a holiday concert featuring skilled pianist Nicole Pesce. She’s got talent like you can’t believe! This is one of my faves by her, though it’s not Christmas-related. Nobody gets into the spirit of the season more wholeheartedly than my friend Chuck. His home is always decked out to the max, and he even has a nightly “light show” that’s synchronized to music. You’ll see in this picture Chuck’s 1993 Acura Legend LS coupe (just 30,000 miles young) and his wife’s SC300.

A video taken from the driver’s seat of the ILX while tuned into Chuck’s FM radio station.

This was “too” memorable to miss as a photo opportunity.

And a chance meeting at the grocery store parking lot with a cousin (2006 TSX).

Grab some ‘nog and hit the road this weekend. I’m off to southern Utah tomorrow after work, so the ILX will get some road time.

Later!

5 Comments »

Legend EGR Maintenance

Posted in Legend, Maintenance on December 15, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 517,488

Odometer (ILX): 21,846

Holidays are in full swing! I saw a blue Civic sedan in the parking lot at work this week with antlers and a red nose on its grille, and a coworker gave me a PEZ dispenser as an early Christmas gift. It seemed fitting to let everyone know what it takes to motivate me to get things done at the office, so a colleague made me a sign for my cubicle:

My workplace is pretty excited about Acura. Yesterday I parked next to one of my favorite Acuras of all time – a 2007-2009 TL Type-S in brilliant Kinetic Blue Pearl paint finish (rare color). This car when equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission is a total dream.

A very appropriate song for me came on the radio while I was commuting home through Fountain Hills, Arizona this week.

Over the last few hundred thousand miles, one recurring issue I’ve had with the high mileage Legend is a check engine light for a fault in the EGR – exhaust gas recirculation – system (“code 12”). Performance has always been unaffected but the light will illuminate on longer highway drives after an hour or or two on the road. Legends are notorious for having clogged EGR systems so I went and and ordered a brand new EGR pipe, along with an EGR valve itself, and had them installed by Wes at Highline Import Auto.

My friend Marc in NJ who has two mint-condition Legend coupes performed the same maintenance on his recently. Except, Marc’s cars have just a fraction of the miles that mine does. This is the EGR pipe that was pulled from Marc’s 60,000 mile 1994 LS coupe.

Here are the factory parts that I provided to Wes for this maintenance:

Somehow mine wasn’t even bad at all! This is a picture of the one that was removed. Back at 434,740 miles I had it cleaned out so maybe that’s why it doesn’t look too bad.

Wes also noted that the clutch hydraulic hose had sprung a leak so he took care of that well. He calls the Legend “Ol’ Besty.” Well, Betsy is back to top notch now.

ILX News Bits

Word on the street is that there could potentially be some changes coming up with regard to the available drivetrain configurations of the ILX. Here’s a news article that discusses the possibility of implementing the 2.4 liter 201-horsepower engine in the automatic transmission cars (instead of the current 2.0 liter, 150-horsepower variant). This would be a big change since the automatics are the volume leader when compared to manuals and hybrids.

The reviews keep coming in. Here’s a test-drive by Motoring TV.

Sometimes, the overseas cars get all the goodies. In the Legend world, everyone loves importing special JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) one-piece headlight / corner lights and other things that weren’t offered in North America. Revealed recently, the Chinese version of the ILX appears to have some neat features too that we won’t see here. This car has clear colored turn signals in the headlight housings, turn signal indicators on the mirrors, and special taillamps with a clear/amber section in the lower half. I want a set of those!

Here’s a video advertisement of the Chinese ILX as well:

Remember the “Endurance Racer” ILX that appeared at the SEMA show in Las Vegas last month? The 25-hour race took place last weekend and the Team Honda Research-West ended up in 5th place, but also set the fastest race lap in the class. Congratulations to the THR-W crew!

My little Silver Moon racecar got some fun wet-weather driving the last couple of days as we’re getting some rare rain here in Scottsdale. We only get about 8 inches of rain per year (and thus the reason we’re known for over 300 days of sunshine per year) so when it does come, everyone gets excited about it. Seattle, by comparison, gets 38 inches. I may or may not have intentionally swerved into a puddle yesterday on the way into work. The ILX is as sure-footed as can be thanks to its Michelin footwear.

In closing, if you’re a Honda fan you’ll enjoy stopping by Driven for Drives, a blog by my new friend Jason from New Mexico. The site is dedicated to (as his header states) documenting Jason’s “Life with his 7th Gen Accord.” You’ll see that since he picked up his 2004 Accord Coupe in August of this year, he’s already made some substantial upgrades and enhancements. I’m subscribed for further updates! Thanks to Jason for reaching out.

9 Comments »

11-11-12

Posted in ILX, Legend on November 11, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 18,628

Odometer (Legend): 516,913

Tonight I drove 140 miles round trip for a medium strawberry malt at DQ. Typical! I needed to stretch my highway legs a bit so I met up with my friend Will there. He lives in Tucson and drives a 2011 Camaro. Picacho Peak’s DQ, right off Interstate 10, seemed like a logical midpoint between the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

And the malt was worth it.

The Legend is running great but did give me a check engine light on the return leg. I suspect (in fact, I’m almost entirely sure) it’s related to a “code 12” (EGR system) fault. The EGR system on this car has been serviced regularly but I think it might be time for another check-up. The car still ran great!

Tunnel Bucket List

As a follow-up to the Road Bucket List that I put together a month or two ago, I also have a fascination with tunnels and bridges.

Check out this link for a list of some of the coolest places I’d love to take my Acuras.

Another one that didn’t make the Jalopnik top 10 list is the Gotthard Road Tunnel. At 10.2 miles long, at one time it was the longest tunnel in the world. It’s now in 3rd place. Guess it’s time to get my passport renewed and research car-shipping methods!

Alaska Round Two?!

I received an email this week that had the wheels in my mind spinning much like the wheels on my Acuras do. Back in 2006, my longest-ever road trip in the 1994 Legend was from Phoenix, Arizona to Fairbanks, Alaska – totaling around 7,600 miles round trip.

Upon arrival in Fairbanks that May (and unaware beforehand of exactly what types of vehicle services would be available there) I was happy to find a Honda dealership. Well, technically it was a Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Scion, Kia, Mazda dealership! Kendall Auto changed the oil on my Legend before my dad and I started the return leg of our adventure. I hadn’t heard from this dealership for years, until receiving this follow-up email this week entitled “Exclusive Savings for your Legend.”

Maybe it’s time to grab a current copy of the Milepost and start trip planning. Roll up there in the ILX, re-create some of the routes I took in the Legend? Who’s down for a carpool or caravan? Here’s what rush hour looked like on the Alaska Highway for us back in 2006. Traffic was pretty intense!

Welcoming A New Half-Million Miler

Back in July, I met Steve Stone who drives a black 1963 Corvette with a lot of miles and a lot of history. At the time, his car had 487,000 on it.

I extend to Steve my congratulations on hitting 500,000 miles in his car this year! Following is an excerpt from an update I received from him a couple of days ago:

We still needed around 1,000 miles to turn the half million mile mark, so this last week we went to Ely, MN and back. We turned the half million mile mark on Wisconsin highway 12, just south of I-90, I-94 and the Wisconsin Dells. This year we have traveled the Vette around 20,000 miles (so far) and visited 27 of the lower 48 states. We also attended numerous shows and car events.

ILX News & Weekend Updates

The results are in, and the ILX gets 5 stars in crash tests! Pretty nice performance there.

This weekend I hosted a couple of friends who were visiting from out of town. My friend Scott from Dallas was one of them. I met Scott during a cross-country NALM road trip in the Legend in mid-2011 and he attended the Drive to Five celebration last November.

Saturday was car clean-up day. Matt did a detail on the 2012 370Z and Jeremy worked on his 2006 GX470 while the ILX looked on and waited its turn.

Weather was unusually cool for this time of year with highs in the low 60’s. We took a hike up “A” Mountain – also referred to as Tempe Butte. This 1,500-foot elevation hill has a giant yellow A painted on the side in support of Tempe-based Arizona State University (ASU). (This picture pulled from Google Images)

The hike only took 15 minutes but afforded us some great views from the summit.

There’s a jokester in every crowd.

Jeremy raced us back to the trailhead and pulled the ILX around to pick us up.

First time this ILX has had 5 people in it! A tight squeeze for a compact car, especially considering that Jeremy (driver’s seat) is 6’6″ tall. But, Jeremy still was able to get comfortable and he commented on his approval of the smooth-shifting manual transmission. With temps having dipped down a bit, we also put the seat heaters to use. The ILX shuttled us around in comfort AND style.

Sending Scott on his way at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport this morning. Come back to visit soon.

Happy Veterans Day to my readers, and may your holiday travels be safe and scenic.

6 Comments »

Help find a stolen Legend!

Posted in Legend on November 6, 2012 by tysonhugie

Special Request Post!

Back in February 2004, I took one of my first big road trips in the Legend to a meet in San Francisco, California of 28 Acura Legends (a record, in its time).

Road conditions in the Reno/Tahoe area left my (then 126,000-mile) Legend pretty dirty.

But a trip to the coin-op wash and I was ready for the meet.

Lots of great people there, including Margaret with her LS 6-speed.

And Keith, with his Milano Red beauty.

A stop at Acura of Pleasanton (this one’s for you, Adam).

I interacted with a lot of great people at the meet – including Sara who had an immaculate 1995 Legend LS coupe 6-speed in Granada Black exterior and Ivory interior. A few days ago on November 3rd 2012, Sara’s car was stolen from a residence in the San Francisco Bay Area. The search is on. I know this blog reaches Legend owners and enthusiasts from around the nation so if anyone recognizes her car, do advise us. Here are some details she provided:

One piece JDM Headlights
VIN: JH4KA81700SC000547
California License Plate: 168 SJ
Airhorns
Limo tint
Factory 16″ GS wheels
Completely stock except for stereo upgrades

Here is a picture of her car.

To my readers from all over and specifically the Bay Area, please be on the lookout. The Legend enthusiast community is small so there’s a good chance someone out there might see and recognize this car. Follow this link for instructions that Sara provided on notifying the authorities or leaving an anonymous tip.

Thanks for your help on getting this car back to its owner!

3 Comments »

A Meet, Some Maintenance, and a Magazine Feature

Posted in Legend, Maintenance on October 25, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 516,358

Odometer (ILX): 17,284

Twenty three years ago, Drive to Five looked a little different. I was writing about cars at age 8, but my entries were a bit shorter. This old 2nd grade notebook surfaced the other night.

Some things never change. It makes me feel a little better about my obsession with Acura when I interact with other folks who are just as crazy as I am.

It was high time the local Arizona Legend-ers got together for a meet-up since the last time this happened was in April 2011. This past weekend I attended a lunch gathering in Tempe with some fellow enthusiasts. It just so happened that everyone who showed up was driving a 2nd Generation (1991-1995) Legend coupe.

Left to right in the above picture:

Gabriel: 1992 Legend LS coupe 5-speed, 3.5 Liter
Spencer: 1994 Legend LS coupe 6-speed, 3.2 Liter Type II
Chuck: 1993 Legend LS coupe 6-speed, 3.2 Liter Type II
Jason: 1994 Legend LS coupe 6-speed, 3.2 Liter Type II
Jordan: 1991 Legend L coupe automatic, 3.2 Liter Type I
Tyson: 1994 Legend LS coupe 6-speed, 3.2 Liter Type II

Gabriel’s interior

Stock 500k miler here!

Jordan shows some of his custom work under the hood.

Gabriel’s motor was transplanted from a 2006 Acura 3.5 RL

The mileage on Chuck’s Sirius White Pearl coupe is just over 30,000. Remarkable for a 19-year-old vehicle! He and I definitely had today’s records locked down for lowest and highest mileage at a single Legend meet.

Over the weekend I also visited my friend Ari. He knows every nut and bolt of a Legend, and he recently picked up a project car. This Milano Red 1993 LS coupe 6-speed only has a little over 200,000 miles on the odometer, but it appears to have lived a pretty rough life!

Brace yourselves for a look at the interior!

A little bit of leather conditioner ought to have those looking brand new again.

Remarkably, it still starts and runs great – and the A/C is ice cold!

Brake Work

I’ve had some amazing luck with my old Legend when it comes to brakes. Miraculously I was able to squeeze over 200k out of a set of pads thanks to careful driving and nearly all highway travel. Here is everything that’s been done to the car related to brakes:

5/15/1997 – 34,832 miles – Machine front rotors
1/7/1999 – 54,400 miles – Replace brake master cylinder cap & switch
9/2/1999 – 62,675 miles – Replace rear brake pads
7/25/2001 – 80,000 miles – Replace brake master cylinder
5/7/2005 – 169,155 miles – Replace front and rear brake pads
8/3/2006 – 237,592 miles – Replace front and rear brake pads
10/5/2010 – 443,245 miles – Brake fluid flush including ABS
11/20/2010 – 449,904 miles – Replace front brake pads
12/7/2010 – 452,466 miles – Replace rear brake pads
9/21/2011 – 495,693 miles – Machine front rotors
10/23/2012 – 516,346 miles – Replace front brake pads & rotors

Fresh OEM rotors and pads thanks to my friend Wes at Highline Import Auto in Mesa, Arizona.

At my request, Wes also saved the original rotors that lasted 516,346 miles. They were well worn out. I got a lot of vibration and feedback through the steering wheel when braking at speed. They’d been refinished twice and there was no way they could’ve been refinished a third time.

Side 1

Side 2

Here’s a summary of what ALL my post-500k maintenance has included (screen shot from my maintenance spreadsheet):

Finally, I decided it was time to ditch the worn out original key to the car. It’s so smooth that it’s difficult to turn in the ignition sometimes unless you get it just right. I had a brand new OEM key that works perfectly, so I replaced the old one. Compare the new and the old!

Acura Style Magazine Feature

“Inspiration for the way ahead” is the tagline under the title of this publication that’s been around since almost as long as the Acura brand itself. I remember reading the magazine when it was called Acura Driver back in the 1990’s (and still have a handful of issues from that era). The Fall/Winter 2012 issue’s “Insider” section on page 60 features an article about my Acura addiction and a picture of my ILX and the Legend coupe.

Upcoming Travels

Next week I’ll be heading to the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s all about cars! Each year’s show is all about showcasing the latest trends in the automotive aftermarket industry. I learned that the Acura ILX race cars will be on display there so I look forward to getting a close look! I’ve been following the build of these cars since they were announced earlier this year by Team Honda Racing-West.

Now THAT looks like a fun ride. But for now, I’m perfectly content with my bone-stock ILX!

Even used my seat heaters for the first time today during a chilly (for us Arizonans!) 55 degree morning commute.

Over and out!

8 Comments »

Friday Flashback: AZ Route 66

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip, Throwback on September 14, 2012 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 14,765

I love roads and maps as much as I love cars. I could (and do) stare at the huge US map in my cubicle at work for hours daydreaming about the places I’d love to visit. I remember as a kid riding with my grandpa in his silver Buick Park Avenue with digital speedometer and seeing him set the cruise control exactly at 65 miles per hour on Interstate 15 in Utah. It took a very long time to get to our destination 400 miles away at the other end of the state.

My friend Tony from Toronto sent me a link discussing some of the “World’s Fastest Roads.” I found it fitting that the Bonneville Salt Flats were included in the list. I first visited the Bonneville Salt Flats in November 2005 when my Legend (at the time, sporting 2004 Acura TL wheels) had 195,000 miles on it.

For the most part, I’m a very conservative driver and that’s one of the reasons why I think my Legend has lasted as long as it has. However, every once in awhile I do get the need for speed. I’ve raced the car twice in competitive events. I’ve already shared before that there’s a stretch of Interstate 15 in central Utah that has sections posted at 80 mph. As many may know, Texas recently raised the speed limit to 85 miles per hour on a 41-mile stretch of a toll road between Austin and San Antonio. That’s quick! What does the future hold for our speed limits?

My friend Tyler shared the following video with me this week. I love Depeche Mode and I love Route 66, so I figured it was worth sharing! Many of the scene locations shown in this video are familiar to me.

Many of you who followed my travels in July to Milwaukee and back will remember that I visited a bunch of Route 66 destinations along the way in my ILX, like this National Route 66 museum in Elk City, Oklahoma.

However, this was far from the first time I’ve retraced this historic road’s route. So thanks, Tyler, for inspiring today’s Friday Flashback. Here is a look at a road trip that I took in March 2007 when my 1994 Legend had about 280,000 miles on it. My friend Kevin came along for the ride (and in fact played the role of tour guide most of the way).

A coworker and I decided to take a road trip today to the northwestern part of the state to hit up some old touristy destinations off Historic Route 66. The main goal was to visit a small old mining town called Oatman, which was made largely obsolete with the construction of I-40 to the south. With the freeway, no longer did people have to go through Oatman to get to California, and the town has been mostly unchanged for several decades.

One of the first stops, just outside Bouse, Arizona, was Ma & Pa’s. They really did have almost anything!

Then we stopped in Lake Havasu City, where the London Bridge is now located.

Then it was off to Needles, California – a quiet railroad town that didn’t have much to offer.

Finally we headed toward Oatman on old Route 66. It’s a windy two-laner and the routing has been unchanged since the road was first put through in the 1920’s.

You can tell these guardrails are ancient.

Starting to go up the hill toward Oatman.

Oatman is where I put the red dot in the western part of the state, in the middle of the “U” that I-40 makes.

Here is some basic background history on the town. They still to this day have wild donkeys walking all over the streets (you really have to watch your step or you’ll end up with a mess on your shoes). People buy carrots at the souvenir shops to feed them. There was a gunfight reenactment while we were there! You can see in some of the pictures that there are people dressed up like cowboys.

Pulling up to main street.

We went inside the Oatman Hotel (1902) to check it out. The building looks like it’s straight out of 1910 inside, old and run down but it’s awesome to see how the old hotels were. This particular hotel had a lot of history since Clark Gable spent his honeymoon there. Here’s the view going upstairs to the rooms.

Hotel history.

View from inside the hotel looking out toward main street.

The bar in the hotel has walls and ceilings COVERED with $1 bills. I would guess several thousand $ worth.

Here’s a look at main street Oatman. The hotel you see pictured there is the one we went inside.

Since there are so many wild burros around town, there are a lot of shops with “ass” incorporated into the title. This was one of my faves:

Leaving Oatman, the road starts up some very serious grades. Back in the 1940’s and 50’s, the cars had difficulty making it up. In fact, I picked up a reprint of a 1946 Guide Book to Highway 66, and it has the following quote about the steep grades:

“For eastbound cars which cannot make the Gold Hill Grade, a filling station in Goldroad offers a tow truck which will haul your car to the summit. At last inquiry their charge was $3.50, but may be higher. Cars with trailers may need this service.”

I thought that was funny… People would pay $3.50 to have their cars towed to the top of this summit. Luckily the Legend crested the hill just fine.

This is part of Route 66 from a viewpoint. There were some very tight hairpins and switchbacks but we were never able to pull off to get a photograph of those.

Route 66 here in the background behind the coupe.

Just after Sitgraves Summit, 66 drops down sharply in elevation and the next noteworthy roadside attraction is Cool Springs. This little gas station actually burned down in 1968. All that was left of it for about the next 30 years were the front rock pillars. Then in 2003, it was rebuilt. They no longer sell gas but they do sell a lot of souvenirs.

Hope you enjoyed the drive! It was about 12 hours worth today.

OH – and one more thing…

I’ll give you one guess why I bought this postcard in Oatman!! 🙂

Those with a keen eye for Acuras will notice the blue 1986-1988 Acura Legend sedan parked behind the yellow pickup truck. That was a great drive! It’s one that I’d like to take again soon in the ILX so see if any of the infrastructure has changed in the last 5 years.

ILX News – Top Safety Pick

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2013 ILX its top rating of GOOD for its ability to protect vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance. Awesome!

I’d like to know if there are any updates to the Project Acura ILX being built for competition by Team Honda Racing – West at the Honda Performance Development HQ in Santa Clarita, CA. I’ve been watching the THR-W blog but haven’t seen anything since the announcement in July.

This week, my ILX got its 3rd oil change on 0W20 synthetic oil. At the time when I took it in, the oil life remaining still read 60% on the Maintenance Minder display, but it had been 5,173 miles since my last appointment on August 7th. Acura of Tempe took care of it in short order.

Whilst enjoying amenities of the customer lounge, I took a look at the ILX that’s currently sitting where my Legend coupe was a couple of weeks ago. It happened to be a Crystal Black Pearl 2.0 automatic with the Tech package. The VIN ended in 000096, so this car rolled off the Indiana production line just 14 cars after mine did! This car may very well have been transported to Arizona on the same truck that mine was.

And Lastly

I decided to check on my rooftop durability test fleet. Just over a month ago, I sprayed the 6 test vehicles with a concentrated salt spray solution to see how the finishes stand up to the ultimate corrosion evaluation. See for yourself!

The Maserati 3200 GT has turned pink.