Posted in Reader's Ride on April 6, 2014 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 529,120
Odometer (ILX): 73,359
The ultimate in Touring Luxury, this is one TL that’s dressed to impress.
Having previously owned a Honda Accord coupe, Daniel knew he wanted to step things up a notch and get into the Acura game. That’s why when he landed a promotion at work, the next logical step was to reward himself with a handsome new car. Enter the Crystal Black Pearl 2012 TL.
Daniel’s TL was one of perhaps only a handful that were originally outfitted in “SHIELD” attire as part of a promotional campaign with the Avengers movie. SHIELD = Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.
Initially branded with a SHIELD sticker on the front doors, Daniel removed that but left the unique accessory wheels and OEM body kit.
With just 41,000 miles on the odometer, his car still looks and smells now. The lip spoiler on the back window is a nice subtle upgrade.
Daniel and I took the TL to lunch and I must say, it was one smooth ride. I especially enjoyed the ventilated seats.
The neighbors stopped by in their new Dodge Durango and asked if they could be part of the photoshoot. Sorry, guys!
Here’s what the SHIELD TLs looked like in show form.
Thanks, Daniel, for sharing your passion for Acura! Let’s get together again soon.
Hey, check out this awesome cross-country road trip in a BMW 5 series. The thread is 7 pages long but if you’re like me, you’ll be addicted. Thanks to my friend Lou for the link.
Of course it rained the day after I washed the Grand Canyon dirt off my ILX. Oh well.
I love photo scavenger hunts, so I created one. On February 7, 2009, I went for a scenic cruise in northern Utah’s Cache Valley on a brisk sunny day. My 1994 Acura Legend had 364,980 miles on it at the time. I stopped to take this series of pictures. The location didn’t really have any significance. I probably just felt like pulling over to document the scenic mountain range in the background. The intersection was 1950 North, 200 West, in Logan, Utah.
The idea struck me. How closely could my friend Ryan duplicate the photo with the street signs, 5 years later?
I sent it to him, to my mom, and to my friend Tyler. Let’s see how they did.
Hemmings is the world’s authority in classic car news and classifieds. For anyone who’s into the collector car hobby, you’ve already heard the name before. My friend Scott’s Lotus Esprit made the cover of Sports and Exotic Car in December 2011.
It’s hard to believe, but cars from the 1990’s are now becoming classics. Several weeks ago I was approached by author Jeff Koch about a feature story he was putting together on high-mileage vehicles. We got together on Wednesday for some Q&A and then a photoshoot of the Legend in nearby Papago Park.
Jeff: Would you mind popping the hood?
Me (“eek” face): Sure, but I think it’s gonna be dusty in there.
(as the hood goes up)
Jeff: Are you kidding me? There is no way in hell anyone who reads the magazine is going to believe this car has half a million miles on it.
Ha! A little while later:
Jeff: You said that’s stock ride height?
Me: Yeah
Jeff: Jeeze, it looks like it’s sitting on the bump stops from this angle.
Me: Well, that’s what my Legend enthusiast friends call the “500,000 mile sagging suspension.”
Jeff told me that my paperwork/documentation on the car was “the most complete I’ve seen in 20 years of doing this.” That’s what I like to hear.
We had a great time. He liked the roll-down rear windows and the automatic door closers. I offered to put my new-in-the-box driver side floor mat in for the interior photo-op, but he said he would rather take the picture of my floor mat that had a hole in it. The hole was worn by the heel of my shoe over many years and miles of travels, and thus it helped tell the story of my Legend.
We ended up getting some great pictures and we’ll probably see the article sometime later this year. Jeff said this will mark the first time an Acura Legend has been featured in the magazine. Sweet!
Thanks Jeff for taking the time to meet with me!
Be sure and check out Jeff’s blog here for the latest on all the cool cars he gets to photograph and review.
Before you close that browser, take a quick peek at my friend Stephen’s immaculate 1994 Legend GS.
Feast your eyes on that depth of that Granada Black Pearl paint. Would you believe this car has 218,342 miles on it?
Thanks Stephen for following the blog and for sharing these pics with me/us!
Here’s a sneak peek of where I’m off to this weekend. Tune in next time for a full report.
I decided to break in a new (to me) Nikon D90 camera and get a few sunset pictures of my ILX and a friend’s TL on Friday night. You first met Devan and his 2006 TL back in October. The TL is equipped with the Tech Package and finished in a brilliant Alabaster Silver paint. We think my Silver Moon ILX paint may be just a tiny bit lighter in color than the Alabaster. Devan’s car has 81,000 miles on it and runs great. These pictures were taken at Papago Park near the Tempe / Phoenix border.
In the background is “Hole in the Rock” — an area where visitors can hike up to a natural sandstone opening in the rock and admire the view. After eight years of living in the PHX area, I still haven’t hiked that.
Devan and I both have the ‘Agriculture’ vanity license plate option on our Acuras. Its black & white design compliments a silver car well.
You may notice that Devan has also done some subtle updates to the nose of his TL with some Plasti-Dip treatment on the front grille.
A closer look:
Face-off. For having debuted a full 10 years ago, the 3rd generation TL design still looks modern today.
Nice looking pair of Acuras. I wonder how long it’ll take me to pass Devan up in mileage?
As a professional detailer, Devan takes great pride in keeping his Acura immaculate. Follow his work on @dnaautodetailing on Instagram or on his Facebook page. Just view that interior:
Now, usually when I post interior pics, I crop out door jambs because they are unsightly and dirty. I intentionally left Devan’s pictured here because they are JUST SO CLEAN.
It was a great Arizona evening. We are blessed with great sunsets nightly.
Finally, a couple of solo shots. I do love those LED tails on the TL.
The ILX had received a bath, too, so it was looking rather nice in the evening light.
Thanks Devan for meeting up! Keep rolling that beautiful TL.
This weekend I’ve got family in town and I stuck around the Phoenix area. My cousin Logan plays for the Williston State College Tetons baseball team, based out of Willison, North Dakota. I went over to watch his team play a game at Chandler-Gilbert Community College on Saturday.
Perfect weather for a ballgame!
With uncle Dart and aunt Wendy.
I also did a bit more urban exploration. Many of you will remember last April when I took a drive on Gates Pass in Tucson, Arizona and visited Old Tucson Studios. On the way back from that trip, I stopped an abandoned Nickerson Farms Restaurant in Picacho Peak, about halfway between Tucson and Phoenix.
April 14, 2013 – Notice the roof of the building still intact, despite having been out of operation since 1979.
March 15, 2014 – The entire red roof of the building has now collapsed and the building is taped off with caution tape. The entire surroundings are covered in “No Trespassing” signs (unlike last year) so I didn’t dare take a peek inside this time.
Another look from the front of the building
And looking from the south side
If it has to do with abandoned buildings, ghost towns, or anything of that sort, you know I’m interested! Just point me in the right direction and throw me a camera.
Lydia’s glistening chrome bumper winked at me with a flash of reflective sunlight from the parking lot outside her garage. I approached her and admired her 225 inches of reflective Willow Mist metallic paint, highlighted by chrome trim that pierced my eyes with gleaming Palm Springs sunshine. Lydia was a sassy 1963 Buick Electra 225.
I gave the heavy driver’s door a tug and climbed inside, then took a deep breath while she transported me 51 years into the past. The switches, the fabrics, the smells — everything true and perfect according to factory-spec equipment. Then I looked down at the odometer showing only 20,223 miles. Lydia may have been half a century old, but it was as if her heart was that of a teenager.
You all know I get stir crazy if I don’t get out of the state often enough. I was way overdue for a long-distance drive since my last big one (trip to Utah) was a month ago. This time, I hopped in the Acura ILX and headed west instead of north. The destination? I was about to get an exclusive look at a classic car collection that belongs to my friends Scott and Sandy. And boy was I in for a treat.
My drive in the ILX was an easy one since Interstate 10 westbound would guide me to PSP from PHX without need for any other directions. I managed to pry myself away from the office a little early and set out on Friday afternoon toward a beautiful desert sunset. The next 5 hours were filled with music, contemplation, and some ILX photos / urban exploration as you saw from yesterday’s Drive to Five post.
Palm Springs is a desert oasis in southern California’s Coachella Valley. It’s home to fewer than 50,000 full-time residents but boasts a full roster of attractions that bring tourists year-round. Where else can you find a 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe with a wind-ruffled dress?
Scott is a long-time friend of mine, but I think the last time I’d seen him was at the Metric Listening Event in Hollywood back in June 2012. Scott and I have a similar affinity for collecting automobiles. Our tastes, in fact, align on a couple of models specifically. Scott’s Formula Red 1992 Acura NSX is one example of real keeper that we both own and appreciate. His car’s production number, in fact, is just 26 digits off that of my NSX. However, the rest of his fleet is as diverse as they come – from a go-kart sized 1972 Honda Z600 to Lydia the Electra who nearly doubled the Honda’s length. I immediately felt at home in the 1965 Honda S600 Roadster.
After a brief tour of Scott and Sandy’s beautiful home, I rode with Scott in his Alfa Romeo to his storage location. As the large garage door rolled up, I realized I was standing before about 15 unique and rare vehicles. While the domestics and the Japanese were certainly well-represented, a couple of oddball cars rounded out the collection, including a 1985 Bertone Fiat X1/9. I had the distinct opportunity to drive several of the cars, so today I’ll share some of my impressions.
With its dash-mounted shift lever, the orange 1972 Honda Z600 struck me immediately as the ancestor to today’s Civic Si. Scott brought the 2-cylinder air-cooled engine to life with a few pumps of the engine primer. Yes, all 36 horses giddied-up enthusiastically. And for a car of that size, 36 is all it really takes! The clutch was stiff and it took a row or two through the gears to get acquainted with the 4-speed shift gate, but I felt right at home in that little rig in no time. The Z600 has a cozy cabin with no frills. Such simplicity is an attribute that I truly appreciate, especially in today’s world of driver assistance technology that goes so far that it often becomes invasive or detracts from a raw driving experience.
At the other end of the size spectrum, the 1966 Lincoln Continental was the first car I’ve ever driven with suicide doors. After watching its convertible top hide away mechanically in the trunk, I took the wheel and drove the 5,300 pound tank around the neighborhood. Except, it didn’t feel like it weighed nearly 3 tons. The car was remarkably light on its feet, and steering effort – well, let’s just say the car could be driven with just one pinky finger. For a big car, it had the skinniest steering wheel ever. It also seemed only fitting that Scott and I extended the retractable antenna and listened to an oldies station KWXY on the car’s AM radio while we cruised around Palm Springs. That drive was better than any history lesson I ever received in college.
My longest test-drive was in this 1977 Honda Civic CVCC. I love that Honda proudly badged the car “5-speed” on the rear hatch. Despite having sat for over a month, it purred flawlessly when Scott fired it up. The bright yellow coupe with a chrome bumper guard and roof rack grabbed a lot of attention on the road. The shifter and suspension performed so well that I would never believe they were parts of a nearly 40-year-old vehicle. It took me a minute to get used to the fact that there was no passenger sideview mirror. The CVCC brought a grin to my face as we drove it back from brunch.
Scott’s pride and joy is a green Honda N600 that was his first car. Though it sits half-covered up with expired plates and a flat tire, I could see the sparkle in his eye when he talked about the memories associated with that old Honda. He plans to treat that old car to a full restoration, and it won’t take much to get it back to showroom condition since like most California cars, the body is rust-free and the mechanicals are still solid.
Part of the intrigue about Scott and Sandy is that they gladly adopt vehicles that other car aficionados consider runts or outcasts. Consider the 1979 Mercury Bobcat (aka gussied-up Ford Pinto) in Tangerine paint with plaid seating and rally wheels, lovingly named Bob. Or the now-sold Cadillac Cimarron which proudly wore “WRSTCAD” license plates and won POS “Worst in Show” Concours d’LeMons. There’s something endearing about showing love for a car that nobody else seems to appreciate.
We closed the day out with a ride back to Scott’s place in the Emberglo Metallic (“don’t you dare call it brown!”) 1966 Mustang convertible with its potent 289 V8 and Pony Package. A classic Mustang is a true piece of Americana that every car collector should own at least once.
Huge thanks to Scott and Sandy for their incredible hospitality! Enjoy the rest of the pictures below, as well as a video showing start-up of a few of the cars in the collection.
Scott, Tyson, Sandy
Scott’s answer to, “How do you keep track of all the car keys?!”
1985 Honda CRX Si
1959 Mercury Park Lane
Mercury interior
No such thing as too much chrome here.
Meet Lydia, the Buick Electra from my opening paragraph.
And Lydia’s interior, complete with a dealer-installed tissue dispenser (the chrome box underneath the dash/glove compartment).
I loved the 1966 Lincoln dash with its driver-oriented instrument layout. Even the cruise control was set up as a dial. The speedometer worked like a thermometer, with a strip of numbers and a red bar that would extend across them to indicate the speed.
Suicide doors, anyone?
The car that needs no introduction. Just 45,000 miles on this 5-speed beauty. It’s also one of only 421 cars that were produced in this color /transmission combination for the year.
The Bertone X 1/9 is a mid-engine rig that’s in stunning condition for its age.
Along with the cars, Scott and Sandy have a lot of old literature and advertising.
Scott’s favorite (at least I kind of got that vibe) was the 1965 Honda S600 Coupe. Right hand drive. It was fun watching him squeeze into the driver’s seat before firing it up!
Front of the S600 Coupe.
Another S600 in the collection, this time a Roadster, started out as a project car but has finished beautifully. Scott showed me some ‘before’ pictures from a photo album.
“After”
Loved that there were unique switches on the dash for headlights and marker lights.
1976 Cadillac Seville – the first year for that model. This example has only 40,000 miles on it. It had a characteristic smell.
This 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III is literally one-of-a-kind. It’s the only one that was built in this configuration, color, and trim without a vinyl roof. The car stickered at $8,356 when it was new.
Bobcat interior – thanks Sandy for sending this, as I forgot to take one! That plaid is factory original!
Interior of the 1977 Civic. Exactly as it was intended to be, right down to the AM radio.
Here’s the 2-cylinder air-cooled engine that powers the Z600.
Taking the Z for a spin.
After our full day of test drives, I headed back to Phoenix but stopped in Blythe, California per Scott’s recommendation. For any who ever travel the Interstate 10 corridor, remember this place! It’s called Courtesy Diner and it’s a must-visit.
I was craving a grilled cheese and a bowl of homemade chili. Both hit the spot.
I even got a smiley face on my bill when the total came out to $10.01.
Jason Hill is an English teacher in Japan with a fascination, similar to mine, for squeezing maximum longevity out of a car. This month, he launched a website called High Mile Club where he shares stories about people who have gone the distance. My Legend made #12 on a list of his 18 “Hall of Fame” cars. Among the top achievers, of course, are Irv Gordon with his 3 million mile Volvo and Joe LoCicero (“Million Mile Joe”) with his 1 million mile Honda Accord. Volvo, as it turns out, has quite a few achievers in the high mileage realm. A new video came out on Tuesday about a man in California who rolled a million miles in his 1988 sedan. Link here.
Do take a few minutes and stop on by Jason’s High Mile Club. Today, I’m going to share with you a few of my favorite sites like his. Be forewarned, these are “not work safe” — not because of graphic content, but rather because you’ll probably find yourself sucked in for a few hours and lose productivity.
My good friend Jason who recently joined for the Kitt Peak drive in Tucson, Arizona, has his own page devoted to capturing life behind the wheel of his 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6-Speed. He’s based in New Mexico but his travels have taken him across the entire western United States.
Josh is the original owner of an Acura TSX in Boise Idaho and he’s only about 9,000 miles away from hitting 400,000 miles. His website talks about his adventures in getting there.
Also, check out Roadster Roadtrip. This one is all about a Las Vegas resident who took to the streets last year and has logged 30,000 miles galavanting around the country in his 1967 Datsun Fairlady Roadster.
Lastly, check out Carchaeology. It’s pretty much with it sounds like. Believe it or not, there is a community of about 2,800 people on Facebook who consider their cars as artifacts. They love to preserve the stories behind them. Carchaeology also has a mission of reuniting people with vehicles they have sold but now miss. “Dig it up and drive it,” is the slogan. Maybe the collective forum there could help track down a vehicle of YOURS that’s long gone? Give them a look. Link here and video of the administrator here. His first car, by the way, was a Honda N600.
Since we’re talking about preservation of classic Hondas for a moment, check out this Petrolicious piece about my friend Chris Hoffman who is the original owner of 1987 Honda CRX Si. I met Chris at the Detroit Auto Show a couple of weeks ago and his love for Honda runs deep. Here’s the video link.
I’ll round this post out with a nerdy video I put together last week. Any of you who own (or have owned) an older Honda vehicle are familiar with the series of beeps it made when you left your keys in the ignition and opened the door. As a friend shared with me, it’s Morse code. See for yourself.
Open your minds and your eyes to the creative masterpiece of one man who was determined to show Acura how it’s to be done. A V6-powered Acura coupe hasn’t been around since the 3.2 CL model of 2003. And Acura hasn’t made a 2-door vehicle at all since the 4-cylinder RSX sport coupe was discontinued after the 2006 model year.
One Acura fan recognized the void and took matters into his own hands by creating an Acura coupe of his own. Meet Walter and his 2015 Acura Legend coupe. What you see here is a unique ride that conveys the spirit of the Acura Legend in modern form. It started as a V6, 6-speed 2010 Honda Accord coupe equipped with a host of HFP – Honda Factory Performance – add-ons. But it’s since been transformed into a one-of-a-kind custom ride.
Walter’s affinity for Honda & Acura products began very early on. He purchased a 1995 Honda Accord brand new. Today, he still owns that same car and it has over 270,000 miles on it. Also in his stable is a black-on-black 2013 Acura RDX. That brings us to this car, his latest and greatest creation:
20″ Vossen CV3 wheels round out the package that is this extremely unique car. Check out the extensive modification list below highlighting the key upgrades that make Walter’s ride special.
Interior:
Woodgrain Upgrade: Dash & Console Matte Dark Cherry Wrap
2010 Acura TL Type-S Shift Knob
Full LED Lighting
Custom Perforated Nappa Leather Shift Boot & E-Brake Boot with White Stitching
2010 Acura TSX Switchblade Key
Custom-Made Aluminum Door Sills
Exterior:
Full Legend Badging (Authentic Acura Product)
2010 Acura TL A Badges for Front & Rear
Vossen CV3 Wheels: 20×10.5 Rear; 20×9.5 Front
Tein Street Advance with EDFC Full Coilover Suspension; 16 Way Adjustable
3000K HID Fog Lights with 35-Watt Morimoto Ballast
Custom LED Turn Signals on Sideview Mirrors
Performance:
Greddy Spectrum Elite Exhaust, Burnt Titanium Tip
RV6 Custom J-Pipe
Takeda Short Ram Intake
Battery:
Optima Yellow Top, Big Three Upgrade Red & Black
Braking:
2012 Acura RL Calipers
2006 Nissan 350Z Track Rotors for Front Brakes
Stoptech Drilled Rotors
GoodRidge Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Photo Gallery:
A Greddy exhaust system gives the 3.5 liter V6 some growl.
Unbeatable shine. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen black paint so swirl-free. Walter says his detailing regiment consists primarily of products from Griot’s Garage.
Step inside, and you’re greeted with a custom Acura badge on the steering wheel and woodgrain trim throughout.
The shift knob & boot are pulled from an Acura TL.
Even the stainless steel door sills are one-off items with ACURA engraved on them.
I might have to have Walter build me one of these, too.
Here is a Q&A with Walter about his pride & joy:
Which upgrade that you’ve done are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the entire car from inception is to its creation and continued evolution. I am proud of the time and patience that was placed into the planning, staging, sourcing, and collaborating with local shops to have all the items installed on the car. I am extremely pleased with the final look of the car the uniqueness of it and the realization of my dream.
What was your vision for the Legend when you first started building it?
My vision for the car was to have a complete, unique, and one of a kind automobile, that would provide the overall Acura Legend experience that I coveted as a teen. I wanted a modern day representation of a car that was beautiful, timeless and not overwrought in its completeness like the original. My vision would need to encapsulate my personal expression, represent me as a true car enthusiast, and cater to the luxury sport equation in a 6 speed two door package, like the Legend Coupe before it.
Lastly I wanted my vision to represent my passion for having rare or one off things. A modern day Acura Legend would suit the bill as I have always wanted one. Currently I was financially able to afford such a vehicle however, Acura sadly did not make such a car. In my quest for a premium midsized coupe, I merged my wants with my devotion to my lifelong admired coupe and built it myself.
Acura’s former tag line of “precision crafted performance”, helped me to fully realize my childhood dream car as the reborn 2015 Acura Legend coupe (Special Edition).
Tell me a little about what got you into the Honda/Acura family.
I started with Honda and Acura back in 1993 when I first saw the NSX in person. I knew I had to have it or anything in its lineage. Later on I saw the stunning 2 door Acura Legend coupe and was hooked. In the year of 1995 I convinced my mom to purchase a loaded white Honda Accord sedan EX as a road car. At the time the build quality was impressive for the price along with its’ standard feature set. The car had great magazine reviews, but what intrigued me most was the spritely four cylinder that would sing as the revs climbed within in tachometer.
After 5 years my mom went to trade the car in but I saw potential and she gave it to me. I started with a full motor swap a year or so later on the car when it had approximately 180k miles on the chassis. I ordered an H22A with full prelude transmission. Once I completed that swap; one of the first in the Baltimore area, I was hooked. I spent countless time racing and, modifying that car. Today I still have the car with approximately 280k on the chassis.
Many thanks to Walter for sharing his automotive passion with me and with my readers. He told me he’s got some additional upgrades in mind, so we plan on getting together again in the near future for a follow-up. Drive on, my friend!
It’s fitting in this post to share this glimpse of what I think Acura NEEDS to build. Following is a rendering by Neal McDaniel of “Neal’s Fantasy Factory” that was shared yesterday on Temple of VTEC. It’s a coupe version of the recently-revealed 2015 Acura TLX Prototype. Can you imagine this car with a V6 powerplant, SH-AWD, and available 6-speed manual transmission?
Posted in Reader's Ride on December 12, 2013 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 528,121
Odometer (ILX): 62,075
Today we welcome a new member to the Acura family. Tina is a long-time friend of my mother’s who recently reached out via Facebook about her car “conversion” story to the Acura brand. She writes:
When our Honda Accord was stolen right after we moved to California, I remembered your son’s video about the 500,000 mile Acura! I told my husband about your son and his car, so we bought a 2000 Acura. Then my son bought a 2002 Acura. We’re hoping both make it to 500,000 miles and beyond!
I got in touch with Tina to congratulate her on a fine purchase decision. Here is her husband’s pride and joy, a pearl white 2000 Acura 3.5 RL.
This car, minus the color, is identical to a 3.5 RL that my mom owned from 2004-05 (pictured below). Check out my recent write-up on the 2014 Acura RLX for a little history on the RL model and how it’s evolved over the years.
Tina also shared a picture of her son’s blue 2002 Acura 3.2 TL:
She and her family now live in Grand Junction, Colorado where winter weather is fierce and having a reliable vehicle is critical:
In our -8 temps this morning, my Trail Blazer was sputtering and wouldn’t idle. So I got to take the Acura to work so my husband could take the Trail Blazer to the shop. Below zero temps didn’t bother the Acura! I actually stopped a couple weeks ago and took pics of a 1997 Acura I saw for sale for $2,000. But it’s no longer there, so I’m afraid someone snatched it up! Dang it!
Thanks, Tina, for sharing your enthusiasm for the Acura brand and I am confident your cars will serve you reliably for many years to come.
Check out my new license plate that arrived this week!
Posted in Reader's Ride on November 17, 2013 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 527,894
Odometer (ILX): 59,237
A new Acura roamed into the neighborhood this afternoon. My good friend Jason, who’s joined for various Drive to Five escapades in the past including Coronado Trail, stopped by my home to show off his sporty new ride.
My driveway often looks a lot like an Acura dealership’s lot. Feast your eyes on this stunning 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6-speed manual. That’s a mouthful to say, so let’s just call his car one word: HOT.
Paul, at left, has the white 2013 TL SH-AWD. Jason’s “new” 2010 on the right is Crystal Black, and it’s in showroom shape for being already 3 years old.
Jason and his friend Jouhl made Phoenix one of their pit stops en route to their hometown in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Jason just picked up his new TL yesterday in Sherman Oaks, CA. His total drive will be 12 hours or so. Here my ILX is sandwiched between the two TLs for a photo-op.
The interior is nicely outfitted in black leather.
With fewer than 25,000 miles on the odometer, this car has a long life ahead.
I must say, after having taken Jason’s car for a quick ride around the block, I loved it!
This car is powered by Acura’s 3.7-liter V6 with 305 horsepower. Plenty of oomph for those onramp bursts.
Safe travels to Jason and Jouhl as they continue their journey home to New Mexico tonight! I look forward to meeting up with them for a drive in the near future.
Posted in Reader's Ride on October 30, 2013 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 527,604
Odometer (ILX): 57,339
‘Twas a fine sunrise this morning in Scottsdale, Arizona!
If you haven’t yet heard the song “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic (the tune that I happened to be listening to when the below picture was taken), I highly recommend it.
The Acura brand launched in 1986 with just two models: The Legend sedan and the Integra. Since then, the Integra went through 3 generations before becoming discontinued after the 2001 model year. I’ve had a special place in my heart for the last generation Acura Integra bodystyle because my dad used to have a 1995 Integra LS. He bought it with 130,000 miles from the original owner in July, 2006.
The car had sold new for $18,560. I love seeing original window stickers, and since this car only had one owner, all of its paperwork including the sticker was accounted for.
He sold it with around 230,000 miles on it about 5 years later. It served him well as a commuter car, delivering great MPG and sporty styling. By that time, I’d picked him up a set of 15″ GS-R “fat five” alloy wheels for it.
You may remember my friend Chanc who drives a 2006 Arctic Blue TSX 6-speed. I’ve featured him before on the blog. Well, Chanc’s Acura ownership story goes beyond that beautiful blue sedan.
For over 10 years, he’s also owned a very unique and fun 1999 Acura Integra GS-R 5-speed.
Here are the stats on this black pearl beauty.
Purchased: September 2003 at 34,500 Miles
Current Odometer: 94,500 Miles
Chanc was looking for a car, that if modded, would meet his specifications. He was lucky enough to find a car with mostly dealer-installed Comptech aftermarket parts. At the time, Comptech was the only brand that the dealer would install without voiding the warranty.
The driver-centric cockpit of the 3rd generation Integra is simple and well laid out.
Here’s a complete mod list for this black beauty:
Iceman Cold Air Intake
Comptech Stainless Steel Header
Comptech Stainless Steel Catback Exhaust
Comptech Sport Lowering Springs
Koni Yellow Shocks
Comptech Front Strut Tower Bar
Comptech Rear Tie Bar
Comptech 22mm Sway Bar (replaced with stock)
ASR Subframe Brace
B & M short shifter
Skunk2 Shift Knob
Carbon Fiber Spark Plug Cover
NGK Blue Spark Plug Wires
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Full Stereo w/ 12″ Sub
Remote Start Alarm
McCulloch 6000K HID’s
OEM ITR Front Lip
Paint Matched Side Skirts
16″ Bronze Rota C10 Wheels
Orange Gauge Cluster Lights
I asked Chanc what his favorite thing about the Integra was:
There is nothing like the sound of dual butterfly intake manifold on the B18C1 while ripping through the gears with sharp and responsive suspension to boot. I’ve been unable to replicate the raw feel in any other vehicle I’ve driven. It’s like a street legal go kart!
I will vouch for the fact that this car’s handling is confidence-inspiring and snug. Chanc gave me the opportunity to take it for a spin in July, and the fun factor was off the charts. Thanks for sharing your love for Acura, my friend!
Lastly, have you all heard of the guy who just broke the record just recently for driving across America in the fastest time?
I’ve driven coast to coast plenty of times in my Acura Legend. In 2011, I was in San Diego on a Saturday in July staring at the Pacific Ocean, then a few days later I was in Belmar, New Jersey looking at the Atlantic. Ed Bolian took a 115,000 mile 2004 Mercedes CL55 AMG and drove it from Manhattan to Los Angeles in 28 hours, 50 minutes. While my level of preparation for the journey was pretty involved (2 full size spare tires, etc), I was nowhere near as road-ready as Ed was.
Take a look at the write-up on Jalopnik of his interesting accomplishment. It’s certainly one I don’t intend to match or beat. Ed’s average speed for the entire 2,813-mile trip? A whopping 98 miles per hour. He stopped for gas just 3 times.
Crazy! I’m jealous of his trip, but what’s the rush? Slow down and enjoy the scenery!
drivetofive 