The Other Showroom: Current / Past Rides (Pt I)

@ ILAN: Is that a Robo doll ?

Dave, it's Master Chief from Halo!

Nice HDR image. Thanks for sharing!

Well, we did it. My dad and I found the right local Reatta.
He's been wanting one of these for his retirement commuter. Sporty demeanor but with an uber comfy Buick ride. So far its fit the bill to a t. Only gripes being, needs an L67 and tranny off a GTP or the like to give it more of the pep it deserves to match its excellent road handling. Car is fantastic as is though. First had it and got a few engine codes tossed at us by the onboard diagnostics system. Figured em all out and remedied them all in the first hour! Happy as can be now.
Beautiful shape inside and out. Still going to be getting overhauled regardless. But as it stands, she's gorgeous, especially for around here. Like my riv grew up in southern California, this Reatta spent its first 99k miles in Florida before moving up here. And around here it lived in the garage only to be driven on sunny dry days. Honestly, in 10yrs in Washington its driven only 6 thousand miles. It's at 105k as of now. Picked it up for $3800 from a local fellow we both got to know.
Here's a few shots just on the way home. More with my Riv in my showroom thread






And the only twilight as cool as ours...

Really like the tan interior vs. red exterior. Looks Ferrari-like. Congrats!

You know, aside from the unusual amount of gawking and questioning this car seems to get from everybody we drive by, a fellow in a F430 waved to us on the way home with this car Yeah, us in our Buick

Damn, son. Looks nice!@

Cool. Looks good.

nice

Nice looking Reatta. Based on experience, I can almost guarantee that you'll get more inquisitive looks and admiring remarks about that car than you'll ever get about the Riv. By the way, a 3M headlight restore kit will do wonders for that rear tail light. Congratulations on a great find.

Damn, talk about a time capsule! Pristine Reatta, and that shade of tan leather and red paint really does look more accustomed to a Ferrari!

Bought this from a friend last night: Lexus IS300, RWD, 215 HP I-6, LSD, auto, stock except for intake:







I'm not going to keep it, actually since we don't need any more cars right now. It's for my brother, but I get to drive it around until he picks it up next month. For a high mile (185k) car, this thing is near perfect. Only think it needs is a little front brake work.

Not to shabby. Those rims could use a cleaning though

You had me at 2JZ, but lost me at autotragic... Nice find anyway!

My girlfriend's cousin has one of these. He always smack talks the riv. Should I race him AA, or does that thing really haul a$$?

J. Chris Davis wrote:

Not to shabby. Those rims could use a cleaning though

You're right, but check this out - owner put snow tires on the OEM wheels (in picture). Included a brand new-looking set of identical OEM wheels with summer rubber + 4 extra new summer tires!

IBx1 wrote:

You had me at 2JZ, but lost me at autotragic... Nice find anyway!

5-speed manual was rare in 2002. But for the deal we got, you might have let it slide. My brother only drives manual shift cars, but when I told him the price he was willing to overlook it. IF this was a 5-speed, there is no way I'd let my brother have it. I'd keep it for myself!

Nice.

AA wrote:

IF this was a 5-speed, there is no way I'd let my brother have it. I'd keep it for myself!

That's what I figured! For the price you're inferring you paid, I don't think a manual swap would be too bad either.

RidzRiv wrote:

My girlfriend's cousin has one of these. He always smack talks the riv. Should I race him AA, or does that thing really haul a$$?

Against an automatic IS, I think this would be very a close race, with the IS300 winning by a nose. A Series II SC Riv would probably win against the IS. But anything's possible. If you got the edge off the line, maybe the IS wouldn't be able to catch up.

If his has the manual shifter, in these cars it made for quicker times. I'd expect it would win.

Damn... He has the manual ha! I guess i'll need a 3 in down pipe, a 2.5 supercharger pulley, and some 1.8 roller rocker arms.

Make sure. They made the auto look so much like a manual, it's almost criminal.

Getting old...I LOL when I think back on my younger days. I thought a car was like a three legged dog if it had an automatic tranny. My first car was a 4speed and I wouldn't dream of driving anything but a stick until I turned 40 or so. About that time, I moved to a bigger city with lots of traffic. I soon grew weary of shifting and went to an automatic around 1990. I've stayed with automatics ever since and wouldn't even consider buying a stick shift. Getting old...

I'm not sure I could ever go without one of my cars being a stick.

Although I learned to drive a stick when I was 17, I've owned and driven autos all my life. 4 years ago I started driving a manual Honda for LeMons racing, and I think my next car will be manual. Although it's not really necessary for daily driving, manuals are fun, and good leg exercise!

So long as a clutch has the right weight and engagement point where you don't need to do anything but hinge your heel on the floor to work it, some cars are more than happy living in a city with a stick. Daily driving a Camaro would be another story, but the clutch in my car is absolutely effortless and has never bothered me in traffic, and it's not a boring car either!