With a fat $4500 (psh) check in the mail for the totalled car, I began my quest online for a new car to take its place. Initially I looked for other 4th Gen. Honda Accords, because it was a car I had experience on, and since I bought the salvage title from the wrecked accord, I had alot of parts I could swap. My parents told me they would help me out a little with the money if I found something good and reliable to start out my professional career (I was being commissioned in the Army in the next 3 months) so they told me to look into other cars. My first choice was to look for a Nissan 300ZX, but I would only be able to afford the N/A version, yeah right!
Then I landed upon this beauty, from New Jersey, on Ebay. $6300 later (and 186,000 on the odometer!) she was mine. A Diamond White Pearl type SH that was completely (and I mean completely!) stock. The previous owner drove from New Jersey to Florida routinely for business so I felt safe it was a good purchase. My parents had to pick it up for me in Jersey, because I was still at school during this time, so I had to take their word on the condition it was in until I arrived at home
First inspection of the car when I came home
I don't actually know how to drive the car just yet
Giving it a once over in daylight with the parents
Lady in White
It was also my first manual transmission, so I had to grind away on my new love because it was all I could practice on (kinda tough because the clutch has always been touchy while releasing in my opinion!
The car was like nothing else considering I came from a limited driving background that included a black 1978 3/4 ton Chevy Pickup, an 80's Olds. Toronado and two 91' Accords (allllll automatic transmission). But the car was mine!
The modification bug hit me once I was in Officer Basic Course at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. With a little bit of money to play with, my first upgrade was a new set of Nology Hotwires. Followed by the Optima Yellow Top I had in my previous car. Then a K&N filter for the stock intake. I was ballin' for sure! Then the exhaust system got replaced with a used DC Sports Ceramic Header, Random Technology Cat. and a Greddy EVO 2 Exhaust. I replaced these around the time I also bought a Koyo Radiator because the stock one finally quit on me.
But, the accident bug hit me again while I was caught up in the bliss of oversteer with the ATTS unit, and as I powerslid around a uturn, I overcorrected on the wheel and brought the car right back to the curb, so $1300 later (with a new SH wheel, axle, 2 control arms, an adjustable ball joint and tie rod end) I was back to rollin' around.
You can see the front wheel, it's bent so bad the other side of the car was off camber too
