Rt. 72, Roadster Rice and a uncertain college grad...

darkfa8

- driving everywhere -
Joined
May 25, 2001
I have been taking some time to get readjusted to the world outside of college after spending 5 years working to get my degree, of which I still need a co-op to get, ugh.

At any rate, I've been working on my 87 Turbo Regal quite a bit, modifying things, upgradings stuff, reworking other things. It seems to be running relatively well.

I've been running 16-17psi on 93oct lately with minimal to no knock.

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking, or trying to think where to start life and how I'm going to survive. I decided, last night to take a drive out to Long Beach Island and go upto Barnegat Light around midnight for some peace and quiet and to soak my eyes in the depths of the clear starry sky.

The car was running almost at a flat 160* and very crisp. I get onto 72 East with intention of listening more to the turbo spin up than my thoughts of "surviving".

I get upto the first light, which is green and there is this BMW M3 looking silver roadster coming up ... I thought it was an M3, turned out to be a Honda S2000 (240hp @ 8300, 153ft/lbs @ 7500).

The windows in the car were tinted and I couldn't see much of the driver. He revs it a bit at speed (~60mph) and it sounds healthy...first time me seeing one of these things...

I don't revv...I just let the pedal down smoothly...the gradual whoosh and then reversion as i let off.

72 is a 2-lane hi-way, pretty clear, right out to the island, turns to 1-lane per side going West towards Philly...so we're approaching a good clear part...I hear him jump on the VTEC...

He pulls ahead ever so slightly, my turbo rising quickly to 16psi, still in 3rd, we're side by side...then I hit 4th and the car slowly but surely pulls forward a half-car length. We were well over 100mph...I let off and gradually brake the car down to 85-75 then 65 and slow and let him pass.

I let him go up ahead about 6-8 car lengths, I hang back for a while till we reach the bridge...I firmly plant the pedal and the boost shoots up and I fly pass him, over the bridge....the turbo whisstling like one of them children's blow toys...the sound reverberating off the concrete diveder and into my ears, much to my enjoyment.

I let off at the peak of the bridge, and he slowly catches up and revs a bit. I slow down...since on LBI there are tons of cops and I don't want to get caught racing again like I did when I whipped my Mom in her '91 T-Bird with my TPI 355 Monte SS two summers ago ;)

We line up at a light before going our separate ways...the S2000 owner rolls down he dark tinted window, a lowly looking teenager of sorts, with a side-slung baseball cap...I say, "nice car"...he asks me "is that on the squirter?", I reply, "no, its all turbo...a v6". He gives a approving nod, and I said, "take care" and we were off...him with his healthy sounding VTEC and me with a brief whisstle from the turbo...to the next light, where I went North and he went South.

I spent some time out on the beach by the lighthouse...despite no conclusive thoughts had or world-problems solved, I was proud to have the car I do...its not the fastest thing on rubber, but it makes me feel like I've done something right and that is satisfying.
 
Hey Dan

This is John (the person you sold the rims to a while back) Good kill you have there. I just checked out your web page and the T looks sharp with those rims.

Take care...
 
Dan are those the Centerline Saber rims in the 2 pictures,are all 4 rims 3.75 backspacing

Thanks
Dennis
Oh looks VERY nice
 
...correct...

Yes, that is the correct specs on them. 16x8 3.75 back spacing. I'm running 245/50-16s.
 
Hey just wanted to say nice kill ... and your car looks great .. .. oh yea and your poetrys pretty good to man .
peace
dan
 
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