The Other Cars of USA7s Members (Non-Se7ens only)

[Croc]

 

Most of us have car interests beyond just our enthusiasm for se7ens.  This thread is intended to showcase that and share with others what other interesting cars we have in our garages.

 

Many people here have a variety of automotive wallet destroyers beyond their se7en and the diversity will be interesting to see.

 

Some guidance for posting to this topic:

 

1. One post per car.  

 

2. Give us an idea what gives you your enthusiasm for this car.

 

3. Definitely post some photos.  

 

4. Can include currently owned cars, past cars or even your daily driver (unless it is a Toyota Camry as they are kitchen appliances and not cars as enthusiasts would understand them).

 

5. We are not looking for a long list of your past cars but instead a bit more detail around a car that you owned/still own that has meaning for you.  

 

 

[Croc]

To kick this off I will share my 1992 Range Rover.  

 

I used to own one of these decades ago but it was an earlier version with the 3.5 V8 with carbs and 4 speed gearbox.  It was brilliant and defined what an SUV could be.  Fairly slow by today's standards it had amazing ride, incredible suspension and was very comfortable.  The glasshouse on these is huge so the interior is airy and light.  Compared with the somewhat agricultural alternatives on the market at the time (Toyota Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol, full-size pickups, Suburban/Tahoe, etc) this was a generation ahead.

 

To re-kindle my past car, I picked up a Spanish market 1992 Range Rover Classic.  2 doors.  5 speed manual.  3.5L V8 with injection.  This was the last iteration of the classic body shell with a better engine and drivetrain combination.  It was imported as "fully restored" but that term in Spanish translates into American as "basket case."  It did not run properly.  Clutch was dead.   Interior had been trashed.  Paint was abysmal on the hood but was surprising good elsewhere.  Plus the wiring had been done by ferrets.  

 

To get it to the next level, it was delivered to Congleton in upstate Vermont.  This is a driver quality refurbishment - not concours.   The look we are going for is a sort-of Range Rover CSK resto mod look - article attached to this post to give you an idea.  So it will have the traditional Marine Blue Land Rover color.  Ro-style wheels in silver with the matt black on the wheel 'scallops'.   Will go for LED headlights as the standard look ones are very dim.    Some sympathetic rust removal - all Range Rovers rust.  If they don't have it then they are lying!   New clutch and a lot of engine work.  Install an aftermarket air con. New suspension - it drives nicely now.  Brakes refurbed.  It will end up capable of being used as a daily driver that is slightly more interesting than the usual types of SUVs.  

 

 

 

The paint needs to be fixed in the above photo.  It is ok on all panels but the hood.  Needs re-painting on the hood but the rest may be salvageable.  

 

Interior was a disaster as I got it.  This was the "restored" look from Spain.  

 

 

 

This level of destruction is good as I wanted air con installed.  The original Range Rover installation option was not available -parts were unobtainium and the wiring harness had been FUBARed.  The photo below shows the scale of the original HVAC system lurking under the dash of one of these.  So an aftermarket one has been installed with some compromises in tandem with the original HVAC installation.  Probably the worst bit of this entire project.

 

 

 

Interior is being prettied up.  Some wood trim elements to give it the CSK feel over the standard acres of poo brown el cheapo plastic - standard for the era. 

 

 

 

 

Interior is being done in pale tan "pleather", it would have been vinyl in the day.  Because I am notorious of marking up any pale colored leather seat with blue or black jeans, the seats will be chocolate leather that contrasts with the interior but will be durable with my usage.  

 

 

 

Work still going on but should wrap up sometime next year.  

 

Over to someone else to feature one of their cars.

 

 

Range Rover CSK article.pdf

[KnifeySpoony]

My 7 is my only car.

[ashyers]

Dodge M37. In some ways it’s very similar to the 7, in others it’s the polar opposite 😄. There’s a debate in the household as to which is more “luxurious”.

Edited December 11, 2022 by ashyers
add photo

[Vovchandr]

My daily 2003 Volvo Xc70. Has been in the shop for about 2 years now being very passively swapped to a 6spd and R motor. Just waiting on finishes touches now. 

 

Car is perfect because it was cheap, unassuming and just luxurious enough to keep me happy with basic features like heated seats and leather and auto wipers etc. I use it as my truck as it's a wagon for the trips to home Depot and it's keeping me from needing to buy a truck. Tow with it as needed. 

 

Potentially planning to tow the enclosed trailer with the Caterham in it. In theory it should work. In practice? We shall see. It can tow in stock form upto 3300. Aluminum trailer and Cat should be under that and I have R brakes on it now and R motor and 6spd should give more threshold. 

 

It's got well over 200k miles on it and will get plenty more once swap is done as everything is replaced during the swap. 

 

Even if it can't do the trailer we will likely have a family SUV soon enough that will do the job

 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Vovchandr

[rrdusek]

if i'm not running around town in my birkin, i'm out in the desert in my pinzgauer. that's why i have to sell the seven, i'm converting the truck into a mini-camper and need to do alot of upgrades.  overland stuff is expensive!

[BlakeJ]

2 hours ago, Vovchandr said:

My daily 2003 Volvo Xc70. Has been in the shop for about 2 years now being very passively swapped to a 6spd and R motor. Just waiting on finishes touches now. 

 

Car is perfect because it was cheap, unassuming and just luxurious enough to keep me happy with basic features like heated seats and leather and auto wipers etc. I use it as my truck as it's a wagon for the trips to home Depot and it's keeping me from needing to buy a truck. Tow with it as needed. 

 

Potentially planning to tow the enclosed trailer with the Caterham in it. In theory it should work. In practice? We shall see. It can tow in stock form upto 3300. Aluminum trailer and Cat should be under that and I have R brakes on it now and R motor and 6spd should give more threshold. 

 

It's got well over 200k miles on it and will get plenty more once swap is done as everything is replaced during the swap. 

 

Even if it can't do the trailer we will likely have a family SUV soon enough that will do the job

 

 

Ah, the P2 V70R! We had an '05 6MT until 165k miles, when its slave cylinder gave up, for the 2nd time, which is inside the bellhousing of an AWD car, so quite time consuming to replace. And we sold it.

I used to tow my Husqvarna supermoto behind it! Brought both kids home in it from the hospital when they were born. Even had a "prancing moose" fender badge.

Good times.

[ashyers]

Love the Pinzgauer!

[CarlB]

In 2008 I wanted a new MINI to Autocross. I went to the dealer and drove a new JCW but was disappointed. The first generation of BMW MINIs were more fun to drive. The newer ones a very BMW, better cars, but not as much fun. I guess the first ones still had some Rover. It took me some time to find it, but I got a 2006 JCW without a sunroof. I call it my point and shoot car. Front wheel drive cars respond well to getting all the turning done early and then get on the gas. I haven't driven it in a few years, but it is almost ready now. Re-valved shocks, fresh rubber and some cleaning up to get it back on the road. 

I want to defend the Shelby Charger mentioned in a different post. I had a Shelby GLHS Charger and really enjoyed it. This car was built in a similar fashion to the Shelby Mustangs. Shelby built 1000 cars based on Dodge Shelby Chargers. They had the typical modifications for more power and handling. Car And Driver did a short review of the car. They said the car was crude, but faster than anything available under 50 grand. This was in 1987. They then compared it to the Sten sub machine gun. This is the gun you see the British commandos use in war movies with the clip sticking out sideways. The gun was so cheap to make they through them out of airplanes to the French resistance without parachutes. There was only one machined part in the gun. Everything else was a stamping. Crude but effective. 

 

       

[Vovchandr]

My NA Miata. Used to be closest I could get to 7 experience before I owned it. 

 

Still own it. Still fun. Rarely gets used. Supercharger sitting for it in the basement. 

 

Will likely be used by the Mrs if she ever wants to do a track day to get her feet wet 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Vovchandr

[Croc]

39 minutes ago, Vovchandr said:

 

Will likely be used by the Mrs if she ever wants to do a track day to get her feet wet 

 

cough cough....roll bar?

[Vovchandr]

3 minutes ago, Croc said:

 

cough cough....roll bar?

 

Old picture. Roll bar is very much there =)

 

So is an out of date harness... She'd need that updated if she decided to try it out in NJ

 

NYST I believe is more lenient and more likely

Edited December 11, 2022 by Vovchandr

[mrmustang]

Oh where to start

 

Only one car per post, well, I guess we will start with the ERA 289 FIA, a car that kind of fell in my lap at 10pm 3 days before the 2nd owner was moving back to Arizona and made me an offer even my wife stated "you would be stupid not to buy it for that". Since SWMBO states a Cobra is much easier to get in and out of then the last 7 (I need a SV next time) we had. Built as a turn key by ERA, every option that was available on the order form was checked off. Small block 351 stroked to 396ci, 9:5:1 compression, 394hp/401ft/lbs torque at the rear wheels. Car weighs in at 2387lbs with half a tank of gas. The first owner put 20,000 miles on the car in the 16 years he owned it, 2nd owner put 300 or so miles on it in the 3.5 years he owned it. I've put roughly 800 miles on it this year, after spending a few months tearing into it to make it track/street safe. Been a fun car so far this year.

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by mrmustang

[mrmustang]

Next car to kind of drop in my lap was our 52,000 mile 2001 Porsche "S", originally a track prepped (lots of suspension and brake goodies, 6K worth of receipts for them, all other mechanicals stock and up to date on all maintenance, including RMS and IMS) car for the last two owners, again, not really looking, but kind of found me when a friend pointed it out and asked me to go look at it for him. On my 2 hour drive down to the burbs of Atlanta, my friend called and stated he bought a neighbors car last night, since I was within 10 minutes of the car, I decided not to cancel and ended up bringing it home for under 17K, with an additional 3K in parts which have now been sold off to offset the 2K in parts and services I needed to bring it up to spec. Have only put 150 miles on it so far in the last three weeks, but it will make a fun driver for SWMBO and I. Attached picture is the required first early evening drive out on "date night", where to, for ice cream of course. SWMBO found the heated seat button on the center console and states "she approves".

 

[mrmustang]

Long term, 8+ years of ownership is SWMBO summer toy, a 2006 Miata GT, 6spd, factory Bilstein car, now powered by a 2.5L Ford Duratec Motor when the stock 2.0L Mazda engine let loose in 2013.  It too has been meticulously maintained, thought about adding a Harddog rollbar to it and taking it out for some HPDE events, but decided with the other two above, it was not necessary. Sadly, SWMBO didn't drive it at all this year, I felt bad, and added 200 miles of use just so it would not be jealous of the other 3 cars stuffed into our two car (no lift) garage.

 

[mrmustang]

The final for today is our 1970 Shelby GT 350 convertible, this was a car I've been chasing for many years, restored back in 1992, then sold to the last owner in 1994 and placed on a 4 post lift in his warehouse and left to it's own devices. Finally talked the owner in to selling it last year, with a deposit given in March 2021 and the car finally delivered to me in October of that year. The next 3 months were spent getting the car back on the road. Started by draining the 8 gallons of turpentine (IE: stale gas from 1992) from the tank, then have a shop go through all of the drivetrain and wiring (IE: rats nest of splices, shorts, and melted wiring),  after that I spent an additional 3 months to go through the rest of the car to get it safe enough for a potential cross country trip. Have only put 155 miles on it so far this year, not as much as I would have liked, but given it's concourse detailed undercarriage, I've been hesitant to drive it on anything but the nicest of days, when we have had the free time to do so.

 

 

[scannon]

Where to start?  I've owned 386 cars so far but never fear, I will not make 386 posts of one car each, mainly because I couldn't afford a camera and film/developing costs in the early years.

 

My current and favorite of all cars I've owned is my 2021 C8 Corvette convertible.  It took 16 months on several waiting lists to get it.  I took delivery at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY on my 77th birthday, happy birthday to me.  It happened that my birthday was a Friday the 13th.  When I brought it home and looked at the odometer the next morning it read 1313 miles. 

 

I ordered it exactly as I wanted it, no compromises.  It just turned 8,000 miles last week, its a driver, not a garage queen.

 

Last summer I drove it to Salt Lake City for the 41st annual LOG (Lotus Owners Gathering).  I registered it as the car I was bringing and it became the first non Lotus related car to be accepted for the event.

 

 

I'm in the passenger seat as they wouldn't let me drive it out of Corvette Boulevard inside the museum.  The other fellow is a friend who came with me to share driving it back home.

 

 

Corvette Boulevard where the deliveries take place.  Eight delivery stalls.  I walked in at 7:45 AM started down the boulevard, saw my car, stopped and exclaimed "that's my car, that's my Fing car" after 16 long months waiting for it.

 

 

At home in my driveway.

 

It has had two  problems so far, one of the two latches that secure the top to the windshield header failed and a floppy inside rear view mirror due to a defective spring that apparently hasn't made it into the spare parts stream.  The latch has been replaced.

 

4 days after I brought the car home I hired a friend who owns GO 4 IT racing school for a day of instruction at the High Plains Raceway about 2 hours from home.  He has one of the first C8s in the area and wanted to use his car.  I pointed at the Hoosier slicks and said you have racing slicks and a track alignment.  I need to know what I can do in my car not yours.  If I get comfortable with your car I will kill myself pushing my car to those limits.

 

The car is a joy to drive and being a G force junky I take every opportunity to experience acceleration, braking and cornering.

[mrmustang]

3 hours ago, scannon said:

Where to start?  I've owned 386 cars so far but never fear, I will not make 386 posts of one car each, mainly because I couldn't afford a camera and film/developing costs in the early years.

 

 

Skip,

 

    I only posted what is currently in the garage, between the two of us, I do not think there is enough bandwidth in the database for what we have both owned. Try to keep this one away from the port-a-johns

 

Bill S.

Edited December 12, 2022 by mrmustang

[scannon]

I currently have two other cars plus the Baby7.  Once the Miata and Honda have been posted I will try to keep it to the more interesting cars I've owned.

 

 

2019 Miata 30th Anniversary Edition.  #173 of 6,000 produced for the world, about 640 came to the USA.  Somewhat modified but nothing that cannot be returned to original.  Recaro seats and black Rays forged wheels have been removed and stored.  A little over 9k miles on it.  These are appreciating, one sold for $44k recently.  MSRP was $35,900.  The best of the 40 Miatas I have owned with the possible exception of the 2005 Lava Orange Miata with the Flyin Miata 480 HP LS3 conversion to be displayed in a future post.

 

[scannon]

25 minutes ago, mrmustang said:

Skip,

 

    I only posted what is currently in the garage, between the two of us, I do not think there is enough bandwidth in the database for what we have both owned. Try to keep this one away from the port-a-johns

 

Bill S.

 

Are you referring tho the flight I made in a certain Miata?  I claim the record for the longest flight and highest altitude in a Miata.  That black line in the background is the track where lift off occurred on a banked turn at about 70 mph.  The rear wheels are about 3' off the ground.