Reply to "#9178 For Sale"

Coz,

First, thanks for the time you spent on the phone with me while I was still looking. You gave me the confidence to set a maximum price and stay within it, rather than chasing prices upwards.

Every person has their own reasons for having their specific car. Originally, I wanted to have a mid-engine car, for the handling. The Fiat X1/9 and the 914 seemed underpowered, so when I learned the price for the Pantera (US$10,823.00 in 1974), I had to have one.

When I took the racing school in that Pantera, the Formula Fords blew by me like I was a mobile chicane (we were all novices on the track). The following year, I took the school in a very nice mid-engine Lola T340 and the Pantera was sold. I campaigned that Lola for three years, and leaned how to drive. (Best season: 1977, Third in points for Formula Ford, CASC Prairie Region.)

That was 30 years ago. Since then, I have looked at various NSX's and liked them, but never wanted to buy one: no trunk space, and they didn't live up to the memory of my Pantera. I'm no longer interested in maximum performance. What I want now is a good-handling high-performance fast car I can go away in for a week, with luggage for two. Oh, and turnings heads is nice, too. My second Pantera fits this bill rather well.

I'm sure Acura doesn't need any endorsement from me, but we have owned a 1992 Integra GS since new. It has 210k miles (338k km) on it now, and we still like it so much we kept it rather than trading it in 8 months ago. If the NSX is as well-built, it will serve you very well indeed.

My condolences on the sale of your Pantera, and best wishes in finding and modifying an NSX. Hey, if you are ever in Victoria and nostalgic, you can drive my Pantera.