I should probably update here too.
My car life went a bit nuts when I decided to leave/hiatus from here. I finally got myself a workshop to do work to my cars as well as store them, which really became an enabler to buy even more.
I started the year off with getting into another B series Civic. A genuine SiR-II, fully optioned with sunroof (so unfortunately no LSD).
Was on Facebook for a ridiculously price after just been stored in a barn for four years. I messaged the guy, gave him a deposit and a phone call, and had a friend of mine organise my dad to view it (because it happened to be at the bottom of the south island in Invercargill!). Test drive went well, somehow got a Warrant of Fitness, so I got it shipped up over here... only to clog the fuel pump. Thanks to the previous owner literally leaving no fuel in it, I ran out about 10m away from the depot.
I was made redundant just before NZ's lockdown began, but quickly found new work as an essential worker, so decided to drive this to work for a few days. Did some basic maintenance, fuel pump cleared a bit as well as the ignition system needing a tickle. Then made it look cool by throwing some RGs on it.
Then bought more projects, so now has been sitting in my lockup with my friend's Familia GTR.
Then, bought a kei car. Always always wanted one, but they were getting more well-known on the car enthusiast scope, so I really couldn't justify 10k+ on a Beat, or Cappuccino. Bought a Mitsubishi Minica Toppo. Some of you may recognise the Minica name, there was the first generation Dangan ZZ in GT4. This was the model afterwards, and utilised the next 'generation' of the turbo engine. They made this as the Toppo variant (along with a Step-Through van sort of thing), and the more consumer orientated one. Dangan was used for that, while the Toppo high roof which I have, the trim was labelled the RT.
I dailied this for a little while too, but it began to have a thermostat issue where it was always running cold and rich. While I waited from parts to arrive from Japan, I sidelined it and continued to drive the Swift. Which by then, I had put TE37s on and finally sorted all of it's mechanical niggles (shift cables, clutch, clutch cable, thermostat, shocks etc.). Unfortunately by this point I was a bit fed up with it (shocks were impossible to buy outside of OEM Suzuki!), was only going to cost me more money and I felt like it was getting a bit ruined sitting in traffic as a daily. But I didn't think it was special enough for it to be hidden away in a lockup as it was always going to have a very niche appeal.
Naturally, I sold it.
Then I finally bought a WRX...
I had recently began to have a hankering for a GF/GC, but they were just getting to become appreciated here, and with these cars, it's insanely critical you don't rush into one otherwise you'll probably have to replace the engine. So I was very thankful to find this gem.
Just a click over 200,000km, but effectively bought of the very original owner. It was brought into the country new from Subaru Japan for a customer a bit up north the country, which I managed to get in touch with. Pretty much every receipt from 1997, I bought it off the second owner who only had it for a year, but was getting a company car. 90% factory, I'll be slowly tweaking it while getting factory parts as well. My first proper turbo car, I was pretty quickly hooked. With it being so well looked after, it was immense with how solid it felt. No weird rattles or creaks. Just solid.
This is also the Gravel Express variant, of only just over 1000 made - usually would come with a bullbar, and a weird rear tyre carrier which I find super rad haha. Then of course the two tone, the famous 555 blue over silver.
Didn't want to daily it with not really having any space to have it somewhere safe during the night at home, so while I was fixing the Minica, I bought a Bluebird.
Not much to say about this one, 1991 Bluebird 2.0SSS, so SR20 but paired with a very lazy autobox. 171,000km, bought off the original NZ owner, gave it a very good clean and sold the Nismo R6es that were on it, then sold the car for a tidy little profit.
Then, bought something that I had been waiting for many-a-year, 1998 Legacy GT-B Limited in Cashmere Yellow.
Anyone who knows me or looked at my thread would've seen that I've always had a soft spot for these Legacys, growing up around them. This one came up with 154,000km, bone stock, almost every optional extra, with the Limited trim and one year only Cashmere Yellow. It presents a bit shabby so it needs a lot of TLC, but had about 4.5k of recent mechanical maintenance done to it, so engine wise it's sussed. Ironically for it being my most Jalopnik car I own, it's definitely the most partial I'm too. There's a lot of things it just did better than the Impreza, plus it feels a lot more maturer of a car to drive. When it's properly aligned and sorted I'll go into more detail.
Until then... guess I'll be posting a bit more again. I missed having a proper formatted website to post my stuff on a bit. Good to see there's still a few cool cars around.
