I thought I was going to be happy with the GTM I was having built but I could never get the SLC out of my head. It was like I was married to the wrong woman or something. The GTM is a beautiful car with a lot of potential, but I knew early on I wouldn't be able to get the SLC out of my head unless I got one.
It was something about the precision aluminum frame, quality of the welds, roomy cockpit, the feeling of being safer, and the paint ready body that made it a recurring thought in my head like that song that just sticks there no matter what. Rather than keep throwing money into projects I had going I decided to consolidate and build the car I really wanted.
So after a half joking random conversation Fran and I struck a deal.
Here is the story I posted on ffcars about the trip this weekend picking it up:
AllanFFR and I went to RCR on Sunday to drop off my rx7 and pick up my Superlite Coupe, 2 Ricardos with peripherals, and Allan's street tail.
Sunday was cold but otherwise a sunny and pretty day. The drive was smooth and issue free until we hit some wintry weather in Ohio near the Michigan border. It was a little nasty, but not a huge issue until we get about 100 miles from RCR. There we proceed to drive smack in the middle of a blizzard!
The night grew worse as we came to find that Michigan sold all of it's salt trucks and snow plows to pay down some debt. There was about 7 inches on the roads, and we drove by at least 50 cars either in ditches or spun out and stuck on the side of the road. My butt was puckered and I see Allan's knuckles getting whiter by the minute as he is expertly navigating his Jeep with an open trailer swaying in the ruts trying to go it's own direction while Allan is keeping the Jeep out of trouble. I look down at my phone and I see a bunch of missed calls and text's from Fran warning of the weather hitting the area that no one had predicted the day before. Weathermen...
After driving about 25mph for 100 miles dodging spun out cars and idiots driving like they were in the Indy 500, we finally arrive at RCR. With about 10 inches of fresh virgin snow on the ground we make it to the back gate of the shop which Fran had cleared out earlier for us to drop the trailer off. I'm still not sure how Allan did it, but after a few tries and some shoveling in front of the gate he backed the trailer into the shop with about few inches to spare on each side. The only carnage was a kiss from the cement pole to the rear lights on the trailer. Something one of Fran's employees graciously repaired in about 10 mins the next day.
There were times I didn't think we were going to make it that night. Some way some how with God's help (yes I was praying ) and Allan's steady driving we made it to RCR with us and our cargo in one piece.
We dropped off the trailer, got about 4-5hrs of sleep and went back to the shop to find the rx7 already off the trailer replaced with my SLC strapped down by Fran and his guys in the morning. After some good guy car talk, drooling over the new projects, and finishing the paperwork up, we packed the Jeep with the Ricardo's, peripherals, seats, and a set of tires and went on our way.
I want to thank Allan for being enormously generous with his time and efforts, and Fran for making a potentially complicated transaction not only seamless, but a pleasure.
BTW...I also saw the jewel of a case to a new transaxle coming very very soon. I may have a Ricardo for sale this summer.
It was something about the precision aluminum frame, quality of the welds, roomy cockpit, the feeling of being safer, and the paint ready body that made it a recurring thought in my head like that song that just sticks there no matter what. Rather than keep throwing money into projects I had going I decided to consolidate and build the car I really wanted.
So after a half joking random conversation Fran and I struck a deal.
Here is the story I posted on ffcars about the trip this weekend picking it up:
AllanFFR and I went to RCR on Sunday to drop off my rx7 and pick up my Superlite Coupe, 2 Ricardos with peripherals, and Allan's street tail.
Sunday was cold but otherwise a sunny and pretty day. The drive was smooth and issue free until we hit some wintry weather in Ohio near the Michigan border. It was a little nasty, but not a huge issue until we get about 100 miles from RCR. There we proceed to drive smack in the middle of a blizzard!
The night grew worse as we came to find that Michigan sold all of it's salt trucks and snow plows to pay down some debt. There was about 7 inches on the roads, and we drove by at least 50 cars either in ditches or spun out and stuck on the side of the road. My butt was puckered and I see Allan's knuckles getting whiter by the minute as he is expertly navigating his Jeep with an open trailer swaying in the ruts trying to go it's own direction while Allan is keeping the Jeep out of trouble. I look down at my phone and I see a bunch of missed calls and text's from Fran warning of the weather hitting the area that no one had predicted the day before. Weathermen...
After driving about 25mph for 100 miles dodging spun out cars and idiots driving like they were in the Indy 500, we finally arrive at RCR. With about 10 inches of fresh virgin snow on the ground we make it to the back gate of the shop which Fran had cleared out earlier for us to drop the trailer off. I'm still not sure how Allan did it, but after a few tries and some shoveling in front of the gate he backed the trailer into the shop with about few inches to spare on each side. The only carnage was a kiss from the cement pole to the rear lights on the trailer. Something one of Fran's employees graciously repaired in about 10 mins the next day.
There were times I didn't think we were going to make it that night. Some way some how with God's help (yes I was praying ) and Allan's steady driving we made it to RCR with us and our cargo in one piece.
We dropped off the trailer, got about 4-5hrs of sleep and went back to the shop to find the rx7 already off the trailer replaced with my SLC strapped down by Fran and his guys in the morning. After some good guy car talk, drooling over the new projects, and finishing the paperwork up, we packed the Jeep with the Ricardo's, peripherals, seats, and a set of tires and went on our way.
I want to thank Allan for being enormously generous with his time and efforts, and Fran for making a potentially complicated transaction not only seamless, but a pleasure.
BTW...I also saw the jewel of a case to a new transaxle coming very very soon. I may have a Ricardo for sale this summer.