Make that central Va
So new that I have not titled or registered the '04 ZHP I bought in North Carolina a week ago, so it sits in my side yard until Old Faithful ('96 328i,) my daily driver for the past six years, sells. We are very much looking forward to the wealth of info and richness of camaraderie found here. I love (most) BMW engineering, though my first love was that mid-50's MB Gullwing, and I went to sleep some nights dreaming of being a pit mechanic on their F! racing team. What other boy in Alabama at that time had Stirling Moss as his hero?
For over a year I searched many sources for an E46 M3, and knew nothing of the ZHF until driving one two months ago. I was hooked - the harshness of the M was absent, replaced by a firm but sweet responsiveness with all the power I need at age 73. My 328 returns right at a 30 mpg average, so the gas pump will see me a little more frequently from here on but it's a small price to pay. I like the E36 very much but the difference is substantial.
Some past rides were '56 Austin Healy 100-4, '62 Corvette, '60 Alfa Romeo, '55 Caddy coupe, '67 E-type Jag and assorted sedans, wagons, and trucks. Competition was always a strong attractor, and I went to many sports car races on both coasts, beginning in the early '60s. A brief stab at motorcycle racing exposed my lack of skill and money. Now the occasional sailboat regatta quenches that thirst. Five grandsons also give lots of satisfaction to the old man.
Best regards to all,
Sailor