Jeff's ZHP Adventure....one chapter at a time

[jgt_zhp]

Gosh, this is so much more fun than some stupid new car, where'd you're afraid to change anything, and it smells all funny inside, but not funny like crayons. And there's a...warranty. Where's the excitement in that, for god's sake??

This odyssey began about the first of March, coinciding with the realization that I'd had the 325i for a little over 4 years. I come from a long bloodline of restless car traders, and that's the longest I've EVER driven the same car. So I started sniffing around. Dismissed all other brands quickly. Thought about some e90s, but I just (no offense to anyone offended) don't like them that much. Considered some e46 tourings, still want one kind of. Just missed a really clean 545i 6MT that would have been fun. Started looking at E46s seriously, though. Saw a post about a ZHP where some guy recommended to some other guy that he get some information on ZHP Mafia. Which is where I found you guys. When I decided I really wanted a ZHP, I petitioned the powers that be, and some how they let me in. Good thing. I found my ZHP from one of the many reposts of ads in the classified area. You guys know where all the good ones are. Just not near my house.

I thought I wanted a sedan at first. Barely missed out on an Imola sedan in New Jersey. Really got close to pulling the trigger on Bill's sapphire black sedan with the birch wood trim. But also had feelers on a couple of Imola coupes. I actually told the previous owner of mine "No, thanks, I think I want a sedan". These are some of the pics he sent that made me reconsider:




She was domiciled in the scenic mountains, a little north of Asheville, NC. They parked for the winters, waxed her more than they drove her, I think. After several exchanges with the Owner, I had a real comfort level that these folks were good honest, people, really loved this car, and wanted it to go somewhere it would be cared for and thoroughly enjoyed. I made an offer, it was close, and we came to terms. Now, where the heck is Asheville, NC?? Oh, 865 miles almost due East of my house. If you only give 6 days notice, a one way ticket costs 40,000 frequent flier miles.

Next installment - Let's drive her home.

[Avetiso]

Now I really want a coupe.

[bcleaver]

next post please.

[jgt_zhp]

CHAPTER 2 - Let's Get Her Home.

Flew in to Asheville late on April 3. It was a warm sunny day, but clouds follow me around. The forecast for the 4th was cold, rain, drizzle, and at higher elevations, most forms of frozen moisture. Not cool. Previous owner was worried about getting down from the mountains to town in the morning. Turns out, they ended up blasting out of their place early, to beat the bad stuff. They caravanned in to the parking lot of my hotel with the Imola coupe, and their black E46 sedan. Car was everything they'd said it would be. We hightailed it to their credit union, and I walked out a little after noon with the title. She was mine. And it was starting to rain pretty steady. I'd spent some time figuring out how to start the trip off with some scenic driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it wasn't in the cards. Quick stop for fuel and to air up a low tire, and I headed for Tennessee.

Unfamiliar car, unfamiliar mountain highway full of unfamiliar huge trucks throwing spray, 20% window tint - this was a little unsettling, I've got to say.

We made it to the Tennessee border. And it just keeps on raining



I turned North at Knoxville and headed towards Kentucky. Thought it might rain less there. Not really. Got almost to Lexington, and stopped for the night at Richmond. It quit raining, but the car wasn't dried out by morning



Friday the 5th - sun shining, birds chirping, its a whole new day. And Lexington marks the Northeast corner of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Who could pass that up? Enjoyed some beautiful rolling hills lined with horse farms, and found my way to the Woodford Reserve Distillery. A very interesting and educational tour, a complimentary sample, and of course a bottle to take home.







Had lunch at a great little burger place Guy Fieri recommended, and off to Louisville, to check out some little horse track they have there.





From there, I made it as far as Mt' Vernon, Illinois. No more curves, long rolling hills, and the familiar corn farms must mean I'm getting closer to home.

Saturday - the St. Louis Arch



And a very important landmark - my garage. Whoo. That was a ways. But what a great way to get to know the new car.



Next installment - Time to Start Making this Buggy My Own

[jgt_zhp]

CHAPTER 3 - OK, It's Mine. Now What.

So, this shiny red beast is here now. Once the infatuation wore off (Naaahhh - just seeing if anybody was listening). So I've been driving an E46 for four years. But this one sure is different. Coupes really aren't like sedans. 325s really aren't "almost just like 330s. And this ZHP is really something special. Any, by God, it's IMOLA. I'm a big AW fan, have always like TS, and some of you guys out there with the Silver Gray sedans - I still drool over them. But they're not Imola coupes.

So, let's get this thing sorted out. What kind of hack would just drive around in a car exactly like how the previous owner had it?? And, sheesh, she was a girl.

First step - off to the indy mechanic for a good checkup. Like getting your teeth cleaned, only even more expensive. My new baby got a very clean bill of health. Only real surprise was one leaking rear shock. And the alignment was pretty sketchy. Some new rear shocks, bump stops and mount plates, and I'm on my merry way. Rear tires were getting some serious wear on the inside edges. Fronts were pretty decent, but I didn't like them, so TireRack to the rescue. Ordered up a set of the latest from Hankook, the Ventus S1 nobile2. Had them in a few days, and we're all good with new rubber:




Next up, entertainment. I enjoy listening to the ZHP sounds, but the XM satellite adapter would slide right out of the 325s trunk, and in to the ZHP, so why not?? "Free Mod". While the trunk was open, a few old socks strategically jammed here and there help with the rear deck rattle phenomenon.

And the tint - oh, my, it's dark. With the $15 steamer from Walmart, the film peels right off. If you do it too fast (like me)....the adhesive doesn't all come along with it. So, from time to time, when the mood is right, I head out there with the 00 steel wool and work on it. One of these days. I'm planning to go back in with some new, less aggressive tint, so I really need all that goo off of there.

The UPS guy drives by here a couple times a day, he might as well be stopping once in a while. How about a nice BMW Performance intake, and an aluminum/alcantara BMW Performance shift knob?? Well, OK.







Sweet stuff. Now on the alcantara front, we've got some steering wheel issues. Not only was there a generous accumulation of....stuff on there, PO had actually put a cover on, to help keep it in. Some patient attention with the toothbrush method, followed by the Magic Eraser technique, and I got it presentable enough to forestall the Coby Wheel investment. Can't brush my teeth anymore, but the steering wheel can go out in public now

Oops, lost my steering wheel pic. Lighting wasn't that great anyway.

Then there was the roof rack adventure. A good number of UPS visits generated by that experimentation. Landed on a Yakima Whispbar low profile rack, with Yakima Forklift bike trays.





For good measure, Fedex brought the Homelink Receiver and the Aux Input.





Next installment - Hey, Jeff, it looks pretty livable. What Else You Thinking About Doing?

[Crestwood1001]

In.

[danewilson77]

Great story.

HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA

[MiniD]

Great looking car. Wish I knew you came thru Knoxville!

[danewilson77]

Great looking car. Wish I knew you came thru Knoxville!

And Richmond!

HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA

[illirep]

Great thread. Looking forward to next steps. I regret not documenting my natural brown conversion in a similar manner.