Old man still got it
07-25-09, 12:47 AM
#1
Old man still got it
Just took the 92 SC400 out on a road trip after I had the tires rotated, taking both freeway and twisty highways. I'd say about 400 miles or less, took the entire afternoon and evening. The impression that I got, this car is the BOMB!!! Comfort, power, fuel mileage, fun-sation, anything, it still has it. I don't think there is any car out there that can match the amount of wins this car consists. I was a pretty happy car owner, but now after pushing this car to its limit, I'm a very happy car owner. Lexus had me sold. Proud of my SC. 
The first 70 miles, I was driving from ABQ to Socorro, taking I25. Pretty boring route mostly except these bridges transitions. There are only a few of them but it seems they are some huge troughs I've ever seen. Was keeping the speed limit though the car took some huge dips. I thought it was gonna bottom being so low but it did not, even with the Vertex sideskirts on when I still had them on awhile ago. Amazingly how when I look at the front tire there is only about less than two inches of travel of the wheel upward but I see no scratch at the top of the wheel well. Kudos for suspension, Eibach springs on Tokico Struts.
Stopped and pumped at Socorro. Was out of money....at the time in the creditcard, so I could only get the tank to the middle mark...huge red flag, I still had upward 400 miles to cover, the V8 is known to drink gas like a irresponsible kid drink beer. I thought oh well, I'd just find some gas station along the way. So there I went on 60 west. The sun was just before me.
I love getting off the main highway. By the time I saw a cop turned around (he was following me for awhile), I hit it and started swerving like I was drunk...just for fun. Trying to skid the tires just enough that they were not sliding but gripping for me. The SC400 handled pretty well with the upgraded suspension. Wasn't very sharp as the huge weight in the front but when it grips, it plants, and getting loose in a predictable manner. Pulled off some wide space along the road and kicked up some smoke clouds. That was fun.
I was hitting it along the straightly paved road. This baby hit 80mph and it just kept pulling. I was a little carried away, not even noticing I was passing 130...slowed down a little, the road was 2-lane, deer could be in the middle of the road, popo ambushing...The thing it, it sure didn't feel like I was going really fast. The car just planted, with the upgraded suspension and being it so heavy. So I was cruising at triple digit speed for awhile until the road got a little rough. Loose gravels, uneven surfaces, I didn't want to risk it, even with the mostly new tires (Potenza p019). Excuse me I go off on the tire a little here, once I was taking another trip to Arkansas and back about 1200 miles, one of the tires had a hole in it....kept losing air. Was carrying 3 persons too, traveling fast. The tire held up...
So about 80 miles in, with all the traveling fast, the tank got down to the mark just before the last mark. I was reluctant to check the GPS before, now looking at it, I had another 80 miles before the highway. It was all pitch black out side. I'm 80 miles away from any civilization that has a gas pump. The road was barely getting any travelby. I was like ****!! I was seriously scared. I never thought of getting stranded. I really don't want to push this heavy *** car out the rest 20 miles if it could make the majority part of the way, not even accounting I could be knifed and robbed, or mauled by a cow....
Turning off every accessories I could think off, A/C, music, GPS, turned fan on low, keeping the windows cracked, turned the instrumental cluster to barely visible, turned off the main headlights
...
I know, I'm part stupid, it's just my way of getting off stress in the boring weekend. Not recommend it to anyone, but it was kinda fun. 
Cruising about 40mph, I was praying 1/8 of this tank could get me at least 80 miles so I can get on the highway and look for a stop. Well, it did. This baby v8 sips gas when driven right. 1/8 could have been sucked down right off if I drive "normally". I was so fcuken relief, I literally yelled. The last couple miles until the freeway were somewhat the most rewarding feeling for this car I've ever felt. It goes when I say it goes, when I say stop it stops. When things get rough, it just won't be leaving me stranded. 
Last stretch of the main highway I40 coming back home was boring again, except I was able to push it max at a downhill. Maxing about 138mph. There were a feel rpm left but it seemed out of breath. Suspension was still holding up (going through a bridge transition). Heart was surely pumping hard. Heart rate increases proportionally with mph.
Here are the mods
- Eibach Springs
- Tokico Struts
- Potenza P019 tires
- Apexi N1 (2 of them)
- Air intake with a cone filter
- EGR deleted
- IACV deleted
- Head, intake manifold slightly ported
Snapped some pics this morning as requested
on a 1992 SC400 Auto--best car ever made, only paid upward five grands for it.
Some old pics
The first 70 miles, I was driving from ABQ to Socorro, taking I25. Pretty boring route mostly except these bridges transitions. There are only a few of them but it seems they are some huge troughs I've ever seen. Was keeping the speed limit though the car took some huge dips. I thought it was gonna bottom being so low but it did not, even with the Vertex sideskirts on when I still had them on awhile ago. Amazingly how when I look at the front tire there is only about less than two inches of travel of the wheel upward but I see no scratch at the top of the wheel well. Kudos for suspension, Eibach springs on Tokico Struts.
Stopped and pumped at Socorro. Was out of money....at the time in the creditcard, so I could only get the tank to the middle mark...huge red flag, I still had upward 400 miles to cover, the V8 is known to drink gas like a irresponsible kid drink beer. I thought oh well, I'd just find some gas station along the way. So there I went on 60 west. The sun was just before me.
I love getting off the main highway. By the time I saw a cop turned around (he was following me for awhile), I hit it and started swerving like I was drunk...just for fun. Trying to skid the tires just enough that they were not sliding but gripping for me. The SC400 handled pretty well with the upgraded suspension. Wasn't very sharp as the huge weight in the front but when it grips, it plants, and getting loose in a predictable manner. Pulled off some wide space along the road and kicked up some smoke clouds. That was fun.
I was hitting it along the straightly paved road. This baby hit 80mph and it just kept pulling. I was a little carried away, not even noticing I was passing 130...slowed down a little, the road was 2-lane, deer could be in the middle of the road, popo ambushing...The thing it, it sure didn't feel like I was going really fast. The car just planted, with the upgraded suspension and being it so heavy. So I was cruising at triple digit speed for awhile until the road got a little rough. Loose gravels, uneven surfaces, I didn't want to risk it, even with the mostly new tires (Potenza p019). Excuse me I go off on the tire a little here, once I was taking another trip to Arkansas and back about 1200 miles, one of the tires had a hole in it....kept losing air. Was carrying 3 persons too, traveling fast. The tire held up...
So about 80 miles in, with all the traveling fast, the tank got down to the mark just before the last mark. I was reluctant to check the GPS before, now looking at it, I had another 80 miles before the highway. It was all pitch black out side. I'm 80 miles away from any civilization that has a gas pump. The road was barely getting any travelby. I was like ****!! I was seriously scared. I never thought of getting stranded. I really don't want to push this heavy *** car out the rest 20 miles if it could make the majority part of the way, not even accounting I could be knifed and robbed, or mauled by a cow....
Turning off every accessories I could think off, A/C, music, GPS, turned fan on low, keeping the windows cracked, turned the instrumental cluster to barely visible, turned off the main headlights
... I know, I'm part stupid, it's just my way of getting off stress in the boring weekend. Not recommend it to anyone, but it was kinda fun. Cruising about 40mph, I was praying 1/8 of this tank could get me at least 80 miles so I can get on the highway and look for a stop. Well, it did. This baby v8 sips gas when driven right. 1/8 could have been sucked down right off if I drive "normally". I was so fcuken relief, I literally yelled. The last couple miles until the freeway were somewhat the most rewarding feeling for this car I've ever felt. It goes when I say it goes, when I say stop it stops. When things get rough, it just won't be leaving me stranded. Last stretch of the main highway I40 coming back home was boring again, except I was able to push it max at a downhill. Maxing about 138mph. There were a feel rpm left but it seemed out of breath. Suspension was still holding up (going through a bridge transition). Heart was surely pumping hard. Heart rate increases proportionally with mph.
Here are the mods
- Eibach Springs
- Tokico Struts
- Potenza P019 tires
- Apexi N1 (2 of them)
- Air intake with a cone filter
- EGR deleted
- IACV deleted
- Head, intake manifold slightly ported
Snapped some pics this morning as requested
on a 1992 SC400 Auto--best car ever made, only paid upward five grands for it.
Some old pics
Last edited by shajbot; 07-25-09 at 03:22 PM.
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07-25-09, 04:56 PM
#9
Nice story. I had a similar situation with gas but not as bad. I was in rush hour traffic and I didn't know the area and had no clue where a gas station was. My gps couldnt get signal. It was terrible lol. I cant imagine what its like knowing you're 80 miles away!
07-25-09, 06:10 PM
#14