It's Official. It's Over.

[Leewah]

After 9 years, 1 month and 10 days, it can now be made official that I have sold my car. The ownership papers have been signed, the bank cheques exchanged and car cleaned out.

I will always have great memories of the car and everything I've done with it. From countless all nighters preparing it for Autosalons and drag days to enjoying the spoils of running a 10.47@133MPH on drag radials back when GTRs were still struggling to get into mid 11s. At the time, my car was #4 in the HPI outright 4WD rankings behind GTR700, Kier Wilson and John Munro, all of which at the time were already race cars. There were also many spirited drives late at night and Vmax runs on "private" roads. Those were the days before reckless people came out in their rolling coffins and managed to obtain the title of "hoon". After that, all the fun was ruined and things will never be the same. Bad luck to those who missed out on those days. Rest assured, they were GREAT times!

For 3 years running, my car took out the highest AWD HP, Outright HP and Tough As Nails trophies at AutoSalon which is a credit to all those who have ever been involved in the development and maintenance of the car. The car has been worked on over the years by a number of people who need to be thanked. No matter what your opinion is of these people, they are responsible for making my car what it is and what it has been in previous configurations. Without them, it would have just been another GTR.

* Ben (previous owner) from RacePace Motorsport

* Gerald from Ice Performance

* Nigel from Ice Performance and Racingline Motorsport

* Karl from Racingline Motorsport

* Benny Kashima for saving me one late night before the Autosalon Power Challenge and repairing a cooler pipe

* Mick at MiColour

* Ray and his absolutely ace team from RE Customs

I've learnt that if you have the right people around you and access to the right knowledge and tools, you can pretty much make anything happen. It just takes time, effort, money (no hiding from it) and a lot of dedication.

Where do I go from here? Nowhere right now. I'm kicking back and just enjoying the idea of not having to worry about a modified Japanese import and peddling around in my auto daily driver.

I will always miss the car and reminisce the great days I had with the car and the wonderful times it brought me and I don't regret many things I've done with the car. I made it what I wanted it to be, did the things I wanted to do with it and now it was time to let it go.

I wish the new owner the best of luck and joy with the car and I hope that Ray and the boys at RE keep looking after it like they did for me. Their service and workmanship have been impeccable and they have always been willing to help out at the drop of a hat.

Hopefully I'll still be involved in SAU and it's activities. I haven't been round much of this year to participate in events but I hope that will change as the warmer seasons kick in and day hangs round a bit more.

*Photos care of fullboost.com.au*

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

congrats and commiserations mang

[adznight]

Can't believe it's finally gone! Congrats man. Kinda sad to see it go but hey at the end of the day it's just a car/money pit. There is always more fun to be had.

[bombtrack]

Sad day but congrats Leewah

[Russman]

Wow 9 years is a long time.

Sad to see. Oh well. There's always new challenges.

[ashneel]

congrats man. first time i saw your car at deca i jizzed in my pants lol

remember when you were selling it that ppl were offering you land as a swap hahahaha

hopefully you got what you were asking for or close to it.

[Mavric]

Well leewah mate i think i would agree its a SAD say but also congrats to see it gone.. It is an awesome car lots of memories seeing it around

[krzysiu]

Wow 9 years? Congrats on finally selling it! Been for sale for as along as i can remember... guess the right buyer came along

[DRD-00F]

Maaan, even I remember this car from a DECA!

Was a beautiful machine then and still is!

Good luck in whatever venture you decide to take from here!

Hope the new owner sticks around the club too!

[Leewah]

I think I'm just distraught that is really IS gone now.

I've talked about selling it for so long now but I've always been able just to get in it when feeling down and fire it up and go for a drive to get away from it all but now I can't.

It was also the 1st car I've ever really been attached to which makes it so tough. My previous cars were all stock and I never modifed them.

I got decent money for it but unfortunately due to the GFC, I didn't actually get a sheep station or the 11ty billion I wanted.

Just hope the new owner doesn't wrap it around a tree at some point. That would just be totally devastating for me.

[Ant97GTR]

Sorry to see her go mate but congrats on the sale and onto bigger and better things

[Mavric]

Leewah i have been thinking best therapy for this kind of disaster...

Buy a 36

[fuzzy_scuz]

Leewah, a 36 is the solution to the problem.

But I can understand what you mean. I have had my GTR for almost 4 years now and sway in decisons of keeping it or selling it or spending more money on it.

I am glad see that the alterantve is hard but will help with your endevours moving forward. Now go and win APT damn it and share the spoils with SAU and buy everyone a V36!

[Bass Junky]

Congrats man.

I know exactly how you feel about it going. You know you have to sell it, but don't want to.

Jeff described it perfectly to me.... "It's like cutting off your leg which is caught in a bear trap"

Hurts, but you have to do it.

And yes, Matt is right... Buy an R36, or as least a Passat like I did. They are the new black I'm told.

[Mavric]

Leewah, a 36 is the solution to the problem.

But I can understand what you mean. I have had my GTR for almost 4 years now and sway in decisons of keeping it or selling it or spending more money on it.

I am glad see that the alterantve is hard but will help with your endevours moving forward. Now go and win APT damn it and share the spoils with SAU and buy everyone a V36!

Champ not a V36 an R36

[adznight]

Ppppft, VW? You need an Audi buddy.

[llama_au]

Well congrats. As much as it hurts now you can always go and do it all again if you want.

[Leewah]

Pete, you summed it up perfectly with Jeff's quote.

It was a necessary sacrifice which a few of us have made recently.

I'm loving the idea of a new VW R20. Pity it doesn't arrive until late 2010 or 2011.

Going to stay away from buying a new car for awhile however the idea of a new car is tempting.

[Belsil80]

not many cars ive driven made me giggle. this one did. it needed a run up to hit boost on the skid pan...

did you try out 'never been boosted' in the add?

[saff_cossie]

not many cars ive driven made me giggle. this one did. it needed a run up to hit boost on the skid pan...

did you try out 'never been boosted' in the add?

Whilst I don't think I drove this, I was lucky enough to go on at least one skidpan session with you and it was ace. Is always a sad time selling fun cars and the sadness only grows, the longer you own it for. Sad part now is buying something else down the track, when you have something ace as a benchmark, nothing quite lives up to it