I’d hate on the decal package more if I didn’t like the name. “Nuclear Gladiator,” designed by Troy Lee. Image courtesy of Barrett-Jackson.
The nice thing about it is that the guy I bought it from also had it as a project, so most parts it needed were stacked on the passenger floor mat. One bonus, or so I thought, was the noisy dual exhaust. Sure, it had a “check engine” light, which happened to be the only thing that worked in the instrument cluster, but it barked, so all was forgiven. Over the course of a few weeks, I’ve mended wires and plugged things back in, lighting everything back up. However, the “check engine” light must be fuelled like the Olympic torch as it burns on. Sure enough, an oxygen sensor has been removed downstream of the catalytic converter, which has also been removed. Not a big deal, but it means I have to sacrifice my dual exhaust to have a properly functioning computer system. Honestly, I wasn’t that bothered by it at first. Both pipes kick out behind the passenger side tire anyways, and they make loud mufflers for single exhaust systems too. The big problem? The pipes shouldn’t kick out there, as the leaf spring shackle is trying to occupy that same space. The only solution is for the pipe to exit straight out the back. On dual exhaust, I have no problem with that, but with a single pipe poking straight out, I have visions of tuner cars, the big jam-can mufflers from days gone by that were hardly fast or furious. That got me thinking, where are these tuner cars, and when will they make a comeback?
Of all of those movies, I liked the first The Fast and the Furious the best. That movie was a game-changer in the automotive world. In one summer, every kid realized that their mom’s old crew cab Accord could be a drag car with a muffler swap, some mags, a big stereo, and tinted windows. Were they fast? Of course not, most of them, anyway. Were they furious? Some yes, mostly in sound or in high-speed fly-bys at double the legal speed limit on residential streets. The cars in the first movie, however, were pretty legitimate. Was the Supra driven by Paul Walker actually a ten-second car?
No clue, but a Supra is a quick car, and it looked alright. Targa top, eye-catching colour, and I really liked the two-tone black-and-blue interior. The Hart M5 wheels weren’t too busy and complimented the APR aluminum wing, which was just horrible, but every car had one, so it gets a pass. Other modifications included a TRD hood and Bomex body kit. Honestly, peel the stickers off and lose the wing, and it’s a really nice car. If you too think it’s nice, you’re in luck, as you could own it. Barrett-Jackson is selling this movie icon in mid-June, and it looks exactly like it did in 2001. If this style ever makes a comeback, this car is the height of fashionable, right down to the big single exhaust that bothers me so much. Maybe I’ll just split mine back into dual at the rear axle… I’d consider it cheating, but GM did it on everything for decades and got away with it.
Have a question or comment for Kelly? Post it at lmtimes.ca/kirk
