7-15 Houston - SLR, Murci, Panoz, CGT etc etc

[RC45]

Actually the list was so long and the day so long and so many photos, I fugured the "Behind the scenes" shots would be more interesting.. :P

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1796/image4copybc7.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image4copybc7.jpg) http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4313/image3copybv3.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image3copybv3.jpg) http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2001/image2copyih6.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image2copyih6.jpg) http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2072/image1copypf7.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image1copypf7.jpg)

[PaulGT2164]

always nice to see a panoz in the wild

[sameerrao]

Who are those handsome devils?

RC, can you send me the watermark so that I can add to my pics as well.

[RC45]

You have a PM.. :)

[sameerrao]

RC ... how does this look ... am trying out the watermark thingie for the first time ....

[http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9009/dsc58761in2.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc58761in2.jpg)

[RC45]

Nice flag ;)

Yeah - watermarks are such a personal thing - as long as you are happy with the presentaiton of yor image - thats all that really matters :)

BTW, I am off to MSR at 8am in the morning.. pity you couldn't make it too - this would be a great "action shot" practice opportunity ;)

[TT]

Nice Murci shot! And the mug of the guy at the wheel looks someway familiar, doesn't it? Actually looks like you LOL and in that case, how could you possibly have taken the pic yourself?!

[oscargarza88]

oh RC so ur car was ready... thats good those were some good shots!
wish i could have seen them too!...

[No.1]

Murcie roadster looks great. And lucky you - driving the beast 8)

Nice "behind-the-scenes" idea :good:

But where is the CGT? :P

[jorge]

That Panoz looks very nice, but the Murcielago shot is amazing. :o

[Pehtren]

Hehe RC nice one, i like the RED murcie it looks really special :wink:

Oh and do you have any more pics of that day :D

[sameerrao]

Here are a few of my pics as well as my brother's ....

Orange Lambo Gallardo
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9126/dsc5875ni6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5875ni6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/7528/dsc5862bs0.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5862bs0.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5063/dsc5860jl5.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5860jl5.jpg)

Silver Gallardo - this car had an awesome aftermarket exhaust
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2327/dsc5886sn3.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5886sn3.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6265/dsc5885se9.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5885se9.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2513/dsc5879fv5.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5879fv5.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4594/dsc5887du6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5887du6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1374/dsc5892ww8.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5892ww8.jpg)

Panoz Esperante LM Jan Magnusson spec - has a 4.2l supercharged engine with 420bhp and lots of CF all over the car. Costs $130,000. :shock:
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8867/dsc5923bf9.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5923bf9.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6089/dsc5925qi7.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5925qi7.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6273/dsc5930ja6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5930ja6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1750/dsc5928ll1.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5928ll1.jpg)

More later, Ive got to slave over a barbecue today ... its time for ribs, chicken and kababs ....

[RC45]

Nice red Murci Roadster - not a usual colour for this beast!! :D

And lucky you to be able to drive it!! :P are you trading your Z06 for one of them now??

Well - besides the fact I would need to donate everyone's kidney as well as trade the Z to get it - It's looks cool.. but I just wonder how much fun it really is...
Afterall once you're behind the wheel, and you have 600 or 700 HP then all freeway roll ons are the same.. and after you have taken the car to the fancy hotel and restaurant valet a few times.. the novelty I am sure wears off..

But now something like this might interest me
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8305/f4302nf8.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f4302nf8.jpg) http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8335/f4303qr7.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f4303qr7.jpg)

but at the moment I am able to have just as much fun.. ;)
http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/3892/c5fast2xt1.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=c5fast2xt1.jpg) http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/5711/c5fast1bf2.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=c5fast1bf2.jpg) http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8358/c5brakeex3.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=c5brakeex3.jpg) http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/7240/c5brake2nu2.th.jpg (http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=c5brake2nu2.jpg)

The big Murci just felt .. big? and dare I say clumsy?

[sameerrao]

^^ Try it out on the road and it might be shrink around you.

All cars with flappy paddles make manouvring cars around the parking lot a tedious experience. Plus the sheer width of the car and the mega dollar price adds to the problem. :D

[sentra_dude]

Here are a few of my pics as well as my brother's ....

Orange Lambo Gallardo
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9126/dsc5875ni6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5875ni6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/7528/dsc5862bs0.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5862bs0.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5063/dsc5860jl5.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5860jl5.jpg)

Silver Gallardo - this car had an awesome aftermarket exhaust
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2327/dsc5886sn3.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5886sn3.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6265/dsc5885se9.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5885se9.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2513/dsc5879fv5.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5879fv5.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4594/dsc5887du6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5887du6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1374/dsc5892ww8.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5892ww8.jpg)

Panoz Esperante LM Jan Magnusson spec - has a 4.2l supercharged engine with 420bhp and lots of CF all over the car. Costs $130,000. :shock:
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8867/dsc5923bf9.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5923bf9.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6089/dsc5925qi7.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5925qi7.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6273/dsc5930ja6.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5930ja6.jpg)http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1750/dsc5928ll1.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5928ll1.jpg)

More later, Ive got to slave over a barbecue today ... its time for ribs, chicken and kababs ....

Top quality pics man! 8)

This one is excellent: http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1374/dsc5892ww8.th.jpg (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5892ww8.jpg)

Hmm, not sure about that Panoz, maybe you get used to having the tach & speedo in the middle like that...?

[r2r]

:shock:

Congrats on the ride in the Murcielago roadster RC, we need more pics of this car!

And I don't know about you, but I'll get tired driving in the Z06 long before I will in the Murcielago.


and sameerrao, those are some nice gallardo pics.

[sameerrao]

thanks ... I will be posting more pics later - including the Murci, Elise, etc.

[nthfinity]

:)

Nice shots Sameer, very nice shots!

[RC45]

And I don't know about you, but I'll get tired driving in the Z06 long before I will in the Murcielago.

Hey, if posing is your scene then more power to you.. :)

But for $360,000 there are more "driver orientated" cars out there than that ;)

[RC45]

^^ Try it out on the road and it might be shrink around you.

All cars with flappy paddles make manouvring cars around the parking lot a tedious experience. Plus the sheer width of the car and the mega dollar price adds to the problem. :D

THat may be true - but when barreling towards a bend it won't be any lighter ;) :P

BTW - you are the designated "still photog" and weren't out at MSR on Sunday - so no hires pictures of the fanastic F40 (an untitled "new" purchase in from New Jersey) and the beautiful in black F430.. ;)

[sameerrao]

That black 430 looks real familiar ... Is the owner's first name Lee by any chance - I met him on one the FCA gettogethers.

Hopefully I will be able to make it to a trackday session sometime soon...

[sameerrao]

McMerc SLR

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/2968/dsc6035rj4.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6035rj4.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/820/dsc6034ys2.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6034ys2.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7318/dsc5990md9.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5990md9.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/96/dsc5999bd5.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc5999bd5.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5788/dsc6003qa6.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6003qa6.jpg)

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4489/dsc6032hi8.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6032hi8.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9092/dsc6037cs4.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6037cs4.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3139/dsc6029vn7.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6029vn7.jpg)

Impressive engine sound. The supercharger has a nice whine. I like the gills on the side reminding one of the glorious SLR. The interior
is pretty nice with shell like seats with a CF underpinning. The switchgear is very cheap looking - not what you can expect in a $480,000 car.

Being poseurs ourselves, we spent a good five minutes figuring out how to pop the airbrake in the rear of the car.... ;)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/815/dsc6033mj9.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6033mj9.jpg)

I like the wheel caps - the lettering is reminscent of the Mercs of 1930s .... nice touch. The wheel spoke pattern is like the knockoff hubcaps pattern of those days. Nice touch! Dinner plate sized carboceramic disks hiding behind for those who dont give a fig about this :)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5462/dsc6036yk1.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6036yk1.jpg)

Opening the hood upfront is not straightforward either. This took us time while tried to move the cover this way and that. Basically while standing at the front of the caryou have to pull it upwards and then towards you. Then lift from the side behind the wheels and pull upwards. Nice hinge mechanism. RC, being as analytical as ever was giving a 2 minute shpiel on the hinge - I vaguely recall words parallelogram, hinge, fantastic. I was too hungry at the time to focus :)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9154/dsc6023zc9.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6023zc9.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/2990/dsc6026gl9.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6026gl9.jpg)

[sameerrao]

Lambo Murcielago roadster

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/2814/dsc6164yw0.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6164yw0.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4122/dsc6156cf5.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6156cf5.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5773/dsc6142ma1.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6142ma1.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/8839/dsc6140pb7.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6140pb7.jpg)http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5774/dsc6137oa4.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6137oa4.jpg)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5716/dsc6168wn6.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6168wn6.jpg)



Lambo textures ...
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9216/dsc6143qr1.th.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc6143qr1.jpg)

[r2r]

^^^ Those are some great shots (the SLR and Murcielago) :clap:

Murcielago roadster in red looks amazing :drool:

oh yeah and that amazingly comlex hindge system on the SLR for the hood interesting to see.

[RC45]

I absolutely love the first murcielago pic :drool:

These pics wouldn't have been taken at the former RR dealership across the street from Carmello's would they...? :hmm:

Yes, it is Drivers Houston Autoworks - http://www.drivershouston.com/ - I have sorta become their resident photog.

It's nice to get a call to come and take some shots of a car they are about to sell, advertise or promote :)

But I will tell you the downside - daily exposure to these "super cars" makes you a little immune to them ;)

So much so, that on Sunday, I didn't even put down the Video camera to get the SLR and take stills of the F40 or F430 that rolled up :P

[sameerrao]

I was disappointed when the BMW 540i rolled up for a photoshoot - argh the sheer boredom, the agony ....

[RC45]

^^^ Not to mention the Jag... :P

[RC45]

I've never been to this place but I'm definitely visiting it when I come back to houston at the end of the summer. Is it a dealership ar just a storehouse for the cars?

It is a little bit of all of that - they sell exotics, they are a Panoz dealer, the store and pamper priceless collector cars and they offer sports car time share - as well as the detailing and maintenance facilities to keep it all looking good.


And will they let anyone sit in/open up the cars or was that just b/c y'all were taking pics?
That's really only because we were taking photos for their inventory.

If you are a serious buyer, I am sure they will let you kick the tyres on any car on the lot :P

[Wutputt]

Nice behind the scenes idea, RC ;) And Sameerrao, I love your pics taken from 'above'. Thanks for sharing.

[stmoritzer]

Thanks for this stunning pics of the SLR and Murci :D , me ikes the color!

[sameerrao]

You are welcome ... :D

[oscargarza88]

I absolutely love the first murcielago pic :drool:

These pics wouldn't have been taken at the former RR dealership across the street from Carmello's would they...? :hmm:

Yes, it is Drivers Houston Autoworks - http://www.drivershouston.com/ - I have sorta become their resident photog.

It's nice to get a call to come and take some shots of a car they are about to sell, advertise or promote :)

But I will tell you the downside - daily exposure to these "super cars" makes you a little immune to them ;)

So much so, that on Sunday, I didn't even put down the Video camera to get the SLR and take stills of the F40 or F430 that rolled up :P

WOW they have some nice cars there!
if its posible to tag along u guys next time, that would b great! i have never seen such cars in my life, and im leaving for college soon so i want to take advantage of the summer as much as i can. :wink:
nice pics btw