March 29th 2008 - I finaly decided to part ways with my dear old  college car. It was a hard decision, because there was nothing wrong with it. With everything happening in my life, it just felt like a good time, and the right time to move on and chase after new, bigger and better dreams.

This car carried me through college, and I am thankful for everything I have gone through while owning it, the people that I have met, and the respect shown because of its stealth look and unique style. Most of you know that I modified the life out of that car. If you don't know...just check-out my garage and see everything we have gone through for the past 7 years. She is gone...but will never be forgotten.

-The History- 

Everything about this car has my initials on it. From the looks, the ideas, the style, the simple ness and setups, tweaks, and installations have all come from my thoughts and desire to truly make this a unique car. The car has been seen and recognized by many as a "unique" creation, and some even referred to it as the "Prelude from Heaven". I have had plans on getting a new car, but what’s the point right? On the real though, I have been looking into the New Audi A5 that is coming out summer 2007. It is a pretty neat looking car, and fits my personality and lifestyle. Who knows, I might just end up getting a second car in the near future; but for now, I am just as happy and satisfied with my lude (and no monthly payments either). Anyways, onto the phases...

Phase I: Well, not much there, I need a ride so I bought one. I used to ride around in a 1986 BWM 325E V6. She was nice, but dang that junk was ghetto. Originally I was looking for a 2 or 4 door Honda Accord. I so happened to stumble on this white prelude while I was car hunting; tests drove it, and put a down payment on it immediately so I could go home and think about it. It was love at first, second and third site. I came back 3 days later and bought the thing. Two days later, I got the windows tinted with 20% tints.

Phase II: About 5 month after I got the lude, everything was fine. I had no plans on doing anything. One Saturday night, I was driving downtown Orlando with some friends to hit the club scene when I listened to an old buddy of mine, and took a back road...Long story short, a raccoon was attracted to my light and told itself it was either him or me. Well you know me, I was weak and tried to avoid the thing...but there was not enough room as there were on coming cars. I ended up hitting it, and saw it crawl off the street. I felt bad...When we got down town, I got out of the car, and checked on the state of my bumper and to my surprised, half the paint was chipped, a bumper light, and corner lamb both broke. I guess the beast won the battle. I ended up having to get the bumper repainted, and replace broken corner lamps. While the car was at the paint shop, I asked the painter if they would mind painting my factory front lip, side skirts, and wheels the same color as my car...they said it would be no problem, and actually gave me a good deal. At the same time, I ordered new clear Euro bumper lamps to replace the damaged ones, and there you have it...a clean, truly white prelude.

Phase III: About a year later, I kind of got tired of the whole white on white thing, and I needed new tires. Also, my shocks were going bad, given they were factory, after 11 years, they were bound to give out. I also started to think of a new theme for the car because a lot of cars looked the same, so I tried the black and white theme...white mostly everywhere, but simple and nice touches of black here and there could possibly set it off. I was sure how to do it yet, so changed my corner and bumper lenses to black, but kept my headlights factory to see how I liked the darkness. At the same time given I needed new suspension, and tires, I found a cheap deal on some coil over springs, and shocks (I saved about 800$ by not going to Honda for factory parts). I also needed tires, which everyone knows are expense. Well, I came across a wheel and tire place in Miami who was selling a wheel and tire combo for 500$ shipped. I was about to speed 600$ on some stock tires, so I said why not. I went ahead and got the set of 17-inch wheels; with a gunmetal color given I was trying create a dark theme. I was sure where I wanted to go with it...but I think it still looked clean, and somewhat different. After installing the new suspension, wheels and tires, and lowering the car about an inch. I was happy with how it came out. It was still a work in progress, but to me, it was still clean. 

Phase IV: Another year and a half passed by...The car still looked the same, had not done much to it since the wheels and tires. Then, one day, I was driving out of a gas station, when an AutoZone delivery truck backed into my driver side fender. I was mad. But I dealt with it. The damage not too bad, but being that my car's paint job was so old, having the body shop fix my fender and try would match it to factory color would be nearly impossible...Long story short, I was able to make AutoZone pay for a fresh new paint job. I wanted something new to add to the body. I was looking some a nice lip kit, but all lip kits are expensive to buy, and to get painted, so I did not want something that would need to be color matched, and would chip easily. What better parts than a factory lip kit right...well not exactly. The factory lip kit on the prelude sucks to be blunt. I went to a junkyard, and bought a full lip kit from a 95 Honda Accord, and had it in my mind that I was going to make it fit. When my car got out of the paint shop, I modified and installed the Accord parts, and made them fit perfectly, and painted them black. I also installed black housing euro headlights to finish off the black and white theme, which came out very nice and simple I think. I also added some fog lights, and lowered the car a bit more. I was also getting bored of my rims as some people around town started getting the same thing, which I saw on every 3 cars I drive by, so I sold them, and with the left over money from the insurance, I bought a newer, unique set of wheels...and that’s how I got to phase IV.

Phase V: A few months after Phase IV, I ended up taking my car back to the paint shop because some flaws in the paint started to show as the paint cured over time. Another long story short, the car ended up having to get repainted 3 times. The 3rd time, I had the colored changed from the previous BWM White to Nissan White...why I did that I don’t know, but I like the Nissan white better anyway. About a year and a half after I got the car's paint finally fixed, I managed to graduate from UCF (in 4 years like most people on their parent's budget deadline). Orlando started to get crowded, and all these new development projects were taking place. Construction everywhere, pot holes all over the place, and crappy roads were starting to become the new trend. I swear it almost felt like I was back home for a minute...Anyway, my wheels were taking a beating, and so was suspension...too many holes, not enough tire to absorb the impacts, thus suspension was taking damage. I got pissed up one day and sold my rims. I had my factory wheels back on for a while, but they simple did not look good anymore on my car...Another long story short, I converted my suspension to 5 lug (from the 97 and up preludes), and used the bought a set of clean 5th generation prelude factory wheels and installed them. Those wheels look better on my car than they do on the 5th generation prelude. (Mine in a 4th generation if you did not know)Also, I kind of outgrew the whole big rims racer type setup, and was looking for something more slick and factory looking...sleeper style...In the end, it all worked out. Right around the same time, I upgraded my I.C.E by adding a computer system with GPS navigation, and some other goodies.

And there you have it...the life "in a flash" of my prelude. The car has been good to me, and in return, I have been taking good care of it, so I guess it all works out. Other than that, I posted a spec sheet article for your curiosity if you wonder about everything I have done to the car over the years...it is pretty detailed, and up to date. As you can see on the sub menu on the right, the first set of images summarizes the 6 years of change of the car. The second set is more of a "throw back" for Phases IV and V. Those picture are just amazing, and really bring out the clean and simpleness of the car. I enjoyed Phase IV, but as everything in life, good things must have an end. I see Phase V as a change...and change is good. It does not make care about my car any less. Anyway...I do plan on doing some interior audio insulation, and changing a few things here and there at some point. Don't Forget to check out the rest of the pictures in the photo gallery. I just added a Throw Back Album, with more pictures of the car and its phases over over the years, check it out!...enough about all that...check out Spec Sheet too!