The car originally belonged to my sister Frances (aka Frodo) http://www.francesdose.com/

The car is affectionately know as 2MNU (pronounced "two-min-oo" (it rymes!:-)

She bought the car brand new (it was midnight blue) in 1989.

The engine has three cylinders and gets 53 mpg hwy (eat your heart out SUV's)

I think it cost under $6000.

And did she get her money's worth out of that little car! She was living in Valencia at the time, going to California Institute of the Arts so she drove that car back and forth from LA to the bay area a gazillion times. Later she drove it cross country twice with ALL her earthly posessions in it (it needed new struts after that).

Later 2MNU and Frodo drove into an intersection (they had a green light) and were stuck by another car running his red light. It was the other cars fault, but due to an insurance technicality, to this day, 2MNU's engine (which apparently moved slightly on its mounts) vibrates against the fire-wall creating a rather gutteral vibration during left turns.

Frodo felt loyal to her little car and declared that she would drive it till it could drive no more. HOWEVER, instead she took pity on me being an impoverished post-doc and sold it to me for the sum of $1.00. Yes we went to the DMV with a bill of sale in the amount of $1.00 , and they didn't even bat an eye (happens all the time I guess).

Now, I have only ever had 60's volkswagon bugs before and I have to admit that to me this little american/japanese car lacked what I call character. I knew from the moment I bought that little car that I was going to decorate it somehow, I just had to think of the right way....