What the hell is SR20?

"The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123" (mattp123)
08/12/2013 at 15:57 • Filed to: None

I know it is an engine... and I know I could just ask within an article, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who is lost when they see SR20 in a title, but see no Nissan engines. Google offers no help other than something about a plane.

EDIT: Thank you to those who responded with background info. SR20 = pics or id didn't happen.

DISCUSSION (33)

ddavidn > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 15:58

It's a photo.

CB > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 15:58

It's not an engine, just the Oppo version of "pics or it didn't happen", I think.

Brian, The Life of > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 15:59

"SR20 Rule" = "Pics or it didn't happen"

More Power!!and also some brakes. > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 15:59

Pics or it did not happen. It is named after an old commenter.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > ddavidn
08/12/2013 at 15:59

How the hell did that come to mean "photo"? I've taken some photography classes and am familiar with the technical terms regarding film, lenses, cameras and the darkroom...

Hermann > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:00

It's a long story, but it's the Jalopnik version of "pics or didn't happen".

So, if someone says "I'll spent the weekend with my uncle's 911 turbo. SR20 when done, or when the police jails me" it means that they'll post the pictures later.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > CB
08/12/2013 at 16:00

Nail on the head. We call it SR20 because a poster claimed to have bought an Espirit Turbo and provided pics. But it wasn't really his or something. His name, was SR20.

ddavidn > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:01

It's this, but the Oppo version came from a story that Dukie mentioned in another comment: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pics-or-…

dogisbadob > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:02

because a user that used to post on oppo's username was SR20, and he always posted pics and insisted others did too when they saw something.

Blondude > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:02

This guy claimed to have had a Lotus Esprit and was able to get out of a ticket because the cop recognized him as "SR20 from Jalopnik". A lot of things happened (including a front page post on it) before he admitted he made it all up.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Klaus Schmoll > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:04

Ages ago commenter SR20 said that he had bought a Lotus. He even claimed that being on Jalopnik got him out of a speeding ticket because the cop was a Jalop too. That was even turned into a frontpage story. At some point somebody reverse-GISed the pics he was using and it became apparent that he was lying. Contrary to Gimmi or SKZ he owned up to it, all was forgiven, and he was welcomed back. Well maybe not by Hardigree who stripped him of his star because of that frontpage article.

So in short: SR20 = Pics or it didn't happen.

Nerd-Vol > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:05

Many moons ago there was a poster by the name of "sr20" who was a regular. This poster bought a lotus esprit, or so he claimed. For weeks people asked for pictures of the lotus, but they never came. At one point sr20 even wrote up a story about the car, claiming that his Internet notoriety had gotten him out of a ticket in the car. That story actually made the front page of jalopnik. Still people asked for pictures, as doubt grew, but they never surfaced. Eventually he came clean and fessed up that he had never purchased the vehicle.

To this day, those who claim to have done something interesting or seen sething interesting must provide photographic proof, or be labeled as sr20.

Klaus Schmoll > dogisbadob
08/12/2013 at 16:06

That's only half of it.

Party-vi > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:10

Long ago, in the before-time, there was a user with the handle SR20. Working as a used car dealer (IIRC), he stated to have had numerous awesome project cars (like swapping an SR20 engine into an MG if I'm not mistaken). Anywho, he claimed to have purchased a blue V8 Lotus Esprit, and had taken the chance to post about this car multiple times on Oppositelock, strangely enough never posting a picture of himself with the car. One day he posted that while driving to work, he was pulled over for speeding by a state trooper. The trooper asked if he was SR20 "from Jalopnik", and SR20 stated he was and they talked for a bit about cars and the trooper let him off with a warning. This seemingly impossible-to-believe story made it on the front page and much merriment was had; "hooray for SR20 and his Lotus!" the users posted, "hooray for the comradery of Jalopnik!" Skeptics emerged, and the pressure for pictures mounted and mounted until SR20 came clean and stated he made the whole thing up - he had issues with lying to make himself seem cooler, and apologized and disappeared for a long time. Thus, whenever photographic evidence of something is requested, we now refer to is at the "SR20 Rule", or simply "SR20".

lonestranger > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 16:53

I've always found it ironic that there's hardly any pics of SR20 engines here.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Kinja'd!!!

Tom McParland > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
08/12/2013 at 17:25

Thank you for asking this. I always wondered it myself. I figured out through context it means "pics or it didn't happen" but never caught the back story.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Klaus Schmoll
08/12/2013 at 17:32

Contrary to Gimmi?

Is there something I missed?

Klaus Schmoll > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
08/12/2013 at 17:38

Some of the folks at G+ did some reverse DIS and whatnot. Seems like he is actually the person he told us was his son. This was about two months ago.

I don't know! What I know though, is that he seems to be a little bit too awesome (history a little too rich, owns too many cars, never an SR20) to be true, especially for a 80 y/o.

So I kinda bought into the disbelief. He also rarely shows up since then, and his only explanation when confronted was a mix-up of twitter accounts.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Klaus Schmoll
08/12/2013 at 17:53

Claims to live in Japan. Should you have any questions you'd like me to translate into Japanese and ask him for, let me know. (Japanese is my secret super-power...that and the ability to eat infinite pizza)

Klaus Schmoll > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
08/12/2013 at 17:56

I don't care one way or the other. I was just reporting what had happened.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Klaus Schmoll
08/12/2013 at 18:06

I know, just letting you know in case he starts to pop up again. File it under "for future reference"

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Klaus Schmoll
08/12/2013 at 18:10

Thanks... I definitely missed that event

Jonathan Hays > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
08/12/2013 at 21:44

Same here, had no idea there was anyone questioning him. I have no reason to believe he isn't who he says he is, guess I'll just have to pay more attention on here.

RotaryLover > Party-vi
08/13/2013 at 03:04

Whoa! I forgot about this story!

Stratos HF > Party-vi
01/11/2016 at 14:35

Really random to reply to this thread, but I must have missed what happened with Gimmi. Do you have any backstory or links to that? I remember SR20, but I always thought Gimmi was just a rich Swedish old dude?

Desu-San-Desu > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
01/11/2016 at 15:22

Desu: “Dude! I went to marshal a rally with my Mini and my buddy in his Miata and we got to caravan and hangout with some of the racers! Like a dude rallying a dirtbike and guys running service in an ancient Land Rover!”

Skeptical Opponaut: “Bullllllshit.”

Desu: “No! Seriously!”

Skeptical Opponaut: “SR20 rule, motherfucker.”

Desu:

Kinja'd!!!

Party-vi > Stratos HF
01/11/2016 at 15:35

No idea. Story was he worked in/around F1 (something with steering wheel design) and had quite a bit of information about it/teams, and had a son in San Fran. Also DD’d a Lotus 7 and used to own a handful of neat cars. Someone (can’t remember) took to calling him out over everything and he essentially disappeared. Guy claimed to be 80ish or so.

DrJohannVegas > Party-vi
01/11/2016 at 16:59

SR20 on that story.

;)

_Mécanicien > Klaus Schmoll
01/11/2016 at 17:20

I FUCKING KNEW IT! Aaaaah at last, I’m at peace with myself.

Anima > Klaus Schmoll
01/11/2016 at 17:25

Ah man.. The good old days of stars. I forgot about those.

iSureWilll > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
01/11/2016 at 18:15

Pics or it didn’t happen.

Or a Nissan engine.

RatMR2 > Party-vi
01/11/2016 at 19:39

This was SR20SpitfireHotrod, right?

Party-vi > RatMR2
01/12/2016 at 07:08

Sounds aboot right