Random cellphone pics. Ok to TX to Ok, Boxster S, no Dragons...
So you picked up another Boxster? What's the story on this one?
In reply to docwyte :
I was not looking for another car. The same friend that I bought the Frog from (he had a major 986 salvage business for years) told me about it and linked me up with the seller. It's a 2000 S model. It had just had the IMS bearing and clutch replaced, then less than 2000 miles later had small copper colored slivers in the oil filter. After going through the stages of grief, the owner decided to let it go rather than rebuild or repair. I did not want another project right now, but right now is when the car was available.
In many ways it's the opposite of the '99 I just bought. With the exception of what is likely a spun rod bearing everything works as it should and has been cared for; New top, New Michelin tires, Tight suspension, Nice replacement seats, Clean inside and out, No poorly implemented mods or hacks.
The easily marketable parts are worth more than what I paid, but I don't plan to part it. The engine still runs well and is rebuildable, but rebuilding is not the best use of my time. I plan to get a good replacement engine for it and restore it to stock. My hope is that Mrs AAZCD will like the final product and allow me to replace her 2001 base model with it.
I think I have seven Boxsters right now. I want to keep and maintain: Rallycross, Gambler 500/safari type, Wife's Porsche, and my Special Edition. The others are likely temporary. I don't like losing money on these, but it's not about making money. It's not about having 'nice things'. It's about challenging myself, fixing broken things, creativity, and just enjoyment of cars.
That looks like a really nice one. I like the fabric inserts on the seats. Keep me in mind for it if it doesn't pass spousal approval
Automatic transmission service on the Xbox yesterday. For the refill, you pump fluid in the drain hole until it comes out, then plug it, start the car and shift through gears, wait until the temp is 30C to 35C, then pull the plug and pump in more fluid until it comes out again. If it gets too hot before you are done, stop and cool it back down.
I wore gloves, but ended up with fluid running to my elbows.
16 quart drain pan with 36"x24" cardboard underneath and still splattered fluid on the floor.
The cheap hand pumps didn't have an elbow type tip on them. At first everything I pumped in splashed back at me. I had to hold the bottle of fluid+the pump+the end of the hose in the transmission while pumping. The pump came apart.
I rebuilt the pump with an old one that I should have thrown away. I made a 90 degree elbow tip out of a vacuum hose fitting. By the time I was ready to pump again the transmission was too hot.
A box fan blowing on the transmission took an hour to get it back in range.
Laying in a puddle of transmission fluid I tried again. The reasssembled pump jammed.
I switched from a pump like the one pictured on the left to an orange one like on the right. Trying to hold it all and pump was difficult, but possible - until the bottle tipped over and spilled most of the fluid on the floor. The transmission was too hot again by then anyway.
Plug it, Box fan, wipe up mess, wash, fresh clothes, lunch ...Autozone for more fluid.
I had run out of ZF Lifeguard fluid, but know that Valvoline Maxlife meets the spec. There was a sign on the Autozone shelf "2 quarts for $16" which was a $4 savings. At the counter I looked at the receipt. Wrong charge. The manager went to check and came back with the sale sign. "This sale ended a week ago", she said. The counter clerk looked at me with silent words "Just go away now sir." No. Void the sale and give me my money, I'm done with this store, thank you.
Nearby I bought a gallon of Valvoline from O'Reilly.
Back at the car, I did what I should have done at the beginning. I dumped the fluid into my Motive brake bleeder bottle, pressurized the bottle and pumped in the fluid through the 90 degree vacuum fitting. Smooth, simple, the car shifts better than ever now.
I use the orange pumps for most of my fluid changes. I tipped a bottle of something over one day. Panic and frustration ensued. I try to work very slowly now.
Little bits of progress. Lots more to do before the middle of May.
That looks fun just sitting there.
Wired up the winch, added fender flares and a little paint touch up. Thinking about a trailer hitch and rear bumper next. Maybe make a trailer from the rear trunk section of a 914..? All the cool kids are doing roof racks. I don't think I want a roof rack. -Full sized spare tires can go on a trailer.
A trailer sounds great - for someone without 25 other projects!
roof rack it and be done!
jfryjfry said:A trailer sounds great - for someone without 25 other projects!
roof rack it and be done!
Yes, No trailer from a 914 for this event. I realized the trailer build is not a simple venture. Going to go with some sort of rack on the trunk lid and probably carry a pair of compact spares and keep some real tires back at camp for emergencies the compact spare can't handle.
AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) said:Little bits of progress. Lots more to do before the middle of May.
i want to party with that car. does it have flamethrowers?
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:i want to party with that car. does it have flamethrowers?
It pops a bit of flame out the exhaust on a hard downshift but I'm planning to put cats back on soon.
Luggage rack and tiny tires for emergencies. I thought about putting some knobby motocross tires on those, but they probably don't handle the weight/inflation well:
What else has been happening?
Body work on Mrs AAZCD's Element after she turned to close to a post at a drive thru. Scraped both passenger side doors pretty bad and she didn't want to deal with insurance. -After she told me that I canceled the full coverage and put her car on liability only. It's a 2003 and just not worth the cost if she won't use it. Smoothed the dents and filled the scratches, but ran out of the color match pre-mix rattle can paint. Going to buy a quart and spray it with a gun later.
Tow Pig got a warning light for DPF filter clogged, then went into limp mode. So I searched what the berk is a DPF filter clog on the TDI forums. They said VW was going to replace the whole thing as non-warranty for over $1,000 if I took it in for service. I got some special Liqui Moly fluids and sprayed it in the DEF injector hole with my Motive Brake Bleeder and drove for 30 minutes. Cleared the CEL/Limp mode and runs great now. I have a dealership service scheduled for next week to have them do fluids and 130K mile service before I drive it down to the Mexican border towing the Xbox later this month and then a rallycross car 400+ miles round trip on the 28th. Hopefully I'll have the V8 running in the Frog for the 28th, but I have the parts car Boxster (Duct tape started out to hold the bumper corner on and I got carried away.) and the wrecked Camry ready to 'race' if needed.
Last weekend was the GOAT Rally. I was busy with that and didn't do any project car work. I thought my XT225 was ready, but after warming up on Friday, it stalled out at idle every time I stopped. Turned out the air mixture screw had fallen out of the carb and was completely missing. Fortunately I found an old one in a carb rebuild kit that I had saved. Not sure when it was lost, but the bike ran great through the weekend after that. About 300 miles on back roads on the edge of the Ozark mountains. I came alone, but ended up with a great group of 5 other riders. Me on the left with the GRM shirt peeking out:
I had just typed a long write up of what I have done in the last few days to get ready for the Gambler 500 Mexico. Then the kitten leaped on the keyboard. All the thoughts and words are gone. Gone. Oh well. The Xbox is not 'done', but I think it's a little bit better than 'good enough' for a Gambler. No pics of work or progress, but here's how it is tonight, ready to be trailered up for the long drive to Terlingua Texas tomorrow.
Heading south across Texas.
Found Truck Bed Henge.
Stopped for fuel and heard a 'metallic bang' just after I got out of the car. A truck hit an SUV hard on the highway. Ran into the station and told them to call 911, then went across the highway to check injuries. No blood, no deformities, airbags blown, front left suspension and wheel ripped off and laying in the road. EMS arrived quickly. I searched for her dog 'Ginger' for about 20 minutes while she was treated and loaded in the ambulance, then left it to the locals.
The event is 12+ hours of driving time from home. Getting some sleep now with 4+ hours to drive in the morning.
I need to do a gambler, looks like fun.
Got here late, while the group was on Christmas Mountain. Son in law from Phoenix arrived a couple hours later. I presented him with a mullet and glasses and we cruised to Santa Elena Canyon.
You can easily walk across the Rio Grand to Mexico and back when the river is low here.
Returning to town we met up with the Gamblers, swapped tales, and drank ...enough.
Eventually I realized that in the desert near dusk, alone, and on a road the GPS didn't show was not a good choice.
Gambler 500 Mexico is done and the Xbox did great. At first I was concerned about overheating because it had run hot at home during some testing. Re-routing the coolant hoses a little differently and opening the front more for airflow seems to have fixed it.
RallySprint on Sunday!!! The Frog is a Garage Queen at the moment and in no condition to race (or drive). Most of my major automotive enthusiasm was spent getting the Xbox prepped and through the G500Mexico. I'm gonna need a few more days of chilling before I'm ready to get back to putting the V8 in.
What car to take to RallySprint?
The Xbox is not a race car anymore, it's a 'fun' car. I'd have to put a factory hard top on, swap to different wheels, and I'd worry about damaging it. I never really liked the Tiptronic transmission for RallyX either.
I fixed the damaged PS hose on the 'worst 1999 Boxster ever' and thought about it for a moment, but no; That car is terrible. It's the only Boxster I've found rust on, the struts are all shot, 3rd gear is out, all the spark plug tubes are leaking oil, and I'm pretty sure the cooling fans only do low speed if anything. I drove it around the block a few times considering if it would make it through a day of RallyX and no. No.
2007 Camry Hybrid. Best running wrecked car I've bought. With the ABS fuse pulled it was a riot to drive with the SCCA RallyX. I still need to put the new front brake pads on it, but it stops fine. I can drive it hard with no worry for consequences and chances are that it will do it's Toyota thing and just keep going. Fun and likely to go all day long without a problem, but I'm a Porsche guy and it's not a Porsche.
That brings me to the 2004 parts car Boxster. I had it pretty much ready when the event was canceled a month ago. I checked it over and drove it around the block a few times. It's running great and the check engine light and other warning lights are all for known faults that will not effect performance or durability. It's going to need a seat belt - probably a seat swap, but is otherwise ready to go after I put appropriate rear wheels on. It drives well, but as a car, it's worthless to me and I can drive as hard as I care to with no worry for damage. I'm pretty sure that's my race car this weekend. I think I'm going to run Nitto NT01s on front and Yokohama snow tires on back. They've warned against using tall tires and ATs on the course.
Tomorrow I may meet a guy to buy another parts car Boxster. It's an '02 S that has sat for a few years with a supposed electrical problem. I'm hoping the engine is still good so I can use it in the Silver Boxster I picked up in April. The price and options list is good enough that I won't be underwater if the engine turns out bad. I already have a friend ready to buy much of it. Just not sure if the seller is going to be able to meet when I'm available.
On the road again... about 12 hours down and back.
I've always wanted a Porsche Sport Exhaust.
Moo.
Yesterday was taking apart and evaluating the blue Boxster S parts car. It was last registered in 2016. I surmise that the vinyl rear window failed and allowed water into the car. The central locking module (immobilizer box) under the driver's seat got wet and corroded along with the harness connecting it. The wires were cut. The interior mostly removed and weathered. I found a replacement immobilizer set in the trunk ($750 value) along with a few other useful parts and a brand new, still sealed in plastic, Porsche ball cap.
The car sat for years without much attention. Finally a wife said, "The car goes or you go." The owner dropped it off with the guy I bought it from and eventually money was exchanged. The guy I bought it from, David, thought it was a cool car, but never really wanted it. Listed at $3,500 it got my interest, but not enough for the 12 hour round trip to get it. We eventually agreed on $2,500. David really didn't know much about the car, but was open and honest about the condition and very helpful with arrangements for my pick up. The kind of seller I enjoy working with and hope to meet again.
My main reason for buying it is the engine. I expect that it's good. The oil in the car is used and aged, but very clean good oil. There is no debris or particles in the oil filter and the engine turns smoothly by hand with a good feel of compression. I think this is going to be a good engine for the silver car.
Now I am working on getting a few things done to get the parts car ready for RallySprint. Swapping the seat out, checking fluids, seeing if it needs more duct tape and zip ties to hold it together enough to last a day in the dirt. This evening I'll trailer it up and drive most of the way to Ardmore, Ok.
The Rallysprint course is a crazy jumble. We went for another parade lap after the first run to try to clear it up. Wish I kept a seat for a co-driver.
I should have made my notes read from bottom to top. Easier to follow while on the course. 
After I got a good clean run at slower speeds, I opened it up. Never got a full clean run at speed, but had a lot of fun
Not sure how to embed Facebook video... https://fb.watch/kRLq5myNvN/
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