Celebrate a big win lately? Let's hear about it.

18 years ago today I married StilettoSS, beautiful, awesome, fantastic car girl.

Some highlights:

"Who is that handsome guy who just saved rolling over backwards in his 304 v8 CJ-7 while he and the copilot are laughing their asses off?"

"I'm going to steal your girl."

"Yes I will marry you."

"Take out that 'Obey" bit, my wife must never just blindly obey me, christ, WTF."

"Your first car was that cool? We need to buy another one of those so I can drive it."

"I want a Miata do drive in the summer."

"Why don't you just buy a Tacoma and get that vintage Porsche? Then maybe you'll STFU and make a decision on a new DD."

"I like the Cayman over the g50 911, buy that."

"Significantly."

"I've been in this thing for 20 hours over 2 days and my butt doesn't hurt. I like this car a lot."

"Now that the Miata is dead I think I want a TT."

"I can't believe there is not another Porsche in the yard!?!"

"The TT is broken I want the more powerful one."

"Wow, not only did that beautiful piece of E36 M3 make the 80mi drive home but I can't believe you even passed someone on a hill. I so thought we were calling AAA for sure."

"So, I am 1/2 way through Muir's book. I feel like I need to stop and get a 1600 dual port to rebuild."

"You want to name the Boxers Karmann and Ghia? BRILLIANT!"

"I don't know why you don't just build your dream truck."

"I want to buy that 1968 Ghia, OK?"

And so many more...

preach said:

18 years ago today I married StilettoSS, beautiful, awesome, fantastic car girl. -Aww, your pretty swell too! :)

Some highlights:

"Who is that handsome guy who just saved rolling over backwards in his 304 v8 CJ-7 while he and the copilot are laughing their asses off?" -That guy's crazy! I like that!

"I'm going to steal your girl.""-Oh noes! This could go very badly!

"Yes I will marry you."-This went pretty good, I would not only recommend it I would do it again.

"Take out that 'Obey" bit, my wife must never just blindly obey me, christ, WTF." -Right?! It's mutual.

"Your first car was that cool? We need to buy another one of those so I can drive it." -Still haven't driven it...

"I want a Miata do drive in the summer." -Good times, good times!

"Why don't you just buy a Tacoma and get that vintage Porsche? Then maybe you'll STFU and make a decision on a new DD."-Still no decision, but a nice Porsche.

"I like the Cayman over the g50 911, buy that."-Still do, and still happy you bought it.

"Significantly."-Quite a...

"I've been in this thing for 20 hours over 2 days and my butt doesn't hurt. I like this car a lot."-Cayman is the E36 M3.

"Now that the Miata is dead I think I want a TT."-Never a bad idea.

"I can't believe there is not another Porsche in the yard!?!"-Will never hear the end of this.

"The TT is broken I want the more powerful one."-Done, and it was a huge mistake selling it.

"Wow, not only did that beautiful piece of E36 M3 make the 80mi drive home but I can't believe you even passed someone on a hill. I so thought we were calling AAA for sure."-Still in shock!

"So, I am 1/2 way through Muir's book. I feel like I need to stop and get a 1600 dual port to rebuild."-Still need to do!

"You want to name the Boxers Karmann and Ghia? BRILLIANT!"-BRILLIANT!!!!

"I don't know why you don't just build your dream truck."-Get to work!

"I want to buy that 1968 Ghia, OK?"-So happy you supported me in this, I am still in disbelief.

And so many more...- Yes, it's been a good ride and we're still not there yet. I'm happy you're driving.

I completed HRDW for the second time. No tools, no trailer, no "problem".

3000 miles in 7 days. It was 1000 miles one way just to compete this year.

Grateful for pit neighbors that lended me jacks and tools to fix my exhaust.

But it's time to run something different.

So I wanted to wait until after my race weekend:

I manged to drag the little Datsun up to tenth overall (out of 24 cars) at a vintage race this past weekend.

That may not sound like much but the car is making 80whp (at best) and I get mauled on the straights.

Also note I was running used tires.

I'm now only 3 seconds a lap down on the front running Mini (it was 7-10) so there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel.

I bought a 2001 miata a couple months ago.  I did two track days and some road driving. I always planned to add power but couldn't decide how.  I did some work to get ready for more power. Bigger brakes and steel lines, better clutch, sway bars and coil overs.  I then ordered a track dog supercharger kit.  Bigger radiator, bigger injectors, intercooler, fuel pump and supercharger.  I got it all installed and it runs with more power.  I am now intalling an air/fuel ratio gauge so I can tune it.  
 

I don't have any experience but the guys at track/dog have walked me through it.  I will let you know how it turns out.

I bought a 2001 miata a couple months ago.  I did two track days and some road driving. I always planned to add power but couldn't decide how.  I did some work to get ready for more power. Bigger brakes and steel lines, better clutch, sway bars and coil overs.  I then ordered a track dog supercharger kit.  Bigger radiator, bigger injectors, intercooler, fuel pump and supercharger.  I got it all installed and it runs with more power.  I am now intalling an air/fuel ratio gauge so I can tune it.  
 

I don't have any experience but the guys at track/dog have walked me through it.  I will let you know how it turns out.

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

The dermatologist didn't think the lesion I have worried about for the past few weeks was any concern. 
I still have a biopsy pending from another site. 

Hopefully the biopsy is negative. I'm pulling for you.

it was benign, sorry to take so long to get back to this. Thanks for your concern.

So far, I'm 7 hrs into waiting for aaa to tow my car the rest of my trip home for the weekend. Since the driver is still an hour away, I can't really call it a win. But I guess since I'm still freezing, that means I ain't dead yet, so I guess it's a win. Wasn't this cold when I called for a tow in the daylight. 

Starter on the wife's car has been slowly dying over the last year. Replacing it is a ~10 hour job that I was considering farming out. With our unseasonably warm Winter, I just bit the bullet and got after it. Fired right up and the alignment is barely even off (have to drop the subframe for the job)

Found a place nearby to store the Miata indoors until I can sell it. Now the BRZ is safely inside the garage, (relatively) safe from the break ins we've been having in our neighborhood lately.

Given that I couldn't walk 18 months ago, I'm pretty pleased that I've been out skating the last five Saturday mornings. The other guys are playing hockey, but I just skate laps and try to stay out of the road. Hopefully, I can be playing by spring.

After 6 months of unemployment and over 150 applications that yielded nothing, I have a job again. Start on the 16th. It's a 40% pay cut, but I'm grateful that I'll be employed at all and it's with the state again, who I never should have left for the Feds in the first place. 

In reply to calteg :

Kudos to you - what's the car that takes that much time?

Remember when a Trak Auto starter cost $35?

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

That's the first time I've heard the "Trak Auto" name in many many years. I worked for 'em in the early '80s when they first came as far south as Richmond. First chain auto parts in va I ever saw. Didn't last long 'round there. 

I was able to change one of the headlight bulbs that blew out recently in my 17 Crosstrek after never changing one before. The power of YouTube is to thank also.

In reply to Javelin :

Woof that's rough best of luck in the new year.

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

IS-F

Starter is buried under the passenger side header. Pull the undertray, remove most of the exhaust, disconnect the steering, drop the subframe, completely remove the pass header, now you have access to the small cubby where the starter is hidden. Also replaced the motor mounts as a "while you're in there" thing.

Oh, and every plastic piece you touch will crumble to dust immediately due to thermal cycles. Apparently the pros can do it in 7-8 hours, but I work slowly and only had jack stands.

I'm almost done with Air War College.  Taking my next to last class now, last class will be the month of March.