Mitternacht said:A buddy of mine has been using this forum for the past few months, convinced me to try it, so now I'm here. I'm Chris, the 86 vette is being transformed into a hill climb car and the 93 is the autocross/summer daily.
ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME
In reply to Cheeks :
Nice Vettes. Love the color on the "street" one. And thank you for joining us.
Complete and utter newbie here looking for some pointers on engine swaps, suspension mods and quite possibly body work :) or everything in short lol. Mad fan of old fiats with bike engines and some french cars.
Just joined today looking for some insight and recommendations.
Hi, I'm Carl and I like cars.
Since I was a little kid I've been nuts about cars and car racing. I actually raced sports cars at the equivalent level of a SCCA National license with the ICSCC in the Pacific Northwest for about ten years, about thirty years (OMG, has it been that long?) ago. I raced a Datsun 1200, and then a RX7, and was pretty quick and competitive, winning several class championships along the way. Then my daughter was born, and you know the story, life got in the way. Eventually I got divorced, and then I got a Miata that I did track days with, and then raced a Spec Miata until I crashed it hard with some minor injuries to me, and major injuries to the car. Then I didn't do anything around track stuff for a long time, and I eventually remarried.
About seven years ago a 2002 Boxster project car fell into my lap ($4500!), and I started tracking that. It was much faster than my Miatas, but I still hated getting passed by about the half the cars out there down the straights only to get held up in the turns, so two years ago I sold the Boxster and bought a 2010 Cayman S that has about 100 more horsepower than the Boxster. It's much faster, but there are still plenty of cars quicker down the straights, but it doesn't happen nearly as often. I'm now 60 years old, so it's fun to kick some youngster's butt on track and hear then tell their buddies that some old guy passed them! But I do have to admit that I am not nearly as quick as I used to be!
My wife is currently going through some serious health issues, so for now I'm not doing track days anymore due to my inability to focus as intently as I need to (I'm a space cadet since my wife's diagnosis of bone marrow cancer). So instead I do autocrosses with the local PCA, which is fun and I get my performance driving ya ya's out for a bit.
My best buddy (we met while racing) and I go to several pro races a year, like the Rolex 24 hour race at Daytona (we always stop by the GRM tent) and the Long Beach and Portland Indy Car races. Speaking of GRM, I'm a long-time subscriber.
I still enjoy doing some work on the Cayman, but it's a low mile creampuff so there isn't much to do other than normal maintenance stuff, along with brake pad changes and switching tires back and forth for the track.
It will be fun to check out the forums here, and I look forward to interacting with you all.
In reply to RacerBoy75 :
Welcome!! Wow...that's the best introduction I've read in a while. That is quite a summarized history...I hope that you enjoy this community as much as I do...it sounds like you have a ton to give and share also.
I'm sorry for the struggles you are working through...but it sounds like you are working through them. In my world, that's a win.
In reply to RacerBoy75 :
Yes, welcome to the group and thank you for joining us.
Obviously I'm not new, but returning after years of being busy and life changing a bit. Best I can tell is that it's been since 2017ish since I was last really active on here. My absence was due to changing jobs a few times, family stuff that needed to be focused on, and allowing myself to give up a few things to appease the now ex gf.
Not too much has changed outside of the Audi winter beater and Muzzy's Raptor revival due to being mothballed for 2.5 years(another thanks to the ex), and the Abarth is still the most fun car ever made.
Hey y'all -
New member here! I've been lurking for a bit but thought I'd join after seeing some really insightful threads via Google. I've been into cars since I was about 8 or 9 years old. The early Need for Speed games and the Gone in 60 Seconds remake hooked me on supercars I will likely never be able to afford. My somewhat attainable dream car remains a 911 Carrera to this day but I'm a big fan of JDM cars thanks to NFS Underground and (much more recently) Initial D. It's either Japanese cars or Porsches in my dream garage usually.
I'm hoping to buy my first manual car for summer/Sunday driving in the next year or so (and finally learn stick). Probably an NB Miata but this market has me wondering about early Boxsters too since Miatas have blown up in price lately. I hope to learn to wrench a bit as well on whatever I get so I definitely think this community will be a resource in that regard. Glad to be here!
CharlieNovember said:Hey y'all -
New member here! I've been lurking for a bit but thought I'd join after seeing some really insightful threads via Google. I've been into cars since I was about 8 or 9 years old. The early Need for Speed games and the Gone in 60 Seconds remake hooked me on supercars I will likely never be able to afford. My somewhat attainable dream car remains a 911 Carrera to this day but I'm a big fan of JDM cars thanks to NFS Underground and (much more recently) Initial D. It's either Japanese cars or Porsches in my dream garage usually.
I'm hoping to buy my first manual car for summer/Sunday driving in the next year or so (and finally learn stick). Probably an NB Miata but this market has me wondering about early Boxsters too since Miatas have blown up in price lately. I hope to learn to wrench a bit as well on whatever I get so I definitely think this community will be a resource in that regard. Glad to be here!
Welcome! We're happy to have you here. Please free to ask our members questions along your journey to finding that fun dream car you're Seeking. We're a supportive bunch, chock full of knowledge, and we're eager to share it.
In reply to J.A. Ackley :
Thanks for the warm welcome J.A.!
Hello everyone, long time lurker who should've joined a long time ago. I'm active on a couple other car building and fabrication forums and wanted to join in on the fun. Currently working on a tube chassis mid engine build that will be Street legal when done. Doing all the design and fab work myself as I really enjoy the process . Looking forward to talking to everyone here.
Take care, Vince
New York
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I'm new here, subscribed for a few years and have read/purchased GRM since the early 90s. I recently move to Portland from Washington and love all things that go.
Me! New to the forum, longtime GRM subscriber/addict. I’ve poked about in the forums for a while, deliberately avoiding active participation for the simple reason that it’s entirely too easy to spend enough of my day on here that productivity in all other areas of life takes a nosedive. There’s just too much intriguing dialogue and topical wisdom being tossed around. This crowd is definitely unique, and as a lifetime go-faster addict, feels like my tribe—right down to the ball-busting garage banter. But, my restraint has faded with improving daily availability for diversion, so I figured it was time to kick off my shoes, pop a cold beverage, and jump in for a float in the pool of collective insanity/genius.
I like to build and make things that qualify for engineering projects of all kinds, including engines, transmissions, differentials, control and support systems, fine tuning, hot-rodding, and my day job as a mechanical design engineer in aerospace. I have a penchant for detail and precision and like a clean, well-lit workspace. Current (only) racecar is an E30, typically running NASA TX TT. It’s far from creampuff, but also never hacked-up and still surprisingly original. It still runs an M20B25, half of it intrinsic to the car. I’ve had it for 15 years now and raced it the whole time while slowly transitioning from street car to track-only. Other members of the herd include an E39 (Wife’s daily, 2003 530i in 8+/10 condition), and assorted GM examples from 1969 thru 1987. This includes the motorhome/race hotel/tow vehicle, as well as my half-Labrador, half T-rex 1983 C20 Suburban with a wicked carbureted, solid-roller big block (my daily). I don’t believe in nice paint (it just causes stress), but fit and finish are hallmarks of craftsmanship. I grew up with Legos, tools, and constant projects (thanks Dad!) so the eventual outcome was inescapable…
I like to play outside and enjoy a wide range of non-car-related activities like mountain biking, boating, watersports, diving, snow skiing, hiking, and travel. I’m studying to become a sport pilot. I love dogs, guns, nice tools, good bourbon, and making tasty, healthy food. I’m blessed with a supportive Wife of 10 years who keeps me on the level.
I loathe new vehicles with a fiery passion, stemming from a fundamental belief that driving should be engaging. This usually manifests as disgust as typical vehicles evolve to isolate and distract the driver from driving, as well as an unreasonable preference for vehicles which are difficult or some level of uncomfortable to drive. Bonus points for “secret handshake” type quirks required for operation or anything else which raises the stakes for consequences if done incorrectly. Driver aids of any kind are anathema. “Built not bought” prevails, and I find no small amount of pleasure in beating new stuff with old stuff.
New to the forum, longtime GRM reader/subscriber/purchaser from the newsstands. Autocrossing with SCCA, PCA, BMW CCA since 2001 and more recently doing SCCA Track Night in America and Time Trials. Having a blast with all of it.
I've been a GRM reader for many years, started subscribing about two years ago and made my first forum post today for the wear a helmet to work deal that I read about in the GRM magazine.
One of these days I'd like to do the $2,000 challenge. Currently I am messing around with Nostalgia drag racing and guest crew on a couple funny cars. Used to drive roundy round cars in the 1980's myself.
I have a roached out '78 vette that I'm trying to decide what to do with.
My day job is as a home inspector. Hence the roof (chimney) pic earlier while wearing my old helmet.
Anyhoo, this is my introduction post. Happy to make everyone's acquaintance.
Al in CT
Welcome all! And we loved the chimney photo :)
FNG here...long time listener, first time caller...
I've read the mag and lurked here for years, finally joined.
Background:
I've raced and done trackdays on motorcycles for over 25 years, in 2005 I did my first car trackday in my 2005 STi. Eventually sold that for a C6 Z06. I've done 30+ trackdays in that car.
Thanks!
In reply to myf16n :
Welcome first-time callers. You're on the air.
Long time lurker and magazine subscriber, finally decided to join the forum. Just a guy who throws way too much money at cars/parts that I'll probably never get the full potential out of. Current project is turning an '04 Silverado into an autocross machine.
In reply to Ultimasanctus :
Hey guys, just joined today.
I joined earlier this year, but I suppose that still counts as new. Doug here, and I'm a mechanical engineering student. working in alternate semesters and completing the entire 5-year programme. I enjoy everything old, especially the aesthetics of Japanese automobiles from the 1970s and 1980s. With no formal training and no family members who are mechanics, I'm slowly learning how to update and fix things. I adore this forum's
I just joined but should have years ago as I've visited many times while searching for info.
Long-time VW Mk1 & Mk2 enthusiast & big into the 8v SOHC engines. But I wanted something a smidge newer & safer that I could use daily, so I picked up a B5 Audi A4 quattro. I also always wanted a nice naturally aspirated V6, which is only getting harder to find. The 30v Audi engines are pretty complex, so I went with what was familiar to me and got the super-simple SOHC 12v V6 (not to be confused with VW's VR6).
People almost never modify these given the better options available, and there's virtually no aftermarket support for my engine. So I'll hopefully be in good company here as I share my project to convert to individual throttle bodies and ultimately run it on Megasquirt.
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