The Automotive (& other mechanized vehicles) thread

[crochambeau]

I want to see a finished front pic, that article did not satisfy. I'm dreaming of a split window, I know it's stupid but I did not see proof leaning otherwise.

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, split windshield'd be improbable, but badass!

[colin]

Popping out of the woodwork for my once a year or so Miata update. Spent some of my extra time off work here installing a rollbar. It has a mounting tab for a racing harness.. which I'm using as an anchor point for my daughter's car seat. She absolutely loves bombing around in it with me. I know, not the safest thing in the world, but to me its an acceptable level of risk.



Bonus photo with my mom's Merkur.

[Achtane]

That's great. I think anybody would be stoked to ride around in that Miata.
What is that wheel style called? I love 4 spoke wheels.

[colin]

My wheels are Enkei Apaches. I love four spoke wheels too, would like a set of SSR or Work Equips... but way too pricey for me.

[PeteeBee]

Dumb question since I'm 30 years old but I've never purchased a car from a dealership. Anyone have advice? My wife's car is getting really expensive to upkeep and I don't have the time or skills to do the work myself. I'm looking into cars like the nissan leaf. I've always heard leasing is a waste of money but I think it might be good for us, at least for the next few years while I'm finishing school and we don't do much driving at all, like 10 miles a day.

[Chankgeez]

Maybe now's the time?

Memorial Day sales?

[lordgalvar]

Lots to catch up on.

My dad was looking around Craigslist up in Washington and found a modified Ford 200 head. The log was cut off and runner tubes brazed on to a 4 barrel approximation of the Ford 250 head from Australia. It's ugly as hell.

Screenshot_20200603-203349.jpg (46.07 KiB) Viewed 5400 times

Screenshot_20200603-203417.jpg (40.99 KiB) Viewed 5400 times

I'm cutting the adapter plate.

Due to the length of the runners, I doubt I could get the Mikuni PHH to fit. Went back to the slide carb idea. Yamaha YZF R1 carbs would be about the right size (buying new motorcycle carbs is spendy). Started looking around and in 2002 (and only continuing through 2003) the R1 switched to fuel injection, except it kept the CV style of carb throttle body. They are like little Mikuni Carbs with an injector shoved in. The injector size is pretty close to what the 200 would need. I ran across it because they are mislabeled on eBay as carbs all the time. I got 8 throttle bodies, with injectors, and sensors/etc for $130.

Best part is they look like carbs. They still have different jets in them for circuits, floats and stuff. And it's got a 22lb/hr injector. Kind of a wacky setup.

Really excited.

I was trying to avoid ECUs and computer stuff. But, eh, something neat like this, I'm all for a megasquirt 3 setup and going distributor-less with some nice looking coil overs. The distributors are ugly on the 200 anyway. I think I should still pull enough vacuum for my brakes and transmission (probably better than the PHHs).

My dad pulled the trigger on a Ford 9" rear for his Jeep Willy's station wagon. 3.7:1 limited slip with disc brakes. He went back to the original Willy's frame and is ditching the S10 chassis. He also found a good priced 700r4 that he is converting over to vacuum overdrive.

[Achtane]

This is gonna be super badass.

[Achtane]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Chankgeez]

Kinda insane:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfx6Tzpouw0[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfx6Tzpouw0

[Chankgeez]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjiSWYcQsY[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjiSWYcQsY

[colin]

So I decided to sell my Xterra. Way too much of a gas guzzler, and I simply wasn't using it offroad the way I thought I would. Got a great price for it, finalizing the sale tomorrow. But now I'm not quite sure what to replace it with. No immediate rush on buying something else, I'm daily driving the Miata right now, and I don't need my practical car again until the end of September when my wife goes back to work and my girls go back to daycare.

I'd originally been planning to buy a vw sportwagen tdi... but I drove a couple and they didn't quite click for me. And my commute is pretty short, so I don't need crazy fuel economy. But now I'm having trouble deciding what to get. Needs to be big enough for two car seats for my kids, plus their bigass stroller, but I really don't want another SUV or a crossover (or a fucking van). I'm thinking maybe I could pull off what I need with a mk7 GTI, but the nice 4 doors in my area are more than I want to spend.

Which has me thinking a crazy thought, maybe I should sell my Miata too. Apparently the Miata market has gone crazy in my area, so now's probably the time I could get the most out of it. But I don't want to sell it, especially since I just put in the rollbar a few months ago. But realistically, once my wife is back to work and my younger daughter gets a bit older, I probably won't get the chance to drive it much and I'd likely end up selling it in a year or so anyway.

So maybe I should just sell it now too, increase my budget by about $5k Canadian, and buy an awesome all round car now. Something that sort of splits the difference between the xterra and miata, practical enough for a family, but still fun to drive. My wife has a Toyota matrix now, and plans to replace it with a minivan eventually, but that would be probably a year or so out. Her parents live 20 minutes away and have a van we could borrow once in a while as needed, and her brother lives fairly close too and has a pickup.

[crochambeau]

Power steering is out on the Buick, and process of elimination is hinting toward the rack. I just want to slide a stick of dynamite up its tailpipe and roll it down a hill.

Tags expire in ten days or so, I seriously doubt it will be seeing many more miles any way.

[Velcro Bottom]

I just want to slide a stick of dynamite up its tailpipe and roll it down a hill.

This is my ultimate fantasy.