Sunday, November 30, 2008

i'm still alive



I haven't updated this in awhile so just showing that I'm still alive. Basically I've been going out way too much and not going to school nearly enough. Zero motivation, Zero drive. I feel like something is missing and I feel like I'll do anything but school to keep me occupied and try not to think about it. So that's that.

For once I didn't go out this weekend, and I actually was able to work on my car. Turned on some music, just me, my car, and a handful of tools just wrenching. It really just let me chill, and kind of put things in perspective. My crutch, I think way too much, like way too much.

Enough of that, I wont get into details, back to the car since I'm trying to keep this more focused towards car life. I haven't really driven the car since its been getting. I never really assessed the damage after flying off Sheridan road about a month ago since the car felt and drove fine. Well I finally got the car in the air and the driver side rear tie rod end (hicas model 240) was like broken and ready to come off and it looks slightly bent. I was too lazy to assess much more since I have all winter but now i definitely want to go check everything.

Touge Factory had a black friday sale for a few hours so I definitely dropped some doe. Picked up Nismo motor mounts, Nismo tranny mount, Energy steering rack bushings, TF SPL c-pillar bar, a bunch of extra TF/STANCE/ORIGIN shirts, and an AR10 helmet since all these years I've been driving I never got my own helmet and the price was right.

A few people have been asking me about whats done to my car so here is a quick rundown. Engine wise its a bone stock KA with a Koyo radiator. Suspension wise, STANCE GR+ Pro coilovers 9k/7k, Kazama tension rods, Kazama HICAS lock bar, Kazama subframe collars, Tein tie rods, HICAS steering rack, HICAS rear sway bar. Outside is stock except for some H4 Headlights and some 6k HID's since the original plan was a socal canyon fun car but then I moved back. Fuck Chicago for not having roads like that. Inside I have a Bride Zeta I seat, white 330mm wheel, Nismo shiftknob, spin turn knob. Right now I'm using Hankook RS2's in the front and pretty much whatever tires I can get for the rear. I also hope to get some Project Mu D1 spec pads for the rear and Hawk Plus's for the fronts to replace my Hawk streets that I have on it right now. Im also on a welded diff right now which feels like poop for anything besides sliding around and I can definitely feel the difference between this and my old Cusco 2way that I had in the miata. Oh well, I'm trying to keep the car as budget as possible. Just a fun car that I can throw around and practice and continue
learning new things with.

I really can't wait to get out of this cold weather and get back to socal. A year and a half left.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

random snap



Josh's buckwild 180 and my simple practice 180.

Monday, November 10, 2008

hi



hi, my name is phil, and i am a street driver.

Friday, November 7, 2008

snow tomorrow?

Forecast is showing rain and snow storms tomorrow, which means soon the salt trucks will be coming out. So it looks like i'll be putting the car down for winter. One winter with this car would probably rust the crap out of my car with all the exposed metal on the frame rails and such.

Quite a few people have some pretty crazy and awesome winter plans for their cars. Mine are pretty simple since I don't work while I'm finishing school. So my winter plan is to basically refresh the car a bit, get new motor mounts and trans mount, take care of all the fluids, make sure everything is tight and nothing is bent, get a fresh alignment, fix the ebrake, tires tires tires, and putting the car on a little diet.

Makes me think like damn, i continually just buy the same stuff over and over again but yeah they are wear items and shit wears when you drive hard.

Anyways, i want to see this, ive always seen him in movies but i never knew he was into driving. Looks pretty cool.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

mass text

Josh sent out a mass text in the early afternoon for everyone to meet up in the city later that night to enjoy the last day of good weather. Crazy how many people actually showed up. These last minute mass text meet up's always seem to be way better than actual planned meets. Love it. Here are a few random grainy out of focus cell phone pics to catch these cars in their element haha.