A long time coming: Robbie's EP3

I wrote an article on this car once before in an attempt to get a job. Didn't work. Some crap about not reaching a word minimum. Sounds just like school. But that's all behind me now and I'm finally going to write about it the way I damn well please and not to meet some stupid requirements. This is way overdue and I should probably be listening to my professor right now or doing homework that's due tonight but "frankly my dear, I don't give a Damn"!

First and foremost, I am a NISMO man, always have been, always will be. That being said, I have a sort of bittersweet relationships with Hondas. I got my first ticket not a month after I got my restricted license. My punishment? spending the summer driving my mom's car. Blech. Turns out my mom had a '98 accord. 4 doors, leather interior, japanese luxury...you get the idea. But thank the lord that my dad had a say in buying it. His only condition was that the car came with the V6. that is where my punishment became fun. It introduced me to the mighty and legendary VTEC!!!!1!! (I know, I know, it's i-VTEC, but still). The engine sounded like it was trying to eat it's way out of the crumple zones encasing it. I loved walking away from my friend's '98 stang. All good times from my highschool years but Robbie's civic is different...and yet.

The EP3 is strange. It oozes Honda: not bland but not exciting styling, economy, ergonomics, practicality, comfort, all wrapped around a nice little nugget of surprise. Robbie's car is not fast in a straight line. It is not heavily modified. It is uber-stock. yet driving it or riding with him still brings back those immature tire-shredding days in a grocery getter. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's limits are far beyond what it's humble grin expresses. And the ever so quietly puttering engine has the potential for greatness. It is in fact a K20A3. A variant of the superman of 4-cylinder powaaaaaa, the K20A2. But for now, it's happy staying under the radar. And that's why it's so fun. It's like a boxer fighting with weights on. It's like putting a Monet in the closet. Its like a stripper keeping her clothes on. It knows it has the potential for attention, but it's happy right where it is. That's where I respect it most. It is quick enough and asks for nothing more.

Being the Z guy that I am, it felt like cheating on my car driving the Civic. Nissan and Honda remind me of Ford and Chevy: both accomplishing sporty goals through different methods. But as much as I prefer Nissans and Robbie prefers Hondas, we can agree on one thing: at least it's not a Toyota!

Facing my Demons: My Dad's Porsche 944

Japan Japan America Japan. That is how my mind works. So 2 years ago when my Dad bought a 1984 Porsche 944 I was less than enthused. The '66 mustang? Sweet. The Z cars? Love 'em. The Porsche? I started to question the level of Douche-Baggery my father was capable of. It had no air con, was uncomfortable, negative ergonomics, had less pick up than our lawnmower, sounded like an airplane, wasn't particularly good looking, and IT'S GERMAN. On top of all that, the timing belt popped within a month of purchase and we could have gotten another car for what it took to fix it. But we were pig headed and repaired it. It was garish and loud and I hated it. I still hate it. And I'm not alone. For comparison, when we cruise in the 'Stang, everyone looks and thumbs up and talks about how they like it. But a trip to the gas station in the 944 unleashes a torrential downpour of haterade that would flood any area below sea level. You get cut off, yelled at, flipped off, and generally spited. I hate owning it and I hate being seen in it. But Porsche has an answer. Drive it. I loooooove driving it. The 944 is a driver's car. It's hot, it's loud, it's uncomfortable, it's unreliable, and it's slow in a straight line. But it's fun. It's halo night with the guys fun. It's doing jumps and 180's on a jet ski fun. It's adrenaline pumping, vision blurring, muscle straining, unadulterated fun(sexy). And the smile you have weaving through all the haters with grimaces of distaste is the biggest "F@*% You" to the bland motorists that clog the roads on your video game-esque travels from point A to point B. If you want something comfortable, get a sedan. If you want something with power and pick-up, get a V8. If you want something practical, get a hatchback. But if you want something fun, I dare say the 944 is a tie for my gorgeous 300zx. I'm glad the 944 is my dad's. I would hate owning it, I still hate looking at it, I hate everything about it when it's stationary. But Damn I love driving it.

Guest Appearance: The Baby Goat

Specs: The ricer-racer pictured above belongs to my friend David. It is a 6- Speed 2003 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. That's a mouth full haha (insert "that's what she said"). Basically it's a 2.5 litre FWD 4 door economy sedan. It produces 175hp and 180 ft-lbs. Whoopdee flippin do.

Opinion: Oh the baby goat. The punching bag of the sports car club. It's ugly, slow, broken, noisy but not in a good way, plastic, rattly, uncomfortable, uneconomical, and offensive to all 5 senses. Yes it tastes bad. It is held together with tape and zip ties, everything breaks, it's solid motor mounts transmit all the engine's vibrations into your spine, it has one (count it one) bucket seat, a moron for a driver, it three wheels, and worst of all it gets it's nickname from the exhaust sound that resembles a baby goat being beat to death with it's own leg. The paint looks like the car was invited to a party, made an @$$ out of itself, everyone there keyed it, and a monkey with a paint pen tried to touch it up with $h!t in it's hand. With the combination of bucket seat, driver, and sloppy suspension you will likely end up sitting on the door at some point. The Koni performance shocks reduce the roller coaster feel, but the leaning in the turns has turned into you sliding out of your seat at .95 G's. Frankly, I hate it. I despise it with every thing that I am. I have a hatred so deep for the hunk of $h!t that I cut it down as often as I can. But I don't hate it for any of the problems it has. I hate it because it's driver can outrun me in it in spite of it's unending fallacies. He outruns Corvettes and Bimmers and all manner of sports cars. He has raised the bar for everyone of my friends. Autocrossing is no longer about setting a good time. It is about setting a better time than David and the Babi Gat. It is about defending our logic that a faster car should be faster. It is about beating this latently homosexual college senior and his busted-@$$ toaster. Despite all the hatred, David is one of my best friends. The truth is the Baby Goat is our muse, and David is an artist.

-Keep surprising them Buddy.

It's actually a Review!!!!: 1996 BMW E36

History: The Third Generation of BMW's ever popular 3-series the E36 is a very successful Chassis. Weighing in at 3100 lbs and some change, this RWD(Rear Wheel Drive) sports car was sold as a coupe from 1992-2000, a saloon(4-door) from 1991-1999, and a Cabriolet(convertible) from 1994-2000. A popular European model was the 318ti, which was a shortened, smaller version of the 2 door coupe. With an independent rear end and suspension born on the race track, the BMW E36 was a fun and competent street and track car. Riding on the coat tails of it's predecessor's popularity, consumers worldwide bought them like hot cakes. Thanks to the sales numbers there are plenty of cheap E36's in good condition ripe for the picking.

Opinion: First and foremost, I am biased. I own a Nissan and love it beyond all comprehension. Being a proud JDM(Japanese Domestic Market) whore I look to Japanese style trends to pick parts for my beloved Z. That being said, I do not inherently hate Euro, American or any other nationality of car, I just know and love JDM. It takes something exceptional to impress me. My room mate Zach has the 1996 328is (the "s" at the end means 2 door) pictured above. I've driven it around campus a few times and I must say...I'm surprised. I'm surprised because I like it. This little Black 3 series has been implanting the Euro bug in my brain for the greater half of this year. When it first arrived in Clemson after Christmas break, I was enamored at the phaser-like induction noise from the 2.8 litre (yes I spell it "re", no I am not a pretentious prick) Inline six brought me in. It's german and therefore the crisp handling and responsive 5 speed transmission inspire confidence and the insanely forgiving suspension make you look like a hero when you over step it's boundaries. My biggest problems? It's too low for a GT car. We had a fairly steep incline leading into our dorm parking lot and he dragged when my car glided unscathed over the sidewalk. Also, IT'S GERMAN!! I blame my hatred for Deutsche Autos on my Dad's time bomb of a porsche 944. His car has yet to have any problems.

Pros: It's German

Cons: It's German

The Bottom Line: I used to think I wanted a 240SX for a track car, but I want an E36.

Profiling: classifying the people in my math class... and some car news

Two days in a row I have found out things about the people in my class.

Tuesday: we hit a point in our lesson on series. The teacher said that a (written how it sounded) "McLaren sum is a Taylor sum centered at zero". She then asked if there were any questions. Without hesitation, about 7 guys raised their hands. The teacher looked a bit surprised. She called on (who i call) Tony Stewart....he looks just like Tony Stewart! Anyway, he asked "how do you spell it?" She said M-c-L-a-u-r-i-n. We were disappointed. Profile: there are 7 other car people in my class.

Today: The teacher got a little lost halfway through a problem and trailed off while saying "this...is...: the guy in front of Tony Stewart said ever so nonchalantly "Sparta" and kicked over his empty soda bottle. I almost pissed myself laughing. So did about half the class. Profile: those laughing spend too much time on the internet.

Car Stuff: David got his front bumper ripped off by a redneck. Now he has a really cool looking front bumper from his last instructor at CMP. Pics on my profile. Also, I'm rebuilding an old Briggs 5 horse and putting it on the doodle bug. Loving the 300zx right now. Probably painting the stock wheels this weekend. Wish me luck.

First new post in a while

Well, it's been almost 2 months since my last post. In the last post, I recapped my engine failure in the Z. Turns out Meineike put in used parts, didn't replace everything they said they did or that they were supposed to. Nightmare there. Huge bill and legal mess involved in that. But on the plus side, all those autocrosses and mountain runs were with bad timing and a bad tune. I have Torque now! WEEEEEEEE!!! Anyway, Vanessa has more power and will be getting Adjustable Koni's installed within the month. If all goes well, I'll get a job after I get back to Charleston. That should pay for the rest of the parts for the 5 speed swap, then if anythings left, I'm looking for a proper helmet and harnesses. Wish me luck.

A rough weekend for cars

I've dealt with 2 major engine failures in one weekend. I found out Saturday that when trying to start the SC2, it threw a rod. Fail number one. Back to square one as far as a track machine. This isn't horrible news, as I found out that the SC2 has almost no modification potential. Nobody's ever built one to be fast. So the silver lining is there, but faint. Fail Numero dos: after a blazingly fun run through the mountains of Ceasar's Head, on the way back, the bearing on my fan failed and launched the fan into the radiator, subsequently richocheting and slicing up the belts, raising the temperature so fast Patrick McGinnis and I rolled to a stop and killed the engine. To top it off, the illiterate wrecker who delivered my car to the offending shop that caused the bearing breakage scraped up my front bumper and started the mangled engine...Twice. The first thing I told him was to not start it. Oh well, if there's any damage, he's paying for it. I have to thank Zach Gobeille for driving my ass around to meet the wrecker, and for his AAA, and for keeping me from murdering a hillbilly flat-bed driver with my shoe. Anyway, Vanessa'll be back in action soon and I still have a spot open for a track car. Let's hope for something cool.

Recent Activity

I finally tried my hand at SCCA's STX class in my 300ZX. I came in 5th. Out of 8. The upside? I learned that the new Dunlop Star Specs make my braking distances drastically shorter and that I need to make my transmission grip more. Time for new tranny fluid and some practice. I came into possession of a 1994ish saturn SC2 twin cam. Yay free track cars!!! Now to spend the summer working, going to school, and starting project saturn.

Tragedy and Safety

I got some disturbing news today. My cousin, who will remain unnamed, is 21. She was married last year. Today her husband died on his motorcycle. He was 22. I won't go into details, but it rings home the importance of safety. I know so many people who have gotten hurt or killed on motorcycles. It isn't safe and it isn't worth it. I would love to one day have a track bike, but until they make motor-ways for 2 wheeled vehicles, it just isn't safe to ride on the highway. That is not to say that cars are indestructible. The real lesson is that our motor-ways are deadly. Tens of thousands of people die every year on USA roads. Keep an eye out and stay safe.

Keep the motor running.

Autocrossing

This is the fourth time I've started this post. I really don't know what to say, so I'll just give my account of things. Yesterday, my parents got up at 6:30 on a saturday to drive from Charleston to Clemson. In the back seat of our family truck was a set of black 17x8 Enkei RPF1's with 245/45 ZR17 Dunlop Star Specs with the chemicals still clinging to the rubber. My first sponsorship, and the beginning of much high-speed mayhem. They were on their way to the last spring autocross for the CSCC this year. With a paddock of 65 people, we were allotted 5 runs per person divided into 3 run groups. I ran in the third for my parents. The first run consisted of me sliding and fighting my way through the course, mom riding shotgun. She handled herself well, other than pulling the emergency brake in panic. She went for run two and was done. My friend Zach G. (who has attained disgusting amounts of control in our crappy little club car) rode for runs three and four. My fifth run was the fastest, but still not quite where I wanted it to be. I ended up with tires that are properly worn in and an overall placement of 39th, 10th out of 12 in my class. Things I've learned: 1. New wheels and tires change every dynamic of a car. The looks, the grip, the turn-in, the acceleration, the braking... Everything. 2. I expect too much of myself and my beast and 3. I am surrounded by the most supporting friends and parents I could hope for. I thank my friends for making me feel better about losing to them and my parents for driving a total of 8 hours yesterday just to bring me my sponsorship incentives. Having talked to many of the people who have teams and race specific cars, I feel like I'm on the right track to be a driver/engineer/hotrodder. This is my dream and with the help of the people I surround myself with and a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can become just that. So thank you to my sponsor: Wholesale Wheel in N. Charleston, thank you to the people who keep me going, and thank you to my amazing family. I couldn't have done it without ya'll.

UPDATE! Well my good friend Patrick McGinnis is a photographer and got the last of his pictures up on his website. there were four of my car and I. We had a standing bet that if I could three wheel my car in front of him and he got the shot, he'd send me a print of it. Lo-and-behold, with the new rubber getting worn in by the late runs and Zach's extra weight on the passenger side, there it is. My left rear tire exiting the sweeper is ever so slightly off the ground. The print goes in the mail today, and I'm going to practice to find ways to make more stunning and dramatic shots for him. Patrick's site: http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/

Keep the motor running.

Nothing to do with cars.

So I saw this on a friend's blog, figured i'd pick out my favorites too. It's the little things that keep you sane.

3. soft skin

4. old family recipes

12. a handwritten letter

13. waking up in a good mood... for no real reason

14. singing in the shower

37. the wind in your hair

41. a long walk that clears your head

59. sunshine

64. sitting in a booth

68. when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder

72. slow dancing

81. a pull through parking lot.

see which suit you: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/makeover/101-small-pleasures-you-can-enjoy-every-day-1125425/

Keep the motor running!

Inspiration/ Why we do this

Call it a muse, call it whatever you want, but everyone has one. Whether it be the sunset, misery, or want of someone you can't have, something moves you to do what you do. The problem with inspiration is that it needs an outlet or it can make you explode. Have something to express yourself. Being too incompetent and lazy to learn to create music, too uncoordinated to paint/sculpt/dance/play sports and too shy to sing or act, it wasn't until recently that i found my outlet. I share this art form with all the other true gear heads who punish themselves and their machines whenever they can. The weekend warriors, pushing it farther than they thought possible. I wish I could take an aerial picture of the courses and tracks we destroy. You can see what they were thinking if you look closely. That trail of dust on the exit of turn 3? He got a little too hot headed, let the anger drive him. Emotion can help if you can channel it into the car. I've gotten to the point that anger can make me faster. That burning heat of adrenaline in your veins, I'd imagine it's the same feeling Musicians get when they're belting out whatever melody is causing people to be locked in that venue. It's the feeling a Dancer gets on stage throwing themselves around with grace. This is my art. Love it or leave it, but don't hate it. It keeps me sane.

Keep the motor running!

The Importance of Tires

Ok, I have tried to explain why tires are one of the most important things you can upgrade on your DD/track car or any car for that matter. They shorten braking distances, make the car grip and handle better, and make acceleration cleaner. So here's an analogy for those who still don't get it:

Driving on All-Season/worn out tires is a lot like trying to play Basketball in cleats. Having proper performance tires is like throwing on your Jordans and schoolin some haters haha.

In conclusion: seeing wear bars? tires hunks of crap? replace'em! Best thing you can do for safety and performance.

Decisions Decisions

My dad has been saving up some money and is still getting his assets in line, but he really wants to get a race team together. He doesn't want to focus on any one style of racing, AutoX, RallyX, track days. Anything to go fast and get squirrely. We have focused on RallyX recently, but the sport is new and events are few and far between. The closest event to our humble abode in charleston is once a year, 3 hours away in Cheraw SC. So although rally is my true passion, it looks like I'm sticking to the pavement. So what to get my hands on? Well, my dad's porsche is setup for AutoX, so we have a car for that. My car is fairly versatile, but has to be my DD, so i can't put it on track. Drifting takes way too much money in tires, and i'd have to prep a car for that. So where am I left? A turbo'd B16 honda wagon w/ 4WD would be amazing and cheap for RallyX. Oh how I wish I could lay my tracks down, leaving the trails of dust and mud in the afternoon air, sliding at full throttle, feeling the G's of a car beyond the edge of grip being manipulated with my right foot and my hands. One day, I will, but for now, I just have to wait.

Keep the motor running

A new direction

so, since nobody has yet read my posts, i've decided to just rant about things i see. Mostly car related, but we'll see where it goes.

Mixed Feelings: The Hyundai Genesis Coupe

A lot of recent awards here considering the car is new for 2010. I saw one of these on campus today and one thing caught me off guard; i liked it. The way it sounded, the way it looked, the way it moved. It's a whole new animal from a company that i have a deep-rooted despise for. Hyundai has always been known for their unappealing, ugly, and not so economic econo-boxes. Ever heard the song "Gold-Digger"? Even in main stream music, Hyundai catches a bad rap. So what's the difference? Money. After 63 years as a legitimate car company, Hyundai has made enough money on those little crap sleds to pay for the R and D to move in the direction it has in the last year. The Genesis Coupe and Sedan are brilliant. The coupe, designed and piloted by Aussie Rhys Millen, has set world records at pikes peak and is a very solid contender in all forms of motorsport it enters, including time attack, Formula D drift, etc. For a car to do that in it's first year in production means that it is very well designed. FROM THE KOREANS? Since when? Since last year. Watch out for KDM genesis's (or genesi?) and suzuki something or others (because Hyundai has opened the door, suzuki can't be far behind), and KIA's with the same formula. One gripe I have is that out of the box, the Genesis Coupes will be almost identical. There isn't much customization available. Regardless, a shift in the tuner/import scene is upon us, so no more hatin'. Just try to keep up.

Check it out @

http://www.hyundaigenesis.com/

UPDATE: ok, so I have talked to a few people who have driven these more than I have. They say it's very reminiscent of new Corvettes: very quick, very grippy, very dead. They say it has no feedback. Yes that can be fixed with a few major modifications, but this blog is about stock cars, so i have to give it a thumbs down. Sorry Hyundai, sorry Rhys. Just, no.