Automobiles

[rmplum]

Have a 2015 Golf? Want to use your iPhone? VW offers you the automotive equivalent of the quill-to-threadless adapter. SLEEK!

IMG_6346 adapter.jpg

Have an Android (or any other non-Apple device)? For $65 you can by a USB cable that fits into that same hard to reach location, then plug your phone's cable into that cable. Maybe the lower trims actually grant one a simple USB or AUX slot?

Look at the bend on this factory cable. That'll be junk in a month
IMG_6349.jpg


Mercedes: Received 2015 C-Class "prepped and ready to go" by the dealer this AM - unless you actually think that 35F/35R is roughly equivalent to the factory recommended tire pressure specs of 39F/45R. They did ArmorAll the tires.

[Mr B]

Mercedes: Received 2015 C-Class "prepped and ready to go" by the dealer this AM - unless you actually think that 35F/35R is roughly equivalent to the factory recommended tire pressure specs of 39F/45R. They did ArmorAll the tires.

Reminds me of a recent story relayed by a friend;
He took delivery of a brand-new MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster. First test-ride saw him almost write it off. Felt weird compared to the demonstrator he'd ridden previously.
A few online searches regarding suspension adjustment revealed nothing, but then out came the tire pressure gauge. Turned out they (the manufacturer) had left the tires at mounting pressure.

[rmplum]

A few online searches regarding suspension adjustment revealed nothing, but then out came the tire pressure gauge. Turned out they (the manufacturer) had left the tires at mounting pressure.

Get cars here that have been PDI'd with 50+ psi in the tires maybe once per month. Being honest, I've caught a few of our guys driving around in these cars as well. Argh. "Hey XXXXXXX, did you know that car had 55psi in all the tires when you were driving it last week?" Umm, no - but it did ride a little rough.

Also, leaving shipping blocks in the springs. Ouch.

[sk_tle]

I'm pretty excited about the new miata. Sure the styling is a bit surprising but the previous design was a failure. Too much a compromise between neo-retro and modernit, looking sporty while staying bourgeois.

Maybe it is about being french but I've always hated the lazy handling of the gti's. If you want a driver's car and can deal with the odd looking and lower quality of the interior a Clio or Megane RS is a better option. They are the best handling fwd hot hatches on the market, especially with the cup option.

[vertical_doug]

Attachment 72267

This is a new toy on the street by the office in Belgravia. It is an electric hummer.

High performance Electric Vehicle

If you live in one of those island communities where everyone drives around in a golf cart, you need one of these. Top speed 40 mph and range 60 miles.

The funny thing is the person that owned this had a G-Wiz and they replaced it with this.

[jitahs]

The perfect tool for the defense contractor to avoid congestion fees.

[Badonkadonk]

on a whim i test drove a 1998 Ferrari 550 Maranello the other day. always been a big fan. if that car came out last year it'd be good. that is all. does anyone have $80k they want to give away?

[rmplum]

on a whim i test drove a 1998 Ferrari 550 Maranello the other day. always been a big fan. if that car came out last year it'd be good. that is all. does anyone have $80k they want to give away?

How was it holding up? Have a friend that bought a 355 Spider at auction. Interior pretty much a sticky mess. But the sounds......oh man the sounds.

[Too Tall]

How was it holding up? Have a friend that bought a 355 Spider at auction. Interior pretty much a sticky mess. But the sounds......oh man the sounds.

Swoon. That's the stuff man, that right there. No limits? Take that for a few weeks cruise in the Fr. Alps. I'd drive it nice and slow....not.

[Badonkadonk]

How was it holding up? Have a friend that bought a 355 Spider at auction. Interior pretty much a sticky mess. But the sounds......oh man the sounds.

someone had fixed the sticky bits, except for the A/C control surround. pretty low mileage, so the interior was in otherwise pretty good shape.
it had a Tubi, which gave it a little more menace at idle and a little more joy up in the upper register but those V12s are muscle car engines, not true screamers like the v8 in the 355

a 355 GTS is so far my favorite driving ferrari... just enough in there to scare the bejeesus out of you if you push it, basically nothing in the car stopping you from making a mess of yourself. no wonder you see a lot of them in ditches, around trees, salvage titles. before everything got too powerful to be uncivilized.

[justinf]

Here's the engine bay of the FJ62 Vortec. Work was done by HFS in SC. Very clean.

[WayneJ]

Couldn't have said it better. In fact I think JM was the one who first told me this, in advance of my own findings that he was right on.

I used a donor engine (5.3L Chevy Vortec V8 from an 03 Tahoe) and tranny (2wd from an 01 1500 pickup). . . the transmission adapter requires a 2wd trans, come to find out, but the truck still runs 4wd. We used custom exhaust, Autometer gauges, lots of custom engine bay fab and a honking radiator, kept the Chevy computer and port. I'll take a pic over the weekend of the engine bay if you like.

I owned a 1983 FJ62 in red and loved it, except the fuel economy of the original in-line 6. Add to that the spaghetti works of vacuum lines running to/from the carb and everywhere else and it just wasn't a keeper for me. I did like the tractor-like performance of the engine, but certainly would have done the swap like yours if I had known about it.

I originally wanted an FJ40, but needed more security to keep my valuables from growing legs while off rock climbing or hiking for the day.

Nice vehicle, Justin !

[ron l edmiston]

--- had em' most --- vette, lotus, bmw, mercedes, 66 mtang, ferrari..., my most favorite was a black/ red int 61 corvair monza turbo..
ate the shit out'a the pontiac tempest..
& right there with frank'e for nook'e.. them farm girls and the back/snow'e farm roads, only that back-engined bobsled could seek & hide..
ole-man-memories with a limp smile,

ronnie

[Jason Musgrave]

Justin that looks great. Need to come see that setup in person one of these days.

I owned a 1983 FJ62 in red and loved it, except the fuel economy of the original in-line 6. Add to that the spaghetti works of vacuum lines running to/from the carb and everywhere else and it just wasn't a keeper for me. I did like the tractor-like performance of the engine, but certainly would have done the swap like yours if I had known about it.

I originally wanted an FJ40, but needed more security to keep my valuables from growing legs while off rock climbing or hiking for the day.

Nice vehicle, Justin !

Yeah I drove my FJ62 (yours had to be a FJ60 if it was carburated) for 12 years and loved every minute of it except the filling up with gas part. I miss that truck a lot though...which is why in the next few days an 80 series is going to be following us home. :-) Guess I'm a glutton for punishment...but I am stoked it has worked out for us to be back in one.

[sk_tle]

on a whim i test drove a 1998 Ferrari 550 Maranello the other day. always been a big fan. if that car came out last year it'd be good. that is all. does anyone have $80k they want to give away?

The problem with Ferraris is not the buying price. Some could look like relative bargains on paper but you have to think of many parts such as the clutch as short term consumables.

[Badonkadonk]

The problem with Ferraris is not the buying price. Some could look like relative bargains on paper but you have to think of many parts such as the clutch as short term consumables.

i disagree - the problem is that they take up quite a bit more room in the garage than a new bike and you can't pretend they were always there

[rmplum]

On the upside, if you pull the trigger on the 550, you can justify upgrading your wardrobe with this too!

What's The Most Expensive Piece Of Carmaker-Branded Crap?

pimp.

[zetroc]

The problem with Ferraris is not the buying price. Some could look like relative bargains on paper but you have to think of many parts such as the clutch as short term consumables.

The story I once read is that Signore Lamborghini was inspired to start making cars after he realized that the clutch he was replacing in his new Ferrari was the same clutch that he sold in his tractors.

[nahtnoj]

The problem with Ferraris is not the buying price. Some could look like relative bargains on paper but you have to think of many parts such as the clutch as short term consumables.

I don't know about the 550 Marc drove, but can you even buy a new Ferrari with anything other the F1 flappy paddle job?

[Philster]

Ok, so it's not actually an auto, but someone needs to buy this hovercraft off Craigslist. I don't have room.

1986 SCAT HOVERCRAFT PRICE REDUCED