*Phew* What a PITA, New silicone couplers and some WOT Thrashing Options

[Fastbird]

Just got done putting new silicone couplers on the entire piping setup. Intercooler to intake went without incident, but the turbo to intercooler was teh sucketh. The absolute worst part was the little bend from the intercooler heading to the turbo. That little bend right before hitting the intercooler. The rubber couplers that "were" in there were pliable enough to bend and give somewhat, but these 4 ply silicone couplers.....no way. I fought for three hours trying to get everything back together, even trimmed a pipe a little bit. Just BARELY got things together, and just took the car out for a thrash. Everything held up, but I don't trust it. I'll be ordering a 45* coupler on Monday I think.

After getting a little more used to the car and doing some 1st through mid 4th gear all out runs today, I think it's going to be an upper 13 second car, that's about it. It launches pretty good, probably in the area of a 2.0-2.1 60' time (this is just being based off of LOTS of track experience) if you can keep the tires from lighting up, and then just pulls and pulls and pulls. But, it really doesn't feel that fast anymore (am I adjusting already??) now that I've shaken off the "new car" euphoria and can really subjectively compare it to how the T/A or the Vette feel. It would hang in there, but I think in the end it would come in last. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll have the new wheels and tires on the Vette and will feel comfortable taking cars to the track again (don't want to take a chance of breaking something and not having a backup car) and will get some times WITH TIMESLIPS ( ) from the Celica.