Teh Official "Dude Where's My Forum?" Thread, Brought to you by the minds of Box, and her fiancée, Lorelei Options

[Box]

Road looks pretty smooth, would be fun in the Firebird. The ones around me would be more fun if they weren't like driving on 40 grit sandpaper with chunks ripped out.

[Bitter]

It's not too bad, the surface is real rough but smooth, like highly textured for traction, real coarse. I think they've cut in some ice grooves on it or something, but traction is superb on it, has to be if my slow ass can cut a time like that down it. I'll re-up once I figure out the a/v sync issues, I'm tired of messing with it for now. I could just send the files to my GF and have her do it for me but I'd rather do it myself and learn how so I don't bug her with the minutia and frame by frame bullcrap.

[Box]

Have plenty of traction, just all the roughness and irregularities upset the stupid solid axle. Though after talking to some that have done a Watt's link on their fourth gens it stops the shimmying and arcing that the panhard bar allows and causes. The only concern left would be if it stops or at least minimizes binding and hopping through sharp inclined turns, but one said it helped with the rear wanting to kick out on on-ramps and based from animated depictions of a Watt's link through suspension travel it should at least help. Apparently the FB RX-7 had a Watt's link setup from the factory, I found that interesting.

[Bitter]

Do it.

[Box]

Well I'm kind of at the crossroads of rather it's worth trying and spending the $700 or should I just sell it and buy something with IRS that I know I'll be happy with in terms of handling, but then the drivetrain would need work instead. I think a Watt's link would make me happy enough with the whole solid rear axle thing though since that is my only real gripe with the car, well that and the cheap dashboard but one giant hurdle at a time. Here are the three options at the moment as far Watt's links go:
http://midwestchassis.com/products/82-02-c...t-in-watts-link
http://www.fays2.net/fays2_watts_link_21_.html
http://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=product...&superpro=0

Though from what I've found the BMR center pivot point is poorly designed and everyone says go Fays or MWC, and supposedly UMI is coming out with a Watt's link soon that's supposed to have lots of adjustability.

[Bitter]

We have a new (I think new?) customer with a 81 that I mounted some tires today that autocrosses and road races his (LS swap and T56), he mentioned his watts link, I should be seeing the car friday so I'll ask him about what he's got.

[Box]

I think I know who you're talking about:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybr...1-trans-am.html

If not it's highly coincidental. As far as road racing and autocross the F-body can be extremely competitive and win, Sam Strano is a great example of that. It's just the solid axle in the real world and me being spoiled by and used to independent rear suspensions that's the biggest problem. I get in it and drive it like I did the Celica so I'm going to make the solid axle rear its ugly head all the time. For what it's worth the Firebird does a better job overall than what the Miata did, the Celica still being the best though in terms of handling. I don't know why but it's true, the NA6 Miata left me unimpressed after the Celica and then after the Firebird even more so. That said I feel giving a NB1 Miata a chance would be worthwhile.

[Bitter]

yep, thats the guy.

[Box]

Since I couldn't sleep and had nothing else to do anyway I decided it was a good idea to clay bar the Firebird. First thoughts being Turtle Wax detailer sucks and isn't even good for claying, went through pretty much all 26 oz to do the car because it wouldn't keep the surface slick unless it was just soaked. Oh well figured was worth a shot and would be ok for that but again Turtle Wax proves how useless they are. Second thoughts being after claying it revealed at some point someone didn't know what the **** they were doing with a rotary because there are burn marks everywhere, and if I had to guess the clear peel is actually burn through... Sad because the paint that's not fubared is still nice, just after claying:


Also while claying I remembered how much I like the front end of the early fourth gen birds, so I took a picture:

For now it's time to sleep and will decide later if it's even worth bothering to do buffing and polishing, or just say **** it and go straight to wax since it's beyond saving anyway...

[cheela]

yeah i never liked turtle wax. meguiar's has been pretty good to me, the clay bar and the wax.

oh and polish yo rims!

[Box]

I was using a Meguiar's clay bar but had run out of their detailer.

I know I need to, been meaning to paint them and then cut and polish the lip with rouge.

[Box]

After waxing:


Now to sit down and die.

[Bitter]

Looks good to me, needs some C5 or C6 wheels tho.

Just kidding, like the blades.

[Box]

Yeah it was worth it in the end I suppose, just a shame about the burned through spots ruining it. That's ok 21 year old paint on a daily so just part of it I guess.

I had thought about some of the C5 or C6 rims but I really wanted 17's and I didn't want a freaking 5-spoke like everyone else in the world, so sawblades it was. I kinda liked them at first, but they've really grown on me over time. Most people hate them, but the ones that like them really like them. I think they look good on the early birds, better than on the C4 even. I will say I don't think they'd look good on a Camaro or later bird, something about the earlier front end makes them work.

[Bitter]

Got bored in the garage when the lights went out, got a video of the cacophony of light that is the Celica. Parking lights and hazards.
https://youtu.be/HqFj5qLOxPc

[Box]

All you need now is some ecstasy and some EDM and you're in for some good times.

This post has been edited by Box: Apr 28, 2017 - 7:15 PM

[Bitter]

I got 1/2 that covered.

Door sills will be here Monday, but haven't ordered the 3M film yet so I'm not putting them on till then, but I may lay one in place for a photo op.

[Box]

Hmm, but which half.

I wonder if anyone makes door sill plates for the Firebird, being they're so huge would have a lot of possibilities there. That's ok so far down on priorities it doesn't even matter. I have a Watt's link to buy, I think I'll wait out and see what the UMI one has to offer before buying.

[Bitter]

Oh yea, Ebay $30 special came earlier in the week. I opened it last night and took a look. Thick thick flanges (need to check flatness), cheap gaskets but I think they'll be OK, welds look OK, flex is stiff but looks OK. I'm going to take the pipes to work to seal them with tape and smoke test for leaks at the welds and flex section and use a straight edge there to check for flatness. I need to slide the one pipe under the car to see if it looks like it'll fit or not.

[Box]

So like I said, worth about $30. Supposedly longtube headers makes it a lot easier to change spark plugs on my car, but then would have to redo the exhaust as well as getting a tune to delete the EGR and smog pump codes.