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

[Box]

I think pull start is more detrimental to my body than a clutch. Definitely different.

I was thinking earlier that the shocks going out in some ways is a good thing since it means that probably since I've owned it they've been on their way out and clearly not performing at their best, so hopefully the new shocks are a huge improvement. Which it's weird since until just now the rear was a lot stiffer... Unless it's possible like a week ago I came around where they were doing road work and they did a TERRIBLE job of joining the two roads together and there was a hard step between them and when I went over it there was a loud thud from the back of the car with me having slowed down, so perhaps that's what did it in.

[Box]

Because I only use the finest Japanese parts on my American car that was made in Canada:

[Bitter]

The easy part is done, now you gotta put them on.

[Box]

Indeed. It shouldn't be that terrible, the one time where having a solid axle actually proves beneficial. Should just have to lift it up and set the axle on jack-stands then just unbolt the shock from the top under the access cover behind the rear seat and then unbolt it from the axle, then do everything in reverse.

[Box]

Found an interesting ad:

[Bitter]

So now you'll be on the hunt for JDM parts huh?

[1994Celica]

JDM MURICAN BRAH!

[Box]

Haha, well from what I can gather it's an ad for late model third gens being sold in Japan and they came with special exhaust and body kit. I knew they tried selling the late second gens in Japan to some extent, but as far as I knew that was it so it's interesting to see an ad for late third gens. Makes you wonder how many were actually sold and if there's a parallel universe where people overnight parts from the USA and are all about that USDM life.

[Box]

So I'm thinking about finding a steering wheel from a Grand Prix to replace the bloated corpse that came from the factory:


I think the Grand Prix wheel looks A LOT better anyway, plus it looks like it'd not be all that hard to have it converted to a flat bottom.

This post has been edited by Box: Jul 27, 2017 - 8:19 PM

[Bitter]

It doesn't look much different to me.


Grand Am had a better looking one I thought.

[Bitter]

But really, the Vibe GT had the best wheel of all Pontiac wheels.

[Box]

Those years Grand Am wouldn't fit without modification. The years that do was also used in the Sunfire:

Kind of somewhere between the two I posted.

Well that's because that was just a rebadged Toyota. In fairness though at least the Pontiac wheels are pretty good with the 9 and 3 as well as the 10 and 2 grips.

[Box]

You really notice the difference from a side profile.
Firebird/Bonneville/Trans Sport:


Grand Am/Sunfire:


Grand Prix/Montana:


I think overall the Grand Prix/Montana wheel looks the best with what the Firebird has looking the worst.

[Bitter]

I really don't see that much of a difference to be honest, just that AWESOME seat upholstery on the Grandam/Sunfire!

[Box]

They do have a lot of similarities, but they all look very different to me at least. I just hate how the airbag sticks out from the rest of the wheel so much on the Firebird/Bonneville and the back of the wheel is really bulbous, to me it just looks terrible and the ones without steering wheel controls look even worse. The Grand Am/Sunfire is a little better since the airbag and wheel are more seamless, and then the Grand Prix/Montana looks the best since the airbag is smaller and everything looks more tightly contoured. Plus the way the bottom spokes are done on the Grand Prix wheel it'd be easier to convert it into a flat bottom, I think doing that it'd actually look pretty good.

Yeah the colouration of the Grand Am seats is pretty nifty in a 90's kind of way.

[Box]

Well after further looking the Grand Prix changed the upper steering shaft along with a few other cars in 1997 so it won't work without changing that shaft piece(can be done but not worth it), oh well... The Grand Am/Sunfire wheel will work though, as would an earlier Firebird or Bonneville wheel:


Looks a lot better without the buttons though.

Just need to figure out how to fit this in:

[Bitter]

I've never seen a 'sporty' looking GM steering wheel in my life, they all look chunky and bland.

[Box]

The Solstice is pretty decent, but would require changing the upper steering shaft and not sure if you could get the air bag functional or not:


Of course the new ZL-1 has a nice wheel:


At least the Pontiac wheels have sport grips which was something that was sorely lacking in all the Japanese sports cars I've owned. Actually I might look into doing the Solstice one if the airbag can be made functional, otherwise might as well save a bunch of effort and money and go aftermarket.

[Bitter]

By Solstice you mean Pontiac G6? Same wheel...and probably the best looking of the bunch but still feels kind of bland and old. The ZL1, except for the fuzzy grip, looks fat and chunky, much like the current Camaro it resides in. It's really too bad you can't fit the Vibe wheel, it's the same thing my Celica has and it's just the right size and shape to feel good in the hands and looks 'sporty' but of course is also shared with the matrix and corolla so that kind of ruins it a bit.

[Box]

Yeah; Solstice, G6, Cobalt, and Corvette. Could maybe have the splines re-cut on the Vibe wheel to fit onto the Firebird, if it's a smaller size. Who I'd get to do that I have no idea though. This is why everyone just gets an aftermarket wheel, but I care about my face in the event of an accident so that's not an option. Well provided could get the airbags to work, which if they're just triggered by simple voltage then it'd be nothing to do.

This post has been edited by Box: Jul 28, 2017 - 8:17 PM