We're going up to VIR on Sunday, 10/3, to watch the Grand-Am race so that is kind of like a drive-in, 'cept it will be a drive-up. You in for it, since you can't stand to be without us.

 

I come to you guys with another sad story. My weekends have been bad here lately. Last night on the way home, my Fiero met with the rear end of a lady's Cutlass on Capital Blvd. Everyone is ok, though the lady went to the hospital for possible whiplash. Her car is totaled as I slid underneath it and essentially destroyed her trunk pan and ripped off her bumper. My Fiero doesnt look nearly as bad as her car, but took some pretty good structural damage as well as what i estimate to be about 1000 in just parts damage. I figure i am looking at at LEAST 2000 damage on my car, and my insurance going up to pay for her car. This is my first accident ever, except the time I plowed a neighbors mailbox late one night. It hurts to see my car like that. It was my first car; I bought, maintained, and cared for it 8+ years. Not to get too philosophical but it was my first taste of freedom and I will miss it. The only problem it had was that it's heart didnt beat with rotary power. Truthfully for sentimental reasons I would like to fix it, but it doesnt make sense to sink that kind of money into it, especially, since the engine smokes a little, and the tranny is on its way out.

On a more positive note, it will probably be time to replace it with a nice 2nd gen. It will assume a role as a almost-daily driver. I would love a nice TII, but will probably go for an NA for reliability. Anyone know of any good deals out there? I'd like to stay under $3K. I dont mind a project, but want something that is solid mechanically, as I dont have time to wait and rebuild the engine.

Anyhow, sounds like I missed one hell of a meet last saturday. Hope to see everyone at the next one.

 

Josh, sorry to hear about your fiero dude. We definently missed the FD on saturday, at least i did. I can also sympathize on what you were saying about it being your first car. My first car is sitting down in the barn. Its a total piece of crap, but i have hopes of restoring it someday. From what i have seen, yours was much more then that. It was a pretty car.

On a second note, i know where u can get a beautiful s5 na, cherry red, 5spd for 3k. Its a beautiful car, just had a paint job, so the body is perfect! I also know that it has a new clutch and slave cylinder. Car runs from what the guy says, but i have never heard it run, nor do i know how many miles it has on it. Its a nice car. Let me know if you are interested.

Steve

 

Steve, please, get me a little more info on it. Like I mentioned it is more important that it is sound mechanically more than nice outside. If you happen to know of a good TII laying around (one that you aren't eyeing for your own project ) let me know. I've been thinking about it this morning and would rather have a little more speed, even if it is at the sake of some reliability. Though I can't seem to find a reasonably priced TII to save my ***.

 

If the Durham guys can't find you an FC I'm sure Johny Zoooooooooooooom can fix you up. He recently acquired the AE and a dark gray FC, but I don't think either were in running condition, but maybe with your luck with cars lately you'd be safer in one that isn't running. You can just sit in 'em turn the steering wheel and go "zoom zoom", "eerrrrrrk", and make other rotary noises.

Steve, just put a turbo hood on it and Josh'll never know the difference.

 

HAHAHA, i heard he never takes his FD over 60 anyways, something about it being to pretty.

 

when you look that good, you wanna be seen.

bert, i am starting to think you are right. maybe i will just sit at home with a couple of nice cars with no engines and wax them all day.

 

That's what I'm thinking. Just call someone up and we can give you a ride in our rotaries. It'll be almost like having one. We'll let you change our oil and brake fluid, wash and wax 'em, and do all the stuff you used to do to yours. You can even spend lots of money on them every so often.

 

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...or=&cardist=36

opinions, please. Is the price OK? damned thing has less miles on it than my FD

Also, this is one for the Durham crew or anyone else that knows (Johny maybe). How hard is a TII swap? I would assume it is pretty straight forward, but just wanted to know. I guess the question is should I hold out for a TII or go with a clean NA and do a swap later, if I get motivated.

 

turbo swap is quite difficult. to do it right, the entire driveterain has to be swapped meaning, engine and harness, tranny, driveshaft, rear and axles, fuel pump, ecu, knock box, and pressure sensor. I'm sure there is more that i have left out. U dont have to relace the guage cluster if u go with aftermarket boost guage, but u do have to repin the dash harness to make some of the guages work. Keep in mind that this is an s5. s5 turbo's are pretty much impossible to find. You could do an s5 na to s4 t2 swap, but that is even more difficult. Dont let me scare ya though, if there is a will there's away. Swaps are done quite often.

That one looks nice though, then must have just listed it, because i searced last night, and didn't see that one.

Steve

 

I might also ad that u can half *** a turbo swap by not changing the tranny, u simply use an NA flywheel so it will bolt to the NA tranny. Problem is, the tranny and rearend want hold up to much horsepower. But if u had a stock t2 motor, it would probably hold up just fine.

 

NIce looking car, with a new paint job I'd definitely want someone to look at it for damage, why the new paint? And I am sure Steve would be glad to check out the . . . What am I thinking ? Send Ashraf out to look it over. You'd definitely get a detailed rundown and serious evaluation of the car. But there is nothing wrong with an NA for a daily driver. If the engine is good, you're going to have to do something with it in a year or two and by that time you will have fixed most anything that is wrong with it and have a good idea about whether to sell it or upgrade it. Steve or Ken should be able to let you know what a good price for the car is. I'd definitely want Steve to look it over.

Just my thoughts, a couple of cents worth.

 

thanks for the advice fellas. i am gonna call tonight and talk to the owner. not being too forward, but maybe if you aren't too busy you can come take a look at it with me steve. I would appreciate your advice. i think if i get an NA i will just leave it that way.

 

Why not just buy a TII for 5k??

 

cuz money doesn't grow on trees.

 

hahaha, I wish it did man, then we'd all have what we want.

 

Life's lessons, that's the first lesson taught by independence. I think for a daily driver an NA is a good option, or you could by a used neon. You still have some nice performance, a sweet handling car and besides its still a head turner. I got mine for $400 and have spent about $4500 on it but what could I have got for under $5K that even comes close to an REX7? You'll love the car almost as much as the FD and you still have a lot of potential to develop later. And remember you don't have to be a mechanical genius to own an FC!

 

So is anything going on this weekend?

 

Not this weekend Raven, it will be the next weekend up for our next meet, Saturday, Sept. 25th.

 

Not for ya'll, but i'm going to NOPi

 

How boring would that be? Of course if money grew on trees it would be worth as much as pine needles and oak leaves!

 

No, we wouldn't. The fact that money is not available to all in infinite amounts is what gives money its value.

 

Of course if you could grow money on trees, and not tell anyone, then you could have everything you wanted (that money can buy) until the IRS comes calling wondering how you just bought a 10 million dollar house and not have a job

 

Yeah, i think most of us know that... I was assuming it would be a personal tree to a solo individual. I guess thats my bad for not clarifying

And then, we'd have to save it to give ourself's an 11k gift every year.

 

Thanks for the economics lesson.