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

[narly_charley]

IS THAT THE HORIZONTAL SHAFT KOHLER 'THUMPER' ENGINE? LOVE THOSE THINGS!

Oh yea, you'll need some lights for at night.

Nice blower! I'll have to wire up some lights for the dark winter months for sure. Do you like them on the sides? Also yes, it is a horizontal crank engine. It was retrofitted in the early 2000's with a Kohler Magnum 18. The original engine was TERRIBLE, no oil filter.

http://www.kohlerengines.com.cn/onlinecata...f/52_590_02.pdf

[Bitter]

Sides didn't obstruct view over the top and past the chute. Get some chains or stud the tires and weights, the blower makes it very nose heavy so it'll want to pivot round the front rather than turn if you get nose down any kind of incline on pack snow or ice. She sold hers cause the thing was useless most of the cause of that exact issue. Both you and her are twigs so you'll both have that problem.

[narly_charley]

Sides didn't obstruct view over the top and past the chute. Get some chains or stud the tires and weights, the blower makes it very nose heavy so it'll want to pivot round the front rather than turn if you get nose down any kind of incline on pack snow or ice. She sold hers cause the thing was useless most of the cause of that exact issue. Both you and her are twigs so you'll both have that problem.

Haha! My dad has some old chains he's going to give me. I wish it was a 318 with power steering... I'm going to make a weight box for the rear.

[Bitter]

Getting anal with my Celica, cleaning part of the front fender liners that's visible and dying black. Pulling the rear thingy that they call a fender liner and cleaning it and dying it black. Now the rear bolts don't match and I want something nicer than clips for the fronts and some better looking bolts for the rears.
Thinking about:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-Black-Billet...119.m1438.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-pieces-PACK-M6-...119.m1438.l2649

But I don't know how well the black parts will hold up to being black while they're being sandblasted by the tires and UV from the sun. Thoughts?

[Bitter]

Now I'm touching up the wheels finally. Wax is on, need to buff off, clean the glass inside and out better, and whatever I forgot. I'm sure I forgot something. Or I'll get it in the sun and it'll be all halos and halograms and ****. Never fails.

[Box]

GM didn't bother with rear wheel liners, they just sprayed everything with some kind of rock chip stuff instead.

You could get some oil blackened bolts, then you wouldn't have to worry about the black wearing off.

[Box]

Trying to explain to a drag racer why the Challenger sucks is like talking to a brick wall. I wish all I cared about was going fast in a straight line, my life would be a lot simpler. That or all I cared about was cornering, then it'd be simpler as well. BUT NO, I CARE ABOUT BOTH SO LIFE IS DIFFICULT.

I keep reading how everyone says the Z32 N/A is slow and how you have to floor it and rev it out just to get going anywhere, I don't see how with 222 hp and 198 ft lbs of torque. Brother's Maxima with a little less power and about the same weight but FWD wasn't that bad, which it was the VQ30DE and not the VG30DE but still. Had decent passing power and was brisk from a standstill. Wish I could find a nice one to test beforehand, would really help with deciding but I don't want to go and test a car that I have no intention of buying at the moment. Kinda rude and not fair to the seller, goes against my morals and all that.

[Bitter]

What's the curb weight with 222hp? compare torque at 2800rpm between your firebird and Z and compare curb weight, and figure the torque per lb at 2800 to see if you'll be happy with lazy acceleration. should give a rough idea.

[Box]

The 2+0 comes in around 3,180 and the 2+2 is like 3,310. The Firebird being a hardtop with a manual comes in around 3,380 which really isn't bad especially when you compare it to the 2+2 Z32 that's a good bit smaller. I found some dyno sheets of a stock N/A Z32 and a stock LT-1 F-body, both manual cars on a dynojet so it's a pretty fair comparison:


Which I guess it should go without saying which is which. Also based on that the Z32 engine specs seem overrated and in apparently typical GM fashion the engine specs are underrated. Go figure. Anyway based on that at 2,800 rpm the 2+2 would be around 160 ft lbs of torque carrying 3,310 pounds not including myself or anything else, and the Firebird is 280 ft lbs of torque carrying 3,380 pounds. So that's a ratio of 20.6875 pounds per torque for the Z32 and 12.0714 pounds per torque for the Firebird. Quite significant... Which I mean I knew that it would since the LT-1 is nothing but torque, but that's still pretty drastic. Hell I found a Flyin' Miata dyno run of a NB2 on a dynojet, the red is VVT disabled and blue is enabled to show how much VVT helps. It's a PDF: https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/dyno_runs/0...isconnected.pdf
But it's just shy of 100 ft lbs at 2,800 rpm and a NB2 weighs like 2,300 pounds so that'd be 23 pounds per torque, so really not that far from the Z32. Then here was another dynojet of a NB1: https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/dyno_runs/99_050400.pdf
Though what's funny there is the NB1 has a much more restrictive exhaust, so I guess that's why everyone says get a NB1 and swap in NB2 seats and exhaust manifold.

So I don't know what to do really. I love the power of the Firebird and the fact it still gives 28-30 mpg, but I HATE the ****ing solid axle. Which that Z32 dyno shows another concern I had found and that was where people said it falls on its face between 3,000-5,000 rpm and I think that was even mentioned in a Regular Car Guy review, which I normally take most of what he says with a grain of salt but this time he was telling the truth I guess. So now I've been looking more into the NB1 Miata again since it'd mean a newer car and finding a nice one would be stupid easy and it could be gotten for a good bit less than a comparable condition Z32. Actually should be able to find one that's supercharged and in which case it'd be notably quicker than a N/A Z32, and probably just as quick as the Firebird but much less vicious about it.

[richee3]

Gearing plays a big factor as well. The newer V6 Mustangs, for instance, have ~300 hp, but they really aren't 300 hp quick. Ford gave them the power people asked for so they can sell them but geared them to where they are nowhere near a GT. I would guess Nissan did the same. Enough power to be peppy but not enough to take sales away from the TT.

Another example, my new 4Runner has more power than my old one and it weighs a little less but it is significantly slower.

Further still, my Celica is ~25 hp shy of the NA Z32, but ~300 lbs lighter, giving the Celica a slightly better power to weight ratio, but I can confirm that it's still excruciatingly slow.

Everyone has different tastes and to some, I'm sure the NA Z31 is the fastest car they can imagine, but to me, the numbers imply that it will be peppy but still slow. However, as the Mustang and 4Runner examples show, numbers on paper do not tell the whole story and are very often misleading.

[Bitter]

I meant to get into FD ratios and stuff but too much math.

[Box]

The Z32 used the same manual transmission in N/A and TT trim, just had a different rear differential and ratio.

Which what's "fast" is really subjective to a degree, I knew the N/A wouldn't be what I'd consider fast but I figured it'd at least be brisk and not need revved out all the time. Hell by today's standards I wouldn't call the Firebird fast either, more like quick, but it's more than enough for day in day out driving and you can't even fully use what's there on the street unless you're getting on the interstate and even then you have to get out of it well before you merge unless you want to be doing over 100 mph. I'll never understand why anyone thinks they need more than 500 hp on the street, which sure with more power you can get up to speed quicker without drama which is part of what I love about the Firebird but I honestly don't see the need for more than 500 hp when you can barely use 300 hp. Which with gearing and power delivery results may vary, but still.

[narly_charley]

At one of our most recent meets, one of the guys brought his MKIII MR2. It has a 1ZZ in it with a five speed and that thing felt like a rocket. I'd take that light little mid engined two seater over a 500 HP Mustang (for example). I was smiling ear to ear driving that thing.

Those MR2's are fun, but I did see my life coming to an end as he was driving and snap oversteered at about 50 MPH. Haha!

[Box]

I thought about the MR-S or even the SW20 MR2 but I figure overall would be better off with a Miata, mostly due to how much easier the Miata is to work on and to find a nice example. That's the thing even my NA6 Miata felt brisk, felt a good bit quicker than the Celica even though the power to weight ratios were fairly close. So that's why I'm thinking about the NB Miata again since they have even more power and it should address most all the issues I had with the NA6, plus with a supercharger it'd be fairly quick. I love power as much as the next person but I like handling capability and feel more, ideally I have both in ample amounts but that generally means modifying or getting into a more upscale car. I wouldn't bother with a Mustang unless it was the new S550, and even then I much rather have a 6th gen Camaro. The SN95 made during the same years of the 4th gen F-body is abysmal, at least the F-body can and does handle fairly well you'll just forever have solid axle shenanigans to deal with. The Firebird feels more like the imports I've owned than it did the Mustangs I tested, and that's a good thing. Good steering feel, clutch feels good, brakes feel good, shifter feels good, throttle feels nice and easy to modulate, and it feels nice to drive except for when you notice you have a solid axle in the rear. The Mustangs on the other hand just felt terrible in every regard and to add insult to injury they're slower than the F-body, the only thing I liked more about the Mustang was the dashboard because it didn't crack if you looked at it funny. The seats were the worst I've ever sat in, the Firebird's are actually pretty nice and supportive.

[Bitter]

Never, I repeat, NEVER look at your black car with a bright flashlight. Ever.

[Box]

Never, I repeat, NEVER look at your black car with a bright flashlight. Ever.

Words to live by. Really any colour, but I think especially white since it hides dings and scratches so well but put a bright light on it and holy crap. Didn't know the Genesis had hail damage until it was under a light panel in the garage being detailed, had looked it over after the storm but even in sunlight it didn't show.

[Bitter]

Also never ever do business with a company called Flagship One. They suck. Ordered a programmed PCM for a GMC Jimmy with a bad EGR driver, installed, did theft, sent away, came back a week later on a tow, died while driving, check it out, no spark, no pulse to ign coil, swapped old PCM back in and it fired RIGHT up. Ok, warranty PCM, takes like 2 weeks round trip between shipping and their testing once they got the old one. Get the new one, installed, did theft programming, crank no start, boss is like hey wtf I did the theft procedure you told you must have told me wrong, then he cranks again with some throttle, start die start die start die, runs like ****, won't idle, ****ing heck. MAF readings are all ****ed up. Put old PCM back in, runs fine, ordered one from the dealer. **** it. What a joke.

[Box]

They sound vaguely familiar, but based on that definitely don't want to bother with them.

So after many a restless nights thinking, thinking, and even more thinking. I'm thinking get a NB1 Miata with the Torsen differential and preferably the hardtop then add NB2 seats and exhaust manifold for starters, then can do stuff like rims/tires, suspension, and brakes etc... Oh and lighting will be done fairly soon since the factory lighting sucks, being 9003/H4 doing a D2S conversion should be fairly straightforward. The more I read about it and think about it I just don't think I'll be happy with the N/A 300ZX, one of the Z forums I was scoping out also has a Miata section and the general consensus is the Miata will handle better. Well the whole point in selling the Firebird is to get something to be happy with the handling, even though I'm certain the Z would be better than the Firebird but if the Miata will be substantially better and not really be any slower than the N/A Z then getting the Z really wouldn't make sense. Plus at least you can turbocharge or supercharge the Miata for more power whereas with the N/A Z it's either TT or LS swap it. Which the NA6 what I was disappointed about the most wasn't the the power or how fast it was or wasn't, but the handling feel and the chassis. Which the handling feel could be fixed with sway bars and coil-overs as well as tires, but outside of lots of bandaging not much to do for the chassis. The NB is supposed to be much improved in that regard and it'll be a newer car, that and I'll be buying a much nicer example than what I did with the NA6.

[Bitter]

Got some good butt pucker with some mild hydro planing. Felt the whole car just go whoop and lift up an inch onto the water and back down. Ohio hasn't discovered how to crown a road for drainage yet I guess. 2/3 depth Z2's at like 50mph, it wasn't no tiny puddle.

[Box]

If the Z2 is the tire I think I've found it doesn't look like they'd evacuate water all that well, at least compared to most other performance tires out there.