There's nothing wrong with admitting that something else, other than your doing it, is the right call if the situation warrants it.

Take me and Ride, for example... while I *wanted* to do it all myself, I found out the very hard (and slightly more expensive) way that indeed, I cannot take rotors off the front wheel of a '95 Honda Pacific Coast, because the hex head bolts (6mm) tend to somehow turn hex head sockets into sheared pieced of flint, suitable for lacerating a finger good enough to require three stitches.

It was at the moment this happened to my left pinky that I realized that indeed, I should probably have just taken that wheel (the mounting/dismounting I can do, it turns out) to the Honda place and have the rotors swapped out. Which was done that very day, after I managed to stop bleeding out long enough to get my finger wrapped up enough to get to an urgent care center and (this is the 'slightly more' expense) pay $50 to have stitches (which they took out a week later, "free".)

Even with the not-yet stitched finger, I managed to clean things up, but forgot the wheel, got the stitches, went back to get the wheel, and then took it to get the swap done.

And if I'd only taken the wheel to Honda in the first place? I'd have saved about 2 hours (or more?) time and $50, and had it all back together that day, instead of having to wait a week to heal.

So there, I'm lettin' ya know, it's ok to take it somewhere... just *get it freakin' done so we can enjoy it vicariously through you, dammit.*

/was that over the top? I can never tell...

 

well, some slight news here boys and girls

so most of you know i've got that 1980 Yamaha XS650. Its been a great bike, with alot of character. Alot like the II in some ways. but towards the end of the summer, she began to die. First, back in my, she just stopped running. didn't have a clue why. I became annoyed and it sat for months. then while my buddy was replacing the starter in his Harley, I decided to spend a day tinkering. I took the carbs out, apart and cleaned the bejesus outta them. started on the first kick and ran better than ever before!

then a few months after that she developed more and more leaks. The last one was fairly simple: the starter gear cover plate gasket had blown to bits. I bought the gasket but i never actually went out and fixed it. At the end of the day, what worried me was the past few months of ownership. if this thing was gonna be my daily transportation to SF and back i needed it to work every day. I just couldnt fix it because as soon as i did i know i would have just been constantly worried about it breaking again.

fast forward to yesterday. I've had the bike on craigslist for a while now, with probably 1 million people inquiring about it. unfortunately 999,999 of those people were flakes. A guy from Santa Cruz came up, said he wanted on of these bikes to rigid the frame and modify it all kinds of crazy. he wanted to do all the things that i had wanted to, but been unable to afford to do, to my bike. so... I sold her for $1100, exactly what I paid a year ago.

I had been planning on using this moolah to find some other bike to ride, but what with carpool over the bridge now costing money AND requiring fastrack, the bikes practicality, while still great, is somewhat diminished. Don't get me wrong, i still plan on riding. I don't know what i'll get or when but I've all but made the decision to set this money aside and sink her in to my first and true love.. er... moneypit :P

I don't have time to ggo down and prep the car to take it to finish the EFI until winter break rolls around i think, but when that happens, there will be some good things. Berkeley is not prepared for the debauchery that is a 1976 Cobra II in the hands of a certain Arindian

The shop had quoted me between 600-1200 to finish the EFI. If i save a few more pennies and liquidate some non-essentials (read: saleen wheels and wheel adapters) I could have enough money to also build my rear suspension up to par with the front as well as putting some bigger brakes on. the 240ish (give or take..) horsepower will be enough for now; the car already weighs practically nothing. I want to get the suspension dialed in and start autocrossing this bad boy.

as for the bullitt, i will probably be leaving it at home after i fix the II. My little brother is starting to drive, so mroe than likely he'll be cruising around in dad's 323i to keep himself safe. Dad is the onyl other person in our house who can drive stick so he'll probably be driving the Bullitt, which he'll love. one of his friends at work has an 06 GTO and my dad says they're always talking about me and my mustang shennanigans.

keep your fingers crossed guys, the II will live again soon

 

Last post was almost a year ago. Glad to finally get an update.

 

lets just hope course stays true this time! keep on it arin!

 

While I'm not terribly happy you hadda sacrifice the motorcycle, that part I do understand. It's why I was **SO** happy to be rid of the Mark VIII. **** money pit and never worth it.

But the II being in running shape?

Kewl.

 

its not so much that the bike wasnt worth it. truth be told it was a fantastic motorcycle and someday i'd like to have another one. I just cant manage so many things that need work right now. I mean the thing looked as good as an old british bike, was just as fast as a sportster, sounded like a helicopter at idle (low flying plane at freeway speeds) handled alright, got pretty good MPG and you can build em any way you want. hell even parts arent that expensive for it. my biggest complaint about the bike was its terrible brakes. or brake i guess, sicne the rear one was never hooked up in my year of ownership. the bike was a little bit of a deathtrap but it sure as **** taught me to ride lol

but in all the ways the XS650 is great, the II is better, save for maybe mileage lol. cargo capacity and range are up though :P plus the seats fold down in the back to make a nice bed I want that car back. there NEEDS to be a flat black Mustang II from hell roaring around the bay area. ive seen a few around over the years here but most are grandad's old slow car, or ghetto donks with ridiculous wheels. neither of those appeal to me. Maybe its that anime i've been watching, Initial D, thats really reminded me what its like to have a lightweigght, moderately powerful, good handling car that everyone underestimates. theres alot of fun to be had there

even though i havent been working on it in the literal sense ive been mulling over thousands of ideas for the car. I've got like a million different paitn jobs in mind. anything from the white with black/red accent that i photoshopped a while back, to DHG, DHG with white stripes, to even a WWII fighter plane style scheme i'm still working on. I think that one might eventually take the cake. I'm even debating adding some machine guns or paitball guns... lol

I've struggled quite a bit over time with "what do i want to do with this car" Originally i just wanted a muscle car. somethign to blast down the straights and never worry about anything else. Then I started fiddlign with suspension and modernization what with the efi and all. I think right now I just want a balanced, albeit, ridiculous street machine. Its already going to handle. as soon as i get my hands on fiberglass leafs, rear shocks and maybe some SFCs, it'll be able to pull abotu 1g on the skidpad. i already know its nimble. its also going to move fairly well. anything over stock EFI 5.0 power levels is gonna be great in this little car. the real step is the ridiculous. I'm starting to crave having a fighter plane on wheels parked outside. i may never use them but i NEED to have forward firing linked paintball guns and there NEEDS to be a little red button on the shifter to make it happen lol. I'm rambling again but think of this as making up for lack of posts lol

 

Glad to know the love is still there
Just like the other guy with the 94...

 

a little something to help the maintain the motivation...
http://www.driftlive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=752

http://www.driftlive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=766

 

This i like..

I like the 96 GT brake upgrade on the coupe and how intensely they're doing the drift car



dear god thats a slick car

 

^

 

if you did your car like this it would bad ***!

 

it'd be nice lol. all in due time.

I don't see a glossy paintjob anytime soon. this flat blattle worn fighter plane style has been growing on me alot lately. either way, priority #1 is getting the motor running again lol

 

I Think i've met you before bro, was your car in the VMOA car show a few years back?

also it doesnt have to be glossy color maybe a nice matte color would really give the car "Stealthy" look with those old skool spider web wheels.

 

yeah ive had my car at the VMOA show 3 times. the first two times the car was white with blue stripes. the last time it was flat black with red super snake stripes lol

man, i havent had this car at that show in... hella days lol. I loved how that show was set up. the IIs were always right next to the Bosses and Machs

 

I like the black one with gold stripes, probably my favorite finished II. The other one pictured just looks gimmicky wiht the hella rake

 

also, found this in a link on one of the pages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0kak...mbedded#at=246

anyone else really wanna go to Finland right about now?

 

Finland?! Wait a few months and drive up to minnesota!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N034kQ3KBw


(wrong thread? )

 

This is really cool. I like it, I like it alot. Love the BBS style wheels, I was trying to find those wheels for mine but no luck. Nice Find!

 

This II is downtown in a automotive restorers showroom.

 

^ That is a nice T-Top King Cobra!