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Ed & his CBR1000







Waiting



Aleem's Turbo Foxbody Mustang. Kevin says "No GTI Engine, No care."







Haha we pulled up along this guy and yelled "BLOOD BROTHERS!" He was saying "Hey you have a baby NSX!" to which I replied "No, you have a big MR2." Very cool guy




Explaining the plan right before we jumped into the route

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Speedo only goes to 85MPH, and it's turbocharged haha




Zeib and David sitting in the MR2. David was a great co-driver

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The Chase.

I was leader of the pack since I had done the route before and had co-drivers Max & david to help me out. Huge thanks to both of those guys for riding along and dealing with my constant questions of "which turn? which turn?" haha.

We got a bit lost in the beginning but after we got back on track we were having a good time.

Halfway through I think we got really into driving, and cut down on the pictures. Max has more pictures that he will upload later though Dan has a video up, I will upload mine later, I think mine seem a lot faster since I was really pushing the engine and just flying through the corners. Dan didn't have to push so hard to keep up with me on the straights

Dan chasing me in his new stage 2 STI













Crusing back home

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Pictures are above. Max will hit me up when he uploads more photos. I've done this route before, but it was exponentially more fun with you guys. It took twice as long, but this was a hell of an awesome route.

Max & David know some good routes closer to College Park, so we will start doing backroad runs on the weekends. Weather is getting better as well.

It was nice to have motorcyclists in the group. They were at the back of the pack but were still allowed to go pretty fast since me, Dan, and Kevin were setting a good pace.

How the MR2 was on those roads

I have to say it again, you won't be able to fully appreciate your car until you drive it to its upmost potential. The mid-engine design is just amazing in action. In the Infiniti I had to wrestle the car around a corner. It would do ok, but was still a large amount of effort. The MR2...man. Since most of the weight is at the back, and there is practically nothing in the front it felt as if there was a magnetic attraction between the rear of the car and the road. With the front I was just guiding this 130HP Japanese magnet through corners with amazing agility and speed. I'm not lying when I say there was no understeer at all. You can drive this car very fast because there is just so much traction.

You might think you are going too fast through a corner, so you would think it would start to understeer when you turn more into the turn...but no. You are just thrown more into the lumbar support as this car tries to throw you out of your seat. It's incredible, I love it. And you won't know it if you just drive to meets or do an occasional pull. My friend Dan in his stage 2 STI and Kevin in his GTI said I was doing good and was pulling away from them through the turns. It's a combination of the car and your confidence and this car just gives me so much confidence, even on all season tires. Exponentially more than in the Infiniti. Wow, Toyota.

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

Maaaannnnn I gotta get a run in vs this car if I ever road trip the east coast.

What you're saying is how I feel in the 4th gen I just set up on coilovers vs. a 5th gen on coilovers

D I R T Y I 3 0

So I can't believe that I am 24 hours away from doing my first trackday ever. When I was 16, I never thought I would have this journey up til now where I have an MR2 and am hitting up an actual racetrack. It is surreal

But I am writing up this post because something significant happened yesterday. My father sold the very first car that shaped me into who I am, the beloved Infiniti I30. 18 years of loyalty, fun, and reliability was sold for $1800. I don't feel too bad right now since I have the deuce, but I know when I go back I will feel sad about the empty spot in our driveway. That spot where I always looked at my I30 from every angle to appreciate its lines and figure. Where I looked at it and told myself "it's the underdog car." You know typing this up...I actually do feel legitimately sad. Like I am on the verge of tearing up. I can't believe it's gone...but maybe it's for the better. No...it is for the better.

DIRTYI30, I salute you for your time with my family and me. You gave me pride and shaped me into the driver I am. You pulled through for me in high school and college. May you treat your new owner the same way.

Goodbye...old friend

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

I hope the new owner really gets to enjoy the car.... I know I would have.

D I R T Y I 3 0

So from one car to another, the story continues with a NASA Hyperdrive trackday with friends. Well you ask me, how was it?

FUN. AS. HELL.

This is definitely a milestone in my life, because I used to spend countless hours in my childhood lapping circuits in Forza Motorsports whereas now I was on an actual circuit lapping people. Er, almost haha

The day started with me ending my 3-6AM graveyard shift, loading my car up with two extra 195 tires, getting Wes & his S60R, and then meeting up with some friends before they left for Cars & Coffee and us for WV.




We met up with my friend Seth -rockingthe2 on MR2OC- and us three rolled down to Summit Point Raceway where we were greeted by the thundering roars of BMW, Miata, and classic spec cars ripping around the main circuit. Going to be honest, I was pretty intimidated haha




We arrived pretty early, probably around 9:00 and our mandatory class wasn't until 10:50. So we killed time walking around the paddock and spectating other races going on.

Walking there, I realized that this environment suited me for who I am. The raw, hardcore track cars, the friendly yet competitive atmosphere that was around every corner, and the beautiful grassroots WV countryside secluded me from the outside world and its troubles. School, Summer Internships, money, people, apartment - everything was denatured by the rasping roars of E36 M3s and Corvettes that resonated and scarred my ears and memory. This was me, this is who I am.

So like I said, we had time to kill. We found out a little more about each other and our cars. Seth used to have an NA, but then picked up this Turbo. He recently had prime motorsports up in NJ swap in a 4th generation 3SGTE Turbo Motor which proved to be awesome on the track. And Wes's Volvo is just badass, I absolutely love that car.







Taping up the headlights so nothing cracks




I really had nothing to hide but thought I should add some character to the car







YEAHHHH BOIIIII. Was scared my car would not pass.




We then had to attend our class to be debriefed about what happens on the track etc. etc. bla bla bla. But man, I was as jittery as a jitter bug in that class. I was shaking, the adrenaline was at my finger tips. DAMN IT MAN, I KNOW THE FLAGS JUST LET ME GET ON THE TRACK GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Haha...ok I was jittery, but was more afraid than anything else. I had no idea why! Backroads? I'm fine. Snow Drifting? I'm fine.

Track Day? Holy crap I don't want my car to break! lolll see how fear can overshadow what has already been accomplished?

Finished class, and before we got onto the track there was a car-weight scale vacant for us to use. Pushed the car on there and was interested in what the numbers would be. With 3/4 tank of gas, and everything taken out...2582lbs. SO LIGHT! And with those numbers, confidence and surprise overtook me...unlike anyone that could on the track

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And there I was. Second person on the grid, ready to kick some ***. All butterflies that existed succumbed to the excitement and pent up energy I had to rip it around the track. Those first moments on the track was an eye-opening experience, a new feeling. A race junkie like me being exposed to material I have yearned for. It was like a fat kid eating the limited edition ben & jerry's that comes out once a year - pure exhilaration.

And when that green flag went down oh sheet, it was showtime!

Seth wrote up an entire blog post on this:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/i-w...ras-1568193945

Me & Seth on the grid:




Covering ground




The best looking driver and car of the bunch




Ready for an overtaking




Seth goes




My turn!




Wes and his S60R




Video of me & Seth overtaking, and Wes taking off from the pits:




In-car of the drive, gets better after 7:40. A lot of traffic before then





So after I finished the event I felt that there was less excitement about owning "an MR2" and more of a mindset to explore the MR2's potential. I just loved how the front end would dart in whichever direction you pointed it in and how the stiff coilovers allowed for no body roll and a confidence-inspiring gliding through corners. Seth and I were passing everyone ahead of us, and so afterwards people came up to us asking about our cars. This sort of respect for a person's vehicle & owner doesn't come from sitting in a parking lot staring at the modifications, this respect is translated through action and how hard you can push your car - and how hard your car can push you.

I now no longer think that "Oh I own an MR2 btw -pounds chest-" it's more of "Hmm I own an MR2 that needs a better brake pads, maybe a more aggressive staggered setup, and definitely a lot more power." The racing bug has bitten me, and I have been infected with the mod virus.

About the 5SFE. I take back my statement about it being ok power. No, it actually sucks LOL. At best, it's a decent engine for the street but other than that it's powerband is not suitable for the track. It has more torque than HP, but the engine only wakes up between 3-5K RPM. And as you all can see, the turbo spanked me in the straights. Don't get me wrong, the NA is still a very fun car to drive around town and on backroads - power is fine there. But if these track trips turn into a habit, I am going to be inclined to put in a different motor.

The 5SFE. It's like being the best at backyard basketball, when in reality you are just a benchwarmer for your school team.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Wow...very well written...sounds like you had a bit of fun!

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

Ok I'm sold.

D I R T Y I 3 0

Oh yeah, it's definitely been fun

If you do decide to get one, I would either get a Turbo and stick with that motor or buy a NA-Hardtop to do a V6 swap into.

asand1

iTrader: (1)

VQ35 swap would be epic.

D I R T Y I 3 0

That would require a lot of customization

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

Just to clarify, what do you mean by everything taken out?

I gotta have the t tops. Will probably just go with a 1mz or 3vz to keep it relatively simple and cheap.

D I R T Y I 3 0

No spare tire, that's it lol

Ah word, T-tops are fun but the hardtop is lighter. And the 3VZ is the cheaper and stronger engine of the two

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

I'm willing to make that sacrifice 3vz is the iron block ODB1?

D I R T Y I 3 0

Yes and yes sir

D I R T Y I 3 0

So I just finished half a shift as a CA and have walked into my apartment reflecting on what's going on right now. Studying for final exams, looking for jobs this summer, working at 251 and as a CA, my brain is pretty packed right now...

Tonight's shift was pretty slow, it was mostly just drunk people clamoring in through the doors yelling belligerent BS. However, I had an epiphany tonight. I was watching Top Gear car reviews and found that with every comment that Hammond, Clarkson, May gave about a car they were reviewing there was a spark in me. I would jump up more into my seat because every compliment was also etched into my car. Every characteristic, pro and con.

Raw. Impractical. Telepathic. Error.

Every word checked off a box on a list of characteristics of my car. It was exciting, just like when you were in High School and got all the attention when your name was announced on the intercom for Sports. I was smiling at the end of the playlist because I was thinking about what I would be saying if I was doing a review of my car - laughing like a little boy in his own imagination.

So after I just got off 20 minutes ago, I walked towards my apartment. Just before I was about to walk through the entrance, I swiveled my head towards the parking garage and told myself "...just one little peek". Walked onto that paved first floor and saw that red collage of elegant, swooping lines. My god, I own that. Yes it's a Toyota, but to me it's far more. Far far more.

It's been a long road from being that scrawny little high school kid in the Infiniti, to being a full-bearded built man owning a mid-engined rocket. My physical maturity has coincided with the transition into a very mature platform - and with good timing. Just getting into the car is a reminder of how much of an absurd contrast it was changing from the land yacht I30 to the I will kill you MR2. It's radical, it's extreme, it's freaking hilarious. But out of all emotions and virtues of this car, it's still a ode to it's similar hard, raw, extreme work to get it into that parking spot. Hell, to get in my driveway...

And that's where it comes full circle. Even though it is a huge passion (and admittingly a distraction) of mine, the effort put into it can be applied in everything else I am facing. I'll be honest, I do feel lethargic and generally like poop about what I am facing but if I'm going to let everything go to ish then I might as well not own the MR2. And that damn well can't happen. I've come too far to give up on this and everything. From the books to the jobs, and the driveway to the track. Giving up after all this? That's whack (yes it rhymes).

Maybe I am writing this in sight of finals week and feeling ambivalent about what's going to happen. But if anything it's just a reminder to me and everyone else to tackle a whole course one corner at a time - flat out.

And I suggest doing it in an MR2

D I R T Y I 3 0

So if I didn't post a picture of it before, there has been rust developing on the passenger side rocker panel of my car. It's decided take big bites out of the front and rear of it. Fortunately, my friend Dan was nice enough to help me apply fiberglass on top of it. We just finished this 10 minutes ago, will go back in 40 minutes to put black plastidip on it.

Looking forward to how it turns out!

MMmmmmmm YUM



Cutting and test fitting:





Finished the front, grinding down the rear to the bare metal:





Fiberglass applied:





As it sits now.





Should harden soon, then plastidip time

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Finished it just now. Sanded them down, and sprayed plastidip over it. MUCH better than what it used to be.

Huge thanks to Dan for giving me his fiberglass and his time.

Sanding it down:




Sprayed:





Sanding it down:





Sprayed:






Done:










Before





After



Definitely one of the coolest things I have ever done to a car.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Impressive

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

as cool as that is, will it prevent rust from coming back? def cheaper than cutting up the car and cutting in new pieces. too bad you can't sand it down any flatter, looks better than the rust for sure. i would paint the whole section so it matches better.

D I R T Y I 3 0

Time will tell but we did a through job of grinding that area and the surrounding to the bare metal and doing several coats of rustoleum. Yeah I should paint the whole thing eventually but I've been lazy. Besides it's not too noticable

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

should be fine. we did something similar to my 3rd gen, grinded down the rust to clean metal then did Bondo etc. rust never came back for as long as i had the car after

D I R T Y I 3 0

Hope that is the case for my car as well. There is a little bit over the rear wheel wells, so I will get some clear rustoleum and apply it on their using a Q-tip

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

should work fine, one of my fenders was eaten through. cleaned off the rust, bent some scrap metal, riveted it over the fender, Bondo'd over it etc and you could hardly tell that any repair was done there

i just wouldnt wash it with high pressure where you fix the rust, we fixed the rust on my Silverado at the same time and if i use a pressure washer too close to the paint where the repairs were it flakes off a bit

D I R T Y I 3 0

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything about the car and not just what I have been buying for it...

I find it funny that I worked in a lab for an entire summer to get the funds to buy this car, and here I am a year later with this car taking me to a new lab where I am working in for this summer haha. So I can say that this was an excellent investment.

When I roll up into the parking lot, the special factor of this car comes into effect. You will see a plethora of mundane cars: Toyota Camry, Honda Odyssey, Acura TL...then all of a sudden there is the MR2. It serves to break the monotony of inventory of today's generation. It really does pop out in the parking lot, as one is drawn towards does suave, fluid body lines and its overall erotic look. It's like acne on a teenager's face, but it's sexy acne. And walking away with the keys of that MR2 in hand makes me feel happy and makes the bone-breaking commute worth it.

In regards to the car itself, I have ordered a shifter lowering plate, four new Dunlop Direzza Z2 tires, and have done a tune-up. Here are some pictures.







There are 3 tires right there




That was an interesting fit







You can see the rear 16s and spacers back there. Fit my dress shoes in the unseen corner




Leg




It's funny how five years ago I begged my dad to buy I30 touring wheels and tires for the Infiniti. Now...I have twelve tires + wheels in my possession bought with my own funds. Twelve, haha. But on a serious note, this has been my most expensive investment thus far. It will probably come out to over $600, maybe even close to $700. I was not keen buying this set-up, but felt that since my rear tires are currently going out I might as well try something new. I'm pretty excited to have my organs thrown out of my body taking a curve with the direzzas, yet concerned about how two paychecks in a month can be gone by clicking "Confirm purchase."

As time has gone on, I realize that the biggest lesson I learned from this current 11 month journey is managing one's own funds. My expenses are my car, food, and occasionally some clothes. I don't have to pay for gas which is nice because I am filling up the 11 gallon tank every 2 or 3 days...My reason for writing that was because I feel that people talk about large investments as if they are small transactions. As if it required absolutely no effort and that money would magically re-appear in their wallet.? Maybe that's just me because I feel that I work hard at whatever job I have and that having a good portion of that money spent on something that is disposable dawns over my mind. I think "Hmm, maybe I should have spent it on something else. What if there is an emergency and it requires spending the exact amount I now have in my bank account?" It can cause me stress sometimes, but I also see it as my usher into the adult world. There is a lot of responsibility that I have yet to inherit, but for now it's about taking those large & small investments seriously.


Another thing that time elucidates to me is how old this car is. I love it to it's death -the motor blowing up lol- but man it can really **** me off!. I think some build threads are like romantic movies and do not show the small but significant hiccups that arise in any relationship. Whether in marriage or extramarrital affair.

What do you mean Salman? You are too verbose and overdramatize everything such as above.
- Silence you dunce, you know what I'm saying (do you?) But for clarification, let me tell you the story of Salman (the beauty) & the MR2 (the Beast) that occurred yesterday.

______

So after the 9-5 grind yesterday, I was struggling to stay awake on my 42 miles back to the apartment. I was nodding off when all of a sudden, I noticed my throttle was sticking. Everytime, I let off the gas the car would still accelerate up to 2200RPM then drop off slowing down. What the...oh please DON'T TELL ME IT'S THE HIGH IDLE PROBELM AGAIN! MR2, RAHHHHHHH!!!! However, there was nothing to fear as I was stopping by the house of my acquaintance Chris whom I have only met twice and was gracious enough to have my tires stored at his house. When I pulled in, the throttle was still sticking and they could hear it from inside of the house. They came out with curiosity whereas I came out with irritation. We popped open the hood and did visual sweep of the Slowyota's heart & unreliable soul.

"Hmm there are no gasket leaks, all the electricals look okay. Let's try adjusting the throttle cables. Mmmmm, nope! Oh wait...the butterfly valve twisty thing is sticking!"

We put some PB blaster on that joint and voila it was lubed up like some other things that are lubed up -wink wink-

So done deal, car was fixed right?

Wrong.

After that fix I wanted to show Paul the NSX wheels in the trunk. Alright let me go inside and use the trunk latch -pulls up, nothing- "what the..." -tries again, nothing- ...GAHHHHH!!! MR2!!! You incompetent japanese piece of beautiful machinery! "WHY YOU NO RUN RIGHT???" Fudge, whatever, I'll fix it later. See you Paul, see you chris!

And then as I'm pulling away...I realize the gas pedal is too light! What the FUDGE? Oh snap, I totally forgot we played with the throttle cables.
-IRIITATED MOANING SOUNDS-

Frankly I was very frustrated, and felt a little bit down about the thought of extracting more money out of my account for these repairs. Fudge man, I really just don't want to spend anymore money. I mean...I have already spent $500...

But then, redemption. My MR2 pulled through like a gym bro straining to get that last bicep curl up. You know, because curls get the girls and pecs get the...well ya know -wink wink-...300LB Bench press DUH! So I pulled into the parking garage across from my apartment. "le sigh, ish happens Salman at least it's runn- -pulls trunk latch works!-" Amazement and ecstaticness washed over my face like a tide washes over sand at the beach. IT FIXED ITSELF! YAAAAA!!! Thank you MR2 ghosts, I never could have done this without you.

So now it was time to fix that sensitive throttle cable. I contacted jko because he is in College Park for the summer and is soon to be my track buddy. He came out with a willing and altruistic attitude as well as two adjustable wrenches to adjust the cables. "Sal, let me know when you are done and I'll get the wrenches gotta go to lab peace!" "Alright jko thanks yo!"

I spent half an hour into the evening tinkering with that cable searching for that sweet, heavy pedal that my right foot met with nearly everyday. Here was this kid wearing a dress shirt, khaki pants, and dress shoes getting down and dirty at 7:30PM in the evening. It felt kind of cool because people were walking by with interested facial expressions and one guy even gave me a smiling head nod. By the time jko came out, my throttle pedal was heavier but still lighter than what I was used to.

-le double sigh-, well I did my -applies gas, thrown back into seat- woah woah...is my car...FASTER? -Applies gas again, thrown out of the car from sheer acceleration- It IS Faster! Bwahahah!!

I believe that there was a decent amount of slack in the cable for the throttle to never be at WOT. It wouldn't even open the proper amount that it should. But with this adjustment, man this engine became so much more charismatic! It is more charismatic. There is no hesitating surge between 1000-3000 RPM, it's just a smooth wave of torque followed by a more powerful powerband between 3000-5500. I swear it's faster and even with eight extra tires and rims in the car!

These obviously don't occur on a daily basis, more of once a month. However they are unnerving and can drive you, or at least me insane. Other than that I have a heatshield rattling from 2000-3000 RPM and it's also rattling the sanity of my brain. But from what I experienced with this car yesterday, I know the MR2 is a resilient creation of japanese steel and a lotus designed chassis.

Mmm...car

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

very nice post! You sir have a way with words

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

D I R T Y I 3 0

Ah so it's been three weeks, and for any regular person with a regular car that will mean refueling the car has been the only progress to their nonexistent build thread. However, when you have a car that is 23 years old everyday is an adventure either running or non running...

_____________

Circa three weeks ago

So as you already know I bought NSX wheels with Dunlop Direzza ZIIs to be mounted on to them. Went to my man Tony, mr2nice, and he was nice enough to change out my front lug studs for longer ones, mount & balance my wheels, roll my rear fenders, and install a free e-brake cable for me all for $80 a stellar deal for all that work.




Casualty from rolling fenders. Meh, small price to pay







Mmmmmm




So then I went over to SEARS to get my car alignment done since it was as crooked as a politician. Chilling in my car waiting for someone to come, when all of a sudden my car cuts out. "Oh please, god no..." -Turns key, comes back to life- "Phew, close call" but my conscious secretly tells me that the ignition coil is going out again. I know it's going out. Whatever getting my car aligned!

Give the keys to this goon and he comes in and out of the shop in my car in less than 30 minutes. "Hey bro, your rear control arm things are seized up, can't adjust the toe. Sorry man!" -______-



Are you SERIOUS DUDE. Stop being a lazy SOB...ugh forget it you are hopeless and so are you MR2! I drove home with the steering wheel cocked at 1o'clock the whole way. Freaking annoyed off the chain.

Get home and cooling off

"exhale eh, whatever I can get it fixed. My car still looks good, what else can -LOUD CHIPPING SOUND OUTSIDE-. Hmph? What the...IT'S A HAILSTORM!! GAHHHH!!! I ran 100m to my car, faster than Usain Bolt did in the olympics, draped my windows in towels and hoped for the best since we already had two cars in our garage. When the hail storm ended, I slowly walked back to my car worried about any damage. "T-tops look ok, side windows are cool, front windshield?"









-__________________________________________________ ______________-

F.U.D.G.E.

This meant easily dropping $200+ to replace this, and I needed to replace it to run at the Summit Point circuit on July 19. Ladies and gentlemen, this was not looking good...

__________________________________________________ ____________

D I R T Y I 3 0

One week later / Circa two weeks ago

So I'm cruising on the highway back from work, doing my 52 miles back when all of a sudden, %&^*#!! Curses! My car cut out again on the highway! -GROAN LIKE A BEAR- Man, why does this always happen to me...

So I'm sitting in my car all hopeless and whatnot after contacting a towing company when all of a sudden I remember I have a spare ignition coil in the trunk. Remember when I said I had a hunch my coil was failing? Well the night before my animal instincts said my car would take a royal poop on me the next day so I threw a spare in the trunk. Yes! YES!! YEEEEEEESSSSS!!! The Safety Highway Patrol rolled up on the shoulder behind me and asked if I needed any help. He lent me his 10mm wrench and together we removed and replaced the failed ignition coil and voila we resuscitated my POS MR2. Ha ha you think you screwed me over slowyota, didn't ya. Well guess what, YA DIDN'T...PUNK.

I still had a feeling that it wasn't the coil. How can I go through four of them in one year? Upon closer inspection when I got home I saw that my distributor adjusting screw was so loose I could undo it by hand. I tightened that up and also saw the distributor cable to the ignition coil was falling out of the dizzy. Secured that connection. Then I saw the metal bracket that served as a ground for the coil was rusty. Cleaned that off with some sand paper, and so far it's been running great! Super Mega extra knock on the wood. Actually two pieces of wood.

This is what my car has looked like 50% of my ownership




But I must say the NSX wheels look perfect for the car. This style should have came OEM. 15s in the front, 16s in the back.



After this point, my car started its "come back" streak again.
___________

Circa...some time ago after the above events

So I actually did end up getting my car aligned correctly by my friend Daniel Kim at BowieAutoClinic. If you are in the DMV area, go to that shop! Work is 10/10, and DK is the man! We actually worked on the car together, and turns out nothing was seized! That lazy bum of a tech at SEARS just didn't know the thread pattern was different for each nut.

The arms in question




The alignment in question




Car tracked straight as an arrow afterwards and made driving it much more enjoyable. After that, I felt it was time to put the car through its paces...

What starts with "Auto" and ends with "cross"? If you guessed "Autocross," then you are correct.

I SCREAM FOR AUTOCROSS!!

Decided to hit some cones with some friends from school. I was pretty stoked since I wanted to test out these new tires. I have a few pics as well as videos from three of my runs. With the Direzzas, the MR2 was in a completely different league of handling that I wasn't used to before.

Los fotos. My spanish is very good-o













And videos of 3/4 of my runs. Forgot to record the fastest, fourth run

Run 1




Run 2




Run 3




Since I did fix the throttle cable before, the power was actually pretty nice for this course. Torque was always there and I did stay in the powerband for the most part. As for the handling...Holy CANOLI. Summer tires provide a world of difference. A World. I am mindblown as to how much faster I can drive around corners. The direzzas provide so much grip, that it feels that the chassis will be ripped from the wheels. The grip is vicious, this car grabs the road like a rabid bulldog. GRIP HERE, GRIP THERE, GIVE ME GRIP EVERYWHERE! And it takes some serious reckless driving to break grip, even in the rain. I have to say bravo to Dunlop to making a masterpiece of a tire. Bravo, bravo.



__________________________________________________ ________________

Circa 4 or 5 days ago

With my current setup, I really do feel content with the chassis setup. It's tight, but relaxed enough to not break my spine in half from daily driving. I really don't think I need sway bars, or chassis bracing, or strut tower bars and whatnot. I think a dual DD/Track car should be something you are content with. Sure those upgrades will help, but how necessary are they? If you like the handling right now, great you have no obligation to add more! And I don't, if anything this car could use a V6...but that's in the future

Anyways, a few days ago I decided I want this car to feel "more racecar." Decided to swing by my friend Nick's place and buy his MOMO Corse bucket seat. $200 with sliders, can I get a boomshockalocka!





I bought this car for how practical it is




MR2's eyes are glowing from this italian beauty




So right now I have gotten custom seat brackets fabricated from my acquaintance Casey Wolt who works at Riley's Welding and Fabricaing in Hanover, PA. Looking forward to the install...

and one more

D I R T Y I 3 0

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Closing remarks in this MR2 Diary Post

This upcoming one year anniversary has really marked the test of time and patience I have had with this car. From wheezing to life countless times on the highway shoulders, to doing olympic sprints down the Summit Point main stretch, it's been a true rollercoaster. Some days it will act up and make me truly regret buying the car. However, those other days that it thrusts me through corners in the countryside I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl and the happiest man in the world. I am truly mixed on it after these 12 months.

But if I take a step back, I realize I am not the only one experiencing the same things. Schmellyfart posts up the issues he deals with, but the end result is one of the most respectable maxima builds in my book:

http://forums.maxima.org/members-rid...s-4th-gen.html

I've seen Nick's car a couple of times, and I sincerely say that is my favorite I30 of all time. I saw FB pictures of this car when I was in high school and thought it was badass. I wanted my car to look like his LOL!

http://forums.maxima.org/members-rid...ld-thread.html

We all have our troubles, but we have our moments to shine. Two days ago, we had a pretty rough thunderstorm and after the rain subsided I decided to walk outside just to get outside of the house. I was thinking about how this upcoming year will be tough - I will have to commute 80 miles everyday to and from school, and I am in the middle of a major (Studies) change after realizing I didn't like biology for the three years I was studying it. Stressing from the thought, I looked to my car for a sense of relief...and then it hit me that my car reflects me in a way. Just like I am struggling to get my ish together, I have been struggling to get this car to be a solid piece of work. I have had my ups and downs in work & school just as this car has had on the road and the track. It's going to be a long road for me to find out what i want to do, and literally a long road for the MR2 to travel. So what do I do?

Just be optimistic. We've had good, and we've had very bad. But if we've had good now and in the past, what says that we won't experience it again in the future?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

even if those adjustment nuts were seized, its not a huge deal. just hit em with a torch for 30 seconds, probably half of the alignments i do i end up having to torch adjustment nuts

D I R T Y I 3 0

Yeah that's what we were going to do.

But the thing is when I got home, I PB Blaster'd those nuts and loosened them myself while I was completely laying down on the ground.

Seriously, WTF. Biggest waste of $50 I have spent

NSMO240

iTrader: (5)

after the long reading session, I like your story, long. but i like it, I wish i could have the enthusiasm to explain my feelings about my vehicles im attached to. oh and either you and all your friends or just your friend or whatever, KCCO from salt lake!!!

schmellyfart

iTrader: (46)

Thank you sir, much appreciated!

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

Which Direzzas do you own? I had some DZ101s before, they helped me win my class for gymkhana. They came with the wheels, but I would definitely own another pair again. Good tires.



225/??/16s are what I had up front.

Also must be nice to be small enough for those italian goods, even if i wasn't a fat kid i'd still be too big for em >.<

D I R T Y I 3 0

Direzza ZIIs. Funny, I heard quite the contrast about those tires. That's why I didn't opt for the DZ102s

Thanks man! It just means a lot to me since this is a dream that I've always held in mind ever since childhood.

Haha same to you man!



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Let my dad drive my MR2. First time he has driven stick in years, and he has always been making bad comments about my car lol, well...

D I R T Y I 3 0

So the saga continues, when I mean saga I mean more problems galore! For my birthday my rear bumper was greeted by a Honda accord and my front bumper met with a Honda Pilot. HURRAY!

Rear Bumper:




Delicious







MMmmmm




Oh yeah




Now at this point you're probably expecting me to make some statement about "Oh my MR2, I love it but it gives me so many problems..."

But you're wrong.

I don't know what it was about today. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the food, but I don't have any regrets anymore. There is nothing I want to whine about. I'd say this car crash was the spark that pulled the trigger, as I've suddenly realized that ever since buying the MR2 I have been beetching and moaning about problems & obstacles I have faced in ownership. Electrical cut-outs, car accidents, financial problems, and bla bla whine like a whiny little beachy girl.

What the heck have I actually done to improve myself?

This whole time I have been set on fixing, things. Car cut out? Let me fix it and hope nothing goes wrong. Oh sheet, wasted lots of school time? Let me pick up something to study. Everything that has been done was for the sake of getting by. Oh low on cash? Better just pick up a gazillion billion quadruple jillion hours at a poopy job to fix her up!

And what do I get? I get whiplash as I'm waiting to make a right turn on 83 South on my damn birthday. Then what? Then I have to worry this ish being totaled because the bumper support looks pushed in and that smells like benjamins. Totaled? TOTALED??

Oh hell no.

I re-read this build thread and it seemed to me that initially I had an awesome work ethic and a perkiness when it came to buying the MR2. Now once I've had it, it looks like I seemed to regret buying it.

Where has that motivation gone? I feel that my dreams and energy crashed & burned every time this car cut out on me. But I know what happened...I was so optimistic that I imagined buying & owning the car would be romantic. There would be no problems with the car, obtaining it would be a catalyst to pursue future dreams, and it would be all rosy and cozy.

But the reality was different. This ish took a poop on me whenever it was granted the opportunity! And even though I gave it the benefit of the doubt, I eventually doubted if my initiative was worthwhile and that hurt my self-confidence.

This isn't happening anymore. When my friend said to me "yeah, total the car" I had the biggest WHAT.THE.FOLK. mental reaction on my brain's face. Teh FOKE, did you just say? Ahem, yeah AHEM is this your car or my car? This is the car I worked my freaking butt off for. Refer to post #1 please, you're telling that kid to write off the car he worked his notesack off for? MAN...this ain't no econobox.

This is AN MR2. Yeah you heard me, EM-AR-TWO. Do I sound obnoxious? (A bit yes) but my efforts are respected. When I am on the highway, people stare at my car as I drive by them. People in sports cars hurry up just to get a glimpse and even to exchange hand waves. This is a car that slices through corners as a hot butter knife slices through bread. This is a car that pivots the world as it takes a corner on Dunlop Direzza ZIIs. The MR2 is a car that blows your mind as a handling, looks, and rarity package that will make those countless hours at work worth the $2700 you bought it for (affordable too).

Yes it's no M3, S4, STI, or whatever car you can cite that you believe is better. But it's my car and you would say the same about your own. This one year anniversary has been very eventful. I've gone through a lot of pain, but the satisfactory thrill of driving & owning this mid-engined dancer has always been the ailment that seals the wounds. That's why I realized I put up with this ish, because I know the entire time that the downfalls only build up for a better experience. Ones that I cherish more & more.

With that, I feel a renewed person today. A bumper can be fixed, maybe it will look even better! Fresh start for a new direction, let me see what I can become. We're both stark contrasts to what we were a year ago in a good way. Year two?

Let's not hold back. (3VZ here I come.)