Car Thread - Alfa Romeo proves cars are art so shut up

[Bassomatic]

I'm pretty handy with metal work, please feel free to hit me up if you need a hand. Also get some pics. What kind of semi?

 

[ColtWalker1847]

I'm pretty handy with metal work, please feel free to hit me up if you need a hand. Also get some pics. What kind of semi?

International 9400i w/ ISX 435 Cummins, Meritor 10 speed, and 70" midroof sleeper. I think it was an old Walmart truck. I picked it up 8 years ago for $15,000 with 400k miles on it. It's been a good rig though it's starting to show it's age.

 

[Bassomatic]

That's so cool, the largest thing I ever owned was either my F150 or Tundra. I have only driven a Semi once and it was for only a few miles and I don't have a CDL lol. Long story short a friend bought a huge boat was an accountant for Volvo and we kinda just towed it to the water borrowing a company truck. I couldn't tell you model or anything but it was auto and brand spanking new in roughly 08.

 

[ColtWalker1847]

That's so cool, the largest thing I ever owned was either my F150 or Tundra. I have only driven a Semi once and it was for only a few miles and I don't have a CDL lol. Long story short a friend bought a huge boat was an accountant for Volvo and we kinda just towed it to the water borrowing a company truck. I couldn't tell you model or anything but it was auto and brand spanking new in roughly 08.

Volvo VN something or other. I'm thinking it was an automatic too. Because if it wasn't you would have said something.

Trucks are actually pretty easy to drive forward. Visibility is great in that direction. You are just steering a recliner. The biggies are backing up and shifting. Backing because obvious (if I am unsure I don't give a fuck I just set the brakes and look. screw the people I inconvenience if I am blocking a road. because safety) and the other is shifting a manual truck transmission. They aren't the nice syncromesh passenger car gearboxes we are used to. Double-clutching works sorta if you are learning. But the real deal is being able to slip it from a gear to the other using only the throttle. Which is what double-clutching was doing in a way. When you have 9-12 gears between you and 60 mph this becomes a very important skill. The toughest part is downshifting on a grade. If you miss a gear then you had better cross your fingers before you give it a rev because if you miss again you pretty much gotta stop and start back at the beginning.

Shifting is not required knowledge for a CDL. It should be. It's the hardest part. Instead it is stupid HOS paperwork stuff, how to check whether all the lights work, how to check your oil, and other stupid shit. CDLs are easy. You don't need a school. I didn't use one. Learned on the job.

Also, the first rig I ever drove was a '56 Dodge Job-Rated 1.5 ton.

I was 9. I grabbed 2nd.

 

[Bassomatic]

Just because my daily is a flappy paddle semi doesn't mean I don't know how to drive stick My civic has an unsprung 6 puck cable cluck, more an on off switch, and the TR3a has no syncros at all. Yea the cab was automatic, it was plus but being in the middle of committing a crime at night never having driven a truck and my friends fathers brand new boat on back , I didn't get the exact model number.

I'm shocked to hear you don't need those things for a CDL. I know most rigs are going auto for ease and now more efficient and saving half a mpg for 500k+ miles really ads up.

So I had an electrical death on my Honda (will edit in underhood night death shot) and it's lit the spark on my ass to do the coil pack conversion on a Honda B series vs a dizzy. It'll help spark on high revs, look cool and set timing easier, maybe net 1-2 hp but if I gotta dick with wiring and have this shit laying around..

 

[Hui]

Apparently even ford is killing off new cars in the US since everybody drives SUVs. Picture a future where all the bad drivers will drive bigger vehicles of death. Time to get one of these.

 

[HomeAloneTwo]

if anybody wants a Subaru Impreza buglight, all you need to do is shove a hanger down the top of the driver window and unlock it. There's no top of the doors in the 2002, so the window, when rolled all the way up, is just against the roof seal of the car.

I know this the hard way....

edit: That engine is fucking garbage, don't bother stealing one actually.

 

[Bassomatic]

Apparently even ford is killing off new cars in the US since everybody drives SUVs. Picture a future where all the bad drivers will drive bigger vehicles of death. Time to get one of these.

I am baffled why Ford is cutting all those lines, I can't make a block and not see a new Focus.
GM and Dodge are going to go hard after the open market, as will imports.

if anybody wants a Subaru Impreza buglight, all you need to do is shove a hanger down the top of the driver window and unlock it. There's no top of the doors in the 2002, so the window, when rolled all the way up, is just against the roof seal of the car.

I know this the hard way....

Still not as easy to break in as a 90s Camry. But yea big reason those got jacked esp during F&F hype and everyone had one with a hacked off exhaust and blow off valve. Bug eyes weren't bad cars just all clapped out due to owners.

Does anyone happen to know about BMW diesels? I'm having a need to burn money idea and 335ds are looking like something I need to take home. Because I don't waste enough money as is.

 

[Hui]

I am baffled why Ford is cutting all those lines, I can't make a block and not see a new Focus.

Cars aren't selling anymore.

 

[Bassomatic]

Cars aren't selling anymore.

I hate you are right, it just breaks my heart. Crossovers did 9/11. Poor people should stop buying new things and ruining it for car people. Fun fact while Crossovers are LITERALLY Hitler, the first is probably from a defunct American Brand AMC, and aside that those dastardly commies LADA.

The focus had awful auto trans issues so that could be part of the cut but I just hate to see more blobs on the road and less cars.

 

[Hui]

My Jeep is technically a crossover. (not a wrangler) I like it since cars are too short for me and the gas ain't bad but the reason I didn't get a car is cause of other ppl driving terribly here...and well everybody has fucking F150s and other trucks so a car is technically a death sentence. I think many people went that same route because of it or young shitheads, olds or foreigners that drive like shit.

 

[Bassomatic]

My Jeep is technically a crossover. (not a wrangler) I like it since cars are too short for me and the gas ain't bad but the reason I didn't get a car is cause of other ppl driving terribly here...and well everybody has fucking F150s and other trucks so a car is technically a death sentence. I think many people went that same route because of it or young shitheads, olds or foreigners that drive like shit.

What model do you have again?

i had a old XJ back when AMC based. I fucking loved that truck. People buy new and jacks of all trades, that's the nature of market. I understand why but the wagon is better layout than a crossover, in cubic feet storage comfort and cool. But people want what's new and hip.

 

[Hui]

its a pos Compass

its imo a rebranded dodge lol

 

[Bassomatic]

Yea... they are. I hope for your sake it's one of the nicer ones or a g2 where they all got a better power train.

 

[Red Hood]

I am baffled why Ford is cutting all those lines, I can't make a block and not see a new Focus.
GM and Dodge are going to go hard after the open market, as will imports.


Still not as easy to break in as a 90s Camry. But yea big reason those got jacked esp during F&F hype and everyone had one with a hacked off exhaust and blow off valve. Bug eyes weren't bad cars just all clapped out due to owners.

Does anyone happen to know about BMW diesels? I'm having a need to burn money idea and 335ds are looking like something I need to take home. Because I don't waste enough money as is.

I can understand cutting the Fusion or Taurus since it seems redundant to have two midsize family sedans. But as a rule I hate SUVs (at least of the FF layout- I'm okay with FR truck based designs for certain purposes). I guess it's a good thing that, outside of Bullitt Mustangs I'm not much of a Ford guy.

 

[Bassomatic]

I was looking at a Fusion as a work car, it is a great platform. The focus is all over the autos have some issues but the car is great. The fiestas same deal. I drove a SHO Taurus and I didn't like how fat it was on regards mostly to brakes it's a fast car but even hard empty roads it cooks brakes. Chassis and power was brilliant. I really liked them. I have no idea why Ford is running away. When no one gets the POFS dart or volt etc.

 

[Bassomatic]

So, I seem to be one of the only die hard wrench autismos here but I booked my tune. People with the car bone stock, have seen 600+ WHEEL.
I have a smaller pulley and part of the deal was K&N filters they claim do help a bit. (not sure but they are the best/only people who work with these engines) they are doing a full trans flush as well. Worst part of it the place that does it, has a few US based shops that are approved tuners (where I'm going by luck one's local) they still charged me in GBP. Exchange rate, ouch!

Since I was leery on the price and they are kinda hurting for cash, not only are they doing it full road and dyno testing, they are going to let me get 3 runs on anything I choose. So I'm gonna see if I can break 200 in the Honda just cause (best on a touch safer tune was 193) I'm tempted to get a baseline for my TR3a.

Oh there will be sheets posted when it's done.

One other cool feature aside the tune being more agressive both on trans and motor, there is an option to "high idle" but it's not a big ole diesel that needs it, it's a system to spin a bit higher in idle and keep the active exhaust open, because fuck you ear drums isn't a good sales name.

 

[LazarusOwenhart]

This is my 2002 MK2.5 Mazda MX5 Arizona (Miata to you yanks) They have a reputation as a "girls car" but in the hands of somebody who knows how to drive properly you won't find much more fun on four wheels. They're tight in the corners and predictable in the way they handle. I also used to own a MK1 MR2 and can vouch for what others have said about the snap oversteer but despite the things horrifying tendency to try and kill me now and again I miss it badly.

For anyone that wonders the location of that photo is Honnister Pass in Cumbria.

 

[Red Hood]

I was just thinking about one of my favorites I used to see growing up in California: the Baja Bug. Old VW Beetles with some modifications to optimize them for off-roading fun. Always wanted one but since the newest classic Beetle is close to 40 years old now they're pretty much out of range for me. And modern VW's are too shit to bother with.

https://sneed.aolcdn.com/dims-global/dims3/GLOB/legacy_thumbnail/916x515/quality/95/https://sneed.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/711/384/0/S7113840/slug/l/01-1969-vw-baja-bug-qs-1.jpg

This is my 2002 MK2.5 Mazda MX5 Arizona (Miata to you yanks) They have a reputation as a "girls car" but in the hands of somebody who knows how to drive properly you won't find much more fun on four wheels. They're tight in the corners and predictable in the way they handle. I also used to own a MK1 MR2 and can vouch for what others have said about the snap oversteer but despite the things horrifying tendency to try and kill me now and again I miss it badly.

For anyone that wonders the location of that photo is Honnister Pass in Cumbria.

The MX5 platform is great if you want to learn to drift since they're lighter, cheaper, and more available than a Silvia/240SX or similar FR platform. They're underrated because they aren't super fast, high horsepower cars, but if viewed as a spiritual successor to the classic British roadster, they're a lot of fun.

 

[Bassomatic]

The Mx-5 was made to copy the Lotus Elan, a wonderful car and so tiny it makes them look like a truck, seriously. Elans are wonderful but British, so they never work.

The mx5 trans was even tuned to sound like the Elan. It was that Engineering geek. Mazda really lets their engineers run wild at times and amazing stuff like that comes out.

So really you get a better car all around, that works every time you touch it. 10/10 car. My friend is a collector of them (read hoarder) has a daily, a mazda speed and a ls2 swapped one now.

I'm hunting for a winter beater and took out a 92 Ford F250 with a 460 and 5spd it was hurting but I wanted it because I'm an idiot and had money in my pocket but guy wasn't willing to budge on price. Also trying a 335i that fell threw for same reason I did sweet talk the dealer into letting me take a raptor he had around, out, it was brand new trade in new Raptors are v6 only... It's the ecoboost but still... sometimes when something is rolling impratctically and about the image, being a better motor isn't as useful to the brand.