With spring just around the corner. . .

With spring not too far away and the weather getting more agreeable with the car lifestyle I am itching to work on the cars. I've got a lot of plans this year for the Stealth and the GTC.

What do you have planned this year?

I'll kick things off with a list of things I need to do on both cars as well as some fun stuff:

Stealth:

60,000 Mile Service: Water Pump, Timing Belt, Tensioner, Pulleys, Accessory Belts
Fluid Change: Mobile 1 10w30, Royal Purple 10w & 75w90, Oil Pan Drain Plug
Filter Change: Mobile 1 Oil Filter, OEM Fuel Filter
Brakes: Brembo Blank Rotors (Front & Rear), Axis Ultimate Pads (Front & Rear)
Free Boost Mod: Remove Plug From Solenoid
Gaskets: Valve Cover, Upper Plenum, Lower Plenum (2), Throttle Body, EGR
Valve Cover: White Valve Cover, Chrome Oil Cap, Polished Spark Plug Valley Cover
Ignition: MSD 8.5mm Wires, NGK Copper Spark Plugs
Fuel System: Redline Fuel System Cleaner
Driveshaft: Check U-Joints, Check Carrier Bearings
Axles: Check CV-Joints, Check Carrier Bearings
Suspension: All Wheel Alignment, Check Ball Joints
Intake: Check For Leaks, K&N FIPK
Wheels & Tires: Replace Wheels & Tires (Undecided), Rotate, Balance
Headlights: Replace Upper Shroud (Passenger Side)
Foglights: Replace Bulbs (Both Sides)
Interior: Replace Shift Knob, Shifter Boot, E-brake Boot
Interior: Replace Cracked Defrost Vents, Steering Wheel
Interior: Replace Front Seats, Door Panels
Stereo: Kenwood KDC MP-4032, Polk dB1000 (Dash), Polk dB650 (Door) Polk dB690 (Rear)
Stereo: Wiring Harness, Dynamat (Rear Speakers), OEM Lower Cubby, Antenna
Sensors: SRS, Washer Fluid
Front Clip: Replace Splash Guard, Front Spoiler
Rear Bumper: Install Emblems
Wipers: Replace Wiper Blades
Electrical: Replace With Correct Battery
Valvetrain: Replace Lifters With 3rd Generation Set
Detail: Full Detail Inside & Out, Buff Ball, Polish, Filter

GTC:

Exhaust: Install Downpipe, Gasket, Bolts, Flange
Brakes: Rotors (Rear), Hawk Pads (Front & Rear), SS Flex Lines, Fresh Fluid, Caliper Paint
Ignition: Magnecore 8.5mm Wires, NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs
Fluid Change: Mobil 1 10w30
Filter Change: Mobil 1 Oil Filter, Apex-i Cone Air Filter
Intake: Black 2.25" Mandrel Bent Pipe, Red Couplers, T-Bolts
Battery: Relocate To The Trunk
Gaskets: Replace Valve Cover Gasket
Fuel System: Redline Fuel System Cleaner
Headlights: Replace Motor
Stereo: Kenwood KDC MP-4032 (HU), Infinity 3012cf (Dash), Infintiy 5012i (Door), Kenwood KFC-6990ie (Rear)
Stereo: Wiring Harness, Dash Shroud, Antenna Relocation, Antenna
Interior: Replace Shift Knob & Shifter Pattern, Replace Rubber Shifter Boot With Leather
Interior: Swap Tan Interior With Gray
Suspension: Eibach 350# Springs (Front), Eibach 400# Springs (Rear), Spring Perch (Rear)
Suspension: Koni Reds Struts (Front), Ground Control Coil Over Kit (Front), Koni Reds Shocks (Rear)
Suspension: Thicker Anti-Sway Bars (Front & Rear), Strut Tower Brace (Front), Adjustable Panhard Bar
Suspension: Check Ball Joints, Replace All Bushings With Poly-Bushings, Poly-Bushings Motor Mounts
Suspension: Four Wheel Alignment, Corner Balance
Transmission: ACT Clutch, Fidanza Lightened Flywheel, Maybe A Quafie LSD
Detail: Full Detail Inside And Out

I plan on breaking my driveshaft.

Sounds fun, forced upgrade?

Eventually.
Depends on how much I push it at the track.
Upgrade wise....just maintanence this season.

My time is with the baby this year I think.

Bah my plans are almost complete on my WS6. So far i've upgraded the suspension quite a bit: Lower Control Arms, Panhard Rod, Subframe Connectors, Strut Tower Brace, and Bilstein HD Shocks/Struts. Car still handles like a boat though :p

My next plans are to fix one of the rear tail lights that has gone out, remove ram air baffle and install rubber housing around air lid (Believe it or not the WS6 has a functional ram air system once you remove the baffles, unlike the Camaro SS). I don't wanna really modify that much beyond that. I think right now I just need to practice at the track. Might head to Irwindale's 1/8th mile track and practice my 60' and 1/8th mile times. Dunno if I have the balls to powershift my car yet.

Dunno if I have the balls to powershift my car yet.
I am a pussy too. :lol:

ok, since i had a nap, i'll get started on this

sentra

Fluid Change: 10w 30 valvoline full synthetic, Oil Pan Drain Plug
Fluid change: transmission flush with redline trans fluid
Fluid change: coolant, wiper, power steering, and new brake fluid
Filter Change: oem nissan japan filter(they are not being made in china :( )
Brakes: replace pads free with lifetime warrenty
Valve Cover: powercoated gloss black
Suspension: All Wheel Alignment, Check Ball Joints, new tein basic coilover setup
Intake: aem cai, instead of ghetto homemade
Exhaust: headers, 2.5 downpipe, 2.5 mandrel exhaust)
Wheels & Tires: Replace Wheels & Tires (Undecided), Rotate, Balance
Headlights: massivly plastix and vinyl overlays
Foglights: massivly plastix and vinyl overlays
Interior: repaint interior with coats of paint with clear coat
Wipers: Replace Wiper Blades
Detail: Full Detail outside(20 hour job)
Detail: Full Detail inside(10 hour job)
Exterior: get door guard repainted
exterior:remove all rust seen, its in the bottom of the doors, and on trunk(common on sentras)

i just installed my engine torque dampener one wednesday cause it was almost 40F here. Bye bye wheel hop.

'01-'03 F-150 SuperCrew: Buy.

that's about it for my automotive plans this year.

Get Z going... buy new a Truck.

Get Z going... buy new a Truck.
Getting a Titan or a Tundra?

I plan on buying a 240sx and maybe doing a few bolt on mods, exhaust, intake, chip, etc. With powershifting, how long will a tranny usually last?

Getting a Titan or a Tundra?

Neither, I want something with a 6-cylinder.

Neither, I want something with a 6-cylinder.I always thought those had at least a 6 cyl., until this summer when a friend got one with the 4 cyl. pretty nice trucks tho.

Tundras and Titans come with only V8's.

All I need is 6-cylinders that make 108ft-lbs of torque a piece.

I think it is a tundra that he has, and its a four banger, I could be misteaken though about what kind of truck it is.

finish paying off the 4runner, put tow package on it and winch. That will bring me into July or August. Then get into debt again for either a 90-96 300zxTT, 98+ Trans Am or 69-73 Mach 1, preferably 69 with a 351W. Still haven't made my mind on which one I want yet, probably won't until I find a good deal for one I can't pass up.

Tundras and Titans come with only V8's.

All I need is 6-cylinders that make 108ft-lbs of torque a piece.

Turbo diesel?

I plan on either buying a Trans Am or a GTP GP this spring/summer. The 3000gt has finally got to go. :frown:

Turbo diesel?


You're a man from the south... you know how we roll. :wink:

Starting to look like a flywheel will be in order. :lol:

Within a month give or take so I can be ready for Bandimere to open.

^^ Possibly a new driveshaft to? Or are you going to wait till it looks like a Twizlers stick after a hard launch? lol

Not sure yet.
Thinking I might baby it again this year. They aren't that expensive really, maybe for my B-Day I can talk family into one. :lol:

Payoff the Nova (should happen around October of this year-I've had it since September of '06 and I've already made 12 of 28 payments).

Buy a 20' open car trailer with steel floors. That will happen before March 31st of this year because that's the first race of the year at Rogersville, TN.

Get some new seatbelts for the Nova. Maybe as a b-day present or something though. Had to lie a little about mine yesturday going through tech, lol. They were made in August of 01, lol. Supposed to replace them every 2 years, lol. Guy asked me if my belts were up to date and I was like "Yeah", lol.

Get a 4" or 6" cowl hood for the Nova to replace the 2" thats on it.

Oh and yeah I did get to make 3 passes yesturday (March 10) at Rogersville, TN. It was the opening weekend for the track. Test and Tune only though. Made 3 passes before the rain came down. 7.02 @ 98 mph off the trailer, 6.94 @ 99 mph 2nd pass, and then changed the shift points from 7000 to 7200 rpms and combined with improving track conditions got this:

6.80 @ 101 mph. That would be a new personal best mph in the Slova. Also not too bad for just the 3rd pass after setting all winter. Best I've ever done with it is 6.77 @ 100 mph.

my plans... new front bumper. i put a slight crack in mine. you cant even see it but i know its there and it bothers me. not to mention some paint is peeling on it. i bought it in upstate new york where there are lots of dirt roads and shitty roads. the front bumpers paint wasnt the greatest. other than that just routine maintenance. oh yeah maybe new rubber. my continentals arent exactly new.

well unless my clutch decides to let go sometime soon. dont think it will though. its the original with almost 96k miles on it now. still operates fine though, although the T/O bearing is a squeaky bastard. i dont really anticipate any problems with anything else. ive never had anything break and ive owned it for 40k miles now. but ya never know so knock on wood.

so i know youve probably told us before matt, but what do you haul that needs a turbo diesel? (just curious, not trying to be a bastard in any way)

and 2.2 straight six, dont you live in england? that truck would actually probably be fairly unique over there wouldnt it?

and 2.2 straight six, dont you live in england? that truck would actually probably be fairly unique over there wouldnt it?

it would be very unique, i've only seen one supercrew here and it was a Harley Davidson that was on a garage forecourt. my friend's brother owns a lightning and another friend owns a regular cab '97 though. you rarely seen F-150s here though.

it's not for here, it's for when i move to the US. (for college and work) so it won't look too out of place. the reason there are so few big trucks here is the lack of demand, the import cost (import fees & import tax) and the fuel cost. (we pay something like $8 a US gallon)

i'll be moving to Texas then Florida, so it won't be very out of place.

it would be very unique, i've only seen one supercrew here and it was a Harley Davidson that was on a garage forecourt. my friend's brother owns a lightning and another friend owns a regular cab '97 though. you rarely seen F-150s here though.

it's not for here, it's for when i move to the US. (for college and work) so it won't look too out of place. the reason there are so few big trucks here is the lack of demand, the import cost (import fees & import tax) and the fuel cost. (we pay something like $8 a US gallon)

i'll be moving to Texas then Florida, so it won't be very out of place.


Ooofff, a Civic would start to sound pretty good if that were that case.

Wow Matt, didn't know you were looking into a V6 truck. I'm assuming you are trying to save money on gas. You can't go wrong with toyota truck wise. You'll probably have to kill the truck with a gun though, as those trucks are abnormally long lived.

those trucks are abnormally long lived.

No kidding. my friend's dad bought his hilux new in '92. my mate inherited it when it was replaced. the stock 4 cylinder engine did 920,000 miles before it was swapped out. there's nothing wrong with it, my mate just wanted to put a 5.9 in there.

they really do last forever.

im thinking a straight 6 is more likely, but it seems like im wrong more and more recently...

Wow Matt, didn't know you were looking into a V6 truck. I'm assuming you are trying to save money on gas. You can't go wrong with toyota truck wise. You'll probably have to kill the truck with a gun though, as those trucks are abnormally long lived.

V6? haha. no way!

Inline-6 my friend! Turbo diesel Inline-6!

And I'd like the towing power for hauling the Datsun.


Yes. I need a truck that's rated to tow 15,000lbs to tow a 2,400lb car. :icon16:

Starting to look like a flywheel will be in order. :lol:
I was right.

Along with a new clutch. :lol:

im thinking a straight 6 is more likely, but it seems like im wrong more and more recently...

Original engine is a 2.4-litre straight 4.

the engine he now has in it is a twin-turbo (twin-stage) cummins 5.9 stroked to 6.2-litre.

it's awaiting the new 6.7-litre he has "sitting around".

Original engine is a 2.4-litre straight 4.

the engine he now has in it is a twin-turbo (twin-stage) cummins 5.9 stroked to 6.2-litre.

it's awaiting the new 6.7-litre he has "sitting around".

oops, i was talking about the diesel in matt's new truck

quick question, why are we in the us getting rid of diesel cars?

Simple answers:


Lack of Consumer Interest.
Automakers don't like to spend the extra money investing in the expensive diesel technology to make them emissions compliant.
They're more expensive to manufacture when compared to gasoline engines.
Diesel fuel tends to smell more than it's gasoline counterparts, and if you get a small bit on you while fueling you smell of diesel fuel.
The general public is stupid.

not only that, but they arent really getting rid of diesel cars... they already did. they got a bad reputation back in the 80's when they broke all the time and spewed out black smoke constantly. emissions requirements are so stringent nowadays its retarded. thats the main reason we cant have them. it just costs to much money to make them meet the requirements.

Honda is supposed to start selling some cars with diesel engines soon...

not only that, but they arent really getting rid of diesel cars... they already did. they got a bad reputation back in the 80's when they broke all the time and spewed out black smoke constantly. emissions requirements are so stringent nowadays its retarded. thats the main reason we cant have them. it just costs to much money to make them meet the requirements.


That's because people who owned them didn't take care of them. Diesels aren't like regular engines, they require a bit of maintanence, you've got to keep the fuel absolutely clean for them to run.

Keeping the fuel filters clean is a HUGE must on a diesel.

Round here in these parts, a lot of people have diesels.

Round here in these parts, a lot of people have diesels.

cars or trucks?

99% of the diesels are probably trucks, but I do see a few diesel cars. There are probly more than I see though.

yeah i still see some old ones occasionally, but ive only seen 1 diesel car that looked somewhat new and it was a VW. sounded pretty nice really.

I think VW are the only diesel cars that I've ever seen. The trucks round here are mostly Chevy and Dodge.