The Automotive Thread

[knight1fox3]

Knight: just saw this. I love ponchos and have a big fondness for goats. 17k ain't bad, but big money goats are all documented original cars. Otherwise, it's just a really cool old muscle car and value is set accordingly. If you aren't aware Pontiac is one of the few brands that offers a service called Pontiac Historic Services. If you provide a vin and ~$50 phs will send you a copy of the original dealer invoice for the car. You can tell the original color. Interior color, options, etc and get an idea of how much this car has been modified over the years. That said, as a nice driver muscle car 17k seems strong. For an all original restored goat it's low. You need to find where you are in between and how much you really like this car. I suspect people aren't beating down the doors to buy it so you when/if you want to sell it you would be in the same position. Looks cool to me.

Thanks for the reply and info MA. Much appreciated.

 

[Master slacker]

1995 impala SS 260 hp, 330 lb-ft torque

2003 Mercury Marauder 302 hp, 318 lb-ft torque

Sounds like sour grapes on the HP front from the LT1 camp.

;-)

Truth be known:

• The Imp's 330 ft-lbs were available at 2200 RPM (stump puller). The MM had 318 ft-lbs at 4250 RPM. Which one could burn through first gear and chirp 2nd while bone stock without loading the torque converter?
  
• 1/4 miles were roughly the same despite newer technology of ~8 years and a 3.55 rear end (Imp had 3.08).
  
• Imp came with 255 rubber all the way around (stock) and could fit 315's without notching the frame. MM came with 245's and you have to "be creative" to go beyond 265.
  
• The Imp faded due to the Texas plant converting to truck production. The MM faded because of lack of sales.
  

HP sells cars. Torque wins races.

 

[Supe]

My starter motor makes more torque than both those cars.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

1995 impala SS 260 hp, 330 lb-ft torque

2003 Mercury Marauder 302 hp, 318 lb-ft torque

Sounds like sour grapes on the HP front from the LT1 camp.

;-)

Truth be known:

• The Imp's 330 ft-lbs were available at 2200 RPM (stump puller). The MM had 318 ft-lbs at 4250 RPM. Which one could burn through first gear and chirp 2nd while bone stock without loading the torque converter?
  
• 1/4 miles were roughly the same despite newer technology of ~8 years and a 3.55 rear end (Imp had 3.08).
  
• Imp came with 255 rubber all the way around (stock) and could fit 315's without notching the frame. MM came with 245's and you have to "be creative" to go beyond 265.
  
• The Imp faded due to the Texas plant converting to truck production. The MM faded because of lack of sales.
  

HP sells cars. Torque wins races.

Given the choice twixt the two, I'd go with the Mercury. I liked the looks a whole lot better than the Chevy.

Plus, my aunt had a whale (pre-LT1) that was such a gigantic load of poo that it forced my uncle, a life long Chevy man, to purchase his sole non-Chevy purchase ever (a Buick...which turned out to be an even bigger peice o' poo, so he ended up only buying Chevy trucks).

My parents have gone through three Panthers (TCs all) and they've been trouble free, except on bum air-ride compressor.

I'm past the point in my life where pure performance is the goal. Quick enough, comfortable, and reliable are my current hallmarks.

But, I reckon that's why there are so many choices out there.

 

[Master slacker]

I'll be quick to point out that neither the Imp nor the MM fall under the "pure performance" umbrella. They're just grandpa cars that could embarass most, if not all, non-muscle / sports cars and a few M/S, too of their days in red light racing. If I wanted a cookie-cutter performance car, I'd have gotten a Mustang or Camaro (sorry, Dex) and be like everyone else. Instead, I got something different. Almost every time I go fill up the tank, I get asked about it - interested in selling? how many miles? why don't you have twenty fo's on there? I'm cool with that.

 

[Supe]

Picked up a set of old Enkei mesh wheels with race rubber on them for $150 for the set, and a new Turbo II rear diff with a 4.11 gear for the RX7. Both will be instrumental in me making the September race date for this car. I also have a roll bar on order from S&W race cars to install, and hopefully my Zoom clutch/pressure plate combo will be here later this week.

If I can get that sorted out, then that leaves rerouting of the fuel lines, moving a few items to a toggle switch, and a new seat/harness install as the only items left as a necessary minimum for me to be legal to race.

 

[Rockettt]

Now look at them numbers compared to the conservatively rated dual quad 4 speed positraction four ohhh nineeeeeeee. haha i held one the old pistons in my hand the other day when I was cleaning out. coffee can to say the least.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I'll be quick to point out that neither the Imp nor the MM fall under the "pure performance" umbrella.

Tis true, but they make hella good long distance cruisers with a little punch in 'em.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Now look at them numbers compared to the conservatively rated dual quad 4 speed positraction four ohhh nineeeeeeee. haha i held one the old pistons in my hand the other day when I was cleaning out. coffee can to say the least.

I always thought the Heron heads were really odd designs. The Lamborghini V8 in the Urraco/Silhouette/Jalpa used the same design.

 

[snickerd3]

If I can get that sorted out, then that leaves rerouting of the fuel lines, moving a few items to a toggle switch, and a new seat/harness install as the only items left as a necessary minimum for me to be legal to race.

didn't think you were still racing with the house, girlfriend and kid monopolizing your time

 

[Master slacker]

I'll be quick to point out that neither the Imp nor the MM fall under the "pure performance" umbrella.

Tis true, but they make hella good long distance cruisers with a little punch in 'em.

I may or may not have gone 125 mph a couple of times on the empty and wide open interstate. It gets a little "floatie" feeling at 120, but it could have kept on pulling.

 

[Supe]

If I can get that sorted out, then that leaves rerouting of the fuel lines, moving a few items to a toggle switch, and a new seat/harness install as the only items left as a necessary minimum for me to be legal to race.

didn't think you were still racing with the house, girlfriend and kid monopolizing your time

Haven't been drag racing in over a year, but helped crew the SCCA Dragon Hill Climb in Robbinsville, NC a few weekends ago, and got hooked. Drive as fast as you can up a seriously windy, twisty road between a cliff and a rock face.

I instantly got hooked, and the benefit of it is that it's a few weekends a year, and usually a full weekend of racing. Really makes the effort more worth it for a dozen + runs over a two day span at 2 minutes a piece, vs. 18 seconds of drag racing. So, my boss who ran a borrowed car for the last event is finishing his Corvette, my coworker bought an RX7 that's a pretty well dialed in autocross car with a rotary engine, and I bought a bit of a basketcase RX7 that has had a smallblock Chevy/T5 transmission swapped into it that will become my road race machine. The beauty of it is that I can also have it tagged as a street legal vehicle in NC once the asshole sends me the title (long story there).

 

[MA_PE]

Thought I'd post this here. Ken Block driving a modified Forf Fiesta through the streets of San Franciso. 10 minutes long but pretty cool.

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/ken-block-gymkhana-five-provides-ultimate-san-francisco-131042911.html

 

[Supe]

Word on the street is that the next hill climb event here in NC will have a Porsche GT3 cup car competing (it did at last year's and was double-booked at the one this past June so didn't make it), and it's also rumored that Travis Pastrana may show up with the Red Bull rally cross car.

 

[envirotex]

Can't wait for this...

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/

Saving my pennies for a cheap seat.

 

[Supe]

Three of us here in the office are already getting our vacation dates lined up for that.

 

[Road Guy]

So I replaced th fuel pump assembly today (PIA). Had to remove gas tank...

It appears that now the jeep will start but now the fuel Gage don't work?

What did I screw up in the process? The fuel pump assembly included a new sending unit?

 

[Supe]

Is the gauge somewhere between empty and full, or pegged one way or the other? If its the former, the float is probably stuck.

 

[Road Guy]

Seems to show dead empty doesn't budge....

I wonder if the assembly was in the wrong position when I tightened the cap? The racket was a bitch to get on...

I can't see myself fixing this today but I guess the second time I drop the fuel tank it will be easier around....

 

[Road Guy]

Well snap!

I had drained the last little bit of gas before I changed it and then put about 2 gallons of gas in it after I was finished... Drove to fill it up and dumb me, it was just empty....

Sorry had a blonde moment after being underneath th jeep all day!

So victory!!!!

Bad news is this thing has more rust than I thought, not much on frame but the entire ate above te has tank is extremely rusted...