The Automotive Thread

[Dexman PE PMP]

I reused OEM bolts per their instructions. In this case, the nut on the far side of the picture (on the end where the movement was happening) is welded into place so there really is no chance to "upsize" the bolt without some serious cutting/welding.

 

[Supe]

I would contact Spohn. Theres a good possibility they pressed the wrong bushing into that end...

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

They were sent back to Spohn earlier this week. Now I just play the waiting game.

On another note, Mrs Dex is starting to get a bit peeved by all of my work on the Camaro and really is not a fan of having me constantly under the car trying to fix things (or having to listen to me complain about needing to fix things). She is advocating that I just trade in the Camaro. After several discussions, we've narrowed it down to a couple options:

1) Wait through the winter and see what the 2016 Camaros will bring. There are some very promising rumors that I'd be able to get a pretty sick upgraded version. If I don't like the 2016's, it would still be early enough to order a 2015 with the options I like. Meanwhile I would continue working on Bee to hopefully get everything fixed. Pro: Get the car I'm trying to build much sooner (buy it now vs build it over time), some parts could transfer to new car making it even better. Con: More expensive, still dealing with repairs on Bee, would have to de-mod & sell parts to help make it work.

2) Trade it in now. There are a few options out there that are very intriguing. Possible options would be a 2014 ZL1 Camaro, a Caddy CTS-V, or a SRT8 Grand Cherokee. (Link to actual cars I'm looking at). Pro: Newer car now Con: more expensive, no real time to de-mod Bee to recover money spent on aftermarket parts, trade in value on Bee would be lower because dealers hate having RWD cars on their lot just before winter hits.

I like the idea of option #1 because it defers any decision to next spring. Nothing has to be done now, used cars will continue to show-up.

Mrs Dex said there would be absolutely no modifying anything performance-wise on new cars (she also said no more mods on Bee. She is a huge fan of the SRT8 because it has 4WD and would mean I would have no problems getting to work year round.

Edit: I am also considering a 2-day trip to Salt Lake City to visit a Camaro specialty shop to have them go over the car to see if they can find any problems. I know there are hundreds of shops that are closer, but this shop is one that specializes in modified 2010+ Camaros and Corvettes.

 

[Supe]

Finish Bee, keep it, be happy. There is no such thing as buying a fun car and leaving it alone.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Don't get me wrong, I love my car. I'm just getting frustrated with constantly having to address something. Most of my irritations stem from the fact that I am OCD about my car and any squeak, knock, clunk, rattle, etc have to be fixed. I'm not convinced the rear suspension is actually fixed, but rather simply masked by putting soft parts back on. Now it sounds like the power steering is straining when the car is first started and I make the first couple hard turns (like backing out of a parking spot).

Part of me is stubborn and thinks that I'm only one thing away from getting it fixed, but the other part of me thinks I am only a hard bump away from breaking something serious and being completely out of a working car.

 

[csb]

I'm for #1, but then you'd be listening to the person who hasn't had a car in over a month.

 

[FLBuff PE]

^You should get a pair of XC skis for the days when the big snow storms hit!

 

[csb]

 

[knight1fox3]

I WANT MY 2 DOLLARS!!!

<Cue triumphant movie music>

 

[NJmike PE]

+100000 :thumbs:

 

[snickerd3]

that looks like it would cost a lot of $$

 

[Supe]

Don't get me wrong, I love my car. I'm just getting frustrated with constantly having to address something. Most of my irritations stem from the fact that I am OCD about my car and any squeak, knock, clunk, rattle, etc have to be fixed. I'm not convinced the rear suspension is actually fixed, but rather simply masked by putting soft parts back on. Now it sounds like the power steering is straining when the car is first started and I make the first couple hard turns (like backing out of a parking spot).

Part of me is stubborn and thinks that I'm only one thing away from getting it fixed, but the other part of me thinks I am only a hard bump away from breaking something serious and being completely out of a working car.

The OCD issues are not going to change with a new car, especially one that is a performance oriented model. That will only get worse with age. There are only so many ways a suspension can fail. I don't foresee you shearing off mounting points any time soon. I RACED a car with a broken/cross threaded toe link...

Don't overthink it or cave to your wife. Get it done, and stop worrying. Otherwise, you will just be repeating the cycle over again, which will be WAY more expensive in the long run.

 

[MA_PE]

ah the old hobby car/family balance. It's a dilemma that stretches back for years. With young kids active in all kinds of exta-curricula activities it's hard as heck to find time for both the car and the kiddos.

I suspect this was behind Mrs. Dex's caveat "Mrs Dex said there would be absolutely no modifying anything performance-wise on new cars (she also said no more mods on Bee."

Hope you can work it out Dex. I vote keep Bee.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Her three big concerns are that I have a reliable car to get to work with (i.e. not in pieces in the garage, or being forced to have it towed again), that she really doesn't like me driving it in the winter, and that she hates how much money I've "thrown away" on the car (since you never recover money spent on cars).

 

[blybrook PE]

^ You forgot her monthly hooker, bacon & blow allotment again, didn't you?

 

[MA_PE]

Her three big concerns are that I have a reliable car to get to work with (i.e. not in pieces in the garage, or being forced to have it towed again), that she really doesn't like me driving it in the winter, and that she hates how much money I've "thrown away" on the car (since you never recover money spent on cars).

With the possible exception of the 4WD Jeep none of your performance cars are "good" winter cars. People drove RWD cars for a long time in snow so it can be done.
The reason your car was in pieces is because you took it apart and were tinkering with it. New, old or in-between no one is perfect and when you're putzing around with it the potential always exists to end up with a disabled vehicle.

Cars, especially daily drivers are always money losers. Again, I think you're putting money into Bee because you want to and not because you have to. You're not repairing you're upgrading/improving it because you like doing it. Aftermarket money is typically lost. You said "would have to de-mod & sell parts to help make it work". You won't get retail back on your parts either.

Net result: do you what you want and what you feel you'll be happiest with.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

I know I can drive Bee in the winter because I've done it each of the last 2 winters (I don't count the first winter because I parked it and drove the company truck). Mrs Dex and I know it's not the best, but she would prefer I drove something better. We've had a couple snowstorms where I've been forced to stay home (almost everyone else stayed home too), and a couple others that have made getting home very difficult. She just hates having that in the back of her mind when making plans from December through March. An example of this is I mentioned that I am considering taking Bee to a specialty shop in SLC, but due to a number of factors wouldn't be able to do that until November. She won't let me drive that far that late in the fall because I would have to go through some potentially nasty weather areas.

She would prefer I focus on the functional side more than the fun/toy side. She really likes the Jeep for that reason and because she knows it still has a good performance element to it.

My response to everything is that there is no way I will refrain from tinkering with my car. I have messed with everything I've owned. Granted, Bee is the furthest I've ever taken a car down the modification side (it's also the longest I've owned a car). She knows I will always mess with my cars. I think she hopes that if I start with a better car that I won't mess with it as much, which I can say is probably true.

On the flip side, the mods I've done over the last year or so were as far as I wanted to take it while it was still a daily driver. My next round would involve some serious engine/drivetrain mods that would make it a lot less fun to drive in rush hour traffic (420hp is already pushing it, I would not want to ride the clutch with 700hp). I just happened to get unlucky at the very end and ended up installing a gremlin. Working on said gremlin has been VERY frustrating. Tools have been thrown, tools have been broken.

 

[Supe]

I wouldn't consider it "throwing away money." I find it a bit comical that she complains about Bee, but is willing to let you fork out the cash for an SRT8 Jeep, a ZL1, or a CTS-V, none of which are exactly bargain finds or necessary in any way.

 

[Supe]

Horsepower has nothing to do with your clutch's traffic driving abilities. Huge pedal effort is a thing of the past. I've got the hookup for a twin disc clutch that's baby soft and will hold 1200 HP all day long...

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

A new twin disc is on the to-do list...