Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion

OK. I totally stole this idea from Bernie, but here's my Simpsons avatar. I hope to make it down to the Kwik E Mart in Bladensburg in the next week or so.

So, here's the list of stuff that was done as of October: Oil change with filter(twice) New power steering fluid (twice) New air filter New hood release cable New thermostat New radiator New auxiliary cooling fan resistor New fan temperature switch Removed the A/C compressor and most associated plumbing New lower oil pan gasket (including R&R of the upper oil pan bolts with Loctite) Installed Bilstein sport shocks Installed billet aluminum/polyurethane rear shock mounts Team Dynamics Pro Race 1 15" wheels (13.7 lbs!!) with Kumho Ecsta SPT tires And this is the list of stuff we've done since then: H&R Race springs New control arms New tie rod ends Porterfield R4-S brake pads ATE PremiumOne brake rotors New(used) rear brake calipers Stainless steel brake lines New hard lines for most of the rear brake system Speedbleeders for all 4 calipers (these rock) New clutch Ground Control camber plates Ireland Engineering swaybars Mason Engineering strut and shock tower braces...

Wow. I'm glad nobody's really paying any attention to this thing. I haven't even looked at it in weeks and you can see when I last posted. We've done lots to the car since the last update and I've still got lots to bitch about, so I guess I should get to it.

I just looked at this thing and realized how long it's been since I posted. I have lots of stuff to tell you about car, but that will have to wait for another day. For now ponder this: What kind of savage still throws trash out of a moving vehicle? Seriously. It's 2007. You'd think people would have fully grasped trash cans by now. I can't even attribute it to laziness because as I see it, it takes more effort to lower the window and throw something out of the car than it would to put it in the trash later. Maybe I'm brainwashed, but I don't think I could actually throw a bag full of fast food trash out of my car window. Oh well. I guess the chronically underemployable need something to do so picking up roadside trash will have to do. I just wish it didn't cost me tax money.

As you can see in the picture below, things are starting to happen with the car. Since I promised to post an update on the status of the project, here is a list of things that have been done to or replaced on the car since the original pictures were posted. With the exception of mounting and balancing the wheels, all work has been done by Jason and me at the Auto Craft shop here on post. So, without further ado.... Oil change with filter(twice) New power steering fluid (twice) New air filter New hood release cable New thermostat New radiator New auxiliary cooling fan resistor New fan temperature switch Removed the A/C compressor and most associated plumbing New lower oil pan gasket (including R&R of the upper oil pan bolts with Loctite) Installed Bilstein sport shocks Installed billet aluminum/polyurethane rear shock mounts Team Dynamics Pro Race 1 15" wheels (13.7 lbs!!) with Kumho Ecsta SPT tires I think that's it. During the shock installation, we damaged the tie rod en...

Here we go. Some of you may have thought I was dead, but clearly that's not the case. My ambition just took a little vacation. I intend to give a more in depth accounting of what's been going on with the car in a few days. I've been waiting to get pictures with the new suspension installed, but the springs are on back order. I will have more info on what's been done to the car since we got and how it performed in the last autocross soon. Also check out my new favorite outdoor party game . It's fun!! I'll try to get some more movie and book reviews in soon too. Just to tide you over for now, I'll tell you about something that is stupid. Curled-up straw cowboy hats on drunk college girls. Who thought that was a good idea. It's even worse when sober women wear them in public. What's up??

Here we go. Some of you may have thought I was dead, but clearly that's not the case. My ambition just took a little vacation. I intend to give a more in depth accounting of what's been going on with the car in a few days. I've been waiting to get pictures with the new suspension installed, but the springs are on back order. I will have more info on what's been done to the car since we got and how it performed in the last autocross soon. Also check out my new favorite outdoor party game . It's fun!! I'll try to get some more movie and book reviews in soon too. Just to tide you over for now, I'll tell you about something that is stupid. Curled-up straw cowboy hats on drunk college girls. Who thought that was a good idea? It's even worse when sober women wear them in public. What's up??

Overheard in my living room yesterday: John, quit rockin' the dog's ass.

I haven't posted in awhile, mostly because I've been lazy but partly because I've been busy. The reason for today's post is to announce a most momentous event that should be cause for much celebration. Having waded in the shallow end of the motorsport pool for the last couple of years with autocrossing, I have decided to start making my way toward the deep end. A couple of weeks ago Jason and I stumbled across a good deal on a not-so-gently used BMW. Of course we jumped to the logical conclusion that it would make a great race car and by association make us great race car drivers. So, here we are the proud owners of a 1991 318i that we intend to turn into a giant slayer on the track. Or at least try to not go broke or get killed. The plan is to start small with our local BMW club autocrosses as we build the car up. During the build-up we're going to follow the rules of this racing series, but actual participation in one of those events is probably years away. There...