Hardware Updates

I built a new PC. Hit the Jump to find out what parts I used. PCPartPicker list at the bottom.

TWD:ANF – Episode 4. My Experience

HEAVY SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 4 OF THE WALKING DEAD: A NEW FRONTIER AFTER THE JUMP. Also, probably some minor spoilers for Ep 1-3. You’ve been warned.

Decklist – Invoked Six Samurai v1

Super rough draft of a Six Samurai build using the Invoked/Eidolan engine. Rate/Fix it.

For the future…

I guess this really will just be a note to myself, for future plans, just to keep it written somewhere easily accessible and at the forefront of my brain… 

Future Plans for my 240SX-to-be

S14 shell, doesn’t matter the year but prefer Zenki and 1995 if possible. Must be rust free. 

SUSPENSION: Clean/powder coat old 240SX suspension components. Check for damage/durability issues. Replace bushings if necessary. Change/grease bearings on all fully-adjustable suspension components. Have coilovers rebuilt and/or purchase newest iteration. 

Possible Companies to Consider:

• Fortune Auto
• Bilstein
• Ohlines
• KW
• MCA Suspension
• Nismo

Look for bespoke systems, potentially air-ride/spring combo(?) 

CHASSIS: Double check for rust. Remove/repair any found. Coat internal surfaces with 2-step system: See Eastwood.com for internal frame-coating and/or heavy duty anti-rust/encapsulator. Also, consider 2-part catalyzed epoxy primer/sealer for internal and Direct-to-metal exterior coat. 

Look into color selection. Possibilities include:

• Basic Nissan Super Black in honor of my original 240
• Nissan Sunburnt Sienna Metallic  (or something like that), OE on Nissan 350Z (2003+)
• Some shade of green… Duh. 
• Toyota Dark Forest metallic(?) OE on 2009(?) Corolla. 
• An electric blue, but not Si/Civic shade. 
• A Malibu Blue similar to 1994 Mazda Miata M-edition OE color. 

Seam-weld critical areas to increase chassis rigidity without destroying crumple-zones if possible. Similar to Mazda sky-active plan. 

Look into chassis bracing options (Nismo or otherwise) to complement suspension/engine enhancements and provide extra safety and rigidity. Look into a weld in cage with removable door bars/padding for un-helmeted heads. 

ENGINE: Take VQ35DE+R out of G35 plus either 6 speed out of that, or 5 speed out of 300ZX for stout-ness. Install with all emissions equipment into 240 shell. Hopefully, lightweight 240 combined with torquey and lightweight VQ+super charger (325hp at rear wheels as measured on a Dynomite-dyno in the G) will yield a fun, powerful and eminently controllable vehicle. 

Look into:

• Excessive Manufacturing
• Raw-brokerage (RB) motoring
• Enjuku Racing(?) 
• Sikky Performance (possible bespoke kit/design) 
• Fueled Racing (as above) 

CONCLUSIONS: Honestly, be aware this isn’t an overnight plan. Come up with a build list, price breakdowns. Document everything. Focus on acquiring rust free chassis and/or clearing storage space to hold/build/maintain project. Also potentially look into garage/workshop rental. Perhaps talk to Sniper Evo86 and/or jakster726 about it. 

Order of Ops:

1. Research/Price Breakdown
2. Clear Unit/Acquire other workspace
3. Acquire shell
4. Acquire necessary parts for engine swap
5. Strip shell
6. Repair/Ready shell/paint/body/etc. 
7. Repair/maintain/repaint suspension 
8. Install suspension
9. Remove VQ
10. Prep VQ, freshen it, etc. 
11. Install swap parts. 
12. Swap engine
13. Systems test, troubleshooting, etc. 
14. If all goes well, I’ll have a running/reliable and fun car by this point. – – Take care of it. 

And there we have the plan. Have to start saving to make this a reality. 

On Destiny and Shotguns

Fuck ’em?

Okay, okay. I’ll get serious…

Where are the HGAD Kits?

This will be a post about Gunpla (Gundam Plastic Model Kits) so if you’re not into that, well you’ve been warned.

Today, I’d like to talked about all the lovely HGUC kits and their offspring.

The Truth – “Regular Car Reviews: 1990 MX5 NA Miata” on YouTube

I’m a big fan of Mr. Regular, so much so, that I invited him to drive my Supercharged G35 a while back. Granted, it wasn’t a regular car, but I figured he might enjoy it and the video might be cool.

Since I offered though, the G has started to do things old cars do… Break down. It’s still fast. It’s still Laden with technology like Nav, MPG Estimates, Power-adjustable seats, ass-warmers, and makes 325 hp (Dynomite Dynomometer) to the rear wheels courtesy of an otherwise stock VQ35DE with a Vortech Centrifugal Supercharger Kit, all piped through one of the greatest shifters (in my opinion) attached to a 6 speed manual.

I loved the car when I bought it. Fast, relatively pretty, and understated… But i bought it because the Miata I bought suffered a damn near fatal (for the car) issue.

I recently picked up my bone-stock, rust-repaired 1994 Miata from Planet Miata, who installed a new coil pack to fix a previous known issue, and a new engine to fix an underlying known overheating problem, which I had no idea was tied to the engine at all.

Now, it’s missing most of the interior. But it’s got a healthy engine, new tires, and a sealed soft top.

My old plastic rear window broke last winter because it was down and I didn’t unzip and fold it out while it was warm… Don’t make that mistake. Put the top up while the window was folded and it was below freezing out, and it cracked like glass.

I’ve only owned it for about a week, and I did the 300~ miles from Planet Miata to Central NY the day I picked up. Been driving it almost every day since as well. And to be perfectly honest, I’ve loved every time I got in it.

It’s small, it’s slow, it’s loud (due to it lacking about half the interior) the radio is missing, and it is a Miata…

But it’s the only car that’s ever come close to breaking me out of the abusive relationship I’ve been in with the S-Chassis for 8 years.

I owned a Nissan 240SX S14 (1996) for a long time. It’s my favorite car. I subjectively, have never driven a car I enjoyed more. That includes a short jaunt in a Ferrari F430, my Supercharged G35, my buddy’s Evo VIII and X, my other buddies various Subaru WRXs and STIs, and even his Z33. There was something undefinable about it. It was my first manual car, and it was my favorite.

But it cost me enough to buy a new Audi, it rattled, it kept me freezing and covered in grease for an over-the-winter bushing job, chasing vacuum lines, swapping everything out of it for a new shell when it started to rust and break, swapping a clutch my sister fried, 3 broken transmissions, and a broken VLSD…

It’s safe to say I was in an abusive relationship, but I kept coming back.

The Miata makes me question my love for the S-Chassis. It makes me question whether I want another one any time soon, it makes me want to be finally done with my S14… Because it’s so pure.

The last quarter of the video… From “You need to enjoy driving a Miata in its stock form,” on, is the truth. It really is hard to focus on the car when you drive it. It’s smooth riding, it doesn’t get upset when you grab it by the scruff of its neck, it’s just such a pure driving experience.

I love the Miata in Stock form. I just want to paint it, and make the interior whole. I want it to be as nice a place to sit and ride in, as it is to drive in for me, even with all its faults. The Miata really is something special.

Maybe if you spend all your time in 400+ hp sports cars, with tighter handling, with more speed through the turns, with a throaty growl accompanied by big power, the Miata will bore you.

Hell, I even think it’s slow.

But I love it regardless. The driving experience is reminiscent of my 240, but even more distilled. I don’t worry about where the car is on the road, about making it over speed bumps, about whether a cop will pull me over because the car is low and loud, and looks tuned…

I bought my 240 to be a project car, and it ended up being a money pit. I bought my Miata to drive, and while it cost me a fair chunk of change, it’s running. It’s driving. It’s doing what I want it to do, and it’s making me feel the drive.

If you ever have the chance to drive a stock Miata, take it. It’s not going to be fast, and you may listen to the likes of Chris from the /Drive network and hate it based on him. But get into the Miata with no preconceptions, with no pretension, and just go for a drive.

I certainly hope you’ll see what I do.