rabenne's street car

[Jays99Spyder]

This year has really been a damper on everyone. Stress, loneliness, and being couped up with family kills our motivation do almost anything. If you need a garage mate for more involved projects or anything, I might not know a lot but I would be willing to make the drive to lend a helping hand.

 

[randman2011]

Throughout this year I have had four separate broken projects taking up space in my garage. There have been lots of reasons for not making progress on them, but one of the bigger ones has been a general lack of desire to work on them. The Eclipse and van are running again, but I haven't touched the Autozam since June and I haven't touched the Volvo since early May, and I'm just beat. Certainly I won't go selling the Autozam (and the Volvo isn't really my car anyway) but long term storage sounds like the right choice.

This whole year has sucked, but I'm hoping to find renewed vigor in the spring when I want to break the cars out of their winter slumber and can't. This thread has been a wild ride and I've loved reading through all of your updates.

 

[Helaman-99]

Sorry to hear that man. I understand that these cars can create a real love-hate relationship with it's owner, especially the hate part I've been enjoying this thread, and to go along with what some of the other guys have said, this year has been pretty rough. All I can say is that whatever you decide to do, we're with you!

 

[rabenne]

Picked up a good spare 5 speed awd transmission and transfer case this weekend from a fellow tuner down in Missouri. It was a long trek and it didn't come cheap.

I am going to tear down the car later this month. The trans is getting PPG gears and the engine is getting a refresh. I am going to ask TMZ to put the dogbox together with a billet bearing plate. and if I start shi**ing gold I might even grab the Magnus transfer gears to upgrade my built t-case.

I am not giving it up yet. There is no goal for the car, as there really never has been.

 

[rabenne]

Pic of tear down progress. Got everything loose yesterday except the mounts. Will pull out engine and trans today if I can get my hands on another engine stand. Plan to take the trans to TMZ on Monday if he's available.

 

[rabenne]

Got the motor and trans out

It's too cold out there to keep going today... plus we're getting a lot of snow and the snowblower hasn't been started this year.

 

[Ludachris]

It's only gotten down to the low 40's out here lately, I really feel for you guys who are in the single digits trying to work on your cars.

 

[rabenne]

After the first 10 mins it's not so bad, like getting used to cold water in a pool ! Its better than wrenching in the heat of summer in some ways... Sweating on your glasses while your hands are covered in grease is a conundrum!

 

[Ludachris]

After the first 10 mins it's not so bad, like getting used to cold water in a pool ! Its better than wrenching in the heat of summer in some ways... Sweating on your glasses while your hands are covered in grease is a conundrum!

You're not wrong about that... tough to get excited about sweating your ass off in the garage when it's 103 degrees outside. Fans help, but I'm usually a dripping sweat heavily in the first 5 minutes.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

You're not wrong about that... tough to get excited about sweating your ass off in the garage when it's 103 degrees outside. Fans help, but I'm usually a dripping sweat heavily in the first 5 minutes.

I agree 110%, thats why I put an air conditioner in the shop this last year! Sweat on my glasses always gets to me.
Glad to see progress going on for somebody, my car has me totally stumped (and a little pissed at her too).

 

[rabenne]

I agree 110%, thats why I put an air conditioner in the shop this last year! Sweat on my glasses always gets to me.
Glad to see progress going on for somebody, my car has me totally stumped (and a little pissed at her too).

I have faith in you, Marty! You will get that thing sorted, dont be discouraged

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I am just waiting to find the elusive demon so I can have that smile from ear to ear. You are doing great and I love following the progress!

 

[rabenne]

So I went to Harvard, Illinois today after work to scoop up a spare automatic transmission, t-case, and rear diff from a member here on the forums. I don't plan to use it right away. I picked it up for that day in the (hopefully) distant future when my manual transmissions are gone.

No pics for now, parts still in the back of the pickup. Too cold to bother with them tonight.

Still trying to find a time to drop the manual trans with Tim at TMZ - our schedules have not yet aligned.

 

[AWD-Tony]

How’s the evo? I hope to own an evo 8/9 one day but they’re so expensive.

 

[rabenne]

@TK's9d2TSi I am head over heels for that car! its quite formidable on the local tracks! The base Lancer 10 chassis is supposedly stronger than the EVO 8/9 chassis. Then they added support to it for the EVO 10. Not saying its the best EVO they ever made, but it might be.

I had to get over the fact that its a 4b11t aluminum block engine instead of the stout 4g63 we all have come to love, but it didn't take long with the twin clutch getrag SST tranny. I love manual shifting in my DSM, but I seriously considered doing an entire EVO X MR or Ralliart drivetrain swap on my 2g instead of buying the dogbox. Lots of custom work, but there is something about never missing a shift at 7500 RPM, yet butter smooth cruising around that has some appeal. I found some wrecked Ralliart donor cars for $5-6K, but decided the dogbox is the way to go for now. I even bought a spare SST transmission last year, but keep changing my mind.

 

[rabenne]

Chasing my buddy in the Lexus ISF

 

[rabenne]

Sadly. It comes second to the dsm and its spare parts.

 

[AWD-Tony]

I’m glad you like it and probably handles better than 95% of 1g/2g’s. Layout of the track looks fun.

 

[rabenne]

Getting chased by my neighbors 2019 ZR1 - this was still on stock suspension and stock brakes

 

[rabenne]

I’m glad you like it and probably handles better than 95% of 1g/2g’s. Layout of the track looks fun.

That estimate may be a touch conservative. Both cars are fully corner balanced on coilovers and my 2g cant touch the EVO on its best day... To be fair my 2g setup might just be shitty

 

[AWD-Tony]

Feel like the 1g has so much body roll compared to 2g from my experience. Haven’t driven an evo yet . What suspension upgrades are made to the evo? Body roll seems very minimal.

 

[rabenne]

You must be too used to the 1g! Here are a couple pics from that same track day. Car was on entirely stock suspension that day!

 

[AWD-Tony]

You’re probably right. Feel like my tsx handles better too

 

[rabenne]

I wish it didn't feel like black magic to me. I guess I haven't spent the time it takes studying suspension dynamics and optimization. I mean I'm an enginerd but I'm busy...

 

[rabenne]

These give me warm fuzzy feelings