Changed my front driver's side fender today, found one in a salvage yard in decent condition and same color. Brought it home to realize that it was from a different model and when attached was too tight to the body so the door ran into it when opened...used a rubber mallet and hammered the spacing flat near the bottom to create some extra room and it fit like a glove. Not in perfect condition but definitely better than the old.

 

Got my butt handed to me by a Camaro today

 

That's OK. The Camaro only plays nice in straight lines. Has to putt putt around corners.

Welcome aboard!

 

It depends on what gen. The latest-gen Camaros (even the base ones) are no slouches against corners. The base Camaro V6 is capable of .91 g on the skidpad, vs the .87 g my R3 was capable of, stock.

Actual driving feel may be different, but since I've never driven a new-gen Camaro, the test numbers are all I have to go on.

 

I have one (5th gen). It's definitely a far cry from the old 'american muscle car must be a boat' mentality. The suspension is pretty decently set up out of the box, and the aftermarket support is freaking unreal.

That said, I did beat a guy in a 2016 SS at autox this weekend, but we were both first timers and he didn't seem to want to throw his $50K car around as much as I was willing to. And I got smoked by an 05 mustang gt with an experienced driver, so I wouldn't read too much into any of our results, PAX or not.

 

Installed a new clutch. I also cleaned and polished my exhaust tips.

 

Fresh coat and new tires today.

 

^Ouch, did you hit something on that fender/bumper? good on the new tires though!

 

Previous owner had it in one of those tarp storage things and it blew against it and the got blown away. Also it a few other spots.

 

So "it'll buff out" then! It's just a rubbing mark?

 

Sad to say but no. Its must have been a good smack and drag. I have a mark on the door too. Same side. Its right through the paint. It hit hard enough to chip but not hard enought to dent.

 

On the door

 

I smoke them all the time at the track. It takes a really good driver in a really well set up Camaro to beat me. There is one guy in a ZL1 that can do it. When I can enter a corner 20mph faster and exit 25-30mph faster, they can't make it up on the straight unless it is a really long one. According to my phone and AIM Solo, I am pulling a max of 1.28G on Nitto NT01 tires.

 

I rebuilt my calipers the other night, and even though I was watching things closely, I must have let some air sneak up into the ABS block that I couldn't bleed out. I took it to the dealer this morning for a full bleed with my DOT 4 fluid. It worked, and the tech did a good job. EXCEPT, when I got home and popped the hood, I found no cap on the reservoir, and a brake fluid mess in my engine bay. After washing it out with about 200 gallons of soap and water (with cling wrap rubber banded over the reservoir, I found the cap sitting on my undertray. Not happy. This is why I try to do all my own work. Always check their work before you drive away!

In other news, the tech liked my BHR ignition and commented that it is probably why my car doesn't have all the problems the other ones have. Then he pointed out 2 RX-8s sitting on the back lot waiting for replacement engines. One was an 08, and one was an 09.

Still left my brake fluid cap off though. Grrrrr...

Anyway, I'm taking her to the track tomorrow, so I'm headed to my happy place.

.

 

I installed a single resonated midpipe that I got for $20 out of the junkyard. It sounds terrrrrrrible, lol. And my stock cat looked okay, might just throw it back on even though the car isn't a DD... If it throws a code, I found these o2 sensor spacers with a tiny bit of catalyst material in them. I know everybody says the regular spacers are a no go but nobody actually posted results with this thing.
If it still throws a code, that'll push me over the line to get a tactrix.

 

I got a speeding ticket! and I changed trans fluid and diff oil with redline

 

Got my car back from motor repair at about 40,000 miles. New apex seals new clutch new midpipe. $6000.00 Cdn.

 

Im still just waiting for the coil kit. 😔

 

Now I installed RP short shifter I am on a roll!

 

Not installed yet, but soon.

Custom sway bar end links.

 

Upgraded em tho...

 

Series Two front-end

 

i had the oil changed a couple weeks ago, and the guy manhandled the air filter out without taking anything else apart, so i spent the $20 for a new one, and i picked up ~2mpg.

weird right? in 20 years of working on car i've never seen or even heard of the air filter making a difference, the old one wasn't bad looking (although it was about due).

anyways sunday i was bored at the track, so i decided to see what the clunking noise from the front was, again, weirdly it turned out that one of the pad shims had moved and was hitting the caliper bracket. fixing that and greasing up a stuck slide = no noise and the brakes feel right for the first time.

while i was under there i wiped off the CAS, and reset the ecu.

set the tire pressures, lubed the locks and hinges, wash and vacuum and its like a new car.

literally, i worked for Mazda when these were new, and mine feels like that now, its kind of exciting.

 

Finally installed my S2 engine and transmission, still have alot left to do like fixing a broken bracket on the rear subframe, installing the rest of the drivetrain and rewiring the interior, but at least now the front end is about 95% done, just have to connect all of the things to all of the stuff so all of the things can work with all of the stuff lol

*And yes the swap is a huge pain in the ***, but on the bright side the whole swap is 98% direct bolt on, so not the hardest thing in the world to do

 

Nice!

I disassembled and re-greased my clock spring assembly. Major PITA to do, but hopefully that's the end of the squeaking!