in my Porsche...

WE LOVE MEETS!

Depth Of Speed

HBTV has a series "Depth of Speed," we are totally hooked! Check these out and get inspired!

Progress

Parts! I've been collecting everything for a few months now. Still a couple important items missing but most has been sourced.

 Test fitting some of the items to make sure I have good clearances

DYNO!

that time of year

Cruising night kick off!

Things You Don't Care to Know About Racing Games

I was looking at some preview videos for Dirt 3 and Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed (follow the links for the pages with the videos) that included developer commentary. It's exciting to see they're both moving toward realism, especially after how disappointing Dirt 2 was, and how sideways-baseball-cap-wearing-smirking-retard the NFS series usually is.




Dirt 3 is definitely moving in the right direction by adding a whole lot more genuine rally to the game, and hopefully a whole lot less hooning. Gymkhana (who is Jim Khana anyway?) is in but it actually looks pretty interesting, and is a legitimate tool for sharpening skills. Some concerning comments were the implication that they've only just now got the cars' centers of gravity in the right place, and that after making the physics realistic they tweak it to make the game more accessible. Hopefully realistic physics will be an option, and even if not I have to admit that the Dirt games are just plain fun.




NFS:S2U:BBQ:STFU is a lot like Grid now. Weirdly it has hipsters coding it, and they're all of a sudden concerned about realism. Fucked if I know why, this must be the Negaverse team or something. Some bloke with an accent asserts boldly "We have the most advanced physics system ever released in a racing game," shortly followed by some very cool shots of the on-screen telemetry features, which, I cannot stress enough, should be an option in every racing game. Another neat feature is the 'helmet cam' in car view mode that changes the camera angle slightly to look toward apexes, or when you're drifting out the wide window; it looks surprisingly realistic. I do have to say though in the last shot I saw the physics tweak a little on one of the dozen cars coming over the hill, maybe everyone was at a Reel Big Fish concert that day or something.




Does GT5, our current game of choice have a lot to gain from the better parts of other games?

So much snow!

We haven't done much lately, that is why you haven't heard much from us. We did a big install session the other night.

Other than that, a dark wintermode photo shoot was in order.

Not Soon Enough!

Dear Subaru, and Toyota,

Do it, do it now! 

p.s. Can I has one?

The count down has begun. Rumor is we will get to see it really soon at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March. Should be a good birthday present for me!

DON'T FAIL US!!!!!

More Goodies from Honda

2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid R Concept from SEMA 2010

Thankfully taking their sporty hybrid seriously, Honda's been doing well to tease us with some aggressive concepts.  Above is the track-going CR-Z Hybrid R Concept, and below, the CR-Z TS-1X Concept that looks ought to come with a K20A -- we can only hope.

CR-Z TS-1X Concept from the Tokyo Auto Salon

Although -- rumor does have it that Honda is fast-tracking a non-hybrid turbocharged version in both 160 and 200 hp variations.  The original source Autocar claims we should see the offering at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show next December, however they themselves cited no sources for the information.


On a more important note, I read a glowing review of the 2011 Honda Odyssey and was inspired to trick one out. To the tune of $47.5k.

"Some selected accessories may not appear on configured vehicle image" Yeah where the fuck's my tow hitch?

You've gotta have the Touring to get the six-speed autobox, and you know you want the Touring Elite because it comes with the 600+ Watt sound system, which also means you get the crazy wheels so you've gotta have the wheel locks, and you need that other junk for the bike rack.  THERE'S A TENT?  Well you've gotta have that -- and you'll drag shit along to put in it so you've gotta pay out the ass for the hitch, and it's New England so you know you've gotta have the remote starter to ease the reinflation of the tent on the colds mornings, and ...

Cars I Want Pt. 3

First Gen Legacy turbo sedan or wagon. Old enough where most have died off to rust and years of engine wear.
They are becoming super rare and are still super cool. Before we had the WRX we had the SS, hell it is even before the Impreza all together. From the 555 rally car of the 90's to Logan's drift beast today there is a ton of raw potential in this car. What isn't to love?

Goals 2011

I've never spent much time trying to come up with tuning goals or any sort of real plan. I just get parts or money and go from there. Basically doing whatever I am in the mood for. This year I started thinking, I've certainly got a lot of tuning goals for 2011.

I still plan on doing the EG33 swap this spring after a quick refreshing of the block. I have almost all of the major components staged at this point. I just have to do the big step with cooling.

Alongside the engine I want to continue working on suspension and steering. Looking into roll-center adjustment and caster/anti-lift parts. I know, who isn't?! Essentially I just want all the whiteline goodies, we'll see how that pans out.

Big goal this summer is getting new wheels and tires. I'm open to ideas but I have my eye on Legacy "snowflakes" or BBS RXII's. In the same 'hopes and dreams' boat is finding new seats. Hopefully at the rate things are going, 2011 is going to be a busy year.


Oh, and Buy this car!!!!!

This conversion is way too awesome, too bad I don't have 15k in my lap right now!