JCC Brag About Your Car Here

The other half suggested instead of an S3, we could get a C220.

I don't know how to deal with this.

 

First car wash in months. She's all shiny and bright and sparkly again.





I put deer whistles on the front bumper. Everybody knows somebody who had a cousin whose roommate's brother's ex-fiancée got their deer whistles torn off when they hit a deer, but an old guy at my church said he's been using them for years and hasn't had a close call with a deer since he put them on. If they work, I'll probably never know it, and if they don't I only wasted $13 at Canadian Tire. Anyway, they're available with a chrome finish, and I like shiny things on my car.

 

That blue is glorious.

 

Lightning Blue, color code N6. It's almost as bad to keep clean as gloss black, but when it's shining in the sun it's worth it.

 

Off topic, but I didn't know the US had special plates for veterans. When did that come in? (I last lived there in the late '80s.)

 

It's up to the states to offer special plates if they choose to. I think most do. Different states often offer plates to support sports teams, charitable causes, tourism and such. There's an extra charge for some of those and the money goes to support whatever cause the plate supports; environment/wildlife and cancer research are popular ones. There's no extra charge for veteran plates, you just have to show them your military retirement paperwork to prove you qualify. I don't know when that started. I'm sure it's been at least 10 years.

 

Thanks! When my car was registered there we just had the bog standard state plates.

 

Yeah, I've seen quite a bit of veteran plates, sports plates, etc, here in Florida. The vanity plates are my favorite though. Some are pretty vulgar, but once in a while you come upon a gem. Like a few months ago, the car ahead of me had a plate that read "EPONA." I took it as a Zelda, Ocarina of Time reference.

 

Damn that car is sexy.

 

Mines totally an old beater. Rust spots, bent bumper, missing headlight cover... she may not look like much but sure runs just fine.

 

My car made it to work today without exploding.

 

That's always good to hear.

 

Drove on a wet highway in drizzle and snow today. So much for the shiny look.

 

Wet is the only time my car gets a shiny look.

 

Now that the end of winter is at least theoretically in sight, I'm getting serious about shopping for summer wheels and tires. I'm going to leave the snow tires on the stock 19x8.5" factory wheels. For summertime, I like the look of the Advanti Svelto with mirror titanium finish, 20x9" in front and 20x10" in back. Each wheel is supposed to be about 7 lb lighter than the stock ones, so I'm looking at a 28 lb reduction in overall weight, unsprung weight, and rotating weight. This car is heavier than I want it to be, so I'm looking at ways to lighten it, and lighter wheels is a big step in the right direction.

 

I can think of a few ways, and I'm pretty sure that gutting some of the interior is off the table which where the majority of the table since it's a road car. I'm not overly familiar with all the materials used in the construction of Mustangs today but there's always the option of replacing the deck lid and engine hood with carbon fiber counterparts. Maybe you can find other options for things like the quarter panels or doors being made with aluminum instead. Though none of those are really cheap options.

Though you have to be conscious of how changing parts will eventually change the weight distribution of the car, but that probably won't be an issue for awhile.

 

I drove a Mustang yesterday, for the day. Slight delay on throttle but quick response on the paddle gears. Turning circle of a bus, but I am used to Mercedes and VW in this regard.

Still, fun car!

 

I nearly died just now....

Did you just compliment the dynamics of an American car?

 

Ender, do you know what year it was? And what engine it had? If rental, probably V6. I hear good things about the paddle shifters, but I'm all about the stick shift. Anybody who doesn't know how to doubleclutch shouldn't have a driver's license, right?

jabberwalkie, yeah, carbon fiber is going to be my friend. Drive shaft and hood are the big ticket items that will make a difference. I'm also looking at the exhaust, which has a resonator that is rumored to weigh 30 lb. Most of the body is already aluminum. (Well, that's what Ford says; I haven't gone out with a magnet to check.) As for weight distribution, it's supposedly 52/48 front/rear, so I'll be doing my best to lighten the front end and try to get it closer to 50/50, which should make for a little quicker cornering (less understeer).

 

It was a V6 yes. And convertible, though boringly silver.

 

I drive an Ambulance on the side. Does that count as a cool car?

 

Do you get to turn on the lights and siren and break all the speed limits?

 

Lights and sirens yes. Break speed limits? Technically no......

Also it is fun cutting people out of their cool cars which I have done on occasion.

 

I'm still not sure how I feel about carbon fiber drive shafts on road cars... Seems like something I'd be more willing to have as an aluminum part than carbon fiber. If rotational mass is such a concern, there's other things like the flywheel, clutch pack/discs, and probably a couple other things you can do to improve the weight and responsiveness in the drive train. I'm willing to believe Ford to the extent that the majority of the car's body panels are aluminum but the subframes and unibody are probably all steel. I don't suppose anyone makes tubular suspension components for the Mustang yet, but that's an option as well.

I forget so remind me, what engine do you have in your Mustang again?