Well the project is continuing

[shikzachaser]

Kyle:

Keep me informed, you guys would have a good time, I guarantee it. If it works out PM and I will get you additional information. You wire houses? That is one of the businesses I have here in st Louis and also in Springfield, IL. We do all of the low voltage wiring engineering for developers and then my boys go in and string Phone, data, CATV, plus any A/V stuff. We then act as vendors through our retail store in Springfield (about 90 minutes North). It works well, we did a little over $4 Million last year. We sell some pretty cool stuff, Elan, Integra, Harman Kardon, JBL pro, Crown, Klipsch, etc. We also do a ton of projection stuff for bars, churches, etc. That is how the bar owners become my clients. I wind up trading out way too much, but I drink and eat a lot cheap.

Take care:

Steve

[Schumi]

UMR is actually paying me to be here, instead of the other way around... allthough cost of living in general plus the fact that I now do not have a job after a steady stream of income for the last two years makes it rough. I am looking to startup a small business next year working with composites making racing parts since that is actually what I do here for our Formula car. Something that will stimulate may overly expensive hobby...

[Eldorado]

hey steve, I dont actually wire the house.. I'm a phone company tech that will go out to new houses and provide them service to the existing lines in the house...
only if the customer specifically asks me to move a jack or install a new jack do I run wires within the house.

[shikzachaser]

We're the guys that give you something to hook up to

Steve

[dan476]

man everything you've done to your car looks just awesome!!!

[shikzachaser]

Thanks. It has taken a while but I definately like the way it turned out. After all is said and done I would probably rethink the amount of money I stuck in it. For what it's cost me I could have sold the car for $4000 and stuck the rest of the $12,000 plus what I am out for the supercharger ($3600 right now) and bought a serious Jag XKR, 911, or M3. The order of things I did that made the biggest bang for the buck were:

(1) Basicly a major service: Head gasket, all the belts and seals, all the vacuum lines, plug wires, good tune-up.

(2) Suspension: The Springs, shocks, ball joints, bushings, wheel bearings, etc were around $1200 including the 951 sway bars. The installation and alignment were another $600. It was well worth it.

(3) The wheels and tires. I needed new tires and my stock Fuchs were tired looking. I got all of it from Tire Rack delivered ready to pop on the car for $1200. These are great wheels as you don't have to use any kind of spacers on the pre 86 cars.

(4) The Fiberwerks stuff. I just like the way it updates the lines of the car. That part is debateable as there are a lot of people who feel that these are going to be classic cars worth their weight in gold. There are also people (like me) who just think they are cool old cars that need a facelift. I honestly don't see them being that valuable. I have been wrong before (I traded in a 65 GTO on a new Pinto when I was in college as I could not afford gas @ .25 / gallon). I should have never sold that Pinto.

(5) All the misc interior stuff. I spent a ton of hours w/ the gauges, dash top, carpet, stereo, etc getting it the way I want it. It really looks good. I have not had a single person that did not say something about how they can't believe it is an 84. The car really looks like it's a couple years old.

(6) The motor upgrades. These little cars actually run pretty good when all the little things are right. Along with the balance of the car it is right up there with a lot of contemporary sports cars. The horsepower race has kind of left them behind but they still hold their own once they get rolling. All the things I did make a difference for sure but just sticking headers on or something is not going to give you any return on your investment. It does sound good though w/ the K&N and the exhaust. If I do keep it I'm sure I will eventually put on a blower. I just want to stop the bleeding for a while.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do to yours. Be sure to post pictures. This board is a gret source of information on the cars. I'm sure you know this already but Clark's Garage also is really good about putting things in a novice perspective. It has helped me for sure.

Steve

[shikzachaser]

Well another chapter in the 944 saga has come to a close. After being towed home (60 miles) last night after sitting waiting for a flatbed w/o a coat in 35 degree weather for 2 1/2 hrs it was the fuel pump. It had tried to tell me but I just had not listened. After highway running for 30-45 minutes it had begun missing, badly. I should have listened as I was sure it was something else. Also I had been losing fuel pressure slowly (38PSI to 0) in abount 15 minutes after stopping. I also had been smelling fuel...duhh.. I was sure that was the fuel rail, fittings, something. Nope, bad fuel pump. I went ahead and bought the Bosch high output w/ a new filter and also new lines while I was at it. I also took the screen out of the tank and cleaned that. Back together in a total of maybe 3 hrs (I'm not the smartest or fastest) and it fired right up. While it was up in the air I also power washed the underside after soaking it for a while w/ Simple Green. It looks great and definately made my day w/ the fuel pump being the problem. I also helped another problem tremendously. The license plate was loose causing a lot of the noise I have been hearing. Unfortunately I still think I will let it go. I have a serious buyer potential for really close to what I want and I drove an M Roadster today. It has everything but the Dinan blower and is definately bad ass. 2000 w/ 48K miles, Red / Black, stick,...$24K and really cool. It's really tempting. I also have an offer for a close to even trade for a Black / Tan 83 911SC that looks really clean, updated tensioners, etc. I just don't like the whale tails on a non-turbo. That is also tempting. Life is too short and there are too many choices.

Steve

[shikzachaser]

Looks like the 944 stays here. The buyer had second thoughts after I closed the auction early then low-balled me on the price. Oh well, I also was having second thoughts. Looks like the garage will get an addition this spring to house the third car and then I will get something to add to the stable. I am actually kind of happy that I did not sell the car. I was getting really tired of the ebay questions "my dad might get it for me but he says blue book is only $3500", or "I'm gonna buy it and install a turbo, is it hard to do and will it be faster than my neighbor's Mustang?". Yikes...


Steve

[Eldorado]

the little part of me that died just came up from the ashes to live a new day....

[pozican]

Originally posted by shikzachaser
Looks like the 944 stays here. The buyer had second thoughts after I closed the auction early then low-balled me on the price. Oh well, I also was having second thoughts. Looks like the garage will get an addition this spring to house the third car and then I will get something to add to the stable. I am actually kind of happy that I did not sell the car. I was getting really tired of the ebay questions "my dad might get it for me but he says blue book is only $3500", or "I'm gonna buy it and install a turbo, is it hard to do and will it be faster than my neighbor's Mustang?". Yikes...


Steve

Wow, I bet you got some humorous ones

Glad you didn't sell it. I've gotten lost with the it's coming it's not stuff.

Do you actually have the supercharger itself?

How far away are you left from your end goal when you began this?

Are you planning on continuing?
Are you happy where it's at?

Better days are always on the way

[shikzachaser]

I still don't have the SC. The vendor is slowly paying me back. I should have my refund in full sometime next summer. Hey, it will only be a year and a half. It's better than nothing. Since the car is staying I will probably just bite the bullet sometime after the first and get the Speedforce Racing kit. I just have to make sure beforehand that I can move the A/C to where the Power Steering currently resides. The car actually runs really well as is, at least for an old N/A. It also handles like nothing I have ever driven and I am serious about that. Maybe a Lotus Esprite a friend of mine had.

Steve

[Schumi]

I was just talking about this car in another thread... but if you want my vote for a new bit of kit... Ferrari 308 GTS. Or the slightly better looking younger brother, the 328.. You know you want to..

[shikzachaser]

Scumi:

The older 308s were a royal PITA w/ the old electronics. They went to updated Bosch fuel injection etc w/ the 328's. My best friend had a 308 Dino that was the precursor to the Mondials that finally went to modern engine management (1979).

I had an 83 Mondial Cab. for a few years. You think you got maintainance issues w/ a 944 try a Ferrari. I sold mine when Brentwood Volvo no longer was a dealer, oh yeah that and a $3500 50K mile tuneup kind of blew me away. The closest place to have it serviced by anyone who knew anything was in Springfield, IL (Isringhausen) who by the way are great guys. I have purchased a couple cars from them. That was an absolutely beautiful car, red / tan. Nothing and I mean nothing sounds or drives like a Ferrari. I picked my wife up at work one night w/ the top down and the little bimbo at the reception desk really liked it, her exact words to me were "nice Corvette dude". I was ready to put a pistol in my mouth. I got so paranoid about parking and drawing attention to myself I sold it and bought my 964 C4. I have decided with this Ebay go around to keep what I got and enjoy it. The car is really pretty cool and I can work on the damn thing with my eyes closed. I will however be on the lookout for some serious go-fast over the winter. It's really frustrating to know that no matter what I do to the 944 my wife can blow my doors off w/ a 4-door automatic sedan. Who knows, I drove a Dinan blowered M3 Roadster and also a Jag XKR. The BMW is blinding fast, the XKR Coupe is close but totally beautiful (looks a lot like a DB9) and has a back seat big enough for my granddaughter. Hey, I'm an old man, I gotta think about practicality. It's only 370 RWHP dragging around 4.5K lbs and just totally cool. We had an XJ6 and loved it. The Jags have unbelievable interiors, kind of like driving a living room couch around.

Give me a shout if you are in the area over the holidays, I got beer and a heated garage with beer, a theater w/ beer, a Kitchen w/ beer, a hot tub / sauna room w/ beer, and an office w/ beer. We just live 5 minutes from Parktown Porsche / Audi and my wife is too cool for words (seriously).

Steve

[pozican]

How was the XJ6 for maintence?

From what I've heard, Jags are a hit or miss on that topic...

[shikzachaser]

Ours was still a pre Ford (96 square light). It was probably one of the best cars we ever owned. We got it @ 80K miles for $6500 and ran it to 135,000 w/ nothing ecxcept oil and tires. It never was garaged,we left it at the airport, our kids drove it, etc. The thing was a 4 liter straight 6 pushing around 6,000 lbs and we still got 22MPG. I would highly recommend one, they are beautiful big cars.

Steve

[Schumi]

I'd love to bring the S up over the holidays, but I have a small oil leak I have yet to diagnose. About a drop a day. I am afraid it is coming from the lower main seal. I don't know a lot about what is all under the timing cover there. I drove it a few weeks ago though wit no problems, probably put about 150 miles on it for the weekend driving all over.

We need to have a timing belt party... if I don't get mine changed soon I am really going to start pressing luck..

[Razorback1980]

Originally posted by shikzachaser

Give me a shout if you are in the area over the holidays, I got beer and a heated garage with beer, a theater w/ beer, a Kitchen w/ beer, a hot tub / sauna room w/ beer, and an office w/ beer. We just live 5 minutes from Parktown Porsche / Audi and my wife is too cool for words (seriously).

Steve

Is it just me, or is there a pattern here? ....sounds like the place to be!

[shikzachaser]

It's actually going to be really quite here through Christmas. Jeannie's dad went to see her brother and family in San Diego, Our daughter has to work in Chicago, my brother and family are Jewish so their good for potatoe pancakes and briskit this Saturday and that's about it, and we'll be here with our son and graddaughter coming over. It will actually be kind of nice.

Steve

[shikzachaser]

Man was it great here today. Ice storm last week, sunny and 60 today. It would have been a perfect day to go for a drive except: I had to walk my nose into the shop to get non-warranty work. At 8:30 AM they put me out for a sceptum rebuild and a turbinectomy (I swear to God that's what it's called). Look it up, it's really pleasant. Looks like I'll be parked on the Living Room couch for a few days. The only good thing is a big bottle of Hydrocordone and a fifth of Bourbon. No pain yet for sure.

Steve

[Eldorado]

believe it or not, i need something similar done... was your sceptum deviated? (man that sounds like a dirty question).. mine has, pretty badly... not that anyone would tell by looking at me, but i know.. and i snore like a banchee...

how was the procedure (minus the bourbon)? painful? what's the recovery time like?