Geeto67

Swap it. Plenty of XJs in junkyards with AX15s and NV3550s and the swap is so common there are dozens of instructional videos on youtube. It reuses your transfer case so it's not that big a cost investment, and any home mechanic should be able to do it in a weekend if they have all the parts. Plus it makes a good father/son bonding project and will increase his confidence in working on stuff because it feels like a big project but is actually simple.

Auto XJs when new were the personal conveyance of new england suburban housewives who don't like volvos, subarus, or saabs, or the "look what daddy bought me" ride of incoming sorority girl freshman at William and Mary circa 1995. Now they are the number 1 reason why people get asked "so, you couldn't find a manual one?" I have a personal hatred of the jeep AW4 auto trans. They shift lazy, they slip, the solenoids fail, they overheat (esp when four wheeling), and that is on top of the fact they are the most joyless transmissions to drive when they operate right. There is a reason why most people change over to a manual trans or a GM trans when they lift their auto XJs. At the very least, put a bigger trans cooler in the thing if you want it to last. But raise your kids right - raise them to drive stick.

Not so fast, it is still AutoLOL.

woah: https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/d/lawrenceburg-honda-gl1800-sidecar/6793435950.html That is a commitment to yellow I am not even sure I could make. This is for when that duo glide with 300 lights that looks like a UFO at night isn't attention getting enough.....

I am actually more worried about something I heard on the radio this AM that said the IRS is looking at a year backup and hasn't even started processing this years returns. And something that could be made worse in 3 weeks.

In the same vein as the supra being a supercar......Is the WRX, STi, and specials like this still a "Rally car"? One of the niche's I thought the WRX filled was being a performance car for all weather. Most of the other performance cars at that price point are basically toys - you really aren't going to see a GT350R or a Zl1 out in even a dusting of snow, but I see modded subarus all the time sideways and smiling in the snow drifts. sure people have lowered them and take them auto-x and road racing, but are the people cross shopping this also looking at 2 door sport coupes? or are they looking at Audi Rs3 (another rally inspired car), Focus RS (when they were still available), Civic type R, et al... cars that deliver a solid performance experience, have 4 doors, and can haul the mail in rain, snow, heat, and gloom of night? I feel like this is something the Japanese are really good at: building niche cars that do things other cars don't do and then having most americans miss that niche completely or underestimate how good the car is.

you didn't read my whole post: If you don't mind 100K+ mileage they are out there. I've even seen LJ's trade hands at that price, albeit with branded/rebuilt titles. Which brings up another interesting point - I follow Sgt jeep salvage's facebook page and there are plenty of trail rollover jeeps that look easily fixable but the ins company totals them out. They even have a section where they post ones they have sold that have been rebuilt. nice thing about wranglers is there really isn't a shortage of parts anywhere. I don't think I would have a problem with a branded title LJ for the right price - as long as I could see a pic of the damage before the rebuild.

I am 6'5", and the only thing I had to change on my YJ for comfort was the steering wheel (went to a smaller diameter grant GT). On the TJ's I have driven fitting in it has never been an issue for me.

My 2 cents from having owned an XJ, CJ, and YJ: Go look at the last couple year TJs (2004-2006), esp an unlimited (LJ). Yes frame ROT is an issue so make sure you have someone check it out if you don't know what you are looking at (I recommend Trail Quest in Plain City, in fact he sells used ones from time to time so maybe give him a call and ask. big areas to check are the front and rear frame horns, the crossmember joints, and the spring pockets. Do not go looking at any 4cyl jeeps, and try to stay away from lifted ones. Don't buy an automatic one either. Why the TJ? well it's probably the best of the last I6 4.0L jeeps. It will have an airbag, ABS, A/C (most likely), and better wind and weather proofing. Better engine, better trans, all the bugs worked out, and least likely to be rusty. Most YJs still on the road are either rotted and ragged out or someone's lifted mud/rock/mall crawler. They aren't much better than CJ's (in fact most of the parts interchange), and won't have airbags, abs, LSD, or A/C (unless installed aftermarket). Alternatively you could look at an XJ. they are great jeeps, I loved my 1987 4.0L and was my first "legal" car (I have had cars since I was 14), but it isn't as fun as a wrangler in terms of being convertible and having removable doors. XJs are a little better in cold weather, but not anything you couldn't match with a wrangler with a hardtop. I wouldn't worry about mileage, the I6 is known to go multiple hundreds of thousands without any major issue. I have 150K on mine now and it's never have the valve cover off (and it did not live an easy life). something like these are what you are aiming for: https://limaohio.craigslist.org/ctd/d/lima-2004-jeep-wrangler-4x4/6805946753.html https://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/d/newark-1999-jeep-wrangler-sport/6801297960.html https://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/d/elyria-jeep-wrangler-4wd/6803859403.html https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/d/waynesburg-2003-jeep-wrangler-40l-tj-5/6801777984.html Final note about "rolling" wranglers. I rolled my Cj7 on some sand dunes once. I was able to walk away because...well...low speed + sand + aftermarket roll bar. I actually rolled it back on to it's wheels and only had to replace the windshield frame (which was folded at the time. Had I done it on pavement I would have died, and don't get me wrong it still hurt and I was sore for days. I spent sometime driving my YJ aggressively and I never rolled it no matter how hard I tried. In fact I came to the conclusion that in order to roll it I would have to either hit something or run in reverse at full speed and then rockford really hard on an unlevel road. the thing is, my YJ was never lifted, and I ran slightly wider tires than stock (30x9.5) so it helped. I bought it new when I was 17, and I've 4 wheel drifted the thing right onto a grass shoulder off a highway cloverleaf, spun it at 65mph on the Long Island Expressway in an ice storm, and climbed a 10 foot pile of ice and slush in a parking lot sideways, but never got so much as close to tipping in normal teenage driving conditions. That being said I've been in wranglers that have been in accidents and you can get hurt in one if the accident is bad enough. The risk is yours to assess. Personally, I think most of the fear of rolling one is bunk, they are a little more difficult to drive than a modern car, but not harder than anything made in the 1970's, and they can be a lot of fun. I was going to buy a 1970 440 challenger and dad convinced me to buy the 1995 wrangler new and I def think I would have gotten more hurt had I bought the Challenger.

I am excited that it exists, and that Americans will get a chance to purchase one. excited as a possible future purchase for myself? eh, not really.

That's a good point about open face. I was shying away from open face generally anyway because I don't often ride with them, but I figured in car is there really a need for a full face, esp in a car with airbags and without a rollbar/cage, but I hadn't considered the other debris that might make it's way in.

FWIW, I'm not convinced that high $$$ automatically translates into "good" safety equipment. From what I have seen in a lifetime of riding motorcycles often lesser helmets and even some I would consider downright dangerous just being called helmets have cost as much or even more than real safety gear ( Davida and Altier's Ruby I am looking at you). In motorcycle helmets I have owned HJC, Arai, Shoei, Bell, Simpson, Davida, Z1R, and KBC helmets. The most expensive ones were the Arai and the Davida - and the Davida wasn't even Snell rated. Toward the cheaper end some have been really quality - my HJC and Bell, and Shoei cost half as much as the Arai and honestly, each one was as nearly as well made in fit and finish as an off the shelf Arai. With some helmets like the Z1R and the KBC you barely get what you pay for which is why they don't cost much. The Simpson is a good helmet but it costs nearly as much as the Arai and isn't any better in construction than a Bell or a Shoei, but you pay a premium for the menacing "bandit" look. Like almost everyone in this hobby, I am just trying to maximize the value of my dollar - not just buy a certification from the lowest bidder. Being after xmas and just before the new season of motorsports, I am hoping to score quality gear on sale or clearance, or maybe consider a brand that some people consider a better value proposition than some of the higher cost top tier helmets. If you look on track First's website there are helmets that cost $2K, and I would love to know how a $2K helmet is $1K safer than a comparable Shoei, or $1500 safer than a comparable bell or simpson. Any thoughts on RaceQuip or Conquer? Both seem to have SA-2015 helmets in the $130-$160 range for open face designs and $160-180 for full face. Are they good helmets or barely safety gear?

Planning to do the following (planning does not always equal actually accomplish): - All the dragstrip/auto-x stops on the Hot Rod power tour - the PCA/UFO joint Auto-x in June - at least 1 HPDE if I can find one that works with my schedule. - at least one bracket night at either NTR or Pacemakers. I don't have a caged car and I doubt I will be running faster than 12's in anything I would need the helmet to drive.

So here is a question for the group - do most drag strips/autocrosses let you slide with an M2015? or do you have to have an SA2015 automotive helmet? I'd rather have an M2015 that I can use for bikes and cars than two seperate helmets for vehicle types. Most of the places I am looking into, plus the HRPT, just say Snell in their literature, it's not specific that it has to be SA2015 or M2015.

Hey all, Looking for a new Snell 2015 certified helmet to use for motorsports events. Most of the places I want to go require either Snell 2010 or 2015 and since 2010 is phasing out soon would rather have the SA2015. I know about IronPony as a possibility, what about any other local gear places? Isn't there a big cycle gear warehouse just north of here? Trying to keep the cost around $100 and want local because I want to try it on before I buy. Also if anybody has a brand recommendation, that would be awesome too.

you know...you could always ask the guy.... Years ago I had a buddy with a really cherry 1982 honda CBX. The big six cyl motorcycle that prices have gone a little crazy for. He had let it sit for a couple of years and one of the valves stuck from varnished gas. So he tore the top end down (no big feat on a CBX), sent the head out for machining and new valve guides, and got it 95% reassembled.....and then he just lost interest. he could have easily pulled stupid money for the bike, and he spend a couple grand on the parts and labor, but in the end nobody could convince him to do the maybe last 5-10 hours worth of work on the thing to make it a perfect running machine. He did this with another bike too - a real Seeley Cb750 that burned thorugh a lot of cash. He had a need for a chunk of change and rather than finish it and sell it whole he just dumped it to the first guy offering close to his ask. Moral of the story: some people just lose interest, and some people need money more than a car/bike. It happens and it's not always nefarious.

have you checked the line and junctions for leaks/weeps? can't be just the check valve can it? from the way you describe it, sounds like there is a weep somewhere in the system that is contributing to the slow drop in pressure.

I dunno, at least they are trying something different, and it does look cool from certain angles. I still think it's better than Mercedes' phone it in "lets put a light on it" approach: "Hey rolf, have you finished making changes to the mercedes grille yet?" "Ja Walter, I expanded it 3.4cm while keeping it's original shape, also I put little squares in it" "I dunno Rolf, it may not be interesting or special enough to make dumb americans pay premium for what is a regular car here in germany. The lexus grille looks like it could eat at one of their buffets" "I know, Let's make the emblem light up" "wunderbar!!!!, but make it an option, those dumkoff's will pay for anything bling".

I don't think thats entirely accurate - if you held a gun to my head and said pick an A4, S4, and RS4, all automatics, and you have no other options to pick a different car, I'd pick the RS4. But I would take an S4 stick over an RS4 auto if those were the only choices. In the past I have considered a stick RS4 (an '06 model in 2011) but ended up buying a stick A3 instead because of more confidence in the 2.0T engine than the 4.2 V8 (at the time the forums were just starting to report the timing chain follower issue and the $10K it was to fix it). the RS4 used to be one of those cars that was only available in stick, so to me an auto feels like a compromise. Besides I think the RS4 has bloated out of market for me, but the 2011-2012 RS3 sportback with the DCT, which we didn't get, is def something I would have deeply considered, esp after having such a mostly positive experience with my A3 - but if they had made it in stick I doubt I could resist it. At this point though - Audi is a company that has only occasionally made cars that appeal to me, thought I wish they made more since I was such a fan of the original Quattro coupe when I was a kid (dad's friend Richie had one and a 911, both of which changed my mind and made me appreciate foreign sports cars in an otherwise GM family). But I guess that's why I'm glad they make mustangs and camaros and SS's, and such - to give guys like me some choice in the marketplace for my particular fetish.

I think you highlight an interesting point here: I am not the customer for an RS7 either, and I have to imagine the majority of customers who would buy an RS7 wouldn't have a problem with it being an automatic. As hardcore a "manual only" guy I am, I understand that not every car has to have a stick. If I have to have a car that does what the Rs7 does, there is still the BMW M5 and the Chevy SS (used market). Where I get chaffed on this issue is when traditional engaging "sporty" cars to DD and do light track work lose their manual. I have a 3 series and an A3, both in stick and both I would handily replace with newer stick versions when the time came, except audi and bmw both dropped the stick for those cars. I went to the launch party for the "new" a3 a couple years ago, and I drove one and it was faster than my existing a3, but not nearly as enjoyable - and that's important to a plucky car like the A3 where it isn't as fast as a camaro, mustang, et al....it needs to be enjoyable. I get that paper stats sell cars, and having lightning fast shifts helps those numbers, but my commute doesn't need those numbers. Road going sports cars are just better feeling cars with manuals, and in the case of the new supra I feel like it loses a whole market segment - esp when it is coming out that the intended competitor is the porsche cayman, a car that sells quite well in stick.

again, sorry for the hijack Well when you put it like that it seems to make sense to spend the extra money - it's a real value to have easy to find sensors, plus actual port fuel injection, an dedicated and calibrated ignition system, and a cpu that can be easily accessed by an android device. I see edlebrock makes a setup for pontiacs so it might just make sense to port match the manifold that comes with it since it's not a big job.

Unless I am missing something that's a $2K setup before you upgrade the fuel system. Granted it's port injection rather than throttle body, and it comes with a billet distributor, but that's still a lot. One of the reasons I liked the Fi-tech and Holley is that they can bolt up to the stock spreadbore manifold I have on the car now (which has been ported and port matched but still looks stock).

as a side note, how do you like the holley sniper and the Fi-Tech stuff in general? been thinking about this system for the GTO down the road, the Fi-tech price makes it hard to pass up, but people say the sniper is the better computer/throttle body.

In person they are tiny. Like put it in your pocket tiny. The seats are not on rails, they are molded into the floor and you move the pedals and wheel to fit.

FYI, National weather service is affected by the gov't shutdown, so getting an accurate report out of anything right now is about as accurate as a magic 8 ball. This is on top of Randy's analogy for how tough it is to predict the weather normally.