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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Looks like Ford doesn't sell the starter solenoid separately, and the starter motors are on national backorder until July 1. Found the Motorsport part at Rock Auto which might be here by this weekend, and then my credit cards got somehow compromised where somebody ordered $20k in GPS Watches for delivery to a Vietnamese export shipping company in San Jose. So guess the rear bumper will have to wait until that situation gets cleared up, ripped the top tabs clean off, so while it still looks good-ish, but I'd have to think of some cool way to mount it back on. Rear bumper hood latch? Replacement GT bumper is 300s, GT350 bumper is 500s, and looks like it's slightly shorter, with the bumper and lower valence being a separate part. I wouldn't think they mount differently.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Long overdue updates.
Got my money back, tied up for a while, can still pay rent and track admission fees.

Found out that the documentation is off, or I have some sort of freak, but while everything says my starter is an SA-1087, I actually needed an SA-1067.l, 87 on top, 67 on the bottom. 10 teeth vs 13.
IMG_20200620_212152.jpg

So, had to return that, and had to wait for a certain supplier to figure how they could ship something, but not hand it to the shipper for an entire week. Paid for 2 day shipment, took 2 weeks, done with both of them.

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In the meantime, decided to fix the 4 color thing because I'm a simpler man, and tried my hand at wrapping it matte white. I like it, especially that if I need to put on replacement parts, I can toss them on with little care to their color. I do need to greatly up my skills, it's a lot harder than it looks, at least with vvivid xpo which is a really high tack compared to Avery and 3m.

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Also got another bumper, since I blew the clips off at Buttonwillow's shake down run. Fortunate that I have so many junkyards nearby, and being by a huge military base means that there are plenty of opportunities for young kids to go out and total their cars. I am starting to run out of room here, so here's hoping that I can get some more runs in with @67GTA, because I came back from a driver's meeting $7 richer. These garages don't come cheap!

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Also spent some of that break in the action cleaning up the 19 up, as its days are pretty much done at the Prix household. It was a good run, and perhaps there will be another project to fill it's place someday, but seeing as I have a car for every day of the week, it's a nice but totally unnecessary feat considering how things have changed and how little driving many of us are doing, and looking out for the next 3-6 months, perhaps this is the new normal. No sense making car payments on something collecting dust.

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I'll probably look back at it and regret it someday, but I find it so much more rewarding to spin the wrenches instead, so if it were to be another, I'd probably try out my luck with another salvage. Speaking of Salvage, working with somebody to get some livery in place, really excited to see how that comes out.
 
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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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You better believe you were over due for an update! Lol Good to see it coming along some.
Yeah, having a lot of money disappear and then tied up with that online theft thing sucked, a lot. Amazing at how many online places seriously don't give a damn, and didn't think that I'd bother to do my homework. Cheers to Bank of America for jumping on it pretty quickly, and boos to Discover who just lost a customer from their truculent contumeliousness. (BOOM - TRIPLE WORD SCORE!)

While I have like 12 computers, I also lost my main one, which having some pictures and videos of those I've recently lost took me away from the action for a bit too. I was going to edit a video all nice, but I guess pics will have to do until I figure out what to do in the meantime.

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IMG_20200703_224926.jpg
 
Yeah, having a lot of money disappear and then tied up with that online theft thing sucked, a lot. Amazing at how many online places seriously don't give a damn, and didn't think that I'd bother to do my homework. Cheers to Bank of America for jumping on it pretty quickly, and boos to Discover who just lost a customer from their truculent contumeliousness. (BOOM - TRIPLE WORD SCORE!)

While I have like 12 computers, I also lost my main one, which having some pictures and videos of those I've recently lost took me away from the action for a bit too. I was going to edit a video all nice, but I guess pics will have to do until I figure out what to do in the meantime.

View attachment 18119

View attachment 18120


Yea, that sucks. Hope you got it all back. And I lol'd for real at the triple word score. Even told the wife. Her grandmother was a massive Scrabble buff and she would be whipping out the rule book on that one (dictionary), lol!
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Another quick recap, and since it's my own vehicle thread, it's allowed to be semi-random... just like DHL deliveries. Dogs went crazy, what could it be? That replacement starter you paid extra to have in 2 days... or 24... if that's alright. Covid is making it really difficult to do our jobs utilizing the same processes that we had developed years before, and how one can invisibly route something is beyond me. It's not like I do systems like this for a living.

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Oh wait, yes I do. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed, at myself.

A good friend of mine just passed, and it's strange how things like that come up out of nowhere and have you re-evaluate your time left here, which we all know tomorrow is not promised. Not bragging, but I'm fortunate to work through Covid without much disruption, she just went back to work this week, and as much as I love them, I really don't need 6 cars, certainly not 3 Mustangs.

So, I've said goodbye to my 2019 GT, which I got on my brother's birthday last year. Because of this one, I got back to track days, met some great peoples, and it brought back my love for these track things. The analytical side of my brain said, yo, it's a terrible idea to race a car that you don't own, that little bit in the back of your head will probably cost you a few tenths per lap. Perhaps, perhaps not, but that's what got me looking for a GT350, and lucky mistake, our beloved Albuquerque Stripper.

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Goodbye new friend, it wasn't you, it was me.

I also put an ad up for my 1998 Cobra which I've had since my Dad's birthday in 2004. Terminator swap, T-56, Glenn's 1300hp fuel system, 16 years of memories both good and bad. The guy buying it was 3 hours away, and jumped right on it, not like the other 104 people who responded. He called me every hour from the road, still asking if I had it. Had he not, I actually had a pocket of money, and thinking of pulling the ad, and paying him for his time and gas. Had he not brought with his two young daughters and decently hot wife, I likely would have. When he turned around, and they got a good look at it, the way their eyes opened and lit up were just like mine that very first time, so they could be actresses, but in any event, it looks like it's going to a good home, and they should enjoy much more than I would, given my current lineup.

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I'll end up buying it back from him some day, but watching it just disappear down the long road was a really foreign feeling. I don't know what I was expecting, having those big fat stacks of cash in my hand, while the baller/braggart in me wanted to make it rain, to be honest, I didn't even really need it, and felt kinda empty inside. To just about anybody else on the planet, it's just a car, pieces of metal, but to me, it's flashbacks and memories, my hiraeth. 2020 man, what a crazy, screwy year for everybody and everything, huh? I guess the only thing trying to win out is the analytical part of me saying that I can only race one car at a time, and with NASA and Lucky Dog schedules, it looks to be alternating months, so, another project and something to work on and look forward to will keep me busy.

Wait -- "another project?" and wait, Lucky Dog, the Endurance Racing thing where you need a production automobile that's 15 model years or older?

I know what I said, inner monologue... okay? I know what I said.
 
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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Any pictures of the “Decently Hot Wife”?

Asking for a friend.
In case somebody is reading through my browser history, A - she's definitely not my type, B - I'm running out of cars to sell, and C - I love you so much!

(Imagine Selena Quintanilla with aviators hiding everything but her big cheeks and lips, resting biznitch face, and a perfectly cut v-neck shirt.)
 
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In case somebody is reading through my browser history, A - she's definitely not my type, B - I'm running out of cars to sell, and C - I love you so much!

(Imagine Selena Quintanilla with aviators hiding everything but her big cheeks and lips, resting biznitch face, and a perfectly cut v-neck shirt.)
😂 This had me cracking up!
 

Ludachris

Chris
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Newcastle, CA
In case somebody is reading through my browser history, A - she's definitely not my type, B - I'm running out of cars to sell, and C - I love you so much!

(Imagine Selena Quintanilla with aviators hiding everything but her big cheeks and lips, resting biznitch face, and a perfectly cut v-neck shirt.)
🤣🤣🤣
 
In case somebody is reading through my browser history, A - she's definitely not my type, B - I'm running out of cars to sell, and C - I love you so much!

(Imagine Selena Quintanilla with aviators hiding everything but her big cheeks and lips, resting biznitch face, and a perfectly cut v-neck shirt.)

Lol!!

Also, good thing I didn't know about your Cobra... Very tempting with those mods especially. My brother has a red with tan top 97 cobra.

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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Also, good thing I didn't know about your Cobra... Very tempting with those mods especially. My brother has a red with tan top 97 cobra.
Great picture, looks like it's in even better condition. Crazy to think that they're beaten by Ecoboost nowadays, but then again, it's been 20 years. Hell, I'd probably even more be disappointed if that wasn't the case. Met some guy this past weekend at a show with a 1250rwhp Cobra with twin 6266's, and thought about doing something like that, but man, with all the California tricks one would have to do, it'd be real hard to enjoy it. Maybe someday when I move to Montana.
 

Ludachris

Chris
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Great picture, looks like it's in even better condition. Crazy to think that they're beaten by Ecoboost nowadays, but then again, it's been 20 years. Hell, I'd probably even more be disappointed if that wasn't the case. Met some guy this past weekend at a show with a 1250rwhp Cobra with twin 6266's, and thought about doing something like that, but man, with all the California tricks one would have to do, it'd be real hard to enjoy it. Maybe someday when I move to Montana.
I don't want to do any modifications that will put me at odds with CARB these days. I dealt with that headache for too many years with my last turbocharged car and I don't feel like dealing with it anymore. I do wish they'd change the emissions exemption to a 30 year cut off instead of the static 1975 cut off.
 
Great picture, looks like it's in even better condition. Crazy to think that they're beaten by Ecoboost nowadays, but then again, it's been 20 years. Hell, I'd probably even more be disappointed if that wasn't the case. Met some guy this past weekend at a show with a 1250rwhp Cobra with twin 6266's, and thought about doing something like that, but man, with all the California tricks one would have to do, it'd be real hard to enjoy it. Maybe someday when I move to Montana.


Yea, that would be tough. I am so glad I don't live in a state with that. ..and yea, it is kinda sad the old hand built 4 valve gets wrecked that easily these days.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Ugh, could not be more disappointed with the USPS. Supposed to have a package on Saturday from Autosport Labs, maybe it'll show up Monday, just like it was supposed to maybe show up Saturday. Could also not be more disappointed with the car, as I went to go start it up to make some garage space for ... uh, well, something, and wheeeeeee-ding-ding-ding ... as if the starter has died again. Thought there was a tiny chance it was the battery, which tested came back 100%. I had the negative terminal off for the past couple of weeks, so while I have no idea if I have dome or door lights draining, doesn't really matter I guess. Swapped some relays, and switched with the windshield wiper motor, it worked before and after. Switched the 30amp as well, and my multimeter passed the fuse there. At first glance, visual inspection looks alright, nothing snapped or dangling like the previous time, but pretty much sounds the same. Wondering if I bother taking the other one out and trying that one in its place.

Curious if anybody has ideas on how to test a starter. No idea if my part was remanufactured or an original, and if this is just a one/two time thing, or if I need to learn how to make my own since I'll need a new one every five starts. I wonder if the longtubes have something to do with it, as they're about two inches away from it, and currently unwrapped. However, the stock cat would have been right by that, equally as hot, and you'd figure most of the items underneath there in close proximity to the exhaust piping would have operating temperatures capable of supporting something at elevated levels, especially when you're quite literally bolted to the transmission's bellhousing. Very much hope I can have this figured out shortly as I'm supposed to head up to Buttonwillow this weekend, and got Friday PTO so I can try to dial it in with nobody on the track.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Dangit, it's a good ol' fashioned case of self-inflicted shade tree tomfoolery!

So, at the track when it had violently kicked the wiring off of the studs, we had to guess about what'd fit the proper threading, sizing, etc. As it was at Buttonwillow, we're fortunate to have an on-site shop, and rummaging through the boxes, pretty much grabbed a bunch that might, and we just went with what we thought it to be. When getting starter motor assemblies, they just simply include the motor itself with nothing else, so it's somewhat another round of guesswork in trying to find what holds it on. Getting under it and popping the rubber cap showed that it wasn't making great contact, and despite having a nyloc nut, it had somehow backed itself off. Pretty sure I had fastened it pretty good, but, well, here we are now. Anyhow, learning from my own failure. It's back on, and it's now starting, much to the dismay of my neighbors.

Also, just got a new toy from Autosport Labs, the RaceCapture Pro 3. Might start playing with that tonight, or just relax and do it in the lull between this and the next event in August. Can't wait to geek out on that stuff though, fo' sho. GPS, 4G SIM Card, and a much smaller box than I was expecting, roughly the size of a Raspberry Pi or a pair of cell phones stacked up.

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Need to get my trailer situation squared away for this weekend first though, seems U-Haul, at least here in California, is cutting maximum auto trailer time down to like 1 full day, instead of the 5-6 days it'd let you get before. So now, I've got to rent something local, drive it up, drop the car off at the track, return the trailer. Then on the last day, find a UHaul open on Sunday, miss some of my sessions to likely go far away to get it, then assuming no mishaps along the way, get back to the track and load-up before being asked to leave. Maybe I'll try asking nicely what happens if I don't bring it back on the first, second, or third day.
 
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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Or don’t return the trailer until you are finished? They will,likely charge you extra, but you have the trailer.
The thought crossed my mind a few times. Definitely. Did get to the reasoning, after a 32 minute hold with my local official store. Found out it's the district manager who does it for these 3 weeks, and should be over the next weekend. This is the weekend everybody moves out of California, families with school-aged children choose not to rip them away from their friends in the middle of the school year. So, they've locked local rentals (pickup/delivery same location) to 24 hours, and different p/u to 2 days, all throughout their internal systems. I had to drive from San Diego to Covina (75 miles) on Saturday, and on Thursday, I'm going to have to drive 25 miles south. Then yeah, kinda sucks, going to pick up the trailer, load up, probably drive up that night, see if I can unload early, leave it at the track, ditch the trailer at the location perhaps an hour away with pictures and their covid protocol stuff, and then try to enjoy the full day at the track. Then I'll park it at the track for a few nights, ditch some of the Sunday afternoon sessions to race over to whatever crazy place has it and is open on Sunday, race back, and load it up again, drive all the way home, and then unload in the morning, and drop it off again. So dumb, kinda jealous of you guys that have your own and can just do it whenever the hell you want.

@67GTA being the expert googler he is, found some new local trailers for just over $2k that I might end up picking, as my breakeven is at something like 10-12 events, and never again would I have to worry about this dumb stuff.
 

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