Mikelly

Didn't touch a thing... Crazy! Mike

It's highspeed Cable wireless Router/modem Motorola model! I know there are a few who would throw a party, but it ain't happening. Sad for them... Mike

...Apparently my router/ Modem decided to block HybridZ for some strange reason... for four days! Anyway, I finally recycled the modem and all is well again... Crazy crazy.. Was just to busy doing other things to even think about it. Mike

Sounds like you had a very happy Thanksgiving! Mike

Ken, After reviewing the video, and the article in the magazine, I find it hard to believe you can't get 12 people to put a deposit down on making this kit? Simply amazing, and a real work of art! Come on guys, get on the band wagon! You wanted a bolt on system, and here's the perfect solution! Mike

I'd love to have something like this just because of the uniqueness of it... Wonder if I can find someone who wants a C5? Mike

My youngest stepson's new civic hatch is painted that exact House of Kolor Orange. Looks really nice in the sunlight. Mike

Oh, there's no doubt mike is a smart young man. That long last post was for the board in general, as I've had a number of guys contact me offline about their personal woes... Mike, you may be happy with yourself, and that's great. I'd still wrap up all your projects before you move anywhere (WHich means he'll be drawing retirement from somewhere in Houston before he every moves! ) so you don't have all that hanging over you as well. This has been a fun discussion. Mike

Couple that with the fact that several of us in the market are within reasonable driving distance of Bristol PA (Including Pop!) and it makes this even more attractive. However, I just read in the latest Vette magazine about a new LS2 swap done on one of the project Vette's for the magazine ( http://vetteweb.com/tech/vemp_0601_ls2/) and that setup was good for about 470HP at the wheels... Pretty sweet and not a lot of bones for the extra umph and extra dispacement (6.6Liter!) ! Mike

YUp, I'd sell those pistons and buy dedicated forged pistons that are the target compression. I'd also shoot for lower compression. Also, I'd not put a blower on anything without an Hbeam rod and 180K capscrews. Mike

So Ken, How bad was that TT setup? Spill the beans! Mike

I just pulled up the auction... You're getting a lot more than just a motor and tranny for that price. They are giving you a LOT of stuff with it, all the way back to the torque arm and drive shaft (Which you could sell), so that isn't a bad deal at all. The wiring harness and ECU would be excellent to have, since it would then be a plug and play ordeal. If I could sell my 383 stroker, I'd be all over this... Also, as to the comment about the 2002 models having "special Parts", I was very sceptical when I read this same thing elsewhere. However, my little brother has an 02 camaro so he has been doing a ton of research. When we went to have my Vette tuned in North Carolina By Jeff, he told us that he was told by a GM rep that some of the later 02 production Fcars got LS6 shortblocks because the LS1 production was winding down and they ran out! So, the later half of the production line got the stronger shortblocks and all 02s got the LS6 intake. Jeff also told me that he has pulled more than a few truck cams out of the 02 Fbody motors when doing swaps and he has seen bone stock 02s on his dyno roll over 310 at the WHEELS in those configurations. If I was an Fbody fan, I'd be shopping for a late production date 02 Camaro! Mike

B- We're working on the website. But right now we're busy with other "stuff" and it is on the back burner. We'll get it done! BUt based on the nature of our business (Intelligence Community Consulting), I'm not about to turn it over to some pimple faced teenager! There are millions of dollars in revenue at stake here... Mike

Hmmm.... It isn't a "bad" price, but you could buy a used 99-2001 Camaro for between 7-9K. Now the real issue with buying a car is how hammered it was. A low mileage drivertrain might not be bad. Pop, there is a guy on Corvette Forum up near Boston who is parting our a 99C5 Corvette and he is seeling the complete motor, wiring harness and ecu all together. Not sure if he has the tranny or if it is a T56, but the car only has 6K miles on it. I have his number if you want it. He was basically looking for 50% of the dealer cost, which is I think about $6K for a crate LS1. PM me if you want his number. Mike

So our company, BKA (http://www.bka2005.com) has been up and running for a little over one month. Seems we've spent more money initially than we've made, but that isn't a huge concern. What does it cost to provide top of the line benefits for a small company of TWO? Our benefits package currently is costing monthly: Healthcare - ME:$240.00 My Parnter: $287 LT/ST Dis - Me: $47 My Partner: $59 1Mill Life - ME: $148 My Partner: $184 Totals ME: $435 My Partner: $530 Our healthcare is through Trigon Bluecross/ Blue Shield and covers vision. Right now the dental plans offered were so bad, we are just offsetting the employee's lack of dental with additional salary. As you can see by the numbers above, We're spending just under $1000 per month on the basics for our coverages, which we will also include for our employees (Life Insurance coverage amount will be less). We're paying $2000 per month to a CPA for our books and keeping us legal for the first 6 months. That $2000 is getting us some other perks along the way, since they grow businesses for a living. It sounds high, but that team has simply stunned us with their abilities to do things with money. The tax laws for small businesses in government contracts are spookey to me, so I'll pay the money and stay in the IRS' good graces! We've also spent about $500 with an attorney through the CPA for the structure and registration of the corporation, and review of contract "stuff". For the gov't contract work we're consulting on, we're required to have a professional liability insurance policy and that 2mill. policy ran us about $500. We've spent a few bucks on building a data server, buying myself a higher end laptop, some office peripherals and supplies. Otherwise we're trucking along OK. The biggest test for our small defense contract company has been making contacts and getting the "In" to subcontract. We're actually going to bid as prime contractor on some work out at the NSWC in Dalhgren Va. We're also spending a lot of time (Actually I am, Barry is on contract working!) visiting other prime contractors and giving our sales pitch for our capabilities. considering our bill rates for my partner and I (He is on site now, and I'll be on contract in early January if all goes well...) We should be in the black within the first 6 months. If we get the chance to actually put others on contract, we'll grow rapidly, and things will take off from there. So far our actual costs to date have been less than $7K to structure the company and we've already got a bank to fund up to $250,000 to support payroll for future employee growth. One reason we've hooked up with and are paying our CPA firm the money we are is that they are plugged into small business growth in our area and were able to plug us into this particular bank for payroll funding. Unheard of in our field, actually! What this means is that when we hire someone and put them on contract, we have to pay that employee within a given period (Generally withing 4 weeks), but we won't get paid for their services for about 60 days. The prime contractor gets an invoice from us for the hours worked by the employee at the end of a billing period (Generally end of the month) and at a specific bill rate, and they process it. Generally speaking it takes about 30 days for the invoice to be processed from the time they receive it. So we'd need to cover the employees salary until we get paid. This bank will cover 80% of that gross number for us. for up to 60 days per employee. So if we do get awarded a larger contract, and we can find the cleared people to do the work, It'll be covered. We're structuring it so we can afford to pay for all our employee benefits, offset the costs of their family coverage as well, and provide all government holidays, as well as a minumum of four weeks leave (Sick and annual rolled into one) per year for employees with less than 10 years experience and five weeks leave for employees with 10 years plus experience. We're also going to set up an employer funded retirement account for employees as well as a 401K, once we meet that minimum requirement. So what does that sound like to you guys for a benefits package? Anything I've missed? We're hoping for very good things in 2006! Fun Fun FUN! Mike

To some it's the Journy. To others (Like me) it is the experience of driving the car. Sure it is cool to tell people you did this, or you built that. But form and function must meet and live together in harmony or it is all just art... OCC Motorcycles come to mind there. I want this project done and out of the way so I can focus on licensing and buying a dedicated race car. Can't do that until I finish my HPDE car. Mike

Michael brings up a few points that I'll entertain... This is gonna be long... Sure, there are guys who have luck with women at any age (For some unforeseen reason I get hit on when I'm out WITH my wife still and I'm about 25# overweight - ) and there are guys who, for whatever reason, lack a few things. You don't see guys lining up and swiveling heads to watch some plus dress size 14-16 woman walk past, do you? No, we generally make comments about their weight, and comparing them to mammels that we send off to the slaughter. Is it fair? Don't these young women have feelings to? Yet few guys are lining up and chasing them down for their numbers. No, we're all drawn to the pretty women that scratch our particular fancies. But regardless, we shallow men want all our boxes checked off too. Then, we wade out into the sea of lonely people, get rejected a few times, and complain about how these "gold digging" little hot biatches only want guys who drive nice cars, have fancy homes or thick portfolios. We're such a pathetic lot, really, and quite hypocritical. On a side note: I have two nieces who are 17 and 19 and both are overweight, and both would knock every guy out of their shoes if they took care of themselves and lost about 20-40 pounds each. Both have no interest in trying. According to the youngest, the competition is to stiff and the reward isn't worth the grief of trying Maybe this helps explain some of the epidemic of overweight youth. Who knows, but it is telling, none the less. I guess my point in all this is that I see hot women dating, or married to guys who are ugly, overweight, smelly, and rude pigs. These guys "hook up". It all depends on how you approach and play the game. These guys have proven to me that all that matters is the "wrap" you lay on the woman you're trying to bed/ court/ date/ marry (Whatever the goal)! Every woman I've ever talked to on this subject (Including a radio talkshow I was on for two hours discussing the subject ) has stated that it has to do with a guys confidence, and the woman's ability to tolerate/ need that level of confidence in a man. Example: Some women I've dated have commented that my confidence was what drew them to me (My wife is a prime example). Other women I've dated claimed I was "Cocky" and that it was a turnoff at first (This ubber hot pain in the *** woman I dated was in that court, and she was very independant) . Some women I've dated have been biatches to me, but to other men the ratio or mix of BS was tolerable or not even an issue. If you're not willing to play by the rules, then you'll strike out every time. I liken it to fishing. Different bait works on different fish, No? You've got to undestand the type of woman that attracts you, and the type of woman you attract mentally as well as physically. Once you understand that aspect of the opposite sex, you can better select the women you pursue to date, and better understand when not to try. You've also got to be fair with your own assessment of yourself. If you're not giving Brad Pitt a run for his money, You'll likely crash and burn in a competition over Jennifer Anisten's replacement. Doesn't mean you should be a bottom feeder, but if you're gonna aim high, prepare for the rejection and be pleasently surprised if the door cracks open for you. This is a fact of life. It also expains why some of the ugliest men on the planet attract some of the truly hottest looking women on the planet. And remember, regardless how hot they are on the outside, no matter what the measurements or how good she looks on your arm, that is just the first layer of the onion. If there is Zero spark when you kiss, houston we've got a problem... No Sustainable FIRE in the "hole". We spend a LOT more time out of the bedroom than we do in it. How many hours does a date last before you're both in compromising positions under the sheets? 2-3 hours? For what, 30 minutes and a good nap? Point is that if you two have little in common other than headboard gymnastics, then it won't last! If you try and force it to "work", then you'll both be miserable and you'll have wasted more time with someone who isn't truly a good fit. If you're just dating and padding your scorecard, that's great. If you're looking for your soulmate, do not walk, but RUN and get out. Don't compromise for the one you plan to be with forever. It'll cut down on your own misery level, and it will also make a truly long lasting relationship last that much longer. Michael's situation was not unique... He moved to Dayton Ohio, relatively small town with factories and an Airforce base. He was a new guy in an unfamiliar town, where the pickin's were slim and the competition was fierce. I bet a lot of you guys are in that very same boat. There's still plenty of opportunity there. You just have to understand the rules, and draw from your strengths, and develop your weaknesses. It also may require you to make some personal changes as well. Again, fair self assessment is the first step to success. A willingness to make the changes to offset those less than attractive areas will go a long way to helping your chances. We don't attract flies with gasoline do we? And again, we don't swivel our heads at that size 16 dress swishing by, right? There's your answer... Know the rules of the game, or call it a day. I hear the catholic church is looking for men of Celibacy! Back to ON3Go's dilemma... No chance in hell I'd pick up and move for a girl, not without being 100% happy in my own life first... Personally, spiritually, and professionally. You've got a lot of growing and learning ahead... Good luck! Mike

Bastaad, A lot of guys overlook the C5 because they think it is to expensive or the insurance will kill them... I bet the insurance on a C5 would be about the same as your SRT4 Neon, a 350Z, or any other "sports" car! I got my 99C5 for $17900 two years ago, have put over 24000 miles on it, done 8 track days, upgraded a bunch of suspension, brakes, the motor, the rear diff, and completely wired in a custom 1500Watt stereo system. I"ve got receipts for just under $28000 total (Purchase price of the car included in that $28K) for everything including the new motor and upgrades! It is truly a world class sports car, and as good as it is, One ride in a C6 made me want to sell it and upgrade! They are THAT MUCH better! Still the best $28000 I've spent! We'll be giving test rides in it at this coming Zcar bash on the 3rd! Mike

Don't bother with the 10.5mm Taylor wires. They are Junk. I've had them now for two years and I've broken two and had one lose connection... I'm unimpressed with their quality! Mike

YUp, sure is! The corvette parts from the C4 and C5 are VERY light and I wish I had the skills and patience to convert my Z to a full upper and lower front rear assembly to get away from the old skewl Z suspensions! Mike

I got rid of the runflats for that very reason. I drive my C5 as often as possible only because of the fun factor and the feul efficiency! Turning something like 430@ the crank makes for fun commuting for sure. My C5 has the full power package and I use the program for easy seat entry (I'm short at about 5'9" as well) to help getting into and out of the C5, not sure about the C6, but I bet it is similar... Can be difficult with the seat adjusted in the memory position for me... For the money, you can't beat that car, new or used... Mike

Go to a PEPBOYS and see if they have a seat display. I know the one in my town has these style seats where you can go in and test sit... I"m selling my A4s but shipping would make it impossible to ship them, so Local pickup only for these... Mike

THose DRM prices are marked up significanlty. The Vette boys have deep pockets for bling! Mike

Yup... What I do is start it cold, and use my hand around the joints and connections to "feel" leaks. However, with the situation described above, the leak is only under load... That won't work with my way of checking. Other things to check: MAPP sensor is notorious for getting hit and damaged when motors are pulled. check it with an Autotap for codes. Descreening the MASS... Everyone I know who has done that has had to retune with LS1edit Plug wires can also cause this. A faulty plug wire will start to suffer spark loss under load at full operating temps. Good luck. Mike