Mikelly

Well that went well... Mike

I had this happen on one of my motors, trashed a custom Isky cam and it turbed out to be the Lash Pads. They weren't sitting correctly on two of the lobes and ate the back fo the lobe and the rocker. I eventually found it was the pocket the shim sat in. It was worn at enough of an angle (And I couldn't see it) that it caused the arm to not track correctly and over time, wore the back of the lobe and the arm... Just relaying what happened to me... Cost me about $800 to get it all sorted by the time I chased it down... Guys at Datsun Dynamics, Malvern Racing, and Zdoctor of ROanoke Va. all scratched their heads.

SO let me get this straight... You towed a CARTRAILER, full with your dream car on board, with a Ford ESCORT with your wife and child aboard? I'm all about risk, but not that of my family... That's one I can't get past. Glad you got back safely. But imagine if something had failed on the brakes of the Escort and you have gotten into an accident... You probably would have been arrested on the spot because those cars aren't intended to tow any significant weight. Don't get me wrong, I've done a lot of dumb and dangerous things... I just leave the wife and child out of it... That risk is to great a burden for me to live with. Glad it worked out an your family is ok. Mike

Best advice I can give you is don't do it... Strip clubs and Jack Daniels.... That's where I'm spending my loot! Mike

We plan to establish all the correct coverages. We're looking at bill rates somewhere between $110-140 per hour, and I've got others who would like to come work for me at those rates minus my 15% take on their hourly figure, and me handing them a 1099 every quarter. I'd have a company car, as would my partner, and they would be covered under business insurance. We've got meeting setup for next week and the week after. I'll know more after these meetings. Bottom line is it looks like we're gonna do this if the bill rates are correct. Once we get over the hurdle of contract positions being offered, We'll officially start the process of transfering out of the companies we're with and onto our own contract. I've spoken with several independant consultants this week and it sounds like the real thing. Mike

Does it make me mad??? Heck no... I have one of each! Seriously, If you're a gear head, you won't leave a new car stock either... YES it'll do everything better. YES it will be safer, and YES it'll have all the great creature comforts... But one look here: http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z (Look in the vette folder) and you can see what happens when guys like US buy super cars like THESE! I still have a Datsun because I couldn't get one of you guys to buy the damned thing from me... beyond that, I'll take a nice NEW Vette (or my 500HP C5) for the street and a REAL race car for the track, as opposed my Zcar... However, I don't have the shop space because the Z just eats it up! Guess I'm stuck with it for all time! Mike

I had this issue on one of my old L series motors and had to go to Malvern Racing for rocker arm pads of a variety of thicknesses in order to get the geometry perfect. It was extremely expensive at the time, and I have no idea who else even sells these rocker pads these days... But make no bones about it, if you ink the rockers, and run them on the lobe of the cam, it is pretty easy to miss an improperlly aligned rocker arm at first. However, once you get one right, you can spot 'em plain as day! Did I mention I don't miss those days? Good luck! Mike

I think the member saw the title and assumed it had something to do with sexually related/ pornographic material... Mike

I'm the reason they NO LONGER cost that... Boy I could tell stories! Mike

I have a pair of A4s I won't be using since I'm going with fixed back racing seats that meet FIA rules... If anyone is interested in them, I'll let them and the univeral sliders go for $450 for the pair. I won't ship them, as they would be way to expensive, but would be willing to work out a location to meet and swap them within 2 hours of 22407 Zipcode. Mike

Good advice guys, Keep it coming... We're taking these and running with them... We've already talked to a number of people doing what I'm suggesting, and this business, once you have the clearances, is BOOMING. Once you're inside, you're there forever, so long as your clearance is active. Getting the work is a non-issue. Having employees wouldn't be being an employer in the sense that I'd be truly hiring people and providing benefits. I'd be hiring other ICs and handing them a 1099 every quarter. They'd be self employed as well. I'd be providing the opportunity and taking my cut. I can't go into specifics because of the type of work, but it isn't like I'm creating a product or selling a product. Our work truly is in support of the government customer, in the areas of research and assistance with their QC, CM processes, documentation of their processes, adherance to those processes, and lots of briefing material support. Mike

Barry Is very financially solvent, so I've got no concerns there. We've been involved in business before and it has worked out for both of us... 18 years is a long time to be best friends and tell each other "F you" and not take it personal... 9 years ago we both resigned from Government service together on the same day and went to work for BAE Systems. I left BAE before him and went to another company, then he left and did the same. I eventually hired him onto the company we're both with now, and got him the same business development contract deal, which as of now has yielded opportunities my boss simply does not seem to want to pursue. Low hanging fruit should be picked before it spoils... Contracts and work within my environement... There is more work than we have cleared people. But there are people out there looking for the work who have the right level of clearances... You just have to be persistant and look for them. I've already got a call into a CPA and an attorney I used a few years back when I was dealing with BAE Systems. Mike

OK gang, So here's the deal... I'm looking at becoming an Independant Consultant with my friend of 18 years, Barry. We've known each other forever, and been the best of friends. Back in my Government employment days Barry worked for me and I had to write a bad review on him. It never impacted our friendship. This is how close we are. He's the executor of my estate if something happens to me. Anyway, ICs in the federal government contracting business, WHich is what I do - except for a company, are pretty common. You're given a contract for X period of time, Billed in hours for the period agreed to by you and the government customer. You provide your billable rate within the parameters the government allows, and you're off and running. Here is the tricky part: You provide the billable hourly rate to them You have to factor in your quarterly taxes You have to pay for Social Security You have to pay FICA You have to pay for your insurance You have to pay your Long and short term disability You have to factor in your overhead for time off You have to factor in overhead for pretty much everything it will cost you to do this work. We're talking billable rates of $120-140 PER HOUR, which is what the owner of my company is billing for my services right now. Now, I'm currently getting half that per hour, and clearly shouldn't complain. But I've been given some business growth opportunities for us to pursue and he (My CEO) hasn't done so. One of my key roles in the company is business development. I've had little success in getting my boss to pursue these leads. I've known this for some time, and was under the assumption that my next move as a consultant would be to go independant. I can write off some of the cost of the vehicle I drive to work, the maintenance, the fuel costs, PDAs, Clothing, Laptop, cell phone expenses, home office, and a lot of other stuff... Pretty sweet gig once you get it all laid out for you. BUT, you have to calulate all of the above, and then set it up to be paid on time and to cover everything. I need info from the self employed on insurance rates, companies that handle the above costing and pay outs for the above list... Any advice would be great. We plan to start an LLC with my wife and Barry's wife being the owners, and Barry and I being employees of the company. We also plan to hire others who are in the cleared environement to do what we're doing... We've already been approached by two companies to start sub-contracting to them as ICs, so the work is there. Mike

Congrats Tony... Finding the perfect mate is an art. Finding one who will put up with your hobbies, your goofy friends, and the costs of your hobbies, both financially and in time is something that took me 33 years to find! I hope your marriage is as well balanced as mine has become... 6 fights in 6 years of knowing each other and all but one were the doings of children or the exhusband... Mutual respect, kind words, and saying thank you a lot will go a long way. We're getting ready to refinance the home this coming week, and I'm putting her on the deed and the note. I'm also turning over the accounts to her... THAT has been a BIG step for me personally. However, I suck with money and she is great with it. For us to realize our dreams, I'm gonna have to employ her banking skills to get there (Since she WORKS at a bank!). Love and trust brotha, love and trust! Congrats man! Mike

Now THAT's Entertainment! Mike

Overall the car seems like it is in pretty good shape. They seem honest in the representation of it, and other than actually being driven, Which isn't a bad thing, I'd say it isn't bad for what they are asking. Mike

Which means it will never stop... Such is the life... Mike

Nope, it isn't a vette specific issue. Apparently this is an LS1/ LS6 specific problem. You'll not see to many issues with it, so long as you don't spray nitros or hold 6200 RPMS on a high G corner, repeatedly for 30 minutes at a time. Mike

I can't wait to see this car... Man what a sano install... Mike

CONTACT CANFIELD!!! Man, I am sooooo glad I didn't buy into the angleplug head thing... More HP I know, but defenitely not worth the added BS... Let me know if you want to try Jim's old Sandersons for fitment. Mike

Pete, I've got a set of Sanderson somethin-somethins here at the house... I'll check and see what they are tonight... If you need them... Mike

This isn't a west coast thing. In Virginia, I can't alter my exhaust, use non DOT stamped lights, tint my windows beyond 50% on the front doors and beyond 30% on all others, alter or lower the suspension with bags or hydraulics, use a CAI (Emissions), NOS, remove ANY polution controlled device (This is not only federal, but VA. has its own laws, so it's a two-for ) , use racing harnesses, and any host of lighting that has "colors" like neons anywhere on or within the vehicle. They have even gone so far as to debate making spinners illegal. Welcome to the communist wealth of Va.! Mike

Totally unacceptable... This is just another example of bad customer service and poor product representation... Thermaltech Huh? Look at the brightside... If you had a Z06 intake, I bet it wouldn't have ten pounds of metal inside it that you just FOUND 20 minutes ago... Well gee, THIS throws a wrench in the works... Mike

On the early LS1s they were only turning 6200RPms. I was asked if I wanted to bump that when they did the custom tune and I declined for the reasons specified earlier... Age, mileage and unknown history. I'd put an LS1/LS6 in any project car I would build... I'd just make sure to address the issues I've addressed with my new motor... Eagle Hbeam rods with 180Kpsi capscrews, Forged pistons, ARP hardware everywhere, and some oil system precautions. Mike

Well let me stave off those fears by saying that all the known failures I'm aware of are in road race "extend High RPM" periods of use at higher than normal G loads. In about 95% of the applications here, I don't see it as a problem. But putting a drysump in line wouldn't be a bad idea either... I'm still 100% convinced this is a better motor than the 1st or 2nd Gen SBC. And remember, Mine did have 92K miles on it when I bought the car. I have no knowledge of its previous maintenance or care. Mike