Mikelly

The site we refered to most when building my Stepson's car was: http://tech.hybridgarage.com/ They are geared a lot like this site and deal more in technical discussions. They also tolerate ZERO BS and won't let you post in ANY forums other than the NEWBEE forum until you are worthy! But you can search and read till your heart's content! Mike

Plain and simple Scottie... I'd get my gun! Pass along my condolences to your wife. I hope for a speedy recovery, and a better stretch of luck for the both of you! Mike 8)

I just gave this advice to someone else offline... I've got a Lincoln Mig sp125. When shopping for a welder, make sure the dials sweep and don't click... that is my biggest complaint with Hobart, and other low end welders. The reason being you can better adjust your wire speed and temperature for any situation or materials. I've used my sp125 to weld up to 1/4 inch steel with no problems at all. I use .025 to .030 wire and run a 75/25 mix of Argon to C02. If you choose to tig, prepare to go through a lot of material learning... Mig welding is a LOT easier, and does a very clean job if you take your time. My goal is to buy a tig welder, plasma cutter, and some new torches... Probably buying in reverse order! I think I paid $580 for mine new from an online vendor. Mike 8)

Well I have found myself in yet another conflicting "life Situation". I always said, and still hold to the fact that there is NO NEED in this world for any aggressive pets. I now own one and have for four+ years. When I took on the task of my current family, I inherited my wife's 70 pound Beagel/ Basset Hound Mix... He is mean. I have to muzzle him whenever we have company and anyone who has been to the house knows why... He will bite. As much as I'd like to say it is breed X, or Breed Y, I'm not so sure anymore... My wife's X wasn't the nicest guy in the world, but who knows, maybe the move, or the stress the whole family endured from the events leading up to and the eventual divorce had an impact on the dog as well... However, I know that as much as my family loves this dog, and as devoted as he is to me, and to the family, I'd have no issue putting him down if he ever caused serious harm to someone. Scottie, You always want to maintain peace with the neighbores, but that sounds like an awfully serious attack, and I'd pursue it 110%. Coming from someone who will likely have to deal with this in his lifetime, I'd push that owner to have the dog destroyed... Unfortunately, it has already left its mark. Mike 8)

How ironic... The Chechnyan Rebels have been a thorn in the sides of the soviets for a decade now. What I find so sad is how we collectively turned our backs on the Soviets when two years ago they came to the UN for support on actions against the rebels, who are largely supported by islamic fundamentalists from OUTSIDE the region. The US voted NOT to support the soviet efforts AGAINST islamic terrorist activities within a soviet region, yet we expect their support on OUR war against those same factions elsewhere in the world... this is the exact problem with the US, the UN, and world politics. Most native Chechnyans are being held hostage in their own city and want no part of seperation from mother russia. This uprising grew from a small and violent faction that wanted to succeed from Russia, in order to hold its claim to stockholds of weapons and WMD held within the region. Mike

Would that be Chunky or smooth? Jiff or PeterPan? MIke 8)

No Go for the vette... Back spacing is an inch off over my Z06 wheels, which means they would be REALLY far off on the stockers... Oh well! Mike 8)

I have those heads... Very nice heads indeed! Mike

EXCELLENT Deal if you want to buy a set of rears to match them in the front... on your... VETTE! Waiting for his reply to my back spacing question before I click buy it now! MIke

Binchillin', Most of these guys are building cars capable of reaching near 200 MPH in the right conditions. Will they ever drive the car at that level? Only they can answer that. But to tell them to "Stop Chasin" or "Stop being" is NOT what this site is about. If you have something useful to contribute, then your imput is welcome. If not, Have fun watching the "Wind Whores at the 'Ring". But do yourself a favor and read the rules posted at the top of this category. Mike

There was one at the MSA show in 2001. It was AWESOME. I'm not a huge fan of "rebodies" of the Zcar, but that car up close and personal just blows you away. Pics of the car never do it justice. I'm gonna email the guy and find out exactly what he wants for it... If the price is right... Mike 8)

That is an excellent price on tha motor. The motor alone is worth more, and with this one you get the computer, harness and all accessories... Yea, you might not need them, but you could turn around and sell them on one of the other forums for a quick buck... Mike 8)

Phil1934 and BADDRIVER BOTH get the gold star. Both of you hit the nail on the head with your comments! Not saying I won't vote... Just saying I won't throw my support to the conventional "TWOsome". The current system is to much surrounded by money, and until it topples, it won't get fixed. I hate to say that, because I'm affraid when it fails, it will likely take us all with it. I love my country, put myself in harms way to defend it. But man, I hate elections with a passion. 8) Mike 8)

Magazines are funny in that they NEVER get the details right... But the makers are just as guilty! Chevy had FOUR different numbers for the 6 speed coups... That led me to weigh mine. Gas weighs 6.2# per gallon. The Vettes all hold 18 gallons. In the end, none of it matters if you can't hussle it down the road, right? Mike 8)

The claimed numbers on both models are all wrong on the C5 and the Z06. My car weighes 3216# with a full tank. I don't have the factory mufflers which weigh a lot. A friend of mine weighed his with a full tank and it came in at 3156#. These are used with a VDOT truck scale. Mike

In the last 20 years as a registered voter, I’ve become educated to political rhetoric, politicians, and the fence they all hop in order to get elected. When I turned 18 in 1984 Ron Reagan was running for his second term. I was very opinionated, and very ignorant (RCNSC reminds me so much of myself at his age) . Because of this ignorance and lack of understanding the game of politics, I did exactly what my parents didn’t do and I voted republican. To this day I know that I did the right thing, but blindly so. Reagan spoke well, seemed grandfatherly, and just seemed “Rightâ€. My parents, devout democrats, didn’t question my decision. They just couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a republican, even though they thought he was doing well. He was “For the richâ€. Over the years I would educate my uneducated parents (Mom had a 6th grade education and dad got through 10th grade) as to my reasons for voting in every election. Most times it would be very fun for all of us to come to the realization that the candidates really weren’t much to pick from, with only two choices. In 1992 I voted for Bill Clinton and thought I was doing right. He wasn’t Bush Senior, and at that point I was so unimpressed with Senior’s alignment to the religious right, that I actually campaigned locally to support Clinton, something I’d never done before. Having been in the agency for 8 years, By that point I’d gotten to see a lot of politics. I’d been to the White house and the Pentagon to brief the President, Vice President, and the Joint chiefs (I was an assistant to a senior Intelligence expert on Yugoslovia at the time and was only along for the experience as an observer to the process). I had seen first hand the game of politics and how an item became hot, and how quickly it would grow cold, if the wrong pressure was put on a situation or cause. Surely Bill Clinton wouldn’t screw up any worse than Bush Senior… I mean, Senior had kicked off the biggest war in my generation (I was only 10 when Saigon fell and the last choppers extracted Marines and diplomats), and he walked away when it was first and goal. How he could let Hussein stay in power with the volumes of evidence and violent oppression of a society, it made no sense to me and I wanted him out… So Clinton was it. We all know how pathetic Clinton’s international policy was. As offensive and abrupt as we can all claim Bush Junior is, Clinton was as stiff as a wet washcloth. Nationally he was doing ok, but internationally Bill Clinton was laughed at and made the butt of many jokes. He brought us the Bosnian issue, Mogadishu, Haiti, and left Iraq to stew, as if it were to just simmer long enough until he was out of office. I was also unfortunate to bear witness to Clinton’s White house. It was equally disappointing. The amount of sheer waste that happened during the Clinton era was one that will not likely be matched again. Bill Clinton’s staff partied like rock stars, and those who live and work in DC would be able to tell many tails for decades to come about how the Clinton camp left a town pilaged, broken, and busted in their wake. There are resorts and clubs that the president of the United States has exclusive access to during his trips across the country. One stay from the Clinton clan and the group and Clinton himself were OFF the list. So what does all this mean? We are in an election year. We are surrounded by some of the hottest, and most offensive political tactics we have seen in some time. It does NOT matter. Bush is against abortion and so Kerry MUST be for it. Gun control? You guess. Here is the sad reality of politics in the United States of AmOrica: If Bush got hit on the head tomorrow and decided to turn over the apple cart and go “PRO CHOICEâ€, then where would that leave Kerry? We don’t matter. None of us. RCNSC, PeteP, JohnC, MikeK, Jmortensen, You, ME, NONE of us, and NONE of our opinions matter. What matters? $$$ If you are not a part of a lobbyist group, not part of an organization that has $$$ and power, influence to BUY Electoral College Votes, then you don’t matter. Say what you will, get mad as hell at what you just read. You don’t matter… And neither do I. I voted democrat and republican for 18 years now. I’ve been Pro-Women’s Choice (Only because I am offended that it is a political topic) and PRO GUN for as long as I’ve been an adult. Likewise, I’m equally offended to watch the issue of gays and their rights become political. These are issues that will never be resolved, and should be as much a part of politics as religion. Health care is an excellent example of a legitimate cause that either candidate COULD resolve, but won’t. WHY? If we fix the issue, it won’t be one in four years. I know, I know, Fix it and you could use it as your poster child for accomplishment… But you and I aren’t that smart… or so the politicians say. Think not? Then why is it that since I’ve been watching TV (35 years), Healthcare has been a hot topic. So what does all this mean? Why would I type this book while I’m sitting here in North Carolina, watching another beautiful sunset in Topsail, North Carolina? I’m supposed to be on vacation, yet I can’t stop thinking of HybridZ and my Family on the web. We don’t matter. And we won’t until we get someone who is real. Someone with dirt under their nails, and conviction for his beliefs with no fear of the establishment. Not some pathetic liar who talks about his medals, or some buffoon who sits there in the White house scratching his head every time a real decision requires serious thought. We need a man for the people… sadly enough none is on the horizon… And sadly enough, we’re left with picking yet another “lesser of two evilsâ€. God Bless us all… The fence sitter… AKA Mike Kelly

Bastaad, The weight ratio on a regularC5 is off. Should be ONLY 90# difference between it and a Z06. Mike

This does my heart good to hear, especially after the recent issue with the rear round tube units, and the fact that news of some other vendors have gone out of their way to steer members to selling off my design to get their "Engineer Designed and built" new fangled parts... I've said this in the past, I'll say it again... You guys ALL WIN when there are more than a handful of vendors out there... MSA had a stranglehold on the market for a long time. AZC was the only real alternative to getting hipo parts, and Dave got fed up with the business for a while and dropped off the radar. However, he is back and I'm glad of it... His control arms are the best alternative solution to my design, in my opinion, and unless Jamie T. does something with a new aluminum control arm design, I'd hoestly give Dave the business...But look at other alternative solutions as well... We can't have one or two vendors providing parts... that is bad for the community,and in the long run will hurt the vendors as well... Number one complaint I had and I've heard of the other popular vendors is supply and demand... If you are a small production shop, having ten orders come in is hard to get out quickly. Turnaround ussually is slow, and I know this has been reported of other vendors as a chief complaint. If you have other alternatives, it spreads the wealth and takes the heat of ONE distributor... Does it take money out of that vendors pocket? Sure, but isn't keeping a good reputation worth losing a few bucks? It was to me! I'm glad I was able to provide the parts, but I'm also glad I'm no longer in the business... Regardless, I'm glad I made and sold some quality parts, and if Jamie ever gets his new product line up and running, I'll be a backer financially and otherwise help him with his business. My control arms are in my opinion the best design out there. THEY WORK, period. DO you need to know a bit about setting up a suspension? Sure. But everyone I have gotten feedback from that is track oriented, has been as happy as this poster. Glad they have worked out for you and I hope you get many, many years of use out of them! Mike 8)

YUp, On the way back from JohnsonCity Tennessee. I had to use a NUMBER 2 Pencil. I had a slim/ minimal tool kit in the car, and the pencil eventually gave way, and Luckily I had a ZIP TIE as a back up... Got me home, but I wasn't setting the world on fire with my shifting... Then there was the time two years ago when we were on vacation in the Wife's Mustang... Broke the KEY off in the ignition... 4:00 AM at a gas station... Fortunately I could actually stick the key in and it would touch slightly and allow the ignition to turn. Mike

Yea Phailure, But that rubber three piece spoiler set is only $70 for all 3 pieces, so tell your dad not to sweat it! I ditched the center section after it had a pivot mount break off, and have since ordered the BIG MOUTH center chin scoop for it for $120. It supposedly helps reduce temps of both the coolant and oil fluids. Between that and the AMSOIL fluid swap, I'm hoping NOT to see temps in the 290-300 degree range at Summit on September 10th... Some C5-Z06 owners have reported temps Above that! Mike 8)

So what next? THis must be the wrong time of the year, cause I tried for FOUR weeks running ads trying to sell my ZX9R Ninja and got ZERO calls on it... Good luck man! Mike

Read it... Good stuff to checw on... Mike 8)

My jaw hit the floor when I saw that one... Gorgious... Simply. I"m speechless... 8) Mike

I hope new members are reading and learning... This stuff is EXACLTY the stuff HybridZ is made of... Zrated/ Scott... EXCELLENT work on that diffuser. I'd be interested in the functionality. If nothing else, it fits the theme, and you are working with front and rear pans to gain, lose some aero... The key is to slot, and then add pivots so that you can at least adjust them. I had posted some pics of the C5 because it uses a LOT of aero tricks to get the CD numbers down to a low of 29. That car is extremely flat from the underside, and I'll have to find those pics and re-post. I'm not so sure a rear difuser is really that necessary, but Scott's looks SWEET! The units built into the body work have always looked of the CHEEZE WHIZ/ Ricaroni era to me, but YMMV! Muslaines corner... that is a VALUABLE website, One the new members should bookmark and add to their lesson plans! Mike

Go over to http://www.corvetteforums.com and read about the process... There is a TON of ground clearance on that car. The only issues that car suffers at stock height is enterances into driveways and parking lots... However, TRUST ME, I drive it from my home to WASHINGTON DC at least 2-3 days per week. AND I drive my car HARD... I lowered it almost two inches and couldn't get my low clearance automotive lift or ANY of my jacks under the car to lift it up, so I had to raise it back up... However, to give you an indicator... from the top of the fender well opening to the concrete floor, My mearurements are 27 1/4 inch in the rear, and 26 5/8th inch up front. I use the axle center as my verticle reference. I've also recently had my vette airborne at well over 70mph... Yea, I D-R-I-V-E my vette and it hasn't been on a track yet. But September 10th that will change. Research research research... Mike