Mikelly

I have no issue with this AT ALL. It would help fund the maintenance of the site. It would also weed out those who don't want to contribute, and only want to detract from the usefulness of the site... I can tell all of you that there is a new era coming to hybridZ and a ZERO tolerance rule is in the making... ...And to those who have heartburn with this, you can always buy the hardware, get the service established and host your own site... But you're not gonna ruin ours... More to come! Mike

I posted this elsewhere, but it needs to be read and CLEARLY understood by all... I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you can deal with OUR RULES and the way WE have fashioned HYBRIDZ, We would like for all of you to stay and enjoy yourselves, to learn and contribute. However, IF YOU CAN't, But choose to stay anyway, because this is the land of the free and the brave, and you'll do as you wish... READ ON... YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED. FROM YESTERDAY's Site Support thread on keeping the site the way it was intended: "Funny, You guys asked how we keep this site from becoming "Like XXX Site!" and yet a number of folks came out of the woodwork in defense of another young kid who was repeatedly getting more and more argumentative on a NUMBER of subject. This afternoon this individual posted a flame-fest, attacking the "Elders" of this site... I'm gonna make myself CRYSTAL clear, so I'd like those who consider themselves part of the family to take note, and those who take issue with how this site is run to especially TAKE NOTE...AND PAY ATTENTION. We're NOT, N-O-T gonna let this site go the way of every other garbage, waste land on the internet... If that bothers you, then you may want to consider yourself a target. I am NOT gonna allow the conduct promoted elsewhere to permiate our website and I want ANYONE who feels something is out of line, off color, or inappropriate to funnel all posts to me or any of the admins and moderators... This is my house, and I consider those who do NOT have intentions of living up to OUR mission statement to be trespassing... If this is you, Consider notice served and your days here numbered. " MY POINT HERE IS that we are ALL responsible for how we conduct ourselves here at THIS WEBSITE. I don't care what you do elsewhere, just don't di it here... That is all Dan Porter, Own, Pete, John C. and the Rest of the admins and mods have stated OVER and OVER again. So here's the deal. If you have been around a while and you have a sufficiant number of posts (To the admin or mod, their call) and YOU MAKE an inappropriate post and flame someone... You're out of here... Baned, gone, see ya. I'm gonna leave it up to EACH admin and mod to call it as THEY see it. If you are a newbee, young or old, YOU GET ONE FREEBEE... one warning... UNLESS it is just SO BAD and SO RUDE that you deem removal. You're in our house, as OUR GUEST... PISS ON MY CARPET, Kick MY DOG, or Disrespect my wife, and OUT YOU GO... I hope, I REALLY HOPE we don't have to kick anyone else off the site. But make no bones about it, When it is warranted, I personally do it with pleasure. Likewise, If you SCREW members over by posting bogus garbage in the forsale section and sell it as gold, clearly misrepresenting yourself, scamming for the sake of making a buck, You're out of here... If the offended buyer has done his homework and can prove through e-mail trails that you lied and wove a tale to cover your tracks, your out of here... I've had several of these incidents and I'm personally done... You prey on your own members, then we don't want you as a member of OUR family. Have a good day, and happy researching... Mike Kelly "I'd be the biggest humanitarian in the world, If but for the people..." Mike Kelly

Funny, You guys asked how we keep this site from becoming "Like XXX Site!" and yet a number of folks came out of the woodwork in defense of another young kid who was repeatedly getting more and more argumentative on a NUMBER of subject. This afternoon this individual posted a flame-fest, attacking the "Elders" of this site... I'm gonna make myself CRYSTAL clear, so I'd like those who consider themselves part of the family to take note, and those who take issue with how this site is run to TAKE NOTE... We're NOT, N-O-T gonna let this site go the way of every other garbage, waste land on the internet... If that bothers you, then you may want to consider yourself a target. I am NOT gonna allow the conduct promoted elsewhere to permiate our website and I want ANYONE who feels something is out of line, off color, or inappropriate to funnel all posts to me or any of the admins and moderators... This is my house, and I consider those who do NOT have intentions of living up to OUR mission statement to be trespassing... If this is you, Consider notice served and your days here numbered. Mike Kelly

Jersey, I'll be there in the Vette. The Z is months away from being back together. As to your comment about not putting enough stress on the Z strut towers, you should seriously look at some older Zs that have spent lots of time autoXing and roadcourse/ track day eventing. The telltail sign is at the seam where the roof joins the rear hatch slope by the circular vent hole. That seam is often visible, and sometimes cracked due to stress from the strut tower flex these guys site. There is a significant amout of stress put on those towers. Also, check the link John M. posted. I've seen first hand the effects of age and thin metal on Zs that have been abused, and "Fortefied" with stiff suspension bits. It is usually poor execution, with evidence of damage in the above area, the "A" pilar at the windshield/ roof attachment seam, as well as in the TC boxes and the frame/firewall/ batterybox/ floor pan junctures. Good luck... Also Do a search in Google and search for Summit Point West Virginia. There you can see the schedule, and prices for instruction for track events! $195 for the day if you pre-register. Mike

Jake, Typically the 98 version is down about 5HP. Log onto any of the various corvette or Fbody sites and check their parts forsale or do a search on ebay for LS6 or Z06 intakes. I bought my complete upper induction from Gene at Karshop in Tampa! Check him at http://www.geneskarshop.com/ I think I paid about $450 for the complete upper induction, including the intake, TB, Injectors, regulator, Rails, bypass tubes, and all accessories related to the induction. Mike 8)

Oh my peter... Christ this is funny! OK, so I'm assuming (God help me here) that the intent of the bar is ONLY for the purpose of holding a camera, and if that is truly the case then, Great, should serve the purpose of the intent, which is to hold a 2 pound VHS-C type camcorder. (Don't throw anything at me just yet Pete! ) So, my question is (And I'm guilty of browsing the thread, more than reading it) what is your intent of the car? If it is gonna be a street car only, with no bone jarring suspension, no sticky tires and no aggressive hard romps, then I'm sure it would be sufficiant to hold a camera. That said, I'd heed Professors Paraska & Drax lesson on structural integrity! Hahahaha! And Jersey, Sign up for the Summit Point FATT on September 10th... You and Pete both... I want to show both of you my taillites! Mike 8)

KYBs are pretty much BUDGET struts that are sufficiant for street use, and are probably a few ticks better than the stock units. But if you can swing it, you might want to look at the Tokico Premium non-adjustable struts, or Boges. Both are MUCH better in the valving/ damping/ Rebound area and their seals are much better. Mike

"Social Engineers"... Kevin, You get a gold star for that one! The larger, further reaching issue, is the fact that for 12 years after the conclusion of the last war in Iraq, We walked down a path of tolerance for the tactics of the Hussein regime. Bush Senior (Total fool because of this in my opinion) was presured into stopping before the job was complete. Clinton's (Hey I'm guilty of voting him into office and I was a CIA staff employee at the time! ) international policy was horrible, from Haitie to Bosnia, Mogadishu, the constant fumblings in Iraq, and our less than ethical deals with China, one of the worlds absolute WORST human rights violators. I don't disagree with Terry on a number of issues. However, based on the intelligence we had at the time, and the belief that Saddam had WMD and was tied strongly to 9/11 and BinLadden, It was very logical to A$$ume Saddam WAS a reasonable target in the war on terror. The problem now is, we are in to deep to just walk away, and we had ZERO support from the UN at large. It is a volunteer army, and our enlisted probably don't think far enough ahead to deal with the what-ifs of real world politics and war. I had an employee of mine who was out-processing from the military when the Towers dropped on 9/11. His papers were stopped, and this inactive reservist was called up for a one year stint at SOCOM. He was pissed and very upset over the fact that he was going from making $65K per year, back to E-6 pay. And he had JUST closed on a house in Falls Church Va. $$$$ He was stressed, understandably so. But this is one of THOSE scenarios that CAN happen when you sign up. So is war and death. I do NOT make those statements lightly. There is a price we pay with every conflict we engage in. And again, I remind each of you that your ELECTED officials that WE put into office ALL agreed 100% to this war, and don't let ANY of them fool you. They wanted this war just as much as every one of the heard of Sheeople did after 9/11. They also had access to the SAME classified data the president has access to. They CHOSE not to research the data, or did read the data and listen to the analysis from all over the world and the intell community, and either MADE THEIR decisions to go to war, right along with Bush, based on an informed or uninformed mind. Think about that for a minute... Regardless of WHY Kerry voted for the war, he did it with access to the data and the community that was providing it. So regardless of if he was informed or not, he is in office to represent his state in the congress or the senate. Right along with all the other elected officials... They ALL (Except Dean and Kennedy) voted for the war, and they all voted for action in Afghanistan. Terry, I've tried to play both sides of the fence, and to provide some insite from within government and policy. However, what I've tried the most to do is not pick a side. Demacrat nor republican will fix this situation properly. The reason being is that the solution is the least popular of all... It requires a leader who isn't worried about election, politics, or popular poles. That is the sad and unfortunate state we are in. This legacy was handed to us in 1991. It will remain a problem regardless of who wins in November. And regardless of who wins in November, we, the American people STILL LOSE! Mike 8)

Dude, You paid $3900 for this car? Is it Running? Those things are getting $12-14K on the right coast... Mike 8)

John, No reports that I've found. When I was sorting out my issues with the vette (A classic example of what I was refering to can be seen in the link Auxilery posted of the Yellow C5 Convertible looping it), I found that if you wanted to get a super HARSH ride, you could swap the rear spring for one from the Z06, which is much stiffer. The front spring from the C5 & Z06 is the same partnumber. I've had the springs out of my car, which is a high milieage car, and it looks brand new with no evidence of ANY wear. The one COOL thing about the C5 setup is that you can alter the ride height by up to two inches by tightening or loosening the Beam tension screws. This does affect quality of ride, so you have to balance it. My car currently sits about an inch lower than stock. Mike 8)

Yea, John, But it still had a damned GM stamp on it! Mike

Scott, As always, excellent points on all fronts. The C5 Corvette (Of which I own one and am a fan of) is down right dangerous in the hands of anyone not paying attention. The SNAP OVERSTEER under hard acceleration when the TC is turned off can be impossible to correct safely. The plastic like feel of the C4 was replaced with an interior closer to a late model camaro, which is a shame compared to what they were shooting for, which was probably cutting edge in 1996, but not close to 2004 standards. As for the harshness of the ride, well to use RCnSC's words, it is a sports car and no a "C"-dan, so I just live with it. But I wasn't about to live with the quirky handling issue... I bolted Z06 bits on the suspension and all is good now. But the car should have been VASTLY improved in this new iteration. From the reporting I have, the articles written in R&T and C&D, as well as AutoWeek, the are all in VAST contrast to that of those tools in England... Only time will Tell... Remember, Chevy DID make the GEO Metro... Which I've never forgiven! Mike 8)

Oh, Mike Kelly is being unfair again... Not the case at all... HERE is my problem with the original post from RCNSC: "I doubt it, but whatever", But there have been others... I'm 38 years old, and I've owned over 100 cars to date. I know as of this last week that BMW has build quality issues, along with VW, and Mercedes. How do I know? Because I'm researching a new car for my wife and we are looking at BMWs, Acura 3.2 TLs, Toyota Solaros, Audi A4s, and a few others. My wife has picked these models, and I've started doing the research on issues.. Because I know ALL the problems I had with the vette when I got it, and those build quality issues... I have $10K sitting in the bank as a down payment for my wife's new car and another $3500 per month I'm collecting after all bills and obligations are paid, so we're looking to buy her something NICE... The sky is the limit. Most of you guys know me to research EVERYTHING before I spend a DIME. This often includes going to a dealership and talking to a service manager to get educated on what to look for... RCNSC, Your original comment was that it was just your opinion... Then I posted mine and you gave the "I doubt it, but whatever" comment. Then you give the reasons why you "like the M3" over the Vette... They are opinion and taste. I like the BMW and have been a passenger at the track in two M3s. Nice cars. But again, so are a lot of other cars. The rear seat in the M3 is useless for anything but storage and small children, of which I have none. Your comments on WHY you like the M3 are again, opinion based. Your opinion is based on what you read, and what you gleen from your friends Dads buying experience... Your opinion comes vicariously from others, therefore it carries less weight. Now before you get emotional and post something.. Read that statement again and back it up with FACTS, and first hand knowledge. How many interiors have you pulled appart in your brief 17 years to find that annoying squeek? Ever fabricate or install anything on your own? My point is that in the week of research I did after finding out that "That cute little two door BMW M something or other" my wife was talking about was a 2001 M3. YEA, I got ALL excited about having a Vette in the garage and a BMW in the driveway... Until I noticed the large number of used 1999-up M3s in the paper and autotrader... So I started diggin and found a HOST of issues with BUILD QUALITY. As I mentioned in the previous post, I called the three guys I know who have them, and guess what? One of them traded his M3 in on... a HONDA because he was tired of taking it back to the dealer for warranty issues... For the rest of you, I'm not running a popularity contest, never have, never will. All I ask is that we keep it civil, intelligent, and level. Yea, I've had to hammer a few of you over the years for posting inappropriately, but we try to keep it fair and balanced. However, We're here first and foremost for the technical data posted here for all to enjoy... Not "Opinions stated as fact". If this rubs you the wrong way, get over it. Mike Kelly

RCNSC, Uh, I'm gonna be polite... You are 17 years old... But Whatever... Knowing someone who owns a nice car, and owning one and dealing with it yourself are two different planets. And although you seem well read on a number of subjects car related, at your young age, it would better serve you to come here to learn, and not try to teach. I appreciate your enthusiasm for cars... But lets keep the tone more civil, shall we? Mike Kelly 8)

Those top gear guys! As for the M3, Well I know a couple of guys who own them, and one with an M5, and They ALL have issues with the current (post 1999) build quality of the bimmer. My C5 has quality issues, mainly surrounding the interior, but otherwise it rocks... I can't imagine how bad the new C6 is. I can tell you this much, there is NO WAY the same drive in an NSX is gonna copy the times he lays in a C6 IF he knows how to drive... But again, those brits! Mike

I've got my Fluidamper at home (I'm at work) and I'll give tyou the partnumber for it this afternoon... You can NOT use anything bigger than 7.25 inches if memory serves. Mike

Well Spoken Both Pete and Terry! Mike 8)

In the sportbike community squids are those idiots that wear shorts, t-shirts and flipflops, with the little chrome half helmets on... You know, the guys making my insurance premiums go through the roof... I call them oxygen thieves! Mike

Jamie, Tried calling you and I've sent several e-mails... Are the hubs ready? I need to pay you and get them... Give me a ring! MIke

Back in 1993, long before I knew much about modifying Zs and LONG before Al Gore's internet, I read an article in a Kit Car magazine outlining the car that we have all worshiped. In the back of that article was a number for Terry. I called and we talked for at least 30 minutes. He was the only guy I had spoken to about a V8 conversion that seemed to give me REAL answers. None of this "You'll ruin its handling" crap. No, Terry seemed squared away and he had a technical depth I had not come across in the Zcar community. So when the subject of Terry and his creation comes up, I get a little over-protective... And besides, Terry created his dream car with a lot of research, trial and error, and sweat equity. I could only imagine what some of you youngsters could create if you simply tried... So who will pick up the challenge? Mike 8)

I have to Agree with Owen, TIM, and young RCNSC... DO NOT pull a mold of that car. Guys, Terry didn't know the first thing about 'Glass when he started and he certainly didn't have the blessings of Al Gore's Internet... Get off your LAZY duffs, go through about 20 gallons of resin, and figure it out for yourselves! Terry, (In my best Damon Wayans) You go Girlfriend! MIke

Do some recon, buy some black clothes and plan to pay a visit. I had some 23 year old bastard break into my garage in 1998, steal a $3500 bicycle, then get caught trying to sell it. His dad was a relative of a cop... So they chose not to pursue... I explained in painful detail that they were forcing vigilanty justice. Wouldn't you know that some sick bastard jumped from the bushes in front of his house, pulled in off his deck in the middle of the night, as he was coming home from probably stealing from some other hardworing soul, disabled him, and then did the EXACT same thing to his father as he was coming off the deck to "Rescue" his darling boy? And they had the nerve to come "question" me? Assault? Did you get an EYE witness officer? No prints? Me? Of course I was home asleep with my cat. THat's right... No one was with me but my cat... Want to talk to him? Yea, I don't think that young man has been convicted of another thing since... According to the police, poor boy soiled himself, via #1 AND #2... Thought something smelled funny! Friggin' erchins! Black clothes man, BLACK CLOTHES! Mike 8)

Oh Christ... 0600 on a Friday morning and I finally get around to this one... And then John's reply! Boys and Girls THAT's Entertainment! Mike

JohnC, You would be correct. I'm done being the "Good" Stepdad. Far as I'm concerned, the boy will sink or swim on his own accord... I told my wife that as much as I love her, I'd kick her out if I found out that he is getting ANY more assistance from her. I'm done helping, and providing guidance to some PUNK who doesn't appreciate it! Time to get back into me mode! Mike 8)

Pop, My guess is you and I are wasting our time... Remember what I said about the extreme left... and the extreme right... Baah Baah... Like I said before.. SHEEOPLE... Follow the flocks... Funny thing is, and this WILL happen again and I WILL Pull this post up and reprint it... THERE WILL BE MORE ATTACKS on US SOIL... Mark my words... And guess what? THEY DON'T CARE who YOU VOTE FOR! Have a nice one... I'm done talking to the wall. Mike 8)