Posts by Doc&Ruby

  • What was today's Sling project-Mods , goodies....?

    The old 1-2 project... shocks and rear protection plate installed this afternoon!

    All jacked up & ready to remove the OEM shocks. There's quite an apparent difference between these and the QA1's!

    Had some trouble with the install at first. Bill from Hahn RaceCraft was very nice, took my call and everything went easily from there. Hahn's video on YouTube was helpful as well.

    With the front end done (45 min), I moved on to the rear.

    Disassembly of the rear panels took about 30 min, but all came off without any big problems. I was installing a rear protection plate at the same time, so I took the plastic pieces aside to get 'em cleaned up.

    Tuff Stuff foaming cleaner from O'Reilly's did a great job cleaning the road grime off, Mother's Back to Black followed by Turtle Wax Spray Shine got the plastic looking great. I did not polish or wax the area where the rear plate mounts, the 3M tape needed a pristine surface to bond to. Cleaned that with rubbing alcohol.


    Drilling holes and getting the plate mounted was easy, putting in the plastic anchors was a bear. Holes too small, predrilled more than once. Flexing the anchors caused paint to flake off. 🤨 Finally got 'em in place. This all took about an hour.


    Reassembly of the back end was okay, a couple false starts, but eventually everything snapped back together and all the screws and anchors snapped home snugly. I must say the 20 mph wind didn't help! Could have used an extra hand! Reassembly took about 45 minutes.

    Short drive, about 2 miles was nice. Going to put on a few more miles and dial in the adjustable shocks to where I want 'em.


    Very satisfied with my project and my improving wrench skills!


    Hey, don't I get a merit badge for this one!? 😉

  • What was today's Sling project-Mods , goodies....?

    Quote from Edward Neal

    As to someone putting something in my tank - - never really worried about it - in all my years I only know of one guy who said someone put sugar in his tank and I always suspected he did it himself to make an insurance claim =O

    I taught high school for 30 years, and in some pretty rough places. Never had anyone put anything in my tank or mess with my car. Never heard of a colleague who had stuff in a tank either. Couple of people I know got keyed, but that's about it. I'm not buying a locking cap, either.

  • Here's another reason I DON'T want an electric car

    Flybuddy

    Not a potshot at the car, I love Tesla's product and would love to have one of their early model roadsters!

    I griping about the company's practices and how they disrespect the purchaser. It's one thing to say that if you mod the car or don't do maintenance, we won't honor the warranty. The consumer is free to choose, and more importantly, free to use the product they own as they see fit.


    Tesla outrages these sensibilities by acting as if the customer Doesn't Own the vehicle! If you don't obey, they make your car inoperable. I think it unamerican, and probably illegal. I'm sure Tesla Corp's lawyers have some airtight legal agreement you must sign at purchase time, but I still think it stinks and I hope they get sued over it.


    Short answer, I don't think you should have to surrender your freedom to enable you to own transportation in a free country. I don't want Tesla's horrible business model to become status quo for Ford, Toyota, and the rest. And a large part of my outrage is that I think this control-freak business model would appeal to companies who have lost touch with the American consumers. I also think that it will appeal to Bernie supporters and other nanny state voters.


    Yuck!

  • Volvo - what think ye?

    Quote from hunter

    Hears what happened ....WW2 and to some extent Korean Vets would only buy American cars, And once the car company's figured that out...They invented planed obsolescence....Then the Vets started dyeing off, And their kids didn't buy into that....And around 1973 the fuel embargo days The foreign car came along with better made cars.....And 30mpg Vs 8 mpg cars...And that's what happened...So if people went back to only buying American .....Planed obsolescence will be back...

    Sorry, but the idea of an "American Car" is pretty much obsolete. Car companies are all multi-national now. Designers from America, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and many other countries design it. Assembly is wherever the company can get the best tax breaks and labor rates - this is often very much a political process, not an engineering decision. Once components are built, engines, interiors, drive trains, they are shipped to a convenient location to be assembled. This process lets the advertising boys to say "Built right here in America!!!" and other such guff.

    Just look for a good reliability record, good value for your money. Average and "economy cars" have the features people used to pay lots more for in a luxury car. Hyundai is a leader here, they put lots of tech in their basic models that you used to have to shop BMW or Mercedes to get your hands on just a few years ago.


    Competition is great, but name plates on cars mean less than ever before.

  • Purchasing Used Slingshot

    Its going to take time to fix this, and you're going to have to sue to get anything.

    Don't let it worry you. Your hubby will still be wowed, and the ride is just as much fun. He will love the slingshot - and he's going to absolutely love you for his big day.

    You can explain later, chances are he won't even notice... much. And unless he's a fool, he's not going to whine that the best birthday gift EVERZ has blemished paint.

    Folks here can help you get it repainted later.

    Just enjoy your day!


    And don't forget: pictures of his stunned looks, huge smile, and all the kisses he gives you!

    (Okay, maybe not ALL those kisses! 😘🤩)

  • Here's another reason I DON'T want an electric car

    Quote from Edward Neal

    if the powers that be really wanted couldnt these things be done to just about any modern vehicle? Seriously almost all new cars, at least all but the bottom of the line, are connected to the same technology as such does it really change anything if the motor is gas or electric?

    I don't see that level of control with an ICE engine. The ECU controls a lot of engine functions, but the primary control is still in the owner's hands. The current autos cannot have their ECU's flashed via update.


    They CAN change some functionality, speed limiters, etc. Hyundai just did an ECU update that had to do with the knock sensor. I had to take my car in to get the change. Hyundai's stick? They wouldn't pay for warranty repairs if the old software was not updated. Would the car work? Yep! But the final choice was yours.


    Tesla is different. When they say "no supercharger without the update, they basically say you can only drive around town with your car and refuel at home. 300 mile range means you cannot get more than 125 miles away from home (unlike ICE, EV's range is very dependent upon local conditions).


    Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think the 2nd ammendment protects all the others from big government intrusions, but you cannot point any sort of weapon at a computer and force it to return your freedoms. Once you surrender them, you likely aren't getting them back.

  • Here's another reason I DON'T want an electric car

    https://teslamotorsclub.com/bl…ing-updates-safety-issue/


    The article asks: Why is Tesla forcing non-safety updates on owners?


    The basic answer is control. We (Tesla) get to decide what software you run, how you charge batteries, how your fly-by-wire car responds to brake and throttle, how you connect to the internet, and dozen of other parameters.


    If the government (or Big Elon) decides to speed limit your 100K auto, your done. If they decide you have to use improved autopilot in cities, on highways, your done. If they decide you cannot go here or there in an emergency, your done. Maybe you say they can't make me accept the leash & collar update.... or can they?


    Can they "make you?" Well, no access to internet if you don't. No access to supercharger stations if you don't. Your voice command goes away. Your GPS goes away. Big Tesla can get as draconian as they want, even shut and lock down your car! Having a heart attack? Big Tesla says "Too bad, you shoulda updated!" Gotta get groceries? Gotta get to work or school? Wanna have the USE OF THE CAR that you paid for and own? Too bad - you didn't build that. You pay for, but don't control that.


    Big Elon says: "Stay!" and you stay, like a good dog, like a subject instead of a citizen. Call an Uber, sucker - and you better hope Big Elon doesn't buy THAT company, your Uber app is linked to the same credit card as your Tesla... and Big Elon says: "STAY! No ride for you until you accept the leash & collar with your update."


    No thanks. I'll Drive free or die! :cursing:

  • What was today's Sling project-Mods , goodies....?

    Quote from Bigdog

    I went whole hog and bought everything I could find....almost....still over $8000 worth of mods....without a turbo....some stuff hasn’t even been installed yet....it’s a work in progress....


    haven’t seen anything lately that I want or need...thankfully...

    I prefer a more measured approach.

    Drive the vehicle, put several thousand miles on, learn what you like and don't.

    Think carefully about mods. Research them, read reviews, chat with members who've tried them, how they drive, what they like and don't about their mods.

    Stick to things (mostly) that affect performance and drivability. Love all you folks with special paint and lighting, but that's not my bag.

    Purchase and install one at a time. Okay, I kinda stacked a few things up over Christmas, but when the Captain says: "Okay, darling, its Christmas", I refuse to hesitate. :)

    I've been thinking about the turbo for 2 years, and I've had 4 turbocharged vehicles before, so I kinda know what I'm getting for my dollar.

    I'll admit that I'm early-adopting the Haltech Dash, but I'm a tech nerd, so no other excuse for that. Still spent hours pouring over reviews, watching videos, pestering vendors (sorry Kyle D !) before making my decision.


    Even with the dash and turbo, I'm still not anywhere near 8K... tempted to ask what you bought -- and maybe how much of that was in polishes and waxes. ^^

  • To Boost - or not to Boost

    Quote from ACarl84

    rabtech thanks again for the suggestion. I must be missing something though. Is there a way to run the fuel pump constantly to drain the tank? Right now it runs for a few seconds each time the key is turned on then shuts off, it’s doable but will take quite some time to drain 9 gallons that way.

    I would think that you could siphon off most of the gas before trying to empty the tank using the fuel pump trick.

    Any automotive store will have a simple siphon kit (you don't want to mouth-start a gas siphon, trust me!). Use a smaller diameter hose (1/4 - 3/8) to keep flow down to a reasonable rate and be sure to collect the fuel in an appropriate container, make sure you are grounded, no static or other ignition sources. It is the vapors that are dangerous, do this in a well ventilated area!

    Safety first!

  • What was today's Sling project-Mods , goodies....?

    Quote from EjFord

    Lots of neat things can be done to these great machines..... Get lots of seat time in before going to crazy with the mods.... JEALOUS = $$$,$$$.$$ real fast.

    I've been proceeding slowly, but gathering momentum. Its a slippery slope, yah?

    When the UPS guy rolled up today, the Captain looked at the boxes & said: "What did you buy now?"

    She was a little disgusted when I said I didn't know. 😜

    In my defense, I ordered these months ago, Bill was real nice about it and kept me up to date, but I was the one who signed up for a group buy at the end of riding season. LoL! I should've known, but at least I got a real nice price, so I'm not complaining at all.

    The slippery money slope is gonna get steeper next month when I head north to get my sling boosted.

    Maybe I'll slow down after that.... maybe. 🤞

  • What was today's Sling project-Mods , goodies....?

    Quote from Doc&Ruby


    Cold, gloomy, snow flurries today, but the UPS man & Bill from Hahn RaceCraft made me feel a little bit more like spring today, LoL!

    Gotta warm up a bit before I try to mount these bad boys!

    Weather should be warm enough to try this on Friday. Hoping I will be able to clean & shine Ruby's rear end (#Black_Plastic) and install the red rear protector plate at the same time!

    Will take photos of the process, including any bloody knuckles acquired along the way! 😁

  • Conservative Politics & Daily Events Discussion

    I was tickled pink to see that even the Democrats have had enough of AOC.

    Disrepecting Polosi and Shumer in public -- check!

    Not paying your dues to the DNC -- check!

    Supporting candidates who are running against safe Democrats -- check!


    Now the Democrats are simply going to eliminate her district - and her job. Kinda lets you know how they will deal with those who oppose them if they have the power to do so -- you get disappeared! (just like Columbia or Venezuela!)


    I guess our favorite bar tender is going to get bounced out of the joint! Ha-ha-ha! :thumbsup:


    https://theintercept.com/2019/…trict-redistricting-2020/

  • To Boost - or not to Boost

    Quote from ACarl84

    ok, update on the lost fuel line lock nut....I GOT IT! Thanks for the great tool suggestions, they worked great. It was no easy task though, took me a couple hours of playing around but I got that little bugger out of there. Now to continue with the supercharger install!

    You know you get the 3-Pronged Probe merit badge for this....


    Ooops! Sorry, the Boy Scouts are bankrupt now! :D