The Mustang is really close. I am going to get the sub frame connectors on it and then get the tint redone and replace the door seals.
For the Datsun we are finally going get the race motor in it. The glorified street motor is on season five. I'm also going to get several small jobs like getting the cobbled together exhaust redone.
I can't do much on the Toyobaru, no garage I can work on the car inside, much less a heated one...also very little to no budget this year. So off-season work is going to be trying to squeeze some work in just going into and coming out of winter.
Top priorities are to get the oil cooler system back together and do some work on a big ABS cutoff button. Maybe if there's enough budget, a dyno run so I can improve the accuracy of the car's "digital twin" (I suspect it may have a little less power and more grip than the real car). Brakes and oil are still fresh so no need to change them for next year. Might change the brake fluid, although it's hardly seen any use, it will be over a year old...
Bug tremec for their new s550 t56 magnum xl transmission. Fab some real exhaust since the stock oe is a steaming pile of crap. New tires as the nittos hate manuals. Ditch a couple hundred pounds. Regear to 4.56 and ditch the torsen.
Test days at Thunderhill and Sonoma in December, then in late January there's an SCCA Majors on the new track at Buttonwillow that I'll probably go to.
Off season? What's that? :)
Off season begins sunday when I move away from my summer home and racecar and workshop to go be a ski instructor.
If anybody needs private ski or snowboard lessons at Stratton, you know who to call!
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:Off season? What's that? :)
Yeah, here in the desert Southwest, winter is the season...
That said, the E36 Touring has developed a leak in the A/C compressor bearing/seal that needs attention. I need to fab mounts for new seats in the Capri, and the NC Miata will be getting FM's new turbo once they release it. The RV needs attention for a few maintenance items.
For once the NA doesn't need anything.
On the E28 track car I'm planning on a few things over the winter. I'll be pulling all 4 calipers apart to replace the seals and just check that they are still in good condition. The exhaust needs some attention, I think the summit chambered muffler has developed a rattle so I'll open it up to see, I'll also build a "test pipe" that can be swapped in in place of the cat and that muffler only running the rear muffler on the car. There's some wiring to clean up inside the car and an arduino controlling some RGB LED shift/oil pressure warning lights I'd like to get fully functional again (need to get it to play nice sharing an oil pressure signal with the ECUmaster black).
Lastly, I have a set of ITB's from an S38B36 to go on my built M30. It's a big project that I'd like to tackle but not sure I'll complete this winter. It would be good to get started though and make some progress on it.
Right now I'm just waiting to finish up a few things on the dailys before the snow flies and then I can devote the garage to the E28 and get it up in the air.
Convert Molvo back to auto transmission from current T5. May or may not involve an LS swap at the same time.
The Miata needs some small fixes - The hood release cable needs to be adjusted, the front lip replaced, oil change - little stuff that popped up after my last track day, but then it will be ready for the track again in the spring. I need to get my butt in gear and finally get the stock car back into track-ready shape. Still have a lot to do on that one.
I need to give the Garage Rescue Miata a deep clean as it’s been four years since I pulled it from the garage.
I want to get the Coolerworx short shifter for the Corolla, should probably do that before the end of the year since it's made overseas. Maybe exhaust but not real pressing.
It's looking like RX is coming back to Cincy/Dayton so I need to refresh the WRX. PO put some silly crackle and pop tune on it that I hate, needs snow tires. (Anyone interested in Continental ECS 16" tires with low miles? Should have just bought snow tires to begin with.) Otherwise it's good.
Celica race car needs brakes of some flavor, wouldn't surprise me if that involves rotors and pads.
Trying to turn this back into one piece after some more rust repair. The chassis is all fresh, now moving on to some body mounts and heater channels. 
Determine if there is an oil issue with this engine and if so to what extent. It could just be bad wiring for the gauge and the sensor has died, or its oil pump.
If it needs a oil pump I'll inspect the bottom end and decide on the plan. Hopefully its a dead sensor and something went off with the wiring to the gauge (I did it 7-8 years ago and never got to test it properly)
Regardless I am doing a timing belt kit on it and hopefully getting it back on the road come spring. Finally.
Absolutely nothing. The MR2 was ready to go for next season when I put it in storage. It will eventually need new tires, but I'll wait until next season so that I don't buy some autocross tires now and then the new hotness comes out in March.
Going to pull the dash out of the Miata (a first for me) and sort out the old Bose stuff and generally poke around. Also, more base line maintenance.
In reply to GhiaMonster :
I'm envious of that breaker box!
My off-season has lasted 6 years, but I'd like to get back into autocross next year. With that in mind, my MSM could use a going over. Also, the Megasquirt tune needs some tweaking. Fresh tires will be a must. The RE-71s will be 7 years old even though they have plenty of tread (they would make good drift tires if I was so inclined).
The Mustang will get ignored.
The Touareg will get driven and mostly ignored.
The Hummer will get a set of rock sliders.
The REO is due for a battery.
The Falcon will be getting a smaller steering wheel and possibly EPS.
The motorhome will get new tires. Ouch!
The wife's Volvo will get driven. A lot.
The wife's Mustang will go to an employee.
The wife's Miata will probably get sold because nobody wants to drive it.
SanFord is going to get cleaned up and sold.
I have a long list. I should stop buying stuff until I catch up.
Maybe if I get ambitious I'll get my half cage done.
All the 996TT needed was a wash and an oil change. The 701 basically has just gotten maintenance, so clean the air filter, I swapped tank bags, last thing is replace the fuel filters. I did a large 60k maintenance to my wife's Cayenne diesel plus changed a glow plug, Touareg got an oil change and I'll replace the actuator for the fuel filler door when it arrives
Get it running and fully TT'd up. I've had another, non-car project that's been taking up so much of my project time, but that should be done in about a week.
Rodan said:codrus (Forum Supporter) said:Off season? What's that? :)
Yeah, here in the desert Southwest, winter is the season...
That said, the E36 Touring has developed a leak in the A/C compressor bearing/seal that needs attention. I need to fab mounts for new seats in the Capri, and the NC Miata will be getting FM's new turbo once they release it. The RV needs attention for a few maintenance items.
For once the NA doesn't need anything.
I have a 7 week gap between events. After that I have to wait for the summer break.............you know when it's 117 out.
Tom1200 said:Rodan said:codrus (Forum Supporter) said:Off season? What's that? :)
Yeah, here in the desert Southwest, winter is the season...
That said, the E36 Touring has developed a leak in the A/C compressor bearing/seal that needs attention. I need to fab mounts for new seats in the Capri, and the NC Miata will be getting FM's new turbo once they release it. The RV needs attention for a few maintenance items.
For once the NA doesn't need anything.
I have a 7 week gap between events. After that I have to wait for the summer break.............you know when it's 117 out.
What's interesting is our prime track season is through winter, but we have actual winter at home because of our altitude, and we've already had freezing temps overnight. Fortunately we get very little snow...
I have an event over Thanksgiving weekend where it could easily be in the 80s at the track, but may be in the 20's when I leave the house at zero dark thirty...
For me, I've got a few things to clean up.
MSM: Fix the coolant leak and just give it a good clean up.
Mirage: Convert this from Speed Density to MAF. Tune the new ECU that'll make this possible. Possibly mock up the turbo layout and see if that will make it to this year or next year project.
Golf Sportswagen: Time to install the Special Actives and the Golf R estate suspension (Springs and Sways) my friend brought me from the UK a few weeks ago. If the bonus is good, I may do the matrix sub add.
The Evo: Just put it into a slumber mode and get it detailed to sell come spring.
Overall: Sell off all of the extra parts I've accumulated over the years and funnel that to wheels for the mirage (Loving the new FM wheels in 15X8) and a new turbo/clutch/intercooler for the GSW.
How many of these have I said in previous incarnations of this thread? The shop has been so much longer than I thought it would be...
EDIT because everybody loves pictures. We're all daydreaming here, right?
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