The offseason is here, what's everyone's plans?

I've started building a new header and exhaust for the RX7. Will do normal maintenance and prep for next season including fixing the pinion snubber that is clunking. If I get really bored/ambitious, I might do a repaint as the car is showing some track wear.

In reply to tb :

What's the issue with her learning?

I use the method of find a ever so slightly downhill parking lot and then just have them find the engagement point. After that is each gear = 10 mph.

Or is it a case of learning from her husband is the issue? 

1.) Procrastination

2.) Then, if I get done with that in time, I need to fix the trailer lights, do some work to the RV & winterize it, then do something with the DSM that hopefully involves making it run & drive.

Watching from afar this year really lit a fire in the corner of my head where the Funderbird is in limbo. I don't think I'll have the means to make it happen this year, but some ideas have been discussed, plans have been laid, and I'm fairly determined to get the car to Gainesville one way or another. Who knows, maybe I'll get to compete against Angry. 

Duke said:

Try and figure out what next season's hot 200TW tire is in 225/45/15 and then fail to order them in time.

Join the 'Kang Gang. The Nankang CR-1s are sooo good. I'm running them again next year.

In reply to Tom1200 :

That is the method I tried before and with a very easy car to train in, too. I know I am not the best teacher since it came naturally to me and I literally learned in 20 mins.

Mostly it is the learning from me thing, I suspect. She puts extra pressure on herself and just panics. Also, she is completely uncoordinated in general and never learned to use all four limbs at once...

I will most likely need to get a friend to do it or pay for lessons; either way I will not buy another car that she refuses to learn to operate.

I'm going to campaign a bike in a local outdoor vintage MX series.  1 race a month, just to keep the senses keen and cross train.  Absolutely going to be racing in soup, but that's life.

Build a new swingarm for my primary dirt track bike.  More adjustability, lighter weight, more rigid, faster looking.  No Salem Indoor this year, so probably mothball the flat track program until spring unless the rest of the crew is traveling to another arena.

Build ~10 "standard" expansion chambers for 5 speed Stilettos, 2 tapered header "fastboi" Stiletto chambers, 1 Rickman Zundapp highpipe, and a few others for dirt track friends depending on where their projects end up.

Get out on the woods bike until the hills are snowed in.

So, work on and ride motorcycles.  

NickD said:

Duke said:

Try and figure out what next season's hot 200TW tire is in 225/45/15 and then fail to order them in time.

Join the 'Kang Gang. The Nankang CR-1s are sooo good. I'm running them again next year.

That's under consideration, but I rode a few partial test runs during course layout in an ND with Yokohamas (I assume AO52?  Not sure) and the cold grip those things had was astounding.

Diagnosis a fuel leak, the shifter engagement being wonky again (I suspect the transmission mount that I just replaced mounting bolt may be a culprit), check over front and rear suspension arm bushings and likely replace several, replace motor mounts, install front lower tie bar, get proper 205/50R15 rubber, and install a roll bar. 

Once that is done I'll evaluate options 

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

Who knows, maybe I'll get to compete against Angry. 

So...... 2026?

In reply to Ethnic Food-Wrap Aficionado :

What are you riding at vintage MX? I've recently acquired a 1980 RM125 (last year of twin shock), it's running but cosmetically challenged.

bobzilla said:

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

Who knows, maybe I'll get to compete against Angry. 

So...... 2026?

By that time I may have a truck and trailer, so... probably!

Only work I'll personally do on any cars in the off-season will be to set up an ECU tune with a bouncy limiter and maybe less rev hang for the Toyobaru. Body restoration will hopefully finish up on the AE92, next it needs to go to a shop to find out why it suddenly stopped firing up in March/April and then it needs new brake discs put on. Other than that, just gathering parts to get the Toyobaru ready for track duty next year, the season will probably start before it will be warm enough for me to work on it or the roads will be salt-free enough to take it to a shop. Next mods will be aftermarket oil pickup + baffle + cooler, front camber plates, new track-worthy brake pads and fluid, front brake ducts, oversized gas pedal, installing a 3rd brake light flasher and HUD.

I can work on the MTB in the off-season so that will get the usual tubeless tire sealant replacement, fork pressure topped up, and hopefully a super-rare remote lockout rear shock installed.

Continue progress on the Jaguar.  Once rollcage is welded in put it up on rotisserie. Paint car.  Put on fender flairs. ( they bolt on like stock fenders. ( During Christmas break drive to Virginia and pick up fender flairs.) 

      Reassemble car using original engine for development. While I build a more serious one for next year.  Goal will be 640-650 hp. 
  

Tom1200 said:

In reply to Ethnic Food-Wrap Aficionado :

What are you riding at vintage MX? I've recently acquired a 1980 RM125 (last year of twin shock), it's running but cosmetically challenged.

I'll be on the '71 Stiletto.  Obviously with a 21" front and knobbies.  And a front fender, different bars, shocks, etc.

Way too much but I'm feeling ambitious.

Sell off the bugeye WRX after getting the little kinks sorted.

Tinker on the Legacy GT Wagon. Figure out why I wanted to replace my A3 hatchback with it when I or the wife really don't want to get rid of it.

Finish FRS K swap. Luckily the kit should be shipping any day now. Should be nothing but Legos and a simple bolt in solution.

Tinker on the Arkansas Traveler boat. For sure get the outboard running proper.

Stare at the SVT Fiesta. Then stare more. And probably some more. Maybe put together a plan. But mainly stare.

Pull my hair out wondering what I got myself into with the Toyota Corona coupe. Or buy another one I just found locally and have two to stare at with the Fiesta.

Ossa Stiletto, that's real vintage.

I have a love hate relationship with vintage. In theory, I love it. In practice, I hate it. I ran a Can-am 175 for a few years.

This winter I'll work on the indoor trials sections, and probably ride every night during the week, and maybe build the woods bike that nobody sells. It's impossible for me to find something that fits, doesn't weigh too much, and has decent power.

I have a few ideas for the TM to personalize and make it just a little bit better. There's not much room for improvement, but there's some.

I am trying really hard to NOT buy any cars or create any more work for myself until spring.  Have two dailies.  Have two race cars.  Should be thankful for that.  Don't need any more.  Definitely don't need any more projects or time-sinks.  Hope to spend the winter on iRacing, picking away at small tasks on all of those cars, and cleaning up the garage.

I definitely should NOT buy a car.

I will probably buy a car.

Edit:  Yokohama A052.  that's the droid y'all are looking for.  Anything else is just to try to save money (Falken RT660 are delightfully cheap, last longer and are 'fast enough', Nankangs are somewhere in between on both fronts), or because you need them to last a long time on track (could have a whole thread on these options, not even going there.)  But the fastest current 200tw, especially when cold, is the yoko.  I'm not convinced anything else is going to dethrone it for autocross next year regardless of what 'the tests' say.

Since the TR6 is done except for getting some things chromed, I'm refocusing on the MSM.  It's only been driven about 3000 miles in three years, but needs fluids and tires to return to autocrossing.  It could also stand to have the sill rust patched.  So I'll be looking for the hot 200 TW tire along with many of you so that I can shake the rust off next season.

-Fix lots of little things on the NSX. Aspirator fan, glovebox hinge, sun visors, tail-light seals, capacitors in the radio. Low dollar amount, high-ish time investment. Get ready to upgrade Anti-lock brake system in spring 2022. No surprises expected here.

-Buy a shed/workshop building and get it on the property. Re-organize the garage, maybe finally buy a Tig welder. This is turning out harder than originally thought-contractors are super busy right now.

-Continue to build case with wife that life is to short to have the prius as a baby hauler. Remind her that she always liked yellow cars and both Phoenix Yellow  and Speed Yellow go great with her favorite outfit. Dunno how this one will work out.

Freeze my arse off as this is looking to be my first full winter in NH instead of S. CA in 9 years.

Snow blow a lot of snow.

Complain about the cold and pine for retirement and living in TN.

Buy parts for multiple projects as they come up.

Complain about how my shop is not properly heated.

Do some needed repairs on the Cayman and add better brake cooling ducts.

March is when it is go time. Cayman comes out of hibernation. Opel goes in to go to a shell, then hopefully off to a pipe guy. Then, depending on my buddy, the 914 might get Challenge-ized.

In reply to Ethnic Food-Wrap Aficionado :

Nice my first road race was on a converted Bultaco MX bike..................no Spain no gain.

Wait, spare time?

I prefer to continue to let my job suck the spirit out of my soul.   

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Is the AE92 still on the island, and are you still up north?

I've ordered a complete new dual exhaust for the '77 Grand Prix. I have the '73-'74 dual hump transmission cross member in stock, cleaned, painted, and ready to go. And yes, I'll add cats, too. Meow. Also, I should also get off the pot with respect to selecting and installing an air conditioning solution.

The kid's F250 7.3 idi needs a new clutch.  We're going to learn together how to change a clutch.

One garage door needs a new opener.