This featured image is from my trip this past summer to St. Pete! No relation to this post, but wanted to include the image. The past week or so has been filled with significant internal conflict regarding Future Dilemma. I’ve just been all over the place. I have some notes so I’ll collect where all my head has been. Last week, I found myself with four scenarios, in no particular order. So after.. Read More
What a time to be alive, guys. For sportscar enthusiasts, I haven’t felt this good since the 90s. There are many, many great sportscars currently on the market which is impressive given that fully electric vehicles have been around for over a decade, only gaining traction (no pun intended). Automotive purists have not thrown the modern ICE sportscar out to pasture just yet. The Future Dilemma, as a reminder, was the result of.. Read More
I’ve been out of pocket for a bit for a multitude of reasons. I would believe that the vast majority of these reasons are good. I was in a strange place when I began this website–going through a few things. You may recall this post around this time last year about the night drive: Well, the time has changed from daylight savings again so here we are… the weather is cool and it’s.. Read More
This past week I learned what a clock spring (also known as spiral cable) is. For the past several decades I have been content with my ignorance, but not today! As I may have mentioned in past updates, I have been regularly commuting to work, something I was missing the past year and a half. One of my colleagues has been joining me in the office (making two out of a team of.. Read More
Let’s call it, Project CELICA – Level 2. I’ve invested somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 thousand dollars into Project CELICA between parts and associated labor, but the car is night and day different from when I purchased it. The most major upgrades came from the clutch, flywheel, wheels and tires. Don’t get me wrong, the most important repairs were the timing chain cover gasket and chain tensioner because oil leaks of any.. Read More
I confirmed that I currently have four different tires on my car from three different countries. This is nuts. Passenger side rear: Cordovan Velozza ZXV4, 225/40ZR18 92W XL, Manufactured 2016 ($109.99) (USA)Passenger side front: Keter KT757 225/40ZR18 92W XL, Manufactured 2016 (China)Driver’s side front: Kumho Solus TA31, 225/40R18 88V, Manufactured 2017 ($171.00) (Korea)Driver’s side rear: BFGOODRICH g-Force Comp-2 A/S, 225/40ZR18 92W XL, Manufactured 2015 (USA, model subsequently replaced with A/S Plus) The driver’s.. Read More
I just wanted to update after a busy couple of weeks. Three out of four motor mounts have been replaced (save for the one with the nut that is free in the frame on the passenger side). The clutch kit, flywheel, and rear main seal have finally been replaced. The shaking of the motor is gone, and the previous (worn) clutch assembly and flywheel was in desperately poor shape as I expected. Now.. Read More
So I managed to crawl out of my slump. In retrospect I think my low spirits were relevant to the old saying “one step forward, two steps back” meaning that essentially every time I try to reach my goals I inadvertently set myself back further from said goals. Over time, experiencing this type of frustration just leads to you not wanting to even try to work towards the goals–the textbook definition for lack.. Read More
The concept of motivation is quite powerful. It’s not just the name of a TI song which resonated with me back in 2004. Motivation is the force that pushes. Motivation causes action–you can liken it as the potential energy behind the kinetic energy. It is your fire within. In its essence, motivation is the reason most of us get up every morning. It’s the reason why we strive for our goals and reach.. Read More
So after watching Sebastian (2zzlow on YouTube) and yet another of his videos, my Dad and I think it useful to replace another motor mount under the battery support in the engine bay. This part ID is 12372-22020 and is called several names, the left mount, driver’s side mount, or transmission mount. I still don’t have the rear engine mount I ordered last week, but it usually does take a couple weeks with.. Read More