Hey Cutie;

How is Michigan treating ya ???

 

Not at the speed this thresd has been moving lately

 

Maybe we should start calling this the ALMOST DEAD THREAD.

 

2nd attempt to getting an alignment here in MoTown will be this Saturday. I looked at their set up and should be no problem getting on the rack. Extra long steel ramps for us lowered guy's. He even jumped for joy when I told him I have adjustable camber plates. One of the oldest and biggest tire/brake/suspension shops in town. A few years back you could get re-caps for $5 each..... for my '60 Chevy Impala. Extra 2x4 in the boot so no "prying" on the strut tower

 

Sounds like it will work this time.

 

Some of us have to work.

 

I'm all signed up for the track day in feb.

 

Here, here! I love hangin' out on NAM & talking with y'all, but lately I only get 32min & 47seconds to myself each day. To help get this thread going again, raise your hand if you want to get in on some Smart car action with me. I already keyed ChrisW in on this, but now I'll share with the rest of you. If I don't get into CMS pretty soon so I can get the Frackmobile on the road, I'm going to sell it and do something like this......that's right, you know you wanna.

I'm trying to figure out how to get this one into the US & be street-legal: http://www.smartuki.com. Check out the duel between the Mini Cooper JCW & the Smart Diablo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx6thtXf8-s. You've gotta admit - as cool as Mini's are, the Smartuki/Diablo takes "coolness" to a whole 'nother level.

Saving the best for last:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vExpE...eature=related
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQIi...eature=related

 

Also, here's some pictures of new cars for some of you....

ChrisW's already saving up his money for this:



Scooby03's new whip if the Mini's not available:


For me, I have option #1:


Or, option #2:


<said in my best Austin Powers accent> "Yeahhh, baby...yeahhh!!"

 

I gotta spend time on the You Tube site. That Smart looks like a lot of fun. The center of gravity must be much lower than it looks. Saw one of these up close and in a cut-away mock-up at the L.A. International Car Show a few months ago and it looked like the engine,suspension,lower framework are even or a little above the center of the wheels. Even with that short wheelbase and tall greenhouse it must be more stable than it looks. They said it was safer than it looks because it doesn't deform as easily in a car to car accident.By being stiffer it will use up the crumple zones of the other car. Great concept until you run into a tree or a none crumple zone older car or semi truck. Call me a coward but I need just a little bit more.

 

The best thing about the Smart car is: You just throw your clubs in the back, oh um? There is no back, throw them in the front, and drive right out to the first hole, no golf cart needed. And Joe, I'm going to slap you the next time I see you, sell your Mini, I don't think so . We are in this together .

 

Alright, here we go <drumroll, drumroll> "Mercedes/Smart Brabus Ultimate 112" : http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/gal...images.php?c=6. Drop the Suzuki GSR1000 motor in this & you'd have a 180mph Smart-rocket.

Monoblock wheels & wide-body kit:


Sweet interior:


Backside with mild diffuser:


Coup de grace:

 

Just remember: Rockets don't turn and don't have brakes .

 

OK, I saw a bright yellow Smart Car today on Shaw Ave. I don't think they are available yet, but there are obviously a few around. I checked out the Smartuki site and it is definitely interesting. There is probably never going to be a street legal version for CA, but you can by the kit and do it yourself. It's not going to be cheap so you'd better sell your Porsche. The MINI isn't worth enough to buy the Smart and the mod parts. Get ye MINI to CMS so we can get it motoring again. Brad's MINI should be out today; it's movement got stalled because the battery went dead even though we have been keeping it charged. I can just hear it whispering "if I can stay here, Brad won't hurt me again."

Steve

 

Dibs on the AGS and wheels.

 

Oh its made by Mercedes? Well then its going to be a POS.

 

Well, it'll be on par with the donk you're saving up for (see picture above with the 32"s).

 

Hey Steve,

Glad to see you made it down the mountian today. I saw that same yellow smart car this morning.
By any chance did you happen to see what I hit last night. It was right when I was pulling left into Quiznos parking lot. It sounded very bad !! But I never saw any thing and I even went and checked the street. I had to let you know that I might have a few more dents and dings the next time we put the car on the lift. No other physical damage visable to me!

Tina

 

Yes, there was a heat wave and it only rained for once. No, I didn't see anything on the road when you turned. Maybe you hit the driveway a little too fast.

Steve

 

No I didn't hit the drive way to fast. I was in the center lane, when I hit what ever I hit. Well nothing I can do about it now. Just thought you might have saw it and been yelling at me to pay more attention!
Tina

 

It's a wonder I could even drive the darn thing....
Front toe was 3/4" in....now it's at 1/16 out
We know the camber was off but I now have it marked at -1.5 and -2.25
Rear toe was 5/16 in...now set to "0".
Rear camber is -1.85 and I'm going to leave it like that for now. May think about adjustable control arms in the future. Will run with this set up for awhile.
$60 later and I have my sweet drive back!

 

So where did you end up getting it done? And if I may ask, how much did it cost? Thanks.

 

City Tire and Wheel here in MoTown. Been doing business with them off/on since I was 16yrs old. Thus my comment about buying recaps for $5 back in the day! Went to High school with both of the boys who now run the business. $59.99 + tax. In and out in a little over an hour and saved me an all day trip to Fresno + 1/2 a tank of gas.

 

That and its ahell of a lot cheeper than dave. I'm glad to hear you finally got it done.

 

SWEETTTTT So much for that undefeated season Go Niners