Topic: What I have been up too the last couple years

[EE]

Well, Its been a hell of a ride the last couple years. A whole hell of a lot has gone on.

I figured I needed something to get myself straighted up a little, something to set my mind on and stuff. I had so much drama in my life about 3 years ago it was driving me insane. I had friends of 14 years, people I considered family stab me in the back, all of them in one fell swoop which kinda screwed me up. I ended up dropping down to 145lbs and at 6'2" losing 35-40lbs in the course of a 2 or 3 months was not good. I was barely sleeping and working 70-80 hour work weeks. Long story short, my GF cheated on me with my roomie, someone I considered a brother, all my friends knew about it and not a single one told me, I had to walk in on it and find out the hard way.

I ended up moving out of town with someone I barely knew while I saved up some cash for a place of my own. Since my car was pretty much torn up and drenched in brake fluid from being stolen, I got rid of it and picked up a newer one. At that time I decided I need a hobby and took up racing the car. Some might say that was a stupid thing to do, since at the time I didnt know crap about cars, I could barely change a tire. Since then, I have switched it over from a automatic to a 5 speed and am currently completing my very first engine build. Ill post some pictures at the bottom.

I ended up quitting my job shortly after getting my place and the car, I just could not handle the 70-80 hour work weeks. I took a week off to sleep, I think thats all I did besides throw up because of quitting the job and not having much saved up after all the down payments etc. Luckly I got a new job, which I am still at, within 2 hours of searching. I was doing construction at the company for a while but now they have opened up a new sister company and I am the warehouse supervisor which is a much better job. I still put in a lot of hours but 55-60 hours a week aint nothing and honestly, it keeps me busy.

I did end up going to the hospital a couple times in the last 6 months, once for kidney stones and another time for a refractured jaw which was caused by a tool falling off the top of the engine and into my face, below the engine. I currently have about $10,000 worth of medical bills to pay off which isnt all that great but I can manage. Financially I am doing alright for CA living costs.

Other than that, it has not been much going on the last couple years, when I am not at work, I am in the garage working on the car, getting it ready for January and the start of the new race season. Last season ended early when my turbo took a crap, my clutch took a crap and a broke an axle all at the same time. That happed last July and the car has pretty much been down since. I figured it was time to put in everything I could new. The car is not done, it should be tomorrow if the wind doesnt pick up.

I am looking at approx 500-550hp out of this 4 cylinder engine. I was pushing my old engine at 450hp to the wheels, about 550 to the crank on a stock 132,000 block which is quite a feat as the stock engine only came with about 180hp to the wheels, 210 to the crank

Video: In this video, my axle broke and my clutch was slipping/turbo was dying quick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBoauZesiLs

racing a friends 400hp evo

The car pretty much stock


Stock engine bay


What the car looks like currently

[Hstaphath_XC]

... my GF cheated on me with my roomie

DAMN, bro!  I see your luck with women has been tragically consistent. 

[EE]

... my GF cheated on me with my roomie

DAMN, bro!  I see your luck with women has been tragically consistent. 

Yep hehe.

I would not have changed it for anything, I would not be where I am right now had that not happened.

[Dash Jones]

Glad to see that your life's situation has seemed to improve.

[Mackie]

Man I quess its true that misery loves company, im sort of pleased that aint the only one whos had it hard
But I suppose it would be apt to say congrats since youve topped some major obstacles in your life

"Have you ever prayed to the night sky?
Under one of them cold street lights?
Watched another stolen car drive then lose your hope and say "This is where I'll die"?

But you try to say you know me.
But you try to say you're from my world.
Well, have you ever gone to sleep to the sounds of the gunshots, sirens, and violence all alone?

They want to break me down. I hope I can hold my ground.

Your world is MTV. Spring breaks and ecstasy.
You got your hopes and you'll get your dreams.
Well, that choice wasn't there for me."

"Five years on down the road (you've got) two kids and a high paying job,
(with a) picket fence and a college degree.
Well, that choice wasn't there for me.

This path on which I walk: it ain't a game and it ain't all talk.
This is all I ever had.
This is all they ever let me have."

[Soreyes]

Damn I'm not the only one to have a sucky time here in Cali.

Glad to see things are working out for you EE.

[EE]

Where in Cali are you? I am So Cal, 909 area.

[EE]

Well, I would like everyone to know that my very first engine build appears to be a success! I started the car up finally after 2 days of trying to figure out why the damned thing would not turn over. I missed one connection to be plugged in, it was a black wire with a black connector hiding in a dark engine bay between some shift cables! Of all the places Grrr.

Anyways, she started up, 2 very minor leaks and a lot of racket later and I got part one of the break in done. Two more steps to be finished this weekend and then its time to tune the car for January's race season. Doing the non typical 'aggressive engine break in' quite scary. The standard break in method is be easy on the car for 1000 miles. My method is, if its going to break, its going to break so work it hard and seat those rings good. Get the car used to how its going to run from the start.

[Just plain old Punisher]

You need to lojack your girlfriend.

Good to see ya again!  Been awhile! =)

[TheJudge]

It's good to see things looking up for you, EE.  Oh, and there are a lot of us here in California. 

[EE]

You need to lojack your girlfriend.

Good to see ya again!  Been awhile! =)

Lojack is a waste of bacon.

I just pull the ECU and take that, even if the thief tries to replace it, the car wont run properly because of how its set up. Plus, most theives now days have flat bed trailers and tow the cars off because of the newer safety measures.

[EE]

It's good to see things looking up for you, EE.  Oh, and there are a lot of us here in California. 

Things are getting better and better as time goes on. Unless something drastic happens, I have little worries. Most things to me now are little things hehe.

[Just plain old Punisher]

You need to lojack your girlfriend.

Good to see ya again!  Been awhile! =)

Lojack is a waste of bacon.

I just pull the ECU and take that, even if the thief tries to replace it, the car wont run properly because of how its set up. Plus, most theives now days have flat bed trailers and tow the cars off because of the newer safety measures.

The solution is obvious, you need to disguise your car so that it looks like a passed out bum who's wet himself. Or maybe you could make it look like two mormons on a bike who are riding towards you to give you the "good news". Either way, no one on earth will go near your car.

In fact, you might not want to go near your car either. But then again, it's probably best that way.

[TheJudge]

You need to lojack your girlfriend.

Good to see ya again!  Been awhile! =)

Lojack is a waste of bacon.

I just pull the ECU and take that, even if the thief tries to replace it, the car wont run properly because of how its set up. Plus, most theives now days have flat bed trailers and tow the cars off because of the newer safety measures.

The solution is obvious, you need to disguise your car so that it looks like a passed out bum who's wet himself. Or maybe you could make it look like two mormons on a bike who are riding towards you to give you the "good news". Either way, no one on earth will go near your car.

In fact, you might not want to go near your car either. But then again, it's probably best that way.

I LIKE seeing two mormons on bikes coming towards me....

[Just plain old Punisher]

You need to lojack your girlfriend.

Good to see ya again!  Been awhile! =)

Lojack is a waste of bacon.

I just pull the ECU and take that, even if the thief tries to replace it, the car wont run properly because of how its set up. Plus, most theives now days have flat bed trailers and tow the cars off because of the newer safety measures.

The solution is obvious, you need to disguise your car so that it looks like a passed out bum who's wet himself. Or maybe you could make it look like two mormons on a bike who are riding towards you to give you the "good news". Either way, no one on earth will go near your car.

In fact, you might not want to go near your car either. But then again, it's probably best that way.

I LIKE seeing two mormons on bikes coming towards me....

Well, you know what you always say...if life gives you two mormons, make buttsects.

[EE]

Well, the year ended, finally. Was supposed to race on Saturday but last Sunday my engine failed during tuning. A oil pressure regulator on the head somehow came loose, pulled all the oil from the bottom of the engine and destroyed the bearings and crank. If it were not for the rain, I would have had the motor out of the car and getting cleaned right now but its been raining for the last 3 days straight.

Luckly for me, I caught the warning signs within 1,000 RPM's ( about 1 1/2 seconds ) and shut her down which saved the rods, pistons and the block as a whole. Its going to cost me about $350 to fix the damage while upgrading a few more parts to make the ending a little more bulletproof. Hopefully I have the time to get everything done before next month. The $350 spent on rebuilding the engine again just knocked out 2 events worth of track fee's. Time to put some spare parts up for sale to recoup some of the lost cash.