'00 FRC Hardtop - moar LS/Murica/long distance high speed cruising

[nsogiba]

got that sweet bumper mod going


photo by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

Coworker was waiting to leave the parking lot onto the street, when a kid on a bike comes whizzing down the sidewalk. Coworker decides to back up to let the kid pass in front of him. Coworker doesn't see my low car and crunches up and over my front bumper.

I hope the bumper can be saved, if not, oh well. This is why we have insurance. If I can buy a used cover I'll toss that on and use the rest of the dough for new tires

I think it's time to get those cutouts finished up so people know where I am, even if they can't see me!

[cblock406]

Bummer!

This is a really cool build, I caught it over on corvetteforums. I really dug the magnesium wheels, don't really care for many multi-generational mods. Everything else is excellent though, this is a badass FRC!

[nsogiba]

Thanks!

I got an estimate yesterday for the repair, I think I can get it fixed for less than the total amount. Then I'll slap the some new tires on the new wheels and will be good to go. For some reason I was under the impression that the C6 wheels are 17/18 staggered like the C5, but no - they are 18/19.

[nsogiba]

Been driving this thing a ton, trying not to work on it too much, it has needed nothing other than whatever I decide to tinker with for fun.

IMG_1653[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

IMG_1655[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

IMG_1681[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

IMG_1682[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

Front camber/toe wear finally ruined my front tires

IMG_1666[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

IMG_1667[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

So I picked up a new set of Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2, had them on my old BMW and liked them. They are 18/19 compared to the old 17/18, but the overall circumference is the same and will keep the active handling happy.

IMG_1695[1] by Norbert Ogiba, on Flickr

I also ordered some Corvette wall art for the garage and an OEM GM tail light lense to replace the one aftermarket one that was a slightly different shade of red than the other 3.

Next up - figuring out how to plumb the vacuum. Been playing with some EGR solenoids. More to come. Also need to pick up a new bumper.

[LCG]

have you considered de 2F bumper? I know the owner, he is super gay.

[nsogiba]

I'm not into the "put a newer bumper on it to try to make it look like something it's not"

Picking up a lightly used bumper in Toronto this weekend

[C2_mad]

i dont think its about making it look like something its not, it just about modernizing it a bit... same thing you did with the wheels.

[190Evan]

have you considered de 2F bumper? I know the owner, he is super gay.

so r u

[LCG]

so r u

muaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

[nsogiba]

New wheels are on, I love it. Needs some spacers in the rear to help it not look sunken.

Unfortunately it's as low as it will go in the front without coilovers and it's still not low enough for my liking. Rears still have some ways to go down as they are aftermarket bolts but I don't want to have it reverse raked.

Took a ride in the turbo wagon to Toronto to pick up a nice shape black C5Z bumper. Will get installed tomorrow, I think.

[C2_mad]

pics?

[nsogiba]

I need to install the new bumper tonight and give it a wash. Pics then.

[TWM Performance]

Love this car, nice build.

- Renato

[nsogiba]

I have been tinkering with the cutout project on and off the last couple weeks. Car needed tires, front bumper needed replacing due to a coworker running into me, etc etc.

I had poor results with the Ford solenoids that I pulled from the junkyard - I bought 3 thinking at least one would be bad due to old age and use, and sure enough 2 out of 3 leaked when subjected to vacuum. The remaining one worked marginally, but I wasn't happy with how it held vacuum. (insert typical Ford joke here). The Ford stuff was also normally open, which would have caused a vacuum leak when power was not applied. I had trouble locating working diagrams for how these solenoids work (normally open, normally closed, which port vents, etc), so I bit the bullet and bought a GM solenoid on Amazon and crossed my fingers.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-214-329-Original-Equipment-Solenoid/dp/B000C9LPEO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01"]Amazon.com: ACDelco 214-329 GM Original Equipment EGR Vacuum Solenoid: Automotive[/ame]

I rigged up a test setup with a small 12V power supply (again from amazon), and applied suction to the 2 ports until I figured out which one was supposed to be the "source vacuum" port. Success! With the 12V off, the solenoid was normally closed, which would allow the engine to run normally with no vacuum leak. 12V on, and the valve opened, allowing vacuum to be sent to the line that connects to the cutouts. When 12V was shut off again, the valve closed, removing vacuum from the cutout lines, and the downstream lines vented the vacuum, which will allow the spring pressure in the cutouts to snap them shut.

All that's left is to:
mount the vacuum reservoir and solenoid (thinking under the car, up by the fuel filter)
mount the switch (need to remove console to do this as I'm putting it where the ashtray is). Might also install my C6 shifter while I'm at it, as well as add another washer for the anti-venom mod
Wire in my 12V source to the switch, run the wiring to the solenoid under the car
tap into brake booster line for vacuum source.

[nsogiba]

Got the new front bumper on, looks good. Whole car needs a paint correction bad, I'll tackle that in the next couple weeks. Need to stick on a new front emblem, too. I did my wife's black A4 a few months ago and hers was in far worse shape to begin with, but turned out nicely - so I have hope for this one.

Threw in a new wheel bearing in the right rear, ahhhhhh, nice and quiet now.

Finally had enough of the stock seats, picked these up on Ebay. Removed from an '02 S2000. All leather, all manual, I will probably clean up the leather with some Leatherique and/or redye the bolsters.