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OWNER TimL
- Thread starter TimL
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Yeah, no good! Looking forward to the drive on Friday, @Jlaa and @kegmankipp!Note to self - Potholed Dirt Roads = @TimL Kryptonite….
And @luckymike
Very, very sorry to hear those roads are still bad and even worse now. I've driven them when they were pretty good but the last time, maybe three or four years ago, they were already horrible. I was in our SEC and HATING life. Sounds like they're much worse. That's a real shame. So much beauty out there. Sorry for your car, too!
I’m sure Friday’s drive will make up for it! See you there, Mike!
@TimL,
Tim your car looks outstanding. Looks like a nice trip down the coast. My one and only trip to Laguna Seca was in 1997 FIA GT Championship where the races were pretty much rained out on Saturday but Sunday was a great day for the Mercedes CLKGTR / 6.0ltr W12 with Bernd Schneider & Klaus Ludwig driving it to a P1 WIN!
Enjoy the races I wish I was there with you. Have a great weekend. Say hi to Lucky Mike for me.
BTW: You can watch that race on UTube.
Tim your car looks outstanding. Looks like a nice trip down the coast. My one and only trip to Laguna Seca was in 1997 FIA GT Championship where the races were pretty much rained out on Saturday but Sunday was a great day for the Mercedes CLKGTR / 6.0ltr W12 with Bernd Schneider & Klaus Ludwig driving it to a P1 WIN!
Enjoy the races I wish I was there with you. Have a great weekend. Say hi to Lucky Mike for me.
BTW: You can watch that race on UTube.
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you should try driving in bushwick or philly i’m sure you’d love it lol
This is part of the appeal of something like a Safari 911 (or, at least something between that and a modern sportscar). There are plenty of amazing rural roads like this that our lightly trafficked but in rough shape, buuuut...if you had a car w sidewall and suspension travel and ground clearance but was still performant you could mob on them in peace
Drove from Mendocino to San Francisco on Highway 1 today. Gorgeous weather, smooth road, very very twisty and very lightly trafficked. I had a total blast. Didn’t stop for any pictures as I was too hooked on driving that road. Gated shifter came in very handy again today, lots of 25mph turns so plenty of 2nd gear blasts. Can’t believe how empty the road was. Drove this stretch back in 2014 with my manual Mustang 302 Boss clone but had more fun in the 500 E today
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Not quite Dave, but @a777fan ’s ASR Off install came in handy a couple of times. Would have been nice to have the wavetrac installed before the trip. Oh wellAwesome! No major problems rolling cones getting in the way?
Top secret video of Tim on Hwy 1:
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Came back up from Monterey last week and drove the 900 miles in one go. The car started losing full power around Medford. It wasn’t limp mode but it would spin up more slowly than usual and also not develop much power. I made it home just fine, but it left me a bit disappointed that yet again I didn’t make the trip to and from Laguna Seca without incident 
Luckily Steve is done with one of his long term projects (building an Evo 1 clone with a C36 engine and a manual gearbox), so he has space in his shop again to work on customer cars. First thing will be chasing down the cause for the lack of power and then the plan is to do the following stuff as well:
Luckily Steve is done with one of his long term projects (building an Evo 1 clone with a C36 engine and a manual gearbox), so he has space in his shop again to work on customer cars. First thing will be chasing down the cause for the lack of power and then the plan is to do the following stuff as well:
- install wavetrac limited slip differential
- install new rear axles
- install new rear wheel bearings
- Install new E60 front sway bar replica from Blue Ridge
- Install custom made E60 replica springs from Intrax
- install airbox holding pins (old ones are loose)
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any experience reaching out to Ennepetal JP for rebuilding shocks? I feel like they’d kill it, no clue what shipping would cost etcCame back up from Monterey last week and drove the 900 miles in one go. The car started losing full power around Medford. It wasn’t limp mode but it would spin up more slowly than usual and also not develop much power. I made it home just fine, but it left me a bit disappointed that yet again I didn’t make the trip to and from Laguna Seca without incident
Luckily Steve is done with one of his long term projects (building an Evo 1 clone with a C36 engine and a manual gearbox), so he has space in his shop again to work on customer cars. First thing will be chasing down the cause for the lack of power and then the plan is to do the following stuff as well:
I decided against installing the E60 shocks that Nagengast had redone, because the bushings they installed are crap. Based on this experience I suppose I will not consider using them again as they basically rendered these shocks unusable
- install wavetrac limited slip differential
- install new rear axles
- install new rear wheel bearings
- Install new E60 front sway bar replica from Blue Ridge
- Install the custom made E60 replica springs from Intrax
- install airbox holding pins (old ones are loose)
@TimL that sucks - sorry to hear you went through engine power trouble on the way back. I hope it is something simple - and yet we embrace this as part of "character building" of operating an old car!Came back up from Monterey last week and drove the 900 miles in one go. The car started losing full power around Medford. It wasn’t limp mode but it would spin up more slowly than usual and also not develop much power. I made it home just fine, but it left me a bit disappointed that yet again I didn’t make the trip to and from Laguna Seca without incident
Luckily Steve is done with one of his long term projects (building an Evo 1 clone with a C36 engine and a manual gearbox), so he has space in his shop again to work on customer cars. First thing will be chasing down the cause for the lack of power and then the plan is to do the following stuff as well:
I decided against installing the E60 shocks that Nagengast had redone, because the bushings they installed are crap. Based on this experience I suppose I will not consider using them again as they basically rendered these shocks unusable
- install wavetrac limited slip differential
- install new rear axles
- install new rear wheel bearings
- Install new E60 front sway bar replica from Blue Ridge
- Install the custom made E60 replica springs from Intrax
- install airbox holding pins (old ones are loose)
I will be particularly interested to hear of your experience with the Wavetrac with ASR ON vs regular MB open diff with ASR ON.
My car is in the shop while I’m traveling and today Steve sent some photos of the progress on the front suspension. Components from Blue Ridge (sway bar) and Intrax (springs) are qualitatively really nice according to Steve, so I’m happy with that. Also asked him to swap the LCAs to the stiffer sportline LCAs and am curious to see what it will do to the handling. The standard LCAs and springs coming off the car have only been put in in 2019 or 20 so I will clean them and put them in storage in case I ever want to reverse the components back to original. Sway bar on the car is old, but I will keep that as well.
Wavetrac will go onto the car in the next few days, together with the new rear axles and rear springs and I hope to have the car back sometime in the week of June 12
Wheel bearings are not in need of replacement according to Steve, so those won’t be swapped out, contrary to the original plan- he thought it was overkill to do them. He will forget more about these cars than I ever will know, so I won’t argue with him and get them done whenever he sees fit.
Wavetrac will go onto the car in the next few days, together with the new rear axles and rear springs and I hope to have the car back sometime in the week of June 12
Wheel bearings are not in need of replacement according to Steve, so those won’t be swapped out, contrary to the original plan- he thought it was overkill to do them. He will forget more about these cars than I ever will know, so I won’t argue with him and get them done whenever he sees fit.
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If the wheel bearings have been repacked somewhat recently, and/or the grease is visually OK, the bearings are likely fine. The ONLY reason I replace the bearings is because it's soooooo much work to clean old grease from them. It's far easier to install new bearings when replacing / repacking the OE neon-green grease. This is typically a once-per-ownership job, and if the PO had it done already... no point in repeating the job.
What is the significance of pics 4 and 5? The white stuff on the teeth and then measuring … something?Diff is being torn down right now- excited for it all to be done!
I assume #4 is checking the contact pattern of the gears, which is a nice extra step, but not usually necessary if only doing an LSD install.
#5 is checking the backlash. If adjustment is required, the bearing carrier shims must be changed, and everything measured again. Bearing preload also must be checked/adjusted. More pics here...
Going to Germany always ends up being a trip to NOS land. I don’t need these items right now, but I bought them as an insurance for when the time comes. Injectors (unfortunately only seven), grill insert, complete grill, seat heater switch and German Kathrein mobile phone antenna that was used on the facelift cars and hood seal (only one side). All of it is NLA. Hoping to use the injectors for the 6 liter tear down and to be able to find one more injector before that happens.
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Sad but true- the old trim strips are a million times more robust than the new ones. The grill emblem is also one of the old ones, so the blue won’t wash off the minute you wash the car. So bad that the spare part quality has gone down so much
Don’t be Mike- all these are doing is adding to my increasingly precarious storage situation and thereby adding to the potential for a reprimand from my wife
I have a spare grille from when I bought my car, owing to a disagreement about what I wanted done, which resulted in me getting a new grille (late 2011). At least both seem equally robust, though I haven't compared them side by side.
I only wanted the insert to be not faded but was careless in my instruction. Now I have a spare that I can disassemble, clean, prime and paint for the insert to be darker if and when I want.
maw
I only wanted the insert to be not faded but was careless in my instruction. Now I have a spare that I can disassemble, clean, prime and paint for the insert to be darker if and when I want.
maw
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I get that! Stack of old rims and tires in the kitchen, spare SLS struts, vacuum tubing, spark plugs in the bedroom, etc.Don’t be Mike- all these are doing is adding to my increasingly precarious storage situation and thereby adding to the potential for a reprimand from my wife
I suspect this is not the correct use-case application for spark plugs.
Man, I love being a car guy.I suspect this is not the correct use-case application for spark plugs.
Sooo, I went to drop off the Euro radio/phone antenna at Steve’s for install and while there it turns out the rear wheel carrier bushings are forcing our hand after all on the wheel bearings. The carrier bushings are shot and are not budging, so that means the whole kid and caboodle has to come off to install them which in turn will destroy the wheel bearings during removal. Considered putting the Euro standard 300mm rear breaks on there while at it, but don’t have the parts for that handy, so I’ll stick with the 280mm breaks in the rear and just get all other components done back there.
I think Steve will be glad once this go around is done, because between me dropping off more parts and thereby adding to the to dos on the one hand and unforeseen issues coming up on the other hand, this whole thing is taking more time than originally envisioned.
It is what it is though. Can’t wait to drive the car and am glad that this is getting done.
I think Steve will be glad once this go around is done, because between me dropping off more parts and thereby adding to the to dos on the one hand and unforeseen issues coming up on the other hand, this whole thing is taking more time than originally envisioned.
It is what it is though. Can’t wait to drive the car and am glad that this is getting done.
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With the wheel bearings coming off, Steve talked me into doing the 300mm caliper and rotor swap after all. The clinching argument was that it turned out that all the necessary parts are available new from MB, so no parts scavenger hunt needed for this particular exercise. So I agreed to do it now, as everything is coming off back there anyway.
Unfortunately that means my car will still be in the shop for a while longer while everything is getting done. I am looking forward to driving it again soon And keep my fingers crossed that it will all wrap up within the next two weeks.
Unfortunately that means my car will still be in the shop for a while longer while everything is getting done. I am looking forward to driving it again soon And keep my fingers crossed that it will all wrap up within the next two weeks.
This is from @gsxr's website below. If you are changing to the rear Euro 300x22 rear rotors, then are you changing the calipers too? Does this require brake proportion changes since you are not changing the front brakes?
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Rotors+calipers are required for the upgrade, It's a bolt-on for mid-1993 USA model year production and newer; early 1993 MY USA and older also requires larger dust shields (or, cutting the small shields).
No need to change the MC or worry about brake proportioning assuming you have either 320mm or 334mm front brakes.
So I guess the big question is ..... @TimL are you going to go with SL600 334mm calipers / rotors in the front, or are you going to keep the stock calipers / rotors in the front to maintain the ability to fit 16" wheels?
Augment Wheel Company in Canada can make forged 17/18" versions of the 8-Loch wheel in nice widths / offsets (unlike the slightly too narrow Rial M800.....)
Dave is, as always, spot on. It’s the whole enchilada. Dust shields, rotors, calipers. The front will remain untouched. I love the light aluminum Brembos and would consider them a unique part of the 036 that added to it being “special”. I will always want to maintain the capability to have 16” wheels, so no SA in my future.
So far this is the thinking that has me with my original Jan’92 Brembos (despite multiple offers). I haven’t had any problems with them and at least until I do, I won’t be changing them. The car ran the One Lap of America with them so I figure they must be robust enough for my use. Though I’m not likely to wear the 8holes again, I still have them and the option to do so.
maw
Nice!!! Sad I won’t see it tomorrow however.
Talked to Steve today and the diff reassembly is coming together nicely with the plan to finish the entire rear assembly up this weekend. Unfortunately the diff will need to be re-shimmed with thinner shims. Steve‘s part stash to the rescue, as I believe these are no longer available.
Really hope that by end of the next weekend he will be done with everything but that depends on some of the brake parts which have to come in from Germany (one of the new calipers). Accordingly the rear break calipers will be the last thing to get done.
Really hope that by end of the next weekend he will be done with everything but that depends on some of the brake parts which have to come in from Germany (one of the new calipers). Accordingly the rear break calipers will be the last thing to get done.
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Last I checked, shims were still available, but in limited thicknesses. You have to take a thicker one and machine it down to the desired thickness. Not something DIY'able for most people. Even worse, if you are picky and want everything dead-on spec, you may need to shim / test in 0.05mm increments. VERY time consuming. Last I checked the available shims were in roughly 0.20mm increments.
Now I know why Steve was looking less than thrilled that shimming is requiredLast I checked, shims were still available, but in limited thicknesses. You have to take a thicker one and machine it down to the desired thickness. Not something DIY'able for most people. Even worse, if you are picky and want everything dead-on spec, you may need to shim / test in 0.05mm increments. VERY time consuming. Last I checked the available shims were in roughly 0.20mm increments.
He said though that currently it is a little too tight, so it has to be done
Went up to check on my car today and progress is slowly but surely being made. The remaining rear brake items (discs, pads) will show up next week and the diff will be ready to be put back in by then too together with the bigger rear calipers.
After that its minor items like the phone antenna, the LED bulbs for the taillight and an alignment.
Happy that the parts that came off the car are in really good shape and that the area around the diff is nice and rust free like the rest of the underbody.
Will be putting all the parts that came off the car back on the shelf in case there is ever a need to go back to the original setup.
Can’t wait to drive the car and see what effect the 30mm sway bar, E60 replica springs and sportline LCA will have on the handling of the car.
After that its minor items like the phone antenna, the LED bulbs for the taillight and an alignment.
Happy that the parts that came off the car are in really good shape and that the area around the diff is nice and rust free like the rest of the underbody.
Will be putting all the parts that came off the car back on the shelf in case there is ever a need to go back to the original setup.
Can’t wait to drive the car and see what effect the 30mm sway bar, E60 replica springs and sportline LCA will have on the handling of the car.
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