Since I've been bumped to street mod with the SR20VE swap, its time that I replaced my 205 50 15 azenis for some R compounds. The wheels I have right now are 15x7 Kosei K1's. I would like to upgrade to the 15x8 Kosei k1's, then get some 225 45 15 R compounds for it. In the tire size, tire rack has the khumo ecsta V700's, Hoosier R3S04, R3S05, and Avon Tech R. If I go with a 225 50 15 instead then I could run the victoracer or V710. So, here are my questions:

1. Should I even be running a 225? I could stick with 205, but the prices look to be only a few dollars more to run the 225.

2. Should I run a 45 or 50 sidewall? I want to stick with a 45 to keep the car lower. Cost is a big issue here as well, so I want to run a tire that will last a long time (for an R compound).

3. How important is the 15x8 wheel? I know 225's can fit on the 15x7, but how good is it to do that? Buying a set of 4 15x8 k1's will cost me over 800 dollars, so is it really worth it?

4. What other tires options havn't I looked at? Toyo? What sizes do they come in?

TIA,

-Mike

I've got a pile of E30 junk with questionable functionality and usefulness. Tell me if any of you are looking for something before I send it all to eBay:

4x plastic airboxes

1x metal airbox (aparently really nice for M30 AFM conversions, and it uses a larger filter)

a handfull of the little barometer things that hang off the airboxes (#0 280 101 001)

4x 325i AFMs (0 280 202 091)

2 or 3x 0 280 202 082 AFMs (don't know what those are for)

2 or 3x 0 280 202 066 AFMs (again, don't know)

a few 0 261 200 027 ECU's (325e I think)

0 261 200 524 ECU (don't know application)

1x 0 261 200 173 ECU (325i)

1x 13 button OBC

a box full of idle control valves. Haven't even looked at 'em yet.

assorted gauge clusters from 325e's, I've actually been able to test out some of them and know what gauges work. Some VDO some Motometer.

Hey Guys, E.T. Motorsports is hosting a dyno session on October 1st. The guys from Slowboy racing are coming down to do the actual dyno and tuning on a dynapack. The morning will have an AWD dyno costing $50 for 2 pulls with a wide band 02. Afternoon will have 2 2WD dynos going for $40 for 2 pulls with a wide band. They have offered to stay over until sunday if there is enough demand for them.
They have the ability to tune the following: AFC, AEM EMS, Haltech, Link, Motech, DSM Link, and I imagine some more.

If you have any questions you need to contact DJ at <!-- e --><a href="mailtoJ@ETMotorsports.com">DJ@ETMotorsports.com</a><!-- e --> or call the shop at 540-578-0665. My dyno lingo isn't very good so if this is incorrectly worded, then it is my fault for trying to write in shorthand as DJ was telling me the specs. I'll be there and I'd really like to see a strong showing from MM at this. Everybody is always talking about getting thier numbers, here is a good opportunity, close to home, and for a decent price.

CHANGE IN PLANS!!!
Slowboy screwed up and booked this weekend with us, but forgot a previous arrangement they had made back this spring! The dyno day will still happen, but there will be a couple changes. There will be a dynojet service who agreed to come last minute. It will be $55 for two pulls with the wide band. DJ will be doing tuning, but it will be 2wd only. Anybody who is signed up and needs to cancel or something, call or email DJ. Otherwise, everything will continue as planned. I believe they will still be doing the pulls in the morning, but I guess that depends on when you are signed up for. Contact DJ for more information. Sorry guys.

Been in a real driving mood lately, but I'm still relatively new to the area and I don't know of anything around here.

Anything that resembles rt. 33 out into W.Va would be incredible, but nothing that's too far of a hike.

I'm in Arlington, FWIW.

Quote:ItÔÇÖs called a ÔÇ£SmartukiÔÇØ, and itÔÇÖs the brainchild of Englishman Peter Bee who works for MHP exhaust. While smitten with the Smart car in its mild mannered state, Bee felt the urge to take it to the edge by having Z cars drop in the engine of a Suzuki GSXR1000 that had been tweaked to 180 hp, which equals nearly 120 more hp than a stock Smart car. The result is a microcar that gets to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and through the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds at 132 mph. Insanity ensues well before the carÔÇÖs 13,000 rpm redline. Read about the project here at The Kneeslider, a website thatÔÇÖs probably not used to reporting on things with four wheels.

We all need one of these babies....


I just thought it looked way to cool not to share.



I got this box at the beginning of the summer and took these pictures but never posted. I actually had people, both co-workers and customers, thinking we actually had sears make these for us. lol. It has a huge JMU magnet in the top of the lid, which adds to the effect. That is not shown in these pics.

Well kids, I finally popped the cherry this past weekend and all I can say is WOW! (although my wallet doesn't seem to agree)

Costs:
BMW Z4 for the weekend - 250Eu
Petrol - 200Eu
Hotel - 70Eu
Laps - 180Eu
Food and beer - enough
Driving the 'Ring - priceless

Finally indulged in the opportunity on Sunday - rented a Z4 from the rankfurt airport and headed to the legendary circuit. I was with a friend who helped split the rental costs, petrol, and 'Ring tickets, and since she wasn't feeling all that well, I drove all laps except for one (yay for me). Anyways, to the story... we had lunch on Saturday in Koblenz, where I noticed a huge scrape on the front right corner of the bumper. %&@#! When I did the initial walk-around of the car, I never noticed it, and even though I purchased insurance, I had no idea what the policy stated (since my German is elementary). I know I hadn't scratched it, but I feared the worst when I was going to return it (the damage was already on record with eSixT thankfully). In the end, it all worked out.

Now to the 'Ring. Upon arrival, I met up with a Boxster driver from the UK who gave me a ridealong to orient me with the track. It really helped me get comfortable with the track surface and layout. I found that I picked up the track pretty easily, but I still needed to build consistency and momentum throughout the track. By the time I left, I had really picked up a lot of speed.

The place is like a circus - all sorts of vehicles show up. Racecars, exotics, expensive land yachts, motorcycles, busses, you name it. And there is no safety standard, so I saw lots of roll cages with the drivers having no helmets. The most basic rule is that you pass on the left everywhere, and slower cars need to indicate with their signal. I was the only one using hand signals since that was what I was more comfortable. Also, the 'Ring is technically a toll road, so you buy tickets and around you go. I bought several 5-lap tickets for 60 Euros a pop. The track layout I'm not going to go over - so bear with me.

Most of the track is spent in 4th gear, and you're at WOT for a significant portion. The hills are really steeps, and the track is truly about fluidity, smoothness, and momentum. You fly down the hill in Fuchsrohre in 5th gear, then up the hill. Then a little farther you climb up the mountain 1000m, nearly all of it in 4th with your pedal to the floor.

I only got the car up to about 220km before Schwedenskreuz, didn't feel omfortable enough with the bumpiness of the track. I did have one little ff in Hochheichen (I think) where I apexed too early for the first turn, plowed a bit, and drove straight over the dirt for the left hander - no problem getting it back in line though. Had a nice little drift in Adenauer-Forst and also near Hohe Acht (I wish I knew the names of the turns better). I passed a biker going down the hill to Fuchsrohre (sp?), and then going up the hill he saw me in the driver's seat trying to coax the car up the hill at which point he pulled up along side and mimmicked my hand motions. Hilarious! Other highlights include the spectators who clang cowbells and shout even louder when you flash your lights and honk at them as you pass by. And on my last lap, I pointed Sabine by in the M5 'Ring taxi, and she gave me a nice pair of tire-smoking drifts right in front of me.

As for the Z4, I was quite impressed with the car. The chassis is incredibly rigid and the car felt nimble and quite predictable. While it's down about 100hp from my 350Z, it did have a lot of shining traits. The gearbox was incredibly smooth, and I had no problems heel-toeing with the pedal layout. BMW really thought out the car well. And with the weather being what it was, it was perfect convertible weather.

My only regret this weekend is that I shouldn't have explored Luxembourg on Saturday. Instead, I should have gone straight to the 'Ring to watch ractice and qualifying for the LMES (I had no idea it was this weekend). Not to mention it would have spared me one 67 euro tank of gas.

I definitely need to find an extended weekend to spend at the 'Ring - perhaps next time my company pays me to fly to Frankfurt.

Oh, and a short list of the exotics seen this weekend.

Ferrari F430 (hotness)
Gallardo
Murcielago
CLK GTR (real deal)
TVR Cebera (?)

Perfect convertible weather but a bit breezy on the Autobahn


Town in northern Luxembourg


Me standing next to my utility of choice


T13



Hocheichen


Flugplatz


Aremburg


Adenauer Forst


Metzgesfeld


Ring Taxi


CLK GTR



Caterham 7


TVR Tamora


Skyline

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I need to get one of those things and win the hyperfest drift contest next year. Decent power to weight, hard as a rock tires, could tow it behind the s2k.... Fugg!

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This is not mine below I just wanted to give an example.


Post up what you build! :lol:

The pictures start out with my car at the beginning of the summer. Then I replaced the timing belt, waterpump, and belts. Not long after completing the timing belt my GC coilvers came. They are revalved shortened koni SAs with 650/450 Eibach springs. I am really happy with how the suspension has turned out.
The final picture is my car at the beach with the GC kit on and new 235/40/17 Yokohama AVS sports.
Note the new license plate
Nick