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View Full Version : Quit modifying/racing civic? long post warning!



angrychicken
05-04-2006, 01:33 AM
I'm seriously thinking about pulling out of autox, and that would mean that I would no longer mod my car. I sort of feel like I'm not getting a big enough rush for how much $ it's costing me (I’m an adrenaline junky). The cons with autox is that you can just wake up in the morning and decide that you want go race, you have to attend at scheduled times wither you feel like racing or not.

I've been thinking about this for the last few months, and this weekend while snowboarding with a friend, I sort of came across "the straw that broke the camels' back". I used to do a little wall climbing, mt biking, etc before I tore out my shoulder. I've undergone 2 surgical repairs but still have very limited use of my left arm, so I've stopped many activities in fear of a re-injury. You see, although I've always had a thing with cars, but I only got into racing because of my need for natural endorphins. Driving fast in a car was a way to get that "high" without putting myself in harms way

A couple of months ago, I decided to try out snowboarding despite fear of injurying my shoulder and I'm loving it. This Saturday I was laying down some last runs of the season along with one of the coolest guys that I've met. He is handicapped, has no function from either one of his legs, and "skis" on a contraption that he sits in that is held up by one "ski". He was probably THE fastest guy on the mountain that day, he would launch off every small cliff and ramp he came across, pulling of mad aerials. No one could keep up with this guy. He sort of brought things into perspective for me. He treated his handicap as an obstacle. I realized that day that obstacles in life or exactly that, just obstacles. Obstacles are not road blocks, and do not have the ability to stop us from achieving goals.

Soooo, I've been thinking about picking up a new hobby, I've been thinking about getting involved in para-gliding, I would only have to spend a few hundred in lessons to get started. If I liked it, I could pick up a decent, used para-glider for around 1k, and decent new package cost as little as 3k and then jumping off cliffs/hills is free after that. I could para-glide whenever I wanted, weather permitting of course. I’d only have to spend <2k, that’s less than I've spent modifying my car. Right now my car "needs" race rubber, lsd, sway bar, better gearing, and more power to make it real competitive in its race class, you guys know that quite a bit of money for a poor schmoe like me, and I just don't see getting a good return for the money that I'd have to dish out. And those mods will "only" cut down a few seconds, my car would be faster, but I'm afraid the thrill I would get from increased speed would be short lived.

Life has been dull for the last few years; I'm tired of "tip toeing" around my injury. I'm going on vacation in 2wks (Europe) and I'm going to really think this through while on my trip. I've told one of my best friends about this who is a fellow racer. I'd still be able to race when I wanted by using other cars, but I would stop modifying my car any further.

What do you guys think? Any input/feedback?

Volume 8
05-04-2006, 10:53 AM
It's really all up to you, but i say why not continue racing, you already have a decent car built up, maybe look into road racing if you want more of a rush. Or go out and find some nice mountain roads and scare yourself, like i do, you can go anytime you want and diving into a corner with a cliff on the other side will get the adrenaline flowing. but seriously, do whatever puts a smile on your face and gets your heart pumping.

OniFactor
05-04-2006, 12:23 PM
learn how to basejump. if you can't go up the mountain, might as well go down. ;-)

naman
05-04-2006, 02:46 PM
Do what you think is best follow your gut it rarely steers me wrong. I always try not to leave the "what if?" You know, "what if," I had tried this or tried that. Maybe that's just me, but if your ready to move on I say why not?

boosteddx
05-04-2006, 03:05 PM
remember when u have the need for speed....play underground =\ j/k i lovewake boarding...that gives me a rush

JdmRevelations
05-04-2006, 03:46 PM
im sure that there are other ways of getting your rush... but someone like me wouldnt be able to get away... im sure you could do the paragliding thing and you will miss the speed after a while... doin the same thing over and over kinda kills it.. thats why a lot of Adrenaline Junkies do lots of stuff... IMO if your getting bored find something that will fullfill the need for adrenaline but your always going to come back to the car thing... I DID...

angrychicken
05-04-2006, 04:47 PM
Word, I'm dumping off my Volks to a friend tommoro. I just need to find a new thrill. I'll still race now and then, but not as often as I used to. If I get back into racing again, it will probably be more gymkhanas and drift events. Those are more fun, and you get more seat time. Most of my friends drive Nissans, Mazda's, and Toyotas, so I'll be borrowing RWD cars with torque for future racing. One of the guys I work with does a little sky-diving and is trying to get me to go out and try that out this summer, so that might be in the works as well.

G-rat
05-04-2006, 04:50 PM
well if its what u want then go for it....u might miss racing after a while...but what u wanna do now sounds like a real rush. i hope in doin this though your knowledge stays here in the cc cause i have learned a bit from some of the insite u have put in a few of your posts.....

angrychicken
05-04-2006, 05:02 PM
I still have my civic, so I'll still be around the sight. I'm just not going to be racing my car as much, if at all, so I won't have any real need to make performance mods.
Hopefully my friend will be done with his car in the next 1-2months (340whp 240sx, fully prepped). I'll be using that for track days. Woot! Wooooot!

angrychicken
05-05-2006, 11:25 PM
I got rid of my race wheels/tires today, I was kind of sad to see them go. On the upside a buddy of mine picked up a 93 FD (boosted), today. It blue booked @ 14k, he bought it from a autoxer for 6K :whistle:
Can anyone guess what I'll be driving when I return :biggrinvb: ?

crazyxzer0
05-15-2006, 04:15 PM
ha best wishes to you M. You are one of the most knowledgable people on this forum that I know that I can engage a conversation about suspnesion setups. I can probably talk to you all day about suspension setups! anyways..since you are an andrenaline junkie, its hard to get that from a car without always progressing. You have a family and what not, and I hope you find out what the best decision is for you. Good luck!

angrychicken
05-15-2006, 07:17 PM
Thanks, I'm just not getting faster in my car with it's current set up, I'd have to spend more money to gain around 3-4 seconds, it's just not worth it IMO. I'm skipping out on the next few races, but I'll will be back on the track later. I've spoke with a few friends and shop owners, to see if they would lend me some keys, when I return to racing I'll be driving a 350whp 240 and a stock FD.:lol:

Dina
05-15-2006, 07:24 PM
Mani I think you have to do what you want to do! I think that your one of the most knowledgable members of the Coupe Council when it comes to suspension and racing, your knowledge has helped alot of people here and on jdmc I wish you the best with what ever you do and I want you to know that your always at home here with us!

angrychicken
07-04-2006, 02:49 AM
Just wanted to give you guys an update on where I"m @ with this. I've taken the last few months off and have been down other avenues and having a blast. I did a trip to Europe a few weeks ago and spent my first weekend back in the states around a RHD hachi, big power EVO MR, stock FD, etc, etc... I think I will be getting back on the track around Sept or Oct. I'm currently helping out a friend with this project so I can be his co-driver.
Nissan 240sx with some suspension mods:


Kaaz 2way:

Jason working on some wiring:

The money shot, I gotta make this car look good! Ladies beware, don't let your husbands or boyfriends catch you peeking!!!!












Random shot of a corolla outside of the shop:

Being around all these high hp power cars got me kinda drooling, well see how rusty I will be in a few months...

G-rat
07-04-2006, 03:32 PM
rhd hachiroku:eek:

angrychicken
07-04-2006, 07:49 PM
Here's an old shot for g-rat of the hachi in it's build up stage.

The owner (dustin) ended up tearing off the rear end mid-drift a couple of weeks ago. :TD:

JdmRevelations
07-05-2006, 01:58 AM
damn i would love to own a 86 corrola...

angrychicken
09-24-2006, 03:33 PM
Update on the civic.
I ordered a few parts that are needed to possibly race next month.
My buddy of mine is putting on a new timing belt and water pump this week for me. I also ordered a Exedy clutch from a seller on H-Tech a few weeks ago but it has not arrived. If it doesn't get here by tomorro and the seller doesn't respond I'm going to have to ask paypal to retrieve my payment.
Sucks, it will be my first bad experience from buying online.
I was also hoping to slap on some new tires (RT-615s) and a rear sway, but this happended this morning.

Damned hood latch broke and let the hood fly back while driving.
Just another set back, I'll call around tomorro and look for a replacement, hopefully it won't cost too much.