Newbie

[roger_sausage]

Hi everyone, just stumbled across the site doing a random Google search.

My name's Lee, I'm 24 and from Mansfield just north of Nottingham. I'm not new to Jap ownership having had a 320bhp S14a and I've also had everything from Old Skool Fords (Mk 1 Escort) to Muscle cars ('79 Trans Am, '70 Camaro RS).

I've owned my ST185 about a fortnight and I'm chuffed to bits so far. She's a 99,000m '91 JDM wide-body in ash grey. There are a few mods but nothing major;

17" OZ Superleggeras
Blitz SUS induction kit
Manual boost controller @ 12psi
Full HKS Silent Hi-Power exhaust system
Blitz turbo timer (currently dis-connected to keep my CAT 1 status)
Metal head gasket
Paddle clutch (nightmare in town ha ha)

She's off the road at the moment because there's a few bits and bobs I want to sort (the previous owner used the wheels as a "kerb location device!") plus I think the rack mounts want tightening up or welding (the steering's very vague) but like I said, on the whole I'm really happy and will no doubt get to meet a few of you at some stage.

[The Doctor]

Welcome Roger 

[calam]

Welcome to the club Lee
great choice in motor mate, although u do know the narrow bodys are lighter and we all know black is the fastest colour

Sensible set of mods you've got there

Get some pics up asap

Matt

[roger_sausage]

Cheers mate, Ideally I'd have gone for a CS but I couldn't find one I liked at a price I agreed with.

Here's a few pics...







I should be getting the wheels re-furbed next week but I'm undecided as yet whether to leave them silver or go for something darker like anthracite. There's a few chips and scratches that will be sorted at the same time, then after that it'll be oil, filter, clay bar, polish, wax and enjoy! (providing I get the steering issue solved relatively straight forwardly!)

[paul_gt4]

all the best with it and another guy who needs to turn the side vents around backwards

[Coyoteboy]

Welcome! And yes, turn those bloody vents around :lol:

Looks like a tidy set of wheels, will be good to see you around! How did you like the old muscle cars? Always wanted an early 80's corvette, opted for a 185 instead for fuel reason - not sure it is any different

[roger_sausage]

Cheers lads

So what's the deal with the vents then, are mine arse-about-face or is turning them round a cooling mod? (pardon the newbie question lol). The wheels are really nice but are kerbed up close, they're off for a refurb next week but as I say, I can't decide on the colour!

I loved the muscle cars although they were 2 different animals. My Camaro came straight from California and was a proper show winner. My Trans-Am on the other hand was a stripped-out, matte black 11 second bruiser. I loved both to death but both had to go for differing reasons. When I had the Camaro my girlfriend at the time lived 80 miles away and it was costing me as much as £200 a week in fuel going backwards and forwards...it got too much! I sold the Pontiac because my Dad and I have a 7 second Camaro drag car and we had no sponsor for the year; the only way to fund the engine rebuild was to sell my car. I love muscle cars to death though and I'm sure I'll have another one day. For now though Im glad to be back in a Jap!

[Coyoteboy]

Yours are arse about face, people turn them round thinking they have more fluid dynamics knowledge than a team of Toyota aerodynamics engineers  : Two little nuts per vent, whip them round 180. In their current config they will do very little other than interrupt the flow thats meant to come out of the top end of the bonnet to remove the hot stagnant air. Another thing people do is remove the undertrays - silly idea, you can reduce drag massively by smoothing the underside of the car, plus removing the undertrays diverts air around the radiator and reduces cooling efficiency.

Sounds like you have a good background in different motors, always good! Get some photos of the them up so we can dribble!

[roger_sausage]

Cheers for the heads-up, I'll add the vents to my to-do list...I'd have been non-the-wiser otherwise!

Yeah I've got a decent background in motors, I'm the crew chief for our race car and I'm a fully factory trained Mercedes-Benz technician. I've always done all my own mods too.

My Camaro;







My Trans-Am;







My S14a;







The race car;

[Cee]

Welcome to the club.. car nut You're in good company here anyway

[bazza2541]

OOOOoooooo. That Trans-Am is hard as *BLEEP*! BEAUTIFUL.

[Coyoteboy]

I've got to say that Trans-Am does things to me that only women normally do Its awesome!

[roger_sausage]

Yeah it wasn't the most practical car in the world and I can't say my girlfriend approved but I loved it to bits. The exhaust consisted of a set of tubular headers>cherry bomb>steel flexi hose. Added with the roller cam and she could be heard for miles!! The lumpy idle was awesome too.

[bazza2541]

Oh, Lumpy idles make me wanna sex wee.

[peterp1per]

Welcome to the club, you deffo found the right place 

your previous s14 is tasty, i do like them. 

tis good to see another 185 on the scene, enjoy your stay mate.