Automobilist Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 OK. New here. Bought the yellow racer from Steve (GT6Steve). Starting to sort it out, but the rules are quite different from working on a road car. A quick introduction; I tend to like things with motors. I prefer to ride dirt bikes over hiking. I would rather go fishing on my powerboat than go sailing. I like power tools... Background: 25 years as a commercial airline pilot, flying DC9, DC10, Boeing 727, 737, 757 & 767. Accumulated about 16,000 flight hours. Retired early, and started a couple companies which are doing rather well. One distributes mobile fuel trailers & fuel storage tanks. The other distributes environmental protection supplies; absorbents, spill kits, etc. I've owned cars since I was three years old and my Grandmother gave me her 1940 Pontiac coupe. Next car I got was a 1952 MG TD, which I still own and drive. Bought that when I was 14. Since then, I've had a wide variety of cars, a partial sample includes: 1968 Mustang GTCS 1970 Datsun 510 1971 Datsun 240Z 1972 Ford van, converted to a "surfer" van; shag carpet, etc... 1953 Cadillac Coupe de Ville 1968 Ford Bronco (ex; Mickey Thompson) 1973 Jensen-Healey 1968 Corvette roadster 1976 VW Scirocco 1978 Fiat Super Brava 1967 Jamaican kit car on MGA chassis with Buick V6 engine 1984 VW GTI 1980 Audi 4000S (5000 engine...) 1984 Honda Civic S 1995, 1997, 2000 Chevrolet Suburbans 2004 GMC Yukon 2001 Maxima 1985 M-B 300TDT Estate 1988 M-B 300E 2003 M-B C320 Wagon (estate) Currently own: 1971 Triumph GT6 1952 MG TD 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax turbodiesel 1979 Cadillac Seville 2005 Cadillac SRX (Northstar V8) 2011 M-B E550 Coupe Bikes: Several Honda XL250, XL350's Vespa P200 Kawasaki KZ650 Honda CRF's; 100, 150 (2), 230, 250X Currently own: Kawasaki KDX220 (2) KTM EXC200 Suzuki RM125 Plus several more relatively uninteresting cars, trucks, a couple motorhomes, toyhaulers, a few boats both power & sail, etc...
GT6Steve Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 Ed, I'm laughing to myself... I was just thinking to give you a poke to introduce yourself and give us updates when the first thing that pops up is this. Welcome again to the forum and Triumph racing... ;D
Automobilist Posted November 20, 2010 Author Posted November 20, 2010 Yeah, I don't know, Steve. It looks pretty goofy, listing a bunch of the cars I've had, but that's what I'm into. Tell you what though, the more cars I own, the more life experience I get, the less I know about cars, life, women, etc... Trust me, friends; I'll surely ask some incredibly stupid questions, and make some really inane comments. That I assure you.
GHR630 Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 Welcome Mate - you'll fit right in, we're all a bit "off-centre" around here!
Mother Teresa Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 How-do. That's a veritable cornucopia of former cars there, let alone the current stable! ;D
GT6Steve Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 Ed, what year's your RM125? I had pre radiator models and thought they were a hoot! Never had a water cooled one though. Drove off of one too many cliffs and hung that up ;D
GT6 Posted November 20, 2010 Posted November 20, 2010 The RM125 is a 2001. I really like two stroke bikes far more than four strokes. My favorite of all time are the Kawasaki KDX 220's. One of mine is very nicely set up for off road riding, auto clutch, full aluminum guards, HID lighting, FMF exhaust, slightly lowered, big desert tank, etc. Very fun bike. I'm not interested in bike racing at all, but I'll put my KTM200 EXC up against a Honda CRF450, etc. any time. Since my wife severely injured her neck & back in 2008, we have pretty much parked the bikes. Still have a few left, but that's why I bought your racer... Ed Possibly the worlds laziest dirt bike rider
vagt6 Posted November 22, 2010 Posted November 22, 2010 Ed, welcome to the fray. I'm a newb myself, having joined the fun here a few months ago. I'm not currently a racer but was in my "glory" days back in the 1980s. I just sold a '70 GT6 after restoring it, now drive a nicely sorted MK III Midget (don't tell these Triumph guys, they may kick me out). I note you have a KZ650 Kawa. I also have a 650 Kawa, but it's a KLR 650, lots of modifications for comfort, speed, etc. Fun bike, but not a "go fast" one. Cheers,
thebrookster Posted November 22, 2010 Posted November 22, 2010 Welcome. Now that list of car and bikes makes a novel in itself!! Best of luck with the yellow racer, look forward to hearing of you battling Steve in the race write-ups!! Cheers, Phil
GT6 Posted November 22, 2010 Posted November 22, 2010 I think I registered twice, once from my home computer, and once from my office computer. So, Automobilist & GT6 are one and the same...
Royboy66 Posted November 22, 2010 Posted November 22, 2010 Welcome ! looking forward to some tales of the yellow peril! If Steve reccomends ya! thats High praise indeed!!, and you are no doubt a Gud un ! Enjoy!
GT6Steve Posted November 22, 2010 Posted November 22, 2010 Roy, You saw the Yellow Peril I believe, as did Andre. It's gonna be fun to see what it becomes. We must put upon Kenny Rodenbush to bring his time sheets from the early nineties that list the car at Willow Springs. Ed, we'll work on that if you make Cal Speedway in March. 8)
Gerard Posted November 23, 2010 Posted November 23, 2010 I was wondering whet the hell a "1978 Fiat Super Brava" was... A 131! Fantastic! I assume it died of rust... The only ones I see these days are the Murat 131 when I visit friends in Turkey.
GT6 Posted November 23, 2010 Posted November 23, 2010 The 131 aka: "Super Brava" here in the States was my first brand new car purchase. I was 20 years old (1978) and was in college and working as a flight instructor. Fun times... It had really great lines, just a beautiful design interior & exterior. Only problem was, those were the heavy "smog" days, with performance & drive-ability stifling emissions controls. I remember driving the Fiat to northern California, (about 500 miles) and along the way, it seemed to require more and more throttle to maintain speed. Finally, it was really bogging down. Mind you, this is a new car with maybe 2000 miles on it at this point. I popped out, and noticed a strange orange glow under the car. Odd... Got down on the ground to take a look, and the catalytic converter was glowing bright red. It was actually translucent from the heat, and I could see the little balls inside it. Wild. Obviously, something significant was wrong, but I had no clue what. In my very limited mechanical ability, I figured it was probably something ignition related. I pulled the main high tension lead about 3/8" from the distributor and ran the engine a bit which cleared it up. Had to stop every 100 miles or so and do that, but made it all the way and back home. Meanwhile, it also had a bit of a stumble off idle, which was very annoying. Keep in mind, most 1978 cars drove like crap due to the emissions devices. Took it into the dealer (under warranty) to complain about the poor driveability, and a mechanic came out and pulled me aside, he said to make a small aluminum plate and put it between a certain fitting, that would take care of the problem. I did just that, and the car drove perfectly from then on. After a couple years, I tired of the 131 and fell in love with a new 1980 Mazda RX7, which turned out to be a great car.
triumphlux Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 I was wondering whet the hell a "1978 Fiat Super Brava" was... A 131! Fantastic! I assume it died of rust... The only ones I see these days are the Murat 131 when I visit friends in Turkey. Rented one of those when on holiday in Turkey a few years ago. The greatest rent car I ever had ;D
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