MHKflyer52

He is most likely in the hospital due to not using a jack stand while doing work under a vehicle or object that has to be lifted by a jack as the photos shows but that now having been pointed out my bet would be he is adjusting the spring for a softer ride :jester: as most hospital beds are really stiff to my knowledge.

To all of the folks on the North East Coast, I have to say that I had been considering moving back to the North East close to where Tom (aka yellowss7) lives due to having family in that area (Cocranville and Oxford, Penn. and the Cherry Hill, NJ area) but with all that has happened weather wise (Sandy, a North Eastern storm with high tides and snow, a small earth quake, no power in some ares still) in the last three weeks makes me think I am better off out here on the West Coast where it is warm (65 to 94 degrees) :jester: and not snowing or raining :jester: even though we do have earth quakes daily :jester: with the occasional large one (the large quakes only last for a couple of minutes on average and the power get turned on with in hours if it goes out) and the high cost of homes and living and crowed highways that I am going to stay put for the time being. Beside I would have to get a top for my clone 7 and would not be able to drive it as much or post a photo like this to make you all envious of the area I live in even if it is foggy in the morning on the coast (PCH-1). Hope everyone stays safe and that the reconstruction of things dose not take to long or cause any more upsets for you all.

That is great. She must work for the California State Government......

I have to agree with BusaNostra.

Now that is a deal for someone.....should not before sale long at all.....shame I am not in the market for a fun fast car.

More 7 converts on the way...... Great feeling when another gear head finds how fun a 7 can be. Post some photos when you have the time.

Hi Tom, Sorry to hear that your main home is with out power for the time being. The beach house can be repaired or replaced as needed. At least you'll have some great stories and photos of the event to show your feature grand kids and visitors to the beach house long after this is all over and cleaned up.

I like the start video and the sound....even better is the section of pipe or tubing falling down from the vibrations of the exhaust note...way cool.

So Tom did your beach house survive.

My car is not a Cat and would be considered a Locost and I used 5.75in or 146mm at the front and used the front edge of the lower frame tube as the reference point and 6.5in or 165mm at the rear and used the rear bulkhead and lower frame tube joint as that reference point when measuring the ride height with full fluids and no passengers. Main thing is to use the same reference points when setting up you ride height and checking it after you have run the vehicle and things settle in. Good to hear your now ready to enjoy your car.

Eventually the balloon envelope is recovered and collected by a recovery team for disposal once it comes back to the earth. From having worked with high altitude research balloons at Global Solutions and Scientific Learning I can say that the balloon usually destroys its self when it has been at float (float is when the amount of Helium in the balloon can no longer cause lift or rise due to the weight of the payload) and the payload (weight) changes and causes the balloon to rise again at a fast speed, usually due to the deployment of the payload or in Felix's case was his stepping off the gondola which reduced the payload weight of the gondola which would have cause it to rise to the point the envelope bursts and then descends back to the earth. The other way the balloon is deflated is when the payload (the gondola) is detached or jettisoned it would release and a tether that is hooked to the balloons surface tears the balloons skin which releases the helium and cause the envelope to fall back to earth. Some balloons are counter weighted to invert so the helium can excape and the weight then helps to bring the envelope back to earth so it can be recovered. The Gondola or payload vehicle then descends on a parachute if it is detached from the balloon or in some cases it uses the balloons deflated envelope as a parachute to slow the decent back to earth as it comes back into the atmosphere. If you look at the video of the accent of the gondola to the altitude that Felix departed it from you can see that the gondola was attached to the balloon envelope by a parachute and lines. It is also why the deployment team was concerned that the gondola reached a height of over 5000 feet at the start of the event just to make sure that if the balloon where to have failed the parachute that was attached to the gondola would deploy as Felix would have not been able to bail out in that amount of time or distance before hitting the ground. Hope this explains and answers your question.

Just amazing. 1342.8 kp/h or 834.377237 MPH is really moving I must say and to be doing it without an aircraft is even more amazing even if it was for just a short time.

twobone, Just my belief but I think you would be better off by just passing on the 90 Civic as a second car even if it is free just because of the cost to get it to your location unless your a four door Civic collector which I do not believe you are or even think you are. I would think you could spend the money that it would cost to get it from Vancouver Island to your location on a newer vehicle that would be safer (has airbags for driver and passenger) and newer for your use and your son's in the future. My estimate of the value of a 1990 Civic four door if it is in show room condition which we know the car you aunt has is most likely not but in good shape for its age would be no more than a $1000 dollars and most likely only worth but about $500. This is mainly due to its age and lack of use (about 1000 miles a year [being generous her]) which means that with normal driving you would most likely have to replace belts and seals and tires and all kinds of small things once you started using the vehicle just due to its age and lack of use by your aunt. I know this sounds harsh but I had to learn this the hard way two years ago with my mothers car which was a 1995 Lincoln with just over 11K on it and garage kept so it looked like new and drove like new until we started driving it and it turned into a money pit and we wound up donating it to a local charity who then parted it out as it was worth more in parts than as a driver. Hope this helps with you decision. :seeya:

That is for sure but what would one expect from a group that enjoys a car like a 7.:smilielol5:

Kitcat lets be politically correct and call the cigarette lighter a POWER PORT if you know what I mean :jester: as most new cars do not come with a cigarette lighter any more.....:smilielol5: :rofl:.....have a nice day as I am going to go out to my car and push in the cigarette lighter just to see if it still works even though I do not smoke.

Hi Al, Those photos are great along with the info you provided will help someone else down the road. Very nicely done and from the sound of your post you have no issues with keeping warm in your car.

Hi JOsh, So have you determined what the cause of the failure was? As a side note why not create a photo album with Picasa which is free or one of the other free sites. Here is a link to Google Picasa: http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/#utm_source=en-all-more&utm_campaign=en-pic&utm_medium=et

That is a neat idea that I have not seen before and I would suspect others will copy down the road. Maybe you could post some photos of the instillation and the parts you used so others will have the information. :cooldude: :driving:

Croc, My understanding of the rule is that a 7 (new or old) with cycle wings will not be accepted as it dose not meet the requirements for the fenders attached to the body. You have to remember that the rules are a guide for the Region and Zone event administrators, designed to try to protect all concerned and can be veg but also very direct / strict just for that reason. A lot of the Zone and Region's have even tougher rules to deal with for PCA events. I also went back to the rule books that I have from 2005 and have even looked at the proposed rules for 2013 which are being reviewed for discussion by the rules committee and do not see this being changed nor has it changed to my knowledge which is limited to say the least as I am not on that committee. Hope the information I have provided helps.

I never did say I can spell......:jester:.....

Hi Friends, As a long time PCA member and having been the Santa Barbara Region Autocross Co-chair and team member for a number of years in Zone 8 I can say that no open wheel cars (Formula V, Formula Fords, Go-Carts, etc.) or cars with modifications to the body that leave the wheels exposed like a formula car are not covered by PCA's Insurance Program with the exception of the 1962 Porsche 804 ( Here is a link to the 804: http://www.porsche.com/usa/eventsandracing/motorsport/philosophy/history/racingcars/1962-804formel1/ ) at any Porsche performance events such as Driver's Ed or DE day, Time Trials on a racing track / surface due to the rules about fender and body layout even if they are a street legal vehicle. So I can see where this post originates from but not for being too fast unless there are a lot of slow Porsche drivers in your region which there might be who hate to be shown up by a perceived little car with not a lot of HP compared to most Porsche models that cost about what the base model Porsche now starts at on the showroom floor....LOL.....and yes I own a Porsche or two and have been know to point out to some frustrated GT3 owners that my clone 7 cost less than one front wheel and hub assembly for there car....:rofl:.... This is technicality is covered in the PCA National Rules for Club Racing http://www.pca.org/portals/0/images/CR/forms/2012%20PCA%20Club%20Racing%20Rule%20Book.pdf as it is the basis for all Zone Rules and Region Rules for High Performance Driving Events which includes Driver's Education, Time Trials and for Club Racing and states in the PCA Club Racing Program Table of Contents "3-PCA CLUB RACING PROGRAM" 3 Car requirements, for Club Racing that " Only Porsche manufactured sports cars are eligible." (found on 2012 PCA Club Racing Rules subparagraph 3 of the linked PDF of the 2012 Rules) for CLUB RACING ONLY besides being a PCA Club Member. As for Driver's Ed or DE the rules Specifically Prohibits WHEEL-TO-WHEEL COMPETITION as stated in Driver's Education Minimum Standards Definition paragraph 36. Time Trials of the National Standards and is "open to all cars that have fenders attached to the vehicle body at all four corners" as described in the minimum standards Definition see link http://www.pca.org/portals/de/2012%20Driver%20Education%20min%20std%202012.pdf Nowhere in the Driver's Education Minimum Standards do I find a requirement for one to be a PCA member but I know that our region tells non-members that members have priority to fill the grid of these events. I have not seen or been told that a Caterham or Birkin or Westfield or Locost Sevens with Clamshell fenders would fall into the classification of an open wheel car (Formula Car) for an autocross or DE or Time Trial if they have clamshell fenders as it is not to be wheel to wheel competition as DE and Time Trials are for training and to establish grid class's by ability and speed for safety reasons and barging rights if you get my meaning. The Lotus 7 Type Cars are classed in the X class as all non Porsche's are for classing purposes for DE and Time Trial's to the best of my knowledge and understanding and many Porsche owners just do not have a clue to what a fun car a 7 is and they are just jealous I due belive.

John K, Nice write up. Post some photos of the system if you would. As a side note my wife’s new car has electric over manual steering instead of hydraulic assisted steering and I am very impressed with how her car drives and handles with that setup. It is truly amazing as to what new technology is bringing to the table I do believe.

Raceral, Nice build you have there. :cooldude: What is the round black thing on the passenger side dash? Did you make your front fenders? They look real good.

Now that is funny........:smilielol5::smilielol5:

Parts department is now in your garage.:jester: Nice motorcycle.