slomove

Well, I bought and installed a suppression system....not the SPA device but the Firecharger AFFF system. It is not pressurized with a separate CO2 cartridge and I can maintain and refill it myself. It just barely fits in front of the passenger seat (14.5" wide). I now have a 180-degree nozzle in the engine compartment and one to cover the fuel cell. I did not install the recommended nozzle in the cockpit but have a separate hand-held extinguisher in front of the driver seat. Some pictures: http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/2076160409_Fixed_Handheld.jpg http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1365168291_UnderseatExt.jpg http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/138585607_FirewallChange.jpg

I swapped my 625 Odyssey by mistake because I thought it might have been responsible for the starting problems (but it was the starter motor...). After sitting on the shelf for a while I installed the swapped-out battery (now 7 or 8 years old) last April in my trailer for lighting and the winch. I have not charged it since but it still lights the light and cranks the winch when needed. These are pretty tough batteries, but obviously they will drain to death if there is an ongoing load from some computerized gadgets. Gert

I did not like the crawling experience with the soft top and came up with this "convertible" top that can be closed while in the driver's seat. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/394348055_Rolling.jpg But maybe I am a just too lazy; on USA2005 Dick Brink (from Texasmotorworks) had not only the top on all the time but also a side-impact bar. He must be some kind of contortionist. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1545133123_DickBrink.jpg Gert

The soft air gun will not deliver results. This one has proven to be much more effective. It may require a bonnet modification, though.... http://www.fnherstal.com/images/MRP.gif Oops, forgot the smiley :jester:

Depends on your challenge Height is not really an issue (maybe except if you are over 6 1/2 feet). But over 6' you may want a lowered floor in any Se7en. I know very tall people driving a Birkin. Circumference may be a bigger problem. I guess up to a 40 jeans size you will find a comfortable seat in a standard size Seven. Beyond that I would consider a Caterham SV. Gert

Yes, that is correct. Outside dimensions are identical to a standard Caterham, chassis and suspension are very similar to a Classic live axle. Inside the Birkin has a bit longer footwells and adjustable pedals for people with long legs. I have not seen this car and I don't know the owner. But it appears to be a very good price for this setup. You can ask all relevant questions here. Gert

The plan is hatching.... Saturday Sunday And Monday home via whatever road... Any takers? More discussion here Gert

I really hope you get through this mess much quicker than you believe. But don't sweat it. As an unofficial tour you can join any time (or not) if you feel like it. You may have to sleep in our bath tub, though if the hotels rooms run out Gert

Cool guys, keep it coming.... :yesnod: I have not nailed down the nasty detail of hotel selection. If you know a recommended place in your neighborhood let me know. For e.g. Saratoga, I was considering the Wolf Hotel with some pretty good ratings. For Kremmling I thought maybe Bob's Western Motel although I could not find any reviews. But, honestly we are cheapskates and don't want to shell out a fortune for a 2-week trip. Gert

linky

That is really strange here....in Germany (where I come from) the police needs to have objective evidence like a speed camera photo or the testimony of a second police officer to write a ticket. Which is why they usually are on the beat in pairs. The notion that a single officer can look at his radar gun and write you a ticket would be considered absurd. After all, there is enough result pressure on the guys if it is official or not. Otherwise I learned that the usual rules of "innocent until proven guilty" and "due process" just won't apply in traffic court. It appears the judge has wide latitude in believing an officer or even a random witness. The court has to make some revenue, too. And who is going to challenge a questionable ruling for a $150 fine if the courthouse is 500 miles away (ask me why I know....). Gert P.S.: I had a "positive" experience on the PNW2007 trip on the Columbia River Gorge Hwy in WA. When leading the Wild Bunch I was getting impatient behind an SUV doing persistently just the speed limit. After passing it with howling engine it turned out to be an unmarked police car. I got pulled over and had to endure a lengthy angry tirade about why they can not tolerate such behavior in the State of Washington but at the end I got a verbal warning (to be forwarded to my comrades who had escaped).

More detail below. I will tow from LA to Farmington, UT and back. Sunday,7/5/2009, Farmington to Vernal, 247 miles Monday, 7/6/2009, Vernal to Steamboat Springs, 244 miles Tuesday 7/7/2009, no driving (Steamboat Springs) Wednesday, 7/8/2009, Steamboat Springs to Kremmling, 123 miles Thursday, 7/9/2009, Kremmling to Erie, 161 miles Friday, 7/10/2009, Erie to Saratoga, 245 miles Saturday, 7/11/2009, Saratoga to Cody, 303 miles Sunday, 7/12/2009, no driving (Cody) Monday, 7/13/2009, Beartooth Loop, 193 miles (Google Maps don't work properly on this route) Tuesday, 7/14/2009, Cody to Jackson, 231 miles Wednesday, 7/15/2009, Jackson to Farmington, 268 miles And.....interested? Gert

Hello Dave, would be nice to meet you there. Tentatively we will arrive in Cody on 7/11 and stay for 3 nights, doing a loop through Beartooth Hwy and Chief Joseph Hwy on the 12th or 13th. I guess it will not allow us to do the autocross thing, although I would like to try (never done that) but it is a bit too far off route. Gert

I did a quick test....The play in the drive-train with gear engaged allows my car to roll back and forth about 1.25" (with a Toyota live-axle/diff and Quaife LSDand 15" wheels). Watching the propshaft motion while rocking the car, I would estimate that maybe 2/3 of the total play comes from the diff and 1/3 from the gearbox. Gert

I have had such a "clunk" all the time. Kind of got used to it. I though it was just the play of all the gears in the tranny and the diff. Is it in all gears the same? Let me know if I should finally worry about it.... Gert

The local competition is going down the drain with it. Some 5 years ago we still had "The Good Guys", Circuit City, Fry's, CompUSA and BestBuy as electronics specialists. Now only Fry's with few stores and BestBuy are left. But it is understandable. The competition from the Internet anyway but also the likes of WalMart, Sears, Office Depot who cherry-pick the profitable stuff is tough. Maybe just another set of dinosaurs gone, and the economy is just triggering the extinction like that asteroid... Gert

Well, not too bad for 2 weeks. Including the tow to SLC it is 3300 miles. I planned for 3-6 hours/day driving plus 2 or 3 rest days. That should leave ample time for stopping and sightseeing etc. Such a pattern worked well on USA2005 and PNW2007 tours. Thanks for the insider tip! But since the tour is already on the long side I decided to stay north of the I70. I have been in Leadville before (proof below ) but I came from the South and drove to Vail so I did not take the Independence Pass. Well, maybe next time.... Gert http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1335639889_Leadville.jpg

Rough Plan....

Tom, don't get me wrong. I did not want to belittle a serious thing. Just hoped a lighthearted comment might cause a smile even about such a mess. Gert

Hey Tom, you are not working on your car for 4 years already, it may just seem that long The PNW tour was actually in 2007. Maybe the tour in summer would be a good motivation to finish your car? The Telluride/Silverton/Gunnison area is indeed fantastic, but I have been there twice before (once with the Se7en). Also I noticed several of the "Highways" down there, even across some very high passes are more like multi-lane freeways. As for the route tip through Laramie/CameronPass/LaPoudre that is an excellent idea. I had originally considered going from Rawlins directly to Rocky Mountains NP but your proposal is much better. Well, back to the drawing board. Gert

Thank you very much Skip, that would be a nice side trip. I may take you up on the offer, depending if other folks come along. Probably not going to happen, but I am no going to swarm your home with an unruly Se7ens crowd. Sorry to hear about your trouble with that doc. Hope you get better soon, or maybe get another doc.... For that matter, if I have the choice of cars for a long trip when not exactly feeling young (it does happen) I do better in the Seven than in the Accord or the Sante Fe, due to the nice side and back support. That means, maybe except the getting in and out part. Please PM your email address. I will get back with you once I have locked down the route. Cheers, Gert

Please see thread of same title in the "Mountain" section.

O.K. don't worry, I am not going to organize another long Se7ens tour anytime soon. That means....not really. However, with tears in my eyes I gave up on the 2009 National Sevens Meet that was planned for Branson, MO (it would have been barely doable from CA) and moved to Birmingham, AL (too early and just too far). Great idea otherwise and I would have really liked to go there. :nonod: Anyway, my wife and I now decided to spend the allocated time early July in the Se7en in the Rocky Mountains. That means tow to Salt Lake City, then Bear Lake, Jackson/Teton NP, Yellowstone, Cody, Beartooth Hwy., Wind River, Rocky Mountains NP, Kremmling, Steamboat Springs, Dinosaur NP and back. That would now be 7/3/09 through 7/18/09. If anybody happens to be in the area at this time or maybe even want join us for any part of the trip please let me know! I will provide my detail plan to whoever is interested. Cheers, Gert

Nah, not a big problem. I suspect I was anyway the only participant crazy enough planning to drive from the West Coast. And for you guys it just makes more sense. Would have been nice to finally meat you Easterners in person, though. I will probably then drive up to Wyoming and do some of the other discussed route instead. Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain NP isn't that bad, after all. Kind of mini Se7ens tour, just the Se7en, my wife and I Gert

Oh well, I understand the good reasons. But that is probably going to kill the event for me. 4100 miles round trip is bit much. Maybe next time in 2011..... Gert