Anaximander Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 (edited) Recently, I had thoughts of getting out of sevenesque cars because in addition to driving them on the street, I occasionally autox them for increased driving proficiency. I have no illusions that I will be a podium finisher but that is not my primary motive. I moved to another part of Florida where a really good autox venue was recently lost and there is a newer one that is only 20 miles from my home but may not be that good? I will find out this coming Saturday. The autox this coming weekend closely coincides with my 70th lap around the Sun next week and so very lucky for me, an acquaintance and very nice man that has built three Stalkers had expressed an interest in acquiring my Classic Super Stalker. Lucky for me, he had built a Stalker XL with incredible precision that sports an LS3/480 engine coupled to a T56 Magnum transmission that is rated for 700 foot pounds of torque. The person who built the car is a former professional aircraft kit builder/consultant/salesperson and so he has highly honed building skills. Yesterday, I transferred the title, put my tag on the back of the car and with a fresh insurance card went for a 60 mile blat. As some of you know, the Stalker XL manufactured in Clearwater, Florida by Scott Minehart is a 105" wheelbase car that Scott designed to also be 10" wider in stance than his M-Spec Stalkers. I had owned prototype 000 M-Spec with an LS1 engine and so was used to some of the characteristics of the marque. However, I was only partially prepared for the wonderful firebreathing LS3 that puts out 480 horsepower at the crank and has about 465 foot pounds of torque. Just a tad more punch than a beautiful Caterham S3 Superlight R300 I briefly owned last year that was putting out about 208 horsepower. I was pleasantly surprised at how agile this larger car is and it felt very comfortable driving it. The LS3 is very tractable for the street and makes very fun and fairly linear power. Although I will miss the whine of my former GM supercharged Stalker, I think the LS3's brute force and superior torque will provide hours and hours of fun. Given that I am now lacking ambitions to ever track a car, even for time trials, this Stalker will likely be my last sevenesque car and will carry me competently into eventual old age :driving:, but not too soon! Edited June 16, 2019 by Astro Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 . . . this Stalker will likely be my last sevenesque car . . . :smilielol5:.....wait, is that lightning bolts coming out of the sky? :smilielol5:Bob, be honest, these cars are like crack cocaïne, too many are nearly enough. :smilielol5: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 (edited) :smilielol5:.....wait, is that lightning bolts coming out of the sky? :smilielol5:Bob, be honest, these cars are like crack cocaïne, too many are nearly enough. :smilielol5: Shawn, I think the lightning bolts are coming out my orifice that is on the backside. My wife often comments, "Yeah right, stick a fork in you, your done". She seems to understand like you do how addictive these cars are! Sheesh, this is my fourth Storker. Edited June 13, 2019 by Astro Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Given you are swapping sevens at a high rate, this will not be your last. What will you be buying 4 weeks from now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy69 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 ooooh that shore is purdy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy69 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 dammit, you guys are right. These cars ARE like crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 Thanks all for you kind responses. I am really, really delighted to have obtained this beauty. I had my last Stalker for 2.5 years which is something of a record for play cars. It's a funny and sad story that on impulse, I bought the Caterham Superlight R300 last year with hopes of taking it to nearby Sebring International Raceway and running it around that track. That is until I went out there and took a look in person at the track. Yipes! I then went over to a friend's race simulator with virtual goggles and ran the course several times in one of his high-performance simulated cars. It was at that moment that two thoughts converged that ended up causing me to let the Caterham go. The first was that I already owned the Super Stalker. The second thought was that they would be mailing my remains back to my wife in a flat envelope after I hit the Armco at a high rate of speed. It was then with this dual-pronged epiphany that I came to realize that I am too old and untalented anymore to safely track a high-performance car on such a hairy track. I had always wanted a Caterham and found that the car had some of the most incredible laser steering that I had ever experienced. It was as if the car could read your mind and go where you wanted it to go. The only concerns were that the "add lightness" thought kept creeping in and I realized that you don't get that Superlight performance from a "road hog". Man, a Caterham is built with Colin Chapman's ghost looking over their shoulders. For some odd reason, I am surprised that I prefer the 'merican iron for parts availability and stoutness of construction. Colin Chapman is not exactly in the passenger seat of my 1800 pound Stalker with 480 ponies:rofl: I am really glad that I did experience first hand why all you crazies are driving Cats. They are intoxicating performers! And Mike, if the last Storker was any indication of my slight reduction in acquisitiveness, I may not be buying another sevenesque car in the next month or two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMike Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Congratulations! A V8 is the only way to go with a Storker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 (edited) Congratulations! A V8 is the only way to go with a Storker. MightyMike, I have always been a bit jealous of your car since the first time that I laid eyes on it on the USA7s website. The Stalker XL with the LS3/480 is turning me into a hooligan and I have never gotten even one ticket as an adult. Yesterday, I was challenged at a light by a Dodge Hellcat that sports 707 horsepower and blew his doors off with a giant hole shot at a light out in the country going from a dead start in second to a shift to third gear. At the next country light, he rolled down his window and asked what I had in the Storker. He mentioned that my car was soooo much lighter :hurray: I sure do not want my first ever ticket to be for drag racing so any inclination I may have had to challenge muscle cars has essentially evaporated due to a mild modicum of common sense. Today, I was autoxing with a Dodge with 505 horsepower and he was having a difficult time hooking it up. I mentioned the informal short challenge of the day before and he commented "There is no way he could beat you. His car weighs 4600 pounds". He said that his 505hp Dodge weighed about 4300 pounds. Putting powerful engines in light cars is pretty intoxicating. Glad I used to drive high-performance general aviation airplanes so that I am not intimidated by my beautiful V8 engine. Edited June 16, 2019 by Astro Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMike Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Your car looks to be an absolute stunner. Would you mind posting a few pics? The power from our cars is amazing. I find most of the time I end up driving it slow to avoid getting in trouble with the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 I have to admit I am partial to silver sevens, owning two myself. I think we need more photos plus a driving video. :seeya: Oh I would not worry about getting too old for this - grow old disgracefully - works for me all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 (edited) Okay double Mikes, Here are a few more pics. You can see the Crystal River Nuclear Plant in the background on some of the pics that Gulf Power is in the process of decommissioning. Edited June 16, 2019 by Astro Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Its good to see that your seven confirms the old truth that sevens look better than their owners - at least for me anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 Its good to see that your seven confirms the old truth that sevens look better than their owners - at least for me anyway! Ain't that the truth!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMike Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Super clean - it appears to be a high-quality build. About the only thing I'd do is replace the steering wheel with a Momo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 Super clean - it appears to be a high-quality build. About the only thing I'd do is replace the steering wheel with a Momo. Mike, I really like the looks and feel of the Momos. However, since I will be autoxing it at times and have to pull the seat way up due to being fairly short (5'7") and the cockpit being much longer and slightly wider than the older Stalkers, the current steering wheel seems pretty ideal sitting close to my chest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Great looking se7en! And over-the-top power! Your ownership reminds me of one of my favorite sayings (mentioned in previous posts): "Youth is fleeting, but immaturity can last a lifetime:)"! Since I am older than you, I know of whence I speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 . . . About the only thing I'd do is replace the steering wheel with a Momo. I’d smoke the tires as well. :jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) Great looking se7en! And over-the-top power! Your ownership reminds me of one of my favorite sayings (mentioned in previous posts): "Youth is fleeting, but immaturity can last a lifetime:)"! Since I am older than you, I know of whence I speak. Your saying is one that I will remember. It reminds me of what Carroll Bryant said: "Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional":willy_nilly: When my wife is asked if we have any children, she responds, "Yes, one, and Bob is it". Edited June 18, 2019 by Astro Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 . . .growing up is optional":willy_nilly: When my wife is asked if we have any children, she responds, "Yes, one, and Bob is it". .......:smilielol5: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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