Guess what I drove to work today?
 

I'll fill you guys in more thoroughly on the Tech Q&A forum once I have my photos developed and scanned. The short version follows:

Todd shipped me his tranny mount and I received it Thursday. Saturday we drove back down to OH and my father-in-law and I rolled under the SVX again. We finished reassembling the car in very short order - I think it took us under two hours. First starting attempt, the car fired. Exhaust leak. Whoops - forgot the O2 sensors. :D

Anyway, it runs great. No complaints and no problems. This morning on the way to work I got onto the freeway and gently took it to about 105mph. Effortless. Warm, happy feelings. What a car.

Thanks to everybody on this site who helped me with my questions.

Wow, I love this car.

Isn't the 5 speed great!

Megan

I didn't put a five speed in. My auto died and I put in another auto. I'm a purist - I don't want to change anything on the car that I don't have to.

If I ever have a second SVX, I'll put in a five speed.

Congrats, Nick. In the case of the SVX, absence truly makes the heart grow fonder, no? :D

Well, it certainly made me more anxious to drive it. When we finally took it down off the jackstands I was dancing around like I had to pee.

Heh, on the way home that night (we didn't get on the road until after midnight - difficulties with some simple stuff on the Legacy) I passed a newish Lexus GS. It sped up, got along side and behind me, and then slowed back down again.

Guy in a brand-new Lexus ogling my ten-year-old SVX? Priceless.

Congratulations Nick.

Now it's time for the second project.....dropping the Viper V-10 into the Justy. :D :D

Congratulations Nick!

It is such a joy to be back behind the wheel, isn't it?

Doug

What would I want with that ancient cast-iron pushrod engine?

Ick.

Or is it aluminum? Who cares - I'm holding out on a turbine of some sort. :D

I'm sure the fact that you really did have to pee had nothing to do with it. :D

Congrats
 

Congrats Nick! I guess the Justy will be sitting for a while now. Did you get to pee yet or have you been glued to the seat?:D

Re: Congrats
 

The Justy will not sit for too long. I only put 3,000 miles on the SVX last year, and I don't want to do many more than that this year. Eventually it'll be less than that.

Another thing to consider is fuel costs. I can drive to work for a week on one tank in either of the cars - but the Justy's tank is half the size and the fuel costs 20-30 cents less a gallon. It once cost me nearly $35 to fill the tank on the SVX - the Justy has never cost me more than $15.

I also enjoy activities that the SVX is not compatible with. Sure, I can fit the bike in the back of the SVX, with the seats down, but what to do about a muddy bike after the ride? ;)

I'll probably drive the SVX to work a couple of times a week, at most, all summer long. But I really want to save this season's mileage for a big road trip Amber and I have planned...and a meet I might organize. ;) Stay tuned.

Glad everything worked out OK with the wire harness and mount!

Todd

Hey, Todd. Yeah, the mount worked out just fine and the wiring harness was the correct one. When I first got it, I thought the cable was way too short, but it fit perfectly. Go figure, huh? :D

Thanks for your help, and thanks for sending the mount so quickly. I hope your 5-speed is progressing well.

a big fat CONGRATS!

Kelli

It's all aluminum, and it's anything but ancient. It's torque, power, and powerband is something us H6 owners can only dream about. Don't diss it.

- Rob

I already did.

And whether or not it provides more power or torque than an EG33 isn't the point. I'm not into pissing contests. I don't like the Viper and that's that.

Uhh... may I ask why you don't like one of the best handling fastest sports cars in the world???

- Rob

hey rob, weren't you the same person that posted a video of a n*** spanking a viper in a quater mile?

does it really matter why he doesn't like it?

Kelli

Well, since I've never even driven one, my reasons are simple: I don't care for the way it looks. And, as I understand it, earlier Vipers (despite their sticker price) had quality-control issues. Inconsistent gaps between body panels and such.

There are hundreds and thousands of cars out there I've never driven. Also, the Viper doesn't represent anything particularly unique (in my mind). So I judge it by its looks. That's well within my rights.

Look, I'm sorry I insulted one of your beloved Chrysler products.

It absolutely does not. Rob, don't take it so personally.

Congrats! I don't ever want to experience not being able to drive my car. *knocks on wood*

Just wondering.... I'm not taking it personally. There are a lot of cars I'd rather have over a viper, but at the same time, I VERY MUCH respect the vipers performance. If you had said something like "why would I want one of those poorly built cars" or rattle traps, fine, but I think 'antiquated cast iron dinosaur' just shows complete ignorance. That'd be like a mitsubishi guy referring to the SVX as an underpowered ugly piece of ****. :|

- Rob

Glad to hear you're back on the road Pockets! It's great to be behind the wheel again after a long layoff isn't it? Almost like the first drive.....

PS In my observations of life, opinions about cars are right in there with those concerning religion and flavors of ice cream....folks get rather passionate! Lets just agree to disagree and move on. Some think Vipers are cool; some don't. Let's not make it personal. For example, someone a few months back claimed ALL Ford products were junk. I told them that I would be happy to pass along, honestly, any problems that develop in the future with my Focus. Yet, I have a hard time remembering that post when I wind my little SVT through these beautiful mountains, windows down and sunroof open, breathing in the sweet smell of honeysuckle......listening to that wonderful sound from the engine as I click the Getrag from gear to gear.....

:D :D :D Don

I agree completely. Everyone can have an opinion about a car, but if you're going to have a bad opinion of a car like a viper, I just don't see why you'd insult it's drivetrain. It's an extremely capable car, and despite the build quality, price, reliablity, etc, it's mechanical do exactly what the engineers had in mind. :)

- Rob

I can agree with that. I admit that I called it 'ancient' based solely on the fact that the engine is a pushrod and produced domestically.

Ah. Hear it? It's the ancient, ambient sound of the andient. :D

Jerk.

Yes?



(Dammit, you quoted me -- capturing for all time, my use of "here" when it should have been "hear." Curses! )

Yeah, well, notice how I didn't point it out. Even though it was a far more serious error, I didn't stoop to your level and publicly humiliate you for it.

And, may I ask, why not? Gee. And I thought you were a team player. :D

Anyway, I'm just saying you might like the viper more once you see a race prepared one screaming down a track. Or better yet. Hear it. Or better still. FEEL it. Muha....

- Rob

re: seen it. not impressed
 

i've seen it at the tracks. i rode with a friend who rented one from one of the exotic car rentals places in atlanta. i'm not impressed.

oh by the way :D
 

oh by the way, congratz pockets ;D welcome back to the svx driver's union :D

You guys are the best and Rob has come along fine but he still has that "ignorant" word in his files. But Rob, I do include you among " the best" as I am sure many others now do, even though you insist on standing in neon light !

Old fart Trevor.

>shrug<

I like Mr Pockets, but calling an extremely potent modern aluminum v8 things like 'cast iron' and 'ancient' seem to me to be ignorance. It's not meant as an insult, I'm ignorant of a lot of things. I think we all are.

:)

- Rob

Congrats
 

Hi Nick, Congrats on getting your SVX back on the road. Although I have seen a couple of SVX's in the area, I think yours and mine may be the only ones that belong to the SVX forum. BTW if you and Amber are going to the Midwest meet let me know. Sue and I are going to Rockford on Friday the 27th. Once again happy driving. Take care, BOBB

Personal opinion does not ingnorance make. You, above all people should realize this. When it comes down to it, all automotive technology is "ancient" in a respect. Even the horizontal design of our SVX engines is somewhat "ancient." Peugeot abandoned the Diamler 2 Cylinder Vertical for their own 2 Cylinder Horizontal design . . . in 1897.

If the truth be known, we have all HEARD things that we could deem to be "ignorant." It's in one's ability to ignore them, or comment "tactfully" , that makes this forum work best.