RacerX69

I thought about the vinyl film stuff, and may give it a go. Thanks for the suggestion. As for tailgating big trucks, I don't. I drove them for 5 years, and know what happens when tires blow or they pick up rocks and debris and toss it. I'm in the Pacific Northwet, and in winter they sand the roads to make it safer to drive in the ice and snow, so avoiding rocks and pebbles is difficult, if not impossible, unless I don't drive 6 months out of the year. I always leave plenty of following distance, from all vehicles, but there is always those jerks that cut one off in traffic, trying to make the next exit or turn, with no regard to the sand and rocks they kick up as they pass by.

When I bought my 05 Legacy 2.5i Wagon I picked up the LGT fog lights and installed them. It didn't take long for both of them to get broken from rocks tossed up on the road. I just picked up a set of replacements but before installing them I want to do something to keep them from getting busted again. Does anyone know of something that can be applied that will protect the glass from breakage? Up Close by Racer, on Flickr

There is always that possibility. But afterwards might also involve during.

AN fittings and braided lines? I worked as a mechanic at an electric utility for 30 years. I was a certified mobile fluid power specialist. Hydraulic systems. Easy Squeezy. No pain. No stain. Well, except if you are careless with the stray ends of the wire braid when cutting the hoses. The wires will puncture your fingers mercilessly. It smarts. And the blood stains.

Looks like 55 was taken.

They might with a 1/2" yellow outline. Just sayin'.

Don't you know it. I had just built a fresh engine for my Z. My dad was visiting from out of town. I unloaded at Pacific Raceway early Saturday for the first IRDC meet of the season. Started it up, checked the carbs, timing, whatever. It sounded sweet. You know how the Datsun L series engines sound when they are tuned perfectly. Put on the suit hopped in and rolled out to pregrid. A whistle. Five minutes. Another whistle. One minute. The engine rumbles to life. Oil pressure. Check. Water temp. Coming up, by turn the needle will be pointing at the red strip of tape on the gauge face. Perfect. Warm up the tires and brakes. Exit turn 9 (this was the old configuration before they did that weird thing to keep off of the drag strip launch pad) and begin the first lap. It feels good, real good. Pulling harder than it has ever pulled. I think I nailed the build this time. As I fly through turn one flat out I know I nailed it. The car has never been that fast there. First cone for2. Next cone for two, off the gas, squeeze the brake. Squeeze more and more. Second to last cone, grab 3rd. Last cone, off the brakes, back the gas. Squeeze the gas more and more, apex cone, wide open, but wait. The tires want to break loose. Hang on, it's a Z. They like to hang out a bit. Stay flat, the car settles down and hooks up. Track out, ease left a bit and aim fort 3. Holy ****, is it there already? Brake, down one gear, accelerate through the apex, aim for 3b, park it, grab 2nd, push the right pedal all the way down. Again, at the apex the right side wants to step out, then settles and hooks. Up on gear, then another as I pass several other guys heading for the 4-5-6. A little squeeze on the brakes, quick blip down to third, then squeeze the gas through two rights and a left. As it tracks out going up the hill it feels perfect. I shoot for the too of a tree that is over the horizon, knowing that the apex will be there when I crest the hill. As I go through the left hand kink up top the car feels a ton lighter than usual. It steps out more than it ever has as I set up for 8. Brake, downshift, gas. Let the car use all the track, ease back over and set up for 9. Flat out from the exit of 8 all the way to 2. Damn! This thing is really flying. Pulling hard all the way to 8,000. I run several laps, really liking how good it feels. Water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, all very good. I'm bedding in a set of brake pads, so one more lap and then I'll make two more to cool the brakes, then pit in. Coming out of 9 for the last fast lap of the session and the shifter hangs in the neutral gate just long enough that the clutch is already out and the gas pedal is on the floor. I suddenly feel very sick. I know what just happened. My freshly built engine now has bent valves. Don't even have to look (but I do later when I tear it down). I turn off the power, move to the right and coast to the gap in the wall at start/finish. Yep. I know how you felt. You know my dad wanted to know if I was gonna fix it and get out in time for afternoon qualifying. I just smiled, hand him a beer an loaded up. I've built a half dozen engines since that and not one has pulled like that one. I don't remember what my lap times were, but I know that morning the car was 4 or 5 seconds a lap faster than ever before or since.

And it does so in style. Very nice looking ride Gex.

How much like that? Exactly perhaps? Was that picture shot at Portland? I know, what is this, 20 questions?

And they do. Just got that "in stock" message last Tuesday. Reordered, and they are on the way.

Searching the PartsSouq site is impossible. Using the "search by frame" feature gets zero results every time. The search by list nets no joy too. Wild cards also fail. So how are you guys finding parts there?

Zero available. *sigh*

Haters gonna hate. When I first started racing in the Conference, there was a guy at every race weekend with a trunk full of RainX, and he handed the stuff out freely. I still have a dozen or so bottles of it, and some of the anti fog too. One of the other Z drivers I raced against would put RainX on his entire car. Swore it gave him 2 to 3 seconds a lap. I think he was cheating mechanically, cam, pistons, flywheel . . . . . . But his car shed water very well in the wet races. I always used it on my windshield, inside and out. Even on dry weekends. The bugs and tire turf scuffs always cleaned up easily. The key is to apply it per the directions, and then keep the glass clean and reapply the product frequently. I never needed to use the wiper. Ever.

I really like the look of this bumper. Are these no longer available?

Although I do all my own maintenance and repair, there is a shop up my way that I've heard good things about. Suburb Service in Marysville is an independent Subaru repair shop. They only do Subaru, and have Subaru loaner cars while yours is in their shop. http://suburbservice.net/ (I am not affiliated with this business, and no one has paid me for this plug.)

Conference eh? Nice looking wagon. I've been racing in ICSCC and SCCA since 1989 with a '71 Datsun 240Z. Since we were building a house I haven't been out much over the last few years. Hopefully I can get it back together and on track again soon. My Z: Z 1 by racerx6948, on Flickr Kicking BMW ass at Thunderhill: Z 2 by racerx6948, on Flickr Meanwhile, I try to get out to the track now and then, just to get my motorhead fix. Now I need to try and get out when you have your wagon out.

One pascal per square inch is equal to 0.0001450377 PSI. 615 pascals equal to 0.08919821 PSI. Are you sure it wasn't kilopascals? 615 kilopascals is equal to 89.19821 PSI.