J R Jones
03-30-2021, 10:11 AM
In USAF basic training the new guys were called Rainbows, not a meteorological thing, or gender preference, it was because we arrived and endured day one in colorful civilian clothes. Olive Drab changed the appearance but not the hierarchy, we were green in more ways than one for weeks.
My bio reads basically: I am a semi-retired mechanical engineer. I have worked in the development departments of Harley Davidson, Mercury Marine, QA1 and did contract engineering and built prototypes for other OEMs. I raced Mustang, Shelby, Tiger, Mitsubishi EVO, and GT40 sports cars in SCCA Nationals, Trans Am and vintage. I helped build and race a 54 Corvette across Mexico in La Carrera Pan America. I developed and raced Buell motorcycles in AMA and FUSA. I have built metric and domestic resto-rods.
I recently bought an incomplete 818S for a project already underway which brings me here. My 818 is 2014 vintage with 2004 Impreza bits, owned by two others but never completed. I have stripped it down to the rolling chassis and found some aspects that need correction/updating before I move forward. My objectives are innovative and ambitious so they are subject to critique by the purist types. Is purist possible with self-built cars? I have a lot of surplus parts than must be divested.
I have two other car projects underway and I do engineering/fabrication for others, so I am constantly torn by "what do I do now". It is often what I find most enjoyable. I am fortunate, like you I assume, to be able to switch from one task to another when I am bored or stymied, finding a solution. I see I have 19 posts to go, I'll have to time-budget that. jim BTW how do I post an avatar, and why does the suspension not jounce when I jump on it? Seems stiff for 350 & 275 lb springs.
My bio reads basically: I am a semi-retired mechanical engineer. I have worked in the development departments of Harley Davidson, Mercury Marine, QA1 and did contract engineering and built prototypes for other OEMs. I raced Mustang, Shelby, Tiger, Mitsubishi EVO, and GT40 sports cars in SCCA Nationals, Trans Am and vintage. I helped build and race a 54 Corvette across Mexico in La Carrera Pan America. I developed and raced Buell motorcycles in AMA and FUSA. I have built metric and domestic resto-rods.
I recently bought an incomplete 818S for a project already underway which brings me here. My 818 is 2014 vintage with 2004 Impreza bits, owned by two others but never completed. I have stripped it down to the rolling chassis and found some aspects that need correction/updating before I move forward. My objectives are innovative and ambitious so they are subject to critique by the purist types. Is purist possible with self-built cars? I have a lot of surplus parts than must be divested.
I have two other car projects underway and I do engineering/fabrication for others, so I am constantly torn by "what do I do now". It is often what I find most enjoyable. I am fortunate, like you I assume, to be able to switch from one task to another when I am bored or stymied, finding a solution. I see I have 19 posts to go, I'll have to time-budget that. jim BTW how do I post an avatar, and why does the suspension not jounce when I jump on it? Seems stiff for 350 & 275 lb springs.