Methane Herder
Sharpshooter
Car History.
1975 Opel Manta – 4spd. M about 76 BHP. Non cross flow head. First year for Bosch (mechanical?) F.I. Tried to set itself on fire once (F.I. hose split) No matter how much I chanted “Burn Baby Burn” it did not light. Pretty car. Buick dealerships didn’t know what to do with it except not stock any parts for it and have their way with any owner foolish enough to bring it to them for service.
1979 Ford Fiesta – 4spd. M about 66 BHP. Proof that Colin Chapmans mantra of “Adding Lightness” worked. Unfortunately it continued to add “Lightness” after delivery. That’s why you don’t see them around anymore.
1985 Camaro V6 F41 - 5spd M about 135 BHP. Yes I had a bit of a Mullet when I bought this. I’m guessing the guy in a white, early 80’S Chevy van that tore the front end off of it late one night and drove off, did also.
1985 Ford Escort GT - 5spd M about 109 BHP. My first autocross car. The factory shocks were pretty good for about 15,000 miles. A decent attempt by Ford to make a U.S. made hot hatch.
1987 Mazda 323 S – 5spd M about 87 BHP. Nice car. Not great but a good all rounder.
1992 Nissan Sentra SER – 5spd M about 140 BHP. 7200 RPM, LSD differential. Loved it until the rocker panel under the door started cracking at the seam.
1993 Ford Ranger Sport – 5spd M about 135 BHP. Needed a truck. Still autocrossed it.
1994 Plymouth Neon ACR – 5spd M about 137 BHP. DO NOT ask about Chrysler gluing the front wheel bearings into the hubs.
1996 Ford Mustang GT – 5spd M about 215 BHP. Full of sound and fury,
signifying not a lot of acceleration. (See the 215 BHP bit). It still sounded great.
1998 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1LE – 6spd M about 305 BHP. A bit of an Axe Murderer when it finally showed up after 6-1/2 months waiting (my brother worked for Hughes so I ordered it with a GM employee discount). After putting 96 Corvette GS 9” wheels, CrMo adjustable Panhard rod, front shock tower brace and Yokohama A-032 tires on it, it became a card carrying Axe Murderer on anything but dry pavement. On dry pavement it was great sex incredible. For the $1250 1LE package you got, Koni double adjustable shocks all around, P.S. cooler, specific springs, bushings, a LS1 that “allegedly “was cherry picked from engines that dynoed at the high end of spectrum. The Koni’s alone would have cost almost 2K$ alone.
2001 Ford Ranger XLT 4X4 – 5spd M about 210 BHP. Life happens. Needed a truck. Extremely reliable and relatively proficient off road.
2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protégé – 5spd M about 187 BHP. This car AND Corky Bell’S book on turbocharging taught me a lot about the wonders of turbos and toluene.
2006 Subaru WRX Sportwagon – 5spd M about 225 BHP. Another car I should never sold.
2009 Volkswagen GTI – 6spd M about 205 BHP. Still a Fat Elvis GTI but it could dance.
2014 Ford Fiesta ST – 6spd M about 197 BHP. Get one. The only reason to get a MX 5 instead of this car is you enjoy sunburn and don’t have a dog, or the need to carry things larger than a loaf of bread.
2016 Ford Fiesta ST– 6spd M about 197 BHP. Get a 2015 -2014 Fiesta ST. Ford had started to “Value Engineer” the suspension. It’ll cost you about 800$ dollars to undo their “Improvements” to get the car right.
2019 Honda Civic Si– 6spd M about 205 BHP. My new Fiesta ST. Ford abandoned me as a customer. I understand their reasoning, but understanding does not imply blind allegiance.
MH
1975 Opel Manta – 4spd. M about 76 BHP. Non cross flow head. First year for Bosch (mechanical?) F.I. Tried to set itself on fire once (F.I. hose split) No matter how much I chanted “Burn Baby Burn” it did not light. Pretty car. Buick dealerships didn’t know what to do with it except not stock any parts for it and have their way with any owner foolish enough to bring it to them for service.
1979 Ford Fiesta – 4spd. M about 66 BHP. Proof that Colin Chapmans mantra of “Adding Lightness” worked. Unfortunately it continued to add “Lightness” after delivery. That’s why you don’t see them around anymore.
1985 Camaro V6 F41 - 5spd M about 135 BHP. Yes I had a bit of a Mullet when I bought this. I’m guessing the guy in a white, early 80’S Chevy van that tore the front end off of it late one night and drove off, did also.
1985 Ford Escort GT - 5spd M about 109 BHP. My first autocross car. The factory shocks were pretty good for about 15,000 miles. A decent attempt by Ford to make a U.S. made hot hatch.
1987 Mazda 323 S – 5spd M about 87 BHP. Nice car. Not great but a good all rounder.
1992 Nissan Sentra SER – 5spd M about 140 BHP. 7200 RPM, LSD differential. Loved it until the rocker panel under the door started cracking at the seam.
1993 Ford Ranger Sport – 5spd M about 135 BHP. Needed a truck. Still autocrossed it.
1994 Plymouth Neon ACR – 5spd M about 137 BHP. DO NOT ask about Chrysler gluing the front wheel bearings into the hubs.
1996 Ford Mustang GT – 5spd M about 215 BHP. Full of sound and fury,
signifying not a lot of acceleration. (See the 215 BHP bit). It still sounded great.
1998 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1LE – 6spd M about 305 BHP. A bit of an Axe Murderer when it finally showed up after 6-1/2 months waiting (my brother worked for Hughes so I ordered it with a GM employee discount). After putting 96 Corvette GS 9” wheels, CrMo adjustable Panhard rod, front shock tower brace and Yokohama A-032 tires on it, it became a card carrying Axe Murderer on anything but dry pavement. On dry pavement it was great sex incredible. For the $1250 1LE package you got, Koni double adjustable shocks all around, P.S. cooler, specific springs, bushings, a LS1 that “allegedly “was cherry picked from engines that dynoed at the high end of spectrum. The Koni’s alone would have cost almost 2K$ alone.
2001 Ford Ranger XLT 4X4 – 5spd M about 210 BHP. Life happens. Needed a truck. Extremely reliable and relatively proficient off road.
2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protégé – 5spd M about 187 BHP. This car AND Corky Bell’S book on turbocharging taught me a lot about the wonders of turbos and toluene.
2006 Subaru WRX Sportwagon – 5spd M about 225 BHP. Another car I should never sold.
2009 Volkswagen GTI – 6spd M about 205 BHP. Still a Fat Elvis GTI but it could dance.
2014 Ford Fiesta ST – 6spd M about 197 BHP. Get one. The only reason to get a MX 5 instead of this car is you enjoy sunburn and don’t have a dog, or the need to carry things larger than a loaf of bread.
2016 Ford Fiesta ST– 6spd M about 197 BHP. Get a 2015 -2014 Fiesta ST. Ford had started to “Value Engineer” the suspension. It’ll cost you about 800$ dollars to undo their “Improvements” to get the car right.
2019 Honda Civic Si– 6spd M about 205 BHP. My new Fiesta ST. Ford abandoned me as a customer. I understand their reasoning, but understanding does not imply blind allegiance.
MH