Juvenile behaviour...but fun non the less!

[Geek]

I drove my rotory GT into work today, it was a really nice day here in VA. Every time I get behind the wheel of that thing, something happens to the space-time continuum located directly around my right foot - it gets really really heavy. So, I had some fun driving into work, and decided to leave before bad traffic hit. On my way home, at the second stop light of my trip, I was stopped behind what looked to be (and sounded) an at least slightly built Ford Mustang Lx.
Do the late 90 'stangs come with 4 link back suspensions?
Anyhoo, he was at the front of the line, with me directly behind. The light turned green, and at about 4k rpm (me) in first, he must've looked behind him - at 4k rpm, it begins to sound like a damned Indy car. He floored it. I saw his back-end squat down, and actually saw him in his rear-view looking back. I floored it. I may have lost as much as a car length during the entire experience, and I was in his draft, but I was able to keep up with the Mustang up to about 75 mph (where we both bailed). At 75, I'm at the end of 2nd gear, so I really never made it out of 2nd the entire time - couldn't have been more than a couple hundred yards. As I went past him in the turn lane at the next light (at a MUCH slower speed), we both grinned at each other like idiots. I couldn't get that grin off my face for the entire trip home.

I just had to tell somebody. Now, let the remonstrations begin...

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by Geek we both grinned at each other like idiots. I couldn't get that grin off my face for the entire trip home.

Ya, it's fun to have that feeling surface. I know what your talking about. I went to Carmel many years ago with my friend and our girlfriends. I had a 1972 Pinto. Nothing special about it except for wide wheels. We stopped next to a Vette at a stop light, and I decide to rev the motor. The Vette guy did the same. When, the light turned green, I floored it and left a couple feet of rubber behind along with the Vette still in the intersection. I BEAT A VETTE!! Whoohoo!. On our way back through that light, I saw the Vette along side the road. I asked the guy what happened. He said he blew a fuel line. I didn't care... I BEAT A VETTE!!
Ungerdog

[automata3.0turbo]

i was coming home from work one day when i still had the supra, just cruising at about 40, when a late 80's model honda civic with a fart can and giant aluminum wing on it's hatch come barreling by in the lane next to me. the two guys in the civic looked at me, grinned and floored thier accelerator . i did the same, easily cought up, easliy passed, and never looked back. needless to say when we met at the next light, they werent looking over at me or grinning anymore.

[Geek]

Just a brief follow-up. Yesterday was the longest I had actually driven my car for quite some time, and the hardest I had ever driven it. This morning, I went outside, and looked under the car - I can't really remember what I was looking for. Anyway, the passenger side floorboards are directly over the two stainless pipes coming out of the head pipe. I noticed that the undercoating on the floorboards was peeling off in a major way. I looked a little further, and found that the metal of the floorboards had actually warped from the heat.
I had noticed that the car seemed to be running a little warm, and I was thinking that it may be because it's running rich, I just haven't had a chance yet to investigate. If it's not because of any special circumstance, what kind of heat shielding can be used on the bottom of the car? Anybody dealt with anything like this? I may start another thread in the tech forum to ask this, as it diverges somewhat from the original topic.

[namba209]

Here's one that happened with the monza. I was going to the Dodge boys to pick up a set of headers I ordered for my van, and got next to a new mustang at a stop light, it turned green and I left him quite easily to the next lite. For the next two lites he tried really hard and lost. We got on the freeway and away he went, after we hit the speed limit, with me in front. I got to the Dodge dealership and noted the same Mustang at the Ford dealership, next door. The driver said somehing to the salesman, then threw the keys to him and walked away. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked over and asked what happened. The salesman told me the guy was really irrate, a POS 25 year old car had blown his doors off three stop lite in a row and he could keep "this piece of crap". I didn't have the heart to tell him it was me that did it to his new "performance" mustang. Check out my signature block to see what the monza has for a drivetrain.

[jtb]

Originally Posted by Geek Just a brief follow-up. Yesterday was the longest I had actually driven my car for quite some time, and the hardest I had ever driven it. This morning, I went outside, and looked under the car - I can't really remember what I was looking for. Anyway, the passenger side floorboards are directly over the two stainless pipes coming out of the head pipe. I noticed that the undercoating on the floorboards was peeling off in a major way. I looked a little further, and found that the metal of the floorboards had actually warped from the heat. I had noticed that the car seemed to be running a little warm, and I was thinking that it may be because it's running rich, I just haven't had a chance yet to investigate. If it's not because of any special circumstance, what kind of heat shielding can be used on the bottom of the car? Anybody dealt with anything like this? I may start another thread in the tech forum to ask this, as it diverges somewhat from the original topic.

Didn't you say you had a rotary? You shouldn't be too suprised by the exhaust heat. Apparently the PS floor in the RX7's get toasty warm, sometimes setting the carpet on fire. There's a reason your header is stainless, regular exhaust tubing can't handle the heat!

But what to do? heat shielding, perhaps something like this DEI Reflect-A-Cool Heat Shields - summitracing.com
and/or exhaust wrap (the pros and cons of which have been covered in another thread).

Let us know what you do, I'm going to face the same problem soon!

cheers,

jtb

[baz]

hunt around in junk yards , look where the engine has been pulled , loads of modern cars have an aluminium composite heat shield these days because there is so little room to run bits in a tight compact space and see if some thing is close , even a sheet steel shield spaced off the body 3/8th " will help as the radiant heat will cool better from the air gap behind it

[Gary]

Originally Posted by Geek I drove my rotary GT into work today,...

Did that rotary GT come from CT? Does it have aluminum door panels and interior trim?

[Geek]

Did that rotary GT come from CT? Does it have aluminum door panels and interior trim?

Yup. Very nice piece of work.