Messages

2041

General Discussion / Re: Fly to anywhere on Earth in under an hour

« on: September 29, 2017, 09:19:25 pm »

That's a lot of waste, with the booster.

The booster flies back to the launch point, and is re-used. SpaceX already does that, and is improving the technique more every time.
Because the rocket is so large, launches will be "gentler" than with small rockets.
The engines and fuel tanks for this rocket are already in development. BTW, the name "BFR" is an internal name used within the company. It stands for "Big F---ing Rocket". It will dwarf anything now flying or in development, including NASA's Space Launch System, which itself will be bigger than the Apollo moon rockets. The passenger service is only one possible use being explored for the BFR.

2042

The Market / Re: 1986 Fiero GT - Red - Automatic -

« on: September 29, 2017, 04:35:15 pm »

I just thought of something. What if you removed the dog bone and replaced it with some kind of turnbuckle. Then you could force the engine towards the front of the car, and perhaps make enough room to remove the alternator from the top.

2043

General Discussion / Fly to anywhere on Earth in under an hour

« on: September 29, 2017, 10:32:38 am »

This is the transportation scheme envisioned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk...

2044

The Market / Re: 1986 Fiero GT - Red - Automatic -

« on: September 29, 2017, 07:56:01 am »

Ed Parks left this advice on the old Fiero Factory website:
"Perhaps the best way for it is to sit the car on jackstands, take one end of the dogbone loose, and with a floor jack under the rear of the engine cradle, lower the back of the cradle by removing the 2 straight up engine cradle bolts. That will give enough clearance to take the alt out from the bottom.
Take negative battery cable off before starting alt removal."

I'm not sure where you'd put the jackstands, though. Just forward of the cradle is my guess.

2045

General Discussion / Re: Picnic?

« on: September 28, 2017, 08:20:51 pm »

It doesn't look that way. Kind of late to plan now.

2046

Club News / Re: Club's Formula Fastback

« on: September 26, 2017, 10:56:26 pm »

The relay clicks so we know it's good.

A relay can click and not be good. The contacts that close when it clicks can be bad.

2047

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Re: Better Window Switches

« on: September 26, 2017, 09:50:32 am »

Are these switches inherently better than the factory switches, or just better than the old switches?

Both. The window motors draw 5 amps at 12 volts. The stock switches can't handle much more than that. These switches are rated at 20 amps at 125 volts. The stock switches have a sliding mechanism inside, where the contacts slide together when the switch is pressed. These switches make a resounding "click" when pressed, so the internal mechanism is probably spring loaded contacts that slam together when the switch is pressed.

Are they press in, snap in from the top switches?  I don't see any eyelets for screws like our originals have.  What are the red and black buttons for?

The buttons are for my aftermarket door locks. The switches are press in from the top, snap fit. Here's a side view...

2048

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Better Window Switches

« on: September 25, 2017, 11:30:11 pm »

The window switches in my yellow car were not only failing to work properly, they were getting downright ugly. So I figured there must be something better.
So I went to Ebay, and searched for "dpdt momentary rocker switch". I found several suitable switches, including the ones in this picture:

They not only look great, but my windows now go up and down twice as fast as with the old switches. These switches are rated at 125 volts and 20 amps, more than enough for the window motors.
Here's how to put them in. First of all, they are a bit wider than the original, so the switch holes have to be filed wider until they just fit.
Here's a bottom view of the switches. The pins are just the right size for 1/4" spade connectors.

You need to cut off the old switch connectors from the window switch wires and put spade connectors on them. The pink and black wires also need a short 2" wire in their spade connectors (two wires in each spade connector). Additional spade connectors go on the other ends of the short wires.
Then plug the wires to the upper and middle connectors of the switch exactly as they were on the original switch. Plug the connector on the short wire coming from the upper left switch pin (sharing a spade connector with the pink wire) to the bottom right pin, and vice versa for the other short wire.
That's all there is to it. If you have trouble with this description, I'll try to do a diagram. The wire colors I quoted are from the 88 Helms manual. Both my Fieros do not have stock window wiring, so my colors are different.

2049

General Discussion / Re: Jobs in Australia

« on: September 22, 2017, 06:07:29 pm »

I hope fiero128 can come here, but am not sure about a RHD Fiero here.

It would be perfect if he got a job with the post office.

2050

General Discussion / Re: Anniversary of sorts...

« on: September 21, 2017, 09:44:57 pm »

The engine is clean and pretty, but it's more "stock" than mine.
1. The valve specs are milder.
2. The head is stock. Mine has a 91-92 head, which flows better, and has valves with longer stems, which means longer valve springs, which means more valve travel is easier on the springs.
3. The cam gear appears to be the stock fiber type. Mine's aluminum.

2051

Club News / Re: Run For The Hills 22 Pictures

« on: September 21, 2017, 08:26:15 pm »

Added one more name. Changed "Anita and Son" to "Anita and Nick".

2052

General Discussion / Re: Anniversary of sorts...

« on: September 21, 2017, 10:09:57 am »

There's a guy who has an essentially completed one for sale. (9.25:1 compression, ported stock head, and a cam similar to Pat's. Just needs the balancer/oil pump assembly.) but I'm kind of on the fence.

What kind of rockers does he have? As you know, the stock rockers on a duke are not adjustable, so I'm not sure how a ground cam would work out.

2053

General Discussion / Re: Anniversary of sorts...

« on: September 20, 2017, 06:22:54 pm »

You don't talk at meetings?  I didn't mean PMs.  I meant in person.

We talk mostly car talk at meetings. (After all, it is a car club.) Some other talk manages to squeeze in there, too.

2054

Club News / Re: Run For The Hills 22 Pictures

« on: September 20, 2017, 12:59:41 pm »

My family accounted for 5 of the people on this year's run. Hm... We could almost have our own run!

2055

Club News / Re: Run For The Hills 22 Pictures

« on: September 18, 2017, 10:05:50 pm »

Too bad he was so far back.

"Objects in mirror video are closer than they appear."