Roadtrip: WA-CA-WA

[Plattus1000]

I'm driving down to see M5Jed again. I'll leave Seattle the end of Feb or the 2nd of March. I'll take i-5 down but might go for some scenery along the coast on my way back home. I'll be in the CA area till the 12th or 15th.

I had a blast last year and met some of the bf community while there. I'm also trying to meet up with people I missed due to scheduling last year. I'll be bringing some spoilers with me and might use them for gas money. If you're in the path and want a deal, hit me up. I'll try to hook-up with you as long as it's not too far off-route.

[adm750]

WA-CA-OH-CA....
-or-
WA-OH-CA-WA...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Wakajawaka <<< Frank Zappa!

[Plattus1000]

Ohio might be a bit of a detour. Not claiming that it wouldn't be epic...

Perhaps the next time Michael decides to sticker-up again and race an M5 'round the country, I could follow him and hold parts.

I know you Eastcoast boys have some real wagon fun. It'd be fun to experience.

We could get all the s/c'd or s62 swapped wagonsfrom one coast, to the other and back... That would be an adventure I'd be down for.

[adm750]

[QUOTE=Plattus1000;29958163]Ohio might be a bit of a detour. Not claiming that it wouldn't be epic...
QUOTE]

...it IS just slightly out of your way in regards to the original itinerary...lmao... but it would be cool to meet up with some of you guys one day....

[Plattus1000]

Indeed. We just all need to commit to a middle-America Bimmerfest. We can call it the "e39tillDeath" rally. It'd be neat if we could all get together. Sadly, I don't see it happening. Thank God everyone posts pics.

Before the trip I'll be re-doing the exhaust from Jed's Headers back. Adding extruded bungs for the pre-cat O2 sensors to 2.5" stainless piping, an x-pipe to 2 magnaflow 4" mufflers cut and welded together at one end at a 45° angle to act like a resonator, out to dual-quad tips (unless anyone wants to give me their 4.6is exhaust tips for free...?.?.?

After that, I'm off to DUDMD's house of Vroom to find my missing 20hp and tune the engine to squeeze the shizz out of these headers and see what kind of real-world gains are possible.

The suspension was refreshed recently so L.A.'s freeways won't destroy my car driving.

Should be a fun few weeks.

[Plattus1000]

So a funny thing happened along i-5 heading South of Jed's hood:

I see this Chevy Volt catch up to me cruising at around 82 mph (where I average 22 mpg!) and he's grinning with a thumbs-up. I have to admit, as he was in an all electric car, I thought it was sarcasm for a nano-second. But he seemed really honest in his thumbing so I waved and gave him a nod of thanks. Didn't think too much about it till the next stop in Carlsbad. Right about then, Jed texted me this shot one of his friends took. After meeting Ghostbutts, getting help from Wagons-ho and my buddy Tim minutes before leaving, this is turning out to be a great trip. I'm glad I took the time to come down here. Sadly, for the 2nd year in a row, I seem to have brought the Seattle rain with me. Small price to pay to surround yourself with great people. I'm as honored as ever to be part of the touring group.

[Plattus1000]

Given the freedom of a roadtrip, yesterday when pondering my return trip, Jed and I decided I was going to be his shop monkey (glad to hold that title) and I'll hang out again today. Organizing, cleaning and just lightening up the mood with my particular attitude towards life. I think it helps but it could be that sometimes, it's just nice to have someone to bs with when dropping trannies and moving cars to get to others.


If this pic is any indication of how little time he has to enjoy his "Unicorn"

[Plattus1000]

5 pm in Anaheim and Jed, with a little help, got 3 cars done at his shop. I had a great time getting dirty in his shop doing what I could to help. What a neat guy and all those cars!

I'll sit in my car for a few hours contemplating life and pondering the benifits of a muffler that actually reduces drone/noise or if I can live with it. To sleep through traffic really but I'm sure my subconscious will be working on it.

Driving past LA and I-5 in that area (roughest freeway I've ever seen and crazy 50-100 mph cars, no patterns or respect for the rules. I'll pass.

Next stop is Sacramento for a few more detailing days and then a coast drive home along the 1 till Grants pass.

[Plattus1000]

I found an exhaust shop in Anaheim we used last time I was hang'n with Jed. They cleaned up the tips (alligned/raised them to fill the depressions in the diffuser)

After that, I drove just past Sacramento to chill out with my friend Dan (2nd owner of my car!) He suggested that she needed some love and how could I argue. (I haven't vaccuumed out the car in... Well, once when I spilled a plant on the front seat. That was well over a year ago. Anyone who's ever seen my car can tell you, I keep the outside clean but it's always dusty inside. (I'm always covered in compound dust)

Today is day 2 and we still haven't gotten to the exterior...

Looking forward to the end results.

[Plattus1000]

I'm home, slept for a day and a half and now it's back to work (worst part of any vacation)

I've got spoilers on the mind as well as an exhaust build I'll need to manage so we can finally get pre and post header dyno results. (I screwed up the game by adding bigger tubing and removing the cats, resonator and adding coke-can-sized mufflers. Time to reverse time and get some answers finally!!