What an awesome week

First my computer quits working, either motherboard, video card, or hard drive failure. Then pull the transmission out of the rally car yesterday, take it apart today to replace the tail housing so it stops leaking out the rear, and turns out that the shitty pilot bushing failed. The input shaft, output shaft, front bearing retainer, and possibly more all need replaced now. So instead of a few days downtime, I have a complete rebuild and replacement of many important components, as well as some machine work to properly turn down the input shaft so I can use the pilot bearing instead of the bushing. I've not looked at the crank, but I'm sure with my good luck lately, it'll be fucked too and I'll be down for the whole fucking summer trying to get it right. Oh, and on Tuesday my wife and I decided that their is no hope for our relationship and that I'll never be able to provide her with what she feels like she needs and that she'll never be fully happy and fulfilled with me, so we should just go ahead and finish moving all her shit out of the house and file for a divorce when she gets back from the UK. Now if my scooter would just break down and my dog get sick, it'd top off the whole month of May. I think it's time for a beer.

---

Grant Hughes

Day gets better. Install the adjustable TCAs I got a year or so ago, and it appears that they are for something totally different based upon the 10 or so inches of toe in I now have.
Didn't have the heart to crawl under the car and check the crank for damage, but another guy I was talking to had a pilot bushing fail and his transmission came out okay, but it trashed the thrust bearing and a rod bearing.

---

Grant Hughes

Grant, what bushing were you using? The aluminum type?

Mabe you should skip the beer and just go for the hard alchahol.

Those old Rapidough$$$$$$ adjustable control arms gave the black XR about 17 degrees negative camber. Had the ones on my black XR shortened.

Sorry shit seems to be happening. I doubt the pilot bushing did any lasting damage. If so, I can probably find a crank to donate to the cause, although I bet you can find one locally for a lot less than shipping.

---

Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

NoCoast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Day gets better. Install the adjustable TCAs I
> got a year or so ago, and it appears that they are
> for something totally different based upon the 10
> or so inches of toe in I now have.
> Didn't have the heart to crawl under the car and
> check the crank for damage, but another guy I was
> talking to had a pilot bushing fail and his
> transmission came out okay, but it trashed the
> thrust bearing and a rod bearing.
>
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

I have the same adjustable TCA's (D.I.Y. IN-SITU ADJUSTER KIT) installed on my 82 Corolla and I had to lengthen the tie rod end adjusters by the same amount (~10 mm) to get the toe measurement correct.

---

www.performanceoptions.net

NoCoast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh, and on Tuesday my wife and I decided
> that their is no hope for our relationship and
> that I'll never be able to provide her with what
> she feels like she needs and that she'll never be
> fully happy and fulfilled with me, so we should
> just go ahead and finish moving all her shit out
> of the house and file for a divorce when she gets
> back from the UK. Now if my scooter would just
> break down and my dog get sick, it'd top off the
> whole month of May. I think it's time for a beer.
>
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

Forget the car. What? Didn't she see you living in a warehouse in ghetto or something with some other guys so you could all afford to put more money into your cars? I certainly hope you get the ring back and can gratuitously re-invest those funds (at considerable loss, no doubt) into something which will APPRECIATE better. Like a rally car, for example.

Perhaps there is more to it than your post, here, but I do sincerely hope that such things were merely said under duress and that you guys salvage things and save the marriage. So many people put so much into the wedding, but then can't be bothered to put the effort into the marriage. If it's worth saving, then do all you can to save it, but if it's not a team effort, know when to cut ties, call up the fellas, and spend an evening with Patron.

Our greatest glory comes not in never falling, but in rising each time we fall.

---

Brian Driggs | KG7KCA | PHX, AZ | 89 Pajero
alterius non sit qui suus esse potest

Got pulled over on the scooter riding around downtown, passed the roadside sobriety test, but walked away with a reckless driving ticket.

---

Grant Hughes

How the fuck can you drive recklessly on a Ruckus?

Just don't let it get to this point

---

Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

NoCoast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Got pulled over on the scooter riding around
> downtown, passed the roadside sobriety test, but
> walked away with a reckless driving ticket.
>
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

Grant, it's time you find Jim Jarmush's "Night on Earth" and watch the film but especially the last segment
Plot

[edit] Los Angeles

Sassy tomboy cabby Corky (Winona Ryder) picks up Hollywood executive Victoria Snelling (Gena Rowlands) from the airport, and as Corky drives, Victoria conducts business over the phone. Despite their extreme differences socially, the two develop a certain connection. Sometime during the ride Victoria, who is evidently a talent scout or casting director, discovers that Corky would be perfect for a part in a movie she is casting.

[edit] New York

Helmut Grokenberger (Armin Mueller-Stahl), an East German immigrant who was once a clown in his home country, now works in New York as a taxi driver. He picks up a passenger named YoYo (Giancarlo Esposito), a brash, streetwise young man and drives him to Brooklyn. Helmut doesn't know how to drive with an automatic transmission, so he allows YoYo to drive for a while. On their way, they pick up YoYo's sister-in-law Angela (Rosie Perez). The story reveals Helmut's attempts to understand and become a part of the culture of New York.

[edit] Paris

A blind woman (Béatrice Dalle) goes for a ride at night with a driver (Isaach De Bankolé) who hails from the Ivory Coast. They both take some verbal jabs at each other during the ride. The driver asks his passenger what it's like to be blind and she attempts to explain to him, but their cultural differences and differences of life experience make things difficult.

[edit] Rome

In the wee morning hours, a very eccentric cabbie (Roberto Benigni) picks up a priest (Paolo Bonacelli). As he drives, he starts to confess his sins. He goes into great detail about how he discovered his sexuality first with a pumpkin and with a sheep, then goes on telling about a love affair he had with his brother's wife. The already-ailing priest is shocked by the lurid confession, and leaves the cabbie with a very troubling situation.

[edit] Helsinki

After an evening spent drinking, three workers, one of whom has been laid off (Kari Väänänen, Sakari Kuosmanen, and Tomi Salmela), climb into a cab. On the way to drop them off the workers talk about what an awful fix their now-unconscious friend is in by being out of work and having to still support a family. The driver Mika (Matti Pellonpää) then tells them the saddest story they have ever heard. The workers are terribly moved and depressed by the story, and even become unsympathetic toward their drunken, laid-off companion.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Damn dude...

Car stuff can be fixed, and so can the relationship stuff.

Only piece of advice I'll offer is if it's worth saving - see a marriage counsellor. Been there done that - and it saved my marriage. Having a third impartial person to mediate REALLY REALLY helps, and it's WAY easier to find some common ground and discuss ways of accomodating both of your wants and needs. Also puts the little shit into perspective... (The first dude asked if there was physical abuse? verbal abuse? drugs? gambling? etc etc etc. When we finally admitted to just not getting along as of late - he laughed and said - so you guys aren't communicating - is that all?)

Trust me though - third party impartial mediator is the way to go if you want a chance at saving it. I did it, and while I've scaled my car stuff back a bit, it's made for a much happier home life and the car stuff will ALWAYS be there.

I should mention mention that the second time we needed to see a therapist we made an appointment the following week... That was in 04'... Earlier that week I had sent a "hail Mary" e-mail to Mach2Racing as they had an advert for help for PPIHC. (Had no hope in hell I thought!) Friday they said emailed back, welcome to the team - be in Colorado for Monday... (Cause I drove a Peugeot BTW!)

Yep - marriage was on the rocks, and I delayed my first appointment with the counsellor to go to PPIHC... Once in a lifetime opportunity - but try explaining that to a wife that thought I was choosing it over our marriage. Luckily when I called to re-book, the counsellor agreed it was a fantastic opportunity! (Saved my ass too!)

The counselling worked great, now I have a gorgeous 11 mo old baby girl, and an awesome wife who is booking her motorcycle training course this week. (got her a motorbike as a surprise - she's always wanted a bike since high school.) We consider counselling like a good tune up - everyonce in a while it's needed to keep things running smooth.

Good luck man! Keep your chin up and go for a hard bike ride to clear your thoughts...

Rabin

PS - who'da thunk this would be on Rally Anarchy...

I watched Night on Earth right after you told me about it. The Rome and Helsinki ones were both good.

We've seen counselours, we've read books, we talk and have dates every Tuesday and sometime additional ones, but it's been a few months now since she left me and honestly I think not being together is the right thing for both of us.

The car stuff is just mechanical and just requires money to fix. Tax rebate to the rescue.

---

Grant Hughes

Sounds like you guys gave it an honest go, so ending it quickly and cleanly and moving on sounds like the best. Be thankful it isn't messy with kids and property!

Good luck on the car fix though - anxious to see the potential of both car and driver explored fully in competiton!

Rabin