edit!

Well, I'm too busy to actually condense my thoughts into a coherent journal entry to a quick edit for now.

dog283 is on Facebook now! ... After getting shit loads of invites and everybody at work bugging to me to make an account I've bit the bullet an made one.

Add me up if you wish dog283@yahoo.com

I have new lights again hehehe

/edit

And so the New Year is upon us. Of course I'm going to side step greeting everybody 'cause it's already past Mid-January and I'm sure your pretty much saturated with all the Happy New year's

Quite a bit's happened lately which is why there's been no updates.

Let's pick up where we left off... December of last year. ...

Of course work's been so busy... With the Financial Crisis and all... But I spend waaaaaaay too much time at work so I won't mention any of that.

I broke up with my girlfriend mid-December. A number of reasons why really. It's was somewhat dramatic for a bit after that but I'm over it... Kinda decided to give that thing a rest for this year since I have a new found appreciation for being not-commited-to-any-relationship

Had this crazy idea I hatched with a buddy of mine to go get a Second 1st Gen Lancer to turn into an all out Race car... the kind I could crash and not feel guilty about. We found a perfect candidate. A Red 1976 2 door that's an unfinished restoration project. Sitting for 5 years after the body work was done. Totally rotten interior and has a set of Original Minilite Sport Wheels. Found it in the back of a shop. The current owner's gone bankrupt and can't pay up what he owes the shop so their holding the car. Trying to negotiate to get the car but the owner has his head in the clouds wanting way too much money. Playing a waiting game at the moment to see if he'll bite my bait. [link]

In the mean time I'd been playing around getting Lancer-chan some different shoes. For reference see THIS deviation Kinda wanted to set aside the Magnesium Minilites.

First was able to find a set of Rallye Wheels at the back of some obscure tire shop. The old guy there din't have any clue what he ha and we were able to get the set dirt cheap! The look like Campagnolo Wheels. The Aluminum casting was pretty heavy and worse there's a slight oblong on some of the wheels, Something rather common for vintage alloy wheels that have seen some use- and fine in most applications- but not in ours- the oblong causes strange vibrations when driving over 150 km/h.

That in mind I went looking for a second set of wheels which led us to a little adventure in down town Manila to a place refered to as Blumentrit (named after the train station next to it) there's a row of shops that had an awesome collection of Wheels... some of the rarest wheels I've seen only in Pics off the net I saw in the metal. Was drooling over a set of BG Cosmics that would look awesome on Lancer-chan however they too knew the price and literally we were looking at precious metals. But a luck would have it there was a set of Genuine Yokohama Advan Turbo rims- the type with a raised center section to force cold air to cool the brakes. As I noted with the pics their Uber-rare! and in immaculate brand new like condition! Something we've never seen before and also quite possibly never been used (until I got them) Forutnately given that the rareness of the wheels was exceedingly high the guys running the shop din't have any idea what they were and thus were price cheap... Bought them fast and got out of there before they realized we pulled a fast one! Also while there I picked up a extra cylinder head assy for Lancer-chans engine that will serve as the base for a race head (but that's a story for another day)

I fitted the very awesome looking super rare turbo wheels to Lancer-chan as soon as I got home that day... Unfortunately they looked to tame. Total fail! They don't go with the car at all! Just had them on for a quick drive around the block and to snap a few pics then I took them off. Quick to capitalize on the advantage we had, I immediately offered them for swap/sale in our local car club knowing that people there are so crazy for any form of Turbo Wheel they pay ridiculous prices for the Mitsubishi branded ones that are in need of much refurbishing how much more for mint condition Advan Turbo's? as expected withing a few hours of sending out an SMS that I din't like how they look on my car a deal was struck...

Opted for a swap. A set of Original German ATS Classics. Aside from the Minilites one of the wheels I would have killed to have! In need of refurbishment the deal was to swap the Advan Turbo's (that I din't like anymore) plus cash so I can refurbish them, find center caps and have a bit to have lunch out while going around. a few days later I met up with my friend for the swap and immediately dropped of the ATS wheels to a shop called Master Wheels to be turned from the yucky dirty silver they were to an awesome black with polished lip design. Then we went to yet another obscure tire shop where my friend had seen original ATS center caps and quickly bought them before the guy there realized they were worth much more then what we paid!

4 days later I get a call from Master Wheels that my ATS are ready for pick up. Wrapped in the 186/60/r13 Michelin's that were previously on the Minilites they look Wicked. 13x7 inch wide they fill the fender well and since the tire is pretty stretched over the rim they afford a stiffer side wall that makes for MUCH better handling. As much as I'd hate to admit... I'm loving the ATS even more than the Minilites Filled them with Nitrogen instead of Air 'cause that sounds more aweome

I also finally found the time to take to roll bar out and have it powdercoated. I went with green the same shade as TEIN coilover's because I though it'd be funny... it actually turned out really well Here's what the parts look like [link] have it installed again.

Notice in the pics I've uploaded that Lancer-chan is currently sporting the no-bumper look made popular in the 80's by racers looking to save weight. Actually I'm having the bumper brackets painted and having the bumpers pressed straight an rechromed. Phase one of restoration... Comming soon. Remember, last year I said I hope to finish her THIS year

Finally went with *wraith11's advised and ditched all those Cibie FOG Lamps in favor of longer range lamps... Better when driving really fast in the dark! Normally would have suggested a pair of driving lights but all the better cause I found Spot beams!!! I picked up a pair of Cibie Iode 45 IGM Spot lamps. Excellent condion. [link] I've got them installed as well. Loving it!

Wow. This is quite long already. I think I have more to say but I'll leave it for another day.

P.s. Gas price is going way down! It's like it's 2003 again!