Goodbye 323

Well, looks like 323 number1 is about to move on. To Texas no less. Hopefully to a better life than the one it had here in the midwest. So now it's down to just 4 cars. Laugh if you will, but that's a pretty light fleet for this family. And it may get even lighter depending on what happens with 323 number 2. But I'm still waiting to make a decision on that one. All in all though things are following the master plan. And if all goes well, then we should be down to just 3 cars. An almost unprecedented event for this household. But there has been talk of acquiring a van for transporting the wife's paintings and such to art shows. So we'll just have to see where that one goes:)

The CRX Saga Continues

So CRX 3 is off to get a new motor. Sweet. It has been sitting in the garage with a blown head gasket for well over a year. Maybe even 2? Anyway, it will be good to get that thing back on the road. We traded CRX 4 in exchange for services from our mechanic friend who needed a new car when his CRX was hit by a drunk driver. Idiots. Don't get me started about drunk drivers. Anyway, now that the CRX is out of the garage, its spot has been taken temporarily by 323 number 1. So we finally have all the cars in the driveway and no cars parked in the street. A true milestone in our household:) So things are moving along in our automotive life. Good things, good things.

Ferrari 575 GTC

Ferrari 575 GTC
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

Digital sketch of a Ferrari 575 GTC competition car.

M3 In Motion

M3 In Motion
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

This is a digital sketch of an E30 M3 race car. Since the original M3 was specifically created for racing, I chose to depict it in its track form. Not to mention graphics are always really cool.

Fire

red635_1a
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

So here's another BMW sketch. This time it's a 1980s 635. Of course it has the now obligatory big wheels and such. Being a designer I couldn't resist:) Going to try to start experimenting a little more with my rendering technique, so bear with me in the future. Anyway, more to come.

Old School

widebodyM5small
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

This is a sketch I did tonight of an E28 M5, like the one pictured lower down on this site. Only this has a widebody kit. And for all you BMW aficionados out there, you'll notice I borrowed the graphics from the M3 Evo of that same era. Just got bored so I put this together. Hope you like it:)

One Down

So it looks like our family has lost a member. Crx number 4 has found a new home with just what it needs, a mechanic:) Car was good overall, but due to its modified nature, it needed too much constant attention. When you've got 6 vehicles, you don't really have the time to spread your attention out evenly. So I'm glad it's found a new owner who can give it the love it needs. So the little guy is out terrorizing the streets once again. Kudos. So now one wonders which child will leave the nest next.

Rescued

So Pepe is now back home safe and sound. Took a new battery to the parking lot and swapped it on the spot. I gotta tell ya, that is one heavy battery. I'm used to hondas and such, so the batteries are obviously a lot lighter. So trying to lift the old one out, which is crammed in there BTW, is a bit of a chore. Since there's nowhere to grab a hold of it. Good old GM. I'm surprised they didn't engineer it to have the fasteners underneath the battery so only the dealer can change it. No big deal though. Only took a few minutes. Good to have the old boy back. So it looks like I'll be swapping out an alternator this week. Oh well, just gives me more opportunity to drive the BMW. So all is not lost:)

Stranded

Well, it seemed like it was going to be a fairly uneventful evening. Just go get some dinner, then stop at Caribou Coffee, and then get home to watch the Florida State/Virginia game. Didn't quite work out that way. For the past few weeks Pepe's alternator has been going bad. So it's my own fault for driving around without replacing it. It was only a matter of time before it would let me down. The funniest part was that I didn't bring a jacket or coat, even after my wife said I should. "Nah, we're not going to be outside anyway", was my response. Live and learn. My good friend Chris came out to try to give Pepe a jump, but no luck. The battery is too shot since it's been getting no charge. So now Pepe is still sitting in the parking lot in front of Caribou Coffee, waiting for me to come and get him in the morning. Somehow I knew I should have taken the BMW. So what came out of all this? I found out that the local auto parts chain, Murray's, has locations that are open 24 hours. Sweet! So now I can get car parts and tools anytime I want. Cool. Oh yeah, Florida State won too.

The Original

M5a
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

The 1988 E28 M5. This is a picture I found online from a 5er fest. Hopefully the owner of this car and image will be ok with my using it. There were about 1200 of these imported to the States in 1988. It has a 3.5 liter inline 6 tuned for 256hp. That was in US trim. The European cars had about 286hp. Keep in mind that it is all motor. No forced induction. In typical BMW fashion they have gotten the power without resorting to such "tricks". The first of the true Q ships. Fast, built like a tank, and only obvious to the educated eye. I've had the chance to drive one of these cars and it really is an amazing piece of work. Fantastic performance for a vehicle from the 80s. It will be my next car when the time is right. And I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Saw My First Ford GT

So we're cruising up Woodward tonight to get some soft serve. Yeah, it's getting cold here but the desire for ice cream can sometimes far outweigh common sense. As we're driving I look in my rearview mirror and I see a dark, extremely low silhouette of something that looks VERY hot. It gets closer and I notice the 2 white stripes along with the air extractor in the "hood". It goes by leaving us in the wake of all its glory, and all I can say is HOLY ****. The car is amazing when it's in motion. It's a real treat for the senses. It was especially cool since it was at night. Lights on, streetlights and the lights from other cars reflecting off its low slung body. I know it's a familiar shape, seeing as how it's a reissue of the original. But nothing quite prepares you for it when it catches you off guard. That profile, the stripes, the sound. Did I mention it's really, really low? Amazing piece of work. It looks like Ford finally makes a car I respect. So I wonder when the first one will show up on MTV Cribs:)

The Italian

The Italian
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

This is a picture I took of a late 60s Alfa GTV. I think it's a 69 if I remember correctly, but my memory seems to be failing me now. Anyway, I took this picture at the Concorso Italiano held at the Ford Estate a few years back. I altered the image to make it more to my liking. The hood was open and the lighting was great, so I snapped it. The serpent on the hood adds so much to the composition of this photo. Probably my favorite pic of those I took at that event. Hope you like it too.

The Quick One

The Quick One
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

Here's an old pic of my former 2 wheeled adventure. It is a 1996 Honda CBR600F3. If you think cars are fun, try 2 wheels just once in your life. The rewards from riding are so worth the challenge they present. No experience with a car can match the "oneness" you feel when you're on your bike. Let's face it, without you it can't even stand up on its own:) Unfortunately I had to sell it. But now someone else is out there enjoying life on 2 wheels.

Mclaren Mercedes F1 Car

Mclaren Mercedes F1 Car
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

This is just a cool pic my wife took of a Mclaren Mercedes F1 car a few years back at the Detroit Auto Show. She's got an eye for composition, don't you think? I love Formula One so I thought this would be a cool pic to share.

The Real Boy Wonder

The Real Boy Wonder
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

So here is the REAL boy wonder. This is a pic of my nephew Max. He is now almost a year old, and what a year it's been. He was born premature and only weighed about 1 pound. He's had a tough time of it, but he's a strong kid. Look at him now! Anyway, I know this is my car site but I couldn't resist.

The CRX Saga

The CRX Saga
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

So this is where it all begins. For anyone who knows about the CRX, they know how addictive they can be. This image is a pic of CRX number 4. Chapter one actually begins when my wife acquired the first one back in 1998. It was a red 88 Si, and in beautiful condition. But the joy didn't last long as it met an early demise when she was rear ended by a Jeep Wrangler while she was sitting at a light. So end CRX chapter 1. Had to replace that one asap so start chapter 2. Another 88 Si was picked up soon after, only this time it was black. Best color for the CRX in my opinion. The fun lasted a little longer this time, but this chapter was quickly ended too. This time it was an old woman from Florida in a white Grand Cherokee. Begin chapter 3. CRX number 3 was found in Grand Rapids, and again it was black. This one actually had a very good life, and still lives with us today. Only it now lives in the garage with a blown head gasket, looking ahead to better days. So the theory was, if it may need a new motor anyway, why not get one with a nice body and a motor swap already in it? This is the logic that leads us to chapter 4. It's also an Si but this time it has a B16 vtec motor swapped into it. 2000 pounds and 160 hp equal lots of fun:) So for now, this is where the CRX story ends. But as I mentioned, they ARE an addiction. So there will always be at least one CRX in the driveway. In one form or another anyway.

The Other Red Box

The Other Red Box
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

So here is the other 323. Got this one from a really cool guy named Mark in Portland, Oregon. Made the trip to pick it up last winter when they were having their "Storm of the Century". Being from Detroit, let's just say it wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds. But regardless of their inability to handle snow, Portland is AWESOME. Hope to make another trip out there this year, but will have to wait and see on that one. The area is nice, and the people are even nicer. Do I sound like a sales pitch for Portland? Well, if I could I would move there tomorrow. At any rate, onto the car. This particular 323 has a 1.8 liter motor swapped into it. The stock one is a 1.6. So what does it add up to? 50 extra horsepower, with potential for even more. So ultimately it means it's 50 horsepower more fun than the stock one. Which is pretty fun in itself. There will be more to come on this little box as it gets "the treatment". So stay tuned.

The Little Red Box

The Little Red Box
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

Here is the 1988 Mazda 323 GTX. Only about 1200 were ever sold in the US. Turbocharged, AWD fun. One of the cars I wanted when it was new, and now I actually have 2:)

Pepe

Pepe
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

Here is my 2000 Chevy S10 with the ZR2 package. It's a lot of fun, for all the reasons a car isn't. It's also the dog's main mode of transportation too. He's named Pepe after the Little Mule in Romancing the Stone. Anyone who's seen it will know what I'm talking about:) I actually "borrowed" the name from an old friend of mine who had a Blazer when I knew him. I don't know whatever happened to it, but I felt like the name should live on. I've had him since new and he's been great. Even got hit in the rear quarter by a semi once, and lived to talk about it. One tough truck and one I'll probably keep forever.

My Current Ride

My Current Ride
Originally uploaded by boywunder.

Here's my first "Bimmer". Have wanted a BMW for as long as I can remember. So I picked this up this past summer. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a sportwagon with a manual transmission in this country. Pretty telling I'd say. But I got one! The more I get to know this car the more I love it. What a great package. A proper RWD setup with a sweet straight six motor. Great design and build quality. An excellent representation of all the things I respect about BMW.

Welcome to my blog!

What a great idea. A place for me to talk about the most important person in my life. ME! Just kidding:) Seriously though, what would my life be without cars and all that cars involve. I love them. Big ones, small ones, fast ones, slow ones, shiny ones, not so shiny ones, mean ones, scared ones, friendly ones, utilitarian ones. The list goes on and on. I love them all. So this is the place where I'll get to talk about them, post pictures of them, and share my love for them with others. But this blog won't focus on cars alone. It will also have an area dedicated to car design as well, seeing as how I work in that industry. So check in often as I make updates to my new place. See you soon.