Start thinking about CV joint solutions. More HP + Wider tires = broken CV's

I just noticed this post Eric... Thank you very much. Coming from you, praise means a lot. Your attention to detail has always been an inspiration to me. I am sure Mark appreciates it as well...

Rob, where did you guys end up with the timing?? For these short AX runs I probably have something that you could apply.

Canti's will work great with your motor. When you are in first gear you won't get much traction, but as soon as you shift to second they are tough to blow off. So buzz them a bit, before the timing light, shift to second quickly and the torque will take over from there. Also you can get Canti's used, i.e., qualifying tires, in a pretty soft compound. That is all I've used for the last two driving seasons.

The next step up are A6's, but they are twice the dollars and require a carefully set up and cambered car.

I'd say the A15 Avon's are the next step after that, but they are bias ply, so the opposite of the A6's when it comes to camber. And they are $400 each or close to that.

Several people have asked what the 'offset' was, what she gets because I get the new motor. I had thought it would be a Cayenne and it certainly was heading that direction thanks to Eric Shea stirring her up with pics of pimped Cayennes.
It turned out to be an Audi A4 2.0T with everything. She loves it. Even put her screen name on the plates!

Help Admin! Everything is going to fall out of the center console! fixed...

In case you guys were thinking this project has been sitting doing nothing this winter, think again!

Mark has been busy doing that OC Thang!

You may recall we replaced the distributor with a breather bung made by Jeff Hines (sixnotfour). I had used a breather made by Chris Foley at Tangerine Racing but I wanted something a bit more OC... Mark put his big brain to work and the following series of pictures is the evolution of an Original Customs Breather Box. Contact McMark if you want something like this made up...

The drawing:

Mark has a metal brake so he can do this kind of thing...

The rest is all welding, brazing, and powdercoating...

He used aluminum "duocel" in the bottom and foam at the top with holes all around so the crankcase pressure can vent...

Then, he mounted it on the engine. All he has left to do in these pics is hook up a hose to the oil fill stand and it is fully functional...

You can see the Original Customs concept here... Mark designs things so they 'look' as if they might have been there in the first place. Not intending a "bling" factor. Form and function take equal standing...

No flares yet. But here's a teaser of what did show up.

Mmmmm.... Weidman's Wheels RSR finish 16X7 front and 16X8.5 rears shod with new A6's. Gonna be a sticky summer!

Cool breather setup and REALLY COOL wheels!

Oh damn...

I can't bear to look.

My car has been moved to the top of McMark's 'Current Project' section on the Original Customs Website.

This can only mean that he has begun cutting it up for the flares

I can't bear to look either.....seen too many step over the edge to the slippery slope.
Flares & wide Hoosiers? Doomed, doomed I tell ya.

Stalker...

Hold on to your heart medication.

The flares are just screwed on for now. Ready to attack them with the welder on Sunday.

Had to fire up the engine to move the car over a little, and it's amazing how easily and smoothly the engine fires up and idles cold.

looks great. i hope your protecting the glass when welding and grinding at it. Speckled glass is not cool

Beautiful rims. Wish I had the dough. Did Harvey make the 8.5's for you?

Yes! Harvey is a wizard...

Sorry for stalking... Your website is bookmarked...

So I take it you didn't find any surprises under the paint on the fenders?

By the way, anyone interested in some polished Cookie Cutters in 15X7... They are full restorations that have a couple hundred miles on them. Tires go on my 240Z so 'Forgetaboutit'

Well I'll be! So that is how ALL those other flare installs you've done wound up with speckled glass!

Seriously, I'm not worried. Mark has done many flare installs with very superior results...

Saw your tires and wheels last Sunday, they look amazing, I'm pretty sure they where still there when I left

Might see the car Tuesday if I make it out there.

Looking good Rob

Mark does great work, wait till you see what he's done for my white car.....and what he's going to do after WCR

Can't wait to see your car finished. Going to be very nice!!!!


Jeff

The kaleidoscope effect on a sunny day is pretty cool . . . but I'm pretty sure Mark has it all under control.

Car is going to be fantastic, Rob. I have the same wheels from Harvey on my Irish Green car. The guy does A+ work.

I think that means there's sparks flying! Post pics Mark!

I'd like to see how you finish off the bottom of the fender. I've got some ideas but would like to see what you do. That's whats left unfinished on mine

Oh Hell! I can't wait! I went to the OC site and stole these! I'll do the time for stealing Mark's intellectual property! Now that's dead-sexy!

Today I posted something of a goal on McMark's Original Customs Facebook page. It is a picture I have been admiring for a few years. I posted that this was my goal for my car except with chrome bumpers, sans graphics and big fueling hole in the middle of the hood.

Will the car make it to WCR 2012?

Mark answered with a simple 'Well you're one step closer today'... Both right side fender flares are now on. Beautiful work Mark.

Yes Mike. Mark says the flares will be on by weeks end. He has done enough of these and does them so well that he can gauge pretty much how long it will take.
We plan on priming the fenders and I will run it like that all season. Then next winter, I will send it to the body shop for new paint in the original color, Diamond Silver Metallic.

Awesome!

Rob, I love your car I want to see that killer Raby/McMark engine run!!!

Did you cringe a little when Mark stripped the paint off the fenders?

Sweeeeeeeeet

Well, let's just say it was a good thing I was 200 miles away...

Mark's been at it again... This time in the left rear. I suspect he will be done by Sunday... I can't wait to see it in person!

So while I was off working this weekend McMark was off having fun... Finishing my flares! This is so cool! Check these out.

Then he ground off the welds

And deleted the side marker light holes.

Looks like Mark had the OC in high gear today! Completed flares, all ground off, primered with fender wells undercoated... GT goodness!

Now to have some WCR fun... A little warm-up this weekend at Mather Field with the PCA - SVR gang... Hopefully I will not break it because I need to get current plates in Nevada with it before coming back over for WCR!

An upskirt shot for you perverts out there!

Looking good Rob, can't wait to see it run Sunday.


Jeff

Jeff, You have to be registered or on the guest list to get in to the Mather site. Shall I put you on my guest list or are you running? Also, the gates are only open for a period of time in the morning and when they shut the place down. It is an active airport with security.

Didn't realize you had to register ahead, I'll do that today. Yes I want to run my new car, if it passes tech this time. It should I think all of the issues have been taken care of. I do know about being there early, went to one there last year to watch, got there too late and couldn't get in. See you there

Jeff

The Original Customs boys are at it again today. Yesterday, they discovered that the custom built 8.5" wheels built by Weidman's Wheels in Oroville California were just a little bit wide for the reproduction steel GT flares we are installing on my car. Fortunately, the OC has a German GT that was imported sitting in the shop for rust repair. I had forgotten about Andy's car. It is a brown GT that has the original Porsche factory flares which Mark is uninstalling and reinstalling to get rid of the rust worms that have invaded the car. Talk about knowing 914 flare installation forward and backward! Anyway, what Mark discovered when he compared the two flares is that the factory flare has about half the lip as the reproduction. So, a little bit of a trim with the body saw and some grinding to clean up the cut, then a bit of primer and we have clearance. This should be good since as the car sits down into its spring it gains negative camber. What this means is that the top of the tire moves inward... Check out the before and after pics!