Peter Vieira
Wow, you're reading this? Thanks! If you're into RC cars and I seem vaguely familiar, it's because I spent over 25 years writing and editing RC car news, reviews, and tech articles in print and online. What else, what else ... I have a degree in Film Studies (useless), most of a degree in Graphic Design (useful), and I'm married to a wonderful woman with horrible taste in men. Thanks to her, we have a terrific daughter who just earned her Journalism degree and is way, waaay more together that I was at her age. Or right now.
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I thought I’d hate those yellow wheels but they actually work so well!
Mopar thoughts: I’ve never seen a remote-mounted oil filter setup like that on an LA V8 before. Must be an Australia thing.
Boxster thoughts: Those color-matched wheels are very 90’s. Will be a fan favorite at Radwood.
Thanks, yes that is an Aussie thing due to the steering box being mounted on the RH frame rail in our Chryslers.
The location of the remote filter means it will often dump some oil on the transmission when you do a filter change. Most people (myself included) change the factory setup for AN fittings and move the filter location to the radiator support for easier and cleaner oil/filter changes.
As a non-wrencher, I elect to interpret “percussive clearancing” to mean “bang on it until it fits” and cannot wait to deploy the phrase in other contexts. Nicely done!
Thank you! Clearancing things with a big old hammer is always satisfying!
So, Pete, are you going to fly Lawrence up to help with the Wild Willy build?
And speaking of Lawrence, I hope you took out those two egg sacks after dispatching mama spider.
Per my comment in yesterdays TMD: Matt – No crack spreads?
Thomas, those wheels are fabulous.
Laurence, I assume an Australian Redback Spider will kill you if it bites you, so be careful, mate!
It’s generally safe to assume all Australian wildlife will kill you.
Aussie Redbacks have only killed one person in the past 50 years or so since we made antivenom, but they can absolutely put you in hospital for several days in severe pain.
I have read before that our little venomous arachnids have been found in Japanese ports and apparently the venom has become much stronger and a bite from one of these accidental imports is likely to be fatal.
I can’t find out if that supposed lethality is because they are stronger or because Japan lacks antivenom and/or proper treatment techniques.
Thomas those wheels are outrageous
Laurence, if what we’re hearing over here about the price and availability of fuel down under is true, the GV O/D will pay for itself posthaste. Wise choice!
Thanks, overdrive in some form or another has always been a primary modification in this build since I know how inefficient these old V8s with automatics can be based on friends vehicles. The current situation only makes mod even more appealing for sure!
The fuel situation here has calmed down a little from the peak of a few weeks ago. Diesel has settled to just under $7USD/gal for the last two weeks from a high of around $9.30USD/gal.
Our lowest grade of petrol is just under $5USD/gal atm. We will see if the oil price shock this week ripples through the system in coming days.
Assisting the diesel side of things in an unfortunate coincidence is a severe drought covering much of inland Eastern Australia. Not many farmers are sowing crops this year which of course means significantly less diesel is being used.
Of course this still doesn’t mean we will necessarily have all the diesel we need, but there are less servos here that are completely out of diesel at any given time at present.
If it makes you feel any better, that’s the same as I’m paying in Nevada. 🙁
Thomas! My man the wheels are sick. Whoever suggested to leave that strip of bare metal surrounding the wheel exterior border is genius. Makes the yellow color more impactful.
So great!
There was skepticism until scrolling down and seeing them installed. Oh, man, them’s beautimus…
Is it even really OnlyFanbelts without SWG explaining why he bought another Jag or BMW?
Pete, any plans to paint that Wild Willy in red oxide primer to match DT’s jeep?
Shhhh that’s the surprise
Always great to read a Laurence wrenching update…if anyone has not read about that Phoenix, I highly recommend it…or ANY of his wrenching adventures, especially Project Cactus which was Autopian’s best “mini-series” They are all awesome articles. Thanks Laurence!
-Those yellow Porsche wheels look AMAZING!
-I’m so confused: How can I see Wild Willy 2 if I haven’t seen Wild Willy 1? You have to assemble the 1st one 1st!
Ha ha
https://www.theautopian.com/should-i-save-this-rare-aussie-built-dodge-or-gut-it/
Thank you, I really appreciate your comments!
Here’s some more on the vehicle I’m working on in this OF for those interested: https://www.theautopian.com/my-new-project-car-is-this-rare-chrysler-regal-with-no-motor-but-ive-got-a-v8-and-big-plans-for-it/
What’s a good line on model cars? I’ve been thinking that I’d love to put some classic M3s on my shelf.
How deep down the rabbit hole are you looking to go? The Tamiya kits are well regarded for their quality and detail, but are pretty advanced to build. You can easily spend a year sub-assembling and detailing one.
At the other end you have brands like Revell/Monogram/MPC who have kits as simple as the ‘Snap Tite” styles that assemble with no glue, and also some of the metal bodied kits that come pre-painted. Michaels has a lot of the lower end kits, a local hobby shop will have the higher end stuff.
Ahh, carb cleaner/brake clean – greatest hornet killer on the planet. Hit ’em as they fly and see ’em fall from the sky like a B-17 hit by flak.
Also removed my then 3 yr old daughter’s blue Sharpie “art” project from the painted kitchen wall. Used rubbing alcohol to remove her blue Sharpie “tatoos”.
Thomas, that Boxster is the sex. Those yellow wheels look fantastic.
I did not expect to see Peters wild willy today.
This is why I subscribe to OnlyFan(belt)s
Those yellow wheels really work! I’m not a big fan of that color or that style wheel, but something about them all together that way look great and I like the outer lip being left silver.
Not ignoring Laurence’s prodigious wrenching acumen (who could?), but what really jumped out at me was my usual USDM thought – why don’t we ever get evocative-cool trim level monikers like that on our cars?! “Club Spec”, my UK favorite “Mark whatever”, or even *Italian designer who just looked at a preproduction model at some point* are just plain cool.
Chevy’s boring alphanumeric codes, Dodge’s what’s the angriest thing we can come up with?, and Ford’s endless Sport and GT are all okay, but a little more pizzazz would be nice too.
Any “Club Spec” car should at least come with a used copy of Gran Turismo 3, in my opinion.
Good article but a great lead in. It had me cracking up thanks for the laughs