Are there areas with the suburban lifestyle in Ukraine?

[justadude]

You might be my son from a previous life! 

I'd get that Lada a stuff in a small block American V-8 with a Holley Carb and manifold, a cam and a set of headers. Of course the rest of the drive train too. Show those Ukrainians what real American muscles cars can do! Especially in that light weight body. You could make a sleeper and challenge BMWs and Porches! Put a line lock on your Lada and do burnouts and donuts in the streets.You are young only once!

I agree! But it's all EFI and LS1 motors for me these days. Here is my latest, an LS1 Isuzu mini truck. This was early in the build. It runs and drives now.

[justadude]

[justadude]

mid engine VW mk1 with GM V6 and big turbo

[justadude]

Jeep Body on a Corvette chassis. Chevy LS1 power.


LS1 powered '75 Mercedes


There are a few more, but you get the point.

[Ste]

I borrowed a Maserati QP for week here with a view to buying, lovely car, but waste  of money really, we've trams, buses and rail everywhere and nowhere to park in town, plus fecking toll roads. Ireland is the most expensive place in the world to own a car;

1. Motor Tax, same as Car tax in UK, Maserati £500 or so a year in UK, Ireland over £2000. Plus road tolls, none in UK part from M6 Toll road and thats only a shortcut

2. Insurance, same car £500 a year for me in UK, €2800 in Ireland (no claims is EU wide until Brexit).

3. VRT too, import duty, not applicable here but the Gardaí are always on the look out for UK plates to apple the levy - 16% of the original value I think...

Even a 1.5 ltd car is €600 a year Motor Tax.

Still got it out of my system, it's actually cheaper to hire a car for monthly stretches, first quote I had was €130 a week, ok it was a Hyundai i10 but still....

So I splurged some wodge on another guitar, very rare Shergold Marathon 6 string bass, like Hooky's off Joy Division/New Order....

 

[msmoby]

I borrowed a Maserati QP for week here with a view to buying, lovely car, but waste  of money really,
 

One of my friends has 'serious issues' and has had two of them  -present for the Missus' .  He just bought her a new Jag F-Pace ...

The Maserati experience meant they got to know the mechanics, well and had replacement models -  to say sorry ..

IF you were going to buy a Maserati - I'd certainly buy it used and with a  warranty

[rosco]

In the RSA I'd expect mantraps, armed security and attack dogs not just a gate  and some walls.

It is indeed something like that. Close friend's father is the Chief of Mission of their country to RSA. They invited me there to stay with them. Despite the breathtaking photography she posts on her fb, when they had explained the security procedures at the residence, with a heavy heart i declined the invitation 

I absolutely love Western Cape and never once felt threatened, even in Cape Town at night. All of the houses have perimeter walls with beams, alarms and dogs etc but I think without it you'd become a target very quickly. Like most parts of Africa, poverty isn't very far away and displaying wealth in front of those fighting to survive, will always end badly.

I think many other parts of the country are more hostile but I'd go back to WC in a minute. The scenery, the food, the wine, the activities and the people all made it such an amazing place to stay.

Like everywhere, you just need to avoid the obvious stuff that may lead to trouble.

[Maxx]

mid engine VW mk1 with GM V6 and big turbo

Wow what a project! Is that just a radiator or is it an intercooler?

I have a fondness for the roar of a 4 barrel carburetor, a six-pac or a dual-quad set up. EFI is much more practical and efficient but not as fun IMO. I'd like to show you a photos of my 225 slant 6 that dynoed @ 422 Hp @ 5000 RPM and 480 foot/pounds @ 3000 RPM but photobucket and tinypic block them from this site. To get those numbers I used a 4:71 Jimmy blower tipped on its side and fed gas or alcohol through it by two - 2 barrel carbs. The alcohol 2 barrel carb was a sectioned Holley Dominator carb that rated about 750 CFM in 2 barrel configuration. I used a Holley 390 CFM for the gas carb. I had 2 accelerator pedals in the car. The right pedal in the normal location was for gas. The left pedal on the left side of the brake pedal was for the alcohol. Going alcohol made a HUGE difference in power as it run MUCH cooler than gas. Running under alcohol frost would form on the manifold! No need for an intercooler and less chance of detonation under full boost. I was working on a new version I was expecting to get about 600 HP out of but got distracted by Russian women. I really should have stuck to the cars. Women make you crazy, Cars keep you sane.

[Ste]

mid engine VW mk1 with GM V6 and big turbo

Wow what a project! Is that just a radiator or is it an intercooler?

I have a fondness for the roar of a 4 barrel carburetor, a six-pac or a dual-quad set up. EFI is much more practical and efficient but not as fun IMO. I'd like to show you a photos of my 225 slant 6 that dynoed @ 422 Hp @ 5000 RPM and 480 foot/pounds @ 3000 RPM but photobucket and tinypic block them from this site. To get those numbers I used a 4:71 Jimmy blower tipped on its side and fed gas or alcohol through it by two - 2 barrel carbs. The alcohol 2 barrel carb was a sectioned Holley Dominator carb that rated about 750 CFM in 2 barrel configuration. I used a Holley 390 CFM for the gas carb. I had 2 accelerator pedals in the car. The right pedal in the normal location was for gas. The left pedal on the left side of the brake pedal was for the alcohol. Going alcohol made a HUGE difference in power as it run MUCH cooler than gas. Running under alcohol frost would form on the manifold! No need for an intercooler and less chance of detonation under full boost. I was working on a new version I was expecting to get about 600 HP out of but got distracted by Russian women. I really should have stuck to the cars. Women make you crazy, Cars keep you sane.

Flash as a rat with a gold tooth.

[Contrarian]

mid engine VW mk1 with GM V6 and big turbo

Wow what a project! Is that just a radiator or is it an intercooler?

I have a fondness for the roar of a 4 barrel carburetor, a six-pac or a dual-quad set up. EFI is much more practical and efficient but not as fun IMO. I'd like to show you a photos of my 225 slant 6 that dynoed @ 422 Hp @ 5000 RPM and 480 foot/pounds @ 3000 RPM but photobucket and tinypic block them from this site. To get those numbers I used a 4:71 Jimmy blower tipped on its side and fed gas or alcohol through it by two - 2 barrel carbs. The alcohol 2 barrel carb was a sectioned Holley Dominator carb that rated about 750 CFM in 2 barrel configuration. I used a Holley 390 CFM for the gas carb. I had 2 accelerator pedals in the car. The right pedal in the normal location was for gas. The left pedal on the left side of the brake pedal was for the alcohol. Going alcohol made a HUGE difference in power as it run MUCH cooler than gas. Running under alcohol frost would form on the manifold! No need for an intercooler and less chance of detonation under full boost. I was working on a new version I was expecting to get about 600 HP out of but got distracted by Russian women. I really should have stuck to the cars. Women make you crazy, Cars keep you sane.

Flash as a rat with a gold tooth.

Word. 

[justadude]

Wow what a project! Is that just a radiator or is it an intercooler?

I have a fondness for the roar of a 4 barrel carburetor, a six-pac or a dual-quad set up. EFI is much more practical and efficient but not as fun IMO. I'd like to show you a photos of my 225 slant 6 that dynoed @ 422 Hp @ 5000 RPM and 480 foot/pounds @ 3000 RPM but photobucket and tinypic block them from this site. To get those numbers I used a 4:71 Jimmy blower tipped on its side and fed gas or alcohol through it by two - 2 barrel carbs. The alcohol 2 barrel carb was a sectioned Holley Dominator carb that rated about 750 CFM in 2 barrel configuration. I used a Holley 390 CFM for the gas carb. I had 2 accelerator pedals in the car. The right pedal in the normal location was for gas. The left pedal on the left side of the brake pedal was for the alcohol. Going alcohol made a HUGE difference in power as it run MUCH cooler than gas. Running under alcohol frost would form on the manifold! No need for an intercooler and less chance of detonation under full boost. I was working on a new version I was expecting to get about 600 HP out of but got distracted by Russian women. I really should have stuck to the cars. Women make you crazy, Cars keep you sane.

It's an intercooler. That slant 6 sounds pretty awesome! Wasn't there an aluminum version of that block that was made for a couple of years? What chassis was it in, a Dart? I always liked the 67-71 darts. I think they are one of the best muscle car values around. If I was going to build one I'd go with modern hemi power.

Over the last 3 years I owned 2 different twenty year old Ferraris. A 348 and a 355. I lost a couple grand on the 348 but made 6K on the 355. Worked on them probably two hours for every one hour driving. It was fun but I don't think I'll do it again. I didn't mod them, except for updating to 360 wheels and changing the seats in the 355.

[Jerash]

The sad fact is that most RU homes that are 'nice' have high /secure fences - ensuring you can't see the garden and when building new apt blocks - there isn't living accommodation - may be shops - as the ground ( first floor) is undesirable - 'unsafe'

I'm not sure if it is a consideration in Sochi, but Moscow has a healthy rat population. When they get into buildings, they infect the lower floors first. I'm currently looking for a flat and considering 4th floor and higher (3rd floor in exceptional cases).

[Maxx]

Wow what a project! Is that just a radiator or is it an intercooler?

I have a fondness for the roar of a 4 barrel carburetor, a six-pac or a dual-quad set up. EFI is much more practical and efficient but not as fun IMO. I'd like to show you a photos of my 225 slant 6 that dynoed @ 422 Hp @ 5000 RPM and 480 foot/pounds @ 3000 RPM but photobucket and tinypic block them from this site. To get those numbers I used a 4:71 Jimmy blower tipped on its side and fed gas or alcohol through it by two - 2 barrel carbs. The alcohol 2 barrel carb was a sectioned Holley Dominator carb that rated about 750 CFM in 2 barrel configuration. I used a Holley 390 CFM for the gas carb. I had 2 accelerator pedals in the car. The right pedal in the normal location was for gas. The left pedal on the left side of the brake pedal was for the alcohol. Going alcohol made a HUGE difference in power as it run MUCH cooler than gas. Running under alcohol frost would form on the manifold! No need for an intercooler and less chance of detonation under full boost. I was working on a new version I was expecting to get about 600 HP out of but got distracted by Russian women. I really should have stuck to the cars. Women make you crazy, Cars keep you sane.

It's an intercooler. That slant 6 sounds pretty awesome! Wasn't there an aluminum version of that block that was made for a couple of years? What chassis was it in, a Dart? I always liked the 67-71 darts. I think they are one of the best muscle car values around. If I was going to build one I'd go with modern hemi power.

Over the last 3 years I owned 2 different twenty year old Ferraris. A 348 and a 355. I lost a couple grand on the 348 but made 6K on the 355. Worked on them probably two hours for every one hour driving. It was fun but I don't think I'll do it again. I didn't mod them, except for updating to 360 wheels and changing the seats in the 355.

The car was a Persian White notch-back '67 Plymouth Barracuda with a copper color interior. I had Super Stock leaf springs in the rear that gave the car a bit of a rake (ass up). It had some big as I could get rear tires on some custom rally wheels. It looked serious fast.

Yes, there was an aluminum block slant six but it was poorly made. The block had no deck. When you took off the head you could see the water jacket around the cylinder walls. Plus the bottom end was weak compared to the iron block. I did everything I could to strengthen the bottom end except a custom crank. I could have gotten one of those but already had a nitrided custom balanced crank. I used block studs on the bottom end and head studs on top. I had a set of custom Pauter rods made and Venola blower pistons. The head was ported and I had as big a valves I could get into it. The intake valves was from a 360 V8 and after head porting it flowed more than a stock 906 440 cubic inch Magnum head. Us guys in the Slant Six racing world had the head rated as the best flowing slant six head ever. I had a set custom roller rockers with a blower spec camshaft. On alcohol it felt like a hot 500 cube big block V8. On gasoline more like a stock 340 high performance V8 in an A-body (Dart, Valiant, 60's Barracuda). It was a lot of fun seeing what I could get out of a "granny motor."

[justadude]

I did everything I could to strengthen the bottom end except a custom crank. I could have gotten one of those but already had a nitrided custom balanced crank. I used block studs on the bottom end and head studs on top. I had a set of custom Pauter rods made and Venola blower pistons. The head was ported and I had as big a valves I could get into it. The intake valves was from a 360 V8 and after head porting it flowed more than a stock 906 440 cubic inch Magnum head. Us guys in the Slant Six racing world had the head rated as the best flowing slant six head ever. I had a set custom roller rockers with a blower spec camshaft. On alcohol it felt like a hot 500 cube big block V8. On gasoline more like a stock 340 high performance V8 in an A-body (Dart, Valiant, 60's Barracuda). It was a lot of fun seeing what I could get out of a "granny motor."

That is really cool. I like the unexpected, especially making something humble do something heroic. Really nice work on that intake manifold and accessory drive. Did you make all of that stuff? I had a Bridgeport mill and a 6000 lb. floor lathe, but I didn't use them that much so I sold them off a few years ago.