The Bike is Done!

I was gonna post a long build thread about this bike with progress pictures and captions and stuff, but I lost interest after the first few drafts. So here is the finished product lol.

There is still some work to be done, and a few things I would like to replace down the line, but for now, this bike is ready for some miles this summer!

Build Breakdown
Chassis: 1988 Haro Extreme MTB

Handlebar: Nitto b901 Bullmoose with CULTxVans grips, OEM Shimano Deore brake levers and shifter, and all new control cabling with new pink housings

Cargo Rack: Public Bikes Porteur Front Rack with custom brackets for mounting. Also little shout out to my Lucky at waterbottle cage

Saddle: Brooks C-17

Drivetrain: OEM Shimano Deore crank, rear derailleur, and cassette, deleted front derailleur, single front Sugino 48T chainring with anodized bolts, and RaceFace Chester pedals

Wheels and tires: Shimano XT 730 6-speed 100/130mm hubs, Araya RM-17 rims, and Panaracer Gravel King SK tires in 26×2.1

I’m so happy with how good this is trying out considering how fast I build it. This bike taught me a lot about Bicycle maintenance and repair. I’m no expert, it I feel like I’m more capable now than I was over the last decade or so.

Gotta Stay Flexible

I’ve deviated from the plan again. With the coilovers I want being on backorder, I now have a little money to play with and I’ve deviated from the plan again.

A friend asked me if I knew anyone looking for an SPG, I said I was looking for an SPG, so I sold my memory fab seat and bought this new to me SPG. It’s got some imperfections, but I’m more than willing to look past them for the price I paid, the simplicity of the sale, and the fact that I got to catch up with an old friend. It’s going to clean up well, and that’s what really matters to me.

In other news, I got a new bicycle!

I picked up this 1988 Haro Extreme on craigslist, and I’ve already ordered a majority of the parts I need for it! I’ve been wanting a new bike, and have been pretty heavily looking at new modern gravel bikes. But for someone like me who’s a very casual bike rider, I wanted something a little more budget friendly, and a lot more customizable for the price. With a lot of guidance from my friend Edgar, we landed on restoring this old solid frame 26″ Mountain Bike. I’ll be updating progress on this as well.

SITREP

The Chicagoland area had a beautiful weekend and I happened to be off, so I pulled my rear interior so I could mock up my rollbar, mark where the plates will sit, and trace them out so I have a reference to where I can trim sound deadening and carpet while the cage is in powder coat.

I’m gonna be putting this all back in after the cage is installed because I want the interior to feel complete. I’m super excited to be making actual progress on this car.

I also put the shifter plate in since the center council was apart. I figure this will make things easier when it’s time to put the shifter in.

It’s Refreshing

With all these big changes coming for the car, I can’t forget to make little updates too. I’ve had the same Muteki SR35s since 2011, and they have done a good job doing what they are supposed to do, but they are looking worse for wear nowadays.

For 10 years these have held set after set of wheels on my car, and it’s time for something new. The only thing wrong with these is aesthetic, but with plans for extended studs, I needed something open ended. The problem with most stylish open ended lugnuts is they’re either ridiculously expensive, or they require a key to remove an apply them. Neither of these things appeal to me because I HATE having to keep a specific tool that’s easy to lose for something as mundane as removing my wheels.

So I picked these Wheel Mate Muteki HR38s up at Touge Factory today while paying for shipping I forgot to pay for. They are relatively cheap, pretty damn stylish, they done require a special key, AND the finish seems a lot more durable!

A Pretty Big Week!

This week a few big pieces showed up! Just a few more suspension and brake pieces, and HOPEFULLY some body pieces and the car will be pretty much set for the summer!

Second, we have some compliance bushings and rear lower control arms from Hardrace. These RLCAs are the first part of a new subframe brace/rear sway bar setup Ive been wanting to do for more than a decade now. This setup paired with new coilovers will complete the suspension pretty much indefinitely.

Then there’s the new gauge setup, I haven’t spoken much about this yet, but I’ve had it for a while. I’ve been searching for gauges to monitor water temp and oil temp/pressure while on track. I have never really been a fan of gauge pod options in the civic, so I never really wanted to get gauges even though I know how important they are. Then I found this with the help of my friend Gary! The Defi Advance ZD allows me to monitor all three of the metrics I want to, as well as giving me some other features like a shift light and a speedometer. It apparently has a time trial feature, but I honestly have no idea how it works haha.

Next is the last piece of interior bits that I ordered! The Hybrid Racing B-series shifter will do a great job rounding out the vibe for the new cockpit look with the new gauge setup, the seat updates, and the ROLL BAR!

I picked this Autopower 4-point rollbar up from Touge Factory today after a 5 week shipping period. I brought it home while I wait for a friend to get back into town before taking it to get powder coated.

I can’t wait to see how the car feels after everything is in the car.

Hello Again!

On this episode of, “How This Winter is Getting Away From Me” I bring you more parts collection!

First, we start with a small interior update, this is the second to last part I’ve gathered for the interior, the last piece is ordered, but I’ll wait to post it up here until I receive it. This shift boot delete from Hybrid should be enough of a clue as to what the next piece is lol.

Next is this PLM Toda rep header. The car gas had the same DC Sports 4-2-1 since like 2010. I’ve had enough with patching the same hole that’s been forming and reforming for the last 8 years.

This last bit isn’t necessarily a parts update, but I’ve been on the hunt for new green and white driving gloves, and thankfully, I found a replacement that feels nicer than my old trusty TF gloves. These Shirtstuckedin gloves are suede palmed, and padded in all the right spots. They feel great on my steering wheel, and are a welcome addition to my approaching cockpit updates.

There are a few more things in the mail still, namely the beginnings of some suspension upgrades, the roll bar from Autopower, and the last bit of interior. Of course, I’ll be updating here as the collecting continues, as well as when everything starts getting installed. The season is rapidly approaching, and I’m extra excited for it!

Things Took a Bit of a Turn

My plans for the car this winter were relatively simple, just do maintenance to parts of the car that were holding me back from passing emissions so I can register the car again, get new suspension, install a gauge set up for monitoring the motor, and a new front lip. But a situation came up that I couldn’t pass on, and now the interior is going to go through a pretty drastic change for 2021.

My friend Sam gave me quite a deal on this Recaro Pro Racer, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

I moved the memory fab over to the passenger side, and with it being a replica of a Recaro SPG, it looks right at home next to the Pro Racer. Colors and materials are a little different, but not so drastically different that I dislike it. And eventually I would like to put a real SPG or even a Pole Position on this side.

Next will be some rear interior removal, an autopower roll bar, and a couple of red Sabelt harnesses, and I will be content.

I’m super excited about how this is coming together, the interior already feels much more together than it used to with a stock seat in the right side.

I’m super excited for the what this winter will produce as an “end product” for this car. It feels great to be able to allocate time and resources to this old car again. I’m most excited to drive though.

It’s The Little Things

Sometimes you’ve gotta do things that make you happy.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I decided to do a little dress up in my engine bay. I made this bracket to hold a BOSS coffee bottle for coolant overflow.

These pictures show a little bit of the trial and error I went through while putting fittings on the bottle. The last picture is how the final product sits in the car.

The OEM coolant overflow works just fine, but I wanted to over engineer something relatively simple that looks cool.

I’ve found a lot of joy lately creating things.

I also made this sheath for a knife I recently bought. Doing things like this is what I’ve missed so much during nursing school. I can’t wait to create some more.

It Feels GOOD

A while ago I got together with my old friend Zandro to do a photoshoot he did for me as a graduation gift.

I was planning on just a few shots of me in my cap and gown standing around, being awkward (which was a part of it). But he made sure we brought the civic to be a part of it, and for that I’m super grateful.

Outside of my family of course, my civic has been the one constant in my life that’s been there since the beginning of my journey to becoming an “adult”. Zandro knows this about me, and he knows how important this car is to me, and that’s why he insisted on it being a part of this shoot.

Though this car is one of the biggest reasons I took so long to get into and finish nursing school, it offered me so many opportunities and experiences that I never could have imagined. And it has put me on a path to make friends like Zandro, and the Ramblers. Friends who I now consider my family. So my path may not have been so straight and narrow to get where I am now, but I wouldn’t change a damn thing. Because at this exact moment in time, I am truly happy.

HAVE FUN!

A Few Announcements

IM A NURSE!

Like officially, I’m a licensed registered nurse now. I passed my board exam, and I’m ready for practice. Now on to other news.

I added a 1977 Suzuki GS750 to the lineup!

I received this motorcycle from my uncle as a graduation gift. I will be restoring it and it will be my main rider next season.

Size comparison to the Grom

I’m excited to finally have a regular sized motorcycle and one in such good condition considering the age. I’ll post updates here as regularly as I can. But there is other big news!

The car is “red” again! After 5 years, I removed the livery in preparation for some restoration. The vinyl pulled up a lot of clear coat, but it this gives me an opportunity to give this old machine a refresh.

I can’t stand seeing this rust, but I wanted to get to it before it got any worse. Also, it’s about time I treated the car nice. After all, it’s given me so much joy over the past 13 years. I’m planning on getting the paint work done early spring time.

There are more plans for some general upkeep and upgrades in the works, but I don’t want to talk about it until they are a little more concrete.