BoostedDrummer
12-06-2013, 11:41 PM
This happened a few months before I deployed but thought I'd share: my favorite kill.
Its a summer weekend, Saturday, around 11:30am and I'm coming back from Macon, GA. I had woken up early that morning to go to the flea market to see if they had some go kart frames since I have an old 2 stroke laying around. I had just entered the gates onto base when I noticed I was running low on gas. I drove to the gas station on base and started filling up the Omni with 93 octane, the only gas I've run through the engine since it was built at FWDP, when my friend that works with me drove up to the pump next to me. We started talking back and forth about work and such when this red Mazdaspeed3 drove by heading toward the barracks. When he turned left I heard him get on it and heard the subsequent "pssshhh" of his blow off valve. I looked at my friend and told him that I was gonna go talk to that guy, someone needed to put him in his place. My friend looked at me and simply said, "Do what you do." So I got in the Omni and drove toward the barracks.
Now for a little bit of background. My buddy and I always heard this kid driving around the base, always hard on the throttle. I've never caught him on the street, but from the local car forum, seems like he tries to run everyone everywhere and has a bit of an attitude. My buddy at this time has an SVT Lightning and tried to run him once, but could never get him to run since, well, for obvious reasons would lose, and I suspect didn't want to chase a truck. The Lightning has huge 315 drag radials on the back, ported blower, and a very nice programmer. I managed to pull it once in the Omni, but we were both in agreement that he put a bad tune on it... still pulled it though:thumb:
The Omni is an '86. It was built at FWDP and has been bored .040 over, stage 2 head, 3 angle valve job on +1mm oversized, stock roller cam, s50 turbo hybrid, front mount, +40's, stage 5 cal, walbro 255, shotpeened Eagle Rods, AFRR, G-valve, ported intake/exh mani's, 2 piece intake, A520, Chromoly end plate, SPEC clutch, full 3 inch exhaust, QTP cut-out.
So as I drive toward the barracks, I notice him pulling into a parking spot away from most of the other vehicles there, so I pull adjacent to him with my front bumper facing him, though an empty parking spot was in front of both our cars. As I get out he looks at me, then at my car, then back at me. I step out of the Omni and tell him, "Hey, nice car man. I see you boosting up and down the road all the time, really can hear that blow off valve."
In response he pops the hood while saying, "Yeah thanks, it's not a bad ride. Though it can use a few more things to make it faster, but there's nothing in town that can beat it."
I thought to myself, man this dude was ----y, especially when there's a certain gun-metal SVT Lightning sitting in the next parking lot. But I kept playing along. "So what do these things have in them? I've never seen one up close.. 2 liter, right?"
"No its a 2.3L, turbo, theres a header into the turbo and I put an SF cold air intake kit on it. I thermal wrapped the intake pipe as well to keep it cooler when it goes in the turbo."
As I'm looking around the engine bay, "Oh is that what that is? I thought it was some kind of tape or something from the factory. Stock turbo and intercooler or did you put upgraded ones on there?
"No, its still the stock turbo, I'm looking into getting a new bigger one, but the previous owner put a bigger intercooler up front, I don't remember what the brand is."
As I'm still looking around the engine bay I tell him, as I point behind me, "Yeah, that's my baby right there. She's got a new turbo and a big front mount intercooler. A few things here and there but its just a single cam, but she likes to scoot along pretty well." ;)
He then goes on to tell me that he is looking into getting a new exhaust and better computer pretty soon. At this point I'm done pretending to be interested in the motor and stand back up. I ask, "It's not an automatic is it?"
"No, its a 6 speed."
I ask again, "Is it fast?"
=Now at this point, I hadn't expected an insulting retort, more expecting some sort of reply containg some humility or vulnerability=
His response, and with pointed finger at the Omni, "Well its a lot faster than that thing, that's for sure."
Now... I wasn't mad, nor was I upset. I already knew that my stout little four door had the balls to take down a lightly modded Mach 1 Mustang, and could hang on the Lightnings door for quite a ways. It was time to teach this kid some humility.
Very calmly, I looked at the Omni then back at him and said, "Well you know.." As I leaned against the front end of my car looking at him, "I'm always up for a run against anything, just to see where me and the old girl stand. Would you mind?"
His face lit up and the conjecture for the Omni was all too obvious. With an arrogant grin he said, "Sure, we can make a run out the Russel gate if that's cool. You think a 20 roll would be good?"
I clapped my hands together and said, "That sounds perfect to me, I'll follow you. Oh, by the way, you'll have to honk, my horn isn't hooked up."
He agreed, laughed, and got into his car. I got in the Omni and started her up, she purred nice and smooth, just like a cat that just ate a fat meal. I followed him up the roads leading toward the gate, each time he got a little space in front of him he'd let me know by getting on the gas and letting me hear the blow off valve. Oh God, this guy just does not know!
We hit the last light on base before the gate and come to a stop. I'm in the right lane and my window is down. He keeps looking the Omni over, and I take notice of the smirk he's giving. I reach down under the climate controls and flick my secret switch. Slowly, my quiet little four door turns into a throaty little beast, my 3 inch electric exhaust cut-out giving hint to the bored out monster under the hood. Without looking at him, I give a small blip of the throttle. The Omni clears its throat, a whistle among the roar is heard. I glance over at him as the rev settles to idle, he's looking straight ahead with a stern look upon his face. The light turns green and we proceed toward the gate.
Once we are out the gate, I notice that we seem to be going a little faster than 20mph.. I guess around 30ish and I shift to third to stay even with him. We get even and he rolls his passenger window down. At the same time I shift into second, RPMs raise to around 3500, right in my powerband. He looks at me and then ahead, and begins his 3 honks.
Beep
Beeeeep
Beep!
He takes off as soon he hits the 3rd honk, I mash the gas after him, the Omni lifts the nose and torques the front end left and right, tires screaming away fighting to find traction. They find it and I come up quickly along side him, I shift to third without lifting the throttle, I let the clutch out and again the tires begin screaming, the engine is ALIVE and I rocket past him! I can only imagine what surprise he was thinking when this banshee went screaming past him! The top of third arrives and I lift to grab 4th. I get back in it and ride 4th until I'm sure he's become familiar with my tailights.
I let off and get on the brakes, looking into the mirror to see him about 5 cars behind me keeping his distance. We get to the first light and come to a stop. I look over at him and rev the engine, he looks at me and then shakes his head no. At that, I reached under the dash and flicked my cut-out switch to close, the low gurgle of the engine gives way to a silent hum. The light turns green and we take off normal, he continues and heads to Wal-Mart, I turn around and head back to the base. I heard through the grapevine that he was quite surprised at my little "POS" and has spread to his little buddies that it's not a car to be taken lightly. Every time me or my buddy would see him driving around on base, he was noticeably lighter on the throttle.
My buddy still gives me a hard time that he should've been the one to run him with the Lightning.
Its a summer weekend, Saturday, around 11:30am and I'm coming back from Macon, GA. I had woken up early that morning to go to the flea market to see if they had some go kart frames since I have an old 2 stroke laying around. I had just entered the gates onto base when I noticed I was running low on gas. I drove to the gas station on base and started filling up the Omni with 93 octane, the only gas I've run through the engine since it was built at FWDP, when my friend that works with me drove up to the pump next to me. We started talking back and forth about work and such when this red Mazdaspeed3 drove by heading toward the barracks. When he turned left I heard him get on it and heard the subsequent "pssshhh" of his blow off valve. I looked at my friend and told him that I was gonna go talk to that guy, someone needed to put him in his place. My friend looked at me and simply said, "Do what you do." So I got in the Omni and drove toward the barracks.
Now for a little bit of background. My buddy and I always heard this kid driving around the base, always hard on the throttle. I've never caught him on the street, but from the local car forum, seems like he tries to run everyone everywhere and has a bit of an attitude. My buddy at this time has an SVT Lightning and tried to run him once, but could never get him to run since, well, for obvious reasons would lose, and I suspect didn't want to chase a truck. The Lightning has huge 315 drag radials on the back, ported blower, and a very nice programmer. I managed to pull it once in the Omni, but we were both in agreement that he put a bad tune on it... still pulled it though:thumb:
The Omni is an '86. It was built at FWDP and has been bored .040 over, stage 2 head, 3 angle valve job on +1mm oversized, stock roller cam, s50 turbo hybrid, front mount, +40's, stage 5 cal, walbro 255, shotpeened Eagle Rods, AFRR, G-valve, ported intake/exh mani's, 2 piece intake, A520, Chromoly end plate, SPEC clutch, full 3 inch exhaust, QTP cut-out.
So as I drive toward the barracks, I notice him pulling into a parking spot away from most of the other vehicles there, so I pull adjacent to him with my front bumper facing him, though an empty parking spot was in front of both our cars. As I get out he looks at me, then at my car, then back at me. I step out of the Omni and tell him, "Hey, nice car man. I see you boosting up and down the road all the time, really can hear that blow off valve."
In response he pops the hood while saying, "Yeah thanks, it's not a bad ride. Though it can use a few more things to make it faster, but there's nothing in town that can beat it."
I thought to myself, man this dude was ----y, especially when there's a certain gun-metal SVT Lightning sitting in the next parking lot. But I kept playing along. "So what do these things have in them? I've never seen one up close.. 2 liter, right?"
"No its a 2.3L, turbo, theres a header into the turbo and I put an SF cold air intake kit on it. I thermal wrapped the intake pipe as well to keep it cooler when it goes in the turbo."
As I'm looking around the engine bay, "Oh is that what that is? I thought it was some kind of tape or something from the factory. Stock turbo and intercooler or did you put upgraded ones on there?
"No, its still the stock turbo, I'm looking into getting a new bigger one, but the previous owner put a bigger intercooler up front, I don't remember what the brand is."
As I'm still looking around the engine bay I tell him, as I point behind me, "Yeah, that's my baby right there. She's got a new turbo and a big front mount intercooler. A few things here and there but its just a single cam, but she likes to scoot along pretty well." ;)
He then goes on to tell me that he is looking into getting a new exhaust and better computer pretty soon. At this point I'm done pretending to be interested in the motor and stand back up. I ask, "It's not an automatic is it?"
"No, its a 6 speed."
I ask again, "Is it fast?"
=Now at this point, I hadn't expected an insulting retort, more expecting some sort of reply containg some humility or vulnerability=
His response, and with pointed finger at the Omni, "Well its a lot faster than that thing, that's for sure."
Now... I wasn't mad, nor was I upset. I already knew that my stout little four door had the balls to take down a lightly modded Mach 1 Mustang, and could hang on the Lightnings door for quite a ways. It was time to teach this kid some humility.
Very calmly, I looked at the Omni then back at him and said, "Well you know.." As I leaned against the front end of my car looking at him, "I'm always up for a run against anything, just to see where me and the old girl stand. Would you mind?"
His face lit up and the conjecture for the Omni was all too obvious. With an arrogant grin he said, "Sure, we can make a run out the Russel gate if that's cool. You think a 20 roll would be good?"
I clapped my hands together and said, "That sounds perfect to me, I'll follow you. Oh, by the way, you'll have to honk, my horn isn't hooked up."
He agreed, laughed, and got into his car. I got in the Omni and started her up, she purred nice and smooth, just like a cat that just ate a fat meal. I followed him up the roads leading toward the gate, each time he got a little space in front of him he'd let me know by getting on the gas and letting me hear the blow off valve. Oh God, this guy just does not know!
We hit the last light on base before the gate and come to a stop. I'm in the right lane and my window is down. He keeps looking the Omni over, and I take notice of the smirk he's giving. I reach down under the climate controls and flick my secret switch. Slowly, my quiet little four door turns into a throaty little beast, my 3 inch electric exhaust cut-out giving hint to the bored out monster under the hood. Without looking at him, I give a small blip of the throttle. The Omni clears its throat, a whistle among the roar is heard. I glance over at him as the rev settles to idle, he's looking straight ahead with a stern look upon his face. The light turns green and we proceed toward the gate.
Once we are out the gate, I notice that we seem to be going a little faster than 20mph.. I guess around 30ish and I shift to third to stay even with him. We get even and he rolls his passenger window down. At the same time I shift into second, RPMs raise to around 3500, right in my powerband. He looks at me and then ahead, and begins his 3 honks.
Beep
Beeeeep
Beep!
He takes off as soon he hits the 3rd honk, I mash the gas after him, the Omni lifts the nose and torques the front end left and right, tires screaming away fighting to find traction. They find it and I come up quickly along side him, I shift to third without lifting the throttle, I let the clutch out and again the tires begin screaming, the engine is ALIVE and I rocket past him! I can only imagine what surprise he was thinking when this banshee went screaming past him! The top of third arrives and I lift to grab 4th. I get back in it and ride 4th until I'm sure he's become familiar with my tailights.
I let off and get on the brakes, looking into the mirror to see him about 5 cars behind me keeping his distance. We get to the first light and come to a stop. I look over at him and rev the engine, he looks at me and then shakes his head no. At that, I reached under the dash and flicked my cut-out switch to close, the low gurgle of the engine gives way to a silent hum. The light turns green and we take off normal, he continues and heads to Wal-Mart, I turn around and head back to the base. I heard through the grapevine that he was quite surprised at my little "POS" and has spread to his little buddies that it's not a car to be taken lightly. Every time me or my buddy would see him driving around on base, he was noticeably lighter on the throttle.
My buddy still gives me a hard time that he should've been the one to run him with the Lightning.