New path up the rocky slope ...

[evolutionmovement]

So I'm quitting Pep Boys as these hours are killing me and my writing (though I did get a chick's number the other day). The marina wants me to stay if I commit to a year. I hate being tied in despite the fact that I would probably stay there anyway (it has to do with my control issues). So if I stay they're talking about paying for me to go to classes and I'm thinking that actual techs make $25/hr. I can fall back to my older idea of Real Estate on the side. There's a company near me hiring that doesn't pressure to sell X amount of units so I could sell a couple houses a year and just use the extra at least $10k/sale for a house downpayment which leads me to the new adventure ...

My sister and brother-in-law live in public housing (they both work full time, go to school for biology one and law the other and raise a kid). Anyway, my sister's old Maxima got broken into and the dash destroyed, all her CDs stolen and the next day someone sideswiped the door. They need to move and I need a garage. So first priroty is no longer turboing this car - it's getting a garage so I can 22B flare it (and eliminate the rust that's starting back again) seam weld it, and do the whole shebang while I drive something else in the meantime (SVX?).

But my car is too damn slow and sucking gas right now to deal with until this magic house appears. I'm thinking of rebuilding my N/A engine to 10.5 CR and getting some roller-rocker heads, lighter flywheel, maybe do a home-brew valve job, and find a cheap header for possibly 160 CHP or a little more. Should be fun and will definitely get better mileage, but the main thing is it will be much cheaper than going the full out turbo route and everything else I need to do to match the significant power upgrade and do it right. This will also leave me free to do a DOHC for the turbo engine when I'm free. I'm hoping I can do this engine deal for under $2k.

Comments from anyone that cares?

Steve

[THAWA]

hmm, Cool beans about the job. I would not recommend getting an svx as a daily. When they need repairs its real bad. Go with something cheap, impreza, or another leg, or a loyale/leone. What's wrong with just throwing in the stock turbo stuff?

[evolutionmovement]

Yeah, I was thinking repairs would be expensive, so I was also thinking a 1.8 Impreza (cheap, but I love the SVXs looks) that I could drop the 2.2 N/A in after and strip down.

The stock turbo stuff I could do, but I'll still have a worthless 2.2 N/A and I really wanted a chance to get everything set up perfect with the turbo and this would give me the time with it out to do that. Rather than start like a stock turbo owner and work around its limitations ECU-wise, etc., I'd rather get it set and able to go on a base map stand-alone and go tune.

Rebuilding this N/A at my leasure would make it a fun project (I hate rushing) and dropping it in would be a day job, plug and play with a good assurance I wouldn't need to fiddle with things either.

Steve

[scottzg]

I'll second the early impreza idea. 1.8 heads on a 2.2 yields 11.5:1 cr, a little high, but meh... poWah! The cars are affordable, easy to deal with, and the 1.8 gets good economy. the 160 whatever hp from a nice build will be quite fun and economical in the little car. Too bad they're so ugly. The svx on the other hand gets ass economy, has loads of features to break, a higher initial cost, and 3500lbs of pork.

Congrats on the marina job, seems like a no-brainer. Free training and pay for a year... a year isn't long, and certs look great for future work.

[entirelyturbo]

I would actually keep with Pep Boys as long as it doesn't interfere with the marina job. I don't doubt for one minute that the job sucks, I hate the place myself (a place that proudly sells an APC boost gauge can't gather a lot of respect no matter what ). But money is still money, and as long as it's not endangering your mental or physical well-being, it's still a good idea if you ask me. But like I said, if it interferes with the marina job (which is obviously the more fruitful venture), then by all means quit...

I say get an EA82 sedan or something. I feel at this point that those cars are currently the easiest and cheapest Subaru cars to fix.

I'm with Hardy, stick with the turbo engine that's in there now and build it up as you originally planned. I think you broke it in perfectly by driving it around without boost, now it's time to harvest the fruits of the full capabilities of the engine.

[evolutionmovement]

I am going to use the turbo, just not yet as I need the money for a house downpayment. I never really liked the EA82 engine and EA81s are too rare, though a decent XT I would consider. Unfortunately I never see them anymore.

Pep Boys is $8.50/hr. That's an insult to me and I have to work from 8:30-9:00 Mon-Thurs, 8:30-5 Fri, and 12-8 Sat. It's just too much, and the Pep Boys checks are minimal. If they gave me more money (like $12), which they won't as the wages are supposedly fixed, then I'd suffer through the winter months, but the sacrifice on my time, life, and diet is not worth it. I figure the marina will be a good place to meet chicks when the weather gets nice. Pep Boys has the occasional girl, but I seldom get the opportunity to talk to them. Their parts and prices also suck, so my discount only really is good for stuff that's real cheap anyway.

My main goal is to buy up property, fix it/convert to condos, and turn it over so real estate will help me there a little, too.

Selling a book would really help, but I can't even find the inspiration to send out querry emails to some contacts my NY friend gave me.

Steve

[professor]

If you do decide to go back to the NA block, keep me in mind. I could be pursuaded to purchase a turbo block and start playing around, and I can pick up with cash in hand.

[evolutionmovement]

Sorry, but the turbo block wouldn't go anywhere. Have you tried car-part.com? That's how I found mine. I had to drive to Maine, but it had 83k and came with the turbo for $750 or so. There were two others I also found; one was near Worcester MA for $500 (no turbo, but I could sell you my OEM if you wanted it) and the other was in NH somewhere near the MA border. That was last year, though, so I don't know if they'd still be around.

Steve