Learning the hard way - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

As you may or may not know, I decided to stop beating on the Firehawk for auto-x and hpde's, so I added a 2001 Formula for that purpose.

I had done a few things before like brakes and shift lights, but not quite this much. Between last weekend and this weekend, I've pulled the stock exhaust and fitted up a SLP 2otl , taken the Koni DA's and coil overs out of the Firehawk and put back in the original SLP/Bilstein suspension, moved the Konis over to the Formula, added a driveshaft safety loop to the Formula, took the HP+/HPS pad combo and matched rotors off the Firehawk and moved them to the Formula, and hope to have the Strano 35mm sway bar and shift light installed on Sunday.

Had a few mishaps along the way. It took me a bit to get a hang of the spring compressor. I don't know if it was the progressive springs or what, but it was tough to get the compressor in and more particularly, out of the spring once compressed. Then I misaligned the cap the first time and had to recompress the spring. Ugh. The good nes is I learned fast and the next one went 3 timeas as fast.

Then on the exhaust, I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I thought undoing the y-pipe to cat pipe might help in getting the system out. Whoops, broke a stud. Snapped it clean off. I guess WD-40 can't work miracles in getting things to budge. So that will be a nice leak when I get her fired back up. Is that error going to cost me more to fix than having had the whole thing installed at a shop?

Anyhow, I don't know what I would have done before the Internet. I used Mitch's write-up to learn how to do brakes, and picked up tips here and there on the spring and shock swapping, and the whole shift-light install was done thanks to an online write-up. Since I'm not in a metro area where others could teach me, and I can't imagine learning what I have through a magazine, I'm just amazed but what the Internet and people like you have been able to help me do.

Absolut Speed View Member Profile	Apr 17 2005, 06:17 AM Post #1
Advanced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 588 Joined: 23-December 03 From: Sterling, IL Member No.: 7	As you may or may not know, I decided to stop beating on the Firehawk for auto-x and hpde's, so I added a 2001 Formula for that purpose. I had done a few things before like brakes and shift lights, but not quite this much. Between last weekend and this weekend, I've pulled the stock exhaust and fitted up a SLP 2otl , taken the Koni DA's and coil overs out of the Firehawk and put back in the original SLP/Bilstein suspension, moved the Konis over to the Formula, added a driveshaft safety loop to the Formula, took the HP+/HPS pad combo and matched rotors off the Firehawk and moved them to the Formula, and hope to have the Strano 35mm sway bar and shift light installed on Sunday. Had a few mishaps along the way. It took me a bit to get a hang of the spring compressor. I don't know if it was the progressive springs or what, but it was tough to get the compressor in and more particularly, out of the spring once compressed. Then I misaligned the cap the first time and had to recompress the spring. Ugh. The good nes is I learned fast and the next one went 3 timeas as fast. Then on the exhaust, I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I thought undoing the y-pipe to cat pipe might help in getting the system out. Whoops, broke a stud. Snapped it clean off. I guess WD-40 can't work miracles in getting things to budge. So that will be a nice leak when I get her fired back up. Is that error going to cost me more to fix than having had the whole thing installed at a shop? Anyhow, I don't know what I would have done before the Internet. I used Mitch's write-up to learn how to do brakes, and picked up tips here and there on the spring and shock swapping, and the whole shift-light install was done thanks to an online write-up. Since I'm not in a metro area where others could teach me, and I can't imagine learning what I have through a magazine, I'm just amazed but what the Internet and people like you have been able to help me do.