nothingtoseehere
SHO Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2001
- Messages
- 2,483
- Reaction score
- 1,192
Background:
SHO has been parked since Winter 04, through Summer 05 and through Winter 05. Had some problems that I had not the time nor money to fix. Been driving my winter beater, 92 Blazer s-10. Brakes failed in it and I got into an accident. After getting it out or impound, I have a choice to make. Fix the 97 Ford (needed PS flush, oil change, mufflers, brakes and brake lines just to get raod ready) and get it on the road. OR hunt down the brake line leak in the 92 Chevy. Fix that, do brakes, hunt down exhaust rattle (was not the ehat shield) straighten or replace the front bumper. Splice the wiring that got severed due to the accident. Replace the marker lights in the front (bulbs, lens and housing), do some body work on the front end, etc. You get the idea. The obvious choice is fix the SHO.
When Kirk traded in his legendary 97, I swapped out my stock exhaust for his flowmaster exhaust. The mufflers had since rotted away. The innards rotted away and the car was just LOUD. Pretty sweet. But then I noticed the muffler itslef had holes in it. I was expecting to see a mouse pokes it's head through.
FOCUS:
Wound up fixing everything. Was going to go for Bullit mufflers, but i had NO time to wait for shipping so new flowmaster 40 series it is. At some point, I will buy the bullits for the next replacement. My father helps me out and we weld them up. Monday morning head to the registry. DENIED! Since I turned my plates in, literally, a MONTH, before and the inspection had expired; I had to go through the pain of the Alternate Inspection. Pretty much, take the car to the Inspection shop, get a "sfaety inspection" done. They fax the DMV, VIN hold gets released. You can get plates, then have emissions done, usually at the same shop for no additional cost. Fine. Done it before. Works for me. I know my inspection guy, he is lenient when it comes to me. "Randy, you need to do an inner tie rod end, but I passed you anyway." "Randy, your car is on fire, but I put a sticker on anyway"
NOT THIS TIME! He calls me up and says he has good and bad news. The good nes is he had my VIN hold released. Bad news is I need an inner right tie rod end. My exhaust is too loud. But he already tested me for emissions and tweaked it so all I have to do is get the plate, come back and get a sticker. He knows I will do the tire rod end myself. The REALLY bad news is he can't give me the sticker without the owners approval because the owner was in the shop today, possibly having a bad day, heard my car and deemed it too loud. He does not want to loose his license. Understandable. I go pick up the car and talk to the owner. I have been going there for years so he offers me this:
1. Put cheapy mufflers on just to get the sticker, then throw my flows back on
2. Go to the state garage in Proveidence, RI and have it sound tested. If they clear it, he will print the sticker.
3. Get the plate, come back with the plate (next day mind you) and take him for a drive. If he thinks it is ok when driving, he will print the sticker.
So by the computers stand point, I have passed safety and emissions, I just need a plate number entered. But I fail because the owner thinks the car is too loud when in a garage, in the afternoon, when he has likely been getting headaches all day form people.
So I figure, I will get the plate and take him for a coffee so he can see it is not NEARLY as obnoxious as the civic with the beehive exhaust. Maybe I should stuff some steel wool in the tips to make it a little softer....
SHO has been parked since Winter 04, through Summer 05 and through Winter 05. Had some problems that I had not the time nor money to fix. Been driving my winter beater, 92 Blazer s-10. Brakes failed in it and I got into an accident. After getting it out or impound, I have a choice to make. Fix the 97 Ford (needed PS flush, oil change, mufflers, brakes and brake lines just to get raod ready) and get it on the road. OR hunt down the brake line leak in the 92 Chevy. Fix that, do brakes, hunt down exhaust rattle (was not the ehat shield) straighten or replace the front bumper. Splice the wiring that got severed due to the accident. Replace the marker lights in the front (bulbs, lens and housing), do some body work on the front end, etc. You get the idea. The obvious choice is fix the SHO.
When Kirk traded in his legendary 97, I swapped out my stock exhaust for his flowmaster exhaust. The mufflers had since rotted away. The innards rotted away and the car was just LOUD. Pretty sweet. But then I noticed the muffler itslef had holes in it. I was expecting to see a mouse pokes it's head through.
FOCUS:
Wound up fixing everything. Was going to go for Bullit mufflers, but i had NO time to wait for shipping so new flowmaster 40 series it is. At some point, I will buy the bullits for the next replacement. My father helps me out and we weld them up. Monday morning head to the registry. DENIED! Since I turned my plates in, literally, a MONTH, before and the inspection had expired; I had to go through the pain of the Alternate Inspection. Pretty much, take the car to the Inspection shop, get a "sfaety inspection" done. They fax the DMV, VIN hold gets released. You can get plates, then have emissions done, usually at the same shop for no additional cost. Fine. Done it before. Works for me. I know my inspection guy, he is lenient when it comes to me. "Randy, you need to do an inner tie rod end, but I passed you anyway." "Randy, your car is on fire, but I put a sticker on anyway"
NOT THIS TIME! He calls me up and says he has good and bad news. The good nes is he had my VIN hold released. Bad news is I need an inner right tie rod end. My exhaust is too loud. But he already tested me for emissions and tweaked it so all I have to do is get the plate, come back and get a sticker. He knows I will do the tire rod end myself. The REALLY bad news is he can't give me the sticker without the owners approval because the owner was in the shop today, possibly having a bad day, heard my car and deemed it too loud. He does not want to loose his license. Understandable. I go pick up the car and talk to the owner. I have been going there for years so he offers me this:
1. Put cheapy mufflers on just to get the sticker, then throw my flows back on
2. Go to the state garage in Proveidence, RI and have it sound tested. If they clear it, he will print the sticker.
3. Get the plate, come back with the plate (next day mind you) and take him for a drive. If he thinks it is ok when driving, he will print the sticker.
So by the computers stand point, I have passed safety and emissions, I just need a plate number entered. But I fail because the owner thinks the car is too loud when in a garage, in the afternoon, when he has likely been getting headaches all day form people.
So I figure, I will get the plate and take him for a coffee so he can see it is not NEARLY as obnoxious as the civic with the beehive exhaust. Maybe I should stuff some steel wool in the tips to make it a little softer....
) Just buy some stock muffs, clamp them on, and just return them when you get your sticker. Either that or just keep them as spares. 
