So I finish the body work on the AWD I acquired from Spy. I take the FWD out to get registration. I come home, decide I need to do the free-mods just for a bit of extra pep. All goes well, I have 2 more psi and a slightly leaner mixture, life is good. I think, "She should be clean, well, as clean as she can be anyway.' So I go wash her, and she's actually kinda pretty.

As I'm leaving, I forget the whole "wet tire" thing, and hammer it making a left turn out of the lot. After barely staying on my side of the road by applying about one full turn of countersteer and staying in the gas, I'm all smiles. I feel taller, stronger, faster, and I think I felt something grow downstairs...

I look in the rearview, and I see a 2G behind about 1/8 mile. I slow down to let him catch up. I know this stock AWD automatic won't touch my FWD, but I also know that a 2G fwd won't either.

We get lucky, and get a light. He's stock, 18 at best, and cocky as hell. He looks over and actually laughs. I figure he has that right, his car is clean and only a couple years old, mine is held together with zip-ties and clear duct tape. The light goes green, and he spins...kinda. More like chirps. I'm about 1/4 car behind him, the 13g doesn't want to spool at all with the tiny stock exhaust still in place. However, when it does decide to work, it works hard. Top-end on this stock car surprised me, I'm assuming due to the conspicuous absence of low-end. As I reach the top of first, I'm gaining a bit, and excited.

What I didn't figure in was the shift. Where I'm used to losing 1/4 car o a shift, I'm amazed to find out that when this car kicks into 2nd, it jumps almost 1/2 car. He had shifted into second, which put us about even. As soon as I hit second, I was a solid 1/2 car ahead, and pulling away. we stayed in it until about 80, at which point he was about 4 cars behind.

I can't wait to see what this car will do with a ported 14b, 3"TBE, fuel pump, and MBC. It's gonna make one hell of a daily driver...

Good kill, James! You'll have to let me know when she's ready for my daily driver.

Good kill... Kinda cool to hear about an automatic running good.

BTW - I got a DD for both of you to try and keep up with! (From a roll Natedogg)

OH...One down!

Although James' AWD auto runs strong and possibly even with the GST from a no boost roll through 1st & 2nd. 3rd gear was another story and the AWD's old stock exhaust is too restrictive from a stop even against a FWD. Good running man!

That turbo is freaking loud dude!

My old GST was an automatic trans 13g. It would lose consistently to a 14B manual trans GSX by about 4-5 car lenghts in a race to 80mph. That, and the 14b powered car just felt like it had a lot more low end than the other.

After I got home from Saturn, where Marcus soundly stomped me, I began to reflect on the comment made earlier. "Sounds like a vacuum cleaner." I'll admit, I had noticed a bit of noise. So I decide to check for vacuum leaks and such when I look down and notice 2 things. First, there is a hose clamp sitting idly on the lower intercooler inlet, and second, there is no pipe visible, although I can barely see the bead. Boost leak? Understatement. I reconnected the pipe, and the sound is better, but not gone by any means. It also likes to boost a bit quicker. I pull out the stock MAF and inspect the licp, there are HOLES in it. Not A hole, but lots of small holeS. I need to replace the licp, and see how she does from there.

This car is an absolute blast. Not super quick, but for what it is, it's lots of fun.

Just smear a coating of epoxy over the holes after cleaning all the corrosion off. It has worked for many of us.

BTW - our dd's were very evenly matched through 1st and 2nd gear during normal comuting. James, your car is no slouch...we have to take into consideration that I'm running 16psi on the mbc and have a 2.5" press bent cat back.

Nice DD dude

Thanks for the props, Marcus. We'll go again when I figure out how to launch the thing. I never thought I'd want to race from a roll in an AWD, but at this point, it's necessary. I think the addition of a 3" will help that considerably.

I really need to take on this fwd4kicks. Sounds like it could be a good race from a roll.