TomoHawk

Thar's why I usually accelerate slower than the vehicle ahead of me. I can always catch up at any time.

That's right. The only vehicles going nan 'alternative' direction are in the parking lot! Are you allowed to chew gum while racing today, like in an old car-racing movie?

I'd like to see a color-coded map detailing the density of collisions or mishaps. Thinking about where the most traffic problems are in my area, I think it's the cross-town freeway and the bigger freeway interchanges that would be solid red.

IMO, anything with threads on it will chew up a hole, even if it fits well. I've seen an S30 with some pan-head screws used to fasten the taillight finishers. It was not unsightly, just different from what I'm use to seeing.

I usually get thoughts of collisions with drunk drivers after about 7pm on weekends. From what I've seen after my years of driving is that 98% of drivers don't really want to get into a collision, but the other 1% seem to spoil things. Even people who use phones or type SMS messages, etc. while driving don't really want to get into a collision. Most don't, but the ones that do make it a concern, because it's easily preventable, if people will just "grow up." It's that other 2% of people who are not paying attention/daydreaming, are in a hurry/driving badly, or just don't have any idea of how to drive safely that stand out. If you figure there are millions of motor vehicles out there, that means there are hundreds of bad drivers in any given area that you need to be looking for.

If you were, you'd get a $50 bill, and a short smile. If you're lucky, they'll say, "Sorry, and Good luck."On Fridays, I used to visit my uncle who lives 20 minutes from me, straight down the highway. I leave to go home about 4:30, and almost every week, I'd see a minivan or SUV on its side in the on-ramp, or upside-down in the median ditch. I think some might be kids going home from OSU to Cleveland. So much for people who want to get home 'real fast' with their luxury SUV or luxury minivan.

he trouble is not really if they ride your bumper or not, but how they change lanes when going around.

I think I would agree with you, but that would assume you can drive with a manual-shift transmission fairly well to begin with. You need a good year of experience in all kinds of situations, like rush-hour, on a hill, snow & rain, etc. before you can to that next level of skill. You can also say the same thing about people in automatic-shift vehicles, that not having to shift allows you to concentrate on safety or the surroundings and not have to be distracted by RPMs or where the shift lever is or what gear you're in.

I was almost hit myself last summer just after stepping into the street, in a crosswalk, but a driver in a SUVon a street with a crosswalk every 500 feet. It makes you wonder if you should fake the collision to get rich?

Yeah, and 60% of that 90% thinks that a car with an automatic-shift transmission is not a sportscar. So I think that would mean Nissan, Toyota, Honduh, Kia, and Yundai only make sedans.

There is just a TOTAL lack of courtesy since about 1993. People used to stop to help motorists in trouble, but not any more. In addition, when I had driver's Ed., they taught you to toot and flash your lights before passing of the highway? That stuff could get you killed lately. I see all the same stuff, but mostly it's the speedsters. Anyone in an SUV (basically, also others with expensive cars like Lexus, Nissan, Toyota) just seem to think they own the road and that they can just go however they want. If it's snowing and the Speed limit is 35MPH, they go 35. If it's dark or foggy, they go 35. "NO problem, I have ABS and hyper-white lamps!" If it's sunny and the speed limit is 65MPH, they go 80. And if they are late to get the kids to school or the office, you'd better get out of their way so they can make it on time. "It's not MY fault I had one last cigarette or cellphone call to make or text or tweet." How about those people that barely touch the turn signal lever so it flashes almost once, and then move over so close you check the bumper for paint later? I always give a minimum 5 seconds of flashing before any turn. My favourite peeve is when you're in the curb lane (the right-turn lane in the U.S.) and you are waiting for a green light. the driver behind you gives you the signal or toot to turn right-on-red even if it's night, raining, snowing, or if a herd of elephants is in the street NOTE: In the U.S., you are permitted to turn right on red after you stop to check for traffic, and if the weather conditions allow you to make a safe turn. Unless there is a sign otherwise. But those other drivers behind you can tell it's safe for you, or they insist that you break the law to make their life convenient. The ford drivers seem to drive nicer in these respect, IMO. They enjoy their quality vehicle so much, they just take longer getting there? But there are always exceptions, like guys in Mustangs on Friday afternoon. If someone is driving slowly, it's a little annoying, but you know they are obeying the law, so you are considerate and go along until you can safely pass.

This looks like the best option so far: Dash Mount USB Power Supply it's a little expensive right now. But That Amazon.com product looks like it has a threaded body and you could just remove the flange to clean it up.

I read one DIY writeup from a Honduh owner that put together a 5V regulator and a female USB cable into an armrest. Maybe it worked for him, but the armrest was cut up and it's not very convenient having to fish out a cable, then try to plug something into it in a hurry (at a light or just not wasting time.)I'm not intending to enter my car into a highschool industrial arts show; I drive my car a lot and show it off occasionally. Besides, Mr K. didn't design the S30 that way...

I don't usually get a lot of dust in the computer ports in the house or at the office. But in the car, everything gets dust, or sometimes rain, in it. I always cap the 12V jacks because a friend had one in an old van, next to the coin tray, and a coin fell inside and the smoke started coming out. :eek: I just don't like the open, unused holes.

Don't forget it needs to have a protective cap. All my 12V jacks are capped when not in use- either by inserting a cigarette lighter element, or an attached cap. Most of the DIY writeups I've seen so far have you cut apart a cheap USB adapter and glue or adapt the guts into a hole in the vehicle's dashboard or into a square hole you cut into a removable plastic panel. I would rather pay a little extra for a nicely made unit designed for the purpose than hacking up a car that might go to a show. I did run across the dual USB socket SteveJ noted. It would work and probably looks nice installed, even with the two screws. I was looking for the same kind of thing with a threaded body and a big nut so it looks like the aux 12V jack that would be next to it. You could glue a a 12V dual-USB adapter into the 12V jack (sans elements) and solder wires to the contacts. The cap hides the guts when not in use. Tapping the lighter circuit is no problem, as long as you don't run a few 12V accessories off the same circuit and overload it, which probably won't happen, my aux 12V jack has a 10A circuit. Until I find just the right thing, I will use a 12V splitter unit that has dual USB ports, but you have to plug it into a 12V jack to use it. At least you can hide it when not in use.

I use a couple devices that get power via a USB port connection. Both require about 500mA. Has anyone seen a product that could be wired into the car's electrical system (probably the cigarette light circuit) and installed permanently? I would probably put it near the hazard switch under the radio. Yes, I have a USB power port that plugs into the cigarette lighter jack, but you have to take it out for shows, and an installed unit would be more convenient to use and have an OE look to it, if done well. thxZ BTW- I might get a new radio with a USB data port in the face, and that might be useful for charging things. Does anyone know what the current output of the faceplate-mounted USB data port is capable of?

Good idea. Drill the hole, then put a blob of sealant over/through the hole, let it set up slightly, then drivethe screw through the wet sealant.

I avoid using screws to fasten things unless there already is a threaded hole. Screws chew up or scratch the paint, and that invites rust.

If you really want the original style rivets, you can pay the extra money, but at a place like mcmaster.com, you can get more for a LOT less. For the same amount of money, you can get 100 of a very similar style, You just need to measure the hole and depth required. They come in bags of 50 or 100. OTOH, I was able to get some very similar rivets from the local autoparts. they were black plastic and had a threaded center pin that you turned with a small Torx driver.

This stuff reminds me of back when you went to the car stereo store to buy a stereo or speakers. The sales guy would turn on some music with the cheap speakers, then switch to the expensive speakers and press the 'bright' button to show how the expensive speakers had a better "high-end." Like it really made a difference to someone who grew up with symphonic music? Let alone flying in small prop planes to & from college. It makes you wonder what kind of effect noise-cancelling headphones would have in an old car like the S30.

What is your goal here? Why bother testing subwoofers in the S30? You're better off listening for the 1Hz sound of a pothole... Besides with all the rumbling from the engine, the rattling of the body, and the wind noise/tire noise, how could you tell what frequencies are what? (I used to play electric bass in a rock band, and String bass in college orchestra.) I like the punchy low sounds, not the rumbly kind (think Geddy Lee of Rush.)

FWIW I dug up a couple diagrams that ought to help. the first is the fuel pressure regulator, and shows you where the different connection go, and the second is entire fuel injection rail, to show where the hoses and metal tubes go. These are both for the 1978 L28E engine.

There is one inlet from the fuel rail, and one outlet to the return hard line, and one vacuum line connection.

He's correct. Too may times back in the days of carburetors and points have I seen people tuning the engine for "power" by ear by turning the distributor, then finding out the gas mileage went way down. Later, with the timing light, they find out how far off things were. You don't have to go out and (blow your whole Christmas budget) on engine diagnosis tools and hand tools, but if you can, things like a timing light, an analog voltmeter (or cheap engine analyzer,) digital voltmeter, test lamp/buzzer, should go on your list of things to get when you can afford it. Maybe a neighbor has the stuff, or maybe you can borrow or rent it from the local Auto parts store. Check your local second-hand store! You find the neatest old stuff there (take a notepad to record ideas for stuff to buy later.) You will figure out how much or how useful a tool is for you and set its priority on your "car tools to acquire" list.

That seems reasonable... To use the high-performance coil that is made to work with the high-performance ignition unit! I would try it only after getting the other stuff to work, and confirming there is some "high-RPM" loss. Will it hook up like the stock coil? the ECU needs the spark pulse to feed gas to the engine.