Another guy from Spartanburg

[SparkleCityHop]

Howdy folks. I just got my cage installed this summer so that I could take my 04 350Z Roadster out and begin participating in some autox/solo/drift/hpde events in the southeast. So I'm starting to reach out and join up with area clubs. I'm pretty active and involved in the Z/G community - a moderator on My350Z.com and a staff member at ZDayz. I'm still a bit of a noob, but other than welding in the cage and alignments, I try to do all of my own work on the car (engine, suspension, body, tuning, electrical/audio) and I'm constantly learning. Right now, my car is fairly mild when it comes to mods/performance and is still NA.

I'm an IT Manager for a Healthcare company. Our corporate office is in Greenville, but we have locations throughout the eastern & central time zones up to NH/OH and all the way out to TX, so I travel a lot and try to drive the Z as much as possible. I'm always up for a trip to the Tail of the Dragon, Chimney Rock, or along any other fun twisties.

My car:






I realize that the graphics may be a little "over the top" for some folks' taste, but it is to advertise a new business that I'm trying to get off the ground.

[300zmankellan]

You're the guy who parked backwards in the Dam picture haha. Welcome!

[HKYStormFront]

damn why are you following me harold??

[SparkleCityHop]

(07-11-2011 03:08 PM)HKYStormFront Wrote:  damn why are you following me harold??

cause you already know where all the fun is. I'm just now finding out.

[HKYStormFront]

lolz, always good to see you around buddy, be sure to come out to the autox's in the fall, i'll be out there shooting!!

[SparkleCityHop]

(07-11-2011 05:29 PM)HKYStormFront Wrote:  lolz, always good to see you around buddy, be sure to come out to the autox's in the fall, i'll be out there shooting!!

Now that the cage is in, i hope to be in every event that I can afford. I'll be at CMP for karting this weekend and as spectator for the subaru shootout - then PZC meet in Columbia. I was going to participate, but couldn't get new front tires in time. They wouldn't pass tech as they are & I'm travelling for work this week in the z and couldn't have anyone do it for me. Ac is out in the frontier.

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If I ever get my car washed, i may need to pay you for a shoot. I'm working on the website and will need better quality photos than the cell phone pics that I take.

[JB]

Haha Kellan that was the exact same thing I thought.

Welcome! Wish I had met you at ZDayz, definitely didn't miss your car lol.

[SparkleCityHop]

(07-11-2011 07:32 PM)JB Wrote:  Haha Kellan that was the exact same thing I thought.

Welcome! Wish I had met you at ZDayz, definitely didn't miss your car lol.

I just had a pretty cool experience with Lynchburg, VA police. I made a legal u turn at a light in front of a cop sitting to my right. He goes through the red slowly and follows me. I'm in the left turn lane at the very next light and the turn arrow is red, but light is green. Cop stops beside me and is checking out car (even though his light is green). So I'm thinking that I'm about to get a ticket, right? I say hi and he nods and keeps checking out car. Light turns yellow and he realizes he's been sitting at a green light and says, "Oops, I was checking out your car. Love it. Drive safe." And he takes off through the yellow light.

YES!

[jedimario]

(07-11-2011 06:26 PM)SparkleCityHop Wrote:  

(07-11-2011 05:29 PM)HKYStormFront Wrote:  lolz, always good to see you around buddy, be sure to come out to the autox's in the fall, i'll be out there shooting!!

Now that the cage is in, i hope to be in every event that I can afford. I'll be at CMP for karting this weekend and as spectator for the subaru shootout - then PZC meet in Columbia. I was going to participate, but couldn't get new front tires in time. They wouldn't pass tech as they are & I'm travelling for work this week in the z and couldn't have anyone do it for me. Ac is out in the frontier.

---

If I ever get my car washed, i may need to pay you for a shoot. I'm working on the website and will need better quality photos than the cell phone pics that I take.

I'm not too familiar with the SCCA, and they tend to be too strict, but with NASA as long as the tire isn't corded you can generally run it.

[HKYStormFront]

(07-11-2011 06:26 PM)SparkleCityHop Wrote:  If I ever get my car washed, i may need to pay you for a shoot. I'm working on the website and will need better quality photos than the cell phone pics that I take.

just let me know when!

[SparkleCityHop]

(07-12-2011 07:01 AM)jedimario Wrote:  I'm not too familiar with the SCCA, and they tend to be too strict, but with NASA as long as the tire isn't corded you can generally run it.

Two threads are visible in a half inch spot. Not safe, and I would expect it to be turned away by any safety/ tech inspection.

[jedimario]

Ah yeah, you do need new tires.

[SparkleCityHop]

(07-10-2011 04:46 PM)300zmankellan Wrote:  You're the guy who parked backwards in the Dam picture haha. Welcome!

Yep, that was at the direction of the staff when I got there. They wanted the American flag to show up in the picture. Truth be told there were probably several that didn't want the long nose front bumper on the front row.

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(07-12-2011 09:58 AM)jedimario Wrote:  Ah yeah, you do need new tires.

Luckily it's on the outside, and I'm running negative camber. It's from before I had the tires swapped on the wheels. I'm staggered and run directional tires, so since I get negative camber wear, I try to dismount and remount on the other side half way through the tire's life. Looks like I ran these a little too long before swapping. The area where it shows only comes in contact on really hard right hand turns, so I'm going to get them changed ASAP and just not do any spirited driving until then.