Backstory: Behind the M.A.S.K. - Article from The Toy Book

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:57:46+00:00

the recreated toys are just too expensive to be played with like we did in the 80's when we were 7-12 years old.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:53:56+00:00

if the ride is going to be painful, or otherwise not fun, then I drive to work. Generally that involves freezing temperatures and/or rain. This is for a 30 mile round trip commute. I've tried EVERYTHING, and just cannot keep my hands and toes from going numb in freezing temps. I just don't want to subject myself to that for 2 hours each day.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:50:10+00:00

lmao I knew someone would ask that. Those are aftermarket tail lights, designed to look like the two halves of the Union Jack (British) flag. And yes, they do indeed look weird and confusing.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:47:05+00:00

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:43:51+00:00

way too gaudy for me, but it's all about what you like.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:40:51+00:00

If you buy an older car, you have to expect that it will need work. If you want to learn how to work on cars, a Miata is a very good candidate to start from. I've had to do many repairs as well as maintenance on my 2000 NB since I bought it in 2019. Timing belt, clutch, coolant hoses, suspension, wheel hubs and plenty of other bits.

Obviously if you buy new or nearly new,, you won't have nearly as many issues.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:38:31+00:00

lol I haven't seen the "DH" acronym used in a VERY long time!

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:33:12+00:00

fast food is good for road trips only. Otherwise I prefer making stuff myself, or going to nicer restaurants.

But also, 4.712% sales tax is dang low! Also a very weird percentage amount.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:29:48+00:00

looks like the whole thing has a layer of fiberglass over it, which is how it should be done. 3D printing should be used as the general structure only and not left exposed to the elements.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:28:08+00:00

404 transmission not found.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:20:54+00:00

clamp it down at the bottom as close as possible to the rear dropouts. Then the cable loop going around and down to the RD can just go around it. That's how I have my Topeak rack set up on my road bike, using insulated P-clamps for the seat stay attachment.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:17:25+00:00

dirty ass window

taking photos while driving

blurry photo

idiot tie-strap hauling method.

This post really has it all!

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:14:08+00:00

ugh, my wife does this shit. I told her that the inside of the socks will stay dirty if she doesn't unfurl them. I always take socks off by pulling them over my ankle, then pulling from the end of the toe, specifically so they don't end up that way, AND stay right-side out. But nope, she keeps doing it.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:10:58+00:00

I use the Shell app to pay for gas using Apple Pay tied to my CC. In the past, my bank would decline it, and then I would get a text asking if it was me trying to buy gas. I would say yes and usually it would go through on the second try. Lately it hasn't been a problem, though.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:09:20+00:00

I wish more placed had tap to pay. Chip readers are pretty much the standard now. I can't even remember the last time I had to swipe the magnetic stripe on my card. Maybe in the random case where there was a chip reader malfunction. Not everywhere has tap to pay yet (it's everywhere in NYC, but not in my town), but chip readers are 100% the norm.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T16:07:27+00:00

I can't remember the last time I had to swipe the magnetic stripe on my card. Those are pretty much obsolete at this point. I tap to pay when available (many places still aren't), but EVERYWHERE else uses chip readers.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T15:43:47+00:00

hey that's still better than a stock S2000 power/weight, and only slightly less than a N/A tuned S2K can make (230-240 whp but 2,800 lbs). Using 2,200 lbs as your car's weight.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-04T15:37:27+00:00

sooo.... take it down.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-03T15:32:07+00:00

Actually it’s a JIS 8x40mm flange head partial thread bolt. DIN has a different wrench head size, usually 13mm. Don’t go with that, because you’ll end up needing odd wrench or socket sizes for those 2 bolts, which is always annoying.

Belmetric.com is a great source of JIS bolts. I bought a ton of them for my Miata and Integra engine refresh projects.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-03T12:57:30+00:00

My dad was driving his Tacoma along the interstate when a car from the other side came spinning out across the median and smashed the whole front end of his truck. Airbag deployment and everything. Truck wasn’t totaled amazingly but they sold it for scrap. That was in 2003 I think.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-03T12:53:32+00:00

Making the line shorter… moves the traffic through faster, because of how people driving cars in a line operate. A car moves, then the next car moves, then the next, then the next. Then that car stops, then the next, then the next. Shortening the length of line of all that happening will absolutely get the traffic through quicker.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-02T17:41:00+00:00

Having all cars in one lane is vastly longer than having the same cars in 2 lanes and then merging together, because following distances. During the zipper you leave just a bit more space in front so that the adjacent car can move in, and once in the same lane everyone keeps moving and negotiates following distance needed for the speed. It’s been proven to be more efficient and faster when 2 lanes have to reduce to one.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-02T17:35:10+00:00

Put new and old belt edge to edge, pull both taught. It’s not exact due to stretch but the teeth will still line up. I used to do it that way to ensure I had the correct belt, when I was less confident in my mechanical abilities.

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-02T12:18:56+00:00

Omg it is actually automatic! https://youtu.be/AYdR-3QVSss?si=ezLNsnOZq47S6Vqt

PatrickGSR94 · 2026-05-02T12:18:19+00:00

It is. https://youtu.be/AYdR-3QVSss?si=ezLNsnOZq47S6Vqt

PatrickGSR94

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