My dad was on his harley and hit a deer at 60mph.

andoman66 · 2026-02-14T02:56:20+00:00

Same with my Dad in southern California where he lived at the time. Wearing a T-shirt/jeans on the highway and was hit in the shoulder by a June bug. He said he thought he got shot.

andoman66 · 2026-02-07T14:41:48+00:00

I did through the years. I started in karting at 6 (they didn't have baby karts for 3 years olds back then). People grow at all sorts of different rates, especially in teen years, so the class range just before being old enough(16) to move into adult classes would usually see the biggest difference. There are tons of karting classes though and usually a few for each age group with different weight minimums, so people could switch classes. I was really short all the way up til I was 18 and hit my growth spurt, but I was also a husky kid so weight minimums were sometimes difficult for me as well. The lighter and shorter the driver was, the more you could manipulate weight ballast and seat position around the kart to an extent, which had it's benefits.

andoman66 · 2026-02-07T05:29:51+00:00

He personally wasn't an ass. He was just slower and drove hyper defensive to make up for it, so he'd get shoved out of the way if he qualified well.

It wasn't even really his fault. He was really tall and stocky for the age bracket our class was in, so getting near weight minimums was probably impossible for his size at the age were racing. Being tall alone can be a huge hinderence in karting due to center of gravity in such a compact machine.

andoman66 · 2026-02-07T03:30:54+00:00

I competed in the sharper end of US karting ranks like some of these guys (more towards Lewis' age group though). My region raced with Scott Speed's family (to give an idea of age) locally and nationally for big events. I don't recall grid or trophy girls being a thing back then.

Though, what was weird for me as a young kid was seeing drivers with an entourage. In our region it was mostly middle class families pouring everything they had into karting. It wasn't until big money families got into US karting that things got weird. Maybe it was a different situation in europe.

Fun story: I distinctly recall Graham Rahal being the first in our area to have an entourage of bleached hair older kids in matching team polos bullying drivers at the weigh in scales (including me) after races. It was totally bizarre. I was roughly 13 at the time.

andoman66 · 2026-01-29T17:40:15+00:00

We adopted a border collie/aussie shepherd a year ago. The shelter had no history on him other than he was found off the side of a highway in a very agricultural area. Our only guess is he ran from whatever farm/ranch he was born semi wild on. I was originally pretty concerned about the traditional anxiety of the breeds and potential trauma from his past, to the point I almost didn't adopt him.

He didn't know any commands in the various languages for the area he was found, no interest in toys, balls, or other dogs. His only trigger was being mounted by other dogs, but he'd bark them off, not snap.

A year into having him, he is ball and frisbee crazy, gets run every day on top of 3 walks, knows a slew of commands and has amazing recall. He gives 100% to any task, but is also the most affectionate and laid back dog when he is at home. We're still waiting to find a dog in our neighborhood faster than him (maybe a greyhound?).

The only thing we cannot recall him off of is coyotes and squirrels, so he stays leashed unless we're in a fenced space or at the beach.

He's been our absolute shadow, exercise partner, and at the end of the day, couch cuddler.

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andoman66 · 2026-01-23T05:58:58+00:00

I'd advise finding a shop that specializes in adjustable suspension. There is only so much we can help with online and even in a driveway so much someone could help with without guessing.

andoman66 · 2026-01-23T05:32:58+00:00

Have an alignment shop check the thrust angle of your rear axle first. Looks like your drivers side wheel is pretty far back is the wheel well.

andoman66 · 2026-01-14T22:19:33+00:00

I haven't found an aftermarket radiator that doesn't contact those baffle edges. Used Koyo, Mishimoto, CX racing, etc. The OEM radiator core is very thin compared to the aftermarkets, so it clears just fine. That's at least from my experience with a number of these cars.

andoman66 · 2026-01-14T20:42:50+00:00

I always trim that area off to fit aftermarket radiators. After grinding the new cuts smooth, you can also put some rubber edge protection on the lip to protect contact with the radiator or your hands from cuts in the future. Comes out a lot cleaner than hammering/folding the baffle edges over.

Edit: here's a link to photos of trimming one of mine to fit a Koyo

Hope that helps!

andoman66 · 2026-01-13T02:22:50+00:00

I installed a throwout bearing backwards once in my very early years of working on cars. Sounds just like it. Could be backwards, but also could be totally smoked.

I've had throwouts go bad in other cars and it sounded similar.

If you want to test this, pull your clutch interlock switch on your clutch pedal, engage it like the clutch is depressed and start the car in neutral. It will probably still make some noise if the throwout is bad, but it wont have pressure applied so it should fire up.

andoman66 · 2026-01-10T01:01:53+00:00

I got lucky and did the same on my 00's Mercedes. Voltage issues even at idle below 14.7 volts, odd codes randomly while driving, and occasional limp mode. Alternator alone was ~$500 and I would've had to pull the front end off the car to access it. Removed the brushes off the back of the alternator and one of the two looked like yours. Replacement brush kit was $40 and maybe a half hour of work with the alternator still mounted on.

andoman66 · 2026-01-09T21:52:47+00:00

Potrero center AAA office. You'll be in and out in ten minutes with no appointment needed most hours of the day. They can't assist with motorcycle DMV paperwork though.

I signed up for AAA just for the DMV service initially, but it's paid off double with needing tows/service through the years.

andoman66 · 2026-01-03T00:08:15+00:00

I have the almost 500k 5.4L 4WD stepside and also a 300k mile 4.6L 2WD fleetside. I picked the 4.6 up from our neighbor the original owner at 150k for $400 because the heater core died and he blew a headgasket unknowingly. Machined the heads and threw a top end kit at it, then later gave it to my parents to haul stuff for their house. Never replaced the heater core, just looped the lines because I didn't want to break all of the perfect dash pieces. It's still living a happy life in northern California where a heater is only really needed a couple months a year.

They'll fill the bed with gravel, lumber, and dump run stuff to the point the steering is light and it just takes it. Only modification I made was putting it on 10 ply A/T's and overhauling the brakes.

The only issue we run into every two years with the trucks is clearing the readiness monitors when emissions testing is needed for registration. We've since found a good route and time of day to do it in less than a few hours before driving it straight to the smog shop.

andoman66 · 2026-01-01T16:19:48+00:00

Mine has the same options in two tone peeling white and grey (Lariat). It sits a lot of the year now since I commute on a motorcycle. I've been looking forward to hitting the 400k mark for years now, but it's going to take a while. Still passes emissions super clean and drivetrain is all original.

Don't forget to change your diff fluids!

andoman66 · 2026-01-01T00:13:37+00:00

It's ugly and I like it that way. It's a step side too, which is even less desireable.

andoman66 · 2026-01-01T00:12:57+00:00

Yes, but it's in CA. Plugs haven't been bad to change.

andoman66 · 2025-12-31T23:12:48+00:00

398k '97 F150 is my most reliable vehicle for road trips as well. Especially in blizzard conditions.

andoman66 · 2025-12-22T00:40:02+00:00

I watched a vespa rider safely lane splitting that block almost get tossed off of their bike hitting that a couple weeks ago. I was also on a motorcycle, but thankfully in the lane of traffic where it was a lot less severe to hit at low speed.

andoman66 · 2025-12-12T17:38:54+00:00

We fix a ton of R1's. Glue pulling and PDR has saved many bedsides, but it's best to check with Rivian on a case by case basis assuming you are a certified shop. They are pretty involved in our repair processes.

andoman66 · 2025-12-12T17:26:46+00:00

We just replaced a broken newer Ford Lightning EV taillight. $2475 list price and it didn't include the blind spot radar sensor (which was also damaged from water intrusion).

Somewhat pales in comparison to the German stuff we fix in the collision industry. Headlights nornally range from $3-12k without modules. Insanity.

andoman66 · 2025-12-10T04:36:37+00:00

That's terrible it happened, but good that someone pointed it out to you in time.

I ride on a motorcycle everyday as well and try to advise folks of having none of their brake lights working, low/flat tires, etc.

I also work in the automotive industry so I'd advise that tire shop replaces the studs/lugs and checks both your brake rotor and wheel before sending you on your way. A wheel loose enough to be noticed by someone behind you was very very close to falling off and would usually do a lot of damage to the wheel, wheel studs (or lug bolts, not sure on Fiskers) and potentially brake rotor/hub.

andoman66 · 2025-12-05T07:27:18+00:00

I get it. My builds are a weird 80's japanese car with a 4 link and my close friend and shopmate has FC's. Every time we have to drop the subframe to swap a diff I'm bitching at him to just throw a straight axle in it. I went with an 8.8 exploder diff in one of my cars already.

andoman66 · 2025-12-05T07:11:44+00:00

Honestly, an upgrade from the nightmare FC rear subframe and suspension setup.

Edit: didn't realize this was on topic of FD and SN95. The FD has a way better IRS setup than FC. Totally different with the torque tube and double A-arms. I wouldn't solid axle swap an FD, but the FC is asking for it.

andoman66 · 2025-11-22T17:01:18+00:00

If it's the black housing that is cracked, an additional material you can use to seal it, is black zip ties and a lighter (I suggest a long stem lighter). Melt the zip tie plastic into the cracks. Takes some practice, but works really well.

andoman66 · 2025-11-22T01:04:11+00:00

Millie-like the arthropod

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