Life As SM105K

[SM105K]

It's nice that you post these stories.

I'm super green in terms of owning a SHO, let alone a turbocharged car. I'm one of those people that tries to learn as much as I can when a subject peaks my interest. It's like every day I'm discovering something new or learning something new.

I have twenty years of stories.  Everything from racing street bikes to SUV's.  The funny thing is, everyone usually has the same type of story.  I will post about my 1989 Ford Thunderbird Super Couple tomorrow.  That car was really fun.

You and I could trade street racing stories for days. I used to do motorcycles too. That is until I ended up almost through the windshield of a XJ-8

Yeah that would have been really crappy.  I was wrecked by a car on Ortega Highway in So Cal, and that made me rethink my life with motorcycles.  Yet I have another RC51 sitting in my garage begging to be put back together. I must be stupid.

Hahaha I love the rc51 nothing beats a vtwin jap bike. I was just riding along on my way to work 4 years ago on my bday might I add. I was about 3/4 mile from my job. The guy in the jag turned directly in front of me. I had no time to do anything but hit the fender and windshield. Thank god I wear a helmet. Best part was I landed in the parking lot of my biggest competitor lol. That was my last bike which was a 2014 cbr600rr. I'd love to get another if I do it will be a Harley or victory. Some sort of cruiser. I need to settle down here kids are on the way lol

There are two types of riders.  Riders that have been down, and riders that are going down.  Period.  I have been riding for 25 years, 17 of those on the street.
I wrecked my RC51 three times, and had to completely rebuild it twice (no frame damage).  My RC was special.  It was the RD bike for Two Brothers Racing.  The bike was an animal.  HRC Race cams, full Ti system, PC3, 520 chain conversion, Scotts Dampner, Full RaceTech Suspension.  So much TQ that just a twist of the wrist in gears 1-3 you would could be looking skyward.

The first wreck happened because of gravel.  I went out to ride bunch of friends and ended up a local hang out.  I was dating a girl at the time (the same one I couldn't get out of the Mustang) and she had a bike too (that how me met).  She called and asked where I was, and I told her.  She shows up on her bike not wearing any gloves. Now I will ride in shorts and a t-shirt, but I ALWAYS wear an Arai Helmet and Alpinestars MotoGP Kevlar lined gloves (unless I acting like a squid and doing low speed wheelies on my street like an idiot).  Yes I know, and yes I have had gravel forcibly removed from my skin because I have had some wicked road rash.  When you ride in 108 degree heat, you wear as little as possible.  So, back to her, I ask where are your gloves?  She said she was in a hurry and forgot them.  I sternly explained that when you fall off a bike your hands are usually the first to hit the pavement, so keep them protected at all cost.  She agreed. This would come to play into the story next.  I offered mine to her, but my buddy always had an extra and she got the extra pair.

We end up leaving and head back to her place.  I go around a corner that I have gone around at least 1000 times on a motorcycle before, but I went wider then normal because she was on my inside a couple bikes back.  I lean into the corner, and wham.....I am sliding across the street on my hands and belly right in front of her.  I come to a stop and get up.  She asked what happened, and all I say is, "lowside". I walked back and low and behold there is a bunch of gravel that was deposited from a storm run off earlier in the day.  I didn't see it and there was nothing I could do about it.  My gloves held up really well, and my hands were completely fine.  The bike needed a new slip on, clip on, and a new clutch cover.  Goes to show you....


One time at Fontana (California Speedway) at a track day I went down at around 140 mph and went skidding through the grass infield.  All I could do is laugh because I got taken out by a GSXR 1000.  Somehow we both walked away from that completely fine.  Fontana has a real cool infield with some pretty tight and sweeping corners, however you get a good bit of front stretch for a straight.  So I would walk this GSXR through the infield part of the course, and he would go blowing by me in the straights.  So on one lap I got ambiguous and late braked the crap out of him in the transition from the stretch to the infield and went by him on the stretch. Walked him in through the infield and boom hit the straight, and there he goes.  However, he decided to repay the favor and in the process lost the front end and low sided right next to me...which took me out.  LOL.  Damn. The bike took a rough and tumble through the grass.  That was first time I rebuilt it.

The second time I wrecked on Ortega.  Ortega Highway is a premier destination for motorcycles, however it kills numerous riders a year.  It starts in Lake Elsinore Ca, and ends in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County.  The highway turns into a residential area about 2 miles before it terminates at the 5 freeway.  I had just got back from another track day and my bike was in the back of my truck.  I was running late for formation, and I went out to start my truck, and it was dead.  So i yanked the bike out of the truck.  Cold morning, wet, on my track tires, would equal doom for me. I had no turn signals, and no mirrors (track day).  I jumped on the bike, and started out.  I knew the tires would take time to warm up, so I wasn't riding hard at all.  I start down the highway at 55 mph, and out of nowhere a car pulls out of a drive (it is 430 am) and I had two options. Hit the car, or go around.  I got on the gas, changed lanes over a double yellow line.  The rear tire spun up on the paint, and kicked me sideways into on coming traffic.  That is when I knew bad things were going to happen.  Right when the tire got off the paint, and hit the pavement....I proceed to give me the most violent high side I have ever received.  Now I grew up riding motorcross and enduro riding...high sides are not new to me.

I was in the air so long, I watched my bike tumble side over side and rip itself apart.  When I came down, I landed on my back, and my backpack raised my shoulders just enough to violently whiplash my head into the pavement, and shatter my wrist in 8 places.  My head hit so hard, it knocked all the vents off and broke the visor on my Arai helmet, and knocked me out cold.  I have never taken such a massive head impact in my life, and I have been blown up before.  I have no idea how long I laid in the road, and somehow I wasn't hit by any cars. I would not be here right now, if I was not wearing that helmet.  It straight saved my life. 14 weeks in a cast, and eight months of post concussion syndrome...I was finally cleared to ride again by the medical staff of the Navy.

I posted a couple of pics of my RC.  The one in the wheelie was with the factory paint.  The second one I had it custom painted with the World Superbike paint scheme and that Ducati 916 is sitting in my garage right now, along with a Nicky Hayden 03 RC51.  The last one is me and my GF at the time, and she was wearing gloves.   

[shoNoff]

I know the statement of 2 types of riders all to well. I went down twice on the street. I got really lucky both times to never really get severely injured. I lost a good buddy to a bike wreck after my 2nd accident. The 2nd was the story I told earlier. That was when I decided being here for my wife and kids was more important then riding. I figured I dodged a bullet twice no way it was gonna happen 3 times. The best part was neither accident was my fault. It was 2 people not paying attention. The 2nd guy was texting when he cut in front of me.

Now to stop being so negative. I love these stories buddy keep them coming.

[SM105K]

Love the stories!  This is my favorite thread for sure!  I saw how long they were and didn't want to skim them, I just sat down and read them all....now I'm wanting MORE

Haha, I have done alot in my life and I have been super fortunate to still be alive and in decent health.  I will try to post a story every week day until I am out of stories.

[SM105K]

I know the statement of 2 types of riders all to well. I went down twice on the street. I got really lucky both times to never really get severely injured. I lost a good buddy to a bike wreck after my 2nd accident. The 2nd was the story I told earlier. That was when I decided being here for my wife and kids was more important then riding. I figured I dodged a bullet twice no way it was gonna happen 3 times. The best part was neither accident was my fault. It was 2 people not paying attention. The 2nd guy was texting when he cut in front of me.

Now to stop being so negative. I love these stories buddy keep them coming.

Don't look at as a negative. Priorities change. Mine certainly have as well.  I have lost many friends from riding, and it is what it is.  I know when I strap my helmet on I change. I also know that I am knowingly and willing putting myself into danger.  Plus I live in a Metro area with millions of people in it.  So, I already am at a disadvantage.  I was actually going to order the fuel pump assembly for the RC and put it back together.  However, that certain GF has come full circle in my life again, and we talked about it, and she talked me out it. 

Those factors are why both Superbikes are still apart in my garage.  I have too much going for me right now with work, and with training. I have put so much time, energy, and money into both, I cannot afford to be injured by someone else at this point.  I would be really pissed if I was killed too.......lol.

[jims2015]

I'd love to get another if I do it will be a Harley or victory. Some sort of cruiser. I need to settle down here kids are on the way lol

Been that route. Back in the olds days unloading my H2 triple off the trailer after good runs at the strip I decided on a hole shot before putting it away. Went sideways and uprooted the neighbor's chain link fence. So I settled down on a Harley but cars kept running into me and knocking me over. It's now 4 wheels only for my own longevity.

[SM105K]

I'd love to get another if I do it will be a Harley or victory. Some sort of cruiser. I need to settle down here kids are on the way lol

Been that route. Back in the olds days unloading my H2 triple off the trailer after good runs at the strip I decided on a hole shot before putting it away. Went sideways and uprooted the neighbor's chain link fence. So I settled down on a Harley but cars kept running into me and knocking me over. It's now 4 wheels only for my own longevity.

I figure I will just stay off the bikes for a bit longer. I will live longer.

[SM105K]

Okay......Lets talk about my 1989 Thunderbird Super Coupe. 

This was my second SC out of three actually. I just remembered my 1990 also.  My first was a beat to death 1988 that actually really ran decent.  My third was a 1990 that was beat to death as well and I only had it for a couple of months.  My 1989 though was cherry.  Bone stock, Auto, Red, with black leather interior, with full options when I purchased it. 

I had seen it for sale in a driveway about a month before I went to boot camp.  I went and talked to the owner and he wanted $2300 for it.  I had zero idea where I was going to end up, so I didn't purchase it.  I finished boot camp and while on leave, I went back and low and behold it was still for sale.  He even knocked $300 off.  I bought it.  I hung out for a couple of days in So Cal with my family, and then went straight to Phoenix.  During my drive through the night, I came across an older Turbo Supra.  We played the cat and mouse game for about 30 miles at triple digits.  It was really fun, until my Overdrive stopped working....opps.  Damn it. 1st -3rd gears were good.  Ended up gingerly driving into Phoenix to the trans shop my mother owned at the time (same shop that replaced my SHO trans).  They yanked the Ford AOD and had it rebuilt the next day while adding a shift kit and upgrades.  I had smoked the OB band in the trans.  Lesson learned.

Over the next 4 months I went crazy with mods while I trained at the school of infantry.  We weren't allowed to have vehicles while we were still in school.  I promptly disregarded that "suggestion".  There was a do-it-yourself garage on base so I started modding the SC.  I installed the larger Eaton M90 hat, pullied the car down, added the double stack intercooler, shortie headers, and full Magnaflow exhaust.  It was quick for what it was, but the best bang for the buck was when I had 3.73's installed in the 8.8 IRS.  That really waked the car up.  I took it to the track and it went 13.4 right at 100 mph.   Stock they made 210hp/315tq, and I would venture to say that car make 290ish hp/400ish tq when I was done. It had traction problems lol. 

We graduated SOI and got orders to our units in the Fleet Marine Force.  I was assigned to Kilo Company 3/5, so I would be staying aboard Camp Pendleton.  I checked in  had my orders cut, and was leaving for the sandbox within 48 hours.  I had to get my will and power of attorney ready.  Got those and raced home which was about a 2.5 hour drive to my grandparents to say bye and that give them the documents.  I stayed a couple of hours and on my way back down to base, I stopped for a couple of hours in Azusa to say goodbye to a couple more friends.  Another Marine had gone with me and we were still in our cammies because we had left work.  I left Azusa and took the 57 south towards the 5 south.  Along the way I came across three others cars....

One was a brand new paper plate 03 Cobra, another Supra, and what looked to be 2001 Z06 Vette.  We all link up and proceed to roll the 57 south at mid triple digits all the way from Anaheim to the 5 south transition through, Tustin, Irvine, Mission Viejo, and then the marine layer/fog rolled in coming into San Juan Capistrano.  I was the slowest, but I was holding my own.  It was getting hard to see so I broke off, and set the cruise at 55 and watched them disappear.  Somehow my buddy slept through most of this.  After about a minute of cruising, I see some headlights behind me. 1 set, 2 set, 3 set, then boom gum ball machine.  I knew I was effed.  I woke my buddy up and said, bad news, and proceeded to pull off the freeway.

Five CHP, full felony stop, guns drawn.  Like over the loud speaker, roll down the windows, turn the vehicle off, take the keys out and drop them outside the vehicle, open the door from the outside with both hands, get out of the vehicle, facing away from us, walk backs towards us, then lay flat on your stomach and put your hands behind your back.  We were then cuffed and talked too.  One CHP was a complete jerk (he had the right to be) all the rest were awesome.  Once they figured out (our cammies) we were active duty Marines they uncuffed us and treated us really well.  The shift supervisor showed up, and I explained the situation.  We both had our orders, and we were shipping out within 36 hours now and he was amazing.

I should have gone to jail.  PERIOD. Even though there was very little traffic at 3 am, I was knowingly and willing breaking the law and endangering others.  The supervisor sent the other officers away and pulled the one that was a jerk over the side with me (since he witnessed the whole thing) and we talked.  The Shift Supervisor was a Gulf War Veteran and he knew if I was arrested, I could get in even more trouble (UCMJ) of missing a movement during war time.   After a very stern talking too (which didn't work because I am clearly an idiot, I will explain in a later story how I was arrested and spent 3 days in county within 36 hours of buying my RC51) they let me off with 99 in the 65.  I didn't have a speedo past 130 mph IIRC so I had no idea how fast I was going.  The jerk officer had me on radar because he said I was the slowest at 151 mph.  I was actually kinda disappointed because I thought it would have been faster.

They let us go, and we went to Iraq. After spending a month in Baghdad, we settled south in Ad Diwaniyah. I was able to call my grandmother about a month later.  She said, "You have a ticket from the CHP for a 99 in 65?  Care to explain young man?"  I said, "Nope, how much is it?"  She said, "496 dollars".  I told her to pay it.

I came back from my first deployment, had more fun with the car, and then ended up selling it one of my Marine buddies.  I ended up buying my 93 SHO with the money I saved deployed, and then I got all my money taken from me from the SHO.  So...yeah.               
     

[802SHO]

Damn dude, you have been through a lot!  Great stories man!  Fun to take a walk down memory lane with you.

[SM105K]

Damn dude, you have been through a lot!  Great stories man!  Fun to take a walk down memory lane with you.

The older I get and the more I look back on it, I should be dead and have should have spent more time in jail.  My only saving grace with not being in jail more, has been other Veterans in positions of power.  The Shift Supervision for the CHP with the SC, The Assistant DA of Riverside County for my RC story.....

[802SHO]

Oh crap if we start a jail thread I bet it would be interesting to see who shares lol

[SM105K]

Oh crap if we start a jail thread I bet it would be interesting to see who shares lol

I will post my two jail stories here. No shame.  One was my fault. I ran from the police on my RC51 and got caught. The other was actually was part of a investigation for a massive car stealing ring that made national news and was chronicled in a Vinwiki story.  My buddy (the one that taught me the street racing rules) who had the Z was car jacked at gun point, and after 4 months of our own investigating we found the guy. We blocked him in his work drive way, and got arrested for false imprisonment.  That story was actually really interesting, and I will save it for another time.  I will say the D.A. had some very choice words for us, because we were "effing" up their investigation....lol.   

[TopherSho]

One was a brand new paper plate 03 Cobra, another Supra, and what looked to be 2001 Z06 Vette.  We all link up and proceed to roll the 57 south at mid triple digits all the way from Anaheim to the 5 south transition through, Tustin, Irvine, Mission Viejo, and then the marine layer/fog rolled in coming into San Juan Capistrano.  I was the slowest, but I was holding my own.  It was getting hard to see so I broke off, and set the cruise at 55 and watched them disappear.  Somehow my buddy slept through most of this.  After about a minute of cruising, I see some headlights behind me. 1 set, 2 set, 3 set, then boom gum ball machine.  I knew I was effed.  I woke my buddy up and said, bad news, and proceeded to pull off the freeway.             
   

I s*** you not, pulling over BEFORE they catch up and talking respectfully and owning up will go a super long ways towards short term relations.

I was fresh out of a really REALLY shitty divorce in my mid 30's and i had a squeeze in BC i visited on weekends.  But i lived 2.5 hours away, so speeding kinda just happened ..

so at 2-am one clear 70' night, with almost zero traffic doing and easy 90+mph just south of salem I zipped right by a parked state trooper.   as soon as i pass him i see his cabin light up.... <crap.. 'way to go idiot' goes my inner monologue>  ..  and i just pulled over on the spot, put the keys on the roof with my wallet and waited. 

So, he pulled up behind on the shoulder and for the longest time he just sat there... me in the light for a while....  i had notion that hes waiting for a second car since 2am is a rough hour .. but that wasn't it..

finally out pops the gentleman, hat in his hand .. and hes fanning his face???

?wth i think?

he walks up and in a safe secure posture leans in over the open window of my drivers car door (big ass cougar).. and now i get it.  hes giggling ... 

apparently, pulling over before even him getting his car into into drive made his night, and keeping my hands on the wheel the whole time, with keys on top assured him i wasn't a dickhead. 

after more than willingly admitting my speedo ended at 85 and i had no idea to my speed that i should not have been doing he still let me walk away from the deal (get a ride).  i ended with a 1000$ careless driving ticket which was fair, but i was not arrested for recklessness driving, i was never cuffed and to be honest he treated me way more nice than i thought i would have been.  while my ride came to get me we waited outside the car, him in front of hos cruiser and me sitting my my trunk lid talking about cougars and camaros (hi-po 67-289 4 speed) ..

dumb kid move ... but the best ticket i ever got, and a good memory..

[SM105K]

Topher exactly.  After I spent three days in county, anytime I pass a LEO at a unreasonable amount of speed now, I immediately pull over and do the same thing. It actually has saved me twice from large tickets, but it took three days in county for me to learn that.....

Just for memory, I will post about the time I passed a CHP in my Convertible in the middle of no where on both kits in mid triple digits and pulled right over.  The look on his face....another story for another time.  Geez the more I post the more I realize I was a terrorist.

[SM105K]

Okay, here is another story of me being well....me.


We had just installed the second kit on my convertible.  First kit was the fogger and the second kit was the complete stand alone fuel system with the Shark nozzle.  My buddy Kevin ran Wild Street in a Camaro for PSCA events.  We was sponsored by Mickey Thompson and would sell me his 4 to 5 pass take off drag radials for $100 a pop. Dirt cheap to always keep a radial on my car.

Couple things about nitrous.  Direct Port systems are usually softer and more easy to tune and ramp in my opinion.  Big single foggers are a bit more harsh and violent.  However you can soften them up with longer lines from the solenoids to the fogger itself. The shorter the lines to violent the hit, you get the point.  My direct port was soft for what is was. My single fogger was VIOLENT!  It had very short lines.

We get the second kit installed, flow test the both kits, and I go out to make a street pass.  I should have not even armed the first kit, just launched soft and grabbed the fogger.  Well I didn't.  I got a good burn out, and left on the direct port and then immediately grabbed the fogger while still in first gear.  The car went left, when right, then left, onto the shoulder, and then missed a mail box.  I gathered up the car, and drove back, as my friend is literally laughing himself to death because he witnessed the whole thing. 

We get back and I am like WTF just happened.  The car always goes straight, and I was lock to lock twice within 200 feet.  I figured something broke because it was violent.  The only reason I lifted was because I was going to shift into third gear but wisely aborted the pass because I just passed a mailbox on the house side of it.  Yeah!  I started looking and my buddy chimes in, "Hey stupid did you check the tire pressures?"  I was like, "Duh" (I hadn't, I was so damn excited the second kit was on the car).  Well one tire was 13 psi and one was 22 psi.  How I missed this is beyond me. So I aired them both to 20 psi, and preceeded just to leave soft and grab the fogger and she went straight.  Sweet.

I waited a couple of hours and drove about 30 mins into the middle of no where.  I lived in the High Desert of Southern California at this time (think 30 mins from Barstow).  There are stretches for miles with nothing but desert and no one.  If I wreck I am going to end up in the desert and hopefully not hit a Joshua Tree.  I had put the big 20 lb in the car and went out to relearn how the car would be on two kits. I also wanted to make some good clean rolling passing. Roll racing was starting to creep into the street scene of So Cal at the time. 

I go out and drive about 2 mile stretch and see no one. It is pitch black with no moon.  I drive back to where I had started and start my testing session.  I am not a fan of digging the car from the same spot.  I want the car to be able to hook with a minimal burn out in a car wash.  So I after a couple of passes I am getting closer to the end of the where had recon'd.  I do one burn out, back into it.  I launch on the direct port, and grab and fogger right when I snatch second.  It hooks, and she is riding.  I keep the wick lit, third gear, and keep on it hard through 4th gear.  I am watching the PRM's approach redline, and right when the shift light comes on, out of the corner of my eye I pass a single white door and at really fast clip.  I instantly knew it was California Highway Patrol.   

I had the top down and had 5 point harnesses. To run at the track with the top down, I had to have arm restraints which I was wearing at the time along with my helmet. If you roll the car, your hands cannot go above basically your nipples. They have rings that the anti submarine belt tab runs through and clicks into the cam buckle.  I knew if I hit lost the car at a high rate of speed that was a good chance I would roll when I hit a dirt berm because they lined the road.  I see the CHP and I instantly get on the brakes, and pull directly over.  I turn the car off, un buckle the 5 point harness, and just put my hands on the roll cage near the wind shield.  The CHP didn't even turn his gum ball machine on, just his head lights on and pulled directly behind me.  I took him a minute to the approach car.

He walks up, and instantly starts laughing.  I am convinced he was laughing in his car, and was trying gather himself before he approaced.  Let me paint the picture this officer saw when he approached.  I was sitting in convertible Mustang with a cage, a helmet, arm restraints dangling from my wrist, with a very large bright blue metallic nitrous bottle mounted to my passenger side floor board in plain sight. It is about 90 degrees out.

He asked, "Did you have fun?" 

I respond, "I learned quite a bit. How much did you see sir?"

"Everything".

"Well, then....did it look fast?"

"Pretty decent actually".

"Um sir it pretty hot, can I remove my helmet?"

"Sure". 

He asked me to get out of the car, and provide all of my information, which I had.  He went back to his car and ran all of it.  A couple mins later, I am sitting on my hood and see another pair of head lights with yellow marker lights on the roof. The closer it gets, I see that it is a tow truck and my heart drops, but it drove right past us and kept going.  The CHP Officer gets out of his car, and says this.

"I know you guys will never stop street racing. I grew up on it, I get. I spent numerous years at Terminal Island.  However, I am cutting you a break tonight, because you are out here in the middle of no where and if something were to happen you are only endangering yourself.  Your saving grace with me was, you didn't run.  I knew you didn't see me when you drove up and down the street to check things out.  Also when you passed me, you instantly pulled over, and you were wearing safety gear.  I couldn't believe it.  So after running your info, I saw no need to ruin your night."

We end up chatting for about 20 mins, and I showed him my Mustang.  He was a really cool guy, and I did end up seeing him a couple of months later at a car show.  We chatted there too.

I always strive to be over professional with every contact I have with Law Enforcement Officers.  It usually works out better in any situation.               

[802SHO]

Another great story buddy!  Glad you didn't get in any trouble.  I have been really lucky as well, hopefully its not running out.  Stopped doing 90 in a 35...launched the SHO for some friends, pulled over, rolled all my windows down...apologized and said I purposely did that to show my friends what my car could do...no ticket.  Another time I had a truck following me closely as I was already going 10mph over...then sped up to 15 over...truck wouldn't back off, came up on a car and the car ended up turning off the road...gunned it, saw 100mph...then blue lights coming from the truck...pulled over, rolled all my windows down...I said wow that was dumb of me...i simply admitted I was going 55 in a 40 and I thought you would back off so when I got a chance I said see ya later...didnt know you were a cop...no ticket.  Got pulled over in my truck last week going 69 in a 50...I thought I was going 65...so I openly admit I was going a little fast, just wanted to get home after working 10 hours on a Saturday...but said I didn't think I was going THAT fast...my oversized wheels and tires make my odometer read low...no ticket.  Hopefully my days of lucky chances aren't over!  That and I have nothing from the last 9 years on my driving record. 

What is a Joshua Tree?