New Parts For The Car...

So after much math and debate, I think that my bonus is going to be a bit more than initially anticipated, and even after the IRS gets their (outrageous) cut of it, I may have some extra bucks to spend. So I think I might pick up a part for the car (or two, depending upon what I buy).

The first option is and always will be a set of wheels. But I did just buy new tires, and so I would have to sell the current ones (or have a second set). That dilemma aside, I really like the wheels pictured below, but I may have the centers powder coated a different color. See photos below for the idea of my craziness. It would be 19's in the front and rear. And with a staggered width (8.5 in the front, 9.5 in the rear, with 245-35R-19 and 265-30R-19 tires) to clear the brakes.


Or redone to look like the one below. It is a silver car.

Or maybe getting a new Carbon Fiber Front Lip ala the Mercedes McLaren SLR 722.

Or perhaps a new suspension to tighten up the ride. The problem with this is that "tightening up the ride" improves the cars already good cornering at the minor expense of making little bumps into bigger deals. A buddy's car with a suspension similar to the one I want probably would knock the fillings out of most peoples teeth, but I don't have fillings so I am less concerned. But I do drive the car every day, so I would stick to something adjustable and just keep it on the softer settings. KW makes a good setup that is surprisingly cheap for what it is, and the bound and rebound are fully adjustable. Soft on work days and rock hard on track days...

Here's a pic of what it would look like on car (wrong color, wrong engine even but I have no desire to photoshop it right now). Just to get an idea of how low the car would be, the wheels just would tuck right up to the fender.


And while there are pros and cons to all of these things, the only one that I eventually will HAVE to do is the new wheels. I'm having the front and rear brakes replaced (in about 9 months), and I need to have 19 inch wheels to clear the new ones, which will be a set of these:

Renntech 405mm rotors with 8 piston calipers on the front, and the AMG rotors and calipers from the front are going to the rear with the help of some custom brackets.


So there's the car update. I'll post something with more substance and less whining tomorrow... :-)