Author Archives: Cam

Dyno Might

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When you have extra power it’s fun to know just how much you have. You can guess, but until you put your car on a dyno all you have are hopes and dreams built on educated speculation. As of now I’ve had my car on two dynos and the results were pretty close.

Right after having the car tuned (and having methanol added) Marc put my car on Joe’s DynoJet. The first few runs they did without Methanol and the car kept slipping. But they finally got a good run with the methanol and it put down 693 WHP & 660 lbs of torque (although at that point it the car’s temperature was elevated- typically later runs have reduced power).

Earlier today I went to Adam’s work to use his DynaPack (the car bolts right onto the dyno, as opposed to sitting on a roller- the different types of dynos are pretty cool). The first run was the best (since the car was still cool) and the car put down 682 WHP & 708 lbs of torque. Supposedly the readings on a DynaPack are more accurate, but as I mentioned both of these runs were really pretty close.

These runs were both done around the same time of year and both on pump gas (91 octane). There are a few differences between the setup when the car was on the DynoJet and this more recent DynaPack run but I think they are pretty negligible (a few tune tweaks, different clutch, etc). Overall, not too shabby (close to 800hp at the crank and a butt load of torque). It’s actually about what I’d get out of Lingenfelter’s $50,000 upgrade kit (although I’m sure my set up is far less bullet proof).

I can’t help but lust after 1000 WHP though. I think I might actually take the plunge this year. The warranty is up on my 2007 so I feel like I should either trade it or modify the hell out of it (or into it). Not sure what I’ll do yet. But for now I suppose I’ll have to be happy with my 680 beautiful rear wheel horses.

Posted by Cam, January 2, 2012

Winter Thunderland

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This winter has been so mild over here it’s a little unsettling. Still, it’s fun to have some extra driving time.

But nothing ever comes easy or without consequence…

Last week I decided to run some errands in the Vette. I hopped in, hit the ignition button and heard the dreaded clicking. This was super annoying because I’d just charged the battery a week earlier (the drain was way too quick). I tried to jump the car- twice. No luck. Time for a new battery (after only a year and half?). Getting the right battery for the Z06 (locally) isn’t simple. In fact I’ve been using an AutoZone battery that was almost a match. This time I switched over to an O’Riley battery that was a closer match to the factory battery (one day I might break down and get the right one…). Anyway, the switch went pretty painlessly and I was back in action pretty quick. I couldn’t believe how much better the car ran with a properly working battery. Come to think of it, the more I drive my car the better it seems to run (I know, “duh”).

And sometimes I think the universe is out to  get my Corvette.  Lately I’ve been doing some body repairs that I don’t think I should be dealing with. I was cleaning rocks out of my body panels (a consequence of Utah roads, I guess) and I noticed that part of fiberglass body underneath the car was cracked (around a bolt). After careful consideration I have two theories: 1) Someone (not me!) tried to jack the car up in the wrong location and broke part of the body. I don’t know who would have done this or when it could have occurred (especially since I do most of my own work). 2) The time I rolled over the exhaust tip and heard what sounded like an explosion may have caused this damage (I looked around under the car right after it happened but didn’t notice anything). Anyway-  I had to remove the cracked portion of the body and I used a large metal washer in it’s place. It’s effective and no one will ever see it… but geez! That probably added an ounce or two of weight!

And then the other day I noticed that my chin splitter (under spoiler) was hanging off the car a bit. I jacked it up and discovered that the bolt that holds the tip of the spolier on had been ripped out from the body (literally took a piece of the body out with the clip).  I’ve bumped the nose of my car before and I know when I do it. Ripping this bolt out would have take force that I think I would have noticed. Again, a washer to the rescue (I use them to fix everything, but it’ another ounce). I remounted the spolier and it’s nice and secure. Although it’s pretty scuffed up- probably the result of the car being lowered.  And while I was under the car I also noticed that I was missing about four hex screws (the ones in the background of the center image below) in various locations. No idea where they went, but I put in replacements (you can get them at any Lowe’s) and felt much better.

Speaking of stuff I need to get in the coming months- I need a  transmission overhaul. The synchros in my transmission are having some issues. I’m a little surprised I’m having this problem given the infrequency of abuse my car sees (and the fact that it only has about 15,000 miles on it). Once the trans warms up there are really no driveability issues at all, but when it’s cold it can be sticky and occasionally grinds when shifting. I have some fun money so it’s very possible that I might simply pull the trans and put in something a bit tougher. No idea what kind yet, but it needs to handle the power of my new  built 427 engine (one day 😉 !).

I’ve got some other fun winter projects coming up though . I have some incoming interior trim in red because I want my car to look like the pic below (although I’ll have my red shifter- after all that trouble I can’t give it up).

Anyway, now that work has let up a bit I hope I’ll have more time to blog.  In addition to the pain and suffering I suppose there is also a ton of fun car stuff going on this winter. Pain and pleasure thy name is Corvette.

Posted by Cam, January 1, 2012

Movies Watched in 2011

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My goal this year was to watch 50 movies (from 2011) and I managed to watch 47. So close! I’m going to keep my goal the same this coming year shoot for 50 movies again. Here’s my list in all it’s amazing glory (yes, this is documented evidence of what I did with nearly 78 hours of my life in 2011).

Kung Fu Panda 2, 6.5/10 (DVD) – Although I felt like the sequel wasn’t as strong as the first movie, I think this is still a perfect entertaining way to pass an hour and a half. Although I found the message (despite a painful past you can find inner peace) uplifting there was something annoying about the presentation. Po is a difficult character to connect with (possibly because he’s slightly annoying..). The comical moments in Panda 2 were alright, but I wish there had been more. Overall, not bad.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, 8/10 (Theater) – Another really good movie. You can’t help but like Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock. Shadow’s plot was very engaging and I love the reveal that comes near the end. Plus the whole movie is just very fulfilling on  action, intellectual and even emotional levels. Additionally I enjoy the slow motion moments in the film (although that may be, in part, because we’re experimenting with slow motion video at work). I can easily recommend this movie and would say that I enjoyed it even more than the first.

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, 8/10 (Theater) – I was pretty excited about his Movie for two reasons. First, it was Brad Bird’s (The Incredibles)live action debut. Second the prop guys for this movie actually called up my company earlier this year and bought some Microtech knives for the movie. Brad did a great job on the movie- very watchable, incredible (and almost believable) action, and an excellent story line. Tom Cruise is starting to show his age, but I think he’s still a great action star. Super fun movie!

Smurfs, 6.5/10 (DVD) – This was a lot more entertaining than I thought it was going to be. If you watch it, rest assured, it won’t assault your childhood memories. I wish the Smurfs had spent more time in their village, but I suppose the New York plot-line was necessary to capture the interest of today’s ADD generation. Just fine for kids and adults will enjoy it too.

Breaking Dawn (Part 1), 6.5/10 (Theater) – I confess to liking this much that I should have (as a manly man). The honeymoon scenes were a little too much for me, but other than that I didn’t really have any issues. There’s a lot of teen angst, but if you just go with it the story is engaging. I’m looking forward to the last movie!

In Time, 7/10 (Theater) – I actually saw this twice. Not because I especially loved, it just worked out that way. However, I found it just as enjoyable the second time. There are certain elements from other movies woven throughout this film which almost makes it comfortable. The acting, effects and such are all passable, but it’s the furturistic Robin Hood story which worked for me.

Cars 2, 7/10 (DVD) – This was a fun movie. I don’t think it was as good as the first, but I liked the mystery/spy elements and it was visually gorgeous. Making Mater the main character probably wasn’t the best move, but overall the it was good. There are some moments in the movie where cars are damaged and I thought that warranted a PG rating (I’m not sure if I’m kidding).

November 8, 2011 Update: Well, my movie watching plans have been uprooted by the arrival of my beautiful daughter. Further complicating my movie watching efforts is the upcoming holiday season (I’m in retail). I don’t know if I’ll make it. It brings me a great deal of sorrow that the last movie I watched was Zookeeper. Pray for me.

Zookeeper, 5.5/10 (DVD)– I like Kevin James, but this film fell flat for me. I didn’t think the animal dialogue was particularly funny and the overall premise of the movie, while sweet, wasn’t very engaging. I think my kids enjoyed it alright, but it’s not one of those movies they will want to see over and over. Overall, there are a few funny moments (thanks to James) and the movie is tolerable.

Real Steel, 8/10 (theater) – Rocky with Robots. While totally formulaic and predictable I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I thought Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo and Evangeline Lilly were all fantastic. The special effects and cinematography were spot on too. Even though it’s clear throughout the movie what’s going to happen (before it happens) I still found it satisfying and engaging. No regrets here!

Hannah, 6.5/10 (DVD) – More info coming soon (yeah… kind of looking live never at this point). 

Contagion, 6.5/10 (theater) – This was a drama, not an action movie (I was caught off guard). Don’t bother seeing it in IMAX- that was a waste! The cast was good and the story was interesting enough (though a little monotonous).

Rio, 6/10 (DVD) – More info coming soon (or possibly never…)

Priest, 6/10 (DVD) – I had no idea what to expect going into this. I think Paul Bettany is a great actor, but I wasn’t sure he was the right choice for the lead here. The plot is interesting (with some twists you can see from a mile away), but somehow I felt uninvolved. Part of me actually hopes there’s a Priest 2, but most of me is sure there won’t be.

Just Go With It, 7/10 (DVD) – This was a fun movie. The plot is a little ridiculous, but it allows for some great moments and exchanges. Great date movie!

Season of the Witch, 5/10 (DVD) – Nicholas Cage what have they done to you!? This movie might actually be one you could skip. It’s almost hard to watch… and *spoiler alert* is should really be called “Season of the Demon,” since it’s not actually about witches. And bad endings? This is the worst- almost everyone dies (and anyone you care about even a little definitely dies). And yet, there are some good action scenes and a few mysteries to keep you guessing should you decide to have a peek.

Sucker Punch, 6.5/10 (DVD) – Visually I thought the movie stunning. I liked the action and mini missions, but the plot didn’t quite do it for me and the ending was certainly disturbing. I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but it’s worth a watch.

The Help, 8/10 (theater) – I thought this was well balanced, insightful, charming and well written and acted. It deals with a sensitive topic in a delicate way. I read a harsh review that said the movie is designed to make white people happy they aren’t “that racist.” While I can see that angle I think the overall “The Help” is well intentioned.

Cowboys & Aliens, 7/10 (theater) – I really liked the mix of western & sci-fi and thought the movie was a lot of fun. It’s not epic, by any means but it’s satisfying.

The Green Hornet, 6.5/10 (DVD) – This movie was watchable, but unfulfilling Seth Rogen is awful, as usual (I don’t get him). I thought the plot was light, but the movie was well filmed and the special effects were good. Kato was the highlight.

Captain America, 6.5/10 (theater) – I found this movie a bit disappointing. Captain America is one of my favorite super heroes so maybe I had my expectations set too high. I liked Chris Evans as CA- no real issues with the cast in general. Many of the action scenes looked off to me (something off in CGI or something) and I didn’t feel like the plot went anywhere (maybe it wasn’t supposed to). Not silly, but not quite right for me. Still worth a watch though!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, 7.5/10 (theater) – Much better than it’s predecessor (which was booooring). Lots of good action, nice flow, cinematography and effects. The characters seemed a little stiff sometimes, but maybe war does that to you. Definitely a good way to cap the series off. My one beef: The ending (epilogue) is a little silly. Everyone is supposed to be in their late 30’s, but they just have some grey painted into their hair. I felt like the aging could have been done much more realistically. Call me picky.

Rango, 6.5/10 (DVD) – I thought the animation was first rate. I also thought Johnny Depp did a great job. The story was fun, but somehow flimsy. The movie’s biggest weakness was that it tried to be funny, but a lot of the humor fell flat for me.

Beastly, 6/10 (DVD) – Basically a “real life” version of the Disney movie. It has a good message, but I feel like ultimately the movie is a bit shallow.

Lincoln Lawyer, 7.5/10 (DVD) – It’s great to see Matthew McConaughy as a lawyer again. Good pace & nice twists. I like a movie that can create a nice mixture of tension and mystery without doing anything too over the top.

Horrible Bosses, 7/10 (theater)- A fun idea, but I wasn’t happy with the overall resolution. Fun strong performances all around.

Skyline, 6.5/10 (DVD)- Visually impressive, given its budget. No A-list stars here but mostly solid performances. The plot is a little simplistic (one random day aliens attack) and the ending is weird.

Sanctum, 5/10 (DVD) – Soulless, for the most part. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Ultimately that may have been a good thing (warning: spoiler) since almost everyone dies. It’s watchable, but quite forgettable.

Bad Teacher, 6/10 (theater) – Some very funny parts, but nothing particularly memorable. It’s kind of fun to see the “bad guy” win sometimes.

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, 8/10 (theater) – I actually went and saw this twice. I enjoyed it much more the second time (Bay’s frantic pacing makes it hard to follow everything the first time around). I have a few issues with the plot, but the action & special effects are second to none. I didn’t like how they wrote out Megan, but Rosie worked okay for me. Much better than the second.

Super 8, 7.5/10 (theater) – This was a really fun throwback! It was ET meets Goonies meets Close Encounters.

Green Lantern, 5/10 – (theater) I feel like this movie had a lot of potential, but I didn’t feel like Ryan Reynolds was a good choice for Hal Jordan (I like Reynolds in other movies). Overall weak (and sometimes just weird) acting made the movie very hard to take seriously. I also felt like the CGI wasn’t up to par. Didn’t work for me.

I Am Number Four, 7/10 (DVD) – I thought overall this movie was pretty cool (I haven’t read the book). Lots of action, a little confusing a times, and an ending that leaves you a little empty.

The Tourist, 6.5/10 (DVD) – I’m not sure if I like the Depp & Jolie chemistry and Depp isn’t really an action star, but overall the movie isn’t bad. You can see the plot twist coming mid movie, but it’s still satisfying.

X-Men: First Class, 7.5/10 (theater) – Excellent overall production and very good character development. Doesn’t follow the continuity of the other movies and that’s a little annoying, but it’s still a very good movie.

Thor, 7.5/10 (theater ) – the Marvel movies are generally really well done and this is no exception. I never cared for the Comic version of Thor and even in the movie I found him a little dull. Still, the acting was good, the special effects were top notch and I really enjoyed myself.

The Mechanic, 5/10 (DVD) – I don’t know why, but I like Jason Statham. This movie is kind of a hashed together version of other movies I’ve seen- very unoriginal. I didn’t find the action of plot to be very satisfying, but it’s mindlessly entertaining overall.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, 7/10 (theater) – This is sort of a re-boot. I like that Disney took the movie back to its adventure roots. This is a fun installment with plenty of action, a fun plot and plenty of over the top acting.

Fast Five, 8/10 (theater) – How can you not love Vin Diesel and The Rock pounding on each other? They traded in the underground racing angle and gave this movie more of an “Italian Job” heist film. Over the top action makes for a great adrenaline rush.

Source Code, 7/10 (theater) – The “science” in stuff like this is always a bit of a head-scratcher, but this is a fun movie with a nice mixture of mystery & thrills.

Limitless, 7/10 (theater)- The everyman’s fantasy brought to life- a pill that makes you awesome. Fun action movie, not deep but engrossing enough.

Adjustment Bureau, 7/10 (theater) – special place in my heart, since it’s just like a story I wrote when I was younger. There are a few plot holes that might bug sci-fi geeks.

Battle: Los Angeles, 6.5/10 (theater) – Gritty, edge of your seat action. Aaron Eckert is great. The shaky (intentional) camera work at the beginning of the movie was unwelcome. Kind of like Independence Day without the hokiness.

Unknown, 7.5/10 (theater) – Fast paced, with a great plot twist. I really enjoy Liam Neeson. It’s not as cool as “Taken” but it’s still worth a watch.

The Way Back, 6/10 – (theater) – Visually appealing and well acted but ultimately sort of soulless. It didn’t evoke the emotion I expected. Very slow paced.

The King’s Speech , 8/10 (theater) – Excellent in all respects. Rush really stole the show! Deserves it’s Oscar nomination.

The Dilemma, 6/10 (theater) – I was expecting more from Ron Howard. Had it’s moments, but came across as a little shallow. Naturally I loved the idea of creating “real” engine sounds for electric cars.

Black Swan, 7/10 (theater) – A disturbing psychological thriller / drama. Well acted, passionate and worth a watch. [Yes, technically from 2010, but I saw it 2011].

Chairs

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Chairs

Chair One: I swear the guy must have been almost four hundred pounds!

Chair Two: Wow, that’s amazing. So you just held him the whole time?

Chair One: What else could I do?

Chair Two: I don’t think I would have made it. I’ve done like three hundred and it was only for like an hour.

Chair One: No, I bet you’d be fine with four hundred.

Chair Two: Remember Sammy?

Chair One: Oh yeah… geez, that was awful.

Chair Two: He just crumpled like paper and that was only about two fifty.

Chair One: Manufacturing defects man- you never know.

Chair Two: Yeah.

Chair One: Hmm.

Chair Two: So… when the big ones get up do you ever take a whiff?

Chair One: Uh… sometimes.

Chair Two: Me too.

The End

My Little Corvette Buddy

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My youngest son recently came into a bit of money ($13).  While shopping at Costco with his mom he came across a display of different cars. My wife said that without any hesitation he picked out this blue Corvette and said that’s what he wanted to spend his money on. He played with the car non-stop for two days and even took it to bed with him (this is what the boys in our family do- when we like something we take it to bed).  He kept saying the cutest things like “We have Corvettes, right Dad?” and “Our Corvettes go fast!” I think this little guy is going to be my car buddy when he gets a bit older.

The car models from Costco are each $12 and for the price they are actually pretty awesome The Corvette my son bought has an incredibly detailed interior and engine bay. I’m almost tempted to get one myself! Anyway, just wanted to share this little moment of joy.

Posted by Cam, November 12, 2011

Utah Valley Marathon Anyone?

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I decided to register  for the Utah Valley Marathon on Saturday, June 9, 2012.  I’m hoping that having an actual event to train for (as opposed to an abstract goal) will be a more effective way to continue my fitness quest.

I decided to benchmark myself yesterday (November 7, 2011) to get an idea of where I’m starting from with regard to my training. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to run a half marathon on my treadmill without too much difficulty (I will confess that mile 13 was a little grueling). I put the treadmill  incline on “1” and ran the entire way at a little over 6mph with a finishing time of 2:10:02. Not an incredible time, but not bad for a 216 pound guy who has only casually jogged for the last six weeks (we had a baby- life got hard- there were donuts… I can’t talk about it).

My goal for the Utah Valley Marathon is to finish in under 4 hours (aim high, right?).  Anyone else up for this? It would be great to have some training partners!

Posted by Cam, Novemeber 8, 2011

A Bright Idea (How to Change Your Accent LED)

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I saw this mod mentioned on CorvetteForum.com and it looked like a fun project. I actually had no idea there was an accent LED!  The light is located on the clip that holds in the passenger sun visor (it’s a super dim orange bulb). Taking off the visor clip is cake. Just use a Torx 15 on the screw and carefully pull out the harness.

Now the fun part: Pick out your new accent LED. You’ll need a 5mm sized LED. You can find these at Radio Shack or online from websites like SuperBrightLEDs.com. LED color choices are plentiful and the accent light can be as dim or as bright a you want. Light output is measured in mcd’s (millacandelas). The more mcd’s your LED has the brighter it will be. For reference I used a red 3000mcd LED from Radio Shack. The bulb simply pops right of the plastic harness. Just cut the contacts on your new LED and pop it right in.

The voltage going into the accent LED (from the car) is about 7.6 volts. Depending on what LED you pick you may need to replace the resistor. You can find online calculators (such as www.led.linear1.org/1led.wiz) to help you figure out which resistor to buy. If you decide to use a new resistor simply snip out the old one and solder the new one in its place. I used a 220 Ohm resistor with my LED. One you make the mods just put your LED harness back in and try it out. If it’s too dim or too bright you can try different bulbs until you find just what you’re looking for.

And here is the finished result. My goal was to produce a good amount of red light to illuminate my center console. Overall I’m really pleased. I just put in some Autometer ES series gauges and this is a great way to balance the the red interior lightning. Even though the light is fairly bright it’s not distracting at all. Other people have done blue but I haven’t seen any other pics of red yet. This is the cheapest ($3), fastest (10 min) and proportionally satisfying (9/10) mod yet!

This might be my last post for a bit- we just had a beautiful baby girl and the holidays are coming (I’m in retail and this means way more work). Time will probably be in short supply for the next few months.

Posted by Cam, October 20, 2011

This project was originally suggested by DSteck over at CorvetteForums.com. He posted a great tutorial about how to swap your C6 Corvette accent LED. I used a couple of his pictures here in my blog post (with his permission). The source post has some interesting info that’s not included here so it’s worth a look.

Autometer ES Gauges (How to Install C6 Corvette Gauges)

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Once you start down the road of car customization there is no end. There’s always one more accessory, another change, and a quick tweak that turns into a major project. “I’m going to replace my gauge pod… and my gauges… and I guess my whole A-pillar trim and hell, I may as well pull the steeling column panels out and rewire everything since it wasn’t quite right before.” So that’s what I did.

I decided I was sick of the incandescent edge lit Autometer Z-series gauges in my car (and even more sick of the fact that they are wired in such a way that they are always lit).  I really liked the look of the red LED backlit Autometer ES series gauges and so I picked up the fuel pressure and boost models. I think the lettering font on the ES gauges looks much better too and I like the fact that the letters are white when they aren’t lit. The ES gauges also go really well with my Innovate AF gauge.

A Few Installation Notes

My gauge pod was in bad shape from being pulled off several times (warping,  misaligned panel fasteners, extra holes) so I decided to get a new one.  I recommend Speedhut for gauge pods for the C6 Corvettes (both 2 and 3 gauge). They pods are inexpensive, good quality and Speedhut offered fast free shipping. No issues. The extra lights and switch on my pod are for the methanol kit, btw.

If you’re putting in your gauges from scratch then there’s a great document from A&A Corvette Performance: C6 boost and fuel gauge installation  on the A-pillar (as a side note: I got my last clutch from A&A Corvette and they were great). I didn’t have to run the wiring for the fuel pressure or boost gauges this time (I used the old wiring harness & tubing), but I did end up taking off the paneling below the steering wheel to tweak the wiring and I have a few things to add to the A&A instructions.

When you pull off the paneling it’s important to note that the bottom panel (below the steeling wheel) actually has a bracket that the dash panel clips into. You need to pull the dash panel out a bit to remove the lower one (left picture). Then just for reference this is what you should see minus the red & purple wires on mine (right picture).

I don’t see a need to remove the ignition button as mentioned in the A&A doc. But you will need to remove the small microphone (left picture).  There’s no harness for this part and the best way I could think to remove it was to use a Torx 10, a socket wrench and and hex head adapter. This will give you the angle you need to unscrews the microphone (you could just prop the panel up on something and not actually take it off but it is more convenient if you remove it).

The dimmer harness is easily accessible from under the dash (it’s right behind the dimmer switch). I don’t think it’s even necessary to pull the harness out. I spliced into the wire and used a T crimp clamp to run power to my gauges (just the power for the backlighting). It is really nice to have the lightning in the gauges functioning with the headlights in the car (I also wired in my wideband gauge to that it dims at night).

Like I said, I didn’t do any of the hard stuff this time around, but I wanted to add a couple of suggestions and pictures from the work that I did do. So there you have it- my pod and gauge swap. And it’s just like the saying goes, “Gauges make the man.” Or something like that.

Posted by Cam Hughes, October 17, 2011

Sticker & Emblem Insanity Post Update