I got a new camera a month or two ago. It's a Nikon D7000.
car sketches:
This one doesn't look right.
Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
RX-8
Well so much for keeping my blog up to date. I bought this 2009 Mazda RX-8 back in December.
As always, click the images to enlarge.
I need to get some better pics of the interior. I really like the seats.
As always, click the images to enlarge.
I need to get some better pics of the interior. I really like the seats.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Air Box
I built an air box for my RX-7. An aftermarket intake is pointless without one - at least on a rotary. Hot air = power loss, probably just a few horsepower in this case but hey, it's cheap, functional, and looks good. I got the design from a guy on the RX-7 Club forum. (I had to modify it since his car is a turbo and mine is not.)
I had a Mazda emblem sitting in my room, so I decided to use it for this.
I used some sort of foam insulation tape to help seal the box.
I had removed the windshield washer reservoir, leaving a hole just below the intake. I used some heater hose to make an air scoop from the bumper up through the hole. It looks like it should help quite a bit, but I have no way of testing it.
I had a Mazda emblem sitting in my room, so I decided to use it for this.
I used some sort of foam insulation tape to help seal the box.
I had removed the windshield washer reservoir, leaving a hole just below the intake. I used some heater hose to make an air scoop from the bumper up through the hole. It looks like it should help quite a bit, but I have no way of testing it.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Something "new" + more photos of the 7.
What is it?
Could it be...?
I think I know!
Yes, new wheels! Well, not really new. I painted them about a month ago. Not that I didn't like the original color (silver with chrome lip and center). I just don't like silver and white together. I prefer darker colored wheels, especially on lighter cars. I think it looks more aggressive.
It looks like it has a 4x4 lift kit because the car had been on jackstands for a week or so and the suspension had not settled when I took this photo.
I used the only wheel paint I know of: Dupli-color wheel coating along with their wheel clear coat. The color is Graphite. It turned out darker than I expected, but it's still nice. I'm not sure about long term durability, but no real problems so far other than a few chips in the lug nut holes while I was installing them on the car.
More photos I took a couple days ago:
It had just rained when I took these, the little bumps are water drops. The photos are so small it's hard to tell.
My favorite. I like this one so much I uploaded it in a bigger size. Click the photo to see.
Could it be...?
I think I know!
Yes, new wheels! Well, not really new. I painted them about a month ago. Not that I didn't like the original color (silver with chrome lip and center). I just don't like silver and white together. I prefer darker colored wheels, especially on lighter cars. I think it looks more aggressive.
It looks like it has a 4x4 lift kit because the car had been on jackstands for a week or so and the suspension had not settled when I took this photo.
I used the only wheel paint I know of: Dupli-color wheel coating along with their wheel clear coat. The color is Graphite. It turned out darker than I expected, but it's still nice. I'm not sure about long term durability, but no real problems so far other than a few chips in the lug nut holes while I was installing them on the car.
More photos I took a couple days ago:
It had just rained when I took these, the little bumps are water drops. The photos are so small it's hard to tell.
My favorite. I like this one so much I uploaded it in a bigger size. Click the photo to see.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Where's my e-paper?!
I can't believe it's the year 2009 and we still have to lick envelopes to seal them. Then again it's 2009, why are we still using paper envelopes?
(Yes, I Photoshopped it.)
(Yes, I Photoshopped it.)
Friday, March 13, 2009
my rx-7
I realized I haven't put up any pics of my car, a 1991 Mazda RX-7. Here it is. Please click on the images to see much larger and better versions.
I took the first three photos on the same evening in late summer/early fall 2008. For some reason, I think these photos look like they could have been actually taken in '91. I'm not sure if it's the grain or the color, or lighting or what. If not for the wheels and exhaust, I could use these photos to make a "retro" brochure or something.
The interior:
I took the first three photos on the same evening in late summer/early fall 2008. For some reason, I think these photos look like they could have been actually taken in '91. I'm not sure if it's the grain or the color, or lighting or what. If not for the wheels and exhaust, I could use these photos to make a "retro" brochure or something.
The interior:
Thursday, January 29, 2009
snow
It snowed a bit today. (Click the picture to see it in full size.)
I guess I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
I guess I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Long time no blog - New guitars! (again)
First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
In today's post: Les Paul updates and the story of how I went to get rid of one guitar and ended up with two, one of which was an unexpected good deal.
Warning: This is a long post.
(With lots of parentheses... I like parentheses.)
I'll start with the updated Les Paul.
It now has black hardware and new pickups:
Now on to the new stuff...
When I was 17 or 18 (or maybe 16), I bought a Jackson SL3 like this, except in black:
For various reasons, I decided to let it go and trade it in to the aptly named Music-Go-Round (where I bought it), a store that buys and sells used music gear and instruments. I wanted a Fender Stratocaster to compliment the Les Paul, and saw this as a good opportunity to get one for cheap (or "free"). I wanted a cheap one that I could modify without the worry of messing up a good guitar. (Yes, I modified the Les Paul, but those were relatively simple, nondestructive mods that can easily be undone, unlike painting it or something.)
There was a cheap $99 Squire (Squire is to Fender what Plymouth is/was to Chrysler), which played ok and looked like it had seen better days. It had stickers, scratches, dents, and chips all over, and part of the headstock had been broken and repaired. It was exactly what I needed, but me being me, I wanted an actual Fender...
There was a decent white one I liked, but it was left-handed (so close, yet so far). There was also a really nice one with some sort of transparent finish. It was priced well, but was actually too nice. It wasn't one I would want to modify. I also didn't like that it had a humbucker pickup (Strats are supposed to have single coils!). However, it was a good guitar for a good price.
I couldn't decide which one to get, so I got both. The Squire for modding, and the Fender for playing. (Yes, that's one for two.) Together, they cost a bit more than my trade-in, but it was still a decent deal. (Turned out to be a way better deal than I knew at the time - more about that later.)
First, a pic of the fixer-upper Squire (post sticker removal - yay for vinegar)...
...and planned mods:
I know it looks a little crazy-wacky, but that's kind of the point.
I've sanded down the body. It was supposed to be flat black, but it's actually more of a charcoal color. I covered the fretboard with black electrical tape because paint will just scratch off. (The red stripe will be paint, though.) I also took the white covers off the pickups. Right now, it's masked off and ready to paint. I'll post pics when it's finished.
Here is the Fender:
I didn't do any research and didn't know much about Fenders (still don't), so I had no idea what to look for. I thought it was just a nice, but low-end (based on the price) Stratocaster.
I got it home and looking a little closer, I started to wonder if it was a fake or copy. It was still really nice, but the logo was not typical Fender. I posted pictures on an internet forum, and a few people agreed it was a probably a copy or had had the neck replaced or something. I was a little disappointed. Then someone made my day and identified it as a Special Edition Koa Stratocaster with a different pickguard and bridge pickup.
It uses Hawaiian koa wood, which Fender says is "exotic and highly sought-after". The neck is made with birds-eye maple (not sure if that's special or not, but it looks cool). It's not a high-end, made-in-USA Fender ($1000-$5000+) but it is a nicer import with a list price of $1000 ($700 online). My price: $200. They probably could have sold it for $400-$500. Lucky me!
It's in nearly perfect condition except for the pickguard and pickup.
The next step is to restore it to stock with a correct pickguard (it's supposed to be pearl) and pickup so it will look like this:
I might put the humbucker in the Squire or possibly even the Les Paul depending on what it is (I need to take apart the Fender to find out).
I guess that's all for now.
In today's post: Les Paul updates and the story of how I went to get rid of one guitar and ended up with two, one of which was an unexpected good deal.
Warning: This is a long post.
(With lots of parentheses... I like parentheses.)
I'll start with the updated Les Paul.
It now has black hardware and new pickups:
Now on to the new stuff...
When I was 17 or 18 (or maybe 16), I bought a Jackson SL3 like this, except in black:
For various reasons, I decided to let it go and trade it in to the aptly named Music-Go-Round (where I bought it), a store that buys and sells used music gear and instruments. I wanted a Fender Stratocaster to compliment the Les Paul, and saw this as a good opportunity to get one for cheap (or "free"). I wanted a cheap one that I could modify without the worry of messing up a good guitar. (Yes, I modified the Les Paul, but those were relatively simple, nondestructive mods that can easily be undone, unlike painting it or something.)
There was a cheap $99 Squire (Squire is to Fender what Plymouth is/was to Chrysler), which played ok and looked like it had seen better days. It had stickers, scratches, dents, and chips all over, and part of the headstock had been broken and repaired. It was exactly what I needed, but me being me, I wanted an actual Fender...
There was a decent white one I liked, but it was left-handed (so close, yet so far). There was also a really nice one with some sort of transparent finish. It was priced well, but was actually too nice. It wasn't one I would want to modify. I also didn't like that it had a humbucker pickup (Strats are supposed to have single coils!). However, it was a good guitar for a good price.
I couldn't decide which one to get, so I got both. The Squire for modding, and the Fender for playing. (Yes, that's one for two.) Together, they cost a bit more than my trade-in, but it was still a decent deal. (Turned out to be a way better deal than I knew at the time - more about that later.)
First, a pic of the fixer-upper Squire (post sticker removal - yay for vinegar)...
...and planned mods:
I know it looks a little crazy-wacky, but that's kind of the point.
I've sanded down the body. It was supposed to be flat black, but it's actually more of a charcoal color. I covered the fretboard with black electrical tape because paint will just scratch off. (The red stripe will be paint, though.) I also took the white covers off the pickups. Right now, it's masked off and ready to paint. I'll post pics when it's finished.
Here is the Fender:
I didn't do any research and didn't know much about Fenders (still don't), so I had no idea what to look for. I thought it was just a nice, but low-end (based on the price) Stratocaster.
I got it home and looking a little closer, I started to wonder if it was a fake or copy. It was still really nice, but the logo was not typical Fender. I posted pictures on an internet forum, and a few people agreed it was a probably a copy or had had the neck replaced or something. I was a little disappointed. Then someone made my day and identified it as a Special Edition Koa Stratocaster with a different pickguard and bridge pickup.
It uses Hawaiian koa wood, which Fender says is "exotic and highly sought-after". The neck is made with birds-eye maple (not sure if that's special or not, but it looks cool). It's not a high-end, made-in-USA Fender ($1000-$5000+) but it is a nicer import with a list price of $1000 ($700 online). My price: $200. They probably could have sold it for $400-$500. Lucky me!
It's in nearly perfect condition except for the pickguard and pickup.
The next step is to restore it to stock with a correct pickguard (it's supposed to be pearl) and pickup so it will look like this:
I might put the humbucker in the Squire or possibly even the Les Paul depending on what it is (I need to take apart the Fender to find out).
I guess that's all for now.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
new guitar
I am now the proud owner of an Epiphone Les Paul Standard in Transparent Blue. Choosing a color would have been difficult, but I found a good deal available only in this color, making it an easy choice. Here are a few photos I took. Click the photos to see full size.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
2008 Louisville Concours d'Elegance
Here are a few pictures from the first annual Louisville Concours d'Elegance. I have too many pictures to post them all, but these should give you an idea of what it was like (with a bit of sports car bias). It was a great event and I can't wait till next year!
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