Inbound to Challenge, need some help when we get there.

It's now 3:45 AM.

About 4 hours ago, we realized the 300ZX starter we were using with the Maxima flywheel does NOT mesh as nicely as it seemed, and after several starts, the starter refused to engage. Frantic research ensued, and pointed to our starter choice. We amazingly enough found a '90 Maxima starter in town, and sure enough, it didn't fit. The solenoid was in a different place, so we busted out the cutting wheel and welder and got to work.

Fast forward to... now. Tired workers used a bolt that was too short and the wrong pitch, and upon trying the starter, the starter pulled itself free of the bellhousing, taking some aluminum with it. Both starter holes now need to be helicoiled.

Where can I get a helicoil in Gainesville? Better yet, does anyone going to the Challenge have one? We are more than willing to reward with beer and/or excessive accolades. It's looking like we're going to be dropping the subframe in the parking lot of the hotel Thursday morning.

We've worked as hard as we can for as long as we could, and we've simply run out of time. We missed the Challenge last year, and we've come too far to give up now. If anyone might be able to give us a hand, give me a call or text at eight1seven, seven9eight, five1three3. We put our first-shift drivers to bed a few hours ago, so the rest of us are going to go pack and we're going to roll out in a few hours.

See you there. I'm sure this will be a funny story down the road.

There will be plenty of help.

Is it a manual? Then you don't need a starter.

If you want to plan a route through Albany, GA, we could do it on my lift. A bit out of the way, but not too bad. I'll text you.

Congrats, you made it! Some bumps and bruises, but many have quit, and you decided to load 'em up. See you there!!

Good, we're planning on knocking it out in the parking lot. They're M10x1.5 in case anyone has a helicoil lying around.

We had to buy a helicoil kit last week to get our transmission put back together. Picked it up at the local (Gainesville) Pep Boys on Newberry Rd. Not far from the host hotel.

pep boys one exit south on 75 of hotel go right its up on the left
7725 W Newberry Rd Gainesville, FL 32606 (352) 332-6003

Advance Auto Parts - Place page shop.advanceautoparts.com - 1035 E University, Gainesville - (352) 371-7515 Advance Auto Parts - 1 Google review shop.advanceautoparts.com - 2830 Northwest 13th Street, Gainesville - (352) 371-3083 Advance Auto Parts - Place page shop.advanceautoparts.com - 239 Northwest 75th Street, Gainesville - (352) 332-8931

We're going to pick up a helicoil in Baton Rouge so we can replace it tonight. So if anyone wants to work on a VG30 swapped Miata, we'll be playing with ours in the host hotel parking lot tonight.

Get people to push, and pop the clutch.

Park on a hil...ah wait. Florida. I've had a dead battery in the integra for a week, lazy f*ker that I am.

in alabama....not much here.

Our rental party van, a '11 Chrysler T&C, has a 30GB onboard harddrive. That used to be empty. Until we filled it with 4,279 copies of "Never Gonna Give You Up."

The next renters are gonna love that one.