You know that wheel scuff repair article that I linked to earlier? I decided to go for it on my most damaged wheel:

The first step is to take the rim off and then tape off the damaged area:

After that, sand off a bulk of the damage with 240 grit sandpaper:

Then, add spot putty and sand with 400 grit over and over until it feels fairly smooth:

Using a scratch filling primer, spray two or three thin layers, just to cover the spot putty:

Spray down three or four thin layers of the wheel paint:

After letting the paint set up for an hour or two, spray a few layers of clear 10 minutes apart. After that, you’re done! Granted, the paint didnt quite match the original color, but it was close enough:

I have been testing a new device the last week and I feel I’ve used it enough to post a summary.

Name: HTC Wizard (AKA QTek 9100, IMate KJam)
Specs

  • Weight: 160 g
  • Dimensions: 108 x 58 x 24 mm
  • Screen: 240x320x16bit
  • Processor: Texas Instruments OMAP 850, 195 MHz
  • Memory: 64MB RAM, 128 MB ROM
  • Radio: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 EDGE
  • Bluetooth 1.2
  • 802.11g
  • 1.3 megapixel camera

The device is a small “slider”, meaning that it looks like a normal Pocket PC but you can also expose a keyboard. Unlike previous devices such as the Blue Angel, the keyboard slides out to the side and the screen then flips to landscape mode.

The combination of small size, powerful features (I’ve been using a Windows Mobile Smartphone for so long I forgot how much is included in Windows Mobile Pocket PC) and speedy data (I’m getting about 150kbps with EDGE) make this just about the perfect device. Some people say that the Universal is going to be the WM device that makes it big. Some people say that is going to be the Tornado. Nay, I say, NAY. It will be the Wizard.

Holy hell, a used 2005 Boxster that I was interested in about two months ago is now being listed at a dealer for over $48k. When I was originally interested, the car had fewer miles and I know the car was available since I actually talked to the seller on the phone. I backed out when I realized how expensive the monthly payments would be but payments on $41k wouldn’t have been as bad as they would be now!

Know of any idiots that have curbed their wheels and want a cheap fix? Try this process out!

…yeah, both of my driver side wheels are curbed, but were curbed when on the passenger side. When I had my Kumho MXs installed, I guess they decided to put those wheels on the opposite side. It’s a shame, since I’m now more likely to curb the clean wheels…

So, our hockey game this week was reschedule from Monday (Labor Day) to Thursday, but this rescheduling wasn’t announced and was done on Sunday. Needless to say, we only had a few people show up last night. Three, to be exact, or not enough to field a team!

Luckily, someone from a different team filled in for us so we could at least play. By the end of the first half, we were all extraordinarily exhausted, but we were up 2-0! Another player showed up at halftime, so at least we could sub one person out. The final result? We won 5-1. I was shocked, but everyone played smart: passing cleanly, not giving up the puck in our end, knowing when to dump and when to bring it up, etc. It was a good game.

I just donated $200 to the Red Cross. Have you donated yet?

Holy hell. California has just upped the ante when it comes to street race punishment: they will crush your car!

Wash: NXT

Clay: Sonus w/ Poorboy’s Spray & Gloss

Wash: NXT

Medium polish: Poorboy’s Super Swirl Remover 2.5 applied with a Lake Country yellow Cutting pad on a Porter Cable 7336 (same as 7424 with a 6″ counterweight)

Light polish: Menzerna Final Polish II with a LC white polishing pad

Paint cleanser: P21S Gloss-Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser applied with microfiber pad

Wax: S100

What do you think?

The SVT has hit 15k miles so I had a few inspections done. I had an oil analysis done by Blackstone Labs and they said my wear levels were “perfect”. So, the engine is just fine. The full inspection from the dealer came back clean except that my rear brake pads are moderately worn. After 15k miles and 16 months, it is probably time to bleed the brakes as well. I haven’t had much trouble changing the oil, changing the cabin air filter, installing horns and flashing the ECU, but I’m not so sure I want to mess with the brakes! If I mess up the ECU, it just won’t start or will run a bit rough. If I mess up the brakes, I could fold the car around a pole or rumble down the hills leading from the townhome. Anyway, here are some of the parts I’m thinking about: