Ducati Monster Forum

So yeah, I realized I hadn't been here in a really long time when I started getting emails from CAMmers asking me if I was alive and people asking about me on this past weekends ride. So here's a quick life update.

Family stuff for those that knew/know what is going on is beginning to settle out. My grandmother and cousin passed away in the fall/spring which brought about some really drastic changes in the amount of free time I had. We cleared out my grandmother's property a few weeks ago and my cousin's husband is moving back to NC with their kids so I won't be an amateur groundskeeper anymore. The bad news is that my stepmother has now been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer that doesn't look particularly promising and she is the only person that keeps my dad sane. So who knows, might just continue to be a shitty year.

But anyway, on to happier things because make the beast with two backs it, I'm a happy guy. The Golf runs. The Golf doesn't just run, the Golf tears. The Golf roars. The Golf sucks in awesomeness and pisses out excellence. Here are a few progress pictures and a couple finished shots. These are pulled off another site so the order might be a little jacked.

So first the ABA got rebuilt on a stand
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111121_204435.jpg)

The turbo kit arrived from CTS
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111205_212701.jpg)

The old lump came out (and is for sale, ran like a top)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111213_235230.jpg)

Dear god the O2O was filthy. Every seal was shot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111214_233704.jpg)

Degreaser by the gallon
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111215_221305.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111216_080958.jpg)

(http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lltzgnHi5F1qzib3wo1_400.jpg)

Motor is done
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111209_000453.jpg)

The two meet for the first time
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120116_230359.jpg)

Lucky me three of four subframe bolts snapped upon removal... So I built a new subframe

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120116_230345.jpg)

The rack was shot too so it got a new one, then the whole shebang got installed
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120125_235834.jpg)

Then on a fateful day in January, it started coming together
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120129_150221.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120129_112722.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120129_160429.jpg)

Release the KRAKEN!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20111117_002214.jpg)

Front end went back together
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0037.jpg)

OOoooo Passat dual fans, fancy
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0038.jpg)

Mocked up the intercooler location and made it sneaky
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0041.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0045.jpg)

Time to lay some pipe - Custom Performance Engineering (www.cp-e.com (http://www.cp-e.com)) did a BANG UP job, I mocked them up and made the cuts, they did the welding. They're perfect
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0093.jpg)

Extra bung for the wideband
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMG_20120127_115503.jpg)

The finished bay
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/IMAG0106.jpg)

Swapped out the rounds for a smoked set of NA Aero headlights.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Facelift.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Swapped.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Swapped2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Swapped3.jpg)

Yes, the big red knob on the center console allows me to raise and lower boost on the fly.

So, life is getting better, and I'm going to try and make it out to a CAM ride/meet here shortly (anything planned?). Hope everyone had a great winter and early spring and that Ben stops trying to blow up his SC with Lars' help. Thanks to everyone that expressed concern for my well-being, good to know I have some friends on here that give a damn.

Sorry to hear about your step mother's prognosis.   That is one of the things that came together and got my mom...

And on to happier things, we still need to get the pups together for a romp session.

Yeah, I'm pretty tired of @%(#$&^%#$ cancer.

I'm all for that, you have a park down there where they can run around like idiots? My yard isn't totally fenced. How's the new house?

glad the Golf is everything you had hoped it'd be when done....

a bunch of people I know have painted on their bikes "CUCK FANCER"

now....hope things level and you can get back to some level of sorta regular shenanigans...

I don't have a "park", but I do have a nice open area that belongs to the Fairfax Co Water Commission that I take D to, and let her go wild.  Tons of room for her to chase after the ball and all that good stuff.  I used to let her run wild in the woods beside the house (she loves to chase the deer), but it's become infested with ticks now that the temps have warmed up.  We could always meet up in Shirlington.  The park there is top notch, and there just might be a spot for beers afterwards.

And the house...  Well, it's a state at the moment.

It's kind of funny.  Looking at those pics really brings back memories of my old Mk II, only the steering wheel was on the other side.

Yeah, it's nice going down in the road in a 22 year old economy car with a deep dark secret.

Normal shenanigans will be resumed shortly, don't you worry.

Two years into ownership of mine and it's still "a state". I will say though it's nice to be finally mowing MY yard instead of everyone else's.

Sorry to hear about the family health situation. My brother-in-law passed away from cancer and it was extremely difficult for the caretakers as well.

the car - that's one big turbo judging by the pics; not some little k04s. What is it? How's the torque steer?

The one picture is a bit misleading as to the scale of the turbo because of foreshortening and lens distortion, but it is a Precision T3/T4 .48ar housing. Here's the short list of what all was done. There's a LOT more, but I try not to list things like "throttle body gasket replaced" :)

ABA OBDII swap
Kinetic Stg3 Turbo kit:
- Precision T3/T4 .48ar
- Precision 38mm wastegate
- 440 injectors
- C2 chip
- 9:1 Head spacer
- FMIC
ARP head studs
Clutchnet Stg 1 pressure plate and disc
Techtonics 2.5" catback
Techtonics High flow cat
Autotech structural bracing
Hallman Evo RS boost controller

It should be running around 190 whp in its current state (12 psi), with the option of turning it up to around 18psi to net around 230 whp after its broken in. It could go higher safely but it will need more fueling and the trans is already being pushed well beyond engineering spec. Those numbers seem low until you consider the car weighs ~2300 lbs. 10:1 is about the same power to weight as an SRT-8 Challenger... It's quick. I also didn't want some straight line monster that was a nightmare in the turns. The current state of tune doesn't really affect the amazing balance that makes me love the car to begin with.

As far as torque steer, when you crank boost up past 15psi it starts to get pretty squirrelly, but nothing unmanageable. The long term plan is to build a stronger trans with a LSD.

(http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/217/437/koalitiondpagr.jpg)

please tell me you took out the rivets and put in a bolt kit in the ring and pinion when you had it out and were "cleaning" it? SMS after that would suck!

My trq steer changes lanes some times, n that's with an lsd... damn 21psi lol and 11 more to go...  cars looking good art... keep ya head up brotha..

I'm building a beefier trans in the near future. Wasn't in the budget to make a rock solid one all at the same time. Looking for one with the taller final drive. Going to build it with cryo-ed gears, ARP bolt kit, and a Peloquin diff. Just need the stocker to last the summer or a little longer.

Use the wheel to turn left and the throttle to turn right :) Thanks, it's appreciated.

I still have that 4K with a tall diesel 5th and bolt kit that would be perfect, being that one of the techs here who was going to do the work, said that the ring and pinion were not worthy of running, which would be replaced with a peloquin....yours if you decide to make it down to Bethesda to pick it up as I previously told you....

I was still planning on taking you up on that if it was still available. I may even have some time in the next two weeks or so to make that happen.

no problem...still yours...let me know!

You've got quite a "sleeper" there! What's going on with that headliner? Looks like you started to pimp the insides a bit...

Glad to see you checking in, but sorry to learn about loss of family. I was in a similar situation around the holidays in '10. Totaled the 696, lost both a mother- and father-in-law between Thanksgiving and Christmas, both to cancer. My wife and I were the only ones prepared, apparently, which meant we were tagged to handle logistics. A lot of sadness, frustration and stress for while.

Anything new to report on the 695 as well?

That's his nod to his Gypsy heritage.

Cry for my Gypsy - I want your tears!

Borat Gypsy Scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL7uxWIjR5I#)

Sorry to hear you had to go through something similar. It sucks, but hey, that's what family is for when it hits the fan.

The headliner was done a while ago, I had to replace the factory one because it was falling like they all do eventually. I figured this is my fun car, there's no way in hell I'm doing boring gray again or the always popular plaid. Instead I found some ridiculous red bandana material and did it in that. Here are some clearer shots of what it looks like.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Ze%20Durty%20Mistress/Headliner.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/theartfuldubber/Ze%20Durty%20Mistress/Headliner2.jpg)

It's fun.

Nothing new on the 695, it really is exactly where I want it. The 'new' suspension really made it work well and other than needing rubber it's ready for a long riding season.

I got a rear I'll give you only used a bit...  ;D

I know how much you ride so it's probably brand new ;)

Only a little abused

2012-04-15_15-47-38_897.3gp (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoyFIGPm14Q#)

Welcome Back! [thumbsup]

Oh, and as for the Golf:
(http://einsteinsdesk.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/drooling-homer-simpson.jpg)

Nice! My old Saab won't die but everything is shedding inside and out. You've inspired me to do something fun... something to entertain my 2 year-old for a few years. Where's Waldo, perhaps?

Headliners are usually pretty easy to do, and the application part is not as hard as it would seem. If you decide to do it let me know, there are some key pointers that you will need to know. If it's for a car you don't plan to resale on the general market, the hit to resale is minor.

Cool headliner! Kinda reminds me of my old vwvortex days where I remember someone made a Burberry fabric lined headliner to add some major pimp factor to their ride.

nice......

This thread is missing a burnout vid [thumbsup] !  
what was the build time from beginning to end?

probably a lot longer than it normally would have taken had life not gotten in the way...

That looks like a really fun little car.  The headlights, headliner and wheels all look great....hell the interior is still in great shape overall.  Good job man. [thumbsup]

Lol five months give or take for something that should have taken three weeks tops. There was a lot of down time.

Don't be too hard on yourself.  I've been working on washing my car for the last year, but I still haven't finished the job.