Getting to know the talent...

[99-LS1-SS]

Now that we have a gamer tag list I thought the next progression would be to learn a little about each other.  If you wish to not disclose any information that is perfectly fine.  I, personally, like to know the people that I associate with.  Since this is my idea I'll start it off. 

Name:  Brandon

Area:  Jamestown, North Carolina

Basic Info:  I have a VERY energetic 3 year old daughter that keeps my wife and me hopping.  I've always loved cars.  Specifically mid 60's to early 70's American cars.  Actually I love any car that is fast.  I'm not so much a top speed junky as I am an acceleration junky.  Get me from 0-60 in 3 seconds and you can't slap the smile off my face.  I've had a 93 and a 99 Trans AM as well as a 99 Camaro SS (10.68 ET 1/4 mile. Click below to see the video) and an 04 Cobra briefly, then had a baby and decided it would be best to put hot rods on hold for a while.  So, now I use this game as a "release" since I don't have the real thing to drive...yet. 

Useless Info:  Contrary to what my gamer tag might lead one to believe, I'm a pretty easy going and fun loving guy.  My gamer tag comes from my World of Warcraft days when I was trying to figure a name out and got frustrated and put Crabby in and it kind of stuck. 

http://files.filefront.com/2+26+06+1068+run+wmv/;7943347;/fileinfo.html

[Detrick]

Well, not sure I agree with the "talent" part of tag line in my case but I'll bite...

Name - Jeff

Location - Pittsburgh, PA

Basic Info - I love long walks on the beach, moonlit nights.....erm, wrong website for that.  Born and bred in Detroit, MI in 1969 and lived there until 2004.  My job brought me to Pittsburgh.  I've been married since 1992 and have 3 kids (ages 12, 10, and 9).  I love sports and am a huge Detroit Lions (insert joke here), Pistons, Red Wings, and Tigers fan.  Of course, the college of choice is Michigan.  I coach my son's 6th grade travel basketball team and my youngest daughters in-house basketball team so between tournies, games, and practices you won't find me home much (....and when I am home I'm playing Forza... ).  I am the proud owner of a 1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible.

[Blooze]

I won't be putting much here, I pretty well have let it all hang out in my thread, "The Bench"

My name, or nickname, is actually Blooze - has been since 1963. 

I am a widowed retiree with 2 daughters and 2 grand kids and live in a small town North of Tulsa.

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[larryCR]

Name: Larry

Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Basic Info: I have had a long time interest in cars, starting with my first: a '54 Chevy purchased for $100 in 1963. I used to do a lot of work on them, but it was the necessary kind of work like keeping them running, putting a new trans in my '50 Ford, etc. Trying to keep my '66 quad carb Corvair in good tune was a real challenge and learning experience. I got into fun cars and autocross in '87 with a 5.0 Mustang LX, followed by a '90 Miata. Those were the first two I did unnecessary work on - 6 Koni shocks on the Mustang, and 5 Tokicos + header + exhaust + steering wheel on the Miata. I stopped working on cars when I bought my first Audi in '96. They started getting way too complicated at that point. I've had a succession of Audis since then and right now have an '07 RS4, an '07 Fahrenheit GTI, and an '07 Prius (to balance the RS4's gas mileage).

Useless Info: I'll be 61 in a week and just passed the 34 year mark in my day job as a systems/software engineer. Married 30+ years, no kids. My loving wife is very tolerant of my Forza time. Maybe because it helps keep me from going to too many track events with the RS4 (where I'm not nearly so brave as I am when in virtual mode).

[Fit4aking]

Name: Andy

Location: Baltimore, MD

Daily Grind: Master Audi Tech for the last 5 years, over 15 years total professional automotive experience.  I was busting tires when Western Auto was still a national chain.

Basic Info: My first car was a Chevy Cavalier and I wrecked it trying to make it fast.  My next few cars were more fun.  1965 Impala 283/2spd, okay not that much fun but what a cruiser.  1974 Nova 302/3spd, it was a straight 6 with 3 deuces, reverse manual valve body, 3.90 rear, 1994 Corvette Purple with a set of repop Vette Ralley wheels, full interior.  After several bottom end rebuilds and 2 shattered flywheels I sold it.  Ever since I have been managing my family.  Wife of 3+ years, 10 yr old daughter, and a 2 year old son.  I recently bought a 1985 Caprice Wagon as a family cruiser.  Just old enough to go to the cruise-in and it had a blown engine so the 350 swap was a no-brainer.  I also have a ladder frame that will serve as the base for a hybrid tube frame built track car.  Unsure of the body but it will be fiberglass.

Useless Info:  I'll be 30 in a few months and I've pretty much hit the cieling of my career path.  Everything from here on out is behind a desk.  Therefore I'll trade off some of my free time and go back to finishing my degree.  Who knew that I would give up college because I was making too much money fixin cars only to find out I can't make any more money fixin cars so I have to go back to college.  Strange.

[gs shyner]

Name: George 

Location: Eldersburg MD

Daily Grind:  "QUASI-Paleobotonist" - I run/maintain a mini oil refinery for catalyst research at W.R Grace in Columbia MD 20 years.   Previously planted bacterial cultures at a Medical Lab and got my first job at McDonalds. (that was the toughest job ever)

Basic Info:  High School Class of 80. AA in Engineering.  Owned 66 Chevelle, 70 Chevelle convertible (that some POS f***ers stole and torched), 70 Olds 442 (not w32) that I rebuilt the 455 to 30 over and rebuilt the THydro 350 with a shift kit.  Street legal 13.1 sec. at 106 mph at Capitol Raceway in Crofton MD.  A friend invited me for a weekend in Englishtown NJ so I got to see/FEEL the power of the NHRA Top Fuel and other cars.  MAN, THAT IS SOME BONE RATTLING STUFF.  Mostly Flight simmer early on, but then INDY Car sim and finally Papyrus Nascar really got me interested in racing sims.  Still FLY/CONTROL on the VATSIM network on the PC but pretty much Race on the xbox. Current ride is a '01' Monte Carlo SS that makes an annual pilgramage to Florida Keys each Feb for an Astronomy "Star Party" then resumes its normal 8-4/4-12 work routine

Useless info: aka "shyner".  Got the nickname from my Falcon3 days on a Compuserve Top Gun ladder in 91.  The crew found out I had a ski accident (dislocated shoulder that tore/stretched two of the three ligaments) and a big black eye hence the callsign.
Married my high school sweetheart in 89. No kids just 2 cats (Nimbus, noisy and grey just like the cloud, and Spectre, who generally only comes out at night). Astronomy aficianodo, RC helicopters/planes.  Played recreational unlimited 18-over then 40 over baseball as a third base/catcher/pitcher (catcher is where I really was best). Basically a big kid with a super wife and and a comfy home.
http://home.comcast.net/~g_sauter/gs001.htm

[fndrbndr]

Name:  Nick

Location:  Orlando, FL, a pimple on the butt of civilization unless you're visiting a giant rat in a castle. 

Daily Grind:  Graduate student at the University of Central Florida, but I feel guilty calling research "work."  My eventual day job will be a position as a professor of political science somewhere, and I hope to go to FSU in the fall to pursue a PhD.  I'm getting my MA right now.

Basic stuff:  High school class of '97.  Got my AA and Mrs from Young Harris College, near Blairsville, GA (class of 2000).  There were several years between those two events.  I will celebrate my third anniversary with the woman who should have been my college sweetheart this July.  I went to West Georgia for a degree in political science (a BA in BS).  After that, I worked in the financial sector for a while.  I learned a lot of things, mainly that you can be good at something without enjoying it.  After some soul searching, prayer, and long conversations with the mrs., here we are.

Car stuff:  Only car I've had that I could work on was an '85 Buick Century I bought in 1999.  It was wrapped around a tree ad bought as a parts car by a guy who hadn't done his homework (engine wouldn't fit whatever he wanted to put it in), so I paid $550 and drove the thing around the Southeast for three years.  I kept it in decent shape, for a 15-yr-old rustbucket missing a front end, and said I'd drive it til the wheels fell off.  One night, leaving my parents' house, the entire K-frame dropped out of the bottom.  Miraculously, the only casualty was my professional wrestling career, as I no longer had transportation to and from Knoxville (I was living in Carrollton, GA at the time).  Once I have my PhD and have become the liberal professor you warned your kids about (j/k), I'd love to get a car for SCCA events, preferably either a miata or some sort of hot hatch.  Of course, that's five or more years down the road, so the classes may have changed a great deal by then.  I'd also love to restore an old muscle car at some point, especially if I'm ever living in the same place as my uncle, who's pretty much an older brother and one of the most mechanically inclined pastors you'll ever meet.  Well, enough rambling from me.

[Open2nd]

Name:  Casey

Location:  Northwest Alabama

Background:   I got my first of two consecutive 1986 Pontiac Trans Ams, the first becoming mine in January '00.  The first one was indeed my first love.  I didn't get to do much to her, performace wise.  It only had a straight-pipe to the muffler and turn-down exhaust.  The day after Thanksgiving, 2002, 3 12" speakers and an amp were stolen from the car.  The theif broke the back window and really messed the hatch up.  December the 12th it was repaired by my father, myself, and a friend.  The following morning a Cadillac piloted by an elderly lady pulled out in front of me.  The TA didn't make it.  Fortunately, no one was injured. 

The second TA was and has been a chore.  After doing slight modifications; new Edelbrock intake, full Hooker exhaust, and a Holley 4-barrel carb, I've had problem after problem.  Some of them coming from the Holley perched on top, the majority coming from my moving to Orlando to attend college.  Being poor and always in class, I rarely had the time or money to keep the car in proper condition.  It didn't help that I was away from home and irresponsible.  Consequently, the engine wound up having to be rebuilt, and 2 new Holley carbs purchased(Still having problems btw).   The rebuild fiasco that occured slightly after has made me vow to do my own work on my vehicles, starting with the transmission replacement the Trans Am so desperately needs.  That leads up to me buying the RX7. 

I won't delve too deeply into that, this is already getting ridiculously long.  Actually... tonight I just bought a Turbo II transmission, driveshaft, flywheel, and clutch.  I'm looking forward to many days of dirty hands and skinned knuckles.  The fact that I'm relatively poor and don't have many tools means that I don't get things done quite as quickly as I'd like.  This is the main reason I love Forza.  I can swap a tranny in the click of a button, and spend more time driving/tuning than trying to build and rebuild.  Most times.

This place gives me the chance to convene with like-minded people, and that's why I'm here.

[Ske]

Name: Martin

Location: Trondheim, Norway

Daily Grind: Unemployed as of December 2007 when my old workplace went belly up, so I'm actively searching for a new job at the moment. Hopefully Forza doesn't distract me too much 

Background: Since I was a kid my life's revolved around music in some form. I played the guitar and bass for about 15 years, drums for about 5 and I've been producing electronic music for the past 10 or so. I've also had a fair interest for graphic design/layout, which is about the only real education I've had since high scool. Norwegian universities opened up when it was my turn, I have to say unfortunately for me... since I'm a bit of a jack of all trades with a ton of interests here and there, it caused a bit of confusion and I frankly made a mess of my education.

I'm considering picking up the pieces now, but I'll have to find a way to fund a re-education. I earned some money producing and releasing music a few years back and I do co-own and run a record label - so I might try and use that as my source of income while studying.

When it comes to car games, I never owned Forza 1. I've been a huge Gran Turismo fan since #2, but GT5 was taking too long. I actually weren't into racing that much in GT4... I have to admit I was more interested in drifting. The swap to Forza has completely turned the tables though, and when taking into account the surge of popularity in drifting the last years I'm not really interested anymore. It was fun when it was still an obscure sport, but these days it's all about racing. Obviously I'm sad that the FR drivetrain seems so weak in Forza, but I've discovered the fun that is FF racing for the first time.

Car stuff: The big shocker here is that I've never owned or even driven a muscle car. As some of you have realized I'm here because of the great people that make up these forums, and not so much for the cars it was founded for.

My personal car history is pretty short as I've owned only 2 cars - a 1978 Saab 99 GL and a 1984 Saab 99 GL My father was and is a Saab enthusiast, so when I got a car of my own it was a bit obvious. In retrospect I have to say the 99s and 900s are a bit poorly designed and don't drive very well, but I still think the older 96s are fantastic cars to drive. The small engines won't exactly blow your mind, but these cars won a bunch of rallies in the 60s and early 70s because of their sublime handling.

[TheJohnNewton]

Name: John (bet you couldn't have guessed that one)

Location: Martinez, CA.  About a 30 minute drive to the northeast (mostly east) of San Francisco.

Daily Grind: I've worked in the IT field since college which amazingly has been 18 years now.  Started as a programmer drone but slowly have moved more into doing analysis and design work as the programming has been moving overseas.  Plus it pays better    I've messed around with computers pretty much since they were available for the home and played video games since pong and space invaders (Asteroids was my best game) so IT/computers has been a long time interest.

Basic Life Story: Grew up Oregon in the home town of Oregon State University (go Beavers) and Hewlett Packard handheld and printer divisions where all of my family still lives.  Decided I'd had enough rain for a lifetime and the mono-culture of middle class white people was a bit boring so off I went to Tucson Arizona, sun, Hispanic culture, and the University of Arizona for college.  Ended up in the SF bay area for work after graduation (BS in MIS) and have been here ever since.

Personal Baggage:  Divorced, currently living with my gf of three years.  So far no kids.  My ex-wife did not want any but my gf is still thinking about it (she's only 30) and I'm interested as well so maybe I'll be a late life dad. 

Car Stuff:  Pretty boring here as I'm probably the least car oriented guy in real life of anyone on here.  I drive a bone stock Acura TSX.  Good handling, not a lot of power.  Prior to that I had a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse (turbo, 2 wheel drive) which was pretty quick as long as the pavement was smooth.  I don't really do anything automotive related other than read Car and Driver and watch the very occasional race on TV so I really look to you guys for automotive wisdom.  In high school shop class I did help rebuild an engine from a Ford truck but I haven't worked on cars since.  I also worked in a machine shop but we mainly made injection molds and agriculturual equipment. 

Interesting significant other facts:  My gf is Vietnamese, my ex is from Iraq, so I guess I'm trying to repair relations with old US enemies one relationship at a time, lol.  So I know a little Assyrian (my ex's first language and what her family speaks with each other) a little Arabic (she had to learn that since she lived there) a little Vietnamese (I really should learn more as my in-laws don't really speak English) and a little Spanish but I don't know any of them well enough to be able to converse fully 

Qmole???:  In college I bought a guitar from a friend and for some reason he wrote Quack Mole on the receipt.  No idea why.  Ever since then I've had the nickname Quack Mole which was eventually shortened to Qmole. 

Other Interests:  Back when I was wealthy (prior to alimony  ) I was VERY into salt water reef aquariums.  I had a 150, 75 and 20 gallon tanks.  I had to sell it all during the divorce though    and have not got back into it yet as it's a very expensive and time consuming hobby.  Currently I dabble a bit in photography, I'm slowly learning to cook, I like music but sadly suck at playing guitar and I'm a big time reader (mainly of literary fiction and just about anything non-fiction.)

Ok anyone who actaully read this far deserves a "read boring stuff about John" 10 point achievement. 

[TheJohnNewton]

LMAO! 

[fndrbndr]

I thought the "boring stuff about" us was the reason for this thread.  hehe

[TheJohnNewton]

Yeah but mine is really long thus the achievement 

[Blooze]

whups...  I thought that was a double post...

Sorry about that...

 

[TheJohnNewton]

@Ske, my grandmother is Norwegian but about the only tie I have to the culture is eating lefse which my dad (who is 0% Norwegian, go figure) makes for family occasions. 

@Fit, I thought a good, experienced mechanic made pretty decent money these days, No?

@GS, Wow I used to play Falcon on an Atari ST long, long ago.  I can still hear the cries of bitch'n betty "pull up, pull up..."