Life As Boost
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Life As Boost
Our enthusiasm for cars can teach us much about the rest of our lives. The feeling you get the day before a build is quite similar, whether more or less intense, to the one you experience when starting any new endeavor. While you may be excited about the new project (car related or not) there are always apprehensions that go hand in hand with the gusto.
With a new project build, these apprehensions usually include things like: Did I get all the parts I needed? Are those parts the right size? Or: Where the hell is my 12mm deep socket? Usually these variables have quick fixes. All you need to do is go grab the part you need, or buy another 12mm for $8 at Lowes. Real life apprehensions are slightly more difficult to deal with, as they're almost never resolvable.
Am I____enough to_____? Is my ______good enough? What does _____ think about me?
I think those differences have much to do with why we build these cars. We need to conquer something as complex as a car to make up for our inability to control everything else. When we put a motor together and get it in a car and running, thousands of parts are playing a beautiful symphony, and we are the conductor.
For every symphony there are as many chances tor a weak link as there are players. If one trumpeter is off key, the whole orchestra sounds horrible.
A relatable example of this phenomenon is a botched build in a daily driver. Picture this; you've saved every dime you made over a whole year to buy an Integra GS-R. After buying the 'Teg, you saved even more money to buy a turbo kit. Every egg you have is in this basket. If something goes wrong you're out a daily driver, with no means of transportation whatsoever. With no way to work you'll lose your job, and if you can't pick her up to take her out, you'll probably lose your girl too.
Now it's time to install the kit. With all these thoughts about the possible negative outcomes it has become a bit scary, but you've convinced yourself tor the past week or two that you're ready for whatever comes out of this. As each part goes smoothly, one after another, you start to get more and more excited. "Hell yeah," you tell self, "Everything is working out perfectly."
The build is done, turbo is installed, and you're ready to drive that bitch. With all of the parts going on so smoothly your confidence in the project has gone up exponentially over the expanse of the build.. What's the obvious next step? Get in the driver's seat and rip on it. Right? You idle it down the driveway, palms sweating and sliding around on the steering wheel, and get it into the middle of the street. 1. 2. 3. GO! You watch the tach start moving as you feel the car lurch forward. That split second before you reach boost seems like a year: 4000 rpm comes and you're thrown back in your seat. 5000, 6000, 7000, BOOM!!! The motor spews its guts all over the place. As you watch the white smoke and steam begin to rise up from under your precious Integra's hood, you realize: "Damn! Those two wires you weren't sure about on the ECU actually were crossed." Too bad you spent your bus pass money on a turbo kit, you're gonna need it now.
Life has its ups and downs, but it is always some little insignificant thing that will take you from sitting on top of the world to sitting in the back of the bus. The key is to keep on climbing back up, because even 10 seconds of a boosted 'Teg is better than not having ever had one at all.
With a new project build, these apprehensions usually include things like: Did I get all the parts I needed? Are those parts the right size? Or: Where the hell is my 12mm deep socket? Usually these variables have quick fixes. All you need to do is go grab the part you need, or buy another 12mm for $8 at Lowes. Real life apprehensions are slightly more difficult to deal with, as they're almost never resolvable.
Am I____enough to_____? Is my ______good enough? What does _____ think about me?
I think those differences have much to do with why we build these cars. We need to conquer something as complex as a car to make up for our inability to control everything else. When we put a motor together and get it in a car and running, thousands of parts are playing a beautiful symphony, and we are the conductor.
For every symphony there are as many chances tor a weak link as there are players. If one trumpeter is off key, the whole orchestra sounds horrible.
A relatable example of this phenomenon is a botched build in a daily driver. Picture this; you've saved every dime you made over a whole year to buy an Integra GS-R. After buying the 'Teg, you saved even more money to buy a turbo kit. Every egg you have is in this basket. If something goes wrong you're out a daily driver, with no means of transportation whatsoever. With no way to work you'll lose your job, and if you can't pick her up to take her out, you'll probably lose your girl too.
Now it's time to install the kit. With all these thoughts about the possible negative outcomes it has become a bit scary, but you've convinced yourself tor the past week or two that you're ready for whatever comes out of this. As each part goes smoothly, one after another, you start to get more and more excited. "Hell yeah," you tell self, "Everything is working out perfectly."
The build is done, turbo is installed, and you're ready to drive that bitch. With all of the parts going on so smoothly your confidence in the project has gone up exponentially over the expanse of the build.. What's the obvious next step? Get in the driver's seat and rip on it. Right? You idle it down the driveway, palms sweating and sliding around on the steering wheel, and get it into the middle of the street. 1. 2. 3. GO! You watch the tach start moving as you feel the car lurch forward. That split second before you reach boost seems like a year: 4000 rpm comes and you're thrown back in your seat. 5000, 6000, 7000, BOOM!!! The motor spews its guts all over the place. As you watch the white smoke and steam begin to rise up from under your precious Integra's hood, you realize: "Damn! Those two wires you weren't sure about on the ECU actually were crossed." Too bad you spent your bus pass money on a turbo kit, you're gonna need it now.
Life has its ups and downs, but it is always some little insignificant thing that will take you from sitting on top of the world to sitting in the back of the bus. The key is to keep on climbing back up, because even 10 seconds of a boosted 'Teg is better than not having ever had one at all.
Last edited by Alpha 5; Oct 6, 2007 at 09:18 AM.
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I could not have said it better myself the whole thing really is what being a lover of cars is all about.
It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
Re: Life As Boost
one sunday wasted away on a stupid sway bar and im thinking about never doing anything to my car again.. what was i thinking.. having that sway bar on would have made a world of a difference, but not being able to put it on doesnt mean that world of a difference gets crumbled away.. another day, another time, another circumstance..
thank you
thank you
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that is remarkably well written, especially compared to some of the **** that gets posted on this site. i'm tempted to cast a vote for sticky-ing this.
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Re: Life As Boost
Yep, I've seen that posted elsewhere too, it's a very good piece of work.
When this happens: 'That split second before you reach boost seems like a year: 4000 rpm comes and you're thrown back in your seat. 5000, 6000, 7000, BOV goes "Preeeaaachkkkt!!!" and you rocket into 2nd only to do it all over again into 3rd, 4th, and 5th".
That, my friends, makes it all worth it.
When this happens: 'That split second before you reach boost seems like a year: 4000 rpm comes and you're thrown back in your seat. 5000, 6000, 7000, BOV goes "Preeeaaachkkkt!!!" and you rocket into 2nd only to do it all over again into 3rd, 4th, and 5th".
That, my friends, makes it all worth it.
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