Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: JamesLaMere on June 05, 2010, 04:19:28 AM
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Ran the original 'Mile High Talon' for 11 years and 290,000 miles, and had minimal success 1 of the 4 years we ran on the Salt. My daughters cried when it sold in '07; and since then have consistently-lobbied from another 2nd-Gen. turbo AWD Talon (not coincidental that they are 16 and 13 now, and want drive something fun instead of our 110 hp ULEV Accord sedan).
We recently returned from a 2,000 mile/30 hour slog through desert heat and mountain passes in the ULEV; which turns out to be incapable of maintaining highway speed going uphill with the A/C on! So they're dissing bad on the ULEV the whole trip, and saying things like "Look at those smiling people in that Mustang/Firebird/Audi/etc. with the windows rolled up blowing by us, and "If we had a Talon again, we could be smiling too, and go racing on the Salt again"
By the time we got back to Denver, the decision was made. Found a near-stock '97 Talon TSiAWD in good condition with 120,900mi. on the other side of the state. Owner was selling it because it needed 120K Timing Belt service. Rather than chance a TB failure driving it back, RMDSM friend Marcus Martinez trailered it over Vail Pass and the Divide Tunnel for me last Sun.
6/3- degrease and tear-down to remove TB/BB/etc. & water pump. Main, cam, balance, oil pump seals in good shape.
6/5- install water pump, BB/pulleys/crank gear. (Quit early to hang-out with NFL Cheerleaders at Mile High Stadium!)
6/6- test water pump: no leaks, installed TB/everything else, fired it up, drove to gas station, drove home :)
Next up: Window tint, s/s brake lines & upgrade rotors/pads.
James