1989 Honda CRX Si on eBay

$11k sounds high to me but they're accepting bids. Considering super clean MKII GTi's can fetch 7-9k these days when they surface, I'd put this in a similar category value wise. I'll be watching to see if it sells for sure!

dc

P.S. New Years Resolution: Post more on this blog! I'm going to be less winded and hopefully more frequent as a result. For anyone still subscribing, thank you for hanging on and I hope to make this a cool place to hang out again this year. Feel free to friend me over at Facebook too if you like, just shoot me a note with the invite so I know who you are -dc

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My latest motorcycle adventure was an early fall trip to the Ochoco Mountains with Paul, Scott and Keith. We were originally planning to take a repeat trip as last year to Paulina Lake but decided the weather looked better a bit further east. This is also the regular, all summer long, every weekend possible, and preferred spot for Paul, Scott and Keith.

This date had been on the calendar most of the summer and we were all committed. Good thing it was as it was the only camping I did this year. This is practically a sin living in the Willamette Valley and my wife is finally considering riding two up to make sure she doesn't miss the only camping trip of the year again next year.

We had a pretty wet week prior to the trip but sure enough the forecast held up for the most part and we were treated to low 70's once over the pass. Of course it got colder than shit overnight being so clear. When I woke up in the morning I could see my breath in the tent. But I was nice and toasty thanks to Matt's 20F rated bag and tent (thanks for the loaners!)

I also hate to admit I haven't really been east of Redmond before. I was expecting the same kind of landscape as in Sisters and Bend but once you're out in this country the subtle colors become so vivid.

Final admission is that I didn't take the 750SS this time, but once again enjoyed taking Paul's VFR 750 for this trip. The Duc is plenty capable of making the trip, but I also know that Paul's VFR is always at the ready to make a week long camping trip and decided to enjoy the speed and practicality of his mount. He took his R75/5 which he rides nearly as quickly as the VFR. Very cool ride.

I took some bad Blackberry pictures and I've also added some from the other guys. I hope you enjoy and if you need an affordable but stunning vacation, go east!

dc

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1. Motorcycle Roadtrip to Sonoma – Long Overdue! The last time Paul and I made this trip was...

So off I went surfing Portland, Craigslist for privately listed classics. The chase (hazy fantasy shopping) is a big part of the fun. But I added another layer to my criteria: A car that could qualify for casual and/or classic TSD rallies, like the upcoming Brighton Rally that I work with. Never done one and it sounds like fun. So I set my budget constraints appropriately and knowing there could be a couple thousand needed immediately, I set off. What I found surprised me. Take a look:

My top pick is probably this 73 240Z that has been recently refreshed for $9k:

Rehabilitation of a cool classic.

We put in a fresh motor, new seals in the transmission, real wheel bearings, resent paint and interior work.

Mileage says 18,000 on the odometer, but being an old car, we think it's higher than that.

We also have replacement glass if you're not a fan of the unicorn art on the windows (which we didn't do).

Unicorn glass? Are you kidding?! Gotta keep that LOL!

My next pick is this last year 1976 BMW 2002 with fresh paint and engine, from an owner that has had the car since 1980! ($9995)

European Classic - 1976 2002 BMW, 2nd owner - owned since 1980
117,756 miles, new engine installed 11,000 miles ago
Navy blue seats, with Black dash and console
Original owners handbook,

While it doesn't quite sound 100% correct in terms of interior, a single owner for the past 31 years could prove to be a very special find.

My 3rd pick is this 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280S with 30k original miles and a fresh paint job! Not normally a car I'd be seeking out, but would make for a great car for classic rallies, wine tasting Sunday's, and maybe even the occasional show with that kind of mileage.

Not quite clear if it's an auto or manual, and the color isn't my favorite. But a chance to own a well preserved Benz of this era is enticing at $7k.

My wife's pick is this 1965 Ford Thunderbird for $9k. The paint isn't the original color, but it represents pretty damn well and sports only 72k miles.

I'm more of a European minded focus but I have to admit this is a good looking ride and would be a pleasure to pilot or co-pilot for the right events.

In the honorable mentions wrap-up, I like the look and price of the Alfa Romeo GTV6 with records and recent engine work:

and this "restored" MR2 has my attention too. Unfortunately this car and the previous pick are probably not eligible in most classic rallies, but they crossed my path and I couldn't look back while feeling nostalgic.

Like I said, my original intent was to find a car suitable for classic car rallies and a few of these don't meet that criteria. A few of the others do though and it would be fun to try out for a while compared to the rather safe choices I've made in the S2000 and e36 M3 before it.

dc

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It is time to part with our faithful ‘77 Rabbit that has served as a great entry into amateur motorsports over the last 7+ years. We’ve done numerous track days at Portland International Raceway (where the Indy cars used to race), autocrosses, and several runs at the Larison Rock Hillclimb. Unfortunately the car has been sitting for a couple seasons and just isn’t being used anymore with other projects in the stable. It’s time for a new owner.

This car was built by a professional Volkswagen mechanic who was working at Independent Auto Werks (Bug Werks) here in Corvallis at the time. Together we carefully pieced together all the proven parts for this MK1 platform:

- Engine is an MK2 2.0L bottom end with 1.8L 16 valve head. This combination is well documented to provide an immediate 15hp gain over the base 2.0L 16v configuration for 155hp total. At around 1850lbs it really scoots! We opted for the simpler CIS-E fuel injection as it’s easier to work with than the later Motronic setups. While the motor has seen action over the years, it still provides lots of power. It is still fitted with stock cams to maintain reliability and driveability to and from the track.

- Exhaust is optimized with a dual outlet manifold for reliability, then routed to a Techtonics race downpipe and on to a matching Techtonics exhaust with Magnaflow muffler. Yes it’s noisy but not in a ricey way. Very distinctive tuned 4 cylinder VW water-cooled sound.

- Engine is coupled to a lightweight VW Motorsports flywheel and Sachs clutch combo which allows the motor spin up with ease. Power is sent through an 84 GTi close ratio transmission. The transmission makes some noise on deceleration but has since we built the car some 7+ years ago. I expect it’ll be fine for limited track usage as there is no issue finding or using all the gears, but may require a rebuild at some point considering.

- Suspension is simple but well sorted. An H&R Cup Kit consists of matched springs and shocks (non-adjustable) for a mild drop and more sporting ride. Front upper and lower stress bars are fitted along with a rear strut tower brace. Also a heavy duty rear sway bar is fitted. All bushings were refreshed when fitted. The ride is very flat but not harsh. This combination helps to dial out a lot of the understeer and cornering is easily controlled with gentle throttle response.

- Brakes are upgraded discs up front from an MK2 GTi and we retained the drums in the back. We had originally fitted rear discs as well but had issues with lockup in the back due to the light weight. Willwood proportioning valves are installed for fine tuning.

- Two sets of wheels are included. The car is currently riding on “snowflake” GTi rims with mismatched tires to get you to and from the track. Also included are aftermarket alloys with used road racing slicks. Available for separate negotiation are some very rare, period correct Intra 14x6 German alloys that replicate the look of early Porsche 928 rims. The Intra rims would be perfect if you’re considering this car for a GTi restoration.

- Interior is stripped and focused on only what is needed for track work. An early Passat steering wheel is fitted for better feel and textured race pedals are in place. A Sparco Pro 2000 race fixed back bucket is fitted for the driver and a generic aftermarket seat is in place for the instructor. Both seats have 4 point Schroth harnesses. The stock dash is removed and a custom console is fitted with gauges to monitor oil, water, charging, and revs. The heater core is still intact but it blocked off at the moment. Can be reactivated to warm the interior on cold mornings. Rear defroster works as does instrument lighting. Most carpet and sound deadening is removed, so it’s very loud inside the car and you hear every creak, rattle, bang, and bump. But with a helmet on it’s just part of the experience.

- The exterior is a decent 5 footer. In honesty it’s a poor Maaco paint job that was applied before we acquired the car, but it can be made to look decent as seen in the photos. There are lots of chips, dings, dimples, and yes surface rust. I have tried to capture the worst of it in the photos. This car is not ready for the show circuit but plenty presentable as you make your entry into amateur motorsports. Features GTi fender flares and aftermarket replica European bumpers. All lights work. Headlights are European H4’s with city lights in the park position. Color matched GTi airdam is also fitted.

The good: This car is very well sorted and should clear inspection for autocross, trackday or hillclimb. A simple tuneup should be applied but runs fine with no stumbling and tracks straight. To be used for road racing or rally you’ll need additional safety equipment like a rollbar or cage, fuel cell, window netting, fire suppression, etc… But even after sitting for a few seasons it is running well with just a new battery and a full tank of gas. I also put new tags on the car today so it’s registered until 2013. I drove the car in a spirited manner this afternoon and it made me wish I had space to put it on jack stands and come back to it someday.

The bad: It does have some surface rust on a 5 foot paint job and a couple holes in the floor boards. But for what it was built for it’s ready for more action with just minor TLC. After a thorough once over, I wouldn’t hesitate to drive up to Portland, track it, and drive back like we have numerous times over the past several years.

This car is perfect for someone who is looking to get into local amateur racing or a GTi restoration project. Please email me for more information or to arrange for a look in person. Here are links to my personal blog with stories about how we used the car (note the time stamps):

• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2005/03/audi-club-track-days-at-pir/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2005/07/larison-rock-2005/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2006/03/cascade-sports-car-club-track-day-summary/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2006/03/portland-bmw-club-track-day-recap/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/1977-volkswagen-rabbit-track-day-car/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2007/04/eescc-auto-x-april-07-dusting-off-the-track-rabbit/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2007/07/countdown-to-larison-rock-hillclimb/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2007/07/larison-rock-day-1-report/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2007/10/our-track-rabbit-in-grassroots-motorsports/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2008/04/a-late-start-to-the-2008-season/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2008/07/2008-eescc-larison-rock-hillclimb-two-new-personal-bests/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2008/09/paul-and-i-return-to-pir-after-a-2-year-hiatus/
• http://www.dancrouchblog.com/2009/07/larison-rock-2009-day-1-report/

Please email me if interested in more information or a closer look at the car. I am asking $2350 obo and the Intra wheels mentioned are available at additional cost. With a full price offer I’ll include a used but legal autocross helmet, magnetic numbers, and the fire extinguisher. I’d love to see this car find a home that will appreciate it and the time spent putting it together. Thanks for looking.

dc

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Bid on this car now and good luck with the sale Paul! It's a really fun car and I hope it finds a good home.

dc

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This is Paul's Jaguar E-Type Convertible. This car is a project but a very complete one. We drove it over an indicated 85mph and pulled a couple of emergency test stops. While it may be a project, it could certainly be enjoyed for the rest of the season before a winter restoration. A really fun car and wait until we post the video -- this car drives great and everything works!

He's also letting go of his Porsche 911SC. This is one of those friend's cars that you promised yourself you'd buy if it ever came up for sale. It's the kind of car that you buy immediately because it's near perfect, and one you hold on to due to it's originality. Unfortunately I can't do it right now so I'm going to help out my friend and see if we can't find it a new home.

And here's a pic of me in action at the reservoir in between the rain drops:

It's been really wet in the valley this weekend and we were lucky to get these shots. We might re-shoot the 911, but even these shots show how nice this car is. The Jag looks better in photos than it really is, but we're including detail shots that will demonstrate the true condition of the car. Still, it's a great looking car that really drew attention everywhere we went. I hope it finds a good home!

dc

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Looks like I'm attending the Parts Obsolete Show and Campout. I have to say it's going to be a bit of a sad affair as Paul is going to be taking his 911SC up with the intent to sell it. He's selling off some of the stable to chase after new projects, and I can't blame him there. That's the fun of being an enthusiast!

At the very least we'll have his 911 there Saturday and Sunday as we're planning to camp overnight. And if I'm very lucky, I may also be bring a Porsche 356 as well. Stay tuned!

dc

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I'm keeping this post simple in the form of a photo journal of our trip to Sonoma via Highway 101, Highway 1, enjoying the West Coast MotoJam AMA Races of 2011, and returning on I-5.

Here is a map of the trip:

View Larger Map

According to Google, the back way takes only 6 more hours than just shooting up and down I-5. 6 hours well spent if you ask me!

And here's a video of us on Highway 1 in the Redwoods. There are faster clips on YouTube, but it was our first time and the wide angle of the GoPro doesn't do the pace justice. That said, it was a lot of fun and the scenery doesn't get any better -- until you hit the coast of course! I'll come back to this segment in a few weeks and provide an edited version so we don't have to wait for the good parts. The fun part starts at 1:45 in this one

and here is part two. Skip to 11 minutes for the trek out of the forest and on to the coast. The next 6 hours would be all be about the same; as in awesome!

On to the pics, starting from the beginning:

Our first stop in Reedsport for breakfast, which was awesome!

Quick stop along highway 1 to take a breathe as we enjoy the Redwoods.

Enjoying a spectacular lunch at North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg.

These are some big trees!

Paul crosses 60k miles on his Honda VFR750; most of which are his.

We stop in Stewarts Point for some refreshment and realize we still have 2 hours to go before we make it to Sonoma. Oh darn! This guy is well equipped with great beer, coffee, a proper selection of booze, and even fine cigars. Make sure to stop!

Just before we left highway 1 for 116, we stopped at the top of the beautiful overlook. An amazing end to our time on this stretch.

We arrive in Sonoma!

Shana scored us a kick ass pad to hang out in while we were in Sonoma. I could live here year round for sure!

Our bikes on the Sonoma Square

Team RSBFS at the Infineon West Coast Moto Jam AMA Superbike Races

Yes, there's snow in them there hills... You had to ride through that to get to here....

Yes, we rode through this with little choice once committed. I wouldn't recommend it...

The dirtiest bikes ever tucked away for the night in Ashland, Oregon.

I'll likely add more to this post in the next few weeks as I gather all the pictures. Enjoy!

dc

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1. Check Out What’s Up on My Other Websites Here's my March 2011 summary of interesting posts on my...

When I first started getting into bikes in the early 90's, i did a lot of research. It's in my nature really and no wonder I love the internet so much! But before the internet, I went to the Corvallis Public Library and Linn-Benton Community College Library, which both had great collections of motorcycle magazines. I spent many afternoons reading them. After my thorough analysis (with no seat time) I really wanted a Yamaha FZR400 or an Aprilia RS250. They both had the performance and look I wanted, and I had rationalized that they'd be great first bikes. But to my dismay the 250 wasn't being imported and the 400's were very hard to locate as most of the public wanted the more powerful FZR600. But I figured at least they were available. Today the FZR400's are coveted for their aluminum frames, more pure sporting mission, and performance in amateur racing classes that made them nearly as fast as the 600's; all of which I knew then and was a large part of why I wanted one -- they were special!

I ended up with a ratty FZR600 as it's what I could afford at the time though. Here's my original blog post on that bike at an early age riding to Sonomafest with Paul from the Willamette Valley to Bay Area.

Sonomafest really opened our eyes to the amazing talent that road racers possessed. Being able to witness their skill at speed, up close and personal, was really inspiring. We started to follow the top road racing series around the world, and in particular would watch the 250GP class on rented VCR videos. The star of that series was Max Biaggi and he rode the Chesterfield sponsored bike from Aprilia.

Watching Biaggi's battles and victories only fueled the impossible lust that grew for the factory replica Aprilia RS250 that bears his race livery. But I never really thought I'd have an opportunity to have one considering they weren't being imported. Here's a picture of the race replica offered by Aprilia in 1995. I took this picture at the Barber Motorsport Museum:

Back to Sonomafest, it is one of my favorite road trip memories because we were essentially broke, had no proper gear, but made the trip anyway with great success as two wide-eyed enthusiasts joined up with what felt like thousands of our soon-to-be peers.

As we were staging up for the parade lap of Sears Point that was included with our Cycle World 'Sonomofest' ticket package, a guy pulled up next to me on an Aprilia Chesterfield replica -- and it even had plates, which certainly added to the excitement of seeing an example like this that was legal-ish to ride on the street! The guy probably thought I was nuts as I practically fell running over to him, motioning to him that I wanted to talk. I tried to ask him how you get an RS250 into the states and get it plated. You could tell he had been asked this a million times, but he wasn't giving up any secrets today and rode off.

Ever since I've been watching the ads. And sure enough, every now and again over the years, I would spot an RS250 that was for sale. Not often, but the more that surfaced, the more intent I became on watching the entire web to spot these rare opportunities.

After getting my job as a Web Services Manager in 2005, I started this personal blog that you are reading right now. And on occasion I started to blog car and bike classifieds I found from time to time that I found interesting and wanted to share. {sorry most of the images are broken on these ancient links!}

In some part, the RS250 and bikes like it, is what made me want to start Rare Sport Bikes For Sale and German Cars For Sale Blog.

Skip to 2008 and I actually blogged this exact bike when it came up for sale last time: http://raresportbikesforsale.com/1995-aprilia-rs250-chesterfied-replica/ Later I would find out that it was actually owned by an old childhood friend of mine, who is a part owner of SpeedyMoto. He invited me over to look at it and explained that he couldn't actually go through with the sale. It was his wife's bike and she got it from a family friend that went through considerable expense importing it into New York from Holland.

But on Tuesday last week he emailed that it was again available and asked if I could help list the bike on RSBFS. I said of course I can, but before we do that, I'M INTERESTED!

We quickly settled on a price and the bike is now in my garage with the Ducati 750SS. Now that I've been up close with the bike, it'll be a 7/10 cosmetically when it gets cleaned up. Long story short, it needs some serious time on the buffer. They used it as a backup track day bike and occasional Sunday rider. It's great mechanically, probably 9/10. Not to mention it came with crazy spares too. Like a full race body kit, a piston rebuild kit, and a factory decal kit that will allow me to restore the factory body work to new when I'm ready some day.

Luckily the day we went to get it in Portland, it was an amazing 60 degrees outside in January. That's unheard of but it made for an amazingly awesome test ride in the sun. It makes about 60hp at the rear wheel and weighs in at 308lbs dry. The gearing is very aggressive right now and as Paul said, first gear is silly. There is next to no power below 6k, but then it starts moving and showing some grunt as the revs climb. When you hit 8k the real magic happens and in an instant another 20-30hp kicks in. It screams to the 12k redline immediately as it tries to lift the front end up -- and I'm no lightweight myself! A very special experience was realized this day, and one not soon to be forgotten.

Since I read those magazine articles, it only took 16 years to get what I thought I'd never put my hands on. And this is going to sound corny but it probably wouldn't have happened if RSBFS wasn't created. The reach, connections, and friendships that the site enjoys has helped me to share what has completely exceeded my expectations and I feel very fortunate.

A quick shout out to SpeeyMoto and Christian Hanson. Thanks for the call!

dc

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That said, there was waaay to many cool happenings this year that normally would've been documented in these pages and I'm going to try and catch up with a few pictures and brief summaries. These are mostly amazing trips I was able to make happen, some updates on the family, and a few of the ones that got away this year.

Note: This post is grossly unfinished and I'll be updating it over the next 6-8 weeks, and hopefully adding some event coverage posts before the new season.

Stay tuned as 2011 is going to be action packed and I'm very excited to start getting back into a regular rhythm on this site. Sorry this is a post in progress, but have a Happy New Year!

dc

Family

We are very proud of our Goddaughter, especially when she invents new cute things to do like this! As Mom becomes more comfortable with seeing her angel on the web, we'll try to post more.

Me and Shana at the Corvallis Knights game sponsored by Calapooia Brewing this past August. It was a perfect evening for baseball, and even though the Knights lost this particular night, we had a really great time with Pooia brew crew -- as we always do!

An image of Shana and Sam on a trip to the beach on a stormy day. Sam loves the beach and we decided to take her by herself for a special trip.

A picture of the little stud, Winston, on a walk in the woods. He's a great addition to our family and is always amusing us with his latest alpha antics!

Another one of the cutest dog ever.

And our little black cat, Abbey. Not a fan of pictures, or so she pretends.

Miller WSBK

By far my best image of the year. This is Max Biaggi taking first place for the first time in a long time since his dominance in 250GP racing on Memorial Day. Pictured here about to enter the final corner at the U.S. leg of the World SuperBike Tour at Miller Motorsports Park with a tribute to the American soldiers in the background. Many thanks to Jay Bernard and Veloce Racing Aprilia Team for making our participation possible.

Sonoma Historics Birthday Trip

Shana took me to Sonoma for the Historics at Sears Point this year. Here's a picture of us outside Mario Andretti's winery. Surprisingly not a single car on display. Good wine though and a lovely tasting area.

My favorite image taken from this event: Rothmans Porsche 956

Working with Sports Car Shop

I got some brief seat time in this gorgeous Ferrari Testarossa that is available at Sports Car Shop in Eugene, Oregon. I am their webmaster and get to take pictures of their inventory. Yes, this is one of the best jobs (if you can call it that) that I've ever had!

Earlier in the year I had the pleasure of trotting out this stallion for some pictures. I have to say, this was a far better car than I could've expected. For $140k, Ford hit this one out of the park. I know that's a lot of cash, but compared to it's rivals, it's a true bargain.

The Ones That Got Away (or were considered)

This is a bike I should've just acted on immediately. A 748S, less than 13k miles, and $6000. It was gone in less than 5 days and I've been kicking myself ever since. And in a terrible twist of fate, it's for sale again but this time I'm not in a place to purchase it. Yes, I try to talk myself into it daily...

{I've got at least another dozen images and stories to add. I'll try to bump this post every time I do because there are lots more people to thank for an awesome year!}

dc

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