Rice rockets and gas guzzlers.

WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

Ok, just kidding. I'm new to the board and wanted to stir things up a bit (or at least try). I know that everyone wants to have pride in their car, especially if it's an American built classic. But I wonder why there isn't more comraderie between the import tuners and the classic hot rodders? (Or is there, and maybe I'm just not seeing it?) We're essentially doing the same thing-- just dealing with different parts and engine sizes. Ok, so the import tuners do have a tendency to slap on really stupid looking body effects and an abundance of 'Neuspeed' stickers, but all that aside... it seems like there could be a lot to learn from each other.

I've got both a 66 Skylark and a 96 Nissan 200SX SE-R. My 200SX gets to 60 in just under 7 seconds and can toast many of the cars on the road. However, I fully love the American muscle-- my first car was a 78 Malibu 350/4bbl/4spd-- man that thing was fast. And the styling of my Buick is way cooler than my Nissan will ever be.

What do you think? Will we ever just get along? Or are we destined to trash talking for years to come?

(Ok, ok, so the trash talking is actually fun-- when I'm driving my Buick I tend to loudly blow by Acuras and Hondas, and when I'm driving my Nissan I often zip past stock Camaros. Yadda yadda.)

 

You've got a better shot at getting these guys to buy Chevies!!:Brow: :grin:

The big difference between us is in attitude. Alot of the 'ricers' are going for 'the look' and nothing to back it up. Here, it's more like, "speak softly, and carry a BIG stick"...

I've never seen a Stock Appearing ricer run in the elevens! I've also never seen a GS weave in and out of traffic across 3-4 lanes, with no blinkers on...

Not trying to 'scare you off', of course!:grin:

 

Yeah, I agree with you there. I will NEVER, EVER put some stupid wing on the back of my Nissan. While I can't even come close to understanding their aesthetic choices, I still think it's cool that they enjoy modding their cars-- even if it is to just put some ugly clear lens covers on their taillights.

But you're right-- living in L.A. I've seen more import tuners driving crazy on the freeways than anyone else. But on the other hand, I do remember being somewhat reckless at age 16 in my Malibu!

 

Hmm.. Haven't ridden with me enough then... :shock: uzzled: Bill knows tho... :Brow:

I think GSXMEN (Scott) has it right when he said ricers go for the look without anything to back it up where-as we speak softly and carry a huge stick.

Another peeve with ricers is they are so hyped up on Nawz and crap, that they're all a laughing stock. They 'think' they're fast because of all the stickers & wings and besides, how could your 2+ ton 30yr old boat beat their 1000lb 4banger with fartpipe exhaust that to be honest, even sounds sissy.. I can't help but laugh when I hear one.. And to think, they actually paid for that option..

Not to mention the traffic hazard they pose while on the road zipping in and out of any available space. They're kinda the opposite of SUV drivers.. Ricers take any available space, suv drivers make their own space.

I'll step down now and wait for the hate mail....

 

What gets me - clearly stated in my post about Shamoo recently humiliating a ricer - is that they Think their rides are Bad-Ass racers !! Granted, some are fast....but to drive a Euro-Can with at least 3-5K in Mods in it, and then get sorely beaten REPEATEDLY by a totally stock 1994 Roadmaster Station Wagon with 137,000 miles should give them a hint !!!

It doesn't.....they do the Ricer Fly-By......and go on thinking they're the Kewlest Thang on the Planeto No:


This I dont understand

 

Re: Re: Rice rockets and gas guzzlers.

They're out there, you maybe haven't noticed them because they appeared stock. They are in the minority, though. Some would probably contend that "stock appearing" and "ricer" were mutually exclusive terms too, but that's open to some interpretation.

I guess it depends on the crowd they hang with. Through the Eagle Talon list I used to be on, there were pretty distinct factions: guys that liked show, and guys that liked go. The drag racers, especially the guys with sub-12-second cars, were generally as disdainful of the kanji-sticker-fart-pipe-ugly-wing-white-taillight look as we are. The guys with fast street cars generally didn't want to draw attention to themselves. There was one guy on the board with a sub-10-second AWD car that looked completely stock aside from a slightly lowered suspension and a front-mounted intercooler. I think that he liked the stealth look, and I think it might have helped him out a little when he street raced for money too.

My favorite import sleeper is one that made it to Sport Compact Car magazine's "Ultimate Street Car Challenge" last year. It was a Hyundai Tiburon (!!!!!) that the owner had built for street racing, and it packed quite a surprise. I won't ruin it for you, but here's some links to the article that talk about the events it won:

Dyno Run
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0203scc_uscc6/

Drag Strip
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0203scc_uscc9/

Gross Display of Horsepower
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0203scc_uscc13/

Now that I think about it, I guess I would contend that the reverse of your statement is probably true too. I've never seen a riced out street-legal import car that ran in the elevens either, at least not in person.

- Freed

 

Some cars are quick from the factory. I think supras can make mid 14's straight off the showroom - not much slower than a new Camaro and just 2 seconds slower than a Z06. Not bad. If I was gonna get an import, it'd be the Skyline. man are those cool!

 

QUARTER-MILE TIME
RANK CAR TIME POINTS NOTES
1 Hyundai Tiburon 10.96 sec. 100 Holy mother of God
2 Nissan Skyline GT-R 11.99 sec. 91 AWD burnouts are cool
3 Ford Mustang 12.19 sec. 90 At home
4 Toyota Supra 12.77 sec. 86 Bog zoom
5 Toyota MR2 13.09 sec. 84 Mr. Two smoking tires
6 Datsun 510 13.15 sec. 83 Mr. K's wet dream
Nissan 300ZX 13.19 sec. 83 Mr. K's damp dream
7 Ferrari F360 Modena 13.29 sec. 82 Enzo's wet dream got stomped
8 Nissan Sentra 14.34 sec. 76 Should have launched in second
9 Acura Type R 14.75 sec. 74 Autocross cars don't drag race

0-60 MPH TIME
RANK CAR TIME POINTS NOTES
1 Hyundai Tiburon 3.33 sec. 100 Didn't even squeal a tire
2 Nissan Skyline GT-R 4.11 sec. 81 Clutch of the century
3 Ford Mustang 4.31 sec. 77 Feather throttle all the way
4 Toyota MR2 4.86 sec. 69 It's light
5 Toyota Supra 5.02 sec. 66 Turbo lag
6 Ferrari F360 Modena 5.09 sec. 65 Paddleball
Datsun 510 5.13 sec. 65 Mr. K's damp dream
7 Nissan 300ZX 5.26 sec. 63 Old suspension equals bad launch
8 Nissan Sentra 6.49 sec. 51 Too much power, too little tire
Acura Type R 6.49 sec. 51 Still an autocross car


Wow, 3.33 60 foot and didn't squeal a tire? So much for FWD getting no traction. ou:

 

...well, not all Importers are evil, not all Musclers are quiet. I've had some great chats about dynamically tuning the HKS codes in a Supra. There's a lot of smart racers out there building imports. these guys talk racing though.

Bragging about your great expensive car and all your brilliant skills is still just transparent blustering - no matter what you drive. It's pride, not performance.

If looks and bragging with friends are what you enjoy, great, go nuts. I admit it makes them entertaining prey.

That applies to US as well...

It takes a certain kind of person to build a car that's "different" not trendy. A lot of Buick builders are sportsmen, we're here to discuss how things work, not brag about our recent purchases. Let's put it this way, I've met only 2 Buick jerks.

Status does not equate to "nice", cash does not equate to "smart", and looks do not equate to "beauty" in my universe. I'll ignore the trolls and go back to my EFI designs.

Do Import racers and BBB racers get along? You bet.

Will ricers and racers get along? Sure... we always enjoy fresh meat.

...just my two tenths.

 

Yeah... I'm excited about working on my 'Lark, as well as my 200SX SE-R. In a way, my two cars are sort of similar-- both very unique, you don't see too many of them on the road, and they are both fully tweakable. I can't wait until I drop a bigger powerplant in my 'Lark so it can finally toast my 200SX!

 

that would be 60mph, not 60'... a little bit of difference there!

 

ou: ou:

Yep, you're right.

 

hahaha..these ricers

Becuase they make stupid Generalized statements like:

"Our 4 cylinders are smokin v8's"

makes me laugh, hey buddy come smoke my v8

 

it all depends on the mindset.

i know a guy who is big into imports and drives a honda daily...but it is totally stock and not riced at all. it's just a commuter and he knows it. he can discuss imports and i can discuss v8s and we'll both simply nod our heads to each other...no hostility becuase there's no BS. we like what we like, and since i know he isn't talking out his ass i don't give him any grief.

other times, i just don't know. a friend on mine is big into 'racing' his stock-drivetrain vtec accord with something like a whopping 130hp. i remember the time a stock cavalier challenged him to a 'race'...that must've been the saddest display i've ever seen.

 

I'm also into Buicks and Nissans, I have a '72 Skylark and I've had a 240SX and now have a 350Z. Most of the import crowd - your usual fart-can, euro-tailed POS owner is usually a real jerk, but the owners who are into performance usually appreciate any car that is fast. I think you still have your bickering over FWD vs RWD and HP/L vs displacement arguments, but when they know what they are talking about they are still fun to talk to.
Although the ricers do it more than us, I've still seen some Buick owners drive pretty recklessly at times (me included). Right after I put my 455 in my Buick, I ran into an '80s Regal (I don't think it was a GN), and we were sort of screwing around and he passed me on the shoulder pretty quickly which I don't really consider a smart move. Fortunately, with Buick owners that seems to be the exception and not the rule.

 

Am I kool ?

O'K so I've got this beater of a Hyundai Accent.Dead # 3 cylinder,banged,battered,bruised. No good to me anyhow, and I was wondering what I could do to make a statement about how KOOL my car could be. So this is what I've done. I grabbed an old ironing board and mounted it legs up over my rear trunk with 2x4 spacers. (I figure the more I extend the legs up the more downdraft I'll see-right?). Then I took an old Foldiers coffee can and tack welded it to my muffler.:laugh:But it doesn't sound right. Would you believe I drove this car (can't go over 35mph) to our lakefront in New Orleans to show the ricers out here that with some homemade inginuity my car could be as kool as any Neuspeed and ARP stickerd Focus. When I showed up some laughed at meCan someone tell me why?

P.S. I'ts true and when I give my G.F her digital camera for X-mas I'll post the pictures ou:

 

Im pretty cool with the whole ricer idea...with cars like 300ZX,Supras,VR4s, WRXs....the PREFORMANCE ones. However, most of the ricers dont have those, They get a Civic put exhaust on it, and think they can beat anyone on the road. Alot of them make a point to tell everyone that. The reason most of them street race, is they cant back up thier ****talking at the track.
Hell, Theres a couple at our cruise spots..they will usually rack off thier Folgers cans at us, But, Get beside em at a light...they usually turn.
What bothers me the most though, is that they say its cheaper to fix up an import over a domestic...So many of em them do a $5000 engine swap....for like 50hp....Wheres can buy a 430hp 350 Chevy for $4k..with a warrenty. Not to mention compare prices on bolt on parts...I still have yet a ricer explain thier logic of that statement to me

In the end though..We've got the faster cars, so thats really all that matters :TU:

 

I have been trying to deal with a delema. The delema of spending my income tax on a 280 HP 73 GS 455 with class and potental of more HP per $$$$.

OR


spend the same or more building my 2002 Ford Focus wagon with a 130( rated) 4cyl and maybe get 150 Hp out of it with mods.



What do you think I will do?????????


Keep my Focus as my work car and buy the GS, DAMN RIGHT!!!!!!!!

even thou I drive a tuner car I still believe that the older muscle can eat any Rice on the road. I cannot stand 99% of the Riceboys. They have this holier than thou attitude, ( my car is faster than yours) It could be a documented 8 sec car but Rice boys think there 150 Hp Honda is faster. Hell my wife loves to beat ricers in our 89 crown vic. I cannot wait to get my GS so I can play with all the rice boys in town. I get a stead supply of new rice here because I live where Wyoming technical is so every 6 months or so we get a new in flush of a$$holes.


Tim

just waiting to play

 

It seems my theory about Nissan owners is panning out. They love underdogs... and Buicks when they learn about them.

I have a 2000 Nissan Sentra SE and a 69 Skylark and I love them both. I hate ricers and think that stealthy or understated looking is just right. To cast invectives at imports or "old, inefficient" gas guzzlers just because it makes one feel superior is stupid.

Imports are a different creature alltogether and a blast. I still love the simplicity of our Buicks tho. Being the underdog is nice because most of the idiots leave you alone. It's twice as nice when you beat them too.

Ethan, you're lucky with your 200SX. You can get a nice turbo kit for it from Jim Wolf Technology. You even have a pretty good aftermarket for your car too. As for mine, well...

BigBad, I would flame you for selling your 240SX ( well not really, but I would LOVE to own one myself), but you got a 350Z (drool) and I cannot argue with your choice. According to a local guy who was at the earlier parts of the new Z's track testing, they considered turboing it but changed their minds. Talk about a retarded decision. Instead of creating another legendary car they made a great, but lesser car. The 300ZX is revered for a reason and it isn't because of the naturally aspirated version. I think the current Buick and Nissan execs are cut from the same cloth. BTW I'm not ripping the new Z, just Nissan's lack of vision. I wouldn't say no to owing one myself.p

 

GAS Guzzler!!

My Gen-X college buddies are always riding me for my old man Buick............until I step on it.............then they are rubbing their sore necks the next day. It takes brains and smarts to run a muscle car. They are high maintenance. You have to keep after your car. On the other hand, rice burners and newer cars can run extended periods of time with minimal maintenance. I'd say three quarters of my college buds don't even know how to check their tranny fluid and another half have can't change a flat tire!!

Alot of Gen-Xers are afraid to ride in muscle cars. I've had freinds that won't ride in my '67...........too dangerous. No shoulder belts, No air-bag, too much power and that car had a 350 and airport gears!!

I don't know what older guys' perception are of kids in their mid 20's owning muscle cars, but being a Gen-Xer and owning a muscle car is kind of different. For me, I enjoy having the ratty car with the clanking fenders and the rattling interior with the killer motor that smokes newer cars........just because I enjoy the perception of being an underdog!! Kids my age have no idea what real power is. They have absolutely no idea, none at all. Their ignorance always guarantees a few kills for me and the cocky ones really build self esteem once you smoke 'em!!:laugh: