Living with a G8 GT

“What’s that thing got under the hood?”

Today at lunch I was driving around looking for photo locations for this afternoon’s shoot. After finding a few spots that have might work, I headed to Safeway to get a salad (Note: get the half salad, they put the same amount of toppings on it but charge $1.50 less than the full salad). On the way I noticed a black Chevy Impalla race-up behind me and then proceed to ride my ass. As we approached a red light he scooted in front of another car to pull-up next to me. At the light he keeps inching forward, just waiting for it to turn green.

When the light turns green he jumped on it, so I figure, what the heck… let’s have some fun with this guy. I rolled into the throttle (maybe 75% or so) and closeed the gap in a heartbeat. I quickly pulled ahead of him, so let off on the gas and pulled into the left-most turn lane. To my surprise he pulled-up along side of me, and when I glanced over he was nodding his head and smiling. When I looked back over he’d rolled his window down, so I did the same.

First thing out of his mouth was, “What’s that thing got under the hood? A V8?”. I responded with the normal, “Yeah, 6 liter V8”. He started asking about horsepower and stuff, so I described the mods and such… Turns out this guy has the Supercharged 3.8L V6 with a custom exhaust and a few other things. The conversation ended with him commenting, “Nice car man”. When the light turned green he raced-off (I wasn’t going to play on a road with a 35mph speed limit that I know police like to patrol).

Again, I’m really happy with the way the G8 performed. I love that people really don’t know what they are dealing with when they pull-up next to me. Also, the results of the supercharged v6 just demonstrates that there is no replacement for displacement!

Goodguys Autumn Get-Together

The NorCal GOATs made a presence at this year’s Goodguys Autumn Get-Together. I was planning on taking the weekend off from car stuff, but I just couldn’t turn down entering the G8 in the show-n-shine at a big event like this… Throw-in that the event is in my backyard, and it became a no-brainer.

It had only been a week since I’d washed the G8 last, but it was a long week (~600 miles of driving), and I needed to put in some quality time to make sure things were ‘show worthy’. I wasn’t feeling very well, so decided to leave work a little early on Friday. It worked out well that I was able to get the car fully detailed before the sun went down.

It has been quite cold here lately at night, and to my disgust there was a light layer of dew on the G8 before I could get back home and into my underground parking garage. One the drive home the water was flowing down the rear window… tarnishing the perfection that I worked so hard to achieve earlier. I seriously debated re-detailing the G8 once I got home, but decided that I would leave it for once I arrived at the show.

The group met at 6:45am to get to the fairgrounds early enough to get a nice spot at the show-n-shine. The weather was very overcast and there was even some mist. As we approached the show the weather worsened to the point that all of our cars were covered in water. I was really glad that I hadn’t obsessed the night before, as I had to re-do everything anyhow. It made for good fun… it was nice to see how each person details their cars in slightly different way.

The group was able to get a spot right on the ‘main drag’ quite close to the Auto-X. There was also a cool barn that we staked a claim to, which resulted in some nice photos once the sun broke-through the clouds. In addition to the cars, we had a tent with a nice NCG banner. There was also a BBQ and all sorts of food and drinks.

I was originally hesitant to enter the G8 into the show-n-shine, as I’ve never considered it a ‘show car’, but the G8 received a very warm welcome from everyone that I talked with. From other G8 owners, to those who wished they were owners, the comments almost always ended with “it’s really too bad that they stopped making these”. It was really fun talking with everyone… and for once being on the ‘owners’ side (rather than just the photographer).

I was able to set-up a few photos around the barn and think we may have another couple candidates for the NorCal GOATs Calendar. I also talked to a few NCG members and it looks like there will be a photo shoot tomorrow afternoon!

I think attending these events in the future will become a regular thing. Not only is it a great time hanging-out with the other NorCal GOATs, representing the club in a public forum is important too. We met several new people with GTOs and G8s… hopefully a few of them will join-up and participate in future activities.

GPS Silver Trim Upgrade

One of the problems with being an early adopter of technology (etc.) is that you often times don’t get the perfect final product. Being the second person in the US to get the trim kit (the first outside of JHP) meant that the parts that I received were what was available at the time… a black center trim piece. While I’ve never disliked the way it looked, the silver trim piece that has been made available more recently looks better.

I finally decided to order the silver trim piece from Crazy Paul’s (there is just something hard to stomach about spending a total of $65 on a little piece of plastic). I popped-off the black piece and put the silver one in place, but quickly found that the ‘stock’ piece needed some modification to fit flush with the rest of the trim. I tried using tape to hold things in place, but decided that the best method (and the same one that JHP used) was to heat and bend the plastic a little. After some delicate work with a torch the new trim piece fit perfectly!

I also took the opportunity to change out the inserts on the vent nobs to the silver ones that came with the stock G8. While it’s just a little piece of trim, I think the silver upgrade really makes things look like they would have come from the factory.

Maggie Mod Day

Today was the second day in a row doing car stuff. This time I had to wake-up early as I needed to be in Tracy by 8:30am. After loading-up the car with the majority of my camera equipment I headed-off. Like always, I had some extra time so decided to take a leisurely drive down Altamont Pass Rd. I was again reminded of the cold cloudy morning when my Father and I drove these same roads in the RX-7 chasing after trains. It would have been a perfect morning to have a NorCal GOATS club jacket!

After meeting-up with two other people, the group headed South on I-5 towards Merced. Unfortunately we had to make a brief stop as one of the group was pulled-over by the CHP for having tinted windows (Seriously, doesn’t the CHP have something better to do?). The remainder of the drive went smoothly and we made good time.

While driving down I couldn’t stop thinking about photography. The weather was partly overcast and the parts of sun that made it through really made the countryside look gorgeous. The recent rain has resulted in the hills starting to turn green… very photogenic!

The shop where the mod day was being performed was incredible. When I think of my ‘garage’ (which is actually just a parking spot) I am reminded just how awesome a workshop could be. Not only is there a huge area to work on whatever you could imagine, there is even a lift!

The work on the Magnacharger (MP122) was going well, without my help, so I decided to look around for something to do. Given I have had photography on my mind, I quickly set-about trying to find some photo locations around the shop. Looking outside was OK, but the inside of the shop was just perfect to setup as a studio!

I don’t have much (any?) experience lighting something as large as a car with studio lights, but figured today would be a good time to learn. When I purchased my strobes I decided to go with the more powerful monolights just in case I wanted to do something like this (and I’m glad I did). I also picked-up a Vagabond II battery pack for the ability to work in remote locations… today I had power, so it wasn’t needed.

After some experimenting I found a lighting setup that seemed to produce some nice results. I probably should have done some more shots with less ambient lighting to create a more dramatic mood, but a nice evenly exposed image is more usable (and I can always add the shadowing in post). All-in-all I’m sure I was able to get a couple shots that will be potentials for the NCG calendar.

The drive home was fun, being joined by one more GTO, and went smoothly. I decided to take Corral Hollow Rd. just to add some spice to the trip. There was the typical traffic around Carnegie Park, but I was able to get a clear piece of road to have some fun.

The weekend has turned-out to be quite a bit of driving… I’m guessing I drove over 500 miles in total… but like always it was a blast!

Sacramento Cruise

It has been a little while since we headed-out for a cruise (GoatRun was a month ago!), so it was about time to get out and relax behind the wheel. Some of the guys around Sacramento organized a cruise through some really great roads on Saturday afternoon with a dinner afterward.

I had debated on how to drive up to Sacramento, as I had driven the I-5 route two times in as many weeks. I ended-up going I-5 again so that I could cruise with some of the Stockton GTO owners. Because of the GPS and radar detector I found myself being the leader and it turned-out well… other than the huge flock of birds that flew over the freeway dropping bombs all over out cars.

When we reached the meeting location I needed to stop and get some gas. I pulled-into the Shell station and what did I see? A brand spanking new, JetStream Blue Metallic, Corvette ZR1 (yeah, the one with the 638HP supercharged 6.2 liter LS9). As I was filling-up I had to go over and tell the gentleman how nice his car is. I asked him if he was here for the cruise (the ‘vette guys were invited to the cruise as well), but he was just a local.

There was a nice turnout, including two other G8s… there was even a GXP! As always, it was great meeting new people and seeing what they have done to their cars. After some talking, we headed out on the cruise.

View Larger Map

We had a little trouble getting onto the freeway as a group, and without knowing who the last car in line was, I didn’t want anyone to get left behind. I dropped back and kept an eye-out… turns out there were several people who needed to catch-up. From that point on, I stuck at the back of the pack making sure everyone was still around. Because I was at the back I wasn’t able to have as spirited drive as I would have liked, but the company was great and the roads were very scenic.

It is a great time of the year in California… the hills are starting to turn green again and the leaves are turning all sorts of bright colors. The weather was perfect too… cool, clear, and sunny (I should have been at the drag strip!).

After the cruise I headed out to dinner with some of the guys (I think I was the only non-local in the bunch). We ate at a nice diner and the food was good. There was lots of talk about mods, smog, etc. I think we need to have a few more meets with the Bay Area G8 owners. While I love a drive, talking shop is always fun. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and it’s great to see how people have modified their cars.

After the dinner I headed back home. It was a long drive alone, but I made it before it got too late. After this cruise, I think I need to re-think some of my NorCal Exploration drives… there are some really great roads that are just begging to be driven!

NCG Calendar Photo Shoot

In a quest to get photos for the NCG Calendar, I organized a photo shoot in the Livermore area on one day’s notice. Most of the locations I have shot myself in the past, so I know there should be some good images… the biggest variable is just how many people are going to show-up.

Sunday came about and after a great night sleep (spending the whole day drag racing really wore me out) I woke-up and headed out for the photo shoot. We met at the Livermore Harley Davidson dealership, 1) because it’s close to the freeway, and 2) it has several nice cinder block walls that should work well for photography. Three GTOs were present for the first location. After some quick shots (and a few minutes showing-off the G8 to a spectator) we headed out to the next photo location.

I had spotted this location (a wall with graffiti) yesterday morning on the way to Tracy and figured it would make for a good background for panning shots. After trying to describe what I was after from my cars/drivers a few times, I was able to get some good shots. We were also joined by another G8 and one more GTO.

I learned a few more things about logistics of photo shoots… like making sure everyone had a working radio. Also, people need to understand that I’m accustom to photographing cars traveling at racetrack speeds… so they don’t need to drive 10mph under the speed limit just for me. Honestly, the faster they go the easier it is for panning (being safe is still a priority).

The third photo location was quite impromptu. We ended-up stopping at the Summit Garage, which I have since found out to be a historic landmark on the old Lincoln Highway.

After a brief talk with the owner and Zeus (the guard dog, who is really a total sweetheart) I set about to getting some photos. We did a few two-car shots, which turned out nice… including a few shots with two G8s together. I’m really glad that I noticed the old cars that normally find a home in front of the garage were not present. A very cool location!

When doing a photo shoot in the Altamont Pass one has to get some shots with windmills. Unfortunately we spent more time than I had planned shooting the other locations and the sun quickly ducked behind a hill. I was able to get shots of one car, and it happened to be the one I thought would look best at the location (and I was right). I guess sometime we will have to re-visit this location for some more photos.

The last photo location I wanted to shoot was “The Top of the World” (at least that’s what I call it) on Patterson Pass Rd. I knew this location, being at the top of the world, would be one of the last places for the sun to set. I also figured the drive on Patterson Pass Rd. to the photo location would be really fun for all the participants. The shots from here really turned out well. The setting sun was getting a little low, but it made for nice contrasty images with very golden reflections. There was also an area where I could get shots looking down at the cars, which worked great for those with custom paint and stripes on the hood.

The logistics here worked out quite well. With one person on each side of the bind corner with radios keeping an eye-out for traffic, we were able to have the cars park across the road. When cars approached they were slowed down and waved-by in a controlled fashion. This process really worked well, and should be used for future shoots on public roads (with low traffic volumes).

Overall, the day was very productive. I believe we have several calendar shots in the bank from today’s activities. The biggest issue now is choosing which of the images to use… and how to use just one image from each car.

Sacramento Raceway Test & Tune

After the drag racing experience at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I have been wanting to get back to the strip to see what the G8 can do now that I know a little more about what I’m doing. I was feeling slightly disappointing with my times/speeds from Vegas, but understood that the elevations and temperature really played a big part in how I ran. When the NorCal Goats planned a trip to the Sacramento Raceway for a Test and Tune, I knew I had to go along.

Sacramento Raceway (elevation 30′) is a great facility to get the G8 out to. A group of us were heading-out from the Manteca area, so I drove the back-way over to Tracy to scout out the photo locations for tomorrow’s shoot. Several of us got together and then headed-up to the track. We arrived when the gates opened and had some time to relax and let the engines cool off from the drive. I also took the opportunity to empty my trunk of all non-essential equipment.

When the track get hot I headed over to tech (which wasn’t really an inspection at all) and then into the staging lanes. Having spent some time reading about different launch techniques, I decided to just let the G8 do it’s thing. I turned off TCM, left the car in drive, and launched from idle… the resulting run was the quickest pass I made all day… a 13.53s @ 106.4mph (2.12s 60′, DA 1021′). The launch was perfect (no wheel spin at all) and I accelerated all the way through the 1/4 mile… holding 3rd gear through the end (without hitting the rev limiter).

After the first pass I wanted to see how Sport mode would work, and to my surprise the run was slightly slower… a 13.64s @ 106.1mph (2.168s 60′, DA 1021′). I think the slower time came from the chirp that was caused when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. While it sounds cool, the loss of traction doesn’t seem to make for a faster time.

I then spent the rest of the afternoon experimenting with different launch techniques, but was never able to better my first run. The last run of the day I used the same launch technique as the first run, but had aired-down the rear tires to 30psi (they were at 40psi to start). The temperature had increased a little, resulting in a DA of 1247′, but I was able to pull-out a 13.62s @ 106.9mph (2.224s 60′). I think that if I would have run the same PSI with the colder air from the morning I could have squeezed out a tenth or two.

Spending time working over the numbers, I was really surprised to see that my times were very consistent. When correcting for the DA run, my best from Vegas was within a tenth of a second and 1mph of what I ran in Sac. Given there was nothing changed with the car, it’s expected.

I am content with the 13.53s @ 106.4mph (I even put it in my signature on the message boards), but I think if the temperature gets a little cooler I will be able to run in the low-13s. I don’t think I have been bit by the never-ending faster ET bug (yet), but spending time at the track with the rest of the GOATs is a blast.

After the day at the track, a group of us headed-out to Sacramento for some photography. The goal was to get a few shots for the NCG Calendar I’ve been working on, and I think things worked-out well. I’d share some of the photos, but they are a secret until the calendar comes out!

Bluetooth Upgrade

One of the downsides of getting the 2009 G8GT, rather than the 2009.5 version, was the lack of factory Bluetooth. There have been a few different options out there for adding Bluetooth to the G8, but none of them were really a ‘factory’ option.

The first phone option is to just use the OnStar phone service, but that requires paying a per-minute rate for the car. While I played with this on my free trial, and really liked the quality, the cost is totally prohibitive. I pay for a cell phone minutes, why pay for my car to have more?

The second option would have been to get the Garmin 765 GPS unit (rather than the 755) that has Bluetooth. This would allow me to use my cell phone hands free, but it doesn’t allow me to use my car’s phone related equipment/controls. I would have also needed to modify the dash pieces to allow the GPS unit’s mic to clearly hear my voice.

A near-factory option is BlueStar, which replaces the factory OnStar box with a new piece of hardware. This system would connect with my phone and allow me to use all of the factory hardware (mic, speakers, steering wheel controls, etc.). The biggest downside of this option is the removal of the OnStar box (and functions). I don’t really use many of the OnStar features, but I do want to keep the door unlocking and CEL/maintenance abilities.

So, what is the solution? A factory 2009.5 Bluetooth/OnStar box that is re-programmed for my VIN. Unfortunately, GM is not allowing people to order new boxes unless they already have a 2009.5 vehicle. Some people have been able to find these from wrecked/scrapped vehicles, but they are very hard to come-by. Today White Automotive & Media Services was able to obtain a very limited number of brand new VCIM modules (they are already sold-out), which they re-programed to plug-and-play with my G8!

It will be very nice to no longer need my sucky Bluetooth ear piece to be ‘hands-free’ when driving. I really can’t wait for this to show-up!

UPDATE: Due to technical difficulties, the order was canceled. Oh well, maybe something like this will come-up in the future. I know that it is a mod that I really want to get done!

A Day of TLC for the G8

Today turned into a day of tender loving care (TLC) for the G8. I started by getting the oil changed (Mobil 1 of course) at the Dublin (Pontiac) Buick GMC. It was a nice change from having to drive all the way to Hill Top for service. I don’t know if I’ll be doing all my work there, but the oil change went well (so far as I can tell).

Shortly after the oil change I re-tuned the ECM and TCM (I flashed them back to stock before heading to the dealer just in case). The TCM tune I loaded was a custom one I requested from Vector Motorsports. I went with 75% traction management (more than even the Stage 1) in Drive mode with the Stage 2 TM settings for Sport and Manual modes. This tune should work great for when I want to keep things mild (daily) and when I want to get a little wild (like this weekend).

This afternoon I was headed out for some lunch when I noticed that the G8 was sounding different. It started out just a little off, but quickly it was obvious that something wasn’t right. I figured by the sound (almost deafening at times) there was a major exhaust leak somewhere. I pulled-off the road and took a look under the hood and out back. The passenger’s side exhaust tips were no longer in the correct spot and there didn’t seem to be as much exhaust coming out. I looked under the car and found that the rear portion of the mid-pipes had come un-clamped and was hanging down.

I knew that this needed to be fixed, and without a floor jack and stands (and the place to work on a car) I needed to head to a shop. I thought it a little weird that this would happen shortly after visiting the dealer (like they loosened the clamp?), but it has also been raining the past few days and I have read about people having issues with the Corsa exhaust being too smooth and moving when wet. Before I did the install myself I had researched a few exhaust/muffler shops in my area, so headed over to Tri-Valley Muffler to get everything fixed-up.

After 30 minutes of work the G8 was ready to go. I had the shop re-clamp the point that had come undone and checked all the other clamps for tightness. I also had them check out why the driver’s side exhaust wasn’t sitting straight (something that I neglected to do myself when getting things ready for GoatRun). Once everything was positioned correctly they put a little tack weld on each of the joints to make sure noting moves around in the future.

I’m really glad that I was able to get everything buttoned-up before this weekend’s trip to Sacramento Raceway. I should be ready to make a few more passes and try to better my times from Las Vegas.

Full-Sized Spare Tire

One of the really weird things about the G8 GT is that it does not come from the factory with a spare tire. Seriously, there is no spare tire! While there is an air compressor with ‘foam’, I’ve not been too impressed with the idea. It’s a bit hard for foam to repair a tire that goes out at speed on the freeway.

I purchased a used OEM 19″ wheel and tire to use as a full-sized spare. I’m also getting a space saver jack/tool kit that will all fit into the rear tire well. While the added weight isn’t going to help fuel economy, there is something about having a REAL tire to use as a spare.