[TX_Bandit]

My car has been sitting in pieces in the garage for over six weeks. A truly miserable ice covered winter ran rampant over my big-boy toy plans.

To add insult to injury, our end-of-winter ice storms were followed by thunderstorms and >50 MPH winds. Dallas, my home, sits in the middle of a very large, flat prairie. If the wind blows, it's either packing dust, pollen or both. In addition to replacing an attic roof turbine that is now probably somewhere in Canada, I have some serious detailing work to get all the dust off of and out of the car. Only then can the Android upgrade, interior updates, miscellaneous tweaks, and re-assembly get done.

And now I have a deadline. I've been invited to join @alltimesaresoon, @mtnghost and a few others to drive the Devil's Highway in Arizona in April. Which means I have about three weeks to complete all my projects.

So that is what I'll be doing with my Spider this weekend (and probably the next two as well).
What are your spring Spider plans?

 

[BGcAnAdA]

Well lets see....its March 10th and theres still a skiff of snow on the ground but hey its brilliant blue sky and the sun is shining.
Time to plow top down thru the snowdrifts and enjoy the -25 north wind !

 

[Steele]

Exhaust replaced to a RM

 

[Aldo]

My plans for the spring? Drive it every chance I get!

We are expecting rain this weekend, but this was me just last weekend!

 

[fiatmidway124]

Making plans in May for a drive from Chicago to Death Valley to visit my brother, then over and up the coast to visit my mom in Oregon. Then continue north up and around Olympic, ferry, north cascades and hook up with hwy 2 MT, ND, MN, WI, then home. At least that’s the plan. Should probably change the oil before I depart.

 

[Aldo]

PS - two thing I look forward to every spring are the Skagit Tulip Festival in the second half of April, and the reopening of the local mountain passes. North Cascades Highway is one of the most breathtaking drives anywhere; closes around Thanksgiving due to snow accumulation and reopens around Memorial Day weekend.

I moved here six years ago and haven't missed either one once.

2022 Skagit Tulip Festival

Mount Baker Hwy, two years ago today - March 10, 2021

 

[Aldo]

Making plans in May for a drive from Chicago to Death Valley to visit my brother, then over and up the coast to visit my mom in Oregon. Then continue north up and around Olympic, ferry, north cascades and hook up with hwy 2 MT, ND, MN, WI, then home. At least that’s the plan. Should probably change the oil before I depart.

Don't miss North Cascades Hwy from Burlington to Winthrop, WA.

Pack a lunch and stop at one of the many picnic areas along the way.

 

[fiatmidway124]

10 4. I just hope it’s open by mid May.

 

[BGcAnAdA]

In May 1984 I rode my motorbike ( Honda 750 ) from Vancouver BC south to Burlington WA and then east along the North Cascades Hwy coming up north across the border to Oliver BC. Stunning scenery and had no idea how high the road climbed to snow elevation when I encountered snow. Luckily it was wet and there was bare pavement to follow. What a relief it was when the road descended to the semi-arid climate of the okanagan on the other side. A truly memorable trip !

 

[Aldo]

10 4. I just hope it’s open by mid May.

You can subscribe to the North Cascade Hwy. newsletter from WSDOT (Washington State Dept. of Transportation). It gives you progress in clearing the snow. As May approaches, they will give an estimated opening date and time.

This week I got the first newsletter issue of 2023 in my inbox. They haven't started clearing snow yet, but included a photo of the mountain pass as of March 1.

 

[SteveP.]

Drive it!

 

[Steele]

Living in Michigan right now, it looks like winter will never end, once we get a huge monsoon wash the roads of salt then I will drive it. Hopefully it’s within the next few weeks.

 

[HCKLV]

I gotta go to the dealership this spring and have them look at replacing the passenger side seatbelt retractor(still under warranty). If I'm lucky I can have that resolved before next winter.
Also have eibachs, brembos and the alcantara treatment in the garage that should be going on as well.
Hope you get your spider sorted out in time @TX_Bandit, that seems like a really good drive you are planning to go on.

 

[Chipshot]

Living in Michigan right now, it looks like winter will never end, once we get a huge monsoon wash the roads of salt then I will drive it. Hopefully it’s within the next few weeks.

Ditto. I’ll run my Spider in the garage Wednesday or Thursday, hopefully the winter’s final idle idle.

 

[fiatmidway124]

After A LOT of hemming and hawing, I decided to go with Firestone Firehawk AS tires on my present rims. I debated about going up to 17’s, about getting new dedicated 16’s and keeping the snows on the original rims, ( I really hate going to tire shops. Too many reasons to list.) and what type of tire and brand.

I got these from Tire Rack, a company I trust, for 88 bucks a piece. Free shipping, plus a 60 dollar rebate visa. (Closeouts. A newer version replaces these, increasing the all weather and snow capabilities, which I don’t need since I have snows.) I also made the appointment for mobile install. 120 bucks all in, in my garage, and no transporting the snows back home. Whoo hoo. And no grimy teenager messing with my car.

I was really going to go with the Conti summers, but with this upcoming trip, I like the peace of mind in case I hit a late season snow squall over the mountains, or a lot of rain driving up the coastline.

And…who knows. This may be a last hurrah for me with the car. I’m spending more and more time doing other pursuits in Utah, and maybe it might be time to explore a new experience.

 

[Kain]

Wash it.

 

[frank.avon]

2022 Skagit Tulip Festival
View attachment 97848

What rims are those? They look awesome, nice pic by the way

 

[Aldo]

What rims are those? They look awesome, nice pic by the way

Thanks! I’m very happy with them.

You can find all the details here: 16X8 König Dekagrams with 225/50R16 General GMAX AS

 

[Tizzam]

@TX_Bandit
I have friends and fam in Texas, and it has been one hella icy winter! Be Safe!!

I am waiting on the final verdict and install info/pics from your audio upgrade!! LoL I will also be driving the HELL out of Celerity before the 120degree summer hits...then, it's cranking the AC...lol

 

[GeneSZN]

My first big purchase from EuroCompulsion just arrived this weekend. Installing a V2 intake and phase 1 tune whenever I have my next day off. Vegas isn’t known for having any particularly fun or twisty canyon roads to take advantage of, but there are a few around the Mt. Charleston area that I’d like to tackle once the snow melts. If personal finances allows it, I might splurge on a SystemOne by the end of March. I’ve got a few road trips to LA coming in these next couple months that would greatly benefit from an exhaust upgrade.