Overboosted: Ryan's Saab Tuning Blog

Not Such a Bad Use of a 900

2012-01-24T20:03:00.000-06:00

Spotted by the Scrapper on Craigslist... this is amazing. If I bought it, I'd be rolling with two different Saab models at once.

1988 Black SAAB 900 made into trailer. Turns heads anywhere it goes. Is excellent for camping. Asking $1000 OBO.

Anything But a ‘SAAB’ Story

2012-01-18T20:12:00.003-06:00

Like everyone else with a passion for Saabs, I’ve been following the events and news closely since GM let go a few years ago. And while the company closing up shop is disappointing to me (and sad for the loyal employees and dealers), as an owner I’m not heartbroken. Like many, I’ve been a bigger fan of the older style (and my 1999 is by no means a classic like, say, a 1986 900 SPG), and I like the idea of less Saabs on the road. This makes my car cooler. And my buddies 2006 9-3 Aero. And my co-workers 2008 9-3. And all of the other great Saabs out there.

So if you were looking for a Saab, still buy one. They’re great cars.

And you have an older one, fix those small things on your “list.” And bring it to an indy mechanic to do it.

Get more into the Saab culture – no question is too big or small for Saab Net bulletin boards.

Saab in peace we won't ... I look it at it as all our responsibility to keep Saabin’.

This needs to get overboosted

2011-11-23T10:19:00.001-06:00

Folks new 135 Bimmer... Hauls a$$. Chip anyone?

Finally Some Good Pics...

2011-09-06T11:12:00.001-05:00

Nearing full restoration...

- Body is repaired from little incident and resulting hack repair
- Stereo is finally done with a clean install

Cleaned Up

2011-08-29T11:53:00.001-05:00

New GS Grille

2011-07-24T21:27:00.001-05:00

Looking good. Real widemouth look for the Stinger.

Mobil 1 Seat Swap: Pretty "Seatin" Cool

2011-07-10T16:55:00.005-05:00

Full Disclosure: Mobil 1 is a major, global client of my employer Weber Shandwick. I also had the opportunity to help with logistics of this event. The thoughts and words below are mine and in no way reflect any positioning of Weber Shandwick or Mobil 1.

Put a F1 driver behind the wheel of a stock car, a stock car driver behind the wheel of an F1 car, and cut them loose on one of the most historic race tracks in America. That is a big idea and the premise for the Mobil 1 Seat Swap hosted at Watkin's Glen International Raceway earlier in June. With Tony Stewart behind the wheel of Lewis Hamilton's F1 car and vice versa, this made racing history. Plenty of mainstream media covered the event, so you can see more details via video after the break. I wanted to provide my take on the top-5 moments of the day from my perspective.

#1. Tony's first flying lap in the McClaren Mercedes F1 Car - For those of you who have heard an F1 car in person, you know what I mean. These cars sound incredible, with a high wine that trumpets and echos around you. I've been around lots of race cars, but this sound gives me goosebumps.

#2. Lewis Hamilton's burnout after his laps in the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet - Guys are simple creatures... we like smokey burnouts. And Lewis is no different. His burnout was awesome to see and was pretty good considering that isn't something you see an F1 driver do very often (if ever).

#3. The Crowd - WGI told the team on the ground that 10,000 people attended the seat swap... pretty amazing. These fans braved the cold, rain and mist and brought all of the pride and bravado you see in race fans. Air horns and all. A great group of people with a passion for F1 that was palpable, both at the track and in the city later night as we were the talk of the town.

#4 The Weather - As a road race fan, I appreciate the weather challenges posed by racing at The Glen in the Fall, Road America in the Spring or LeMans. It can be cold. It can be rainy. It can be windy. We had all of these at The Glen and it sure made for a cool (and challenging) environment to run these cars in. But with all the inclement weather, the drivers pulled off a series of safe and clean runs. I'm just glad I brought my REI raincoat.

#5. Seeing the Cars Up Close - Again, being around the stockers regularly I'm always amazed by the technology and professional setups these cars run. The F1 car looks like a fighter jet with wheels, with more wings than in a fighter jet squadron.

This was such an incredible event for a gear head and one that I was thrilled to be part of. And how does this tie back into Saabs, well I've been running Mobil 1 in the Stinger since she became mine. The technology and reputation of Mobil 1 is what had me first make the upgrade, and the Seat Swap has made me a lifetime fan.

SEAT SWAP FROM SPEED CHANNEL

You Know You're in Upstate New York

2011-06-12T12:55:00.001-05:00

When the front line at the dealership is all Swedish.

My Pal Kim buys a New Saab!

2011-05-15T18:42:00.001-05:00

Went shopping with my friend Kim who picked out a 2011 Saab 9-3 Saturday. Great car... and for the price of a new Malibu a great deal. Thanks to Cassy at Perillo Saab for taking good car of us. Sure makes me want a new Saab...

Stinger Body Repairs

2011-04-27T14:57:00.001-05:00

Driver side looks like new now.

Downtown Chicago Auto Dealerships – BY FOOT (& A Freebie)

2011-03-27T10:19:00.008-05:00

I was approached by the good folks at GPS My City to help promote the launch of their new service in Chicago. GPSmyCity.com offers some of the most interesting self-guided city walks and walking tours in Chicago. Their Chicago city walk apps on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad turns a traveler into his own tour guide.

GPSMyCity Chicago App Home Page

Powered by the GPS technology, each walking tour offers accurate turn-by-turn directions to famous attractions, monuments and interesting sights as well as hidden gems; as if you had brought along a local guide. This got me thinking – what would be a cool walking tour of Chicago that I’ve never done? That’s when the headlight went off, how about a walking tour of Downtown Chicago car dealerships? If you’re a car geek, you’ll think is cool. Everyone else, just scroll to where the free offer comes into play. For this tour, I focused on the dealerships themselves not the products inside as I didn’t want this to be a 12-part story (I love cars). Also, this post is devoid of any stops at Saab dealerships since we don’t have any new retailers in or around Downtown, which is fine because there is plenty of other great car candy to wet your automotive appetite.

START/STOP #1
For this tour, I started at my front door (777 North Michigan Avenue) and walked West on Chicago Avenue two blocks, and then took a left on a Rush Street and walked two more blocks up for the first stop – Bentley Gold Coast and Lamborghini Chicago (834 Rush Street). As the name implies, this place is just amazing. Talk about dream building… the neon green Lambo in the window with the doors up takes your breath away.

STOP #2
Next, I proceeded four blocks North on Rush street into the Viagra Triangle, and then took a left on Maple, walking two blocks West on Maple to the intersection of Maple and Clark. Here is where you find a foursome of dealerships – Fletcher Jones Volkswagen, Honda and Audi, and Perillo BMW (Perillo’s address is 1035 N. Clark Street if you are GPS’ing it). All are really nice stores, but the Audi/VW dealership just opened after a fresh remodel and it looks nice. Plus, the S5, A8 and R8 Audi’s are pretty sick. If you happen to need your VW serviced, ask for Chad Holsinger in the Service Department. He’s super-platinum certified and one of the Bears Suit Crew.

Perillo also has a pre-owned “Saab Outlet” on Chicago Avenue, but I’ve visited it and the space is not spectacular.

STOP #3
From Perillo BMW, continue seven blocks South on Clark Street to Erie, then take a right on Erie and go one block, and then a left on LaSalle Street to Berman’s Infiniti of Chicago (640 N. LaSalle Street). This place has a HUGE showroom and some pretty slick pre-owned as well. And being right near Portillos (1000 W. Ontario Street), you can grab some ribs for lunch (best ribs in Chicago in my opinion, they are also know for their hot dogs).

STOP #4
After a visit to Infiniti of Chicago, I had the long haul ahead of me, walking 15 blocks South on LaSalle Street to Jackson Street, taking a left on Jackson for four blocks, and then a right on Wabash Avenue. Then I walked 15 blocks South on Wabash to what was the surprise of the trip – Willow Automotive (2020 S. Wabash). I had never even heard of this place and it is SWEET. Willow advertises itself as Chicago’s premiere automotive service and tuning center, offering sales and purchase of collectible automobiles, precision service for German and specialty interest vehicles and tuning solutions and chassis dyno service. W.O.W. Willow isn’t open on Saturdays when I did this tour, but they are open Mon.-Fri. 9-5. I will be stopping by… I could see one of my favorite cars, a Lamborghini LM2000 through the glass. Awesome.

STOP #5
From Willow, walk another 12 blocks South on Wabash Avenue to 24th Street, take a left on 24th Street and then end at Michigan Avenue and Joyce Ford (2401 S. Michigan Avenue).

What makes Joyce Ford so cool is that it is the only dealer left in Chicago’s historic Motor Row. Motor Row was home to as many as 116 different makers of automobiles including Ford, Buick, Fiat and Cadillac. Designed by architects such as Holabird & Roche, Philip Maher and Albert Kahn, the buildings located on Motor Row demonstrate how the automobile showroom and related product and service buildings have evolved over time.

This entire section of South Michigan has a cool, old-school car dealership look to it and is believed to be the largest, intact, early "automobile row" in the U.S. Read more about Chicago’s Motor Row here.

And that wraps the tour… I headed North on Michigan Avenue back towards my place but where would your Chicago auto adventure take you? To help you plan your adventure, the first five people who correctly answer seven of the 10 questions below on Chicago will win three free city walk iPhone applications developed by GPSmyCity.com to any city of their choice. Email your answers to me(ryan[dot]eichler[at]gmail[dot]com) and the first five with at least seven of 10 correct win. Good luck!

1) Chicago is known under several names. How isn't it called?
a) the Windy City
b) the City of Big Shoulders
c) the City of Lights

2) Chicago’s downtown area is known as ... .The nickname refers to the area encircled by the elevated train tracks.
a) the Loop
b) the Hook
c) the Ellipse

3) Chicago is the birthplace among others of McDonalds, the chewing gum giant Wrigley’s and the cell phone giant Motorola. What sport has been invented here:
a) 16-inch softball
b) baseball
c) squash

4) At the time of its completion in 1974 the Willis Tower was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York, and it held this rank for nearly 25 years, How many states are visible from its roof?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5

5) Chicago is the third largest city in United States, its metropolitan area, commonly named "Chicagoland,"being the 27th most populous metropolitan area in the world. What American cities are more populous than Chicago?
a) New York and Houston
b) Los Angeles and New York
c) Philadelphia and New York

6) Chicago is home to the largest population of ... in the world, except Warsaw:
a) Poles
b) Czechs
c) Serbs

7) In 1900, Chicago successfully completed a massive and highly innovative engineering project. Since then the Chicago River is the only river in the world that:
a) flows North in the Northern Hemisphere
b) flows backward
c) the only river in the world that flows both northwards and southwards across the line of the Equator

8) Each year, the Chicago River is dyed green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick is the patron saint of what country?
a) Ireland
b) Scotland
c) Poland

9) The Art Institute of Chicago has one of the largest and most extensive collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the world. Which of these painters was not an impressionist:
a) Monet
b) Cezanne
c) Dali

10) The University of Chicago is the site of the world's first:
a) atomic reaction
b) unmanned flight
c) extraterrestrial encounter

Disclosure: GPSMyCity offered me five free downloads of the app for creating a relevant post on my site.

Bumps like I’m 16 Again…

2011-03-14T17:19:00.004-05:00

As I’ve been stereoless for nearly a year, I finally pulled the trigger and got the bumps going in the Stinger. This project started nearly three years ago when my buddy The Scrapper started the wiring process for some killer thumps. We never finished that day… nor the three more subsequent times we attempted to get the stereo going again. Our critical error was trying to keep the factory head unit. This is not easy and hours of fabrication resulted in the factory unit inoperable – takeaway here Saab fans is that is that you should ditch the factory headunit for something better.

Well going without tunes finally got to me and I made my way over to ABC Auto Electronics on Chicago’s West Side where my guy Carlos hooked me up. These guys were pros… they kept me in my budget, finished some of the work that I we had started in the back, and did the complete install in a day.

Originally we were planning to install two 12’s, but that would have been disaster and made me deaf. The one I have now POUNDS and I feel giddy like when I was 16 and put my first set of 6x9’s in the back of my Subaru wagon. Not everything is perfect and I need to play with the box to help make it fit better and the head unit and storage box below doesn’t look 100% as the fit isn’t perfect, however I think some type of cover below could be fabricated that will look better. Here are the specs…

Kenwood Excelon KDC-X494
Sony 6X9 rear shelf speakers
Kicker Pro Series 500 watt amp
Kicker Pro Series 600 watt amp
One Infinity 12” subwoofer and enclosure

Bottomline is this system sounds good… need door speakers to round out the sound and I’ll be blasting Guns N’ Roses for years. Plus, the bass adjuster (or “fun knob”) is just awesome.

This spring, I’ll be tackling the rest of the stuff on my list to make the Stinger look better than ever, including repairs to the body damage from a few years ago, a new headliner and some final GS mods to the ECU.

Rock it out!

From top down: Head unit, bass knob, Sirius Satellite receiver (installed previously)

Sub in the pack - note the ghetto ice scraper as a brace (that will be fixed soon)

Kickin' it with the Swedes at Ikea

2011-03-07T10:27:00.001-06:00

Made the very official duty of an Ikea run this weekend. I hadn't been in several years and was reminded of how impressive the place is.

What's not impressive is the number of Saab (or Volvo's) in the parking lot. They should have VIP parking for those representin' Sveden.

Awesome Rental - Suzuki Kizashi

2011-02-21T09:33:00.001-06:00

Haven't had the chance to enjoy the Stinger lately with only one day home in February - and with that there have been in lots of smelly, junky rentals.

Here's a shockingly good one though - a 2011 Suzuki Kizashi. Looks awesome, handles like my old BMW and roomy inside with a gauge package from a much more expensive car.

If you're in the market for $20K compact sedan, check it out. And if you're at the Avis counter, see if they have one.

East in Svea - Part Three/"We Made It"

2010-12-19T10:39:00.000-06:00

After an easy eight hours in Svea, @missjacks & I made it to the idyllic hamlet of Simsbury, CT. The trip was a total of 900 miles and Svea made it without as much as a hiccup. Not bad for an 11-year-old Swedish car with 90,000 miles that has gotten little use in Chicago. I'm still amazed at how well the NG900 banks the miles with comfortable seats, great mileage and highway handling. @missjacks is the second owner of Svea and she takes good care of her - and the previous owner was pretty meticulous about maintenance and repairs. Keep that in mind if your in the market for one.

For you Northeasterners, you know how many classic Saabs are on the road in that part of the country. Really cool to see all of the N900's and NG900's driving around - plus plenty of classic 9000's mixed in. Just not something you see in the Midwest. Even the dealers take this to heart... The "Charles River Saab" tag is from Svea's home dealer.

My favorite thing about Svea is that she is a "clean sheet of paper" for @missjacks... A good detail, new emblems, 35% tint and some Viking or Klingon wheels would make her even cooler. I've got all winter to work @missjacks to get that done in the spring :)

Keep Saabin'

East in Svea - Part Two

2010-12-18T10:11:00.001-06:00

As we cruise through PA, I can't believe how much they play the same club music over and over again.

Have been educating @missjacks about her Saab - we changed the date on her SID and I taught her how to work the cruise control. "I like it, but it's weird," was her take on it. Good answer for a Saab person as our cars like to be driven.

East in Svea - Part One

2010-12-18T07:59:00.002-06:00

Running to Boston with @missjacks in her classic 1999 Saab 9-3, Svea. Svea is a twin to the Swedish Stinger but unmolested with a just broken in 90,000 miles. I'm amazed at how easy it is to bank the miles in this car - it is smooth and quiet @ 80mph delivering a nice 29mpg. Big difference from the Stinger in the ride with stock 15's and suspension - much smoother and the turbo still has a nice highway passing power.

Checking in from West of Youngstown, OH. Next update coming from PA.

WHOOOAA....

2010-10-27T14:36:00.001-05:00

Don't try this at home kids.

Five Saabs I’d Like to Own

2010-10-11T17:19:00.006-05:00

As I keep refining and tweaking the Stinger to deliver more power (and stay spotless), I find myself on eBay or Saabnet.com looking for a new Saab to enjoy. While these cars still roam the roads, they are getting harder and harder to find in decent shape. But good or bad, here’s the five that I’d be willing to replace the Stinger with. NEW SAAB MANAGEMENT – NOTE THE Turbo X as the only car on this list newer than my 1999. Of course these aren’t definitive details on each car (that is what Google is for), but just a few reasons why I’d like to own each.

#1 1999 – 2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen
A high-powered version of the 9-3 named after the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft, the Viggen was powered by the turbocharged 2.3L engine, (B235R) with 230hp and 6.4 seconds 0-60. The styling, power and rarity of the Viggen make it a winner in my Swedish notebook.

#2 1996 Saab 9000 Aero
Introduced in 1993, the 9000 Aero was the most powerful Saab ever produced at that time. Powered by the 2.3L (B234) engine, the Aero made more power courtesy of a larger Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger. Aeros were equipped with paint-matched body kit and spoiler, awesome 8-way Recaro-designed heated sports seats, a sport suspension, and 16-inch Super Aero wheels. I still think the look of this car is incredible.

#3 1998 Saab 900 Talladega
One of my favorite Saabs for several reasons. The ‘Dega edition was a limited edition to commemorate the distance records achieved at the Talladega Superspeedway the year before. Extra features included wood grain dash, chrome door handles, tan leather inserts in the doors, 16' alloy wheels, special lower diffuser and badges. I love the two-tone look of the interior, the wheels and the history of this special Saab (Talladega is one my favorite tracks).

#4 2008 Saab Turbo X
A beast of a car, the Turbo X is a limited-edition 9-3 that pays homage to the 1985 Saab 900 SPG, a classic coupe known for its trademark black exterior treatment, three-arm alloys, and turbo engine. Equipped with a robust 280-horse turbocharged V-6 that, thanks to 11.6 psi of maximum boost (up from 8.7 for the Aero's 255-horse 2.8 turbo) and Haldex 4 all-wheel-drive system, makes this mean, black 9-3 pretty slick.

#5 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero
I love this car because it is the definition of “Sleeper” in my book…. Low, lean, mean and ready to pounce. The performance-oriented 9-5 Aero was first released in 2000 with the 230 hp 2.3L (B235R) engine and a long list of standard features including sport tuned suspension, body side moldings and “Klingon” wheels.

Ken Block is the MAN

2010-09-30T19:18:00.000-05:00

Words can't explain how sweet this is.

They Even Let Me Start It!

2010-09-19T20:35:00.000-05:00

In the cockpit of the Degree Men U37, a 3,000 horsepower H1 Unlimited Hydroplane during San Diego Bayfair. AND it is powered by an engine from a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter engine. Pretty cool.

Ryan Eichler
P: 312) 498-1923
E: Ryan.Eichler@gmail.com
W: www.overboosted.blogspot.com

Skip the DVR: Car Commercials are Cool Again

2010-08-10T16:25:00.002-05:00

Lately it seems like some of the OEM’s have upped the curb appeal of their car commercials. I love everything that Dodge is doing – from the Dodge Challenger “Freedom” ad to just including a Monkey to the “Tent Event” sales commercial.

1. Dodge Challenger “Freedom”
George Washington chasing redcoats in a SRT Challenge. Badass. ‘Nuff said.

2. Kia Soul featuring Black Sheep
While it isn’t the hottest car on the street, I love how the commercial works with the song and the Hamsters are just funny looking. If I was in the market for a cool city car, the Soul would be at the top of my list because of this ad.

3. New Ford Fiesta
This spot is just plain cool. They way all of the features unfold just makes you want to keep watching it. Awesome work.

4. Honda “Impossible Dreams”
While this one isn’t entirely new, it has a very inspiring, cinematic quality to it that makes you want to go out and face any challenge.

5. Toyota Sponsifer
While not a true OEM ad, I love this series. Rarely do you see NASCAR drivers poke fun of themselves and I just love the whole concept. Very cool spots that never get old to watch.

Toyota Sponsifer "Kimmy"

Toyota Sponsifier "Amanda"

Toyota Sponsifier "Warlock"

BONUS 6. Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo
While not new by any means, the rumor is that this commercial was pulled after one airing because Nissan thought it promoted street racing. Back when Nissan put soul in their cars… pretty awesome.

* Full Disclosure: I work for Weber Shandwick, a PR agency owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies which owns several advertising agencies. I also represent the No. 18 M&M’S Racing team.

SAAB T-SHIRTS, GET YOUR SAAB T-SHIRTS

2010-07-26T12:30:00.004-05:00

Show Your Saab Support!

Check out this awesome Saab t-shirt design app from the folks at Trollhatten Saab.

Lots of new and old skool Saab graphics... have at it Saabers!

A Must for your Book Shelf

2010-06-08T19:05:00.010-05:00

The story begins last year at the Pocono NASCAR where I was hanging with my friend Andrew Giangola, Director of Business Communications at NASCAR. AG is an awesome guy with a dream job who shadowed me while doing my Right Turn Ryan duties for the weekend. After a day walking the infield(and a good sunburn), AG talked to me about how I got started as a NASCAR fan. I thought nothing of it. A few weeks later he's asking for good photos of me. I thought a little of it but didn't expect to be honored with a chapter in "The Weekend Starts on Wednesday: True Stories of Remarkable NASCAR Fans."

NASCAR's "Candy Man" Right Turn Ryan

While being in the book is an honor, meeting the other fans featured is the real joy. Lifelong friends like the Talladega Tire Man, Kenny the Fathead Guy, Cpl. John Hyland and Steve and Christine Dueker. Great people that are what make NASCAR the best sport in the world.

So go and pick up a copy... While it's not a book about Saab's, it is even better. Available at Amazon.com (where it is top-ten sports title). I might even autograph your copy...

"Keep a good thing going"

2010-03-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

The owner was hyped that we were taking his photo... And the bumper sticker was uber-cool.

Genuine Saab Intake Install

2010-02-24T09:43:00.004-06:00

Swapped out my “hack mechanic” intake for one of Genuine Saab’s slick intakes. This is a very nice product that looks great under the hood and sounds incredible. The install took me under 15 minutes.

Here's the old set up

Comes out by FAST by taking out the air cleaner and then three small bolts (removed with a 10 MM scoket

Next, heat shield bolts right in

How sharp does this look?

Here's a sound clips before and after the install. In person it sounds much better and combined with the Genuine Saab 3 inch DP, Saab Sport Exhaust and Remus Sport Muffler, it is getting nice and throaty.

Before

After

Lastly, I've got the old set up if anyone wants it. K&N million mile filter included. This is basically the stock air box with a hole cut in the front and some custom tubing for the intake. Email me at ryanDOTeichlerATgmailDOTcom if you are interested.

2010 Chicago Auto Show – Down in Size, but Not Coolness

2010-02-22T12:22:00.008-06:00

I (finally) made it to the 2010 Chicago Auto Show this past weekend. While the breaking news is long since over (and can be read out all over the place, including great coverage from Jalopnik), I did want to share some musings and thoughts.

Here’s a little intro and my favorite car of the show, for reasons that might not be that obvious.

Next, I was throughly impressed with the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. I’m always amazed at the improvements that Hyundai has made over the past decades, and this new Sonata really is a knockout in terms of styling and value.

Next up is a car that wasn’t born from jets, but rather named after a Navy vessel. The 2010 Corvette Grand Sport is basically a Z51 Corvette with the body of a Z06. It is a mean looker, and a testament to the philosophy that the wheels make the car. At $60K for the coupe (and $70K for the convertible), the price is steep but that is what financing is for.

And while the Dodge display with filled with lots of sweet rides, the row of Vipers they had on display stole the show. While some may say the Viper is getting long in the tooth, I think it looks as good as ever and is still a monster on the street and the track.

Across from the mighty Vipers was this terrible PT Bruiser. Fiat, Chrysler, whoever will listen. Stop making this thing AND please stop creating special paint schemes for it that makes it look even lamer!

This is nothing new, but was the first time that I’d ever played around in the back seat of a Lexus LS460L. The controls are awesome… allowing you to recline the seat, adjust air temp, window shades and even your own audio controls. Someday I wish to be shuttled around in the backseat of one of these.

Here are a few more shots of what I liked at the show. What was your favorite?

2010 Chicago Show

WHAT TIME IS IT?

2010-02-08T17:34:00.003-06:00

Watching some great automotive-themed Super bowl commercials last night got me thinking about my favorite car commericals. While Hyundai really impressed (and got all of my friends thinking about the paint on thier baby Benzos), nothing in my opinion can top the flava' that the VW brought with thier "unpimp the auto" series from 2006. Classic... and my favorite car commerical(s) ever.

So many classic lines...

Mothers Powerball 4Paint PROPS

2010-01-27T07:03:00.003-06:00

A few months back I wrote about my experience with the Mothers Powerball 4Paint, and followed up with the great service I’ve received since Mothers picked up on my post. Well three uses of the Powerball 4Paint later has completely changed my perception. This is an awesome product… you can cut wax time in half by using it and combined with the absolutely awesome Mothers Syn Wax, you get incredible results fast. I’ve done my Saab 9-3 and the Scrapper’s 9-3 SportCombi along with another BMW 3-series and all look spectacular. Plus, using the care instructions that Mothers supplied has had the Powerball4Paint looking brand new after every use. What can I say… I was wrong. This is a great product, and in fact all of the Mothers products I’ve been using lately (Syn Wax, Protectant, Tire Shine, Car Wash) are all awesome. Mothers – you’ve got a fan in me.

(light in these pictures is not great as it was in my garage, but you can see the bling)

Work that Body...

2010-01-17T20:33:00.004-06:00

Last year I had the misfortunate calculation of judging the incorrect distance between a fence and the side of the Stinger, leaving the driver's side door with some serious rash. While a serious eye sore, the damage was on the same side of the car that had been repaired years earlier by a true "hack" bodyman, resulting in some nasty clearcoat peeling, fish eyes, orange peel and general poor repair. Since the damage was already done over an ugly repair, I figured that a rattle can repair wouldn't hurt - with the goal being a better appearing 10-footer (with 160K on the original paint, the exterior is already what I would consider a good 10-footer, but hey, I keep it clean).

The paint I used was a factory match to the original Saab Midnight Blue Metallic (code 257 if you're looking for paint codes, check out this excellent post by Ryan at Saab History), and after working through all of the sandpapers (200, 320, 400, 600 & 800), the door was primed, wet sanded, hit with the base coat and topped off with the clear. I'll get some more pictures in the light, but the repair did what I wanted - fix the nasty scratches. There is a fair amount of orange peel which I attribute to the dirty environment I painted the car in (my building's parking garage), but overall it looks better than it did before. My biggest tip is have more than enough paint on hand... I had done some previous paint work and came very, very close to running out of base and clear coats.

Check out the pics and let me know what you think.

Before getting started

After sanding

Taped & primered

Taped and primered

Complete - a good 10-footer

DONK

2010-01-17T12:02:00.001-06:00

Mother's Powerball4Paint: FOLLOW-UP #1

2010-01-04T18:17:00.003-06:00

Gearheads –

After reading my last post on a few auto products I wasn't thrilled with, the good folks at Mothers followed up with me about my experience with the Powerball 4Paint.

First, the personal touch of hearing from someone at the company (they have a Mothers email address) is very impressive and says a lot about what they think about us car people. This is the first time I didn’t get stellar results from a Mother’s products, but their service and communication have been outstanding.

I’m going to try another Powerball4Paint and see what happens… stay tuned for the results.

No Raves on these Auto Products, Just Rants

2009-12-30T10:53:00.003-06:00

I’m a positive kind of guy – the glass is always half full for me. I guess it is just how I was brought up. But these are two products that get a big "thumbs down" from me. First is the Mother’s Powerball for Paint.

This thing never worked as promised and fell apart (making a huge mess on my car) after the third use. Look at how it is just in pieces. The wax it came with – Mother’s FX Syn Wax – is good stuff, but not worth the $25 or so I paid for the Powerball. Trust me folks, just get some microfiber wax pads and do it by hand or use a slick orbital buffer. This thing sucks.

Next was a surprise for me. I’ve lauded Griot’s Garage products on Overboosted before as they usually perform flawlessly and make your car concours-ready. But this was a failure. Behold the Griot’s Compact Italian Air Horn – it promises to be an easy install, work with most cars, trucks and motorcycles and sound like one of those wonderful horns in a Ferrari that results in clearing the streets and had ladies smiling.

While it does look nice and was rather easy to hook up, I never actually got to hear it as it would blow the fuse upon pressing the horn. I thought it was my share tree install, so I had it looked at by two different garages. Both indicated that it draws 40 amps, thus blowing the fuse. The only other option was to hard wire it in, which is far too complicated. A call to Griot’s resulted in them telling me that it was my fault. Right guys. Six months later and a new, $20 horn installed that works fine tells me differently.

Classic American Luxury

2009-12-29T14:38:00.001-06:00

You don't see too many AMC Eagle 4X4's these days, and even rarer are they in front on of the Peninsula Hotel. Give it up for K-Town class.

Ryan Eichler, International Man of Liesure

Awesome Repair Job

2009-12-05T15:21:00.001-06:00

Nice tape and bondo action on this sweet Contour.

Ryan Eichler, International Man of Liesure

An Extra Dose of MUSCLE CARS

2009-11-26T10:26:00.002-06:00

This is Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City. An amazing collection of (all GM) muscle cars in Punta Gorda, FL. Rick must be the kind of guy who says,"I want ever variation of a 1969 Chevelle SS," and then ghoes out and gets it. Wow.

Auto Museum Exploration...

2009-11-01T17:42:00.004-06:00

My travels sometimes get me to new places that are in the “autosphere”, as well as places that are old friends. Two such places that I’ve taken in the last week include the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, IL, and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum just outside of Birmingham, AL.

Stop 1 - Volo Auto Museum
I’ve been going to Volo with my dad for as long as I can remember, and while it has gotten a little “cheesy” for me now, it’s still worth the $10 if you want to check out some cool vintage muscle. My favorite thing about Volo is that most of the cars are for sale, so while you can drool, you can also dream build. The collection at Volo is spread out among five buildings, with each building having a collection of movie cars on the outer wall and then classics in the inner area of the building. The cars for sale include everything from mid-50’s classics up to mid-90’s sports cars. The movie cars aren’t my thing, and include just about every car that George Barris has ever done up to some recent movie cars from Fast and Furious and Death Race. Here’s a few of my favorites below.

I thought this was a pretty slick hood ornament, circa 1950's Packard.

This was one of my favorites - a 1964 Mercury Marauder that was "retro rodded" on the TV show "Wrecks to Riches" and was an authorized replica of the same car raced by Parnelli Jones.

The very patient Maggie Pence next to a 1956 Ford Country Squire Wagon. She love's the cars from the 1950's.

Stop 2 – Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
This place BLEW MY MIND. It is an incredible facility and well worth the $15 entry fee. The museum – located at the 740 acre Barber Motorsports Park – has five floors of every motorcycle of significance in the last century. This is a huge collection of 1,100 motorcycles, with more than 700 on display. It also has several rare and unique sports cars and the most extensive collection of Lotus racecars in the world.

As you stroll through the spotless and beautiful building, you can look out the window and watch cars lapping the 2.38 road course that will host an IRL during the 2010 season – and is decorated with some spectacular sculptures throughout the track. In my opinion, this place is the best of the best. Check out my favorites in the below slideshow.

That's why they're Called Rental Cars

2009-10-25T07:31:00.001-05:00

Don't worry unnamed rental car company, its only Virginia clay. Payback for those filthy cars you always give me.

Ryan Eichler, International Man of Liesure

My new kicks...

2009-10-19T21:35:00.000-05:00

Something every racer should have. A solid pair of Pumas.

Ryan Eichler, International Man of Liesure

Awesomeness on Four Wheels

2009-10-11T19:09:00.005-05:00

Look at this. Do I need to say anything more. Of course it completely defeats the purpose of an ATV, but what the heck. It is something that every mark-a-buster and hoodlum needs in his (or should I say his mother's) driveway.

While I'm here, let me tell you 93 octane freaks about a must see. The Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. An awesome collection of classic and vintage cars all housed in a great facility. The "what were they thinking" display was my favorite. Why does everyone always hate on the AMC Pacer?

Eleanor

2009-10-09T18:45:00.001-05:00

Ryan Eichler, International Man of Liesure

Interior Swap – Not as Easy as it Sounds

2009-09-16T19:44:00.002-05:00

So on paper, it sounds easy. Take one 1999 Saab 9-3 five-door (the Stinger) with a base, cloth interior. Said interior is nice, but a lug nut like myself of course wants to upgrade to leather. Enter one 2002 Saab 9-3 with the two-tone leather and cloth interior for sale on eBay, and one friend with good intentions who says said interior will “bolt in fast.” After winning the seats and getting them shipped to me, the fun began.

Let’s start with the rears. While the new seats are in and look great, this was a three hour project that entailed contorting my body into ways that would make a dominatrix proud. For all of you out there, this is fairly straightforward however, requiring just unbolting the old seats and bolting the new set in.

Next come the fronts. While the front unbolt fairly easily from the floor with four bolts using a T40 metric head driver, they do take some time and wrenching. Also, the clips under the seats where the seat air bags plug in unclip by sliding the lock out and then unplug. A little tricky, but can be done. Now is where my issue comes in. I went from a non-power driver seat and just assumed the power one would plug right in. Well after I plugged it in, the seat didn’t power up. I’m assuming that there is a power issue with the seat and will continue to troubleshoot – hopefully without spending much $$$.

My last gripe involves my work space. Or should I say the third floor of my parking garage. I give space to work a 2 out of 5 and light a 1 out of five. However I do like working on my car.

So my three new seats look great. More to come.

The new seats.

The old seats.

Passenger side out.

Driver side out.

Best "Cash for Clunkers" Sign

2009-08-22T20:15:00.001-05:00

Johnson City, TN.

Definition of "Murdered Out"

2009-08-14T20:04:00.000-05:00

A Trip to the Pick N Pull

2009-08-11T13:42:00.003-05:00

A few Saturday’s ago, the Scrapper and I took a trip to a junkyard on the Southside of Chicago. This is a “you pick” style junkyard – you pay $2 to get in, bring your own tools and literally take the parts you need off the car.

The Good
This place is well worth the $2 entry fees … as anyplace that has wheelbarrows to help with customer purchases should. It was cool to just wander around and see all of the different cars in various states of disrepair. Also, they have something called “Wild Wednesday’s” where everything this 50% off, so lots of people go and pull the parts, hide them somewhere on the lot and then go back and check out on Wednesday. The cars are pretty picked over, but there is plenty of salvageable stuff – if you are looking for an alternator for a 1999 Dodge Intrepid.

The Bad
While I didn’t set my expectations that high, I was hoping to get some random interior trim pieces for the Stinger. They didn’t even have ANY Saabs on the lot. And the cars are all open and pretty trashed on the inside, so don’t go looking for a new set of seats or interior parts.

The Bottom Line
If you need a part for a domestic car built from 1995 – 2001 and have the tools and mechanical aptitude to get them off yourself without destroying the part, you’ll save about 50% of the cost and have some fun doing it. Just make sure to call ahead and see if they have the kind of car you need the part from.

Plus they also serve tamales for lunch.

Spotted! Stinger getting frisky ...

2009-07-29T19:48:00.001-05:00

After a nite out, Maggie discovered the stinger trying to get frisky with a black 9-3. It was a little more beat than what I like to see her getting fast with, but at least it was in the family.

You Don't See This Every Day

2009-07-26T23:03:00.001-05:00

Sure hope it is lucky.

Stinger Tunes

2009-07-19T16:47:00.002-05:00

Last weekend on my way back from the NASCAR race in Joilet, the trusted Stinger started to smoke. I was able to get it within blocks of my friends at Gateway Automotive, who diagnosed a variety of belt and pulley issue along with a frozen AC condenser. Expensive fixes, but I saw this as an opportunity to finally get the Viggen crossflow intercooler I bought on eBay last year installed. This mod requires some expensive tubing, which Nick and the crew at Genuine Saab offer as a turn key kit. While I was getting the tube, my eyes wondered and I ended also pulling the trigger on the Genuine Saab 3” downpipe.

For everyone out there with a NG900, INSTALL THIS MOD NOW. It truly gives the car another personality. On the low end (1K – 3K rpms) the difference is most notably a reduction in turbo lag. Once you get your foot into it and run anywhere from 3K – 5,500 rpms, the car just explodes. The torque and response is very, very impressive and the fun factor goes from a small smirk (stock) to full on wide smile with the DP. The car is also delivering better mileage and has nice rumble to it that sets it apart from the other 9-3's I see running around Chicago.

Also, if you have a Saab and are looking for a good shop in Chicago, I recommend the guys at Gateway. When you walk into a shop and see several 9000’s in various states of repair, you know the place is a legit Saab shop. Plus they are fast and fair (and didn’t even charge me to push the car three blocks from where the belt broke).

Tell them the Captain sent you …

Echos of the Blues Brothers

2009-07-19T15:18:00.001-05:00

"it's got a cop motor and cop brakes"

Ultimate Feast at the Taste of Chicago

2009-06-27T18:46:00.001-05:00

Eleven items
Multiple choices of ethnic eats
It is good for you

Saturday Afternoon ...

2009-06-27T17:18:00.001-05:00

Fyi to all you fans of enjoying concerts at Chicago's Grant Park. New rules have them searching your coolers - so just keep your mixed frinks at the bottom of your cooler and bring plastic cups. And of course, leave your Saabs at home.

Back in Black

2009-06-25T18:41:00.001-05:00

So sweet ...

Ultimate summer wheels ...

2009-06-23T20:19:00.001-05:00

Turbocharged Cow

2009-06-21T12:24:00.001-05:00

"Moo-ve Over"

Can you get anymore extreme?

2009-06-17T18:00:00.001-05:00

Love the car and the color. License plate ... "U C FUN".

Saabs at Pocono, My “Real” Job, One Awesome Fire truck and One Decent Rental

2009-06-08T19:34:00.003-05:00

As a Saab fan, I always appreciate seeing other Saabs at events – especially NASCAR events! Check out these matching 9-3’s I spotted this weekend in the Pocono infield. Nice.

And why was I in Pocono you ask? Well part of my day job has become being the living, breathing and fun version of M&M’S Most Colorful Fan Contest. I get to go to NASCAR races, meet and interact with fans and show how M&M’S are the connective candy at the tailgate, no matter who you root for. Fun, fun stuff. We also shoot video at the races (below are some clips from Charlotte and ‘Dega), and also have a weekly segment on SPEED Channel’s NASCAR RaceDay. Even got some play this weekend in the local paper, and you can see more of what I do on our Facebook page.

While I was in Pocono this weekend, I can across this awesome KME Fire Apparatus Fire Truck. What a monster – and this is the SMALL one! Love to have one of these in the driveway.

And speaking of driveway, one vehicle that I would consider in my driveway is a Chevrolet HHR. Not a bad rental when faced with being given a compact car – especially with the nice wheels, moon roof and leather interior. Four days behind the wheel made me want to sample the SS version. Keep it up GM and you might be able to rise from the ashes.

New Rubbers

2009-05-14T18:42:00.004-05:00

Pulled the trigger on a new set of tires for the Stinger. Called the good folks at the Tire Rack, where my salesman Lee sold me on a set of four Sumitomo 225/45ZR-17 HTR+. I was very impressed with the service - in fact Lee didn't "sell" me anything, he just gave me low-down on what the best tires in my price range and filled me in on his glorious past racing Corvettes. These seem to be a good tire (especially at $80/each), and have performed well this far. I have much less torque steer in the front end as I did with the Pirelli P-Zero neros that were replaced. Tire Rack even referred me to a great shop in Chicago to do the install. Grand Tire and Auto in Elmwood Park. Not the most convenient in proximity to the city, but the guys there are smart and do the job right. An alignment took several hours because I hadn't had one in a long time, but it was worth the wait and the Stinger drives true now. Tire Rack + Grand Tire = happy owner.

Also, came across this pretty sweet 1999 Saab 9-3 Viggen promo video. Classic, but remember to "remove the antenna before car washes."

Awesome Whips Others Be Flossin’

2009-05-14T18:34:00.008-05:00

Here are three dope rides that I’ve come across in the last week.

First, a classic Mercedes G-Wagon. No, this isn’t your “Lincoln Park Trixie” edition but the real-deal G-Wagon. It looks like it’s ready to do battle on some street in Eastern Europe. Hummer owner’s, get outta’ the way.

Next up is one hot dog on the streets – the Oscar Mayer Wiernermobile. This thing is a show-stopper. Aerodynamic, nice paint work and event an external mic to beat. I had the chance to grab this picture of the Wiernermobile next to the Stinger during an event my office put on for the rig. We do marketing communications for Oscar Mayer and have actually created a blog for the Wiernermobile (and the folks that floss this tight ride), so check out www.hotdoggerblog.com to see when the Wiernermobile will be making a stop near you.

Finally, behold the MTX. This is Red Bull’s answer to the question everyone asks: “How can I get a truck that also serves as a mobile DJ booth.” This thing is 100% ex-Soviet military bad a$$ with some crazy techno thrown in for fun and mixed up in a 50-gallon keg of my favorite pick-me-up. As the esteemed author of the fine literary masterpiece that is the Overboosted Blog, I’ve been promised a tour and ride in the MTX so stay tuned for more details.

While none of these are Saabs, they come pretty close to being as cool.

Distinguished Passenger

2009-04-19T15:45:00.005-05:00

While I've had some celebs in the Stinger, the coolest passenger byfar was a lifesize Colonel Sanders statue that got to ride in the hatch for two days last weekend. Check out the story on why he's in Chicago for a couple month vacation here.

Now that's something you don't see everyday in the back of a Saab.

Things I Like

2009-04-08T20:32:00.004-05:00

I’ve been hitting the open road a lot as of late and have come across some things that I love. First, I love BBQ. All kinds of BBQ. When down south Sonny’s BBQ is a favorite as the all-you-can-eat lunch special is a must for brisket lover like myself. It’s the kind of place where a table for means a booth and you can really spread out and graze.

Next up – my Samsung ACE with Sprint’s Navigation. This is very, very easy to use and updates your route as you’re driving. The voice giving directions even sounds kinda’ hot. My only complaint is the crappy battery life of my phone, but an upgrade to a larger battery should hopefully fix that.

Now here’s something that I hate. Chrysler PT Cruiser rental cars. Chrysler – why on earth would you provide a heap like this to rental car fleets. This car just plain sucks. I have not a single good thing to say about it, and it is nearly ten years newer than my whip. Just junk. Keep building this crap (and putting it into rental car fleets) and I hope that you go out of business. I’ve always wondered … why don’t the Detroit Three put decent cars in rental car fleets. In many cases, that is your one chance to get someone to experience your product. Look at Toyota … if you get a Toyota rental, it has the upper level trim package and impresses – not manual windows, a buzzy motor and a design to make you puke.

Let it Snow…It Won’t Stop the Saabs

2009-02-24T11:34:00.004-06:00

Spent the weekend in the woods – where an arctic blast brought at least six inches of snow in 24-hours. It was pretty awesome to see, and for us Saab owners this snow is no match for the front-wheel drive muster of our machines.

I’m currently running some 15-inch Gislaved NordFrost 3’s on the Stinger and it just crawls through the snow. Better than some 4X4’s I’ve driven in recent years. The relative narrowness of the tire hinders the nimbleness you get with the larger wheels, but the tradeoff is worth it. I’ve always said that a good set of snow tires will make even a high performance car handle the snow.

Next up is something not as fun as bombing around country roads in the snow. In the attempt to be cool and showoff, I backed my car into an old, rusted chain link fence. While the damage is rather ugly, it did happen on a side of the car that was previously damaged years ago and was in turn repaired rather shoddily.

This gives me the opportunity to do a little body work on the car, and I’m thinking about MAACO since I have to pay “out of pocket” on this one. Maybe a bondo repair myself, and then take it to them to paint. Any thoughts on other options – I’m based in Chicago. If I save enough, I just might upgrade to Nick’s 9-3 front bumper.

He doesn't have a Saab, but he's the man.

2009-02-14T15:40:00.001-06:00

Me and my good pal Double at the Daytona 500.

Daytona Sunset

2009-02-13T16:58:00.001-06:00

They're not Saab Griffins

2009-02-13T16:17:00.001-06:00

Thanks to the naval station outside of Jacksonville, Fl, for this awesome fly by before the start of the Gatorade Duals at Daytona. Here all week for Speedweeks, and while I love stock racing equipping those V8's with turbos would make for some awesome passing - not to mention a great bov dump at about 130 coming out of turn 2.

No surprise that I have seen exactly two Saabs this week. An 07' anniversary aero cab and a classy 97' convertible (that needed a serious wash and detail). If the Stinger was here, she'd be breakin' hearts with some of these beat old Camaros and 'Stangs.

Hittin' 158K on the way to the D

2009-01-31T00:02:00.001-06:00

Nasty weather. Deer. Bad michigan drivers. The Stinger weathered it all without breakin' a sweat. You have a 3000 down payment on a car? Just buy a Saab 9-3, circa '99 - ' 02. Mine just turned 158k without breaking a sweat.

And "now is the time on sprockets when we drink!"

Spotted...

2009-01-29T17:09:00.000-06:00

Red Viggen on Michigan Avenue....looking good.

Latest Stinger Updates...and we need a name folks.

2009-01-29T15:08:00.001-06:00

There has been alot going on with the Stinger since my last post...this includes:
1> New residence in a heated parking garage in Chicago
2> 50% completion on a sub install to get the bumps rollin'
3> Hitting 150K on the way to the Saab owner's convention

I'm still dreaming on major mods on the way this Spring. Time to hit 300 hp!

Speaking of mods, how is this for a custom mod. Rather reputable Saab fan creating this trick "Hastig" emblems for Saabs (Hastig is Speed in Swedish).

Speaking of names, my buddy Alex (a.k.a Scrapper 1, Fabricator 2 and the TBC Racing ex-Director of Web Presence) has a trick, Black 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi. What he needs is a nickname for his whip to floss properly. What do you think? Mörk Missa maybe?

Saab History...

2009-01-27T09:17:00.001-06:00

And while I'm here, just a reminder of why we love Saabs!

Tuesday - The New Friday

2009-01-27T09:09:00.001-06:00

Tuesday is turning out to be a great day! I'm inspired to do a better job at updating my blog thanks to my old fried Rebecca.

Um, yeah. Better late than never...

2008-08-20T13:29:00.000-05:00

So to get back in the groove of keeping you updated on the latest overboosted happenings, I promise to keep this updated better.

In fact, I'm off to the Saab Owner's Convention this weekend...updates to come from the road!

Save Gas, Buy A Bike

2008-05-14T11:40:00.000-05:00

Green is hot right now, and while I’ve been known to be an anti-environmentalist for the sake of battling the status quo, I have been trying my best to reduce my carbon footprint. While a 3” downpipe helps cut fuel economy of the Stinger, the easiest way to do this is by riding my bike to work. It’s a win-win for everyone – I help the planet, scare some SUV drivers during my commute and have shed a few pounds in the process. Save gas – buy a bike. For more tips on how to help the environment, visit my pal’s Eden and Sarah’s blog, TwoGirlsGoGreen.

Kissing the bricks...

2008-05-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

Office has kept me jumping these past few weeks. Nothing involving Saab Performance Tuning unfortunately, but lots of cool stuff. I’ve been down to Indy already and had a chance to kiss the bricks thanks to IGOTSHOTGUN, and will be back next weekend for final qualifying and Bump Day (this time on my own dime).

Keep it real yo!

Month of May!

2008-04-28T11:01:00.001-05:00

The Month of May is nearly upon us! Dust off the flags, ready the RV, provision for the tailgate and let the festivities begin!

In case you couldn't tell, I love the Indy 500! This year promises to be big!

Trivia: What do Saab's & the Indy 500 have in common?
Answer: Many Indy 500 entries in the 50's and 60's were turbocharged!

Spring Bling

2008-03-30T14:37:00.000-05:00

I've been B'S'n alot here lately about stuff to Saabs. So let's get back to basics and talk about the care and feeding of modified Saabs.

The sun finally broke out this weekend and I was able to get some time on the Stinger. Went and got the windows dark with a 35% tint Friday beforehand. It makes a big difference in looks...of course, when I went to drop the car off Friday I realized I had a flat. Returning at the end of the day and the tint done, I started doing a tire swap with the mini spare, but was lazy and jacked the car up just as it was - parked on an angle. The resulting jack collapse, trip home to get a floor jack and other tools, and then return to get a wheel back on set me back two hours. Thanks to Chris Conwell at Crazy Road Trips.com for helping out.

Saturday got me out to put the 17 inch "Klingon" wheels back on and a nice wash and polish. These wheels make such a HUGE difference and come off a 2000 Saab Aero. I love the cool Saab design and they look just as good on a 9-3 as they do on a 9-5. See the before and after below.

I pulled the trigger on some goodies from Griot's Garage. Ive always gotten the catalog, but winced at the costs. Needed a few things and all I can say is that I'm a customer for life. Best products I've ever had - even the sprayer for the wheel cleaner is top-class (although you do have to pay for it). And the tire dressing is the BEST ever. A great shine that seems like it will last forever. As I buy more stuff, I'll let you know what I think.

Also, when I got the day started, I noticed this pre-production Dodge Challenger. Check out those wheels. This car is going to be amazing.

And while I started the day working on the Stinger, I loaned my cleaning expertise to one of the members of TBC Racing, Chris Vary. Hooked up his 2008 HUMMER H3 and 2007 GMC Acadia. Both cars look money - you see the H3 here on the left and the front quarter of the Acadia on left below. Coincidentally, CV's H3 has the "Bling" package. BLADA BLING!

Waiting on a boat load of goodies from Genuine Saab including a steering rack brace, BOV and some projector fog lights and some even nicer weather to get back out and give the Stinger the clay bar treatment. Keep rollin'...

How I Became a Diehard ALMS Fan in Just 12-hours

2008-03-20T06:47:00.000-05:00

Being a motorsports fan eats up lots of my time. From Saturday night dirt track action to Sunday NASCAR Sprint cup and IRL racing, if it runs on a track and uses gas and oil, I’m a fan. But not necessarily a diehard fan…I love open wheel and NASCAR, mostly because those are the races that I’ve seen the most in person. At one point in my life, I found little merit in watching cars go around in a circle for four hours. But after you attend a race, that all changes (those of you who have been to top-tier races know what I mean). WRC, AMA Super bike, and Speed GT series interested me, but not to the point that I would watch a race on TV.

Well I have a new series to add to my roster of racing that I’ll follow weekly – the American Lemans Series (ALMS). As I mentioned below, thanks to IGOTSHOTGUN, I had the chance to go behind the scenes and check out the Mobil One Twelve Hours of Sebring. While the access I had was better than most fans get, this is a series that is FAN FRIENDLY to the max. The paddock is open to the fans. The starting grid is open to the fans 30-minutes before the green flag drops. Drivers are everywhere for autographs and meet & greets. They even let the fans into the Winner’s Circle when the race is over. Plus, the cars look like the same cars you see in the parking lot. Just an awesome experience….not to mention they hit some of the best road courses in the North America, including my all-time favorite, Road America.

This is a series that you can get up close and personal with….and who doesn’t want to root for a kick-a$$ American car like the Corvette beating up on all of the Porsches and Ferrari’s. Check out some photos and videos from the race and join me in following the ALMS this year! See you at the track.

Meet the Saab 9-X Designers...

2008-03-18T22:25:00.000-05:00

The designers of the Saab 9-X are overboosted...reminds me why I love the brand. Smart people that know how to utilize space, increase efficiency and harken back to the classic Saab 99's and 900's. With the small dimensions of this car, it would be fun to toss around. When will the Stage 3 be available?

Back from Sebring

2008-03-17T12:05:00.001-05:00

I made it back alive, but just barely. This is the first time that I've ever wanted water over beer at a race. We were so close to the track, I could reach out and touch the cars. Thanks again to IGOTSGOTGUN for the access, and to Corvette Racing for the win.

Way OVERBOOSTED!

2008-03-14T19:50:00.000-05:00

Through the good folks at IGOTSHOTGUN, I spent a crazy day in Sebring prepping for tomorrow's Mobile One Twelve Hours of Sebring ALMS season opener. While the vests we got were lame, the access they provided was more than worth it! Check out more photos here. I'll be at the track all day tomorrow. Now, if only Saab would field a car...

Back in Business...

2008-03-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

Been out for a few weeks checking out some races and scoring Saab tuner parts. Check out of one my latest endeavers. More to come soon...

Detroit Shakedown: Hot Wheels Part 1

2008-01-28T20:24:00.000-06:00

Walking the show floor during the 2008 NAIAS, one thing is evident (beyond the obvious - like Cobo hall is way to small and hot dogs smell terrible in a convention center), wheels on a car make a big difference. Roaming the show, I focused on what some of the companies are doing right and what some companies are doing wrong. So let's get started...first, it seems that the European OEM's have the best selection of wheels. Let's start with these sharp wheels on the left from the folks at Range Rover, equipped on a 2008 Range Rover Sport. Clean design that fills the wheel well nicely. Next we have two high performance variants, found on the Ferrari 612 Scagletti and AMG Mercedes ML63. Both sick, sick cars with wheels (and brakes, brake rotors and on and on) to match. But you're probably thinking, "Ike, you drive the Stinger, a beat-down sports sedan at best. How can you just pimp rides that cost at least twice your salary?" Well good overboosted friends, other manufacturers are stepping up on some low cost entries that deliver a nice "wow" factor when it comes to the wheels. Two of my favorites are the wheels on the 2008 Honda Element SC (below left) and 2008 Kia Amanti (below right). Both are clean designs that you would expect on more expensive vehicles.

So, who were the loosers you ask. Just wait for Part 2.

Overboosted in the Winter....

2008-01-21T21:32:00.000-06:00

One week in and already I'm behind on posting.

My motto for the week - performance mods are fun, but they suck in the winter. Having to start in third gear is never fun, and I'll have to retire my snows after this season since The Stinger gives a new meaning to "Sit and Spin."

Speaking of The Stinger, I finally added a photo of Mr. Overboosted Himself, The Swedish Stinger. Not brilliantly clean and sporting the "blah" 15-inchers and hub caps, so many apologies.

Heading to the North American International Auto Show this week and will get some good pics - lots of SAAB news coming from the show and actually got to meet Mr. SAAB History, Ryan Emge from www.saabhistory.com. Great site - check it out when you have a chance.

Day One

2008-01-12T14:51:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Overboosted - the blog for fans of Saab performance tuning, tailgating, Chicago Bears football, century bike rides, Outlaw country music and basically anything else that I'm interested in. There is a lot of "junk" in the blogosphere, so I felt the need to cut through the cutter and create a site that encourages lively discussion around the things I care about.

And why do you care about what I'm interested in? Because I'm an interesting person - a Renaissance Man some say - but I do like to start the party and keep it going. That is why you should care.

I've got another busy week ahead of me, but I'll try and check in as much as I can. In the meantime, please check out some of the other sites that I'm involved with.

www.teambarkingchirp.com
www.dabearsbus1.com
www.gmnext.com

Take care and good luck.