(7/8/04) - Its been a bad week. On the way home from work on Friday the bug threw a rod on the freeway (for reasons unknown). From the looks of it, it took just about everything in the engine out. I did something I never though I would to. Read below to find out more... :-)
Here's where I ended up after the car died. I guess I am just lucky I didn't get stuck in the left lane on the freeway.
To keep it easy I decided to just have it towed home.
Here is the damage that you can see on the top of the block (two holes).
Here's a little more of a closeup - I can actually lift the rod up and adown like it isn't even connected to the piston anymore.
After tons of thinking I decided that *for now* it would be best to get something a little more reliable that the bug (and get some creature comforts like A/C). I wont get rid of the bug - I am storing it in our hangar for the time being. In a couple years I will get back to it and build it up again. It was just getting to be time to take a break from the bug, and drive something that wouldn't need a ton of work. When it is no longer fun to work on something, it is time to put it up for a while.
I ended up buying a 2004 Acura RSX type-S! I swore up and down I wouldn't get a new car for a long time, but I did :-) Definitely doesn't have as much character as the bug, but it IS nice.
Back at work, some of my friends surprised me with this hilarious card:
