"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
10/28/2019 at 10:32 • Filed to: gambler 500, festiva, Off-Road
7
26|
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
10/28/2019 at 10:32 • Filed to: gambler 500, festiva, Off-Road | 7
| 26 |
The Death Car Festiva rocked the Southern Indiana Gambler 500. The little car was almost as good offroad as the smart, was better at water crossings, and was happy to be foot to floor for the whole weekend!
The drive down wasn’t bad. My winter coat, gloves, and the car’s heater were more than good for the job.
Saturday involved hard rain ALL DAY. My hands and feet were soaked, but the rest of me stayed warm and dry. The 12V seat heaters I got were the real MVPs, keeping my body toasty in the fight against the cold water.
I did get stopped by the cops once. They told me the car is hella illegal, but they couldn’t ticket me because it was just too cool.
I definitely got more pictures taken this weekend than I’ve ever gotten in my entire smart ownership
There was even some rock crawling and the Festiva did it with stride!
Shop-teacher’s Winterforce snows were basically like tiny mudders. I got through mud that got Jeeps stuck and that rock crawling? I got through with only pinch weld damage whereas a Jeep Liberty lost an entire wheel!
The river crossing also hydrolocked at least three cars that I know of (a Subaru wagon, a Malibu Maxx, and a Cavalier) but I only got my floorplan a litt...a lot wet. The water was a solid three feet deep in areas. The smart could have maybe made it through depending on the line I chose or if I maintained a decent bow wave.
The Festiva’s electrics also didn’t mind the open air concept. Everything still works!
The rear of the car also made a decent RV
I set my floor jack under the spare tire well, put the cover on the car, then climbed in. The space in the back is big enough to lay down in relative comfort. I got way better sleep here than I’ve ever gotten sober in a tent. Usually I have to get trashed in order to get decent tent sleep.
I did need the propane heater on the second night and it worked smashingly well. It came with a hanger, so I just hung it from the coat hook in the back. Hung far enough down not to upset anything and provided just enough warmth to keep me from dying. That night was super windy in addition to the cold so CO2 wasn’t even on the radar.
Due to the attention the car got, I am toning down the open air concept. I’ll be getting doors of some kind, but they won’t be full. Same with the tailgate. Still open air, less cop magnet-y.
But there is some baaaad news.
The fuel tank got damaged more during a full send Friday night. Previously, the tank only leaked when you filled it past half. Now it leaks a little under half and whenever the engine is above idle. This is accompanied by horrible fumes for whoever is following me. I expected to spend no more than $90 in fuel but ended up spending $145.
ETA: Fuel economy was also probably bad too considering I had to be foot to floor for almost 600 miles straight (jacked up the gearing with those tires). I’ll know for sure once I replace the tank and get a reading on what fuel economy is like.
Update: So I’ve been told by someone who races these cars, removing doors, windows, and the boot causes massive drag as well.
Anyway, w ater also got into the tank on Saturday... like a lot of water. So now unless I put Premium in it misfires something mean under a quarter tank. Tried Heet and that did nothing. The water also probably didn’t help fuel economy, so I have no idea why my fuel estimate was so far off. Both mpg and leaking it out ?
This car has a fuel pump that sits in the tank. Festiva/Aspire tanks are notorious for leaks, so I don’t plan on replacing it with another Festiva tank. I want to get a plastic one like the smart (or a boat) has. But then I’ll have to get an aftermarket fuel pump. I mean, so long as the pump has the same voltage it should work, right?
MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 10:45 |
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I’m all for doing dumb things in cheap cars, but the fact that you leaked out ~$50 in fuel isn’t cool or safe.
It looks like it was a blast and I’m glad you and the Festiva made it back, but next time fix something as egregious as a leaking fuel tank before sending it.
vicali
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 11:16 |
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Y ou should make some half doors;
Fuel tank in the back is going to ruin your sleep..
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Mercedes Streeter
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
10/28/2019 at 11:52 |
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Agreed. Lesson learned: Small leaks can easily turn into big ones.
Also, it may not have been $50 of fuel. I had to be foot to floor just to maintain the speed limit, so I don’t know how much of my fuel cost was simply low mpg. I definitely lost at least 5 gal of fuel to leaking though. Still bad.
I wasn’t the only one. An Expedition completely ruptured his full fuel tank while climbing over rocks. That was a rather big mess..
This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 12:02 |
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I think tubular steel would do the trick.
Something like that, more or less.
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Mercedes Streeter
> vicali
10/28/2019 at 12:07 |
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Presumably, the replacement tank would go where the factory tank was (plus a skid plate) so that shouldn’t be an issue. Pretty sure a fuel tank in the cabin is extra illegal, anyway. lol
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This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
> vicali
10/28/2019 at 12:08 |
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55 gallon rectangular stainless tank on the roof, with a safari rack on it.
Prop er overlander.
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vicali
> This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
10/28/2019 at 12:44 |
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You’ve jumped Overland and gone full Burningman..
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vicali
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 12:46 |
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Now you’re going to start talking about laws? lol
My FatherinLaw has a saying that has served me well;
Devil hates a coward
..
Stef Schrader
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 14:23 |
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Oooooh. I’m about to attempt the Lemons Rally in the parsh if it survives the race right before it, and I don’t have windows for the parsh at all. My biggest worry is definitely cops.
This car is peak Gambler, though. I love it.
shop-teacher
> Stef Schrader
10/28/2019 at 16:17 |
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Windows you really don’t need legally. Just a windshield.
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shop-teacher
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 16:19 |
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I knew those W interforces would do you well. It was unbelievable the kind of stuff I got through when I had those on the RallyMetro. The rallycross I went to for the end of season two years ago was basically a mud bog with turns, and I completed all runs without needing any pull outs.
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Stef Schrader
> shop-teacher
10/28/2019 at 17:53 |
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Oh, I know. The car passed inspection a couple week
s ago.
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Mercedes Streeter
> vicali
10/28/2019 at 18:10 |
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I didn’t care about the law when I was building it. Then anxiety kicked in when I got my picture taken about 50 times in 1 hour or so. lol Think if I go full Mad Max I would be too afraid to be seen in public with it.
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Mercedes Streeter
> shop-teacher
10/28/2019 at 18:11 |
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These tires have been around for multiple years?!?! For a soft compound tire I’m impressed. I swore off soft compounds after I had Blizzaks that wore down its soft compounds in no time flat.
Let's try it out!
> Stef Schrader
10/28/2019 at 18:26 |
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I think they deleted our comment thread and while I get the message
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
I can still see your responses. Kinja is really, genuinely shit. Only commenting here because it’s the latest place I can see that you’ve commented on.
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shop-teacher
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 18:37 |
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I bought them used 3 years ago, for $50. I had a friend mount them on the 14" steelies that XJDano had included with the RallyMetro . The tires had one season on them when I got them. The seller actually turned out to be an Oppo lurker who was moving south and didn’t need them anymore. I ran two seasons of Rallycross on them, plus my first Gambler. I was continually amazed by how well those tires performed and lasted. I most definitely got my money’s worth out of them. T hat’s why I just gave them to you. They owe me nothing, and it’s cool to see them get some use on the Death Car.
MM54
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 18:49 |
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1) The old Winterforce tires are great in mud, I had them on the crown vic. I think they redesigned them a year or two ago though and they look much less like off-road tires now.
2) All the electrics may work now, but give them some time to sit and corrode.
3) For the half-way on the no-doors thing, consider either a steel tube setup, or the stock frames with the glass removed and maybe some of the sheet metal.
4) Any fuel pump will be 12V so that shouldn’t be an issue with a new cell; if you go plastic definitely put a skid plate on. Where the metal one would dent, the plastic may crack/split.
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Mercedes Streeter
> MM54
10/28/2019 at 19:14 |
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1) That’s correct, the Winterforce 2s look like normal snows...unfortunately. Glad these were the older ones! :D
2) Maybe. I mean, the interior really only got a mis ting of water aside from that poor floorpan. lol The smart’s seen worse from me accidentally leaving a window open on a rainy day.
3) Someone suggested cutting the outer sheet metal from the doors and leaving behind a see through skeleton. Technically legal but maintains the kart look . I dig that idea. Someone on the Festiva forums also offered to make me steel tube doors for the cost of materials.
4) No doubt! I’m more concerned with rust than I am with punctures. I would use a skidplate to protect a plastic tank.
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Mercedes Streeter
> shop-teacher
10/28/2019 at 19:19 |
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Holy smokes!!! And they barely got worn over the weekend. They’ll serve duty again during the Fambler next month. Not sure if I’m doing the Gobbler or not unless I figure out that whole winter camping thing. Think I’m going to keep them even after the car inevitably dies and I get another Festy or heck, maybe a Metro convertible . :)
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shop-teacher
> Mercedes Streeter
10/28/2019 at 20:01 |
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That's the spirit! Run them for all they're worth!
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shop-teacher
> Stef Schrader
10/28/2019 at 20:05 |
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Cool! As you may be able to tell from Miss Mercedes' Death Car, Illinois doesn't do inspections. So long as you have a signed title and a check, the state DMV says send it.
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Stef Schrader
> shop-teacher
10/28/2019 at 20:54 |
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Always send it.
Always. <3
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shop-teacher
> Stef Schrader
10/28/2019 at 20:56 |
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Agreed! :D
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Stef Schrader
> Let's try it out!
10/28/2019 at 22:20 |
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They deleted the whole post!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
So, none of the
comments are going to show up, sadly.
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Let's try it out!
> Stef Schrader
10/29/2019 at 04:57 |
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I hate to say it, but you must be glad you got out when you did.
I still want to see you writing for Grassroots Motorsport mag. I’ll write letters to them demanding they recruit you for a season running a car in the lemons series. Finance it on patreon if necessary.
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Stef Schrader
> Let's try it out!
10/29/2019 at 12:15 |
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It’s a mixed bag! I really miss working with the Jalopnik crew, regardless of their management issues. They’re good folks, they have fantastic editors who really care about putting quality work on the site, and they deserve better treatment than what they’re getting from above.
FWIW, the next full-time
job really needs to pay enough that the Patreon becomes the extra
fun money it’s meant to
be
, and not something that chips in for normal expenses
. “That’s a track day!” is the lone financial goal marked there for a reason. It’s been way too long since I’ve done one.
I really should pitch GRM
again when I work through the current log of outstanding pitches, though—the staff is full of genuinely good humans and the content is EXTREMELY relevant to my interests
. I’d be giddy as heck to see something I wrote in there.