Camaro Update: 4/25/2014

It's been a bit since any updates.  I finished up the transmission a few days ago, and thanks to a neighbor, got it out of the basement using a 2 wheel dolly.  WAY easier than how we got it into the basement, by carrying it, with the help of a different neighbor.  Once in the garage, I bolted up the new flex-plate with new ARP bolts, installed the engine mounts, and bolted the TH400 to the back of the engine.  Once bolted up and ready to go, I installed the engine/trans without too much trouble.  Now that the engine is in place I can start knocking some of the items off my list that required an installed powertrain.  I still hope to have it up and running in May, so that when I start furlough in early June, I can enjoy cruising it and hopefully hit the track once or twice.


















Here is the trans all buttoned up and ready to make the trip out to the garage.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I did everything right, haven't not rebuilt a trans in about 15 years.  I'm confident it will function fine, but until I bang through three gears, I won't know for sure.



The 2 wheel dolly.  Man, I gotta get one of these.



In my younger years, I chopped up the hood latch/valence support in order to make room for an electric fan I was installing.  Support be damned!  Now, realizing it was a dumb move, I replaced the support with a non-chopped version.






Time to get the engine hoisted up and ready to install.

Flex-plate installed.

Engine mounts installed.



Engine and trans mated.



In she goes, with Sasha off to the left supervising.



Finally back in!  This is the earliest I can recall having my engine in the car.  Hopefully, I can go a few years without pulling it out this time.

AfterBuzz TV DWTS Season 18: Henry Byalikov

It was so great to be back in studio this week. I missed everyone! We had a bit of last minute shuffling going on with Julz having to rehearse (not-DWTS related) and Sasha Farber having DWTS rehearsal. It's okay though because we had the amazing Henry Byalikov in studio with us. He's been such a good friend to the show back to our early days in Season 15 with just Suri and me. Go back and watch an episode, it's sooooo different from the panel we have now.

The Party Anthem week was eh-okay to me. I am looking forward to Latin Week with Ricky Martin. Now that's what I call exciting! Drew exited this week which I was sad about since he made a huge impression on me personality-wise.

I called NeNe again for an exit next week, but a few people made a strong case for Candace (No! I'm not ready for her to leave yet.) exiting.


Who do you think will leave? Let me know in the comments below.

Camaro Update: 4-19/2014

Just a quick update. My transmission is nearly finished, as all I have left is the shift kit, valve body, tail housing, and a few small odds and ends. My plan, as it stands, is to get the engine and transmission installed on Tuesday. I have quite a few pictures of the progress, but have yet to find time to get them uploaded. Look for more updates, with pictures, come next Tuesday.

Roadkill: Episode 27

For a beater, this Vette doesn't look too bad!

DWTS Season 18, Week 5: My Thoughts

I am so sorry to have missed Disney Week on DWTS. As an avid Disney fan, I thought this was one of the best-executed shows from the costumes to the props, it was fun. Since I missed the AfterBuzz show this week because I was in New York for Hyundai's live 2015 Sonata launch (See photos here and here.), I thought I would give a few short thoughts on this week's show.

Opening Number: Mandy Moore did what she does best…use the space and choreograph for the camera. I loved Mark, Derek and Val on the steps. Their trio was my favorite highlight from the opening number.

Drew/Cheryl: While this wasn't his cleanest week, I love that he throws himself into each dance. What I adore about this season is that the cast is really likable. Drew has been one of the biggest surprises for me. Count me as a fan! (And how cute was the pep talk Cheryl gave him before the dance began?)

Charlie/Sharna: I don't care that he dropped the cane — that was spectacular! I am rarely a fan of props on DWTS, but the cane choreography was divine with the footwork. Sharna is one of the best choreographers on that show and she proved it with that number. Congratulations to Charlie for keeping up with such challenging steps. (And hello…he did a bumper with penguins--YES!)

Photo via @JonyCalderon11 

Danica/Val: I think this was her breakthrough week. She needed to really step out and distinguish herself since it's a talented group and we are halfway through the season. Val is one of my favorite choreographers on the show and this Quickstep showed off his skills nicely. I had to watch this routine twice though because the plates (AKA Lindsay and Jenna) stole the show. 

Amy/Derek: Amy makes everything look so easy. This week, we learned how hard it really is for her. While she is primarily an athlete, she shines in her performance every week. This piece was beautiful in a very pretty and quiet way. 

Witney/Cody: While I wasn't surprised it was the end of the line for Cody after Kristin Hope did her awesome Facebook-ology research. (His dance with Sharna was the fans' least favorite during the Switch-Up.) He had a really good showing in the Samba though. I don't agree with Donny at all. Cody is 17, he's not going to have a cheesy Disney grin. He went out on a good note and Witney proved she is a total star. Great first year as a pro!

NeNe/Tony: This was the perfect character for her and I loved what this pair did out on the dance floor. As for the package, they are two strong personalities and things will get heated in the rehearsal room. If you saw their emotion after the dance, you know they really like each other. However, Tony needs to take a constructive comment and roll with it. Carrie Ann shared that Derek's work with Nene helped her out. Any elite athlete or performer will seek out an additional coach for a big performance/event. It's no different in this situation. It only helped their case out on the dance floor.

James/Peta: Hello, star lift! James has proven himself to be such a contender in a jam-packed fight for the Top 4. I'm not sure I would call this a perfect 10 performance, but it was darn close. (And hello…he needed a costume, it's Disney Week!)

Meryl/Maks: I am always wanting more from Meryl and I always go back to wanting Maks to add more content for Meryl. However, I'm starting to think that it's because Meryl makes everything look so darn easy. It's effortless and that's a hard quality to come by. It was a cute routine and I had no problem with Meryl's footwear in this situation…it gave her a barefoot look for the costume — I get it.

Candace/Mark:  I'm glad she had such a good week after being unfairly judged last week. I loved Mark as a crab! How did Donny not understand what he was doing with his hands? I have to say I am rooting for Candace. She's not going to be in the Top 4, but her positivity and her message that  you can be sexy and still covered up is kind of awesome. 

Prediction for Elimination: NeNe--I think that package will hurt her votes a bit even though the producers probably upped the drama on their little tiff. 

Amy Purdy Scoop: While I was in New York, I ran into the Toyota executive who was responsible for bringing Amy onto the Toyota sponsorship team. (I had seen him at the DWTS show I attended with my niece, but we didn't get a chance to chat.) He first saw her at the TED Talk back in 2011 and approached her after the speech. He is such a fan and Toyota is truly supportive of all of her endeavors. On the sly, he also told me, "That Peta girl is something, isn't she?" I had to laugh.

(Disclosure: I hosted a show for Toyota for five years.)

Let me know your thoughts on Disney Week in the comments below.

Awesome Quotes Pics

Camaro Update: 4-11-2014

Yesterday I got the roll bar padding installed, carpet in, and seats installed.  It's starting to look like a car once again!

Camaro Update: 4-10-2014

Today entailed reorganizing the work bench, once again, as things were getting out of hand.  After that, I spent the better part of the day insulating the trunk.  I was initially hesitant as to whether or not I wanted to do the trunk.  Now that it's complete, I'm so glad I did.  The difference is noticeable, even while simply working inside the car and in the trunk. You can tell that noise is easily cancelled out, and look forward to both a quieter, and much cooler car this summer.  Tomorrow, I hope to get the carpet and seats installed, more wiring covered, and the roll bar padding installed.  While I initially had hoped to get my transmission finished up this week, I think my time has been much better spent in the garage.  With two little ones, it's much easier to work on my transmission in the basement than it is to disappear to the garage.  My wife's on spring break in another week, so I should easily have the transmission finished and engine/trans back in the car.  I'm still planning on hitting the road in May, and the track in June.

Camaro Update: 4-9-2014

After a full day of work, it doesn't feel like I've accomplished much.  I got the underside of my hood painted, covering up the spackle paint, which had seen better days.  I got the car down off the jack stands, so it would be easier to work on, then put a coat of spackle paint in the trunk. The rest of the day was consumed by installation of the sound deadener.  I doubled up the transmission tunnel, as an extra effort to keep the heat out.  With the deadener installed, I can now work on getting the carpet and seats back in the car.  I didn't even touch the transmission today, as I felt my efforts would be better out in the garage.

2014 Dodge Challenger SRT8

My father-in-law recently took delivery of his 2014 Dodge Challenger SRT8, and my brother-in-law, his 2014 Dodge Challenger R/T Shaker Edition.  While the Shaker was home, I did get to check out the SRT8, and it's nothing short of badass!  While the day didn't permit a road test, I look forward to going for a ride in it soon.








Boy have the factory stereo systems ever changed!  18 speakers, 2 subs where the spare tire normally resides.










The Shaker was there, though only in spirit.

Camaro Update: 4-8-2014

Though I haven't updated my status for a bit, I have been forging ahead on my transmission.  I have made much more progress than is even pictures below.  I'm almost down to just the valve body and pump.  Right now however, I am in the garage, working out here for a bit before tackling some more of the trans this evening/tonight.

DWTS Season 18: Artem Chigvintsev & Jenna Johnson

What a rowdy show! I hope you had as much fun as we did. It was a little crazy trying to get in all of our thoughts about Julianne Hough's judging, the Switch-Up, the low scores for Candace Cameron Bure and Macy's Stars of Dance.

Artem Chigvintsev and Jenna Johnson were so much fun. I hope to see Jenna back on the show when we kick SYTYCD back into high gear in late May.

If you missed the show, watch it below.

What are your thoughts on Candace's scores? Let me know in the comments below.

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

I just finished reading this book a few days ago.  As somebody who had to put down his friend/dog of 8+ years, it really hit home.  The book takes a look at life through the eyes of a dog, whose owner is a road course racer.  I've always believed that there is a lot going on inside the head of a dog, and this book does an excellent job of capturing it.  A must read for any dog owner or car enthusiast.

Bizarre images created by Romanian photoshop

Simply Beautiful Photos

A Response to the Naysayers Regarding the DWTS Switch

#DWTS @DancingABC * @KristynBurtt I really have a HUGE disapproval of people who BRAG about how "I KNOW BUT I CAN'T TELL little ole you"
— LePrimm (@LePrimm) April 2, 2014

I normally don't reply to tweets like this, but this season I know I have more followers and some people may not know how I operate. I feel like it's fair to at least explain where I am coming from. While I may host AfterBuzz TV's DWTS show, my day job is working as an entertainment reporter. I like to sniff out the inside scoop. I've done that a few times with DWTS like here and here, but I always make sure to double check my sources. If I can't cross-reference it, I don't report it. You know I will always spill the beans when I can.

Yesterday, before we went live on our Week 3 show, some information about the Switch came down to us. I was stunned. Knowing how hard many of you worked on voting for the best possible matches for your favorite celebs and pros, I felt that the results negated all of your work. My source asked me not to reveal the names and I respected that wish. I would never put someone's job on the line for scoop.

We hinted about that voting issue at the end of the show this week. Instead of being vague about what we said, I clarified as much as I could via Twitter. I like transparency and I try to deliver it as much as possible. While I would have loved to have given you the list, I couldn't. I just wanted all of you to be prepared for the new partnerships. I don't mind the idea of the switch for one week at all, but the execution kind of stinks. As fans of the show, you deserve better.

This gives you a better idea of where I am coming from, but my integrity and #TruthInReporting hashtag means a lot to me and my career.

A big thanks to DWTSGossip and PureDWTS for their support and for having my back….working together is always way better than working against each other. I wish more people would adopt this philosophy. 

DWTS Season 18: Paul Karmiryan

What a hot show! I thought that the Sean Avery controversy was going to be our big topic. Nope, the Switch info came down late in the afternoon and my mouth dropped a bit when I heard the names of some of the couples. I know that PureDWTS did a lot of research to track the partnerships and I certainly saw those same names in my Twitter feed. When those names didn't match up, I knew that something was up…the producers know they screwed up the Twitter vote.

Thank you to Paul Karmiryan for joining us and adding his insight to this week's show. I loved that he, Anna and Julz didn't agree on everything this week. It proves how personal art can be and as viewers we all share different opinions on what we saw. As a panel, we don't always agree and that's what I love about doing the DWTS AfterBuzz TV show.

If you missed the show, watch it below.

Let me know your thoughts on the Sean Avery controversy. Dumped from the show or voted off?