What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[DFB5.0]

If you've got it flaunt it. Wonder what they were thinking...higher Vmax maybe

I was waiting for that comment.

Thankfully, AU was the last model with a traditional aerial.

Sponsored

 

[DFB5.0]

It's all about little victories at the moment. I'm trying to keep my brain active while being mindful that I'm supposed to be resting. Cleaning out the chemical cabinet was a low impact task that was quite satisfying. And after a long break, I've been making coffee again.

After writing the Audio post the other day, it gave me an idea for the garage.

In the garage, I'm normally wearing noise cancelling headphones. This offers a twofold benefit, audio entertainment and noise protection from tools like pressure washers, polishers and blowers. I can also pump the volume when desired and not annoy the neighbors. The exception to this would be when working without the use of noisy tools, in which case I'll play a podcast or music via a Bluetooth capable Makita Jobsite Radio, which punches well above its compact dimensions would suggest.

MAKITA 7.2/18V Jobsite Radio Bluetooth Skin DMR108 | Total Tools

When I upgraded the audio in the house earlier this year, my old Panasonic has been gathering dust in the spare room. As I said, the post I wrote the other day spurred me to drag the old Panasonic out and set it up in the garage. There was only one practical spot for this, on top of my chemical/microfiber cabinets.

Early 2000's design and technology in full glory here...................

Of course, I had to look up the specs -

- Super Woofer Drive System with Bi-Amp Bi-Wiring Configuration.
- 3-Way 3-Speaker System with 6-3/4"" Super Woofer and PP Mica Woofer.
- Large FL display with spectrum analyzer.
- 5-CD changer with 5 direct play keys.
- Super Sound EQ for dynamic sound at the touch of a button.
- 3-D Space EQ (Disco, Hall, Live, Heavy, Clear, Soft) with Jog Control

I'm under no illusions that this is the best thing since sliced bread, or that it will create an exceptional listening experience in a garage. But, its better than gathering dust in the spare room.

It's been a very long time since I've played a cassette or CD. Because this thing predates Bluetooth, I've connected a Bluetooth converter via the auxiliary jack.

Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter - JB Hi-Fi

The Panasonic addition meant relocating my polisher battery chargers to join the rest on my charging panel, then moving the buckets to left. This also gave me a chance to do some cable management and velcroing the power board in place to stop it sliding around on top of the cabinet.

So, I guess the neighbors will be hating me even more soon.

 

[DFB5.0]

After I left hospital, I've been setup with Hospital In the Home (HITH). The concept here is to get people out of hospital beds and back into the comfort of their homes. Patients are then visited daily for as long as needed and given access to a 24/7 on-call nurse. Because I'm connected to a negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) pump, this qualified me for HITH.

And I have to say, compared to other post-surgery hospital discharges where I was booted out with no plan or instructions, having this daily visit and advice has been very helpful and reduced my stress levels. If there was one very minor thing to critique, it's that I've had a different nurse every single day. Personally, it would be nice if the same nurse called each day to maintain some consistency, mainly so that I'm not explaining the situation every day. That said, today's nurse visit was quite moving, and without the revolving door, may not have happened.

At the start of 2020, my dog decided to sneak out an open door and subsequently went for a rather long walk around town. Cue driving around and around hoping to find him, and the local ranger being called. At one point, someone had spotted him, called the ranger and was then put onto me. Naturally, I went looking for him at his last sighting. This person also put him up on the local lost pets Facebook page. I remember coming home at about 6.30pm completely spent, having a shower and not a moment after giving up hope of seeing him again, the phone rang. The caller had got my number from Facebook and went on to tell me they had located him at an address...............my address. It turns out she had seen him be hit by a car, the driver looking back but drove away. She was with her husband, she tried to get hold of him, both ended up following him until he found home and climbed behind the front window hedge.

By the time I got out the front door, I briefly greeted them in tears before diving into the hedge to find him completely frightened and bleeding from his leg. I completely lost my composure at this stage, knowing he would need to rushed to the vet, I briefly thanked them as they watched on in distress. It makes me incredibly sad writing this, for both the terror in my poor boy's eyes during that moment, and because I never did properly thank those two very kind people. They too could have driven on and gotten on with their Friday night, but they didn't.

This would have to be one of the worst days of my life. I then had to get up in the morning and run the nursery for the weekend while the family attended a wedding out of town. That's not something I do often and so I had a lot of pressure on me, having to deal with Faych's disappearance and its consequences only compounded the stress I was under that weekend.

So, I tell that story because as today's nurse approached me from the driveway, she mentioned that this place seemed very familiar and asked if I had a little black dog. Today's nurse was the very kind lady who gave up her own Friday night to follow Faych home and make sure he was in safe hands. So, her visit to my house this time was under very different circumstances, and despite my medical condition, I was more coherent and composed than the last time she was here. This time for Faych was also a different experience too.

It's a small world and sometimes it's funny how things turn out, not only four years ago, but today. I was actually writing about Faych going missing yesterday, and two other patients that my nurse visited today were also previous historical encounters.

So, today I thanked her properly for what she did, I will never forget it.

 

[kilobravo]

Being a devout "dog person," I began to get nervous when you said Faych went on a stroll but when you mentioned the hit and run, I began to worry bigtime. Can't tell you how many times one of our pups has taken off for a stroll over the years but I know all too well the fear and anxiety associated with a lost dog.

Needless to say, I was MOST relieved to read that some stranger, (obviously another dog person,) went out of her way to make sure he got back home.

But you didn't mention the extent of his injury although it sounded like it wasn't life-threatening.

Bottom line, I am so, SO glad you two are re-united and I hope he doesn't repeat the adventure again anytime soon.

 

[Evolvd]

@DFB5.0 you hit me in the feels this morning. I have 4 pups and one of them loves to escape any chance she can get. She’s a beagle so her nose often gets her in trouble. We live a few hundred yards away from a very busy state highway and my fear is one day she’ll make it there and meet her end. She’s come come within a stones throw of that highway before.

Glad to hear this was a happy ending for you. Some people are just bell-ends and have no compassion for others. Thankfully your nurse was not one of those people.

 

[GT 550]

So, today I thanked her properly for what she did, I will never forget it.

The opportunity to finally thank her was an amazing gift

 

[DFB5.0]

Being a devout "dog person," I began to get nervous when you said Faych went on a stroll but when you mentioned the hit and run, I began to worry bigtime. Can't tell you how many times one of our pups has taken off for a stroll over the years but I know all too well the fear and anxiety associated with a lost dog.

Needless to say, I was MOST relieved to read that some stranger, (obviously another dog person,) went out of her way to make sure he got back home.

But you didn't mention the extent of his injury although it sounded like it wasn't life-threatening.

Bottom line, I am so, SO glad you two are re-united and I hope he doesn't repeat the adventure again anytime soon.

The hit from the car broke his back leg and ripped one of the claws out, which caused a lot of bleeding, the sight of that was probably the most distressing. This all happened at about 7pm, so the emergency vet visit was after hours. I ended up being the nurse while the vet attended to him with pain relief and X-rays. In some ways, I'm glad it played out like that because I was able to stay with him, a familiar face after a day of being alone. He's such a clingy dog, so it breaks my heart to think of him in distress like that. He also has epilepsy, which is well controlled by meds, so the thought of that running out of his system and then having a fit without appropriate care was hard to take as well.

The next day he then had surgery to pin the leg, then obviously quite a long rehab process. This all happened as Covid was taking off, when visiting the vet for checkup and dressing changes, they wouldn't allow us inside the building, they'd collect him from the parking lot and bring back after they were done.

@DFB5.0 you hit me in the feels this morning. I have 4 pups and one of them loves to escape any chance she can get. She’s a beagle so her nose often gets her in trouble. We live a few hundred yards away from a very busy state highway and my fear is one day she’ll make it there and meet her end. She’s come come within a stones throw of that highway before.

Glad to hear this was a happy ending for you. Some people are just bell-ends and have no compassion for others. Thankfully your nurse was not one of those people.

See, the reason this happened was due to a change in routine. I would normally take him for a walk before heading to work. Well, that morning I had to take off early to attend to something before that walk. After a family member made a flying trip home, they were in and out before anyone noticed he had snuck out. It wasn't until I returned home to go for that walk that I noticed he was missing. I truly believe he went looking for me that day, so that he wouldn't miss out on walkies. As I said, he is very clingy.

The opportunity to finally thank her was an amazing gift

It's funny how the world works sometimes. I'm not spiritual or religious, but someone was watching down us that day.

 

[DFB5.0]

I've been helping a family friend buy a Mustang over the last few days. For whatever reason, he decided that he just had to have one, and who can blame him! This guy has had a huge variety of cars, including a Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG with that glorious supercharged V8. For him, getting a Mustang was about having some fun.

Having decided that he liked the S550 better, and that he wanted the later FN model, from there I guess he just needed some first-hand ownership advise. My main advice was around not expecting perfection, which he understood after owning a previous generation Jeep Grand Cherokee. Being a Ford, the mechanicals are robust, with the basic engine and transmission architecture being used in the F-series, they kinda have to be. I think I was also able asses the examples he was looking at in terms what was standard and what was fitted aftermarket. But most of all, it was about confirming that nothing else on the market at those prices can compete with the fun factor a Mustang brings to the table.

After looking at a late build GT Hardtop in Velocity Blue, he ultimately ended up buying this 2018 build example in Race Red. I mean, the man has exceptional taste......................

The car has the factory-style "over-the-top" fade stripes, aftermarket gloss black spoiler and window louvers, additional pony badges fitted to the fenders and aftermarket side scoops. The badges and window louvers will most likely go. It's fitted with the standard seats and 10-speed auto, no Magneride either. Apparently, it's been ceramic coated as well.

The car is perfect for him and I hope it brings plenty of joy.

 

[DFB5.0]

Gearing Up!

Previous to my S550, the only manual cars I had driven were basic work vehicles, think delivery vans and single-cab pickups trucks. In 2010, I took delivery of manual PK Ranger, which became my daily driver. That car was replaced in 2016 with a new PX MK II Ranger. In both cases, Ford did not even offer an automatic transmission, so I really didn’t have a choice. I would complain about the diesel-manual combo being a drag in daily driving, but both of those cars taught me how to heal-toe rev match and hone my shifting skills.

For any other car I have bought, I’d confidently say that a manual was never part of the equation, to the point where it wasn’t even considered for more than a second. Why? Because in most cases, the auto was faster or the better option, to the point where I truly doubted the whole point of a manual in modern motoring. Once upon a time, you bought the manual because it had more gears, was faster, more efficient and overall, the better driving experience. However, once automatics started to match and then exceed a manual in terms of gear count, the balance shifted. You know, a lot is said about “save the manual” or “you’re not a real car enthusiast if you don’t like or buy a manual”. Said people will almost always have an automatic in their daily driver, probably the “fun” car too. So, what is the hype about? If they are so good, why don’t car companies sell more of them…………….and that includes sports cars where both options are offered.

So, after all that……………………I’ve said this before, but it wasn’t until I bought a Mustang did I come to understand why so many people get hooked on the whole V8 manual thing. In complete contrast to what I said above, I didn’t even consider the auto when placing my order for the S550. Why? Because if I was jumping in the deep end, I wanted the full Mustang experience.

Very early on, I felt like I had made a mistake going for the Getrag MT-82 6-speed manual. The strange clutch action made it difficult to drive off the line, it was a case of stalling it or stuttering away from a set of lights. Not cool. I was dialing up revs like I would normally, when in fact it was better to allow the car to it for you, as in, ease off the clutch and the computer responds with the correct amount of throttle. Obviously that changes when doing a hard launch, but it took me a while to get used to that arrangement. Once I did though, I began to really love that relationship between hands and feet.

Now, the elephant in the room……………..the Chinese made Getrag MT-82 and its reputation for poor reliability. The thing is, I think what ruins this transmissions reputation is a lack of build consistency rather than quality. Some of them are brilliant, some of them are grindy, some of them make a lot of noise, some of them break. Mine? Well, it was extremely noisy at low speed from brand new and had the very occasional gritty shift into third. The later 2018+ MT-82 D4 was stronger than before, but was way overgeared for the high revving Coyote, which sifted the balance toward the 10-speed auto. I have a personal belief that those who manage to blow up MT-82’s are shifting them in the most brutal of ways, then complaining when it breaks. There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing some tuff young lad powershifting his Mustang (or Camaro, Corvette……….) to prove this theory.

It wasn’t until I got to drive a few 6-speed auto Mustang GT’s did I fully appreciate the manual experience. The Ford-GM ZF 6-speed copy was ok, but nowhere near as good as the real ZF 6-speed, they just lacked the sharpness of the manual and felt like an old school slush box in comparison. With the MT-82 manual, I liked it more than the internet had me believing. The direct shift linkage made this version more precise compared to the MT-82 fitted to my Ranger and its horrible remote shifter linkage system. I especially loved the ultra-short gearing, which made the car feel more powerful than it was. I also liked the shift weight and crisp feel through the just-right shifter. Many owners swapped out the shifter knob, but I thought Ford got it right. I would have liked a better pedal placement to make heal-toe easier, many fitted aftermarket kids to remedy this.

So why, you may ask, did I go for the 10-speed automatic if I loved the manual V8 Mustang experience? Once again, I wanted to try something new. If Ford had put the Tremec in the GT as well as the Darkhorse, maybe that would have made the decision harder to make. I think its pretty obvious that the Tremec is what Ford should be using instead of the MT-82, for both strength and the shorter gearing. So, choosing the 10-speed was for two reasons, the aforementioned “something new” and for the shorter gearing and how it better suits the high-revving Coyote V8.

The 10-speed automatic was part of a co-development between Ford and General Motors, designed for use in rear-wheel-drive applications. Ford actually did the design work here, with GM taking lead on the 9-speed transverse gearbox. Both companies manufacture their own versions and it’s widely fitted to a range of models, on the Ford side that includes the F-150, Ranger, Bronco, Explorer/Aviator, Expedition, Mustang and even the RWD Transit. While there are five different torque ratings for this gearbox, the Mustang uses the 10R80 version, which started production at Ford's Sharonville Transmission plant in 2018. The 10R80 is a conventional torque converter automatic, with the overall design layout based on the ZF 8-speed. It features a unique triple-clutch arrangement, all the while being the same physical size as the previous 6-speed auto.





I’ve driven plenty of 10-speed automatic Ford’s, both in Ranger and Mustang. Obviously, the diesel 10-speed experience is a world apart from a V8 Mustang, so comparisons and comments regarding those are not relevant here. I have driven S550’s with the 10-speed, and found them excellent when the hammer went down, but felt they were lost at low speed/normal driving conditions. Too many gears, too many choices. So, ordering a new S650 10-speed was a moment of blind faith.

In the intervening years, Ford have worked hard on improving the calibration for the 10-speed auto, both in Ranger and Mustang. The most obvious change I have noticed is they do far less gear-skipping, so the upshifts are smoother and more natural feeling. In early examples, I found that the gear skip left the engine labouring after an upshift.

In this S650, so far I have been really liking this transmission. I think it goes without saying, I really dislike CVT autos, but then I also don’t really love DCT’s either. For me personally, a torque converter is the perfect compromise, especially since the advent of the ZF 6 and 8-speeds. The slushiness of a traditional torque converter is mostly gone, so you get a much more responsive feel and none of the abruptness that can come from a DCT. In the Mustang, the shift speeds both up and down are great, the rev-match down shifts are epic! The gearbox shift response and calibration can be altered via the drive mode, and manual shifts are available at any time via the paddles, reverting back to auto after afterwards. Manual control can also be locked by moving the shifter from D to M.

I will say though, manual inputs by the paddles are quite delayed. I went looking to see if the drive mode selection made a difference here, however there was no mention of improved response, just that the actual gear shifts were quicker in Sport/Drag/Track modes, not necessarily faster manual response. Those modes do provide more sensitivity to throttle inputs when left in drive, likewise holding gears for longer before upshifting.

In normal driving, the transmission is very smooth and natural feeling. Having said that, you do hear the car shifting a lot. In heavier acceleration, up to a point at the moment as the car is still too new for aggressive driving, the shifts are firm and quick in engagement. As mentioned, those rev matched down shifts are a delight, especially the 3rd to 2nd. I also love having paddle shifters on a performance car for the first time. At some point, I may look at extenders for the paddles, they are just a tad small, especially when cornering.

If I was to critique, it would be minor. The above-mentioned slow response to manual inputs being the main one. The second, I would still love to have manual function with the gear lever, something Ford themselves did so right with the BA through FGX Falcons, push forward to downshift, pull back to upshift. And lastly, with so many gears to account for, it can be hard to know what gear is being used unless in manual mode. On the Ranger, you can actually initiate a gear count in auto mode, which I find quite useful.

Overall, I’m happy I went automatic this time. I did think I would get bored without the manual transmission, but that hasn’t really played out so far. An automatic just suits my driving style more, and with a competent auto, it means I can set it to KILL and have some fun, then select D and enjoy the comfort at the end.

 

[radar]

I've been helping a family friend buy a Mustang over the last few days. For whatever reason, he decided that he just had to have one, and who can blame him! This guy has had a huge variety of cars, including a Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG with that glorious supercharged V8. For him, getting a Mustang was about having some fun.

Having decided that he liked the S550 better, and that he wanted the later FN model, from there I guess he just needed some first-hand ownership advise. My main advice was around not expecting perfection, which he understood after owning a previous generation Jeep Grand Cherokee. Being a Ford, the mechanicals are robust, with the basic engine and transmission architecture being used in the F-series, they kinda have to be. I think I was also able asses the examples he was looking at in terms what was standard and what was fitted aftermarket. But most of all, it was about confirming that nothing else on the market at those prices can compete with the fun factor a Mustang brings to the table.

After looking at a late build GT Hardtop in Velocity Blue, he ultimately ended up buying this 2018 build example in Race Red. I mean, the man has exceptional taste......................

The car has the factory-style "over-the-top" fade stripes, aftermarket gloss black spoiler and window louvers, additional pony badges fitted to the fenders and aftermarket side scoops. The badges and window louvers will most likely go. It's fitted with the standard seats and 10-speed auto, no Magneride either. Apparently, it's been ceramic coated as well.

The car is perfect for him and I hope it brings plenty of joy.

Well, what can I say?

 

[skinnyb]

Gearing Up!

Previous to my S550, the only manual cars I had driven were basic work vehicles, think delivery vans and single-cab pickups trucks. In 2010, I took delivery of manual PK Ranger, which became my daily driver. That car was replaced in 2016 with a new PX MK II Ranger. In both cases, Ford did not even offer an automatic transmission, so I really didn’t have a choice. I would complain about the diesel-manual combo being a drag in daily driving, but both of those cars taught me how to heal-toe rev match and hone my shifting skills.

For any other car I have bought, I’d confidently say that a manual was never part of the equation, to the point where it wasn’t even considered for more than a second. Why? Because in most cases, the auto was faster or the better option, to the point where I truly doubted the whole point of a manual in modern motoring. Once upon a time, you bought the manual because it had more gears, was faster, more efficient and overall, the better driving experience. However, once automatics started to match and then exceed a manual in terms of gear count, the balance shifted. You know, a lot is said about “save the manual” or “you’re not a real car enthusiast if you don’t like or buy a manual”. Said people will almost always have an automatic in their daily driver, probably the “fun” car too. So, what is the hype about? If they are so good, why don’t car companies sell more of them…………….and that includes sports cars where both options are offered.

So, after all that……………………I’ve said this before, but it wasn’t until I bought a Mustang did I come to understand why so many people get hooked on the whole V8 manual thing. In complete contrast to what I said above, I didn’t even consider the auto when placing my order for the S550. Why? Because if I was jumping in the deep end, I wanted the full Mustang experience.

Very early on, I felt like I had made a mistake going for the Getrag MT-82 6-speed manual. The strange clutch action made it difficult to drive off the line, it was a case of stalling it or stuttering away from a set of lights. Not cool. I was dialing up revs like I would normally, when in fact it was better to allow the car to it for you, as in, ease off the clutch and the computer responds with the correct amount of throttle. Obviously that changes when doing a hard launch, but it took me a while to get used to that arrangement. Once I did though, I began to really love that relationship between hands and feet.

Now, the elephant in the room……………..the Chinese made Getrag MT-82 and its reputation for poor reliability. The thing is, I think what ruins this transmissions reputation is a lack of build consistency rather than quality. Some of them are brilliant, some of them are grindy, some of them make a lot of noise, some of them break. Mine? Well, it was extremely noisy at low speed from brand new and had the very occasional gritty shift into third. The later 2018+ MT-82 D4 was stronger than before, but was way overgeared for the high revving Coyote, which sifted the balance toward the 10-speed auto. I have a personal belief that those who manage to blow up MT-82’s are shifting them in the most brutal of ways, then complaining when it breaks. There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing some tuff young lad powershifting his Mustang (or Camaro, Corvette……….) to prove this theory.

It wasn’t until I got to drive a few 6-speed auto Mustang GT’s did I fully appreciate the manual experience. The Ford-GM ZF 6-speed copy was ok, but nowhere near as good as the real ZF 6-speed, they just lacked the sharpness of the manual and felt like an old school slush box in comparison. With the MT-82 manual, I liked it more than the internet had me believing. The direct shift linkage made this version more precise compared to the MT-82 fitted to my Ranger and its horrible remote shifter linkage system. I especially loved the ultra-short gearing, which made the car feel more powerful than it was. I also liked the shift weight and crisp feel through the just-right shifter. Many owners swapped out the shifter knob, but I thought Ford got it right. I would have liked a better pedal placement to make heal-toe easier, many fitted aftermarket kids to remedy this.

So why, you may ask, did I go for the 10-speed automatic if I loved the manual V8 Mustang experience? Once again, I wanted to try something new. If Ford had put the Tremec in the GT as well as the Darkhorse, maybe that would have made the decision harder to make. I think its pretty obvious that the Tremec is what Ford should be using instead of the MT-82, for both strength and the shorter gearing. So, choosing the 10-speed was for two reasons, the aforementioned “something new” and for the shorter gearing and how it better suits the high-revving Coyote V8.

The 10-speed automatic was part of a co-development between Ford and General Motors, designed for use in rear-wheel-drive applications. Ford actually did the design work here, with GM taking lead on the 9-speed transverse gearbox. Both companies manufacture their own versions and it’s widely fitted to a range of models, on the Ford side that includes the F-150, Ranger, Bronco, Explorer/Aviator, Expedition, Mustang and even the RWD Transit. While there are five different torque ratings for this gearbox, the Mustang uses the 10R80 version, which started production at Ford's Sharonville Transmission plant in 2018. The 10R80 is a conventional torque converter automatic, with the overall design layout based on the ZF 8-speed. It features a unique triple-clutch arrangement, all the while being the same physical size as the previous 6-speed auto.




I’ve driven plenty of 10-speed automatic Ford’s, both in Ranger and Mustang. Obviously, the diesel 10-speed experience is a world apart from a V8 Mustang, so comparisons and comments regarding those are not relevant here. I have driven S550’s with the 10-speed, and found them excellent when the hammer went down, but felt they were lost at low speed/normal driving conditions. Too many gears, too many choices. So, ordering a new S650 10-speed was a moment of blind faith.

In the intervening years, Ford have worked hard on improving the calibration for the 10-speed auto, both in Ranger and Mustang. The most obvious change I have noticed is they do far less gear-skipping, so the upshifts are smoother and more natural feeling. In early examples, I found that the gear skip left the engine labouring after an upshift.

In this S650, so far I have been really liking this transmission. I think it goes without saying, I really dislike CVT autos, but then I also don’t really love DCT’s either. For me personally, a torque converter is the perfect compromise, especially since the advent of the ZF 6 and 8-speeds. The slushiness of a traditional torque converter is mostly gone, so you get a much more responsive feel and none of the abruptness that can come from a DCT. In the Mustang, the shift speeds both up and down are great, the rev-match down shifts are epic! The gearbox shift response and calibration can be altered via the drive mode, and manual shifts are available at any time via the paddles, reverting back to auto after afterwards. Manual control can also be locked by moving the shifter from D to M.

I will say though, manual inputs by the paddles are quite delayed. I went looking to see if the drive mode selection made a difference here, however there was no mention of improved response, just that the actual gear shifts were quicker in Sport/Drag/Track modes, not necessarily faster manual response. Those modes do provide more sensitivity to throttle inputs when left in drive, likewise holding gears for longer before upshifting.

In normal driving, the transmission is very smooth and natural feeling. Having said that, you do hear the car shifting a lot. In heavier acceleration, up to a point at the moment as the car is still too new for aggressive driving, the shifts are firm and quick in engagement. As mentioned, those rev matched down shifts are a delight, especially the 3rd to 2nd. I also love having paddle shifters on a performance car for the first time. At some point, I may look at extenders for the paddles, they are just a tad small, especially when cornering.

If I was to critique, it would be minor. The above-mentioned slow response to manual inputs being the main one. The second, I would still love to have manual function with the gear lever, something Ford themselves did so right with the BA through FGX Falcons, push forward to downshift, pull back to upshift. And lastly, with so many gears to account for, it can be hard to know what gear is being used unless in manual mode. On the Ranger, you can actually initiate a gear count in auto mode, which I find quite useful.

Overall, I’m happy I went automatic this time. I did think I would get bored without the manual transmission, but that hasn’t really played out so far. An automatic just suits my driving style more, and with a competent auto, it means I can set it to KILL and have some fun, then select D and enjoy the comfort at the end.

I have to agree, I loved my 10 speed in my S550. It was awesome and I enjoyed my time with it. That said, I did miss a manual so I see both sides of the coin. I also knew I did NOT want the MT 82, and Tremec options are limited... GT350, Mach 1 or Dark Horse. I am NOT a fan of the Voo Doo engine at all (reliability issues, and I personally do not like the sound) , and the Dark Horse is WAY overhyped and overrated so Mach 1 it was . Was extremely fortunate to find a very low mileage example, couldn't be happier...

 

[kilobravo]

I truly believe he went looking for me that day, so that he wouldn't miss out on walkies. As I said, he is very clingy.

Thanks for the info on the incident D and I hope he isn't TOO discombobulated with the leg all bandaged up.

As for "clingy," I DO know what you mean. My sidekick, Buddy, is on the floor next to me sawing logs. <smile>

But I'm SO glad he wasn't injured more seriously and when I see someone in our neighborhood hauling ass down the main street, I nearly always holler at them to "SLOWTF DOWN!" Folks are simply in too big of a hurry these days and a poor pup has to be on the lookout for them.

You give him a big ol' hug from me my friend and tell him he'll be back to normal in no time. <smile>

 

[DFB5.0]

Well, the negative pressure pump did its job! Was in and out of hospital in 5 hours, and despite the usual runaround with paperwork, I managed to hit theater at the exact time I was booked for. Can't ask for more than that. Pump and tube are gone, wound finally closed up. It felt like I took ages to go under this time, which I suspect I got dosed up more than last time because apparently it took me a while to wake up, and I still feel groggy.

Many thanks to those who reached out. I have had sick pay substituted instead of burning my leave. I needed that push because I was just going to ignore it and just focus on getting better.

I'm still a little movement restricted, but.........................LETS GET THIS SHOW BACK ON THE ROAD!

 

[DFB5.0]

At the moment, I'm super keen to get this installed.................................

Compared to the S550, the added hardware on the Gen-4 Coyote means the install now includes two brackets that need to be installed, which stand the catch can off the rocker covers.

(Image courtesy of Mustang7g forum)

 

[DFB5.0]

Thanks for the info on the incident D and I hope he isn't TOO discombobulated with the leg all bandaged up.

As for "clingy," I DO know what you mean. My sidekick, Buddy, is on the floor next to me sawing logs. <smile>

But I'm SO glad he wasn't injured more seriously and when I see someone in our neighborhood hauling ass down the main street, I nearly always holler at them to "SLOWTF DOWN!" Folks are simply in too big of a hurry these days and a poor pup has to be on the lookout for them.

You give him a big ol' hug from me my friend and tell him he'll be back to normal in no time. <smile>

This all happened back in 2020. This week's encounter with the person who helped bring him home, a nurse who was visiting my home for my post surgery care, was the first time I got to thank her for what she did back then. His leg thankfully made a full recovery.

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