[Skyraider]

My name is Gordon and the 12 xB which is 3 weeks old is my first Scion. My son owns a 1st generation and has not given me to much grief over it getting a bit fat a$$ed as he calls it.

He has not done any mods, using it as an effective family hauler. I on the other hand plan on doing mostly audio upgrades and perhaps some suspension work to try to reduce the body roll.

So far I have matted all five doors both outer and inner skins. Changed out the factory speakers with some Polk's I had in the garage. ( slightly disappointed in the boominess). I've added TRD 19's and have the springs ready to go in.

I look forward to learning about our remarkable cars!

Gordon

 

[BrickPig]

Congrats and Welcome to the site!

Take a look around the site, some of us have cured our bass blues by one (or in some cases, more than one) of the following:

- replace at least one if not both pairs of door speakers
- Bazooka box made for our cars in the cargo RH corner, about $180 shipped (via eBay, search for Scion xb bazooka))
- custom sub boxes, price and volume hit vary
- hidden stealth sub box under the front passenger seat (my favorite), price varies

The TRD rear sway bar is a great addition. Or for the ultimate, replace front and add rear Hotchkiss sway bars.

Have fun! Let the Mods to your box begin!

 

[evilcalvin]

welcome to the inner sanctum

 

[Dale]

Congrats Gordon. What color is it,auto or 5 spd? Where in Md.,I live in central (Parkville).
Dale

 

[phobic]

congrats on the purchase gordon! What kinda springs do you have to put in?

 

[TartanJack]

Congrats!!

 

[Skyraider]

Thanks for the warm welcome folks! To answer several questions:

I plan on installing the TRD springs to get a taste of the dump they give. I've seen the great pics of cars dumped to the ground but not sure I'm prepared to go that low yet. Perhaps in time I'll get sucked in!

It is black with an auto. My wife can't drive a stick without torching a clutch (believe me, she can slick a clutch within days)

Dale, we live in Lexington Park. It is so far backwoods they import sunlight.

I've a lot to learn about this car but am enjoying the gas mileage! I traded a 10 Tundra in on it and don't miss the truck. Until the wife buys something that won't fit in the xB or the Venza!

Gordon

 

[Dale]

If wifee buys something THAT big "your going to need a bigger boat". I also got rid of my Tundra (2000). I was getting 16mpg in city now getting 23.5 in city. the nicest thing I like about the xB is that you can do a lot.From changing the look,lights,ride,sound,performance,
etc.These changes are unlimited! Have fun.

 

[ManInTheBox]

Welcome Gordon. I too am a first time Scion owner. I caught the mod fever from day one and haven't stopped since. This is my 4th show car and by far my favorite of the lot.

There are nothing but good people on this site. We are all happy to help with your new addiction!

 

[chiz]

Sup Gordon,

I live in MD and one of the heads of the local scikotics club. Would love to have you on board. We have some members down the LP area. Shoot me a PM and I will keep you informed of any meets and such. Might be doing a 1stgen headliner and reinstalling new bags on my 2nd gen box this saturday and there is a car meet up at Baysocks stadium this sunday. Hit me up!

Craig

 

[TartanJack]

Skyraider . . .
I want to ask:
Is your name derived from the Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider aircraft?

 

[Skyraider]

Skyraider . . .
I want to ask:
Is your name derived from the Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider aircraft?

Indeed it is! I restored vintage airplanes to flying condition for about 10 years. The AD-1 was my favorite project that I spent nearly three years on.

Gordon

 

[Skyraider]

Sup Gordon,

I live in MD and one of the heads of the local scikotics club. Would love to have you on board. We have some members down the LP area. Shoot me a PM and I will keep you informed of any meets and such. Might be doing a 1stgen headliner and reinstalling new bags on my 2nd gen box this saturday and there is a car meet up at Baysocks stadium this sunday. Hit me up!

Craig

My car is at the dealer right now having the TRD springs installed. Would have done it myself but work demands forced me into the dealer option. Hate paying for something I can do myself.

The sunday meet sounds like it may be fun and a learning experience for me. May be able to make that. A few details?

Gordon

 

[TartanJack]

Indeed it is! I restored vintage airplanes to flying condition for about 10 years. The AD-1 was my favorite project that I spent nearly three years on.

Gordon

Thanks.

I'm an aviation nut. I like a variety of aircraft, esp. the "odd ball" ones that are exceptional at their designed task and found to be adaptable to excel at others they weren't envisioned to do. For example, the F-14 (which became a bomber at the end of its career), the A-10, the A-26/B-26 Invader (which served from WW2-Vietnam and created the role the A-10 filled), the C-130 Hercules series, A-4 Skyhawk (a 1950s lights attack aircraft they was excellent as a fighter but retired when he airframes were just WAY too old and the ejection seats stopped working right), all three Harrier variations (A, B and Sea Harrier) and many, many more.

The xB2 reminds me, specifically, of the A-26 and C-130 or C-123 for some reason. I'd love to see one "themed" as one of those.

 

[Skyraider]

It's amazing the people we meet on forums! I work for the company that built the F14 and have extensive flight line experience with it. The B-26 is another project I worked on. The owner bought it after it was converted into a fire spotter. We ripped out all the chairs in the bomb bay and reconfigured it back to original with functioning doors and front deflectors.

I also was a mechanic on the the A-4, A7 and E2 over the past 35 years. I'm a retired Navy guy and still have my hand in airplanes. Well, more like supervising those that do which bothers me since I much prefer to sling wrenches than do paperwork!!

If your interested, google The FighterFactory. The owner has about 45 airplanes located in Virginia Beach, VA. One can tour the hangers and 95% of the aircraft fly. Mustangs, Hurricane, Spitfire and the Corsair are just some of the superb aircraft I had the honor of working on.

Gordon

 

[TartanJack]

I know of The Fighter Factory. I'm glad it has survived the recession. So many of the places I would like to visit one day are no more in the last 3 years. Unfortunately, Virginia Beach is nearly a 8 hour drive for me, so I've yet to actually head up there.

A good site on the A-26 is:
The Douglas A-26 Invader
Which one did you work on? There aren't that many left, though there are enough to have flying examples and even a few working ones. Most were used up or scrapped for parts to keep the remaining ones working. That is a plane that finally just gave out rather than becoming obsolete.

The 130 amazes me in that it was developed for the Korean War/Conflict and expected to have a 5 year production run and a max of 15 year operation life. Yet, it has been in production from the late 1950s through today and for the foreseeable future. As I recall, it is the ONLY aircraft that was/is still being produced while older examples are being retired from "old age" and being put into museums.

I'd love to talk with you sometime about the Grumman "Iron Works."

 

[Skyraider]

In my line of work, I travel on the 130 all the time. It is said that the 130 dosen't fly, it hovers and lets the earth rotate below it! HAHA!! My last trip was in the J model and it was a very smooth ride with the 6 blade props. And the heat worked!

I work with guys who were part of the Grumman Iron Works. It was like a family according to them. After we became NorthropGrumman, things changed and became more corporate. Still a great company to work for, but hearing the older guys talk about "Grumman" makes one yearn for those days. Although Grumman would have folded without the Northrop cash, we still make some fine aircraft. NGC is allowing me to pay the bills and eat, unlike many folks today.

By the way, the Fighter Factory is where I worked. I loved the job!!!!! If you can swing it, it would be worth the drive to just experience being around these wonderful aircraft. I still get goosebumps when I think about what these planes did and I had the privelage of working on them.

Gordon

 

[chiz]

Yeah Gordon the meet is on sunday at the baysocks stadium up in Bowie. Expect about 1200 cars or so. Its not a scion only meet.

College Park Tuning :: Try and Keep up! - Announcements in Forum : Spring Meet '12

we are meeting up around 1100 at the marshals near costco in brandywine.

we can chat tomorrow at the dealership.

chiz