After 7 months of being M.I.A., I'm back. Not much has changed with the ride...put it on hold while we tried to buy a house. Unfortunately, the housing market in DFW sucks harder than a Hoover...

So, we had to renew our Apt. lease...which makes it hard to do much since I don't have an available garage. Anyhow, decided to get back to her. The interior was absolutely filthy, thanks to the awesome material used by GM. After our last snowboarding trip to CO., my seats had the worst water stains EVER. Add to that, some spilled coffee courtesy of the gf & some backseat birthday vomit thanks to the little brother...it was practically bio hazard conditions.Thankfully, mini bro paid for a deep cleaning & detailing after ralphing on my interior.







It came out really well. Was skeptical it would stay that way after reading several posts on here about people spreading stains when attempting to clean. Waited a week or so & then took the after pics.







Once that was all taken care of, I got a full set of real aluminum floor mats & massaged them to contour the floor up front. Probably could have gotten better pics, but oh well. I am thinking of powder coating them copper once I get black carpet...think it'll look pretty cool.



After that, just drove it daily through the cold season & awaited the return of Spring. However, now that spring is here...there was a new issue. I leave my windows cracked for airflow while parked at work in the parking garage. During our drive home, I see something black moving above me...it's a spider. So, while watching both the road & the spider...I see it crawling above my head, but headed towards the window. Now, I think 'ok, it's going to make its way out the window'...but it gets to the edge of the headliner where it slopes down & instead starts repelling down via web, right to my arm. Foolishly, I try to hold the wheel with my left hand while reaching over to intercept him by grabbing his web and throwing him out my drivers window with my right hand. Of course...this causes the wagon to veer left as I twist my body and shoulders in this stupid attempt & WHAM! I hit the curb...not just bounce off, but get lucky enough that there was a break in the median and hit it full on horizontal. Voila! Custom dented wheels...yaaaaaay! Thankfully they were steelies, but still not happy about it...over a stupid spider & I think he lived. God help the next spider I see in my wagon...DOOMSDAY.



To cap it off, I have family coming into town & need the roomy vehicle for transport...so had to buy a new set of wheels & have them shipped to my office. Thank goodness for next day shipping!



Surprisingly, we managed to fit all four wheels into the Crossfire...albeit one had to come out of the box & the gf had to hold one box on her lap...lol. Even so, still amazed they fit.



Getting tires on them & mounted tomorrow. Found a set on Tire Rack for cheap! Kinda have that old school hot rod look, which is the style I like. Really wanted a set of Enkei Falcons, but they are discontinued...so went with these instead. I'll post a few more after they are installed with my new 245/45/17's.

 

Got the new wheels installed this morning. Decided to go with larger tires & a different brand than I previously had. New rubber is BF Goodrich G-force Comp-2's, size 245/45/17. They look really aggressive & fill up the wheel wells nicely. IMO, gives it an even lower look than it did before. Hopefully these will have the great wet weather traction I was missing with my old Falken Ziex 612's.

I actually like the look better than I thought I would!! Excuse the 'dirty' pic...I'll get some more when she is clean.

 

Nice new wheels and tires they look good on your Hhr

I have one dented up steel wheel no curb here
but a nice pot hole at the side of the road.

 

looking good!

 

I did something similar; be sure to check your front end really good, I bent something pretty good.

Good thing is there is a market for the good 5-spoke steelies.

 

Thanks, I wasn't sure until they lowered the lift. Once the wheels hit the ground & started to tuck in nice & tight, I could feel a big grin take over my face.

Haha, that sucks. We get some nasty potholes around here too...that's what caused the smaller dent on the opposite side of the steelie.

Thanks Oldblue!

Yeah, I think I may have as well...at the very least, she'll need an alignment. Steering wheel isn't 100% straight any longer. Just a few degree's off, so that'll be next.

True, I'll probably unload the 16's I have...and keep the one remaining 17 as a full size spare, since the actual spare won't clear the SS brakes up front.

 

If your steering wheel is off centre, check your lower control arm bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends, inner and outer!!! Especially if the wheel was straight before the new tires!!!

 

Was planning to post about my roof rack install, but it has been overcast by a dark cloud. That cloud dropped hail on my cars Sat. night like bombs. I have to get with my claims rep., but I don't have a good feeling about this...

The bombs.


Some of the damage (broken windshields not shown).


I'll post more pictures after I clean her off a bit to get shots for insurance.

 

Yikes!! Find a happy place!

 

NO NO NO OMG I would be MORTIFIED ugh good luck with insurance.