Roll Call

[KnightI2]

Hey y'all

I have been watching the Blackwing development and launch since early 2022 I guess and finally snagged one last Saturday (2/10/24).
It is a used 2022 Electric Blue with all the juicy bits that I could get. (CF1/2, Ceramic brakes, Tan/Black seats with CF, 6spd, PDR but no sunroof).
I have had a litany of cars in my 35+ years of driving and in the short window I have had this one it definitely ranks near if not the top. (Camaros, 944s, Corvettes, many mundanes)
I have been married for 24 years this August and have 3 kids and currently 1 dog (AmStaff). I own a hobby store for the past 20+ years and am looking forward to driving and enjoying this car for the foreseeable future.

 

[Tall Steve]

Hey y'all

I have been watching the Blackwing development and launch since early 2022 I guess and finally snagged one last Saturday (2/10/24).
It is a used 2022 Electric Blue with all the juicy bits that I could get. (CF1/2, Ceramic brakes, Tan/Black seats with CF, 6spd, PDR but no sunroof).
I have had a litany of cars in my 35+ years of driving and in the short window I have had this one it definitely ranks near if not the top. (Camaros, 944s, Corvettes, many mundanes)
I have been married for 24 years this August and have 3 kids and currently 1 dog (AmStaff). I own a hobby store for the past 20+ years and am looking forward to driving and enjoying this car for the foreseeable future.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing!

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

Hey y'all

I have been watching the Blackwing development and launch since early 2022 I guess and finally snagged one last Saturday (2/10/24).
It is a used 2022 Electric Blue with all the juicy bits that I could get. (CF1/2, Ceramic brakes, Tan/Black seats with CF, 6spd, PDR but no sunroof).
I have had a litany of cars in my 35+ years of driving and in the short window I have had this one it definitely ranks near if not the top. (Camaros, 944s, Corvettes, many mundanes)
I have been married for 24 years this August and have 3 kids and currently 1 dog (AmStaff). I own a hobby store for the past 20+ years and am looking forward to driving and enjoying this car for the foreseeable future.

Own a hobby store. Now you're talking.

 

[BimmerFan]

OK, sorry, I must have missed this thread when I first joined the forum.

I (we) moved around a lot when I was growing up, and ended up in SC when I turned 10, and I stayed there through college, ending up with a degree in Business Administration with computer science. My dad was a gear head, and we had a Jaguar XK-120 when I was a wee tot, then they bought an XK-E to replace that, and I helped him work on that car often because, Jaguar. It wouldn't start if it was raining, had been raining, or would rain soon. It also wouldn't stop very well because I remember we were always rebuilding the calipers. I remember him once saying (I paraphrase) that the good thing about the car was that everything was rebuildable, so you didn't spend so much on parts as you did on time doing stuff. I learned to drive a manual on that car. When it was time for me to buy my own cars, it was American (because this was the 70s and there weren't many other affordable choices) until the 80s when I bought a Honda (didn't care for it) and then my first BMW. When I was 11 I got a minibike, and many motorcycles followed that. Between the deer that I hit, tendonitis and the distracted idiots in cages, I gave that up a few years ago, but I still miss it. Hondas and a Kawasaki but mostly BMWs.

I've had 50 or 60+ cars (I can't remember) including Corvettes, Porsches, many BMWs and some domestic stuff like Mustangs and an SS and of course, the BW. I autocrossed many years ago and then got into HPDE (track) with the Corvettes and BMWs and Porsches, and did some Solo 1 time trials with moderate success. I used to instruct with several clubs at HPDE, but a couple of crashes with students broke me of that, and now I just go a couple of times a year as a paying student/participant.

I work in I/T, currently a manager of a team of programmers for an insurance company here in North Carolina. I am also a writer, contributing to the BMW Car Club of America magazine, and have contributed in the past to the BMW MOA (Motorcycle Owners of America) and the Audi club quarterly magazine. And some fiction.

I am happily married to my beautiful wife with two excellent stepsons, 27 & 30. Neither of them are car guys, but I still love 'em anyway. The wife has two cats that I would prefer that we didn't have. In addition to the car thing and spending way too much time maintaining our home that I lovingly refer to as The Money Pit, I do woodworking and photography and music (although that has lapsed in the past few years). I was a professional musician during school, and actually started college as a music major before I came to my senses, giving up my passion for the luxury of eating every day and buying fancy cars.

In addition to the BW I currently have a C6 Corvette former garage queen that I bought so that I don't track the BW. It too is properly equipped with three pedals, as all sports cars should be.

 

[OldGoat]

I own a hobby store for the past 20+ years

So if/when a quality diecast becomes available for either Blackwing,......

 

[Tall Steve]

OK, sorry, I must have missed this thread when I first joined the forum.

I (we) moved around a lot when I was growing up, and ended up in SC when I turned 10, and I stayed there through college, ending up with a degree in Business Administration with computer science. My dad was a gear head, and we had a Jaguar XK-120 when I was a wee tot, then they bought an XK-E to replace that, and I helped him work on that car often because, Jaguar. It wouldn't start if it was raining, had been raining, or would rain soon. It also wouldn't stop very well because I remember we were always rebuilding the calipers. I remember him once saying (I paraphrase) that the good thing about the car was that everything was rebuildable, so you didn't spend so much on parts as you did on time doing stuff. I learned to drive a manual on that car. When it was time for me to buy my own cars, it was American (because this was the 70s and there weren't many other affordable choices) until the 80s when I bought a Honda (didn't care for it) and then my first BMW. When I was 11 I got a minibike, and many motorcycles followed that. Between the deer that I hit, tendonitis and the distracted idiots in cages, I gave that up a few years ago, but I still miss it. Hondas and a Kawasaki but mostly BMWs.

I've had 50 or 60+ cars (I can't remember) including Corvettes, Porsches, many BMWs and some domestic stuff like Mustangs and an SS and of course, the BW. I autocrossed many years ago and then got into HPDE (track) with the Corvettes and BMWs and Porsches, and did some Solo 1 time trials with moderate success. I used to instruct with several clubs at HPDE, but a couple of crashes with students broke me of that, and now I just go a couple of times a year as a paying student/participant.

I work in I/T, currently a manager of a team of programmers for an insurance company here in North Carolina. I am also a writer, contributing to the BMW Car Club of America magazine, and have contributed in the past to the BMW MOA (Motorcycle Owners of America) and the Audi club quarterly magazine. And some fiction.

I am happily married to my beautiful wife with two excellent stepsons, 27 & 30. Neither of them are car guys, but I still love 'em anyway. The wife has two cats that I would prefer that we didn't have. In addition to the car thing and spending way too much time maintaining our home that I lovingly refer to as The Money Pit, I do woodworking and photography and music (although that has lapsed in the past few years). I was a professional musician during school, and actually started college as a music major before I came to my senses, giving up my passion for the luxury of eating every day and buying fancy cars.

In addition to the BW I currently have a C6 Corvette former garage queen that I bought so that I don't track the BW. It too is properly equipped with three pedals, as all sports cars should be.

Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[Z51L9889]

I've been a forum member for several months but just bought my '24 4BW last Saturday (2/10/24).

I am a recently retired Engineer. I spent the majority of my career (35+ years) as an automotive suspension/chassis product development Engineer specializing in shock absorber development, including nearly 20 years at GM/Delphi.
The last 16 years of my career were split between a major shock absorber manufacturer (rhymes with Beer Stein) and an Aftermarket manufacturer of direct OE replacement Air Suspension systems. Highlights of my career include several years working on various Advanced Development concepts for the Gen 1/2/3 hardware and system evolutions of MagneRide (aka Magnetic Ride Control). Also, I was the Chief Development Engineer for new US-market products for Beer Stein, including the Adjustable Shock system application for the 2013-14 Shelby GT500. I hold a total of 9 US Patents for various damper and spring products, including MagneRide.

I grew up and spent most of my adult life in Southwestern (Dayton/Cincinnati) Ohio, and have lived in Central Florida for the last 6 years. I was an avid Autocrosser in my younger years (in an '85 Mustang GT first, then an '89 Corvette) and also did several NASA/BMW club driving schools in my Corvette. I stopped participating about 20 years ago when my kids hit their teen years so I could focus my time (and money, lol) on their activities.

I've been happily married for almost 38 years and have two kids, ages 31 and 29, and two dogs. I've owned about 20 cars in my lifetime, including several fun cars (Mustang GT, Corvette, IS300, G8 GT, Chevy SS, and now the Blackwing). I bought the Blackwing as a retirement gift to myself, with the specific intention of doing several driving schools a year with a couple of close friends. I will also be signing up for the V Academy course very soon. I figure that will be a good way to start knocking 20 years of rust off my driving skills.

 

[Tall Steve]

I've been a forum member for several months but just bought my '24 4BW last Saturday (2/10/24).

I am a recently retired Engineer. I spent the majority of my career (35+ years) as an automotive suspension/chassis product development Engineer specializing in shock absorber development, including nearly 20 years at GM/Delphi.
The last 16 years of my career were split between a major shock absorber manufacturer (rhymes with Beer Stein) and an Aftermarket manufacturer of direct OE replacement Air Suspension systems. Highlights of my career include several years working on various Advanced Development concepts for the Gen 1/2/3 hardware and system evolutions of MagneRide (aka Magnetic Ride Control). Also, I was the Chief Development Engineer for new US-market products for Beer Stein, including the Adjustable Shock system application for the 2013-14 Shelby GT500. I hold a total of 9 US Patents for various damper and spring products, including MagneRide.

I grew up and spent most of my adult life in Southwestern (Dayton/Cincinnati) Ohio, and have lived in Central Florida for the last 6 years. I was an avid Autocrosser in my younger years (in an '85 Mustang GT first, then an '89 Corvette) and also did several NASA/BMW club driving schools in my Corvette. I stopped participating about 20 years ago when my kids hit their teen years so I could focus my time (and money, lol) on their activities.

I've been happily married for almost 38 years and have two kids, ages 31 and 29, and two dogs. I've owned about 20 cars in my lifetime, including several fun cars (Mustang GT, Corvette, IS300, G8 GT, Chevy SS, and now the Blackwing). I bought the Blackwing as a retirement gift to myself, with the specific intention of doing several driving schools a year with a couple of close friends. I will also be signing up for the V Academy course very soon. I figure that will be a good way to start knocking 20 years of rust off my driving skills.

Thanks for a great introduction! Now we know who to direct all the suspension question to, lol.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I've been a forum member for several months but just bought my '24 4BW last Saturday (2/10/24).

I am a recently retired Engineer. I spent the majority of my career (35+ years) as an automotive suspension/chassis product development Engineer specializing in shock absorber development, including nearly 20 years at GM/Delphi.
The last 16 years of my career were split between a major shock absorber manufacturer (rhymes with Beer Stein) and an Aftermarket manufacturer of direct OE replacement Air Suspension systems. Highlights of my career include several years working on various Advanced Development concepts for the Gen 1/2/3 hardware and system evolutions of MagneRide (aka Magnetic Ride Control). Also, I was the Chief Development Engineer for new US-market products for Beer Stein, including the Adjustable Shock system application for the 2013-14 Shelby GT500. I hold a total of 9 US Patents for various damper and spring products, including MagneRide.

I grew up and spent most of my adult life in Southwestern (Dayton/Cincinnati) Ohio, and have lived in Central Florida for the last 6 years. I was an avid Autocrosser in my younger years (in an '85 Mustang GT first, then an '89 Corvette) and also did several NASA/BMW club driving schools in my Corvette. I stopped participating about 20 years ago when my kids hit their teen years so I could focus my time (and money, lol) on their activities.

I've been happily married for almost 38 years and have two kids, ages 31 and 29, and two dogs. I've owned about 20 cars in my lifetime, including several fun cars (Mustang GT, Corvette, IS300, G8 GT, Chevy SS, and now the Blackwing). I bought the Blackwing as a retirement gift to myself, with the specific intention of doing several driving schools a year with a couple of close friends. I will also be signing up for the V Academy course very soon. I figure that will be a good way to start knocking 20 years of rust off my driving skills.

Nice story! So we have to ask, as someone with your bona fides on the forum... in your retired professional opinion, what car on the market today has the best suspension system and why is it the Blackwing?

 

[RDATLTE]

Nice story! So we have to ask, as someone with your bona fides on the forum... in your retired professional opinion, what car on the market today has the best suspension system and why is it the Blackwing?

Define best says the owner of a ZL1 1LE.

 

[ernsteeng]

bump for the new guys

 

[so 650]

Well, since @shbox is making fun of my post count, I guess I ought to chime in here.

I've posted enough on the site to identify me by name, if any of you care enough to do so.

I'm the forum dermatologist. I'm a local Bay Area boy, having lived 40ish of the last fifty-some years on the SF Peninsula. My automotive history is not nearly as distinguished as many of yours. My first car was a 1968 Volvo 164E sedan (inline 6, automatic) that I got to take around Sears Point (now Sonoma Raceway) for a couple of laps when I was about 17, hanging out with some Porsche racers I knew through my father.

When I graduated college and headed off to med school I got a base '90 Integra (manual) to drive to St. Louis, drive around in St. Louis, make myriad trips to visit family in Nashville, and eventually to move to Philadelphia. I sold the Integra in Philly in 2001. As a mark of my dedication to dermatology, the same bottle of SPF 4 sunscreen that I put in the door pocket to drive to St Louis in 1990 was still in the door pocket when I sold the car.

When I moved back to the Bay Area (with wife and dogs, in our 2000 Outback), I got a 2002 bugeye WRX (manual) and drove that until family made family things happen. The first Outback turned into a minivan (which eventually turned into another minivan, and more recently a Highlander hybrid). The WRX turned into an Outback (2.5 turbo). Somewhere middle age hit, and kids started driving, so I added a BRZ (manual, duh). The Outback eventually became a Crosstrek that each of my 3 boys has had (thankfully low speed, parking-related) accidents in. And after 8 years, the beloved BRZ went away. I had gone to my trusted Subaru mechanic to ask how I could give the BRZ some love, and after a thorough service he told me "the time to sell this car is now, before something really bad happens to the engine". So, some happy buyer from Carvana has that brewing.

I realized when I started looking for something to replace the BRZ with that I'm a big boy now, and I have a dermatologist's income (to go with Bay Area expenses, mind you). And when the second kid decided to go to a public college, it was finally time. I thought about BMW, since every 23 year old Facebook employee around here drives an M3 and I see 'em every day on the way to work. But for a long time I've liked the idea of American muscle, and I had vague recollections of reading about the ATS-V. A few months of research, an impatient couple of months with an order in at a lame local dealership, and then last Halloween I flew to Dallas to sign for my 4BW, the Maverick Noir Frost Sebring IMSA edition, #004, from Sewell. That story is recounted elsewhere.

I'm very grateful for the community here, sharing good information in an almost entirely respectful and mature way.

 

[rjh]

I have enjoyed this forum for several months now, having purchased a 2023 5BW in all black (except for the lug nuts, soon to be changed). We live an hour north of Dallas, have both been private investigators for the last 33 years and are still working. As you all seem quite young (I'm 75) this seems a good chance to balance the age spectrum. I started out with a Ducati, a Norton, the US Army in 1969, then back again in 1974 with a 1964 E-Type coupe, then on to a 1971 Pantera. Children came along and the usual assortment of diaper, yelling, food splattered child containment vehicles followed. Time passes, they move out, marry well, and it's now time for grandpa to come back to real cars.
The parade started with a couple of Lexus (to make my bride happy) and on to the first Cadillac CTS-V in 2012. Modded lightly and run at the Texas Mile at 165. Uh oh, the 170 bug bites. On to a 2012 Shelby and 170. Uh oh, the 175 bug hits, on to a ZL1. Uh oh, the 180 bug hits and on to a 2022 Shelby. Uh oh, the 185 bug hits, and please forgive me, a 2022 M5 comp arrives. Uh oh, and now the story takes a turn for the better, the 190 bug bites and here I am with the BW. Great car, comfortable, makes my wife happy , bugs my neighbor in the morning and now modded to 675rwhp and 725rwt. Over the 4th of July my very tolerant wife will join me at the Arkansas Mile for a hopefully 190 run. I have searched for a antispeed vaccine to no avail, so who knows what's next. This forum has been a great souce of knowledge, some wisdom and a lot of fun. Looking forward to enjoying for a long time to come.

 

[dribs15]

I have enjoyed this forum for several months now, having purchased a 2023 5BW in all black (except for the lug nuts, soon to be changed). We live an hour north of Dallas, have both been private investigators for the last 33 years and are still working. As you all seem quite young (I'm 75) this seems a good chance to balance the age spectrum. I started out with a Ducati, a Norton, the US Army in 1969, then back again in 1974 with a 1964 E-Type coupe, then on to a 1971 Pantera. Children came along and the usual assortment of diaper, yelling, food splattered child containment vehicles followed. Time passes, they move out, marry well, and it's now time for grandpa to come back to real cars.
The parade started with a couple of Lexus (to make my bride happy) and on to the first Cadillac CTS-V in 2012. Modded lightly and run at the Texas Mile at 165. Uh oh, the 170 bug bites. On to a 2012 Shelby and 170. Uh oh, the 175 bug hits, on to a ZL1. Uh oh, the 180 bug hits and on to a 2022 Shelby. Uh oh, the 185 bug hits, and please forgive me, a 2022 M5 comp arrives. Uh oh, and now the story takes a turn for the better, the 190 bug bites and here I am with the BW. Great car, comfortable, makes my wife happy , bugs my neighbor in the morning and now modded to 675rwhp and 725rwt. Over the 4th of July my very tolerant wife will join me at the Arkansas Mile for a hopefully 190 run. I have searched for a antispeed vaccine to no avail, so who knows what's next. This forum has been a great souce of knowledge, some wisdom and a lot of fun. Looking forward to enjoying for a long time to come.

Welcome!
... and as you must already know....don't use this car for any stake outs, undercover work, or when you just want to be discreet

 

[Rob]

I have enjoyed this forum for several months now, having purchased a 2023 5BW in all black (except for the lug nuts, soon to be changed). We live an hour north of Dallas, have both been private investigators for the last 33 years and are still working. As you all seem quite young (I'm 75) this seems a good chance to balance the age spectrum. I started out with a Ducati, a Norton, the US Army in 1969, then back again in 1974 with a 1964 E-Type coupe, then on to a 1971 Pantera. Children came along and the usual assortment of diaper, yelling, food splattered child containment vehicles followed. Time passes, they move out, marry well, and it's now time for grandpa to come back to real cars.
The parade started with a couple of Lexus (to make my bride happy) and on to the first Cadillac CTS-V in 2012. Modded lightly and run at the Texas Mile at 165. Uh oh, the 170 bug bites. On to a 2012 Shelby and 170. Uh oh, the 175 bug hits, on to a ZL1. Uh oh, the 180 bug hits and on to a 2022 Shelby. Uh oh, the 185 bug hits, and please forgive me, a 2022 M5 comp arrives. Uh oh, and now the story takes a turn for the better, the 190 bug bites and here I am with the BW. Great car, comfortable, makes my wife happy , bugs my neighbor in the morning and now modded to 675rwhp and 725rwt. Over the 4th of July my very tolerant wife will join me at the Arkansas Mile for a hopefully 190 run. I have searched for a antispeed vaccine to no avail, so who knows what's next. This forum has been a great souce of knowledge, some wisdom and a lot of fun. Looking forward to enjoying for a long time to come.

You warmed my heart with the '64 E-type coupe. I have a '69-'72 E-Type roadster on my bucket list

 

[DonD]

Hey y'all

I have been watching the Blackwing development and launch since early 2022 I guess and finally snagged one last Saturday (2/10/24).
It is a used 2022 Electric Blue with all the juicy bits that I could get. (CF1/2, Ceramic brakes, Tan/Black seats with CF, 6spd, PDR but no sunroof).
I have had a litany of cars in my 35+ years of driving and in the short window I have had this one it definitely ranks near if not the top. (Camaros, 944s, Corvettes, many mundanes)
I have been married for 24 years this August and have 3 kids and currently 1 dog (AmStaff). I own a hobby store for the past 20+ years and am looking forward to driving and enjoying this car for the foreseeable future.

Congrats on the 5BW. Plenty f power.

I was a Navy officer, some time in aviation. Lived in Va Beach, 7 straight years of sea duty at Norfolk. Don

 

[DCV]

A Ducati and a BW is a good combo to own…

 

[rjh]

Great video. Brings back fond memories, especially as GoPro wasn't even imagined back then. Then again, my first bike was steam powered. Marriage and parenthood took away bikes and skydiving, but at least cars have prevailed. 135 on a bike feels way faster than 185 in a car. Anyone here been (or thinking of going) to The Texas or Arkansas Mile lately? I have never seen a BW at either event yet.

 

[CBH]

I did the Texas mile right after I got m 5th gen Camaro. It was naturally aspirated, so I was hoping for 150 but didn't quite make it. The reason I never considered going back was because I was only able to make about 5 passes after sitting in lines all day. It was stock, so other than taping up the grill, there wasn't really any changes I could make between passes.

 

[rjh]

The Texas Mile is really big - like 250 cars on the grid.
Arkansas is rarely over 75 vehicles - including motorcycles. I have run as many as 6 times in a day comfortably and gone in time to cleanup and get my wife a martini. Both places have great folks, most of whom will offer help if you need it. Texas Mile has better food and you can rent golf carts. Would love to have had a video of my wife with 5 gallons of race fuel on the back of a cart driving over to me. She was not pleased.