Eurowerks Member Spotlight: Stumanbmx

[The_Stig]

This week we get to know a guy who has been with us for quite a while. Great sense of humor and a good dude. Say hello to Stuart!


What kind of car(s) you do you have? Modifications, future plans?

My current car is a 2000 Audi A4. It’s a 1.8T with Quattro and a manual transmission. It also came with the sport package and the coveted rare cloth sport seats. I love those things, they rock. As far as modifications go, I haven’t really done much. I’m still in college so I don’t have a lot of money to toss into my car. I really wish I did though. Right now I have a GIAC 93oct tune with a 710n diverter valve to hold the extra boost. I tore the stock dv the first day I ran the tune. I also have a Milltek cat-back exhaust system installed. I still need to invest in a test pipe or an hfc but I really don’t have the time to install it, maybe sometime this summer. I just installed a single-mass flywheel and OEM S4 clutch because the stock clutch finally gave out after 11 years and 117k miles. That was a fun job to do in the garage. I have a JHM SS kit waiting to go in as well; unfortunately it didn’t make it here in time when I had the tranny out. That will probably go in sometime this summer as well.

I love this car. It’s not much but it always puts a smile on my face when I take it for a spin. My goal is to keep it long enough to get a collector plate for it. A few years after I graduate I plan on buying an E46 M3 and keeping the A4 for winter duty. It makes a great winter car by the way. Quattro and snow tires is a hell of a drug; you should try it sometime if you haven’t already. I’m hooked for life.








Any previous cars you'd like to mention?

My first car was a 1995 Volvo 855. I miss it so much. It had a 2.4L 5 cylinder engine mated to a 5 speed transmission. Try and find a clean 5spd 855, I dare you. I did a few things to it such as a strut bar, bigger sway bars, shocks and heavy duty springs as well as motor mounts etc. I can’t remember everything. I loved beating up on unsuspecting peers in Honda Civics and the like. There is nothing like the expression of a kid who just got shown up by a green Volvo wagon. I miss those days. It was the perfect first car for me. My skis fit great in the back and it got me to ski practice every day. Girls fit pretty well in the back too.

I wish I could have kept it but I didn’t have the funds or space for two cars. Selling it led to me getting the A4 so overall I am happy.






If you could have just one car, what would it be and why?

A B5 RS4. I think the real question is why not?


What's your real name?

Stuart. Some people just call me Stu though. Either one works.


(Sorry for the outdated tiny pic)

What does your screen name mean, and why did you choose it?

Stuman used to be my nickname back in the day. When I got AIM I was still BMX racing at the time. I came up with Stumanbmx and it has stuck ever since.


What kind of job do you have?

I am currently a full-time student at Iowa State University studying Mechanical Engineering. I also work part-time at John Deere in Ankeny. I am one of the three 5S coordinators for the entire factory. Between school and work I keep pretty busy so I don’t have much free time. It should definitely pay off in the long run though, and I enjoy what I do.


Tell us an interesting/funny story about yourself.

One night last winter I had a few buddies over at my place. It was getting pretty late so they decide to head home. It was snowing out and we had probably 4 inches on the ground at the time. As I’m about to hop into bed my phone starts to vibrate so I answer.

“Hello?”

“We need your help.”

“What did you guys do?”

“Ben decided it would be a good idea to try and ‘drift’ the Sienna. We’re stuck in a snow bank.”

“Alright, I’m on my way.”

So I throw a couple shovels in the trunk and a tow strap just for kicks. When I get there, I bust out laughing. The van is halfway through a snowbank and the front wheels are in the air. We start shoveling the snow out from underneath the car but it’s taking forever and the van doesn’t move. I say screw it and hook the tow strap up to my A4.

The A4 pulled him right out of the bank no problem. Quattro ftw!


What other hobbies do you have?

I have way too many hobbies; I’ll just mention a few. In the summer I like to ride my dirtbike and mountain bike. I also like to play disc golf. I try to get out at least once a week. During the winter months I like to ski.





How did you first hear about Eurowerks?

When I was looking for cars on Craigslist to replace the 855 I happened upon an E30 that had a link to Eurowerks. The rest is history.


If you could make a change to Eurowerks, what would it be and why?

I wish we had a super secret awesome hang out place where everyone could come and go as they pleased. Something like a large warehouse outfitted with a bunch of couches and TV’s where we could hang out and such. The other part of the warehouse would have a few lifts and a bunch of tools so we could all work on our cars.

Oh and a test track out back.

Realistically? I just wish everyone could get along.

[Digital K]

hmmmm warehouse....

[The_Stig]

LOL, right? Weird...

[MisdemeanorMatt]

X2 on the hang out, this keeps coming up.

[Stumanbmx]

What's so funny about the warehouse idea? I feel like I'm missing something...

Also, update: I went home for Thanksgiving and installed my JHM SS kit. It's an amazing improvement over stock and it no longer feels like I'm rowing a boat when I drive.

[The_Stig]

Like Matt said, it comes up every now and again. It's a good idea is what I mean.

[toasted]

Warehouse. YUS!

[JTapper]

Didn't know you were into 5S.

And to think all along we thought there were only three S's...

[9jetta6]

warehouse... i like that idea, indoor gokarting?

[hapsbang]

And a pinball machine!

[Stumanbmx]

Didn't know you were into 5S.

And to think all along we thought there were only three S's...

I am right now. It's nice for a part-time position because I get to spend a lot of time on the floor which is pretty neat. It's awesome to see the raw steel get turned into a complete product and then drive off to get tested.

Not to mention it's great experience that will be useful someday when I move to design and or test engineering.

[JTapper]

I am right now. It's nice for a part-time position because I get to spend a lot of time on the floor which is pretty neat. It's awesome to see the raw steel get turned into a complete product and then drive off to get tested.

Not to mention it's great experience that will be useful someday when I move to design and or test engineering.

Then you'd probably find some interest in DFSS (Design for six-sigma) methodologies. Shoot me a PM if you want me to pass along some primer information for you. I've got quite a collection of presentations and workshop materials on Six-Sigma I've picked up at conferences across the country.

How's the bedroom set treatin' ya? Hopefully it's getting some good use.

[Stumanbmx]

Ah yes, six-sigma. That's probably more relevant to what I'll be doing in the future. We've only briefly touched on it in school. It's kinda sad how little "real-world" stuff we've done so far. But I guess the basics are important. Engineering could easily be more than a 4 year major if they wanted to make it that way.

I'll shoot you a PM.

The bedroom set is awesome, I can't thank you enough! You really saved me a bunch of time and money, I appreciate it. It's pretty sturdy too.

[palmer]

Oh, hi!

I can also say that this guy is pretty good at Auto-x in your stock ass A4.

[Stumanbmx]

Thanks Palmer! That Auto X pic is from the day your GPS quit working. haha.

I miss Auto X so much. I didn't get to go at all this past summer because I was so busy.