gjm

I like the paintwork! So, today, the 320d was washed and driven to Mt Wellington so I could have coffee and talk car stuff for a couple of hours. The Merc 500SE - I investigated a graunching brake noise from the front o/s. Turns out that when the PO had some brake work done for the WoF, he was done too. The inside piston has seized solid in the caliper. I can rebuild, of course, but it'll most likely need new seals and possibly pistons which I can get, but they're 2-3 weeks away. There were two manufacturers used for the calipers: ATE, and Bendix (Bosch). Everyone carries ATE parts, so guess which I have? I can get a s/h caliper from the local Merc parts specialist, but even that is ~$250++, and I could buy a whole 500SEL parts car for that. I really don't have space for a SEL. I've got a lovely pair of 4-pot ATE calipers that could suit, if the mounting holes lined up. Sometimes you're a pigeon, sometimes you're a statue. Today I feel I have been both.

Cuz... Cuz... (Isn't that the same as brother/sister/wife/father in some parts of the US?) Cuz I might wanna actually drive it? Because it's there to be done, I guess. I do the same. I dare say some of the things I do would seem equally pointless to those who put a lot of time and effort into stance and the like.

Sounds like a Porsche 911! Take an ill-handling car that'd kill a driver not on top of his game, and spend years making it work! A triumph of stubborness over physics. Take the two most significant (in weight terms) parts of a car, hang them over or behind the back axle, and then make it go 'round corners. I really admire the technical capability of a lot of newly-developed cars, 911s included. I wonder though how we'll get on with repairing them in 20-30 years time? That said, many main franchised dealers seem to struggle to look after any car more than 20 years old anyway. The brute force approach does have this to be said for it - it'll probably be repairable down the line. Smaller engines making big and economical power are remarkable, and while electronically and computer controlled everything giving infinite variability is great use of technology, is it actually robust? That sense of strength is a contributing factor to character. Maybe I'm a dinosaur. Maybe young people today think 4-pot screamers have character too.

Why? I suppose it is a 'look', but is there any technical reason why anyone would want to stretch a tyre on to a rim that is too wide for the tyre? I've commented on someone who has 16x9 rims who wishes to fit a 195/45 or 205/50 tyre. The lower profile although narrower tyre could be legitimately fitted to an 8" rim but the 205/50 isn't typically designed for fitting to anything wider than 7". OK - that's your (grand)dad's view of the world, but it's my engineering view, too. I know some tyres are now designed for that stretch 'look.' As I said... Why? Is there any possible benefit to doing this, or is this just another performance-impacting mod that's done for looks? There's even a website for those keen to do this - www.tyrestretch.com. There are some examples on there where the bead on the rim is simply not used! Here's a 105/70 on a 6" rim:

Yup. It's an excellent starting point, and no mistake.

Use? No idea. Fun, definitely. It's as much a case of doing it because it's there and I believe I can as anything else. I want it to be road legal and have long since cast off any thoughts of avoiding certs and the like - that's going to be needed. Just one thing though... It'll not be like skintkarter's Gp5 E21! I don't have the skills to produce a build like that.

It's a BAD thing. Some of you will know of the near financial destitution we've encountered as a result of paying for operations for our cat after he was hit by a speeding car outside our home. It's a nice, long straight piece of road with good visibility, but also with a number of small children and many animals living on either side. The incident happened in very early January, the first weekend (incurring even more expense), and he is only now returning to his normal self. Gerard is much better now, recovering from several operations. He had a jaw broken in three places, broken nose, broken mandible, collapsed lung, the other lung at least half-full of fluid, and when we found him, blood coming from mouth, nose, ears and eyes. His claws had been ripped from his paws where we can only assume he was trying to stop sliding on the road. He's had wires inserted in his jaws to hold them together, but the blood supply through his jaw did not resume in time so he subsequently had to a piece of jaw and one of his lower canines removed. Not everyone likes cats. Fair enough. And let's be dispassionate about this one cat - we could have bought dozens of pedigree kittens for what it has cost. (We don't want dozens of kittens, so no thanks, before anyone asks. ) However, this could have been any other animal, or a child. Or an adult. We're all in a hurry sometime, but arriving late is better than not arriving at all. Or causing someone else to not arrive. On a lighter note, I've spent some of the intervening time coming up with a way to sort this issue. Speed bumps. Yes. I know, cars zoom between them, braking hard at at the last second to ease over the bump, then burning rubber on their way to the next one. Still, it's worked in trials. https://youtu.be/vuunB0XGQPs

The evolution of BMW is a predictable thing. Mercedes went through something similar in the mid-90s when the accountants took over. Great cars up until then, with a reputation all-but destroyed by cost-cutting measures, 'economic' engineering and a massive drop in actual quality. The hewn from rock feeling old Mercedes had was lost, starting with the rust-prone W210. Some of that has been regained, but it'll be a long time before Mercedes are actually known for it again. Newer BMWs, and newer cars generally, just don't grab my attention. Aside from the fact I'll struggle to work on them, there's monumental amounts of technology in them just waiting to go wrong (in my opinion). That tech isn't even used to it's limits - look at cars like the Koenigseggs now being produced... Even they are combining known working solutions, but to far greater effect. BMW are about making money, of course. Sadly it seems (to me) that has become a predominant reason for manufacturing cars, rather than something they work toward as a result of the cars they have made. Makes economic sense, but ensures the amount of soul involved will be tiny, if it exists at all.

T'other way about. The M12 and M13 engines were based on the M10. There were a lot of differences, and the older they get the more powerful they were. In reality, I doubt anyone really knows exactly what power they made, but it was a lot. It's safe to say the F1 qualifying engines were making well over 1200hp at their height, although reports of 1500 may be enthusiastic. The race engines were typically 6-900hp depending on when and the circuit. I don't yet know if it will happen. There are a couple of ideas I have that need verifying for actual viability rather than satisfying any 'be realistic' type issues. If it happens, it will be ludicrous. Maybe not Koenigsegg One:1 ludicrous, but you get the idea.

I don't think anyone has ever considered mentioning common sense when talking about me! You're right. It is pointless. There are other ways of achieving the same thing, several of them being from Honda, but that's not the point. I know you know what I mean! Cost is an issue. I reckon the top end - cam, rockers, valves, springs, etc would cost around $3500. Forged titanium H-beam conrods: another $3500. I can get a 2.7 stroker crank, but that's almost a mortgage away! All these parts are rated solid and reliable beyond 10000rpm. Let's have a chat about your M10 some time.

It's Friday evening, dark outside, too many flying bitey things in the garage when the lights are on, and for a variety of reasons I have time on my hands and no alcohol to help pass it. So, I've started doing a teensy tiny little bit of planning for what I would like to do with an E30 coupe shell. I made the decision a while ago to stick with a 4-pot engine. Lighter than many 6-pots, and more room to work. And fewer cylinders means fewer expensive parts required. And that's as far as it got. In the interests of moving things along, I've since decided to go with an M10. It's original. It's a nice, simple, strong and reliable engine. (Yeah, I know, I'm missing a trick with the opportunity of some of the later engines but I'll live with it.) Admittedly, this decision was influenced by exchanging some emails with a friend in Denmark, who has a friend in Sweden, who has done some silly things with M10s. (And that's without getting into the whole M12 and other variants discussion.) Most recently, he's been developing some top end parts. Roller rockers maintaining better geometry than stock, but weighing more than 5g less. Each. That's over 40g saved from just the twiddly bits in the top. This guy has been testing the rockers, too. He's set up a kit to test cams, rockers valves and springs. Pre-warm oil (of course) and see how long it takes for them to break. It's no fun doing these things at normal engine speeds especially when that's not where they're likely to be used, so how about winding the whole thing up to 10000rpm, walking away and and leaving it for several hours? Subsequent measurements show no measurable wear. An accidental spin to over 15000rpm didn't break anything, but that wasn't sustained. So, this seems like a good idea. Just need a crank, block rods and similar that can do that, too. And a gearbox. And...

Imported from...? Anywhere hot and humid will mean the headlining will be sagging soon, if not already.

Coulda bought my 16s for that sorta money, and they've got near-new Michelins on them! I s'pose when you've got a fancy motor, it has to look all proper-like, even if it's only standing in the driveway... Saw some Style 97s earlier today. I could be persuaded to have those on the 320d in place of the 73s...

Unfortunately for my wallet, I'm far too nice! Even the freebie E36 bar I got some time ago I gave away! (Albeit in exchange for the recipient having a look at another car for me.)

There's a guy in Christchurch who I know had one removed from a Touring. I'd considered it, but shipping put me off. You're hardly next door to him, but you are a lot closer than I am! His name is Dan Cain, he runs Veloce Wrecking, and his number is 022 4444 297. veloce.wrecking@yahoo.com No idea if he still has it available, but perhaps worth a try?

The steering wheel on our 320d needs attention - we've pretty much worn it out. However, I suspet a CSL anything is likely to be more than we'll pay. But price... Find out what a new component would cost, and divde by two. Review the figure you get a decide if you as a seller like it, then ask yourself if you would pay it. If you wouldn't pay it, there's a good chance others might feel the same.

A good-looking gold PFL E65 being driven by an at least equally good-looking young blonde lady, heading south on SH1 as far as the TK turning, where I started to wonder if I was being followed! turns out the owner lives just up the road from us. Wouldn't normally give them a second look (however nice they are) but this one had the drivers window a little down. Struck me as a trifle unusual - luxury car with aircon being driven on a hot day with a window open?! I'll keep an eye out.

Apparently there have been further 'production issues' with the new TG, pushing release back by (yet another) couple of weeks. And, further 'differences' with the new head host of the show. It seems Chris Evans, one-time famous ginger person and husband to one-time Dr Who girl, Billie Piper, argued against hiring Matt Le Blanc because MLB "is a has-been." Executive producer Lisa Clark has quit after Evans insisted on last minutes changes in content and direction. Lisa Clark was also (coincidentally?) the person who suggested MLB should join the show. Clark and Evans have been at loggerheads for some time. A script editor quit after clashing with Evans, and Evans himself threatened to walk claiming he was being micro-managed. Suspicions are Evans thought he could 'be' Top Gear, replacing the entire previous team and Andy Wilman who was pretty autonomous in his role as producer.

The Porsche 928 uses lightweight aluminum nuts. Very, very light indeed.

Arild had a thing for building non-standard 4x4s. From 1985 thru 1987 (pre the E30) he ran a very quick turbocharged 4x4 Lotus Sunbeam. I think this also had Xtrac running gear, so maybe it was swapped from the Sunbeam to the E30? There are suggestions the M10 in the E30 may have been one of the ex-Megatron units, but I think it was more of a home-grown engine built on an S14. Certainly the Sunbeam was largely a DIY job. The further it fades into history, the more powerful it gets! I recall mention of 'over' 700hp, but later stories tell of 850+ and how the tyres were bolted to the rims to stop them coming off (which is possible - several rallycross guys did this). From a review of the '88 Rallycross championship race at Brands Hatch: "... standing down by the wall at the bottom of the pits alongside the Cooper straight during that cold misty British GP meet, when Martinsen came off Hoppy's Drop and accelerated along Cooper Straight... Sideways through every gearchange, before having to scandie flick it the other way to negotiate the left through the gap to get onto the start line. My mate and I just looked at each other slack jawed and then burst out laughing....."

Just worked it out - that 6R4 is Will Gollop's car. Maybe the world's first (and only?) twin-turbo Metro 6R4. It made something north of 650bhp. Still no match for the power of an M10 in an E30, though!

Drivers who move into the right hand lane of a dual-carriageway for no reason whatsoever!

Double? The beauty of a crash box (at least, where a S2 is concerned) is you can change gear without using the clutch at all. I drove my '62 S2a from Oxford to Norwich (in the UK - 160 miles or so) with no clutch. Started out sweating at how hard it would be, got to Norwich with no problems and didn't bother sorting it for 3 weeks. Setting off is the only difficult bit. This is the one I know of. Very seriously tempted, but I'm almost as big a wuss - I want a roof for when it rains.

Actually, no. I was going to say that's not a S2a, but (of course) it is. I suspect only LR Series aficionados will understand!

I know where there is a SWB 2a with a SBC and 4-speed manual...?