gjm

She's home. No pics - it's dark!

A - red rubber grease. Definitely. Amazing stuff B - ATF. Anything else that gets into the valves could cause a blockage, although this is what I have always done. I'll happily acknowledge if this is proven incorrect.

Looks like I'm sorted and the coupe will come home tomorrow evening. Thanks to everyone who contacted me. Very much appreciated.

Just spoke to Elijah - many thanks. Unfortunately his source is busy. So... still looking. Please help!

Chuckling at my misfortune not good enough? Lol No problem. Happy to pay gas and the like.

p/n 26111207785 or 26111204294. Fits many 1,3 and 5 series cars.

Help! Hoping someone is fairly local and feeling kind. Does anyone have a car with towbar (I don't) and a car trailer, and would be able to help get the 318i coupe from Taupiri to Te Kauwhata? At a pinch I can probably 'borrow' a suitable car. Times... Today (Sunday 4th October), tomorrow, Tuesday or Wednesday. I can get it here next weekend but have three days off this week, and would really like to spend some time evaluating what needs to be done. Anyone who can help gets the first chance to laugh at whatever mess I've got myself in to (this time).

Thanks Brent. That's certainly cheaper than EUR350.

Any idea what these are worth? Mint condition, no kerbing or other damage. I'm looking at a set for EUR350, shipped from Europe. Sounds a little expensive, but they are in really good condition.

OK... So tomorrow will be tomorrow. Slight logistical problem. The car runs well enough, but no front or rear bumpers, no WoF and rego on hold mean that even the short distance from Taupiri to home is too far for driving. And the trailer we'd planned to use is busy this weekend. Alternative plans being made for tomorrow. Hopefully in time for me to make it to Kyu's.

Thanks James.

Anyone know if this is appropriate for our Touring? If it is, I'll have a set, too.

Got a blanking flange made for the exhaust. Would probably have been easier to just buy one, but where's the fun in that? If the weather lets up I'll have a look at getting it fitted, and blanking various hoses to the EGR thermostat. Incidentally, I recall someone asking how this thermostat could affect engine water temperature when I'd bypassed the EGR using a golf tee. The thermostat is a part of the cooling system and is unaffected by the bypass. But it'll be removed before too long. Other than that, I got a puncture. $27. Nothing else to report other than more diesel, more RUCs, more oil changes... We're at around 462000km now.

Tomorrow (all being well) I'll be squeezing her into the garage. Fingers crossed there is room! Then the fun starts. It's very unlikely to be on the road for a few months.

Guy Martin has turned down an invitation to host Top Gear. He said that being a truck fitter was his chosen career, and that it would always come first. The comparatively small amount of television work he currently does is hard enough to fit in around his job and bike racing, and that presenting the show would mean changing his life altogether. “Yes, you might earn squillions of pounds, but I earn enough here to keep me in push bikes,” he said. “I don’t want to live like a rock star. I drive a Transit van and a Volvo estate. Although having said that, my Snap-On tool bill is quite high.” Kind of a shame. Sounds like he's a 'real' person and would have been a breath of fresh air, for the first series at least.

Yesterday evening we bought a puppy. The seller has a S1 truck cab parked in his driveway... Rego lapsed but plates still on it. Didn't look too bad on a cursory inspection. Apparently it's 'one of those projects I've just not got around to', according to the owner. Hmm. I wonder...

I love the interior!

Dunno. I know that when I went into repco and asked if they would pricematch SCA, they said they wouldn't as it would be illegal; a breach of competition law, or something. That said, the guy I spoke to did go on to say they'd not yet publicised it but they would be offering 25% off oil the following weekend. Which is when I bought mine. Confusingly, I received a reasonable discount from another Repco store when I asked for it. I was buying 4x5L of Penrite Enviro+ 5W40 at the time.

Thanks guys. I did have a good look around t'internet to see if I could find anything but when I drew blank thought I'd ask. What I heard was that there weer discussions over raising the minimum age for a driving license (again), that the restricted phase would last 6 months (but could be accelerated by training) and that after 6 months a driver could take 1 passenger. (I understand they can take a passenger before that time provided the passenger holds a full, unrestricted license.) An unrestricted license would not be granted until after 2 full years of driving had been completed, although this too could be accelerated by appropriate training. Where the training is supposed to come from is another matter! I think the US approach where 'driver ed' is taught in schools is a reasonable idea. I don't have any experience of such things or what that would entail. I know my daughter's school has some driving theory lessons, but no practical instruction.

I heard a rumour earlier that an increase in the minimum age for a NZ driving license was being considered, from 16 to 17. Given I've just agreed to buy a car for our daughter, and committed myself (personally and financially) to getting it sorted, I have a bit of a vested interest! Anyone heard or know anything about this?

There's been talk of closing Glenbrook Mill...

I bought two (5L?) bottles of Valvoline VR-1 Racing 10W40 last weekend in Repco. Typically SCA is cheaper, but the 25% firmly tipped the scales in Repco's favour on that occasion.

I had a 1962 SWB Safari, with sun roof. In grey. Of course, us Landie types mean something completely different to what most people expect when we talk about sun roofs! Stripped it, rebuilt it, drove it everywhere. Loved it to bits. Mrs M hated it, claiming the suspension was too hard and made her boobs bounce. Tsk. Spoilsport. Originally a 2.25, it was bored, received a ported and polished 'head, hot cam, and twin SUs. Went like stink! The Fairey overdrive really earned it's keep, and the Fairey capstan winch (PTO) was awesome. I ran underbody runners so the winch could work to the front or rear. I'd love another, but right now isn't the time.

Curious thing about this car is that it seems to go quite well. I've driven a couple of E36 318i-engines cars, and this a lot more sprightly. It'll be down on power, but also down on weight.

Last I heard the plans were to shut Huntly... Hopefully something like you suggest could be implemented. I don't know the design they used there, but turbines typically don't care what is burnt to run them. The issue may be getting sufficient heat from the (waste) material used if they move away from the design spec.