General / Off-Topic Elite Drivers' drives

[Andy Kappa]

Shamelessly copying the biker's thread in this forum, I thought I'd start a thread about cars. Feel free to post your current and past sets of wheels - track monsters, family taxis, customised, vintage, dogs, whatever! Try to avoid works vans if at all possible.

I've been a Porsche Boxster man for a few years now. Got my first one (a 986 2.7) on a whim - traded in my perky little MX-5 Mk2.5 for it and got change from £6k. It's the silver one you can see in my avatar but I'll try to dig up an old shot of it.



Next up was a red 987 Gen 1:

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[URL=http://s1109.photobucket.com/user/muso392/media/poroulton231013559_zps45f6ad5d.jpg.html][/URL]

The current car - a 987 Gen2 with PDK and lots of kit. Had a new set of tyres fitted recently, and with a wheel alignment the handling was transformed out of all recognition:

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[URL=http://s1109.photobucket.com/user/muso392/media/068_zpsacad6d26.jpg.html][/URL]

ETA some more detail on this car:

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36k; FPSH; big spec; etc. etc.

All things being equal I would happily have lived with this one until either the eyes or the elgins go out for a short walk. However...

The next car:

Boxster 981 GTS

Been on order for a little while now, and due to arrive sometime in March. It is almost certainly the reason why I haven't been playing the game very much of late. It's made an awfully big hole in the retirement nest-egg, but it was one of those 'you only live once' events - no other explanation for it really. Being brutally honest the electronic steering isn't just quite as exquisite as the Gen 2, but in all other respects it is a substantial leap forwards.


Over to you guys. What ya got?

 

[Ben_BigBen]

S2000 here - can't wait for the Summer in the UK !

Spoiler

 

[Kyokushin]

Old, but still on wheels 328Ci.

... with a second reasonable 'family car' belonged to wife.

Next car?
BMW 4, maybe previous gen 335i e92, or maybe 2015 Mustang GT, i do not know yet, i do not feel need to change at now.

 

[pargyrak]

After my trusted Seat Leon TFSI (tuned to 400hp) got over 220,000 Km a couple of years ago, I got a 2008 VW Passat CC 3,6lt 4motion DSG (300hp with a little tune to the engine and to the DSG )

 

[Count Iblis]

I currently have too many vehicles!



This is my 'functional' winter banger.

It has the V8 which we never got in the UK. Have to shop for parts online to get good deals. Just changed the blower motor and headlights. Drive surprisingly well here in the great white north with winter blizzak tyres



My Porsche 993 Turbo



2001 X308 Jag XJR- I was involved in the engine design on this. Am currently strengthening up the differential so it can accommodate more power. Using the V12 diff as a base with Torsen T2R LSD





Ram Truck that does daily work and I use for camping



This was my first car ever- a 1982 BMW E21 323i- I still own it and its currently being ground up restored



This is my 1970 Challenger

Building a 470 cu in (7.7 litre) engine- low deck, with Max wedge style Mopar Stage VI fully CNCd heads, roller hydraulics, 6 pack cars set up and a Tremec 6 speed





This is my Greyhound bus conversion which is now an RV/motorhome



Earlier picture of my vintage BMW M6

This is my favourite of my collection

Also have a 1971 Jaguar XJ6 with only 16,000 miles on the clock- which is currently hibernating in my bahn. Has some odds and ends needed doing to it

 

[Andy Kappa]

So... not really interested in cars then?

Love the 993 (although the Turbo wouldn't be my first choice, strange to say). Although I drive Boxsters I had a chance to buy a beautifully prepared 996 4S a couple of years ago. I managed to talk myself out of it as I couldn't justify it at the time (and Mrs. K. hated the factory-fit race buckets). Ah well, c'est la vie. Having said that though, the new 981 will actually have more power than that car had, so it could be worse.

ETA: interesting what you say about the Jag - I used to play cricket with a guy who was part of the design dept. at Browns Lane, and for some years I lived just across the valley from the plant in Allesley Village - I could see it from our bedroom window.

 

[Count Iblis]

So... not really interested in cars then?

Love the 993 (although the Turbo wouldn't be my first choice, strange to say). Although I drive Boxsters I had a chance to buy a beautifully prepared 996 4S a couple of years ago. I managed to talk myself out of it as I couldn't justify it at the time (and Mrs. K. hated the factory-fit race buckets). Ah well, c'est la vie. Having said that though, the new 981 will have almost as much power as that car had, so it could be worse.

ETA: interesting what you say about the Jag - I used to play cricket with a guy who was part of the design dept. at Browns Lane, and for some years I lived just across the valley from the plant in Allesley Village - I could see it from our bedroom window.

I used to work at Whitley- years before Jag did R and D at Browns Lane- then it became solely a manufacturing facility- before closing down.

I wanted to originally get a 993 RS, but they went sky high in price before I could get one. I got the Turbo as a 'consolation' but over here in the US now, the Turbo characteristics suit the roads here as the Turbo is more of a 'GT' in a way.

I'm firmly in the 'Metzger engine' air cooled camp- even though the later cars are functionally 'better'. The Boxster is an outstanding handling car.

 

[Andy Kappa]

I'm firmly in the 'Metzger engine' air cooled camp- even though the later cars are functionally 'better'.

I know what you mean; I've never been lucky enough to drive one but the sound is absolutely sublime. I'm a member of the owner's club, and every once in a while works drivers turn up at track days to do some testing. The cars invariably sound like a bag of spanners at idle but on the track they sound like nothing else out there.

The Boxster is an outstanding handling car.

Indeed it is. As I said, IMHO the new 981 steering isn't quite as subtle as the Gen2 987, but still better than most of the competition - although a certain Mr. J^2 will no doubt express an opinion on that one once he finds this thread...

ETA: the cricket connection was late '80s - early '90s. I don't know how that ties up with your experience.

 

[Count Iblis]

I think that seems to tally up, late eighties/early nineties was when Ford took over and they were just moving their R and D activities to Whitley (the old Chrysler place).

Ford closed Radford engine manufacturing facility mid to late nineties

 

[Tusler]

Here is my project...it's a 49 new Yorker


here is my daily driver...80 240D

 

[Count Iblis]

Here is my project...it's a 49 new Yorker
View attachment 15811View attachment 15812

here is my daily driver...80 240D

View attachment 15814

Where are you from? Judging by having a daily driver that's vintage- somewhere out west where cars don't rust much?

Nice W123.

When I lived in the UK I had a 280 TE W123 which was very rusty and had holes in it. I've found the W124 a lot more better rust proofed and well put together although I like the W123 interior and perception of solid build quality

 

[Zieman]

Here's mine. Goes pretty well in about 30cm (1 foot for the imperials ) of snow, if the snow isn't too tightly packed...





Click on the pics to see 'em bigger.

 

[Andy Kappa]

At the risk of looking & sounding stupid Zieman... what is it? I make no claim to detailed knowledge of 4x4s and related items by the way...

 

[Sir.Tj]

Ohh just found this thread.

Me likey.

Had a few Jags over the years the last being a 95 X300






Traded in my trusty MK4 Golf GTI in November for a Audi A4 S-line.

 

[Zieman]

At the risk of looking & sounding stupid Zieman... what is it? I make no claim to detailed knowledge of 4x4s and related items by the way...

Not stupid at all, the pics are a bit obscure. It is the budget 4wd: Dacia Duster - quite barren (on modern roadcar / SUV standards), but has good ground clearance, is ok to drive and I could afford to buy it brand new even here in soviet Finland, the land of extravagant taxation.

 

[Andy Kappa]

Well the Black Boxster (see OP) is about to go on Monday - sold to help fund the new car. I will actually miss it enormously I think. It's such a joyous car to drive; every journey is an adventure in itself irrespective of the destination. I don't think I've been able to say that about any other car I've owned - not even the previous Porkers. As my dear departed mum might have said, I'm in severe danger of 'coming over all unnecessary' about it.

I know this looks kind of odd considering the car I'm going to replace it with, but the simple fact is that the new one is just missing a whisker of the handling finesse of the 987 - not much (and to be fair, in all other respects it's a significantly better car), but enough. I guess I'm hoping to find it's depths as I get used to it... If you love driving great-handling cars you'll know exactly what I mean.

Speaking of the new car, it's not actually built yet so I'm going to have to spend the next week or two driving (and there's really no good way of saying this so I'm just going to say it) a Vauxhall Astra.

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Classic '99 Subaru Impreza 2000UK Turbo AWD (WRX)...with No. Plate ending in RPG
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Bought it last year as a guy round the corner was selling it for a price I couldn't refuse.
Took it to a track for my dads birthday and BOOM! He toasted the engine. Detonation makes engines go bye-bye
I decided to kit the car out for light track days...it's addictive.
So far it's had the following upgrades done by a Subaru race team:

• Rebuilt 2.1 Stroker Engine
• ECU Upgrade and remapping
• Coilover Track Suspension
• 330mm 8 Pot Track Front Brakes
• 290mm 2 Pot Rear Brakes
• Chassis H-Frame
• Strut Support Bar
• Front and Rear Anti Roll Bars
• Induction Kit
• Upgraded Oil and Fuel Pump
• Oil Sump Baffles
• 17" x 7.5 Team Dynamics Racing Alloys
• Eagle F1 Tyres

So that's a good platform to build on. Safety 1st.
On the cards in the next few months:

• Centre Dash Pod: Oil Temp, Oil Pressure and Boost Pressure Guages
• STI Values and Injectors
• Upgraded Turbo and Intercooler (TMIC not FMIC as it's not a full blown sprint car)
• Track Clutch and STI 6 Speed Gearbox

Other Additions This Week:

• New Sound System. No amp or woofers. Just very good speakers, player and sound proofing.
• Tinted Windows (They look really dark in that photo, but they're not. That's because it's a very wet and cloudy day today when I took the pic)
• And as of this morning new windscreen wipers

My target is around the 310-330bhp for it to be a fun track car. It's already incredibly fun to drive...it will just be funner
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The thing is, this Impreza is one of the most practical cars I've ever driven. I can easily fit my snowboards, bikes and anything else in it.
Love it.
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Just bought a new pro-kart twin 200cc engines. Pick it up next week. I'll post a pic of that when it's built. It's blisteringly quick.

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Here's mine. Goes pretty well in about 30cm (1 foot for the imperials ) of snow, if the snow isn't too tightly packed...

[url]http://s5.postimg.org/gfs05khir/car1.jpg[/url]

[url]http://s5.postimg.org/nuhbxy3eb/car2.jpg[/url]

Click on the pics to see 'em bigger.

You drive a windscreen with one door?

 

[Andy Kappa]

Looking forward to seeing it in the metal in the not-too-distant future Woka!

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Looking forward to seeing it in the metal in the not-too-distant future Woka!

Once the pod and gauges are fitted then it's track ready.
Don't really want to take it on the track and potentially boil the oil.
The gauges all have warning limits that can be set on them. So while flying round the track if I hear BEEP BEEP BEEP then I know it's time to come in.
In theory I could fit a separated front mounted radiator for gear box cooling and a separate one for oil cooling...but I think that's complete overkill for a light track car that's not going to be entered into sprint competitions.
I did also look at paddle shifts for it...£10k for the gearbox! Wowzers! I don't think I'll be fitting that
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On a side note regarding the pro-kart:

Teesside kart track (Largest in the world) has a great deal for owner drivers. £35...ALL day!!! (That's per kart, not per driver!)
Can't beat going sideways round a corner at 50-60mph while 2" off the ground
If you ever want to swap the comfort of your Porche for something that just surges with adrenaline then you're quite welcome to come along and have a play.
It's powered by 2 x 200cc Honda engines. Did a test drive of one a few weeks ago and the back end tries to overtake the front while accelerating in a straight line. It's just an animal compared to the 2 x 160cc that I am used to racing.