General / Off-Topic Elite Drivers' drives

[Spruxxx]

Great thread!

Subaru Impreza WRX...aka 'The Nightbird' aka 'Black Thunder' aka 'Old Faithful'

And as a bonus for space fans, Subaru is the Japanese name for the Pleiades, hence the logo of six stars (one of the Sisters is missing as it is traditionally not considered visible).

Spoiler

And for some reason I can't fathom, a few people don't take the car seriously...

Edit: Reminds me of a Vulture. Agile and packs a punch, but range is not its strong point! I flew one until I got a FAS. Complimented that with an ASP-E and I'm happy

 

[MUSKETEER]

Driving a sport car? That's cute.

This is my ride....

Honda CBR1000RR

And real me lol

 

[Andy Kappa]

You do know that there's a separate biker's thread around here somewhere in fairly urgent need of a new posting or two, don't you?

 

[Patrick_68000]

You do know that there's a separate biker's thread

Do not put the cars in this thread

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

A lot of people consider the car I drive to be a bit chavvy. The wrecks that hang around McD's car parks are. Mine isn't so much....
Not sure what ED ship it would equate to, though.

Great thread!

Subaru Impreza WRX...aka 'The Nightbird' aka 'Black Thunder' aka 'Old Faithful'

Nice to see fellow Scooby owners
Have you gone down the upgrade route yet? It's addictive. Looking at hitting the 400bhp mark with my Classic this year.
Guy a few houses up has just bought a new WRX STI. Every time he drives past my house I think someone has stolen my car! Constantly running to the window
Also...I really don't like the new WRX STI look. Classic all the way!
-

You do know that there's a separate biker's thread around here somewhere in fairly urgent need of a new posting or two, don't you?

LOL! It may be early but I read that as "Bikers! BAH! Sod off to your dedicated thread!"
I've always wanted a Ducati

 

[Andy Kappa]

It may be early but I read that as "Bikers! BAH! Sod off to your dedicated thread!"
I've always wanted a Ducati

Au contraire, I was simply giving a bit of guidance to somebody who seemed to have lost his way... [where is it][noob]

Speaking of trackdays... [yesnod]

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Au contraire, I was simply giving a bit of guidance to somebody who seemed to have lost his way... [where is it][noob]

lol

Speaking of trackdays... [yesnod]

I've decided my track/racing driving skill level in my Impreza is about a 1 out of 10...Even after 30yrs+ of motorsports.
Rear wheel drive...can do that in my sleep...but I've never lost traction in a 4 wheel drive on a corner, which worries me.
In the next few months I'm going to do a track/advanced car handling training day on a runway.
Once I'm comfortable in handling my car sideways then I'll be looking at a track day again.
Have you ever done one of these courses?

 

[Andy Kappa]

Have you ever done one of these courses?

Not as such, but I have been here a couple of times, and plan to go again sometime later this year. (I discovered that when you buy a new Porsche you get a free half day at this place - normally around £450 - in a car identical to the one you've bought. )

I could rave about it all day, but take a look at the kick plate (a lot more fun than it sounds) and the straights (the only time I'll ever get to use the car's launch control in a controlled environment and find out exactly how quick it is off the line... shockingly as it turns out :O).

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Not as such, but I have been here a couple of times, and plan to go again sometime later this year. (I discovered that when you buy a new Porsche you get a free half day at this place - normally around £450 - in a car identical to the one you've bought. )

I could rave about it all day, but take a look at the kick plate (a lot more fun than it sounds) and the straights (the only time I'll ever get to use the car's launch control in a controlled environment and find out exactly how quick it is off the line... shockingly as it turns out :O).

Nice!!!
Have the option of launch control and anti-lag for my Impreza since the ECU was upgraded, at a cost of about £50...I turned it down

• Illegal to use on UK roads
• Can snap drive shafts (Someone I know went through 3 Impreza drive shafts in a day of sprint racing)
• I don't want flames coming out the back of my car
• I can do almost a good enough job manually...5-6k rpm. Drop clutch. Hang on.

Why people do the following I have NO idea!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ3tYTh0J94

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Well...front offside brake callipers seized on the M1 at the start of the week. AA to the rescue!
Got the car dropped off at the Impreza race team garage and within the 10mins of unloading the car and my taxi turning up I managed to also book the car in for some upgrades.

• MD321H Turbo
• H&S Exhaust
• STI v5 Heads

400bhp+ here we come!

 

[Andy Kappa]

Last time I had calipers seize was in a Lancia many years ago. Handbrake kept sticking on, and the only solution (apparently ) was to leave the handbrake off and park the car in gear - which was fun. [sad]

Lovely cars, Lancias - the Delta Turbo was much quicker than the Golf GTi's and Escort XR3i's of the day for about the same money. That said, their reputation for iffy reliability was well-deserved IME (not helped by a main dealer network that either didn't know or didn't care how to keep them going). Those were the days!

Is it just me or is this Scooby project turning into a bit of a saga? I imagine costs are starting to build up a bit...

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Last time I had calipers seize was in a Lancia many years ago. Handbrake kept sticking on, and the only solution (apparently ) was to leave the handbrake off and park the car in gear - which was fun. [sad]

A lot of cars have this issue. Imprezas, Volvo V70s. Seems an issue with rear drum handbrakes when used with rear brake calipers.

Is it just me or is this Scooby project turning into a bit of a saga? I imagine costs are starting to build up a bit...

Costs build up like any hobby or project.
How I see it is this:

• My friend bought a 4 yr old 1.4 "city car" for almost what it cost me for mine in total.
• What other car can you get with new track gear and new forged engine internals, 400bhp, for around the 10k mark, give or take a few k? (Actually probably a few...but the diff is all my hardware is new)
• People pay finance on newer cars that total way more than the cost of my car. No horrible hire purchase.
• It's a damn sight cheaper than the car you just purchased
• The dark blue Classic Impreza shape is one of my all time favourite cars, along with the RS200.
• I race karts to a reasonable high standard and want to get more into track, maybe even time trials. I have to give up all other sports because of my double hip replacement op, so need to do something.
• The Impreza is a very practical car
• It's not a commuting car
• The car is in great condition
• I don't intend to ever sell it
• It's fun to drive
• It's fun to drive
• It's fun to drive
• It's incredibly fun to drive!

Think that sums it up

 

[Spruxxx]

Last time I had calipers seize was in a Lancia many years ago. Handbrake kept sticking on, and the only solution (apparently ) was to leave the handbrake off and park the car in gear - which was fun. [sad]

Lovely cars, Lancias - the Delta Turbo was much quicker than the Golf GTi's and Escort XR3i's of the day for about the same money. That said, their reputation for iffy reliability was well-deserved IME (not helped by a main dealer network that either didn't know or didn't care how to keep them going). Those were the days!

Is it just me or is this Scooby project turning into a bit of a saga? I imagine costs are starting to build up a bit...

My mate's dad still has an Integrale, stunning. Think it's an HF 16v Evo II. Dark blue LHD Italian import with quite a few upgrades...and a Corrado VR6 Storm, amongst others...

A lot of cars have this issue. Imprezas, Volvo V70s. Seems an issue with rear drum handbrakes when used with rear brake calipers.


Costs build up like any hobby or project.
How I see it is this:

• My friend bought a 4 yr old 1.4 "city car" for almost what it cost me for mine in total.
• What other car can you get with new track gear and new forged engine internals, 400bhp, for around the 10k mark, give or take a few k? (Actually probably a few...but the diff is all my hardware is new)
• People pay finance on newer cars that total way more than the cost of my car. No horrible hire purchase.
• It's a damn sight cheaper than the car you just purchased
• The dark blue Classic Impreza shape is one of my all time favourite cars, along with the RS200.
• I race karts to a reasonable high standard and want to get more into track, maybe even time trials. I have to give up all other sports because of my double hip replacement op, so need to do something.
• The Impreza is a very practical car
• It's not a commuting car
• The car is in great condition
• I don't intend to ever sell it
• It's fun to drive
• It's fun to drive
• It's fun to drive
• It's incredibly fun to drive!

Think that sums it up

We should start Subaru Squadron Good luck with the upgrades!

I had a heart in mouth moment on Thursday, was on the M4 to take my car for a service. In the fast lane and the van in front suffered an F1-style total tyre blowout to the front left tyre. In a matter of seconds the carcass first bounces across the lanes before rolling back across to slam into the side of my car! Fortunately the van driver kept control and pulled over to the hard shoulder on three tyres pretty quick, and no damage to my bodywork...

 

[Andy Kappa]

[*]It's a damn sight cheaper than the car you just purchased

O.K. I'll give you that one![haha]

Seriously though, I wasn't being critical - not at all - just kinda lost count of where it had got to.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

My mate's dad still has an Integrale, stunning. Think it's an HF 16v Evo II. Dark blue LHD Italian import with quite a few upgrades

Indeed; a classic (and a good one is worth serious moolah these days).

Mine was it's baby brother the 2WD Turbo. You could read a newspaper in the time it took for the turbo to kick in, but once it did... :O:O:O

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

We should start Subaru Squadron Good luck with the upgrades!

Yea Seems to be more of us than I expected

I had a heart in mouth moment on Thursday, was on the M4 to take my car for a service. In the fast lane and the van in front suffered an F1-style total tyre blowout to the front left tyre. In a matter of seconds the carcass first bounces across the lanes before rolling back across to slam into the side of my car! Fortunately the van driver kept control and pulled over to the hard shoulder on three tyres pretty quick, and no damage to my bodywork...

Ouch! Thankfully have not seen that yet on the roads.

O.K. I'll give you that one![haha]

My GF had a similar conversation with me over the weekend about my new upgrades.
My logic is that ppl get "new" cars on hire purchase. Initial deposit. X / month. Then final huge payment to keep car.
While I have spent a bit on my car I have not spent what a lot of people spend on new cars...not even close.
The difference is mine will be 400bhp.

Seriously though, I wasn't being critical - not at all - just kinda lost count of where it had got to.

I know It's something I always get asked by my friends, who are so not into track racing or cars.

Indeed; a classic (and a good one is worth serious moolah these days).

Yea, but it depends on what car. Most "old" imprezas are worth more broken down and sold as spares, which is where a lot of them end up, which is a massive shame.
Impreza prices vary dramatically. A 15+ yr old Type R, RA, P1 Classic will set you back between 5k-8k. 2 door, DCCD (Had the option of DCCD in my car, but opted for a standard 6 speed box instead.
A old 22B however is in an entirely different league...few years ago they went for 25k, then every year they have gone up. £45k last year...and now Prince Nazeems 22B is up for sale. Asking price, 65k!!!!

 

[Loetmichel]

I bought a 1994 BMW 316i compact in mid february with 3 months left to the next mandatory state inspection left, to cope with the fact that my main drive ( Opel Omega 2.5 6cylinder turbocharged diesel automatic gearbox) station wagon had to stay at the mechanic because it blew every single gasket in the engine (crankcase vent clogged)... Its still at the mechanic, 4th time now, they seem to have killed the gearbox while reparing the engine, but thats another story.

The state i bought the BMW in:

Notice the slight amounts of rust and the broken drivers seat backrest

lately i replaced the fender:

Notice the amount of rust that fell out when i removed the old fender (inside the ramps).

Wenedsday i decided to change to the summer tyres to drive a few 100km with it to a quadcopter convention... because the winter tyres re from pre-2000 and looked like a 15th century painting or a dried our seabed.

There i noticed that the liftjack disappeared into the sill beam without even nudging the car... had to use the wood board to distribute the load to get it lifted.

I doubt it will get thru another mandatory state technical inspection due to the end of this month sadly. The original plan was to re-sell it once my "good" car was back from the mechanic.

At the moment i am hoping the mechanic gets it done before the end of the month, so i can scrap the BMW without risking a huge fine for not exceeding a due TUEV.

:-(

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Sooooo, not technically a "car"...but more of a car than a bike
Started my GX200 twin engine Pro-Kart Extreme build on Saturday.
Got everything in bits, apart from the pre-built engines.
No Lego instructions here...lots of "Hmmmm where does this go?!"
-
It has around 130 bhp/tonne and we worked out it's power/weight is greater than my dads Volvo S60 D5 (think my Impreza is 195 bhp/tonne).
-
Mmmmmmmm every last single png or jpg pic I try at add it says "Invalid file"...even a 1.5Kb sized one. Pics later it seems

 

[Sir.Tj]

Use IMGR for the pics and hurry up I want to go oooohhhh

 

[Codger]

Gaming reflects real life, right?

 

[Andy Kappa]

Gaming reflects real life, right?

http://usplus.net/elite/car-and-ship.jpg

Nah... colour's completely wrong - on the car of course.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Use IMGR for the pics and hurry up I want to go oooohhhh

IMGUR is great. Use it all the time and never had any problems.