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Show us your Cars

StefaanE

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And Dinky Toy, of course.
 
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I've had a few cars in my lifetime. As soon as I passed my test I was on the roads!

My first car back in 1997 was a Pug 205 Gti, D Reg in Silver, it was the 1.6 version although slightly slower than my mates 1.9 was more driveable.
The Peugeot blew a head gasket so I swapped it for a new one and forgot to install the huge washer for one of the head bolts and drove that bolt down the block and into the water pump, also cracking the block. I ended up scrapping it.

Since then I've had a BMW E36 M3, fab car but without the sports seats (which I bought after) it wasn't very comfortable. I downgraded from the M3 to an E36 320i Coupe as I was offered a really nice money for it, my brother then crashed the 320 thinking he could powerslide and ended up mouting the kerb sideways and hitting a wall.
After the 320 I bought a new 51 plate Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Twinport with the REALLY CRAPPY semi-auto gearbox, it was tragic but it never let me down, some utter idiot crashed into me head-on so that got written off.
Mazda RX8, bought new, along with my brother in law who bought one too. A fantastic car with a lovely farty buzzy engine that just wanted to be thrashed.

E46 M3, A solid feeling car with the right amount of looks and grunt. The straight six sound through a custom exhaust was just glorious!
I ended up swapping the M3 for a DC2 Honda Integra Type-R plus cash. Don't laugh, I'd happily drive one forever. Fab little pocket rocket.
After the DC2 I went for a DC5 'Teg Type-R, and swapped that plus cash for a BMW E92 M3. Even though I loved the M3 the DC5 was probably one of the best cars that I have driven, I wish I never got rid of it. My brother has a DC5 he uses now and I've been badgering him to sell it to me for years.

The E92 M3 was a great car but I felt like they lost something from the translation from E46 to E92, so it got traded it in and cash for the R35 Nissan GTR in silver. The GTR was a fucking rocket, the first time I stamped on the accelerator I literally cacked my pants, it could run up the speedo like it was going out fashion, but I lost interest in it as it wasn't a very involving car so I sold it and moved abroad to Turkey, which is where I am now.

I'm currently driving a C Class Merc, yeah yeah I know I've lost the will to live etc but it's supercharged at least and work pays for fuel :)

The car prices here are way too much of a piss take for me to delve back into spirited driving;

https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/...rali-gtr-emsalsiz-temizlikte-871183226/detail

Take this, for instance, 11 year old GTR for £150,000! No thanks. But I have the itch and maybe a project car with a few hundred horses, RWD and LSD will keep the itch at bay, we have some stunning mountain and coastal roads here that would keep me busy over weekends.

Honourable mentions to some of the other cars I've had;
Renault 21 Turbo (had a straight cut gearbox fitted and sounded so effing good!)
VW Golf MK1 Cabrio (bought for 600 quid, fitted a MK1 GTI engine to it as the factory carb setup was just shit)
Porsche 924 (with the big block 4 pot 2.5 lump, great car, lovely balance)
E34 BMW 525is (Christened Big Bertha, sold to a friend who fell in love with it, I had it for 8 days)
Ford Fiesta XR2 (swapped it for a Playstation 2 that I had, sold it a month later as I didn't have time to work on it).
Honda Civic EK (technically both mine and my brothers, fitted a 2.2 litre Prelude engine, then turbo'd it, then stripped it, 350BHP, mental)
 

MRC01

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... I have the itch and maybe a project car with a few hundred horses, RWD and LSD will keep the itch at bay, we have some stunning mountain and coastal roads here that would keep me busy over weekends.
...
Would you consider a kit car? Years ago, my friend/nemesis in SCCA autocross drove a Factory Five Cobra he built in his garage. It was a fantastic car like nothing you could buy.
 

Blumlein 88

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Would you consider a kit car? Years ago, my friend/nemesis in SCCA autocross drove a Factory Five Cobra he built in his garage. It was a fantastic car like nothing you could buy.
That isn't a bad idea. IMO. Seen a few of those.

One I would rather have is the Daytona coupe those same guys make. I've seen one of their Gen 2's which was fabulous. Was at a track, but I had no chance to drive it darn it.
https://www.factoryfive.com/type-65-coupe/
 
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Would you consider a kit car? Years ago, my friend/nemesis in SCCA autocross drove a Factory Five Cobra he built in his garage. It was a fantastic car like nothing you could buy.

Unfortunately kit cars are out of the question, none are available here and the tax imposed importing one would be extortionate, I want to find something that's here already and work with that. Good idea though.
 

MRC01

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What country is "here"? In England, Caterham has similar kits to build a replica Lotus 7, one of the funnest cars ever made.
 

MRC01

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That isn't a bad idea. IMO. Seen a few of those.
One I would rather have is the Daytona coupe those same guys make. I've seen one of their Gen 2's which was fabulous. Was at a track, but I had no chance to drive it darn it.
https://www.factoryfive.com/type-65-coupe/
Ah, the Daytona... SWWWWEEEET!
And they don't just look nice. His FFR Cobra was every bit as nimble & fast as my Panoz Roadster. We were both classed in A Mod with the shifter karts, making for a humorous starting line. Ours were the only 2 street legal "cars" (using that word loosely, haha) in A Mod, every other came in on a trailer.
 

Trouble Maker

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Old thread, new shoes. :)
Just a quick dirty car pic at the end of the day after I got them on.

PXL-20210220-224421426-NIGHT-1.jpg
 

digicidal

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Trouble Maker

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Shows there's at least one SUV that's actually being used as intended. ;)

If by that you mean driven through the millions of tons of road salt they put down on roads here, then you are correct. ;)

This will be what takes me to work, but that doesn't mean it will be the primary use since that's rarely happening now. Our office will never go back to in office full time.
So primary purpose will be more fun; towing, off-road.
Plan's are forming in my head for some light off-road adventures in the spring once it warms up and I have a bit more time.
I need to button up a small items before then too. There's some small non function effecting leaks, but I'm not taking a car off-road that's not at 110% if I can avoid it. I also need to get some light recovery equipment, strap/blocks and what-nots.

Sensible tyres

Thanks, that was my hope, a good 'all around' tire, as we spell in on this side of the pond. :)

Went from stock 20" wheel with 'regular' tire sized 265/50R20's @ 30.5" (774mm) tall overall to an 18" wheel w/light AT (all-terain) tire at 265/65R18 @ 31.5" (800mm) tall overall. So about an inch taller and about 1.6 inch (39mm) more sidewall. The load rating is higher. From a short drive Saturday the feeling is (much) softer; turn in, on center, ride quality etc.. Thought I might play with the pressures a bit, higher should be better for performance and FE but still be much more compliant than stock. I feel like it should be a reasonable compromise for dry, snow, drit/gravel and towing. I have a lot of friends who put winters on in the winter... seems like too much work, cost and space for spares. Especially since there are 'all seasons' that are 3PMSF (3 peak mountain snowflake) rated now, which these are.

Stock the day I picked it up for visual comparisons, can't wait to get some scratches on it. :)

View attachment 101454
 

Frank Dernie

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I have a lot of friends who put winters on in the winter... seems like too much work, cost and space for spares
I do myself. It is work cost and space but having the most suitable tyres on a car is the best way to optimise grip.
Wheels and tyres tend to be used as part of the styling package :)
 

Trouble Maker

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I do myself. It is work cost and space but having the most suitable tyres on a car is the best way to optimise grip.

I've done it in the past and I get it. Feeling like a god on the road with 4/AWD and snow tires VS 2WD and no-seasons is a thing of beauty. I only drive my S2000 when it's fairly nice out, so it has summers. I've got all of the tools for a full tire wheel swap... and much more. I (normally non-COVID) have access to top of the line tire changing and balance equipment at work. Despite that I find myself in many areas over time wanting to simplify, especially in ease/efficiency on an every day basis. My internal decision weighting over time biasing towards that simplicity. Multiple wheel/tire setup does not meet that target. :)

I 'need' 1 tire setup, 1 bike, 1 stereo, 1 ski, 1 tool for each job.... Finally lots of 'needs' so what I really need is to not make it 2-10 of each item in each area. I have many things to get rid of or replace/upgrade to go towards the goal. :)
 

LTig

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I do myself. It is work cost and space but having the most suitable tyres on a car is the best way to optimise grip.
I totally agree and change winter/summer tyres twice a year by myself. Costs me about 45 minutes, so in my view investing 1 1/2 hours per year into safe driving is well spent.
 
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escape2

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I do myself. It is work cost and space but having the most suitable tyres on a car is the best way to optimise grip.
Huge +1.

Proper winter tires make my old RWD BMW quite capable during our snowy winters here in Michigan.

Wife's Q5 has a set of winter rims/tires as well, but I let the shop swap them out. They're big and heavy and I'd rather not throw out my back trying to install them.

My SRT doesn't have winter tires, so it sits in the garage all winter until the roads are clear.


ew5M0w7l.jpg


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Hon

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No windows in the doors, just side curtains. The front of the top was held on with duct tape, which would sometimes give way at highway speeds++. Then the wind would blow up under the rag with disastrous consequences. The driver's seat was stuffed underneath with green parking tickets, an apple, and my purple heart medal. This was an upgrade from a '56 Porsche Speedster that cost me $650 plus $300 or so for repairs. I paid $275 for the Bugeye and sold it for $250.

p1bBPw+2Q7WiRVTs6UzzyQ_thumb_369.jpg
 
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Wes

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No windows in the doors, just side curtains. The front of the top was held on with duct tape, which would sometimes give way at highway speeds++. Then the wind would blow up under the rag with disastrous consequences. The driver's seat was stuffed underneath with green parking tickets, an apple, and my purple heart medal. This was an upgrade from a '56 Porsche Speedster that cost me $650 plus $300 or so for repairs. I paid $275 for the Bugeye and sold it for $250.

View attachment 114193

A Sprite is an upgrade for a Speedster???

I think smaller is better in sports cars, and the Sprite is the smallest, but...
 

StefaanE

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I totally agree and change winter/summer tyres twice a year by myself. Costs me about 45 minutes, so in my view investing 1 1/2 hours per year into safe driving is well spent.
Luxembourgish law actually requires tyres adapted to the weather conditions, so one can get fined for driving with the wrong tyres — and insurance companies, bless their magnanimous hearts —can refuse cover in those circumstances. Lots of garages offer seasonal tyre storage for a reaonable fee.
 

Lbstyling

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RWD 9200rpm rev limit.
4 inch billet wheel ceramic bearing turbo.
670hp on full boost.
Used in the summer as a daily commuter to a secondary school as a teacher...
Mid life crises are underrated IMO.

It can leave pretty much anything I've ran into, but only in good weather.

To many near death experiences to count. Winter in the UK is ... interesting.

Has stepped out on me at well over 110mph on a gear change.

I have swapped passenger experiences with many other cars with more power now, but everyone has looked at me like I'm insane after getting out of it with the exception of a couple of superbike owners (so far).

I need to sell it, just cant ever find the will to actually do it when it comes to it as I honestly feel S2ks are the perfect car.

Sound is like this but just louder (no baffle 4 inch exhaust)

 
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