Croc

Karl - can non-PCA people attend the Pocono Raceway event? Any more details? You got me thinking....

Fish and Chip Run is Sunday May 1. Begins at Milford NJ and ends up at lunch at Ship inn. Always a good event run by Robert (Wallabyguy on LotusTalk). Mostly a LEO Group crowd. I hope Robert brings a Toniq or a KTM xbow to check out (he runs the company that imports them). Atwell stepped down from active LEO organization for family reasons - I hope it all goes well for him and his family. I am sure Bruce will pop up shortly with his time in June for the "Bowker Annual Sevens Run". Of course around April 2, Skip has organized a Denver Sevens group run for me in Denver to run in the CSR Superfatty. Canyon carving is apparently de rigueur on such events. However, what I really want to know is when the next Boxologist incident is scheduled for? The seven is off the road, the miata is close to it, but the Subie is back on the road with an impressive WRX turbo setup to help Jon be a misguided missile.

I think Tom is referring to this: http://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=3473 or this: http://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=303 Then again he is from Philly so he could be referring to this: http://www.chanel.com/ :jester:

Just got back from my 180 mile run. Started instantly - no issues. Took the car north along the Hudson River, then under the George Washington Bridge at Henry Hudson Drive and kept going up to Newburgh across the river and then south. I got to go through my favorite tunnel on Rt 9 (three times! ) before crossing the Hudson again and finding my way onto Seven Lakes Drive - going up and back just to enjoy the road. I had the road to myself, lakes were still iced up, potholes not too bad, even a wave from a friendly policeman. The sitting in the cockpit of a seven in the sunshine is a nice cosy place on a cool spring day like today.

:rofl: Sorry I could not make it Tom - the boss was in at work. Looks like you and Steve hacked your way to a solution without my expertise. I guess the angle grinder did not need to make an appearance!

Here is the Blatchat discussion: http://www.blatchat.com/t.asp?id=199395 Having read the Motoman link within the Blatchat discussion, I think I am a fan of the "rev the tits off the mother" approach to running in a new engine. Also given my first shakedown drive will be a weekend in Denver prowling with the Denver Seven enthusiasts, I dont think pussyfooting is allowed... A nice early oil change should clean up all the swarf that comes off in the first few hundred miles.

Damn that engine looks good! I am so looking forward to getting my size 12s on to the throttle of one of those!

I have a drill to bring to the party! Where would you like me to drill? If you are concerned about possible incompetence there then I can always stand around and look pretty while heckling you and Steve! Being serious for a moment - what is the height increase between regular and high bar? About 2 inches or so?

Yes they are stuck with worthless debt. The equity and bondholders will take a pretty steep haircut. Their issue really comes from the lack of sufficient revenue from the money invested to build the place. Not only was it planned to be a motor racing facility but real estate development was the key to adding sufficient revenue/cahs flow to pay down the debt in the original business plans from the circuit development. I am expecting that the the creditors will be realistic and take a haircut as if it goes out of business then there is no money to anybody. Liquidation is a scorched earth option where no one will come out with any money other than the savvy person who will buy it at a firesale price.

That is why I had planned to save weight with the shift to a carbon cam cover. The really-cool looking retro cam cover that Karl is going for weighs about the same as a spare tire and is much heavier than a standard OEM plastic jobby. But still...it does look really really nice....

I have one that I bought last year in a motoring memorabilia place in the London suburbs for $10. It needs a clean but it is the same badge done in black background with polished letters. They (supposedly) originally came from a Cosworth Escort. This will be confirmed by Alaskossie as I think he has one of these.... Until I saw the pics I had not thought of using it in this application. Maybe try Ebay UK to see what they have for sale.

Tom - It did not have to be too thick to persuade me! In a similar approach to Karl, I was originally looking at a retro approach - a BDA-lookalike cover. I know the Zetec has these available but I never found one for the Duratec. So I went for the next best thing - Reverie. That photo of your engine bay looks awesome. I was worried I have too much bling. This confirms it is not possible!

Completely off topic but this link will be irrestible honey to Karl to open his checkbook again :jester: I have a cam cover on order from Reverie but it is yet to arrive. I had no idea that Tom (Alaskossie) used it on his car. http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/home.php

Ok I was brain dead this morning - I typed 2L when I should have typed 2.3L. Either way it is moot as others with S3's have popped up to say they shoehorned the mother in there. Separately though I do recall Dick Brink telling me 2 years back that a Birkin will not take a 2.3L as it is too tall. I guess a Birkin is more svelte than an S3?

Its just Chapter 11 debt restructuring. The loan on the townhouse/rental accommodation was not being serviced as there were no cashflow from the units like they expected/hoped for. Give them a few months and they will be out of it. We may have to pay a little extra for the cheap accommodation on our track day but the circuit, its employees and operations should be unharmed.

Wow - I own one of those puppies? :drool: I never saw my engine looking like that - instead it was just one big sexy lump! ummm....I am talking about the engine Karl - not you sorry! That sounds too small an increment? I understood the 2L cannot fit in an S3 chassis (or a Birkin for that matter) as it is too tall by 2 inches?

I had the privilege to drive a Ford Sierra Cosworth RS 500 in Group A touring circuit car guise on a race track in Australia years ago when they were the thing to beat on the race tracks. Very twitchy set up, the power came on song in a huge rush and it all got to serious speed very very quickly. Amazing car. I they may be 25 years old but I still want to buy one - still searching UK classifieds while I dream of finding a decent one I can import to the US to become part of a collection of dream cars I want to buy...one day....:drool:

Posted on behalf of an aspiring sevener who was having difficulty posting here. What is required to register a seven in New York State? Also looking for information on what is required to pass the inspection process. I have heard there is some borough differences between Westchester, Bronx, Brooklyn etc. - not sure how true that is?

"And Bubba looked bewildered at the crushed remains of his 1995 Ford Contour which he had left in the disabled parking space while he went grocery shopping with the other trailer trash at the Gardere Wal Mart. It came in a flash...this was that godammed Hank's doing!" Putting aside the soap opera scenario above - what on earth are you planning to do with this monster? Conquering a few countries (or counties)? Towing an aircraft carrier?

Hi Karl, I am definitely knocked out in April on those dates because of work committments out of town. It is only in May when I start to get my work life under control. Cheers

My good old torque wrench looks like it has broken (mechanism will not hold any torque now in either direction). It was about 10 years old so I am not too upset. Looking at replacements, what do others use for their cars? Brands, digital vs dial vs beam vs gauge, size, etc. Recommendations and suggestions gratefully welcomed.

It would also be nice to confirm the driver is ok?

ouch! How much damage?

I remember a BMW 2L straight six. Lovely silky smooth with a nice howl. However it did not have anything remotely close to the horsepower of this one. Nice find - how much for the engine is the question? Will it fit in a seven? If it will not then I will just have to live with the Aston Martin as a package! :-P

BTTT - Still for sale. Price revised down to $36,000 to meet the market