slomove

More pics....This is with screens open: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnODRGYLaI/AAAAAAAACNE/qVvLcyBSYr4/s1152/P1020520.JPG And I ended up with satin black mirrors (instead of the the matching yellow): http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnN2QCP1PI/AAAAAAAACM0/IpgSzjxUIbI/s1152/P1020511.JPG Anyway, given the difficulties, I think I can not provide sidescreens to other interested parties but maybe the pictures help come up with new and better ideas.

After that thermoforming failure I formed a new sidescreen frame from thin walled stainless tubing: http://lh5.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNdkjxFcI/AAAAAAAACMg/mJVaRB8CLgk/s800/P1020482.JPG Put a flexible 1/16" sheet of polycarbonate on and wrapped the edges around the frame with a hot air gun: http://lh5.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNj_i8HLI/AAAAAAAACMk/_6mK30-bhb8/s1152/P1020486.JPG Result is much more pleasing: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNqz7ls2I/AAAAAAAACMs/p4JrfDXtyeg/s1152/P1020507.JPG New frame is not too obtrusive, good wind and weather protection and still the feeling of an open car. I like it.... http://lh4.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNyN1q0JI/AAAAAAAACMw/QUiC9Sejg7Q/s1152/P1020509.JPG

Well, I would not call it a flaming failure as earlier suspected but anyway I was not satisfied with the results. Polycarbonate is pretty tricky to work with and I suspect even with industrial equipment it may not be possible to shape a sheet on a mold with good optical clarity. So I built a mold: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNLy9Nn3I/AAAAAAAACMQ/ymWvvkCXkPY/s1152/P1020474.JPG Put it into a heater box (a.k.a. oven) with air baffles: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNPNxtqHI/AAAAAAAACMU/sejQ1sdNMEA/s1152/P1020478.JPG Blew in 6 kW of hot air to get to 365 degrees: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNSrR0R-I/AAAAAAAACMY/7cnhBr0LZf4/s1152/P1020480.JPG Got a properly shaped sheet for the sidescreen but the optical clarity was disappointing: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOnNXBvoaMI/AAAAAAAACMc/-CFTIcWdfFs/s1152/P1020503.JPG Oh well, some things are more difficult than expected. I did several experiments with different temperatures and soaking time but eventually had to give up and go back to the previous concept with the frame (see next post).

O.K., I was there and I have to take the "ugly" back. They are actually decent looking sport cars. Nevertheless I was underwhelmed. I would not mind having a current Elise but probably would not spend money on these new concepts.

Oh well, then I better reserve my judgment until I see them. It is just the Elise was a pretty exciting and radical design in the 90's and these models look more generic to me. When I squint I can see the 7s resemblance :hurray:

I do that all the time on the way to the grocery store.

IMO for the most part, they are ugly. But I am going to have a look tomorrow. http://www.laautoshow.com/Debuts.aspx?Concepts# That is supposed to be an Elise: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/01lotuseliseparisliveopt.jpg

I am pretty sure some of the data is debatable. And I don't really care about the life expectancy numbers since they are also influenced by life styles and basically say whatever you pay (and if some basic care is provided) you will live to about 80 plus minus a few years. I find it disgusting that a system is entrenched here that resists any change and leeches prosperity out of the society for no obvious benefit. And then some politicos helping them dupe the public are talking about the "best health care system in the world" with a straight face. Yeah, right. Sky is falling if we dare change anything.

Agreed. But I think it is one of the things that distinguishes a developed modern country from a 3rd world dump. The problem in my view is not so much in the fact that insurance will be mandated but that the health and health insurance industry are inefficient and ripping us all off. The recent law is doing little to fix that and with this industry pulling the strings in Washington it will not change soon. Many other western countries are providing excellent health care to pretty much all citizens at a fraction of what is being spent now in the US for only part of the population (per person). If that could be improved the cost problem would go away. But my hope is slim that is ever going to happen. http://user.cloudfront.goodinc.com/community/zach/6a00e0098226918833012876674340970c-800wi.jpeg

Ouch, mind that few people in normal cars had (or wore) safety belts back then.

Found it is a rather old fashioned BSP straight pipe thread, that was used for the MG engines. Aeroquip does not have that thread. But, a drill and a 7/8" tap made it work: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TOCiQtkXqdI/AAAAAAAACLU/cxbP0HRxZ90/P1020488.JPG

Last year driving up from Eureka, CA into the coastal mountains we found a Shoe Tree: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TNy2TnKFYoI/AAAAAAAACKY/oxzJBKq1PSE/P1010092.JPG In the Middle of Nowhere it was a bit weird but funny. But I read that it is no so uncommon. Anybody seen such a tree?

Darn it. I was fighting with editing the links and did not notice the duplicates. Let me see if I can at least remove them.

The "slow car" was just a joke.... But the GBP did lose value dramatically in the 80's and 90's. I found this calculator using actual statistical data tables: =CPI&use[]=NOMINALEARN&year_early=1958&pound71=1157&shilling71=0&pence71=0&amount=1157&year_source=1958&year_result=1970]1958 - 1970" and =CPI&use[]=NOMINALEARN&year_late=1971&typeamount=1750&amount=1750&year_source=1971&year_result=2010]1971-2008" It gives actually different answers for retail prices and wages. I suspect a specialty sports car would fall somewhere in between. I looked that up only for fun and out of curiosity, not to make any point. But it is still interesting that the low prices of yesteryear that we sometime look at with some nostalgia actually were not that low for the folks back then. Part of that is probably that the labor productivity and level of automation was much lower back then. Independent of the Dollar or GBP number it took more skilled labor to build a much less sophisticated product than we get nowadays. file:///C:/Users/GERT%7E1.BUR/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png

Just did some research on the buying power of the GBP. The car may have been only £1157, but the pound has lost about 96% of it's buying power since 1958. That means this car should cost about £30,000 nowadays or $47,000. That is a lot of money for such a slow car ;-)

It is not a coating. It is 1/16" solid EPDM rubber. E.g. McMaster Carr #8610K2 with adhesive backing 12" x 24" for $9 a sheet. If you keep it only to the single curved outer surface it is a simple stick-on solution, easy to replace and extremely tough. A little rub with ArmorAll makes it deep shiny black. For better protection I used a wider sheet and wrapped it around the edge. But I had to cut some segments in this area to conform and edge trim to hold it down.

A bit hard to see but I believe they relocated the pedals also. There is a bunch of other ingenious problem solutions on ThereIfixedit.com: http://thereifixedit.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/42f7cbca-869f-4208-b1cf-950887cafa79.jpg

Rod, fabulous picture! Where was that about? We are going to Oregon for a Thanksgiving mini vacation (not with the Se7en, though). Mike, I think you expressed what bothered me already about the color. In a way it fits but it is not in the character of a Se7en. Kind of "Pimp my Ride" ?

Yes, in Monterey I still had the chrome tripod-bullet mirrors. They looked O.K. but I had them for many years and wanted something different, wider with better view. This is for now a prototype. I have to make another version that allows to better adjust the ball joint friction. I am also not sure if I like the color-matching yellow paint or better paint them just black. Any opinion?

Well, just the other way. You get the idea.... http://lh5.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TNTpGbUPYlI/AAAAAAAACJQ/zNDm3vDF2AU/s1024/LeftRight.jpg

The local group went to Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains and I finally paid my dues to the photographer lurking on Mulholland Highway: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TNTWGyfaGII/AAAAAAAACJI/HXzdGeQKvEc/s1280/_DSC7015-Edit-3.jpg

108 dB and pretty cheap: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062396 http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2160305w345.jpg

PVC or CPVC are prone to splinter when breaking, especially when it is cold (did you say Alaska?). Happens easily when accidentally hit or attacked by fluids from inside. That makes for pretty good shrapnel and is one of the reasons why it is not allowed for compressed gases including air (even if it can technically hold the pressure). Don't even think of cheap sched 40 PVC. Polyethylene pipe can be used but must be butt or socket welded with specialized equipment and is anyway not very popular here in the US. So I guess copper or galvanized is a better choice. If you have money to burn, take Stainless ;-)

Now that is a novel idea! I suspect however, with all the vibration going on a wimpy cellphone device won't be enough. I have a real loud beeper from Radio Shack wired across the flasher relay. Can be heard half a block away which I don't like. But when using the high quality earplugs while driving I sometimes don't even hear that. I was wondering to get an automatic turn-off gadget for Motorcycles or maybe install much stronger annunciator lights that I can not miss.

That was an easy solution for the ZX1. Ford had European water pumps with reversed impellers for cars without air condition and simplified serpentine (certain Fiesta and Escort models). The pump was definitely made for such an impeller and I use it for a long time. Not sure if that was ever done for the ZX3.