Lauren

Just start a new thread. It's fine, if that's what you want to do.

Ooh that's a bit of a shame about the windscreen chip. May be repairable? 
 
I've got a couple in mine that have been there for well over a year, not quite that big though. 

Okay, will give it some thought. Can meet both requirements with Indy.

It might help that 11 odd years ago the owner think his name was John? was always interested to hear about my racing exploits and I was nearly on for having them as a sponsor. But, obviously since that time, the people I knew have now left. The work they do on manifolds is just stunning though. You'd see Bentley blowers, classic Maseratis and the like in there having full systems from the head all the way back! 
 
I remember going to them to get an oxy sensor cut into a Magnex exhaust on my AW11 SC. Due to the SC box the exhaust was really tight to the driveshafts, but without asking they welded in an tiny extra section to drop it 10mm to clear the driveshaft boot! That's what I call service! 
 
I was warned by Richard that the waiting list is about three weeks. But really nowhere else does better work. So if I have to wait three weeks for my AE86 to be done, then so be it. 

I've used JP Exhausts before for full systems for my cars and also they made the manifolds for us when I was involved in K20A conversions for Elises and the like. They are excellent, I would say the best place you can go to. Highly recommended. 
 
They will be doing some work on my AE86 in the next few weeks. I wouldn't go anywhere else. 
 
I've only got a Milltek as it was part of the option package when I bought my car, otherwise I would have gone to JP. 
 
I'd go 2.5" with just the rear silencer, don't bother with the resonated bit. Obviously you can tell them how you want it to sound etc. 

As long as you don't lock the car with the boot open it won't arm. 
 
Opening the boot in isolation does not set the alarm off. 
 
The common mistake is to open the boot from inside the car, then lock it, which obviously arms the alarm and will lead to the beeping. 

James I will have to pop down some time as it will be good for links between this club and the Brotherhood, I know Chay has mentioned it a few times. 
 
(I realised I'm not in Lake Garda that day but I will be travelling to Croft for a sprint). 

This sounds really good.  It's a shame I live in Manchester and need to get north to Croft on that day.  

To be honest, I've probably worded it wrong.

I only knowingly hit th a/c button very rarely, however it probably comes on with the window de mister mode and when I have it in auto mode regularly as well.

But I'm glad it's being sorted, once the service manager got involved he explained it all clearly and we were on the right page. It was just his receptionist who kept giving me all the wrong information and had an arrogant attitude that was what wound me up.

At least I'll have working air con for my trip to France in 2 weeks

May I reccomend an Indy stop at lake Bodensee and Neuschwanstein Castle is amazing if you haven't already visited

Yes, the heated seat/leather upgrade is well worth doing. I've got the leather/alcantara as full leather wasn't an option. It's an option very much worth ticking. I think the overall build quality of the car is very good. I've had zero problems (well a heated seat switch stopped lighting up and I had a coil pack changed as a precaution) though I've done over 65K in two and a half years. I also compete in my car and will be taking it to Italy again at the end of the month. It's all good, you'll love it.

So, after going between my dealer and Toyota Techincal we got the car on diagnostics today and turns out it's a fault with the compressor.

The sealed cap on the bottom is leaking, there was zero gas at all in the system.

Being replaced in Thursday and refilled all under warranty

Seriously just don't worry about it. It's the only way to get the options you've chosen fitted. 
 
Mine has the odd annoying rattle but I've done loads of miles. I just ignore it tbh and turn my music up. 

For the tag for peage, check out: http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/sanef-tolling/ saves €10 application fee 
It still costs extra, but when we over at easter, all the tag lanes were clear and the pay lanes had queues...(so I'm hoping the same again as Saturday 25th will be busy!)
 
For me, it's great as we'll be heading over in the "panzer" with the kids a few times over the next year, and the tag is transferable to other vehicles (so don't leave it in the car!)

Seriously just don't worry about it. It's the only way to get the options you've chosen fitted. 
 
Mine has the odd annoying rattle but I've done loads of miles. I just ignore it tbh and turn my music up. 

May see you in Sirmione as we'll be in Bardalino.

To be fair the usual issue with Turbo kit copies is one of 2 things, poor quality turbo and manifold strength. You know that the turbo in this kit is good, it's just whether the manifold holds up especially seeing as the turbo is mounted high up. That being said, SBD's defence was that it was made in the same location as the GReddy, therefore the quality shouldn't be any difference.

James, what other cooling mods have you got on the way? A turbo mounted there will give you a fair amount extra heat under the bonnet.

It's also worth considering that if you're looking for more than 250bhp then the shorter FD will make the car more of a handfull. It'll make the 1st few gears fairly useless in anything worse than dry roads. Considering you'll be looking at similar low end torque to what I have, I wouldn't dream of a sorter FD in my car unless I put on daft wide wheels

Not wishing to throw a spanner in the works, but copies are rarely as good as the original. Obviously it's dependent upon materials used etc, but if it's significantly cheaper than the original, there may be a reason. 

You can just hit the demist button and it will demist the screen of course. Just run the AC all the time and it will never mist up. 
 
The auto setting will do this. I have to be honest, I can't for the life of me work out why people don't just leave it in auto, set the temp and then never touch it. The fan speed will alter to suit in auto setting. This is what I do. My temperature range varies from 19C in the summer to 22C in the winter, but that's the only settings I change. I have never had to use it in manual mode as that would defeat the point. 

Much better than the peppermint I think. I really think white needs a strong colour on the wheels.

Just need to get them over to the bodyshop but I am short on time at the moment.

My wheels are back
Yesterday I collected my wheels from the powder coaters after they had done a FOC colour change. I decided to change colour as the green was just too light next to the white paint work. I had done many photoshops and got down to 3 colours orange, pink and gold. After a number of conversation and going down to the powder coaters I settled on gold as the pink and orange just didnt look right when I held their samples wheels next to my car.

On they go
Today I rebuilt the wheels and got them fitted. While up in the air I maxed out the front coils to level it off with the rears, I spaced out the rear wheels 5mm to get the same fitment as the front and I added negative camber to the front to again replicate the camber on the rear. All little niggly things that I wanted to get right.

Back from the powder coaters:

Back from the powder coaters by James Baker, on Flickr

Rebuilt and ready to go, I think the red centres do work better with the gold, I am awaiting a replacement one in the post, hence only three in this picture. They went together a lot easier this time around.

Laminx Fog Lights
While in the air I pulled off the front fog light surrounds and tinted the fog lights yellow, im not 100% sold on it just yet, but I will leave it for now and see if it grows on me. It didnt cost anything as I had some yellow laminx left from the clubby:

The covers popped right off by James Baker, on Flickr

Laminx Fog light by James Baker, on Flickr

Glad to see the Teins still look like new:

Still look like new by James Baker, on Flickr

The finished article:

Front by James Baker, on Flickr

Rear by James Baker, on Flickr

Goodbye rake:

Side by James Baker, on Flickr

Wheel close up by James Baker, on Flickr

Engine Bay by James Baker, on Flickr

I am really pleased with the new look and they way this car is going.

Last year was all about Japan, but this year, I really fancied a Euro tour over the Alps again. This was in part I admit for some feeling of guilt of seeing a close friend of ours who lives near Sirmione on Lake Garda. Also this is Indy's favourite uncle, so really we are simply taking Indy to see her favourite uncle. But, selfless as we are, we have built in some fun drives over the Alps and also the Dolomites on our way there and of course on the way back!
 
We shall drive from the Chunnel to Strasbourg for our first overnight stop. Strasbourg is in the Alsace region and actually looks to be a really pretty city. As it's a convenient place to stop on route it's really something of a bonus. We have a nice hotel recommended by a friend with secure parking there. Our Chunnel crossing is early, so hopefully just a 400km blast down the Peage avoiding the rather too keen Gendarmerie!   So, following an afternoon and evening in Strasbourg we will be picking up the pace and heading south east into the Alps proper. We will cross Germany (I must admit if the Porsche museum is dog friendly at Stuttgart I would definitely go) and then into Austria. I've never visited Austria before, so I'm quite excited about this and having seen many friends pictures of tours around the Austrian Alps and the Dolomites, I admit it wetted my appetite to put this on our route. We are staying in Innsbruck for our second night, again another stunning looking city surrounded by mountains. We should have covered the Hahnntenjoch Pass by that point too. The following morning we shall hit the Gerlos Pass followed by the Grossglockner Pass. From here we will drop into Italy and stay at Cortina D'Amprezzo.    http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/austria/3580-hahntennjoch.html   http://www.gerlosstrasse.at/en/   http://www.grossglockner.at   Next up is the drive around towards the Dolomites. I've purposefully tried to break the driving up so I at least get some rest and Mark's vertigo is kept in check! Whilst I will have a good go at the Alpine Passes, it's a holiday so I do want some time where I can relax with a cold beer. So we will take in the Karerpass and the route around the Dolomites before heading south and staying in Bassano Del Grappa. Now we could have stayed in Venice or Verona, but it would have meant coming away from what look like some wicked mountain roads, so I've opted for that option!   The following day will be a couple of hours into Lake Garda and Uncle Tom's where we will stay near the beautiful Sirmione for the next five days. I expect beer by the litre (yes really!) and lots of very nice pizzas on the piazza and a bit of a break from driving.   After leaving Tom's we will be heading up to Grindelwald for a couple of nights. It's near Interlaken and the Eiger and anyone who is familiar with Gran Turismo 2 and 5 will recognise Grindelwald. Mark went there as a scout thirty odd years ago, so we shall see how much it has changed! We will be heading up the Simplon Pass on the way there.      It looks beautiful and we are hoping to get a bit of walking in with Indy and just relax and enjoy ourselves.    The hectic schedule picks up again two nights later and then it is back to Strasbourg again. We will look at seeing if we can pick up the Furka and Grimsel Pass depending upon time. We drove these spectacular Alpine roads two years ago, but I have to balance journey times with practicality so we shall see.    After a stop over in Strasbourg, same hotel again, we will then take the Peage route to Bruges one of our favourite places to stop over. No expense spared on this hotel and we're staying in the heart of the historic district next to the canal. Whilst it may have the finest chocolate in the world, the real attraction is Cambrinus (King of Beer) bar where we sit and eat peanuts and invariably bump into American tourists, whilst sampling the finest beer in the world. Mark is in heaven here! There is a great story for when we went a couple of years ago and met an American couple who were travelling north through Europe in this very bar. Obviously we got drunk together then as they were heading to Scotland they stayed at ours a couple of weeks later! That to me is the essence of road trips, it's all about the people you meet and the journey is the holiday too.   I think I will do a blog on blogspot and will keep posted with pics and action from the trip. Mark will be taking the Go-Pro and we may do a little documentary, we shall see!  

Got back yesterday afternoon following a really great week in Malta.
 
First time there... a petrolhead paradise where the 420,000 locals own 380,000 cars between them! First words a baby learns is not 'Mama/Papa' but 'where's my car?'
 
A taxi driver told me he used an MX5, I asked him about spares and he told me he had three of 'em to plunder... classic MGB's, Corvettes and the like, in beautiful condition, can regularly be seen on the roads..
 
True to his word Andrew met me at the airport and ferried me to my hotel in his GT86. The roads are appalling - potholes that eat Transit vans - but that didn't deter him from drifting his rear end about like a demented Lauren... the driver/car combo is good which is more than can be said for their petrol at 87octane.. he has to load 30 Euros-worth of octane booster into each tank of fuel every 2-3days... ouch! A positive step is to go water/meth injection, should get rid of the need for accelerator.
 
Like me, Andrew and his gorgeous girlfriend Julia (who has not passed her driving test yet but already owns an immaculate ex-UK WRX STI) are  food gourmets, so we had a number of superb meals. When left to my own devices I did the touristy stuff - the Cathedral in Valetta is a fantasic example of Baroque architecture, I spent over two hours there and the walled city of Mdina is amazing with an a-v presentation of its history and that of the Knights of Malta - fifty minutes of fascinating history for 12 Euros. If you're a beach bum there's loads of places to get your kit off and roast yourself but beware, the UV factor there is amongst the highest in the world...
 
There were two especial 'treats' - I chartered a 37ft yacht for the three of us for a day (with a skipper) and we cruised up to Comino and back with a swim at the lunch stop, with Julia pushing a reluctant Andrew off the bathing platform... tsk, tsk, who's idea was that..?
 
Shame there was not a trace of wind so we couldn't hoists the rags but had to donk everywhere - turned out that Adrian our skipper was into IT so he and Andrew were having techy conversations whilst Julia and I engaged in convivial imbibation... I got sunburned to blazes, it was so damn hot..
 
Second treat was Thursday evenings trip to the drag strip. This is the only spot for 'motorsport' on the island, if you want to track your car you have to ferry to Sicily..  Met up with all of Andrew's chums - including Kim who has a Ninja GT86 and thus two-thirds of the island's GT86 owners were present.
 
This is real manicville - just join the queue and blast up the strip whenever you like. Run what you brung.. music at 120 decibels, food and booze on call, it was so laid back it was horizontal..
 
The friendliness and goodwill these guys have towards each other is amazing  and I was made so welcome amongst them it was like being at a TSS round... I was also given a special treat as passenger for a run in Andrew's car as we logged some data for Adrian (Fensport) to tweak a bit.. Andrew's friend with a Skyline insisted on drifting it around the paddock and finally blew a rear tyre, stopping inches from the rear of a Golf... quick wheel change and no harm done.. and Andrew beat the Skyline over their run together.. respect!
 
Finally met up with Andrew as I prepared to leave yesterday morning - he was in total awe of his new map from Fensport and it was a shame I did not have time to experience it. He hopes to drive up to the UK some time in October and I have offered to show him around and see if we can get some track time / social meets organised. This is one seriously committed Forum member, as can be seen from his detailed postings on HKS s/c installation, but in addition he is a bloody nice guy who went out of his way to make my visit memorable. And is sure was.
 
Spec K
 
 
 
 
 
 

I was busy today so they fitted me in early, fixed a USB issue before 9am and are now washing the car. Love this dealership!


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www.im-tuned.uk

Picked up my GT from Fensport last Friday had having turbo fitted with my Miltek on board already, Adrian gave me 2 maps on the Ecutek, 1 being fast and 2 being F......G fast. Brilliant, looked after my car had black Top Sage headlights and black side repeaters fitted while they had bumper off. Met Dan and Tim, great salesmen as reckon car should be lowered 25mm, another visit looming. Thanks to all. Captain G