Topics

1

General Banter / Camaro Wheels Bought - Where To Fit?

« on: July 26, 2010, 12:54:28 pm »

For longer than I care to remember I've had bead leak in the front offside alloy. Got quoted over 500 quid to supply and fit a new wheel from Paragon, where I get the Camaro serviced (not really them, more the supplier they use charging daft money I think).

ANYway...trawling ebay paid dividends - set of 4 original used 16" chrome alloys from another 1999 Z28 with barely used tyres (higher speed versions too, not the bog standards mine has currently) for 299 quid. Seems he had same problem as me but instead of replacing 1 wheel, he's had all 4 replaced by some "very modern" (ahem) sporty looking alloys.Not so good for his camaro but good for me...3 of the 4 are in great nick.

Anyhoo - who best to fit? Does anyone know anyone local to MK that would remove my dodgy wheel, take the tyre off 1 of my new ones and fit the wheel (and supply a new standard 235/R16) to my car for a decent price? I'm not really keen to go to kwik fit/fast fit etc as I might with a standard 4 wheeled box.

Plan on keeping the others as spares (and could conceivably replace all 4 tyres on my camaro with the speedy ones I suppose) but if anyone needs one or 2, feel free to get in touch also.

Ta!

2

General Banter / Which Yank insurer do you use currently?

« on: July 08, 2010, 08:25:15 pm »

For the last 2 years I've been with Sureterm for the Camaro, who have regularly quoted around 300 quid fully comp, much less than anyone else. Not this time - £672 is the best they can manage, even after ringing them. So time to get on the phone I guess!

So - who are you all with at the mo'?

3

General Banter / Brooklands

« on: June 01, 2010, 12:30:39 pm »

Always meant to go and never got round to it - finally went on Sunday and had a whale of a time. Fabulous place, real sense of history all around.

Sunday coincided with a mopar club day so the place was full of Yanks - not just mopars but all kinds of stuff, with plenty I've not seen (mind you, I've only really been to Billing a couple of times now). Pics will be up on my smugmug gallery hopefully tonight or tomorrow (got some on facebook at the mo' but obviously that's not much use for anyone not on FB...)

4

Classifieds & Useful eBay Links / My Z28 For Sale

« on: January 10, 2010, 12:46:43 pm »

Can't really believe I'm posting this...however...

Due to going through some serious crap at the moment, with more to come (Mum died after a long illness last month, split with partner this month...house sale surely to follow in the next few months), I'm looking at cutting back on my outgoings as much as poss and bringing IN as much as poss.

And so I'm wondering whether I should sell the Camaro. TBH, if we do sell the house, it will have to go as I'll probably end up in some pokey flat with no garage or parking to speak of.

So... red 1999 Euro Z28, T Tops , 5.7 litre, etc with factory 10 CD autochanger, electric leather seats etc. Still less than 90k kms on the clock. Very similar look to FBody's except it has the standard chrome alloys and an aftermarket Flowmaster clone chrome tipped twin exhaust which sounds the dog's doodahs without sounding mentally loud - just makes it sound like a "proper V8" and not a Mondeo, like the standard exhaust does!

Servicing, MOTs etc all carried out by Paragon in Northampton who always pass comment on what a tidy example it is, especially the underside having no rot at all. Bodywork really good, no dents or dings, barring the odd small stone chip. Got some really nice compliments at a car show last summer. Full service history obviously. The front seats have had leather seat protectors on for most of its life, so the seats are in really good nick.

Only issue is the possible bead leak on 1 wheel. The wheel was refurbed last year but the tyre still loses pressure - to be frank I've not had the inclination over the last few months to investigate further with everything else going on. And the stereo knob flew off and is lying under the back seat somewhere until I retrieve it (obviously the stereo still works perfectly well).

Otherwise, its a lovely car with lots of oomph. Since the exhaust replaced the standard one I probably get around 26 to the gallon with mixed driving (ie not totally behaving myself ALL the time).

I guess I'd be looking at offers of £4-4.5k to let her go. I realise its not a good time to sell but if anyone here knows anyone who'd be interested, point them in my direction would you?

Ta.

5

Music & Movies / My Music

« on: August 23, 2009, 08:32:48 pm »

Some of you may remember I posted a while back about the Numan covers band I was in. Well, I left last month and decided to get back to doing my own stuff and Ocean Road, the first new track I've finished is up on my myspace page along with some older ones (1 of the reasons I've not been around much lately!).

Its an electronic instrumental and features sounds taken from a Corvette all the way through. I think it makes a good track to have on while driving rather...um...quickly meself.

Anyway, if anyone cares to take a listen its the first track playing at:-

www.myspace.com/flipmartian

6

General Banter / Sureterm FTW...

« on: July 18, 2009, 12:29:06 am »

Got my renewal notice through from Sureterm for the Camaro last week - £337, frozen from last year (and last year's had come down a bit from the previous year)/ Hadn't got round to ringing round yet but they called me tonight to "check it was all ok for you"...

I said I was going to do a ring round...hey presto, a minute later my renewal was 40 quid cheaper... Less than 300 squids.

7

General Banter / '57, '58 & '59 Chevy

« on: June 21, 2009, 08:45:34 pm »

Has this been posted yet? I quite like it...

http://pictures.streakr.com/chevy-ride.htm

8

General Banter / Cyclists...

« on: May 17, 2009, 07:03:40 pm »

I hit one yesterday...or rather I hit his back wheel...or rather the Camaro hit his back wheel...

Coming out of my road is a T junction. Look right, nothing, look left...4x4 about 100 yards away....let her go, move forward, stop bloody quickly as a cyclist comes out of nowhere and swerves to avoid the Camaro's nose. Camaro catches the rear wheel which flies up in the air momentarily bringing the cyclist to a halt - fortunately he didn't fall off (no helmet).

Failed to look right again, didn't I? Visibility is good from the junction for some way that way so having seen nothing I didn't think anything short of a TGV (oops sorry, car forum! er... Viper?!) would really be fast enough to have caused a problem. Somehow he must have been in a blindspot at the point I had initially turned my head. Silly me, should have looked right again - usually do but no real excuse.

He moved over to the far pavement while I reversed and parked up. Went over to see if he was ok, he was rather agitated (as well he might be) but totally fine. His back wheel was almost folded in 2 though (what the hell do they make them out of? Tissue paper?!) and the gear cogs were knackered.

I offered to pay for the damage - he immediately started to make noises about a new bike. In some respects I could see why he might try it on - it had seen MANY better days...the pump was gaffa taped on to the cross bar for example. Very tatty. Got him calmed down when I made it clear I'd pay for the damage but from what I could see it was ONLY the back wheel and gear cogs that were damaged - and I was NOT paying for a new bike.

So we go back to his house round the corner to sort out addresses and how he's getting the bike repaired...and his dad and brother come out (they all seem to live in the one council house despite both sons being in their 30s at a guess) and make noises about "new bike". I said no - and got threatened with them getting the police, who would do me for dangerous driving (laughable), unless I paid for a new bike. In the end I said, "fine, go on then!" and that was all it took for them to back down. The guy who's bike it was actually kept very quiet at this point so hopefully he thought they were being as stupid as I did...

We left it that I agreed (as I said I would) that I'd pay for the damage and had the quote and I'll pay that when its ready. 2 points really...

1. Always remember to look again when you pull out at at T junctions, however well you know the road (I've lived there 3 years) - you just never know. If he'd been a yard further forward when I pulled out, he'd have gone flying over the bonnet. Really not funny; especially without a helmet. And the 4x4 driver had seen it and offered herself as a witness.

2. Human nature stinks. Some people always seem to be on the make. Fair enough, they're obviously not well off (despite the nice big Sony plasma screen in the front room...) but trying to get someone to pay 200 quid out for a new bike to replace one which is worth probably not much more than 30 quid tbh is really taking the mickey. As much as I hate confrontations, I hate being taken for a mug more. I think they saw my attempts at reasonableness as some sort of weakness. They were wrong...

Oh, and for anyone wondering...the Camaro had not even a tyre smudge.

9

General Banter / This is me band...

« on: February 08, 2009, 06:23:01 pm »

Some of you guys might like a larf...this is my band. Some vid footage from the tour last year:-

http://www.youtube.com/user/YTDSNumanCovers

and our myspace page:-

http://www.myspace.com/ytds

10

General Banter / Oh, The Irony...

« on: January 31, 2009, 01:23:39 pm »

Took my Honda into Fast Fit Wolverton today (always had a good service off them). Bearing in mind my attitude to Daewoos being rebadged as Chevrolets...just GUESS what courtesy car they gave me...

Yes indeed - a basic model Matiz. Metallic green.

What was missing was the bag to wear on my head on the journey back...

I suppose as town cars go it does the job - does feel like a dodgem car to drive though.

11

General Banter / Tax Disc Holders

« on: January 13, 2009, 01:34:51 pm »

Anyone know where to source a Yank relevant tax disc holder (or road fund licence disc holder, or whatever the damn thing is called now)? My Camaro still has the one the previous owner put in it - from a poxy Rover dealership (!) and I'd like something a bit more classy or Yank relevant if poss. If no Yank relevant ones, maybe one of those aluminium ones?

Anyone?

12

General Banter / Transam 1, Veyron 0 :-)

« on: December 27, 2008, 05:11:40 pm »

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/22/europes-fastest-street-legal-car-is-a-252-mph-pontiac-trans/

13

General Banter / Foam Cars

« on: October 18, 2008, 08:47:30 am »

Just came across this - not sure if its been posted before?

http://www.pua.dk/get.asp?id=7714

14

General Banter / Happiness is...

« on: October 08, 2008, 03:35:13 pm »

Going into work as normal (no, not this bit!)
A power cut at about 10.30 shutting all the PCs and equipment off
Wandering around doing nothing for an hour...(now its getting there...)
Pretending to have a meeting so we looked busy...
Being taken for a nice long Italian lunch by our boss...
and coming back to find everyone had just been given the afternoon off as the power was still off!

Getting an early train home

15

General Banter / Make a bit of dosh from your old CDs

« on: September 21, 2008, 09:23:26 am »

Found a site called www.musicmagpie.co.uk yesterday which will buy your old CDs.

Type in the bar code, and you get a price they'll pay for it (minimum of 5). Fill in your details and they'll send you appropriate freepost packaging to send it in. They check each cd is complete and then send you the dosh. Not going to earn megabucks but if you have stuff that's no good for ebay or amazon and only good for the charity shop, it might be worth giving a go.

Not every bar code came up when I tried it but still managed to flog 21 CDs for a quoted price of 32 quid something - stuff that I wouldn't be able to sell elsewhere.

Worth a pop anyway.

16

General Banter / Car Clubs

« on: June 18, 2008, 08:30:00 am »

Just wondered who everyone belonged to (other than here I mean)?

17

General Banter / Ford Gran Torino vs....Vauxhall Corsa 1.2

« on: June 14, 2008, 10:50:19 pm »

Just watching some prog on Sky 3 while surfing - something to do with "shameful secrets fo the 70s". 1 of which is the Starsky and Hutch 1976 Ford Gran Torino and the fact that it really wasn't much of a sports car at all.

So they proved this by lining it up on a race track against a 1.2 Corsa. The Ford's 0-60 time is over 12 seconds and top speed 102 mph. The Corsa won fairly easily - just a standard Corsa, mind...

I knew the Torino wasn't that quick but just shows how times have moved on...

18

General Banter / How to get my own back?

« on: June 04, 2008, 05:27:13 pm »

Had a boss, who's just left (thank God) but made it clear from when he started that we weren't going to get on. He tried to get people to think I wasn't doing my job properly (although I was) and that I was always trying to undermine him (which I wasn't) before he left. Never had a situation like this before and the ongoing investigations have made me ill - been going on for months and I just thank God he's gone!

I still have his mobile number and I'm hugely tempted to try and use it to get back at him for everything he's put me through. Trouble is, just putting his mobile number up on the web can be traced back to me through the IP address. Maybe I should get some business cards up in phone boxes with "terrorist for hire" written on? Maybe not.

I'm not normally the vengeful type but I'm so tempted to make an exception with this guy.

Any thoughts or ideas? Or should I really take a deep breath and leave it. Just seems a shame, still having his number...

19

General Banter / I gotta new exhaust...

« on: May 07, 2008, 12:14:33 pm »

Not been on a while so apologies for that - what a mad year. Anyways - I got a new exhaust for my '99 Camaro!

MOT in March showed the undercarriage to be in vgc for its age but the exhaust was showing its age a bit - and I had thought about getting something a bit more....well you know..."oomph"-ey...so I talked to my friendly mechanic and they ordered me an IMCO Flowmaster with twin stainless steel pipes, no tips. I picked it up last Saturday - sounds SO much better. More like an older Yank V8 now - turn the key, instant growl.

And all supplied and fitted for less than 300 big ones. Big thumbs up to Nathan and his dad at Paragon in Northampton - gents, the pair of 'em.

Bugger, I suppose I should have thought to take pics... Anyway - Paragon are well recommended.

20

Questions and Queries / 4th Gen Camaro Electrics Question

« on: December 17, 2007, 01:27:48 pm »

Hi Chaps

My '99 Z28 has just blown a fuse (I think literally). I was sat at MK station the other night waiting to pick up my OH and listening to the stereo with all lights off. OH arrived, I switched headlights on - and discovered that I had no instrument lights and the stereo display went out as well!

Courtesy light is ok, headlights/sidelights ok but all interior instrumentation is off - even the backlit tripmeter which seems to be on my default dims when I put the lights on. And the illuminated gear indicators by the gear selector don't come on - which makes engaging Drive a bit hairy unless the car is parked under a street light at the time...

Head/sidelights off - stereo display/tripmeter is ok.

Switch them on and stereo goes out/tripmeter dims.

I'd not used the car for a couple of weeks (apart from turning over and running the engine for a few mins the previous week) - not sure if that might have had a bearing on things?

If anyone knows for sure what this might be - assuming a blown fuse? - then I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks in advance