Hertz Donut

^Updated.

Widest entry point is 1160mm but shock tower intrusion means it's 1050mm at the narrowest point on the boot floor. It's about 1100mm to the back of the rear seats when they're upright. With the rear seats down and the front passenger seat cranked forward I can fit a 2100mm ladder in there, although you wouldn't be able to drive with the driver's seat that far forward. (Note: measurements taken with a half-destroyed tape measure so may be out a little bit.)

Both my cars are autos since my wife has a back injury and can't use a clutch for long. I dearly miss rowing my own though, so whenever I rent a car I make sure I get a manual and drive it accordingly.

^Yeah my first thought was "what about D plates for dickheads?" It might have changed since I got my licence (and I cbf checking) but in NZ we have/had a graduated requirement for senior drivers. You get your licence and it lasts until you're 70(?) years old when you're tested again, then at 75 and 80. From then on you have annual/biennial testing to ensure you're still competent. Means no need for anyone to be self-policing and no need for family to try and prise older relatives out from behind the wheel with a crowbar.

I've got to say, those Falcon wheels are really starting to grow on me.

Commodores are 5x120, Falcons are 5x114.3

Yup, I think BMW has jumped the shark, styling-wise. No doubt it'll still be an amazing drive though. I guess it's better that than a gorgeous car that drives like a bag of arse.

I would definitely go there. Targa NZ is in town at the moment, the number of MkII RS Escorts still running is incredible, and they all sound fantastic. Happily, my kids now want to build a race car. All I have to do now is persuade my wife. Oh well.

I think if you wrapped the whole car it'd look alright, but personally I'm not a fan of the highlighter approach. Then again, it's your car so do whatever makes you happy. Is that Stagea emblem embossed in the bonnet?

Quick question: What's the boot space like in the back of the VF? I love the look of them but I wouldn't want any less than my PNM35 has. I know the VE/VF is wider but what's the load area like with the rear seats down? I can fit a 191cm long air bed in the Stagea and sleep comfortably, if a VE/VF can mange this then it's a viable option, otherwise we'd have to look to a VT-VZ wagon. Any help much appreciated, thanks.

It's kinda weird, the moment I saw the lead-in picture on SH the other day my first thought was "I bet it's an SAU member" and my second thought was "I bet it's that Terry bloke", even though I didn't actually know what GTRs you had. Top quality example, well done. :beer:

Brown, so you never have to worry about oil leaks.

Ecotec. Someone had to say it...

I have no problem with you being the guinea pig.

Aaaaaactually...space shuttles run 21x16s, and each tyre is inflated to 340psi, with a rating to 415kph max speed. Sorry, I just hate misinformation...

This would be about the time I'd be looking to weigh one, and finding the weight of an OEM R32 GTR wheel, and seeing how much weight the teensy weensy holes have saved. Are R32 GTR wheels forged and scalloped on the rear of the spokes? Cos if they are I can't see the "Altia" ones weighing much less at all.

Whilst vaccuming out the rear seat of the Stag over the weekend I was shocked to discover that under all the wrappers, leaves, stones, nuts, random bits of plastic, crayons and multitude of other crap that had built up over the past couple of years of being the famliy hauler...there is actually carpet back there. Who woulda thunk it. Somehow, it's still beige, and it's remarkably clean.

That's the ones.

On further Googling I've found an Altia Falken GTR that won the 1992 N1 racing series, driven by Shinichi Katsura and Takahiko Hara. Check out the book "Nissan GT-R Supercar: Born to Race", mentions it on page 45.

Google: N1 Altia Wheels. Looks like Altia is a brand that may have disappeared now, the N1 was a split 5-spoke model available in many sizes but I've only seen down to 17s. I think what you have is a set of centre caps that don't relate to the wheel they're fitted to, it's a common situation, especially with replica wheels - BBS caps on any number of mesh-style wheels is probably the most common. Either way, I don't think you have a unique set of R32 GTR N1 wheels, but you do have one hell of an ability to defend your position.

^That's what I thought, sounds like the perfect time to go manual. If you're lashing out a ton of cash you might as well get some fun out of it once the dust settles.

Spartan Air never really became very popular, because they'd didn't actually land at an airport, they'd just get Gerard Butler to kick you out the door shouting "THIS! IS! LONDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!" Assuming you were actually going to London, that is. I mean, if you were going anywhere else it wouldn't make sense. brb, off to drill holes in my wheels for that N1 effect.

I'm no auto sparky but is the wire the AFM susceptible to contamination from oil etc? If so part of it may come down to how it's being handled, i.e are people touching the wire during installation and leaving skin oil on it?

Please tell me the mechanic did the simple checks first before pulling the engine apart, like was the exhaust damaged when you went over the manhole? Extra noise makes me think maybe a damaged muffler, possibly a broken baffle or even a cracked manifold. The trans codes are interesting though. Maybe there's two separate issues caused by hitting the manhole - exhaust damage for the extra noise and trans damage for sluggishness.

Same challenge but says the car was from Sport Compact Car: http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1231/Castrol-Top-Shop-Challenge-Results.aspx 438hp sounds quite pleasant for a streeter.