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Everything posted by Big Rizza
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Some sensational carbage comes out of America. Excellent source of amusement. My favourite is this Honda "H-Wing" Star Wars styled CRX Del Sol. :lol:
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What Five Cars Would You Want In Your Garage?
Big Rizza replied to geno8r's topic in General Automotive Discussion
Porsche Carrera GT as a "cruiser"? Not with that clutch and suspension set up! It's hardly a comfortable car to "cruise" around in. You can look really cool as you cruise past, bunny hopping away from standstill and fillings falling out your teeth over potholes -
What would your reaction have been if it was your personal property and you had to spend time and money cleaning it? Surely you would want the person responsible to be punished further than just having to pay for your car to be cleaned. In addition, the government has to recouperate the losses due to the cost of cleaning all the other graffiti and tagging going on by other people. It's uncommon to catch them, so when they get caught they pay for everyone else as well. Whilst $35,000 is pretty harsh (arguably a punishment unbefitting of the crime), I can understand where the government is coming from when they punish graffiti artists with large fines and imprisonment. My opinion is: Taggers should be shot. It is lame, no one reads it, it's ugly and you are stupid to do it. Graffiti on property without the permission of the owner (or government) is still vandalism whether it looks good or not. Perhaps the government should introduce more support for people who want to legally express themselves through graffiti art? I have no problem with publicly displayed legal graffiti if it is tasteful, skilled and non-offensive.
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What Five Cars Would You Want In Your Garage?
Big Rizza replied to geno8r's topic in General Automotive Discussion
Anyone want one of these in their garage? http://www.j-spec.com.au/list/index.php?ID=4720 -
What Is Big Exhaust Use? More Power Or Save Oil.
Big Rizza replied to SUGO's topic in R Series (R30, R31, R32, R33, R34)
Hopefully save oil and more power! But mostly power. -
I haven't seen too many R33 GTS4 sedans around the general classifieds. I mostly see R32 GTS4 sedans around. If you cannot find one that meets your spec, you may need to import, or look interstate. Or maybe someone on SAU will sell you one? Don't forget to check classifieds here regularly too!
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What Five Cars Would You Want In Your Garage?
Big Rizza replied to geno8r's topic in General Automotive Discussion
5 Cars + Unlimited $$$ = Head Explosion . 1. 1960's Aston Martin DB5 The name's Bond. James Bond. The ultimate gentleman spy's sportscar. Option up the missles, oil slick and ejector seat and you too can be working for Mi6. http://www.astonmartins.com/db4_5_6_s/db5.htm 2. 1935 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic This has to be one of the most elegant cars ever built. Only 3 were made, and only 2 remain today. Absolutely Priceless. http://www.ritzsite.net/Bugatti_T57/03_T57.htm 3. 1954 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Started the whole supercar phenomenon. Gullwing doors, mind blowing performance and zero practicality. http://www.supercars.de/singlecar/98/930.html 4. 1930's Duesenberg Model J The best American vehicle ever made. Perhaps the best vehicle ever made. It cost US$25,000 during the Depression of the 1920's. They didn't sell very many. http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?f...rand=Duesenberg 5. 2006 Unique Performance Supercharged Super Snake I'm not an American muscle car fan, but this 750hp beast is something special. Only 75 will be made, and it get an official carol shelby build plate (like the original Shelby GT500s). Complete with GO BABY GO nos switch on the gearshift :lol: . http://mustangmonthly.com/featuredvehicles...eleanor_shelby/ I figured post 1990 supercars (Enzo, McLaren, Veyron etc), as well as anything with an RB engine under the bonnet were too obvious, so I tried to choose something a bit different for my collection -
Woops yeah I just assumed he meant a 1UZFE since I figured he would be swapping a V8 for a V8. My bad :lol: . My opinion still applies to 1JZGTE - keep the VH45DE engine! My bros twin turbo supra ran a 1JZ and that was a little laggy. VH45DETT would be far superior !!! Or the Veyron W16 like Scathing suggested
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Think Your Car Is Fast? This Is Faster!
Big Rizza replied to Big Rizza's topic in General Automotive Discussion
season 7 episode 5 i think... -
http://wa.skylinesaustralia.com/sauwa.php http://www.allfours.org.au/ http://members.iinet.net.au/~brett4/ http://www.wascc.com.au/ http://www.allfourwheels.cjb.net/
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4. How much have people paid for their 4 doors from japan? They can come pretty cheap if you look around!!! http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/au/st...sp?StockID=3714 http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/au/st...sp?StockID=3613 The cheapest manuals go for a premium over the autos though http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/au/st...sp?StockID=3279
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Got some VH45 info if you're interested: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VH45 tuning websitehttp://home.iprimus.com.au/promotive/Infin...nfinitihome.htm This website has a few details of a twin turbo VH45DE in a Nissan Patrol. 1 bar boost gave 550hp. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also look here for a 720hp VH45DE engine http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=861328 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also looked through www.autospeed.com to find info on the VH45DE. Autospeed is awesome - everyone should subscribe! Nissan V8s... Source: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2095/article.html The current Japanese-market Nissan Cima rear-wheel-drive and President (both top-line luxury saloons) come powered by a VK45DE NEO 4.5-litre V8. Breathing through DOHC, 4-valve heads and with a 10.5:1 compression ratio, the big Nissan eight muscles out the Japanese regulation 206kW at 6000 rpm with 451Nm of torque at 3600 rpm. A direct injection version of the VK45 – the VK45DD NEO – was also produced and is listed with exactly the same power and torque. Before the release of the new VK45 engine, a VH45DE or VH41DE V8 was used to propel Nissan’s top-line saloons. In its final guise, the DOHC, 32-valve VH45DE used a 10.2:1 compression ratio to help reach an output of 198kW. Peak power arrived at 5600 rpm, while max torque – 394Nm – came at 4000 rpm. A smaller version of the same engine design – the VH41DE – swept 4.1-litres and ran 10.5:1 compression. It culminated with 198kW at 5600 rpm (the same as the VH45) but with ‘just’ 377Nm at 4000 rpm. Note that the VH-design Nissan V8 was used in the American Indy Car series, where it topped 550kW. It’s very v-e-r-y strong! Nissan VH45DE V8 Source: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2644/article.html One of the biggest bangers currently available at the Japanese import wreckers is the Nissan VH45DE – a 4.5 litre V8. The VH45DE boasts DOHC, 4-valve-per-cylinder breathing together with a curious intake manifold that creates the illusion that the engine is designed for transverse mounting – it isn’t. The VH45DE’s compression ratio is 10.2:1 you’ll find a huge 75mm throttle body (which is a hot item in itself). The heads and block are made from alloy while the steel crankshaft is safe to spin to a 6700 cut-out. The big V8 was reserved for Nissan Japan ’s high-end rear-wheel-drive saloons between 1989 and 1996. In Infiniti Q45 trim, the engine officially makes 206kW at 6000 rpm and 400Nm at 4000 rpm (on premium unleaded fuel). The Nissan President version is rated at 199kW at 5600 rpm and 394Nm at 4000 rpm. So what’s the mechanical difference between the Q45 and President engine, you ask? Well, we believe that the Q45-spec engine was fitted with variable inlet cam timing to help make more grunt than the President. And rumour has it that the Q45 engine makes considerably more than the claimed 206kW... Bob Dunn – the head of Adelaide Japanese Imports - says the VH45DE has recently become quite popular in Australia and availability in Japan is not a problem. He’s seen these engines go into ski boats, Nissan Patrol 4WDs and an old Holden ute - but these are a bulky engine that won’t fit into just anything. Oh, and the VH45DE was fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission – a manual ‘box was not offered. A bare VH45DE is currently worth AUD$1850 while an engine package (with loom, ECU and sensors) fetches around AUD$2500. These engines are rarely given a thrashing in Japan and Bob isn’t aware of any reliability issues – keep in mind the VH-series engine was used as the platform in 450 – 500kW Indy cars... Infiniti Q45 Source: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2492/article.html Another Japanese VIP car that’s often overlooked is the Nissan-based Infiniti Q45. Released in Australia in 1993 (about 3 years after its debut in Japan and America) the Infiniti Q45 looks like it should be a bigger and better version of the Lexus LS400. But it never quite managed to achieve that success... Peep under the bonnet and you’ll see a tremendous example of Nissan engineering – the big VH45DE V8. Displacing 4.5 litres and breathing through DOHC, 4 valve heads, the Infiniti Q45 is officially listed at 198kW at 5600 rpm and 395Nm at 4000 rpm. With monster cylinder ports and a huge throttle body, it’s an engine that aftermarket tuners crave to get their hands on. Driving through a heavy-duty auto trans and R200 series viscous LSD, the Infiniti is slightly quicker than the Lexus – its 0 – 100 km/h acceleration is around 8 seconds. But the Infiniti wasn’t let down by its engine... Unfortunately, designers went for a softer-is-better approach for the suspension. "Wallowy" and "imprecise" are two common words applied to the big Nissan. The HICAS rear-wheeel-steer is also said to give a nervous feel when driving at the limit. Inside, the trim is finished in leather and walnut and is very well equipped – similar to the Lexus. The Infiniti’s exterior styling was improved in the second generation that was delivered to Australia but, still, it looks very dated and emotionless. Introduced to the Australian market at more than AUD$130,000, the big Nissan was an unequivocal sales flop. Today, you can pick one up from about AUD$16,000... The last of ‘em (through until 1997) fetch closer to 30 grand. Nissan V8s http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_0206/articl...?popularArticle The Nissan VH45DE and VH41DE motor, as fitted to the luxury saloon Infiniti, are the sole modern Nissan V8s. The VH45 V8 has a swept volume of 4.5 litres and produces a maximum power output of an easy 201kW at 5600rpm. Credited with the same peak power, the smaller VH41 (4.1-litre) version needs to rev to 6400 to match the '45. Designed as a rear-wheel-drive engine, it is quite similar in specification to Toyota's 4-litre 1UZ-FE Lexus V8, but the VH45 in particular has a fatter torque curve for added flexibility. They are extremely quiet and smooth power plants with the potential for monster horsepower through their multi-valve alloy heads. Unfortunately, we have never seen any of these engines in modified form, but it would be fair to assume 280kW could be reached with simply a good exhaust, up-spec cams, slightly higher compression and a well sorted programmable injection system. Note that a highly modified version of this engine design (pictured) is currently being used in the US Indy Car series, where it pushes out over 550kW!
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1JZ would likely be stronger (well, it's pretty much unbreakable actually), but the increased cost of swapping to a 1JZ over keeping the VH45 would probably pay for some stronger internals etc (maybe). Plus the VH45 would probably be strong enough for a mild boost (say 6-8psi), and that would still be a killer engine. 500hp maybe? Plus you have 500cc more than the 1JZ which can't hurt low down torque. Do some research into modifying/ turbo-ing the VH45 before deciding to ditch it. I think you could save some money to get the same performance,
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How To Afford Your Skyline?
Big Rizza replied to Boostkid's topic in R Series (R30, R31, R32, R33, R34)
What should I respond with? I'm an engineer, which you would think would be office job, but I spend most of my time on site. -
Think Your Car Is Fast? This Is Faster!
Big Rizza replied to Big Rizza's topic in General Automotive Discussion
Err... no. 0-100km/h = 2.5 seconds 0-200km/h = 7.3 seconds 0-300km/h = 16.7 seconds Even if my figures aren't 100% right, 0-400km/h in 14seconds is unrealistic. -
>>>what A Scare For Me!<<<
Big Rizza replied to lingeringsoul's topic in General Automotive Discussion
Have you tried taking it to a mechanic? That might shed some light . Sounds like it could be clutch failure... -
To Buy A 32gtr Or 33gtr?
Big Rizza replied to slaughter's topic in R Series (R30, R31, R32, R33, R34)
R33 vs R32 debate is all opinion based. Buy which one you like more! There is no wrong decision here! R33's ATTESSA system seems to feed more power to the front wheels than the R32's, giving it less oversteer and potentially faster out of the corners. The more rear-wheel-drive-like handling and less weight makes the R32 feel more chuckable than the R33. The R32 would be likely quicker (just) in a straight line due to less weight for the same power. R33 would be more comfortable and more refined due to the larger size and modern erganomics. R32 arguably looks tougher than the R33. R33 would probably be slightly better for back seat passengers. R32 is much cheaper. R33 is much newer (and therefore potentially cheaper to run due to less things breaking from old age). R33 would be safer in a crash due to stiffer chassis and airbags. Either car would make any performance enthusiast very happy! -
Distrobuting your phone number on a public forum is probably not the wisest decision ever made.
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The concept is from 2003
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Think Your Car Is Fast? This Is Faster!
Big Rizza replied to Big Rizza's topic in General Automotive Discussion
It says it's built in Germany... -
http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pages/tuners/...dition-2005.htm WHOA!!! CHECK OUT THOSE ENGINE SPECS!!! Type: V8 Displacement: 12900 cc Horsepower: 1100 bhp @ 7000 rpm Torque: 1300 lb ft @ 5600 rpm Redline: 8000 rpm AND ROAD-LEGAL!!! Bad Gandersheim, Germany, is a small village in the middle of nowhere which people normally visit to go for a cure. The only sound you normally hear in this area is the bell of the church reminding you to attend the mass on Sundays. At the same time, Bad Gandersheim is the home of Weineck Engineering, manufacturer of the world‘s most powerful, strongest and best accelerating road-legal car. It is the place of pilgrimage for the disciples of the combustion engine in search of salvation. Once arrived at the place of worship, tension will rise, resulting in high blood pressure and sweating. That’s quite a usual reaction seeing that, even after having driven all cars called supercars, one knows that what is going to happen will be a new chapter in the never-ending search of the greatest of all times. After ringing the bell, the doors to the holy shrine open, allowing a sneak peak of the silhouette of THE ULTIMATE. Devoutly approaching THE ULTIMATE, the unmatchable finishing quality of this unique, hand built masterpiece becomes apparent. Highly visible: The gigantic air-scoop of the engine bonnet. Air scoops can be seen anywhere to show off, but here it is really a technical necessity since this air scoop and the engine bonnet cover a world-unique masterpiece of technical genius with a cylinder capacity of 780 cui (or 12.9L), the heart of THE ULTIMATE. It’s a very exclusive, rare opportunity to be able to witness the awakening of something you never dreamt of even in your wildest dreams… The first turn of the key activates the gigantic high-pressure fuel pump. To tromp and release the accelerator pedal means: more than half a litre of finest nutrition (fuel) have arrived inside the ultra high-performance carburettor system to feed the devil. The next turn activates the gigantic starter motor to spin the crankshaft resulting in a big bang and immediate, stable idle at around 1,000rpm. From now on, there’s only one talking: the devil (or your best friend!) himself! The awakening alone is something you’ll never forget in your lifetime. From now on, any form of human conversation is impossible! For anxious, non-addicted human beings it will already mark the end of their journey where ours now begins. Being aware of the absence of any driving aids of the digital era like ASR, ESP, ABS etc., the first gear is now engaged. Slowly releasing the clutch, THE ULTIMATE starts moving very smoothly. Dr. Jekyll. All high mech used in this unique piece of machinery works perfectly from the first metres driven. You can really drive THE ULTIMATE for a relaxed warm-up of all fluids and tyres, just like any usual supercar. The change of gears at low rpm is smooth and the devil under the bonnet is still friendly, but, of course, always trying to spin (and keep spinning!) the wheels. After 15-20 km the temperature of the tyres and fluids are at normal operating level. Even up to 4,000 rpm, the Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition accelerates faster than any other supercar when fully driven. The accelerator pedal always has to be operated very gently and with respect. You always need r-e-s-p-e-c-t to stay friends with this machine!!! Mr. Hyde. Words cannot describe what will happen if you want to experience the full potential of this ULTIMATE driving machine. There is just no comparison with anything ever built to be used on the road!!! The engine gains rpm like a pure race car engine. That’s normally already impressive, but bearing in mind that what propels you has nearly 3 litres (the total capacity of e.g. a BMW 330i!) – more capacity than the biggest and strongest of all powerboat engines ever built… What happens above 5,000rpm (the engine delivers its world record torque of 1,760 Nm at 5,600rpm) is too much for human vocabulary. It’s more like Sol 5 on Starship Enterprise! You feel like being in a time machine with corners approaching so fast that you just won’t believe it. From now on, your brain and body have to work at maximum speed. Otherwise it is better not to enter this world… Now you know what the Donohue style of driving really is… The rev. limiter is set to cut in at 8,000 rpm (the engine reaches its maximum power of, 1,100 hp at 7,000 rpm), and the gears have to be changed at 7,000 on the gauge, otherwise you already hit the limiter (the engine revs faster than the classic Smith instrument can follow!). The insane, highly-addictive (words like e.g. sound, noise, music cannot describe what is meant here created by this devil greedily soaking up all air and fuel in its surroundings and afterwards coughing out the waste of it through the side pipes under the doors at insane velocity) mechanical orchestra plays works never heard before… A car mainly lives from its engine! After experiencing this one, yes, it’s true!!! From 0-300 km/h in just 10 seconds!!! That is, of course, not only possible by using the strongest, naturally aspirated engine ever built for a road car. We also know: Power is nothing without control! That’s why the Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition is being built using a MIG welded, self-supporting tubular frame (diameter = 4”) to absorb very high torsion forces created by the engine. Additionally, its body is deep drawn from carbon composite materials for maximum rigidity. Single wheel suspension including a continuously variable coil spring system (all suspension parts are made of highest quality aluminium and titanium!) in conjunction with a specially engineered high-performance brake system (based on Brembo components) with internally ventilated, punched brake discs (front and rear axle) controlled by an arm of balance system guarantees an individual set-up suiting individual driver’s preferences resulting in high-precision driving (and braking) quality for highest active safety. On the front axle, the Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition is equipped with special Weineck 3-piece 18” wheels and intermediate tyres of the dimension 255/40 ZR18. On the rear axle, tyres of the size 315/35 ZR18 are fitted. The 4-speed extra high-performance gearbox, driveshafts and rear axle (equipped with a 75% limited slip differential) are designed for more than 2,000Nm of torque! The interior of the Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition will be designed individually to meet any customer’s wishes. Normally, finest British leather is being used for the upholstery of the seats. All colours, piping’s and sewing’s can be individually chosen. The rest of the passenger compartment is finished by using velours carpets. For the dashboard, classic Smith instruments are being used. In case of rain, the car is equipped with a soft top to protect both the driver and the interior. If requested, a fixed hardtop is also available. Each unit of the Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition is a unique masterpiece of German Engineering. All products used to build a Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition are engineered and produced by Weineck in Bad Gandersheim, Germany. With a weight-to-power ratio of 0.9Kg/hp, 12.9 litres of engine capacity, 1,100hp and 1,760Nm of torque we can only say: If the modern times bore you to death and all the money in the world won’t help: Don’t worry, don’t kill yourself, here is the cure for any such diseases!!! One thing, for sure, isn’t true: I can’t get no satisfaction… That was before the birth of the Weineck Cobra 780CUI Limited Edition!!! Only 15 lucky individuals worldwide will be able to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with us. Don’t miss it and join the club! Chassis The basis of this world-unique road-rocket is always the wide-hip body of the Cobra 427 SC in its original shape and dimensions which allows integration with modern vehicle components without disturbing the authentic look of the car. Its body is structured as follows: MIG welded, self supporting tubular frame (diameter = 4”) to absorb very high torsion forces all main parts of the chassis are built from aluminium and titanium aluminium safety fuel tank integrated in tubular frame structure body completely made from carbon composite materials (deep-drawn) integrated reinforcements at high-wear points such as doors, hoods highest quality paint coating individually coloured to the customer’s wishes single wheel suspension front and rear axle kept in place by Teflon and Unibal joints power steering safety roll-over bars Brakes / suspension -coil spring system -continuously variable suspension (height and hardness individually adjustable) -all suspension parts are made of aluminium and titanium -specially engineered high-performance brake system (based on Brembo components) with internally ventilated, punched brake discs (front and rear axle) including special high-performance brake pads and Stahlflex brake hoses -braking force (braking deceleration) controlled by an arm of balance system the engineering and setup of both suspension and brakes guarantees high precision driving (and braking) quality for highest active safety Wheels/tyres Front axle 3-piece 18” Weineck wheels with tyres 255/40 ZR 18 (Intermediate) Rear axle 3-piece 18” Weineck wheels with tyres 315/35 ZR 18 (Intermediate) Engine The world’s most powerful car is powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine with the highest power output and torque of all road-legal cars. The world-unique precision with which this masterpiece is manufactured guarantees its unmatchable performance and at the same time maximum reliability. All parts used for the engine are machined with highest precision to Formula 1 standards. As follows the setup of the engine Engine displacement: 780 cui (12.9 L) Compression ratio: 11.5: 1 Cylinders: V / 8 Including: -especially machined distortion free high-precision cylinder block -individually machined high-precision crankshaft each crankshaft is fine-balanced using master weights (counter weights simulating the weights of the pistons and connecting rods which are installed later). A more exact balancing of the crankshaft is not possible!!! -lowest crankshaft bearing tolerance Crankshaft pins are smoothed to an accuracy of 5 thousandths of a millimetre-which allows for extremely high revolution rates!!! -super high-performance Weineck pistons -endless piston rings (to prevent the combustion energy from bypassing the piston) -super high-performance Weineck connecting rods -individually machined high-performance cylinder heads All cylinder heads are prepared with a 16-knife milling head to ensure the same surface quality throughout the milling process -individually machined high-performance valve seats. All valve seats are milled with an accuracy of up to the hundredth part of a millimetre and all three valve seat angles are milled in a single operation -individually engineered and machined high-performance lightweight titanium valves - individually handmade, super high-performance exhaust manifolds (headers) -super high-performance exhaust system -super high-performance engine oil cooling system -super high-performance gearbox oil cooling system - -super high-performance rear differential oil cooling system -super high-performance ignition system (fully digital) with rev. limiter Max. power: 809 kW / 1,100 hp at 7,000 rpm. Max. torque: 1,760 Nm at 5,600 rpm. Fuel quality: Super plus unleaded 98 RON Its rear axle is equipped with a 75% limited slip differential. Gear ratios 1. gear 2.741 2. gear 1.778 3. gear 1.15 4. gear 0.863 Rear axle ratio: 2.70: 1 Interior The interior of THE ULTIMATE will be designed individually to meet any customer’s wishes. Only finest leather is being used for the upholstery of the seats. All colours, piping’s and sewing’s can be individually chosen. The rest of the passenger compartment is finished by using Velours carpets For the dashboard, classic Smith instruments are being used. In case of rain the car is equipped with a soft top to protect both the driver and the interior. If requested, a fixed hardtop is also available. The Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition is a unique masterpiece of Ger¬man Engineering. All products used to build a Weineck Cobra 780 cui Limited Edition are engineered and produced by Weineck in Germany. Each car is being delivered with all papers needed to issue a German letter of ownership (Kraftfahrzeugbrief ) under new EU law and a certificate of authenticity stating the serial number of this rare collector’s car.
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Here's your first mod: http://www.airpowersystems.com.au/350z/g35/g35.htm
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BMW M3 undoubtedly the best car there. But a used Z or Skyline is $50k, vs. $100k for an equivalent used M3. The M3 is better, but not twice as good .
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Check Out This 68' Mustang Fastback
Big Rizza replied to Mr. Oizo's topic in General Automotive Discussion
I only ever quote the first movie. I haven't watched the 2nd movie as much as my DVD player topped out at 140 today... I need NOS... -
Just skimmed over this thread, but I thought I would add my thoughts. ----------- I personally cannot see myself owning a vehicle any larger or more compromised on road than a Subaru Forester for city/suburban use. Even then, I would prefer to use a smaller, preferably performance orientated car. Smaller cars are cheaper to run, more environmentally friendly, and a small performance car will provide better active safety due to its better manouverability and braking. I bought my R32 skyline because I feel safer driving that than I would in a 4WD or shopping trolley due to its far superior road holding and braking. Whilst it may not be as safe for me as a 4WD in an accident, I feel that I am less likely to be involved in an accident due to a) increased confidence behind the wheel (and driver confidence can be a BIG factor in accident evasion) and b ) the increased likelyhood of being able to avoid the accident. As for any "you dont need a performance car" comments, the engine is standard because I do not feel I need more power for street use (that and lack of $$$ ). Therefore, it makes less power than, say, a Nissan Patrol (at 185kw) or a current model Ford Falcon (at 190kw). Hell, even a stock Hyundai Sonata (at 173kw) outpowers my "high performance vehicle." ----------- A lot of the problems with 4WDs can also be applied to trucks, busses, vans, people movers etc. The thing is, people buy those vehicles because they have no other choice. People don't buy people movers to be cool - they need to move people. People don't buy vans to be cool - they need to move cargo. People don't buy trucks to be cool - they need them to deliver food and produce to make MY life better. People dont buy buses to be cool - they buy them because they need to move 20, 40, 60 people at a time. But people DO buy off roaders to be cool - they don't take it off road. ------------- "A US hospital study has undermined the common American belief that "bigger is safer" when it comes to SUV's. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has published a study in the journal Pediatrics saying that the increased chance of a giant SUV rolling over negates the benefit from being in such a large vehicle. The study looked at over 3,900 child injuries experienced in different types of vehicles." Source: http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=101&id=1507 ------------- From a study into driveway children fatalities: "The vehicles tended to be large, the majority being large 4WD passenger vehicles, large utility vehicles, delivery vans or heavy trucks, although either a sedan or a station wagon was involved in one-fifth of the cases. The predominance of large vehicles in these accidents contrasts with the fact that sedans and station wagons account for about two out of every three pedestrian traffic deaths in Australia. This is unlikely to be attributable solely to the fact that a low-speed collision involving a heavy vehicle is more likely to result in a fatality than one involving a sedan. The accidents involving passenger vehicles predominantly entailed vehicles reversing in driveways. More than half of the passenger vehicles were large 4WDs, but the reason for this over-representation remains unclear. The relatively high sitting position of the driver in large 4WDs tends to counteract any reduction in the drivers field of view resulting from the high window sills in such vehicles, but that benefit is significantly compromised in some models by the fitment of a spare wheel high on the rear door." Source: http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2002/D...deaths_sum.aspx ------------- "SUV rollover statistics reveal that SUV rollover is three times more likely than rollover in other passenger vehicles. Rollover is the leading cause of death on our nation's roadways because the injuries that are sustained in rollover accidents are typically much more severe than those suffered in planar accidents. Sixty one percent of SUV occupant fatalities occur in rollover crashes, according to government SUV rollover statistics. According to federal SUV rollover statistics, the Ford Explorer SUV is sixteen times as likely as the typical family car to kill another driver in a vehicle accident. " Source: http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/suv/statistics.html -------------- Multipurpose offroading tyres and compromised onroad/offroad suspension design signifficantly increases stopping distances and reduces cornering grip. -------------- Anecdotal and industry evidence shows that only around 10 per cent of 4WDs ever get off a bitumen road - most clock up the kilometres in urban areas. Buyers should therefore consider carefully whether they really need the off-road capability of 4WDs, particularly when considering the larger vehicles. Some 4WD owners buy their vehicles for the large seating capacity, which can be an advantage for large families, but people movers and small buses should also be considered, as they are cheaper to run. The large Australian-built family wagons with a third row of rearward facing seats in the load area for smaller children are a good option as the rear-facing placement is safer in a frontal crash. Those simply after the greater stability and security of a 4WD should consider the increasing number of conventional passenger cars equipped with 'all-wheel drive'. These vehicles, such as the Subaru model range, some of the Audi and VW models and now the Holden Adventra, are essentially 4WD cars, with purchase and operating costs comparable to similar two-wheel-drive vehicles. These vehicles offer safer travel on slippery surfaces such as wet gravel roads and will also get you through minor obstacles such as a patch of soft sand or shallow mud. However, they do lack the ground clearance and suspension articulation for rough bush tracks. http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_thegoodthebadtheugly.asp ------------------ NRMA is a partner in the Used Car Safety Ratings which analyses four Australian State Transport Departments' crash data, to correlate injuries received in crashes with the model of vehicle. This results in an occupant protection rating for second hand vehicles. The small and medium 4WDs generally score below average to average, while the large 4WDs score average to better than average for occupant protection, similar to large and luxury cars. However, due to their weight and geometry, the large vehicles should score much better than this. Source: http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_thegoodthebadtheugly.asp ------------------ Safety for others Occupent safety The Used Car Safety Rating data also enables us to calculate how much particular vehicle models injure occupants of other vehicles, by analysing the outcomes of two-vehicle crashes. This analysis results in what is known as an Aggressivity Rating, and shows that the large 4WDs provide much worse protection for other drivers than average. This demonstrates the issue of incompatibility between vehicles, which is of international concern. In collisions between large and small vehicles, there are several factors which tend to increase the risk of injury for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. The first is that, due to the physics of collisions, the occupants of the smaller vehicle will suffer greater speed change than those in the larger vehicle, and therefore suffer greater forces on their bodies. The second is that high vehicles tend to 'over-ride' smaller vehicles in collisions, which means the energy absorbing elements built into the smaller vehicle are ineffectual. In turn this means the intrusion into the occupant space is greater, increasing the chance of injuries. A third is that larger vehicles are also often stiffer than smaller vehicles, which again increases intrusion and injuries for passengers in the smaller vehicle. In the US, where sales of large vehicles now constitute 50 per cent of the market, the vehicle manufacturers have recently committed to voluntarily designing the fronts of their large vehicles so they engage with the structures of smaller vehicles, which will help address the incompatibility. NRMA hopes that local manufacturers and Australian importers will also adopt this constructive approach, which has occurred in the US without Government regulation. Until vehicles are designed to be more compatible, NRMA believes one short term strategy is for vehicle buyers to ensure they purchase vehicles with front, side and head protection airbags. This will not only improve the protection for them from other vehicles impacting from the side, but also against side impacts with objects such as trees and poles, which commonly result in high levels of injury. Pedestrian injury Other research from the US shows that pedestrians suffer greater injuries when struck by 4WDs than by conventional vehicles, due to the geometric difference between the fronts of the vehicles. Pedestrians hit by a car are 'scooped up' or 'run under' and land on the bonnet or windscreen, which are often relatively soft. Pedestrians hit by a 4WD are impacted by the essentially flat wall of the vehicle front, which causes more severe injuries. Bullbars The popularity of bullbars on 4WDs and utes only exacerbates the problem, as bullbars concentrate the force on pedestrians and change the dynamics of the impact. An NRMA survey in 1996 revealed a bullbar fitment rate of 60 per cent on 4WDs compared with two per cent on sedans. Children in driveways A recent Federal Government study found that large 4WDs were over-represented in fatal cases of young children being run over in reversing accidents in driveways. While the study attributed some of the problem to the rearward view being restricted by spare wheels mounted on the rear door, there were conventional passenger vehicles with equally restricted rear views that were not represented in the statistics to the same degree. NRMA believes that the best countermeasure to these types of child fatalities is to always monitor the location of young children when vehicles are being moved on private property. Source: http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_thegoodthebadtheugly.asp]http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_thegoodthebadtheugly.asp[/url] ----------------------- Sorry, that post ended up being pretty long, but I think my point got across :lol: