GoldZilla

There certainly is a next time, and it's not too far off - keep your eyes on the NSW Events section!!! I was entered, but as you may have noticed my car stayed in the carpark while I was stuck on BBQ duties...

LOL - bird calls "Bacaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrkkk Bacaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkk! This is Steve-O on runway 1 - am I clear for take off???"

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Te...ad-t335599.html

GO ANNA!!! you did incredibly well for your first time out at an event like this, and especially considering you haven't owned the car for long! Oh, and thanks for the (very short, but very fun) drive! LOL, so much for entering my car! Glad you enjoyed the BBQ, not a bad job considering the last minute preparations, and the troubles we had getting it going, but I think we've finally jusitified upgrading the club's BBQ.

Oh, I spotted sh@un today at the SAU-NSW Texikhana, and also another silver one (s2? I can't remember - was too busy all day, my brain is tired so my memory is shot), and a white s1 260RS.

I'll believe it when I see it... Really? I've seen a multi-coloured one around Rouse Hill too quite a while ago, and it had "L" plates on it.

Of course it is, mate! It's been going for close to 5 years now, and I think the only time it's really dead is if it's too close to Christmas or New Year's.

Come to any one of our official SAU-NSW events, Luke, and you'll be able to sign up. This Sunday: Texikhana @ Nirimba TAFE (Quakers Hill) 10/10/10 (October 10): R32 21st Anniversary cruise and meet-up. There's two events within roughly 15mins of Penrith - no excuses!!! Also, there's a direct link to the Membership form in my signature (and just about every Exec has a link to it too).

I just spotted a wine red M35 drive past me on Station Road, on the border of Seven Hills and Toongabbie. I don't think it was Stephen (Bis-e Bee).

Spotted and met Alex in his silver PM35 tonight at the weekly Thursday Coastie meet-up.

I'm pretty sure that tonight I spotted a light blue Bentley Continental convertible drive past carpark we use for the Thursday night Coastie Crew gatherings.

That *could* be StageIan, he lives near me but I haven't seen him in a while.

Are you sure you're not getting me mixed up with Sidd or Ian (Xmetal), Matt??? Nah, I don't shoot weddings, but I was at a friend's magazine launch recently with a few bands playing, and swapping between the Nifty Fifty f/1.8 and my 18-55mm kit lens was a bit annoying, and that's where I lost a few of those "moments." There was another guy there with two bodies and he was swapping between them depending on where he was in regards to the stage and the action he was capturing. Most of my better shots were with the 50mm anyway (to be expected when I'm only using a kit lens for comparison), so your statement about getting something with a constant aperture was exactly along the same line of thought that I was heading on. Having that low-light ability and the wider DoF options are both appealing, and carrying a tripod around at an event like this (or similar) is far from practical! Carrying two cameras might be annoying sometimes, but it sure beats swapping lenses, and it wouldn't be an everyday thing anyway. Looking again, the 15-85mm has the same aperture range as my kit 18-55m, and the 17-85mm actually has a larger minimum aperture (f/4), so that's a bit annoying and goes against the point of me upgrading anyway. Meh, I still have to decide whether to upgrade a lens or buy a 550D first, or if I should either wait or stretch the budget a bit and get both. This is (at this stage) still a hobby, after all. Decisions, decisions, decisions... Oh, who do you recommend for best pricing on camera goodies - I live near Parra and usually order online/go in and pick up from DCW in Canterbury, and would rather stay away from shops in the city (I hate public transport, and parking is a PITA as you'd all know). One of my shots from that magazine launch/gig using the 50:

Boss 260 = XR8, Matthew... Nice shots, though!

OK, today I located and tried to replace the flasher can, but the part I bought was wrong, so I'll have to order one from my local parts place. There are two made by Narva that are specifically for Japanese-imported cars (i'm guessing both JDM and Japanese-built ADM models). One is a standard issue replacement (http://narva.com.au/products/browse/electronic, part # 68244BL), and the other of them is made for use with LED blinkers, whether you use them in a combination with standard incandescent globes (like I am, or at least will be when I put my LED front blinkers back on), or all around (http://narva.com.au/products/browse/led-electronic, part # 68245BL). It's weird, the hazards work fine (normal speed), but when I use my indicators they blink really fast, despite all the globes working. I'm hoping replacing the can will fix the issue, otherwise I'll have to take it to a sparky. Anyway, in an attempt to get to it, I took apart the whole dash assembly over and around the steering wheel (steering column cover, dash surround, gauge cluster and lower dash panel). I kept using the hazards to try and figure out where the sound was coming from, but I still couldn't figure it out. Turns out I didn't need to do all this, as the flasher is near the bottom of the dash, to the left of the steering column. Removing only the bottom dash panel would have given me enough room to work with. Luckily, the dash only takes about half an hour to remove completely, so getting just the bottom bit off should save me plenty of time. If I could contort myself enough, I probably wouldn't even have to remove the bottom bit - I think it might just be within reach.

I took apart and re-assembled my dashboard today, in an attempt to sort out my crazy indicator issue. More information here: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Fl...an-t334343.html

Oh, by the way, SAU-NSW is holding our Texikhana this Sunday!!! You should all at least come down for a look, and then enter our next one at the end of November, mmmkay?

If we do it at Jet's workplace, I'm guessing we could still have a BBQ. For the first one (also at Jet's work, but a different venue) we had a BBQ going there too, and it was a pretty good arvo. There was some light rain as we were all getting there, but it was all undercover, so there were no issues.

Yep, I'm guessing he probably came from either a rotary background (where all cars weigh under 900kgs) or '80's Commodores (where just about all of them weigh around 1100kgs max).

Today I spotted a dark blue s2 R33 GTSt on the bridge at Toongabbie (rego BFE-??? or similar) and a silver V35 fuelling up at the little servo on the corner of Gilba and Targo Roads in Girraween.

Do we need to make this a "dare you to do it" thing, Mel?

You don't HAVE to be a Skyline owner to become an SAU-NSW Club Member, and there are quite a few benefits (as noted by Terry) as well as a en extra part of the forums available to you should you decide to join!

I'm another Canon user, and have a 450D. I'm undecided as to whether to get some more (and better quality) glass or invest in another body. I've had a few occasions where I've needed a certain lens mounted on the body ready to go, and by the time you swap lenses over, that "moment" is gone, unfortunately. So, the decision has to be made: get myself a 550D (body only), or a faster wide zoom. I was thinking of the 15-85mm Canon lens, but the aperture range is the same as the kit lens, so is it worth it?

This is not a "Volvo" story as such, but anyway... Took my car to the carwash on Friday, and just as I was about to leave one of the guys working there approached me. The conversation went something like this: Him: "Nice car, mate." Me: "Thanks man." Him: "I noticed you've got a bit of fruit on there - she must go alright, hey?" Me: "Yeah, it goes pretty good." Him: "How quick does it go? What does she do, eleven's?" Me: "Eleven's? Nah, I doubt it, but I've never taken it for a run." Him: "So, it weighs about 1100kgs?" Me: "1100kgs? Dude, try 1700!" Him: "Oh..."

Regardless, a bit of rain (if it happens) will make it more fun and reduce the wear-and-tear on the cars.