GTAm

Well let me put it this way. The 8V petrol engine is barely adequate IMO. The M-Jet has 90 and lots of torque. Will run rings around the petrol. I doubt the GP had a DPF. My Giulietta does though and it gave me a shock the first couple of times it unloaded the muck.

The reguarly run cars tend to give less trouble than the very low mileage ones. No way around the gearbox fork issue but it can be adhusted a few times before finally the need to replace. Regularly run and serviced cars have proved reliable. Part such as the diesel pump is expensive, I've been told, but I would always choose a diesel over a petrol if you enjoy driving. I know it's usually the other way round but when the diesel has around 10 bhp more and tons more torque, there's a huge difference.

Can check. But numbers in total are around 150. Spares except body parts and lamps no issue to my knowledge.

I would guess roughly 30% are diesels.

Look what I ran into today on my way back from Piliyandala. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SqfA96tmmSqAXlZe8XOaaMCsqcfZ9vR4fyNx__LPZzs/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v43IySUEeWEzyjbsDKhMo-qAvEDs2m1Rjh9LmwOZ1PQ/edit?usp=sharing Unfortunately restyled and running a Toyota diesel . The owner seemed a nice guy offered photocopies of some sort of orginal manual.

Many of the complex stuff is done. The remaining complex area is the entire boot floor and reinforcements. Others are just somewhat straight forward outer panels including the roof! Looks like the body will be done well before the end of 2014!

Gulp I just realized that I had not updated this for a while. Went there today after a two month break. Good news and bad news. The good news is that there's some visible progress. Bad news is that he's screwed up the rear fender and wheel arch. The arches are very square and flat at the rear. The previous artist had rounded and flared them. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1an93kN2MRLtyAgERGflYRcGoInuF1g6uzsJ_IWbQKbA/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sDu2jNoi18tIoKNVdEtMEyPt33aOU8MR-CgcjrKxxmE/edit?usp=sharing Another complex shape being turned out. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IdWN4WxP2N3-AAhtWgWSyksnrQX7c13wUbkXOXGmQb8/edit?usp=sharing How not to do it. Three layers of steel welded together and covered with filler. Now rusted. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bWtenBCyKFVrx2UkgW9eJQfR1nUPZRwsk64_j11aFiA/edit?usp=sharing Neat job at the top of the rear fenders. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G2vdpprXqQl4yTsUfHdMg20V4Fv8oQVCX4W4Uhwt264/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vC8GF8KOjjlF0YPPSWxUOwQ2arcFlAj-Ky2UUwjJURg/edit?usp=sharing

Nice stuff. Loved Lego but was outgrowing my childhood when technics were just coming out. So sadly had to make do with bricks. Was fascinated by "Legoland Space" though.

Ok done I believe.

Hi Watchman can you tell me how it's done. I'm new to this.

.....and this is what our geniuses are capable of. Sadly. If I cannot get a roof panel with sunroof I will just shut it down with a fixed roof. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0AQ_I4shVC0OEhpVldpVmF6Umc/edit?usp=sharing

These are the wheels on the car. I'm pretty sure they are not Mazda wheels but somehow seem to suit the car right now. They look like Cragars but not sure what they are. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0AQ_I4shVC0dFNyUUU0Z3lhdTA/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a pic of the interior which is surprisingly decent. The seats do not look original though. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0AQ_I4shVC0T3hpd0hiV0ZlYlU/edit?usp=sharing

I think some cars were smuggled out of the country even after the law came into effect. Such a shame.

Been looking for one (not very actively) for a while now. They must be so thin on the ground now. And yes have seen a few with diesel conversions. I asked the seller to keep the spoiler, engine and TV [sic] and reduce the price. He said he would not know what to do with them. Btw anyone know how to check if the 5 speed in the car is an RX box or not? The gear lever looks original.

Good to know that you know them. They seemed like nice people. Yes I told Prad and I'm sure I stunned the guy He had already checked this one out. I think he's very happy with his BMW E30 these days.

Thanks. But the photos don't convey the true plight of it. It's more a case "durata Elvis, langata Alwis"

Thanks MasterDon it's 12 sri 7198. The car was at Kiribathgoda and the guy's younger bro knew of your dad and his collection. Shame it never struck me to call you when I went to see it last Saturday and went to collect it on Wed. Damn it never crossed my mind. You maybe knowing them. They said they had two Capris too. It's not really Sunday Run materiel as yet. Quite a bit of work required before I will present it publicly.

Here are the only two pics. Might go to see it tomorrow and take some close ups of the areas that need attention. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0AQ_I4shVC0Z204WmhITXU5X00/edit?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0AQ_I4shVC0djYzVm9OcnotcHc/edit?usp=sharing

It's black now but originally seems to have been red.

Bought an RX7 Series 2 SA22C (FB to many) on Wednesday after seeing it last Saturday. Wasn't cocked too when making the decision. . Had the RX itch for a long long time and finally got one. I'm unable to post pics from my office PC for some reason so will post when I get home. Not easy to describe the condition but here goes. First up no rotary engine - Naturally - Need to find one here (probably unlikely - but if anyone knows pls do tell), or import one. It's running on a very coarse sounding Mazda 4 pot. Almost the exact opposite of a buzzing smooth rotary. 12As are supposedly hard to find so might have to settle for a 13B. The roof (which has a sunroof) is totally botched by some blind dick. Will try to find a roof panel with or without a sunroof or get it done without the sunroof locally by a good tinker. A few other places with some rust but not too scary (by my standards at least ). The paint job is scary though. Front bumper has seen to many punches and looks bad. Interior is largely in tact with some broken switches. Seats don't seem original but don't look really out of place (for now). Electrics need attention but the lamps pop up and light up! Steering has been messed around with but according to a UK RX FB forum is an easy fix. Front suspension was done according to previous owner and actually feels ok compared to the bouncy and noisy rear. All glasses in tact and original though a few bits of bright work and a hinge for the rear hatch is missing. Original up-swept spoiler has been replaced with a modern aluminum wing. . Tail lamps are strange. To my eyes they resemble series 1 ones but the rear end is series 2. Need to figure that out.

Wow! Thanks for that great piece of history. That makes is a very special car. Probably the only Works WRC car in the country?? As a kid I have seen it on track I believe in the hands of Dinamithra.

How interesting. I sold the BM (many years back) and the Alfa that replaced it to the previous owner. In another 10 years we might see someone taking on a 156 project too!

V12s and V8s are under a lot of stress from environmental legislators. The laws are getting strict faster than technology is progressing for the internal combustion engine. It's a huge challenge for for some manufacturers to steer their carbon foot print to accepted levels. Remember the ridiculous Aston Cygnet? It's also why premium sports car makers have gone hybrid and even diesel! (Porches, Maserati). The new Maserati Ghibli diesel has active (sweet) sound pumped into the cabin to drown the diesel drone. Porsche, McLaren and even Ferrari have gone hybrid to get through loop holes with their hyper cars. And they have hinted that other future models might also have this technology. As you may have noticed the face-lifted Ferrari California was revealed on the internet last week. It's NA V8 is replaced with a Turbo V8. This could be a start of the end of NA V8s (and 12s) if there's no "jump" in internal combustion technology. Or else every one will have to start getting used to Turbos and Electric motors in their super cars. I have not read the whole story but you will get a good indication of what's to come here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Average_Fuel_Economy at least from a US perspective. Europe is also heading in the same direction although they go about it differently.

I'm with your dad on this one That car would stand out among the crowd in Yellow. Love the black rear panel and stripe too. Very 70's. The 70's was not a subtle era. However in the end you must choose a colour that you like and could live with. I distinctly recall two Mk 1s that were in our neighborhood when I was a wee kid in the 80s. They were both daily drivers. One was a brown and the other was a dark green (not sure if it was BRG, I think it was a bit lighter) with a vinyl top. Some Sundays they would both be at church and I would get excited to scoot outside to look at them.