SimonB

Where did you get them done, and how much? We were looking for someone to do union jack flames for the convoy to Le Mans last year but couldn't find anyone doing colour vinyl that wasn't very expensive.

You pay import duty - the rate depends on what it is, dunno what engines are but it's usually around 5%. You pay that on the value of the goods plus the shipping. Then you pay VAT on the total with the import duty added on. So if your engine was worth £1000 say with £100 shipping with import duty it would be £1155 (if the rate was 5%), and with VAT too £1357. Plus a handling fee from the courier company probably. Of course the rate you pay depends on the declared value of the goods on the shipping statement, but with an engine I doubt you're going to be able to persuade anyone it's worth £100!

Does that mean you're ok with women with beards?

Yeah, that was on watchdog I think. It was where the fraudsters had used the PIN to get money out or buy stuff with chip and pin. The banks were saying that chip and pin is totally secure (which it blatantly isn't) and therefore they must have written their PIN down or something. The banks were basically saying that because the pin had been used that proved the transaction wasn't fraud. That's against the banking code though.

It IS pretty much the same. Last time I was in France petrol was no cheaper there than here.

It's different protection. With a credit card, you are protected against the company you buy off not sending you the goods, or sending you rubbish. With a debit card you don't have that protection. However, you ARE protected against fraud - according to the banking code, the bank must prove that you are responsible for a transaction if you dispute it. If they have no signature from you and the PIN wasn't used they can't really do that. They may try anyway though. The difference is the banking code is a volutary thing the banks all sign up to whereas credit cards are covered by law.

It's utter BS I'm afraid. To see why, let's see how much air is going through the engine at, say 6000rpm at 1BAR boost. That would be: 3000cc x 6000rpm / 2( because there's 1 intake stroker per 2 revs) / 60. That would be 150 litres, and because we're at 1 BAR that would be 300 litres of air every second (actually a bit less as that assumes 100%VE). The feeble amout of hydrogren produced by this thing would be totally lost in that lot. And that's even without the fact that as has been said, it takes more energy to extract hydrogen and oxygen than you get from burning it. So basically, it's total bollocks...

You really wouldn't want a dog box on anything other than a race car. They make an unbelievable racket and having to heel and toe to perfectly match revs every time you wanted to change down would quickly get very annoying I think.

Well, we'd be talking about a 1mm larger bore (86mm to 87mm).

That's true, his daughter is extremely fine. Makes you wonder if she's actually related to him, especially since she's about 3 feet taller...

I don't mind Bernie too much, he's a mercenary bugger but he's not in the same league of tosspotness (think that's a new word ) as Max Mosely.

Time for a good old engine tech thread, we haven't had one in a while... I'm getting conflicting opinions on whether to use a torque plate (i.e. block of metal that's bolted on the block to simulate the head and any distortion it puts on the block) when boring/honing the cylinders. Some people say (like a couple of machine shops I've spoken to) there wouldn't be much point on a 2JZ because it's a very solid lump of cast iron, and the aluminium head is going to distort rather than the block if anything. Of course that could be because they haven't got a torque plate! Others that it's essential to avoid wonky bores. A lot of what you read on the internet about it relates to either modern aluminium blocks or flimsy American blocks. So what do the engine techy types think?

Admiral are notorious for quoting for a MkIII Supra instead of a MkIV, or for a UK rather than an import, especially on their on-line thing. At least they used to be, so worth double checking with them that they've got it right.

If you decide to split it, I'd be interested in the dial cluster - that's the only bit of the dash I need.

Well, I have a spare FPR if you need one. In fact I think I have 2. I'd be suprised if anything is wrong with yours though.

Yep, it's part of the flywheel.

The US price won't include import duty & VAT, whereas the UK one will have to. That accounts for some of the difference.

All stick on plates are illegal, but you're very unlikely to be done for it. I got mine from GT graphix here: http://www.gtgrafix.com

I've just painted mine with International garage floor paint. Certainly much better than before, there's no dust now. PITA doing it though, I had a lounge full of tools out of the garage for a week while I painted it and waited for it to dry!

What did you get done out of interest?

Yeah, just change the one. I'd get them to send the burst one back to the manufacturer to check too if it's blown out for no apparent reason. I got a credit for the value of the tyre once when I had a dodgy tyre that wouldn't balance up properly.

Depends where you measure it too. Temps in the sump, by the oil filter and elsewhere can be quite different.

Actually, it doesn't as far as I know. It only applies to goods bought from a trader. I don't think there is any legal rights for people buying from an individual other than that the goods must be as described. It's caveat emptor for private sales (let the buyer beware). Apart from that, I'm staying out of this!

You could check the ground connections by the ECU, if it's getting an intermittent ground it might behave weirdly. Have you got a FCD wired in there?

Good stuff. I'm always hoarding old bits of car that I've swapped out saying that I'll do something like that but somehow I never get round to it....