TVR-less New Zealand
Discussion
Well, I am now without wedge.
I sold the wedge last week for the equivalent of about 6K pounds (10K NZ), for a road legal wedge (MOT equiv), but scrappy and peeling paint, hood had 2 rips and a split in window, needs new bushes in rear end, saggy springs, tired interior, petrol aroma when full, but ran well, and everything worked, even the pods ! Needs some money spent, and frankly I don't get to drive it hardly now I've retired, so I decided to give it a new home. (1982 2.8 4 speed, mostly original .... )
Did include a few spares I've collected, some of which are hard to find here (rear wheel brg, water pump..)
Not bad overall I reckon. I'm fairly happy with that.
Plus I find it's a lot harder to crawl underneath than it used to be, and I'm no longer flexible enough to get under the dash or the floor and manage the strange angles required to fix things...and I never was totally happy about the way the engine runs on the unleaded garbage.
I sold the wedge last week for the equivalent of about 6K pounds (10K NZ), for a road legal wedge (MOT equiv), but scrappy and peeling paint, hood had 2 rips and a split in window, needs new bushes in rear end, saggy springs, tired interior, petrol aroma when full, but ran well, and everything worked, even the pods ! Needs some money spent, and frankly I don't get to drive it hardly now I've retired, so I decided to give it a new home. (1982 2.8 4 speed, mostly original .... )
Did include a few spares I've collected, some of which are hard to find here (rear wheel brg, water pump..)
Not bad overall I reckon. I'm fairly happy with that.
Plus I find it's a lot harder to crawl underneath than it used to be, and I'm no longer flexible enough to get under the dash or the floor and manage the strange angles required to fix things...and I never was totally happy about the way the engine runs on the unleaded garbage.
Edited by RCK974X on Saturday 13th May 00:50
Oops, that should have said "last month"..
Yes, a little miffed - I had hoped it would go to an enthusiast, but he just resprayed and put new hood on, and is trying to make a profit....
Ah well, such is life. At the current offer price, he won't be making much. Photos show the still tired interior...
I've always fancied going back to big Triumphs (saloon or Stag), but not much in decent nick here.
Kit cars are expensive too, and compliance costs can be a lot of money.
I do quite fancy a Toyota Blade Master, as it's a perfect 'sleeper', but not decided as yet. Yeah, I know, but....I'm OLD.
[for UK Wedgers - A Toyota Blade is a Corolla/Auris with the 3.5 V6 Lexus motor. A small hatch with 270bhp under the hood. 0-60mph in about 6.2 secs. It's also amazingly quiet and smooth you would never guess when pottering in traffic. Not at all like a wedge, but probably quicker than (almost) all wedges ! ]
Yeah, I'll still hang around, and try to help with techie things, but the V6 versions are getting fewer....
Yes, a little miffed - I had hoped it would go to an enthusiast, but he just resprayed and put new hood on, and is trying to make a profit....
Ah well, such is life. At the current offer price, he won't be making much. Photos show the still tired interior...
I've always fancied going back to big Triumphs (saloon or Stag), but not much in decent nick here.
Kit cars are expensive too, and compliance costs can be a lot of money.
I do quite fancy a Toyota Blade Master, as it's a perfect 'sleeper', but not decided as yet. Yeah, I know, but....I'm OLD.
[for UK Wedgers - A Toyota Blade is a Corolla/Auris with the 3.5 V6 Lexus motor. A small hatch with 270bhp under the hood. 0-60mph in about 6.2 secs. It's also amazingly quiet and smooth you would never guess when pottering in traffic. Not at all like a wedge, but probably quicker than (almost) all wedges ! ]
Yeah, I'll still hang around, and try to help with techie things, but the V6 versions are getting fewer....
Edited by RCK974X on Saturday 13th May 22:57
"but the V6 versions are getting fewer...."
Funny everybody thinks more cylinders are better. Really it's the displacement (and of course the design) that make the power.
I just had to replace my 2004 Ford F150 daily driver. It had a 5.4 litre V8 engine, which is no longer offered. For 2017 there are five engine choices:
5.0L V8, 385 hp @ 5750 rpm; 387 ft.lbs. @ 3650 rpm 10.5:1 CR 6 speed automatic
H.O. 3.5L V6, 450 hp @ 5000 rpm; 510 ft.lbs. @ 3500 rpm 10.0 CR 10 sped automatic
3.5L Eco-Boost V6, 375 hp @ 5000 rpm; 470 ft.lbs. @ 3500 rpm 10.5:1 CR 10 speed automatic
3.5L V6, 288 hp @ 6250 rpm; 387 ft.lbs. @ 3650 rpm 10.8:1 CR 6 speed automatic
2.7L Eco-Boost V6, 325 hp @ 5750 rpm; 375 ft.lbs. @ 3000 rpm 10.0:1 CR 6 speed automatic
Funny everybody thinks more cylinders are better. Really it's the displacement (and of course the design) that make the power.
I just had to replace my 2004 Ford F150 daily driver. It had a 5.4 litre V8 engine, which is no longer offered. For 2017 there are five engine choices:
5.0L V8, 385 hp @ 5750 rpm; 387 ft.lbs. @ 3650 rpm 10.5:1 CR 6 speed automatic
H.O. 3.5L V6, 450 hp @ 5000 rpm; 510 ft.lbs. @ 3500 rpm 10.0 CR 10 sped automatic
3.5L Eco-Boost V6, 375 hp @ 5000 rpm; 470 ft.lbs. @ 3500 rpm 10.5:1 CR 10 speed automatic
3.5L V6, 288 hp @ 6250 rpm; 387 ft.lbs. @ 3650 rpm 10.8:1 CR 6 speed automatic
2.7L Eco-Boost V6, 325 hp @ 5750 rpm; 375 ft.lbs. @ 3000 rpm 10.0:1 CR 6 speed automatic
Yeah, I agree it's not about engine size or cylinders, but overall efficiency.
Modern 4 valve DOHC engines (especially those with variable valve timing) with Efi are both powerful AND economical, and are streets ahead (pun!)
of the Rover V8, which started of life as a Buick in 1960 (ish) and the Cologne V6 at a couple of years later.
The 50 odd years in between really shows up.
The old US phrase was "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches" isn't true any more.
Quite a few NA V6 engines now give around 300bhp and yet can return 35 mpg (or more !) on a motorway run.
Edit -
Just realised that the Toyota 2.4 L4 (2AZ-FE) gives same power & torque output as the 2.8 Cologne, at 160 hp and 162 lb·ft - another example.
Also it's all ally - so it's also going to be a shedload lighter than the old cast V6...
Modern 4 valve DOHC engines (especially those with variable valve timing) with Efi are both powerful AND economical, and are streets ahead (pun!)
of the Rover V8, which started of life as a Buick in 1960 (ish) and the Cologne V6 at a couple of years later.
The 50 odd years in between really shows up.
The old US phrase was "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches" isn't true any more.
Quite a few NA V6 engines now give around 300bhp and yet can return 35 mpg (or more !) on a motorway run.
Edit -
Just realised that the Toyota 2.4 L4 (2AZ-FE) gives same power & torque output as the 2.8 Cologne, at 160 hp and 162 lb·ft - another example.
Also it's all ally - so it's also going to be a shedload lighter than the old cast V6...
Edited by RCK974X on Monday 15th May 07:34
Yeah, it was actually bought a guy who already spoke to me (when it was for sale by me), who *IS* a classic enthusiast - Neville.
we've had a chat about some of the tech details already (like where the various bits come from).
He's got some very classic cars, and a few Morris Minors as I understand.
Seems like the Timaru guy didn't like it, and passed it on (and apparently has gone to Australia for a while).
I'm happy it's now in the hands of a guy with enthusiasm and I did pass on the pistonheads details, so here's hoping.
we've had a chat about some of the tech details already (like where the various bits come from).
He's got some very classic cars, and a few Morris Minors as I understand.
Seems like the Timaru guy didn't like it, and passed it on (and apparently has gone to Australia for a while).
I'm happy it's now in the hands of a guy with enthusiasm and I did pass on the pistonheads details, so here's hoping.
RCK974X said:
I do quite fancy a Toyota Blade Master
Same here, a kind of Jappo Golf R32 but without the twin pipes or keen handling or badge kudos or 4 wheel drive or creamy snarl or........oh, hold on, this hasn't gone wellEdited by RCK974X on Saturday 13th May 22:57
I still want one though and trademe's got over 30 for sale, shame they seem to be $15k for a low km one, that's not far off aforementioned R32 money
[Toyota Blade - A bit off topic I guess ]
Yeah, they seem to hold their prices well, especially low km ones.
They are quite something to drive, if you get the chance... but suspension a bit soft for what it is. And you can't turn off the traction control.
Best in straight lines, a bit nose heavy on corners, and autobox sometimes changes mid corner, which is ..er.. entertaining.
But yes definitely a sleeper. Pundits reckon you can get them 0-100kph in just over 6 secs on a [straight] dry road. Pretty damn quick.
I had to pension off our old Volvo anyway a short time ago, so I bought a Toyota Aurion, which is a Camry (more or less) with that same 3.5 V6 engine (2GR-FE). The blade was just that bit too small when I thought about it. I am *SO* impressed with that engine. Smoothest V6 I've ever driven. Would make a good transplant (and blow away most of the Rovers for power output and economy) It is of course what the Lotus Evora uses as its powerplant, unmodified as I understand, but with manual trans.
Aurion is still pretty quick for a large saloon, officially it's 7 secs, but videos show it can get down to 6.7 0-100kph on a dry road, and it gives me
around 33 mpg in proper numbers, not bad for 270bhp, and a lot better than even the old 2.8 Wedge could manage , which dropped down to 26-28 mpg with the unleaded....
But the Aurion is so bloody boring to look at.....it's also a semi-sleeper. It will never replace the wedge or open top kits either, but it chews through the kms effortlessly...
Yeah, they seem to hold their prices well, especially low km ones.
They are quite something to drive, if you get the chance... but suspension a bit soft for what it is. And you can't turn off the traction control.
Best in straight lines, a bit nose heavy on corners, and autobox sometimes changes mid corner, which is ..er.. entertaining.
But yes definitely a sleeper. Pundits reckon you can get them 0-100kph in just over 6 secs on a [straight] dry road. Pretty damn quick.
I had to pension off our old Volvo anyway a short time ago, so I bought a Toyota Aurion, which is a Camry (more or less) with that same 3.5 V6 engine (2GR-FE). The blade was just that bit too small when I thought about it. I am *SO* impressed with that engine. Smoothest V6 I've ever driven. Would make a good transplant (and blow away most of the Rovers for power output and economy) It is of course what the Lotus Evora uses as its powerplant, unmodified as I understand, but with manual trans.
Aurion is still pretty quick for a large saloon, officially it's 7 secs, but videos show it can get down to 6.7 0-100kph on a dry road, and it gives me
around 33 mpg in proper numbers, not bad for 270bhp, and a lot better than even the old 2.8 Wedge could manage , which dropped down to 26-28 mpg with the unleaded....
But the Aurion is so bloody boring to look at.....it's also a semi-sleeper. It will never replace the wedge or open top kits either, but it chews through the kms effortlessly...
Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 13th July 06:05
Yes, we're off topic but it might just be THE super sleeper, comfy, non aggressive, economical, hyper reliable, well equipped (radar cruise control on a 10 year old Toyota!) oh and 0-100mph in 12 seconds
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=INlDKnqlQ-k
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=INlDKnqlQ-k
Really ? I thought it was more like 6.5
.. and the Blade is a f**king Corolla hatchback !! (I think Auris in UK ?)
and under NZ regulations it doesn't even class as 'modified' or 'special' so saving all that extra hassle with certification, which is a royal PITA and expensive.
I would still rather have a V8 wedge if I was still in UK.
Here in NZ though, the sunburn/windburn combination can be terrible in a soft top. Yes, it is immense fun to drive on the roads, there being very very few motorways, and frankly some of the state highways aren't even up to 'A' road standards, but the scenery is truly amazing.
But then it's all ruined by an idiot with a caravan (or camper van, or truck convoy) doing slow speeds or crawling up the hills, with no visibility to pass ....
.. and the Blade is a f**king Corolla hatchback !! (I think Auris in UK ?)
and under NZ regulations it doesn't even class as 'modified' or 'special' so saving all that extra hassle with certification, which is a royal PITA and expensive.
I would still rather have a V8 wedge if I was still in UK.
Here in NZ though, the sunburn/windburn combination can be terrible in a soft top. Yes, it is immense fun to drive on the roads, there being very very few motorways, and frankly some of the state highways aren't even up to 'A' road standards, but the scenery is truly amazing.
But then it's all ruined by an idiot with a caravan (or camper van, or truck convoy) doing slow speeds or crawling up the hills, with no visibility to pass ....
Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 13th July 21:36
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