LSV is still alive!
LSV is still alive!
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Discussion

Linden

Original Poster:

54 posts

279 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
Apologies folks, our website is down temporarily during its periodic upgrade, and I'm not sure what the problem is with the telephone! Please call us on 01933 670982 for attention.

A quick update is in order. Doug Duguid joined us a year ago on a short term contract to tide us over a period of staff illness (namely me). Living in Cheddar (we are in Northamptonshire!) he had always planned to resume his career in sales after twelve months, and he has now secured a senior position with a Vauxhall main dealer in the south-west. We are very grateful for his assistance during that period, which frankly was something of a favour to Eric McClenaghan, our MD.

As for LSV itself, the business has split into two distinct entities, Special Vehicles dealing with 'standard' performance upgrades (anything up to around 550 bhp), and Special Projects, which involves the more extreme stuff, including whole car builds and work with manufacturers. We base a lot of our work around our 4wd chassis dyno, and sub-contract ultra-specialist work to high-end engine and gearbox specialists with whom we've built long-term relationships.

Everyone is aware that the power 'arms race' is rather frantic at the moment, and with the availability of mass market supercharging (at £3,500 plus VAT this is half the price of what was available a couple of years ago) and affordable brakes and exhaust upgrades, we are rushed off our feet. Turning the Monaro into something truly awesome is now a very practical proposition. There are still customers out there with deeper pockets, and the options open to them are (literally) frightening. It is not unusual for us to be building supercharged 6.3 strokers up to 700 bhp in road cars, and I have to put them through their paces. A tough job, but someone has to do it.

We'll be at SEMA in Las Vegas next week and if anyone is there who wants to share a beer we'd look forward to seeing you. Give us a call in the next couple of days to make arrangements to meet. The garage will be open next week but we will be restricted to service/similar work for that period.

Regards to all, Tim Alanthwaite

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

288 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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The power of Pistonheads......ask a question and get a reply straight from the horses' mouth

OooooOOOOoooo SEMA. Didn't realise this wasn't open to Joe Public (not that I was planning to go, but I love a lot of what's on show there). Please take lots of piccies.

Also, you can't just go around talking about 700bhp motors willy-nilly! I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to know much more detail. Perhaps an official Pistonheads review is in order......although by the sounds of things, you're a tad busy

VXR_Daz

1,830 posts

242 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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I am quite happy to do an independent review

BO55 VXR

4,373 posts

273 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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I can get to Vegas for Free

VXR_Daz

1,830 posts

242 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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BO55 VXR said:
I can get to Vegas for Free


Can I carry your bags?

baz7175

3,551 posts

233 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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The other 2 peeps from NI here who do the mag coverage for the mags along with me are jetting off on Monday morning to Vegas for the SEMA show, lucky beggers - I'm just too busy with the main job to go off on a jolly for the "fun job"...

Linden

Original Poster:

54 posts

279 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
To be fair you may need to blag your way into SEMA if you don't have a fairly direct motor industry connection, but it's been done before!

It is simply an eye-boggling, mouth watering, impossible to take it all in, impossible to forget it, kind of show. OK, it's America, but BIG doesn't do it justice. The quality and variety of what is on show and available can't adequately be put into words.

To be fair, the 700 bhp+ conversions we do aren't just a blower and a re-map, and unless you can easily afford it, what's the point? With 500 bhp most drivers will be struggling to tap the power to its full potential. In case you were wondering, I do always question why a customer wants that kind of power; we're here as enthusiasts after all, and selling something that someone doesn't really want if they thought about it a little more isn't part of the ethos.

You can guess the most prevalent reason for going to an extreme: "I just want it". I can't knock that; my baby's at about 650 bhp. Still, it's sobering to drag it up the Pod and get beaten by the 20 year olds in their Novas!

baz7175

3,551 posts

233 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
Size wise the only place I've ever been to compare it to would be the likes of the Essen Motor Show which is coming up soon at the start of December, but in true yank style they take everything to extremes (and then add a few more dollops of madness just for good measure). Trade only show, but most people know someone connected with the motor trade to be able to get in the door

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

288 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
Linden said:
To be fair you may need to blag your way into SEMA if you don't have a fairly direct motor industry connection, but it's been done before!

It is simply an eye-boggling, mouth watering, impossible to take it all in, impossible to forget it, kind of show. OK, it's America, but BIG doesn't do it justice. The quality and variety of what is on show and available can't adequately be put into words.


That's really not helping. SEMA is one show I want to attend before my time's up

BO55 VXR

4,373 posts

273 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
OK, here's the deal... This year's a no go... to shorter notice...

Next year, if someone in the trade can get me a ticket, I'll fly them to Vegas with me...Upper Class...for free (err, not free, just airport taxes)

Twin Turbo

5,544 posts

288 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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Where's bovvered? He did a good job on the Brockie stickers, may be he can knock up some SEMA tickets too

ringram

14,701 posts

270 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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Boss talk to me. Ill sort you out for next year
Hell Ill even swap you for a new v2 Efilive scan tool at the time!

Im helping Efilive man their stand on site. Stand #13059
www.efilive.com/default.aspx

V2 is out with loads of nice features for those who like to tweak their engines to perfection.

Well_Fans

4,193 posts

246 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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anyone else notice the subtle price increase in LSV's superchargers? I'd heard a rumour the first batch were a special offer at 2.5K+VAT. See they've crept up now to 3.5k+VAT. Oh well thats a bit more to save up then :-)

VXR_Daz

1,830 posts

242 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
AP's have gone up too - £2,299 + VAT eek

caspy

1,791 posts

258 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
BO55 VXR said:
OK, here's the deal... This year's a no go... to shorter notice...

Next year, if someone in the trade can get me a ticket, I'll fly them to Vegas with me...Upper Class...for free (err, not free, just airport taxes)



Why do ya think i asked about flights the other day!!!!!!

BO55 VXR

4,373 posts

273 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
quotequote all
caspy said:
BO55 VXR said:
OK, here's the deal... This year's a no go... to shorter notice...

Next year, if someone in the trade can get me a ticket, I'll fly them to Vegas with me...Upper Class...for free (err, not free, just airport taxes)



Why do ya think i asked about flights the other day!!!!!!


Well, if you had said so, I would have sorted you out... Doh!!!

Maybe next year....or if there's anything sooner scratchchin

Edited by BO55 VXR on Wednesday 25th October 17:53

harryoz

1,016 posts

247 months

Wednesday 25th October 2006
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Amazing, I'm in Vegas for a conference 2-4 November, and I didnt realise this was on!

Dan_S V8

578 posts

241 months

Thursday 26th October 2006
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Well_Fans said:
anyone else notice the subtle price increase in LSV's superchargers? I'd heard a rumour the first batch were a special offer at 2.5K+VAT. See they've crept up now to 3.5k+VAT. Oh well thats a bit more to save up then :-)


And that adds up to approx £4000+ when you add VAT... If it was my money I would save the extra and get the wortec harrop unit...

eliot

11,987 posts

276 months

Thursday 26th October 2006
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Dan_S V8 said:
Well_Fans said:
anyone else notice the subtle price increase in LSV's superchargers? I'd heard a rumour the first batch were a special offer at 2.5K+VAT. See they've crept up now to 3.5k+VAT. Oh well thats a bit more to save up then :-)


And that adds up to approx £4000+ when you add VAT... If it was my money I would save the extra and get the wortec harrop unit...

why?

Linden

Original Poster:

54 posts

279 months

Thursday 26th October 2006
quotequote all
Yes, unfortunately the price of the superchargers has gone up; we were able to install a number of initial units with major assistance on the price from our supplier as a promotional effort. We still believe the price is more than competitive, and less than half what it was less than three years ago. It also includes a bespoke set-up on the dyno; in our experience there is quite a difference between each of these engines, which is down to fairly lax mass-production tolerances.

As for AP brakes, again the new price is less than the competition, but we actually make a profit now; a novel concept. Note that this is not an exchange price; you get to keep your old brakes. Bear with us while we change the PH banner advert, which is now out of date.

Regards, Tim