My multi cultural fleet
Discussion
Hi All,
I've decided to put all my cars into one thread, as it will be handier to keep updated.
First up is my '99 Accord Type R. This car had 2 owners in the UK, one of whom was Gary Ayles so you know it was driven properly whilst he owned it
Anywho, the car landed in Ireland in 2005. It had one owner from then who traded it into a used car dealer, who I then purchased the vehicle off around 2014. Some of you already know of this car, but it spent a year and a half having a full underbody restoration and has been modified quite extensively. It's now running 257hp at the crank and BC suspension, full hard race arms etc. The car has currently sat in dry storage for over a year and a half, and I'm planning to get it back out before summer ends.
Next up is my JCW R53. I purchased this back in November 2018, and it's been a true labour of love. I owned the car about 2 months before the engine blew up, which was traced down to a bad injector leaning out cylinder number 2. So whilst we were there, we may as well upgrade the injectors....and sure whilst we are at the head, we may as well upgrade the cam.....and this just went on and on until I ended up with a 250hp supercharged pocket rocket on Omex management. Unfortunately, the car still decides to give minor issues every once in a while but I guess that's just the joys of owning a english designed car with German electronics and an American engine!
One week into ownership:
And now:
And finally, is the Kia Optima. There's not much to say other than it's incredibly boring to drive, but that's why I love it As a daily driver, I really couldn't ask for anything more. It's suuuuper comfortable and glides over the road, is fully loaded (seriously, it has autonomous driving modes, self parks, a bloody fridge in the back! ) and is genuinely a pleasure to own. I never thought I'd say something like that about a Kia, but credit where it's due, they have really moved up in the world.
Thanks for reading, and apologies if some of the pictures might not be the best.
I've decided to put all my cars into one thread, as it will be handier to keep updated.
First up is my '99 Accord Type R. This car had 2 owners in the UK, one of whom was Gary Ayles so you know it was driven properly whilst he owned it
Anywho, the car landed in Ireland in 2005. It had one owner from then who traded it into a used car dealer, who I then purchased the vehicle off around 2014. Some of you already know of this car, but it spent a year and a half having a full underbody restoration and has been modified quite extensively. It's now running 257hp at the crank and BC suspension, full hard race arms etc. The car has currently sat in dry storage for over a year and a half, and I'm planning to get it back out before summer ends.Next up is my JCW R53. I purchased this back in November 2018, and it's been a true labour of love. I owned the car about 2 months before the engine blew up, which was traced down to a bad injector leaning out cylinder number 2. So whilst we were there, we may as well upgrade the injectors....and sure whilst we are at the head, we may as well upgrade the cam.....and this just went on and on until I ended up with a 250hp supercharged pocket rocket on Omex management. Unfortunately, the car still decides to give minor issues every once in a while but I guess that's just the joys of owning a english designed car with German electronics and an American engine!
One week into ownership:
And now:
And finally, is the Kia Optima. There's not much to say other than it's incredibly boring to drive, but that's why I love it
As a daily driver, I really couldn't ask for anything more. It's suuuuper comfortable and glides over the road, is fully loaded (seriously, it has autonomous driving modes, self parks, a bloody fridge in the back! ) and is genuinely a pleasure to own. I never thought I'd say something like that about a Kia, but credit where it's due, they have really moved up in the world.Thanks for reading, and apologies if some of the pictures might not be the best.
Obi Wan said:
I’m not usually interested in Minis but yours sounds like a beast.
I'll be honest, I had respect for the "new" Minis and thought they were funky, but I had no interest whatsoever in buying one until my friend was selling this one and I drove it. even in standard 210hp form, it moved well. With the extra lump of power and the instant delivery, it genuinely surprises a lot of people and has show a clean set of heels to much more expensive machinery
It's how quick it gets to 100mph that really catches people out.Lollypops said:
Nice fleet!
What mods has the ATR had to get it to that power?
Thanks! Mostly breathing mods and management gave the biggest gains. They are a little held back when stock and even different management and a tune can see good gains. For mine, the head was ported and polished and different springs etc were fitted. It also has Brian Crower Stage 3 cams which being honest, have very little extra duration over stock Type R cams. However, they were in the car when I bought it so I can't complain! Other than that it's has a VTEC Direct exhaust manifold, decat, lightened pulleys, S2000 injectors etc and much more that I can't think of. All of that was tied in with Hondata S300 V3 Management and a custom tune.What mods has the ATR had to get it to that power?
In other news:
Had an issue with the Mini today (surprise surprise!). I was giving it some stick from the lights, and as I went for 2nd gear, there was a large bang and the sound of thunder and explosions
I pulled over and realised that the bottom engine mount had sheared off, taking the manifold with it ripping it clean off at the flexi 
The mount was only replaced 2 months ago, and on closer inspection it has a couple of fractures on the mount....Whether it's from being an aftermarket parts or negligence, I don't know. The company I purchased it from have sent out a replacement, and luckily I had a spare manifold with catalytic converters for the NCT test, so I've thrown that in for now....Bare in mind, this means no more flames or big bangs () until I get the decat manifold replaced or repaired.Here's a couple pictures after I replaced the mount with a temporary spare and threw on the cat manifold. I must say, the paint looks amazing for a 14 year old car. It's amazing what a good machine polish and ceramic coating can do!
I should really re-title this "woes of a Mini owner", because she decided to break again 😂😂 I had a very strange clicking noise coming from the front left side of the car, sounding very much like a worn or failed CV joint, which I thought was odd due to only getting new ones a couple months ago from J&R. A quick note on J&T btw....They single handily have the worst customer service I have experienced, and that's not even an exaggeration. When I contacted them about potentially replacing the driveshaft if it was found at fault, they basically refused to stand by their 12 month warranty, offering me no alternative but to go out and buy a brand new driveshaft from my local motor factors, which is what I should have done in the first place!
I took the car to the shed and started inspecting it properly,and it seems like it's actually the wheel bearing at fault. I've now returned the driveshaft (€142) and ordered a complete hub assembly with bearing (€72). I shall hopefully have the car all sorted Monday.
I took the car to the shed and started inspecting it properly,and it seems like it's actually the wheel bearing at fault. I've now returned the driveshaft (€142) and ordered a complete hub assembly with bearing (€72). I shall hopefully have the car all sorted Monday.
Small update!
The Mini has been A1 since the new wheels bearing, and I can't fault it. Have also fitted poly bushes all round and another service, car hasn't skipped a beat! Due to that, I decided to treat it to a set of wheels and new michelin tyres. I've since sent the wheels off for a fullrefurb as they weren't as clean as I'd of liked, should be done in a few days!
In regards to the others, the Kia is as boring yet reliable as ever, and I haven't even touched the Accord due to work commitments, but I've mad a target to have it done by my next Birthday
The Mini has been A1 since the new wheels bearing, and I can't fault it. Have also fitted poly bushes all round and another service, car hasn't skipped a beat! Due to that, I decided to treat it to a set of wheels and new michelin tyres. I've since sent the wheels off for a fullrefurb as they weren't as clean as I'd of liked, should be done in a few days!
In regards to the others, the Kia is as boring yet reliable as ever, and I haven't even touched the Accord due to work commitments, but I've mad a target to have it done by my next Birthday
Small but unfortunate update, I got a call to say my wheels were finished being refurbished. After waiting nearly 5 weeks, I was excited!
My excitement however, was short lived the wheels looked in a worse state than what I left them in. Ripples, fish eyes, bits not painted.....Truly dissapointing and has put a little downer on my weekend. I didn't want to cause a fuss, but I simply refused to pay nearly 400 euro for such a poor job.
Credit where it's due, they took the wheels back with no hesitation and completely agreed that they were finished to a poor standard. They have now told me they will re-do them from scratch, and will ensure I have them back by next Tuesday at the latest.
My excitement however, was short lived
the wheels looked in a worse state than what I left them in. Ripples, fish eyes, bits not painted.....Truly dissapointing and has put a little downer on my weekend. I didn't want to cause a fuss, but I simply refused to pay nearly 400 euro for such a poor job.Credit where it's due, they took the wheels back with no hesitation and completely agreed that they were finished to a poor standard. They have now told me they will re-do them from scratch, and will ensure I have them back by next Tuesday at the latest.
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