NeilMH

Looking good

I think they are now trying a lot too hard to come up with more derivatives. From the perspective in that photo it looks awful.

Even I don't understand what I wrote before 1. I remember Jez Coates explaining how much science went into choosing the variable rate springs and dampers for the latest Caterham 7. I am not sure how my rudimentary knowledge of this stuff would enable me to do better than them or Porsche or whoever. 2. This may not be fair but I think there may be a positive vibe that people attach to their own mods....in other words they tend to be always perceived as better. I remember changing the springs and dampers on an Elise (for an "approved" lowering kit). Everyone appeared to think they were better. I thought it spoiled the car. I said that and then some people started coming out of the woodwork saying they thought that as well but they thought it must just be them and "didn't like to say". I tend to be very cautious now and stick to my own instinct. 3. Some years ago I dropped off the Elise and came back home via country roads in a Fiesta of theirs, rowing it along using a good percentage of its capacity. It struck me how much I enjoyed that. So for road use in the UK I wondered how much it's worth spending other than for looks/status/pride, etc. So I agree with Dan's point earlier that you can't really use much of even a 350Zs capacity on the roads.

Most of the mods I have done have been to solve an "issue".....I can't remember doing any purely for looks. So I have only spent money on things like SS exhaust (it was falling to bits) or Uprev (smoother power delivery) or Caterham Anti-Cavitation tank (oil frothing issues with K series being wrong way round), Elise S1 uprated shift cabling (crap gearchange) etc, etc, etc. So..if I could buy a better car I would...but I can't... so I won't. I think it's quite hard (probably not impossible though if you have the skill levels) to match the £100k car with mods to another. Their 100k manufacturer's development/research budget is somewhat bigger than mine.

Great stuff

This falling out of love process normally happens to me after a couple of years but it hasn't happened to me yet and I'm into my third year. The only car it didn't happen with was the Alfasud, which I had for 5 years, but unfortunately that developed one or two issues Maybe that was simply a reflection of the available competition at the time. It's good to look back in a positive way and move on when you're ready. I have found myself just starting to look at other stuff but the 350 is quite hard to beat at the budget I am looking at.

Seems fair enough to me. I never liked the Standard Vanguard, to put it mildly - but I must confess I never drove one

Great to see that it's gone to a good home

Excellent stuff

Interesting stuff. My day at Palmer was why I bought a 350Z in the first place

That's terrible. Hope you get it sorted ok.

Sounds like the ideal start. It's nearly always the brakes that are the primary problem. I bet you are really looking forward to the next one.

Just read all this. Horrible story. All the best with getting it all sorted out.

If it runs ok now I wouldn't worry about it ... just run on Super in future as planned.

Yes....it can certainly rain in Green Spain. We travelled up to Panes from Santander once during a storm and there were literally whole trees floating down the river. You only need a sand storm now to complete the set.

+1 - I think this is right, sadly.

Just a quick update re the Avon ZZ3s - albeit they are on 17s so are unlikely to be a very popular choice . Previously had Bridgestone 050As on 18s. They were very competent. I could not really find anything to complain about with them but they just did not give me the feel I was looking for - hard to define what was missing. Anyway, switched to ZZ3s on 17s and - provided the weather is warm enough - and/or they are warm enough then they are exactly what I had hoped for - plenty of grip and feel, no tramlining (presumably because of the tread pattern) and good ride quality. I have no evidence of this but Avons I have had on previous cars tend to wear quickly so I am expecting the same with these. I also find that the disparity between what they are like warm vs cold is considerable - they feel pretty hard when cold - this is probably to do with the compound because pressures would obviously increase as they heat up. However, I use winter tyres when appropriate. If I went back to 18s I would now choose MPSS, I think.