corozin

Few pics taken of Ben's car at E38 a few weeks ago: http://eventpictures.fotopic.net/c1083256.html

I have mixed feelings about this. I suspect that VW will indeed price the IROC as a premium model, in the same way that the Corrado & Scirrocco were compared to thier equivalent Golf models. The Golf R32 is priced at mid £20k level right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see the IROC priced against (say) the 3.2 Audi TT. Personally I think they should be more concerned about pricing competitively against the Nissan 350z Just my 2p... John

This is a regular runner at the Gurston Down Hillclimb - it's road legal. Underneath the bonnet... upgraded Lancia Integrale engine. Makes about 350bhp, in a car weighing about the same as an Elise Trust me - it's quick.

Well since mine has a Quaife ATB and similar strut bracing to an ITR, maybe I should be the one to bitch slap it at Combe. On a serious point the Integra is a quick car... until you add a passenger (or two, or three). Put two passengers in the car and even a stock VR6 will slap them about everywhere, as they have considerably more torque (and you don't have to rev the balls off an ITR to even get to what puny torque it does have) John p.s. Torque comment also applies to the VR6 vs Honda S2000, & VR6 vs Mazda RX8

I can do the 375 miles from Bournemouth to Carlisle with a bit to spare, travelling at a steady 75-80mph easily. If you are careful with the loud pedal, using clear motorways, have your tyres at the correct pressure and keep your windows closed you should be able to make 35mpg easily & on a full tank that should get you near to 500 miles with a bit to spare... Anyone actually done it though...? John p.s. I only get around 8mpg on track at Castle Combe

Autometrix VW Track Day will be at Castle Combe on Saturday July 29th. Day passes are £160 and available from http://www.autometrix.co.uk I'll for one will be there giving it 100% and hopefully overtaking nearly everyone else :D

Coil pack?

Indeed they are stainless steel. I have one myself. I know Maurice quite well and can also vouch for what's been said earlier in the thread. The price of steel has risen during the last year, and Trimsport's margins are not huge in the first place. Trimsport is not a big business. In fact it would be fairer to say that Maurice has always regarded it as a hobby. Maurice (who has been a retired from engineering for many years now) enjoys the business but doesn't want it to overwhelm his life. As such, there is no point for him busting his arse mass manufacturing goods at a knockdown price when he can sell them out at normal price. Now you are entitled to say that you think that is a crap business practice, but equally it is his business, and you are free to shop elsewhere if you think he's too expensive. However as far as I'm concerned the braces are exceptional quality and bloody good value for money even at £95... You won't find the Dubweiser ones are any cheaper, and the Stroeve MS (alloy) braces are a lot more expensive. I mean £5 discount is hardly worth the worry is it? It's not much more than the price of PVW for fark's sake... John

I should qualify my comments about dusting the Brera around the roundabouts, my car runs big brakes, race-spec tyres and a Quaife ATB so it wasn't really a fair fight. ... still no need (or time) to tell HIM that, LOL

Came across my first Alfa Brera (a GTA V6) on the road earlier this afternoon. I can only say that car is even more amazing in the metal than it is the magazines, it's truly a beautiful car, especially in red. Fortunately for me, the owner of this one fancied putting his foot down a bit and we had "a bit of a go for it" on the A35, him tailing me. They are pretty quick, I did drop him after about 5 miles, but I think that was as much due to me driving a modified Corrado as anything else. In a straight line the two cars were very similar, but I started to inch out a bit above 100mph. However the Brera looked very unsettled and squirmy trying to follow me around a few roundabouts. So, a big "thumbs up" to the Alfa driver for being brave enough to drive his new expensive (and bery beautiful) toy hard. Hold out your hand though mate, and I'll pass you the can o' whup-ass that you earned :D * ! SLAP ! * John p.s. I also saw my first "new" RS4 today, and it looked as hard as nails. No way was I messing with that!

Plato is an excellent driver, and an ex-VR6 owner too. Personally the part where he just cracked up laughing about the accident was the best bit - Sarah Aloud was still clearly in earshot but too dim to realise he was pishing himself laughing with the lads from the camera crew

I can beat that. This photo has both my old VR6 (M100 VRG) and Paul Downing's old Burgundy 16v in the same car park. Parked nearby to our workplace in Bournemouth. We reckon the picture was taken sometime around Sept-Nov 2004.

While the car is undoubtedly very quick, the footage has also been sped up. Anyone familiar with Hockenheim could tell you that from the silly cornering speeds.

I agree John. The answer to shite headlights is to BUY THE UPRATED LOOM

Brief History : The Khaki pearl effect car mentioned earlier in this thread was unique in the UK. The colour was a Germany only colour, and the car was ordered in RHD by it's first owner (who I know) when he lived in Germany. I have to say I thought the colour was interesting, but not really what I would want. The uniqueness of the colour made it stand out, but I always thought it looks a bit "army" personally.

At risk of killing the thread, read this : http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2001/20010561.htm#6 If your car's registered in the UK and the plate doesn't agree with this, you're illegal. It's as simple as that.

I saw Senna when he came 3rd in his first British GP driving a Toleman back in 1983. It was clear he was going to be something special even then. Then a few years later in 1988 I saw him racing in the GP at Silverstone. he was driving for Lotus/Renault and somehow he managed to overtake Nelson Piquet on the first lap, despite the fact that Piquet's Brabham had 300bhp more!. The sight of Senna, Piquet and Prost barrelling under the bridge into Woodcote corner, three abreast & wheel to wheel will live with me for the rest of my days... amazing drivers John

I know someone who has one - and I've been in it. Quick as hell.

Some of my heroes (not necessarily the winningest drivers) : ~ Circuit ~ Derek Bell (5 Le Mans victories) Nigel Mansell (Made a big fuss about it, but he was quick) Jean Alesi (Greatest F1 car control ever, just not quick enough to win!) Ayrton Senna (Greatest talent in F1 ever) Mario Andretti (Only winner of F1 championship, Indy 500 & Le Mans) Keke Rosberg (A complete nutter behind the wheel) ~ Rally ~ Henri Toivenen (The fastest rally driver ever) Ari Vatenen (over 50 and still faster than almost everyone else) Juha Kankkunen (4x World Champ) Michelle Mouton (Only woman to ever win WRC events) Stefan Peterhansel (Paris-Dakar winner, 4x on bikes, 2x in cars) Colin McCrae (The modern legend, capable of incredible comebacks) ~ Bikers ~ Freddie Spencer (1984 British GP - lapped everyone at Silverstone in under 15 laps) David Jefferies (ripped 22 secs of the TT record in a single year) Doug Lampkin (12x times world trials champion) Carl Fogarty (Career tragically cut short - great rider) Valentino Rossi (Has won on everything!)

Top choice John. Wanna go halves? ;) LOL. I really love cars... but it's only possible to spend "just" heaps of money on them. If you are going to spend a completely obscene amount in one go then you just have to buy the right boat... That said, if I had to have a car to park on the dock next to the WallyPower, I'd have to go for one of the new Pagani Zonda CS spyders, in naked carbonfibre like the one in EVO this month. John

At the risk of sounding like a heretic, but my "money no object" toy just go upgraded to one of these : http://www.wally.com/jumpCh.asp?idUser= ... &idLang=IT 16,800 horsepower... 8)

Point taken AndyvRS, but having a look at another Club/forum, whilst good for ideas is one thing.... the problem that Eric, I and a number of others have raised is that there is a shortage of people willing to get off thier arses and make it happen. The Honda guys have a pretty good thing happening at the moment, but bear in mind that you only "see what you can see" - behind the scenes there is a lot of brain-racking, late nights, phone calls, arguments and personal stress involved involed in putting it together which we can't see. Trust me, the work is involved, hard, costly and unpaid. You will also frequently have to deal with people acting like arseholes either at the events you organise, or afterwards on the forums. However the feeling you get when it comes together and people are enjoying themselves at something you've set up is amazing... I certainly won't forget the 2003 Woburn event for a long time (132 Corrados). My problem was that work increased & increased & so I couldn't give it the time it needed anymore. That & getting worn down by legions of armchair critics I'd never even met but who seemed to know me well enough to comment. That was why I ran out of energy for it all after 6 years of "doing my bit" No disrespect to you, but looking at other clubs and commenting is one thing, doing is quite another... there is too much of the former going on in the Corrado scene right now, and not enough of the latter by enough people IMHO. BTW if you think the Honda revolutions people are well organised I should tell you that you ain't seen nothing until you've come across the Porsche & Jaguar owners clubs. They are on a different level to ANY Volkswagen group I know, and one of the keys to it (dare I say it) is that as owners they aren't afraid to fund it properly... John

There are some (like Eric & me) who are involved with the CCGB. I am sure though that others within the CCGB are watching this thread and reading your comments with interest. So, if there are any more intelligent contributions to be made to this discussion please keep them coming. Of course if you just want to act like a prat then bear in mind the image of forum users may be being damaged in their eyes.... that's if you care about these things of course :wink:

Well at least there's one thing we can both agree on based on our experiences Andi... :wink: John

Hey Andy I understand what you mean, as you are not the first Corrado owner I've known from the IoW, and live close enough to you (in Bournemouth) to fully appreciate the issues you face. However (and ignoring your specific problems in getting to the mainland for a second) I still stand by the broader points I have made above. A suitable metaphor for running the CCGB (or indeed perhaps a forum mod) would be that of being a referee at the FA Cup final. There's only you in the middle of it, with all the responsibility, a few small numbers of people around actually making any action happen at all, whilst at the same time there are 80,000 onlookers, each loaded with a vociferous opinion on the game and your actions and how you should be doing it. Oh - and 80,022 people can all do it better than you, but no-one will step up to it. Or will someone...? John p.s. BTW Andy I hope to actually meet you at some point.