# My "new Toy" Is Gone....



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Long live the new new toy!









anyone wanna guess what this is behind the SM300....?


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

Triumph TR6?


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Sorry Hippo... not the TR6... nice car tho it is.

Heres my original thread about the 'new toy' - it may give some hints....

http://www.rltwatches.co.uk/forums/index.p...c=13644&hl=


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

Wow is it really a Caterham!!!!!! I used to live close to the showroom in Caterham, I used to go down there and sit in themamd dream!!!!! I've done two track days with them, in a 1600 classic. Very fast and the best drivers car I've ever been in, lucky LUCKY sod!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Lol... Out with the old and in with the new.... I wasnt really that taken with the 1.4 and flared wings so swapped with a guy who was and didnt like the racing clutch and on/off throttle of the one he'd bought....

Old one in background... new one to the fore...










Fullhouse Caterham R300 engine (roller barrel throttle bodies etc) in Caterham Roadsport body with widetrack and a whole host of other extras...







just over the 300bhp/ton according to my calcs from the figs I have for my car... its a bit quick...


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## oldfogey (Nov 29, 2005)

Woof! Woof!
















I bet that's an amazing car to drive, though I hope you've got a significant budget for trackdays, that missile really cannot be extended on the roads, unlike you're departing 1.4


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Very nice Jon


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

The 1.4 was with cat and under the car exhaust... it was 100bhp and felt anemic/strangled and wheezed at the top end even with a change of airfilter etc. This one just rides on a sea of torque and whilst the engine pops and bangs a bit on part throttle its glorious when accelerating.. especially foot down hard... straight thru 'silencer' helps, of course...









The original builder used it for sprints and trackwork... its where it belongs probably but its ok on the road as well and very enjoyable...


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

I hate you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fab car very jealous!!!!!!!!

Gonna lie and say the watch I bought from you was fake, and broken, and never arrived , and was over priced, and was stolen, and wad anything else I can think of!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, fab car, enjoy it, bet it handles great, does the engine overwhelm it a bit?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

> does the engine overwhelm it a bit?


Is that EVER possible?


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

hippo said:


> I hate you!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Fab car very jealous!!!!!!!!
> 
> ...


damn you found aout about the watch...
































jasonm said:


> > does the engine overwhelm it a bit?
> 
> 
> Is that EVER possible?


according to the racing instructor who drove mine (before I got it)... yes!







he said anymore than what I have now would be too much... 'Ultimate power corrupts, ultimately...'... my car is a bit oversteer'y so any more might be a bit much on the road... then again it might just be more fun...


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

yeah no piont in having the power if the chassis won't let you use it!!!! Sounds like they've got the balance right, mind you they should, they've been making them a while now - God I want one!!!!!

Some great roads round here for it too. If only I could stop spending money on watches!!!!!!!!!!



jasonm said:


> > does the engine overwhelm it a bit?
> 
> 
> Is that EVER possible?


Maybe not, maybe it's only ever me an engine has overwhelmed!!!!!!! Sounds like you're a petrol head too Jason?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

I try


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

hippo said:


> yeah no piont in having the power if the chassis won't let you use it!!!! Sounds like they've got the balance right, mind you they should, they've been making them a while now - God I want one!!!!!
> 
> Some great roads round here for it too. If only I could stop spending money on watches!!!!!!!!!!


agreed, but the Caterham chassis is very good and can cope - the driver is positioned in the ideal place and you can control the car with small imputs... its just that you need to be fast to catch one that has more power and getting it all down on the road isnt easy without slick tyres etc

I did an autotest as part of a corportate day at Silverstone in a 1.6 Caterham... touch the nose of the car on the cone and slide the back round keeping the nose on the cone 1.5times... great fun. you can almost turn the caterham in its own length... amazing. I loved it so much I bought one... er, make that 2...  In fact theres less than 20 in the country and ive owned 2 in 3 months...


















jasonm said:


> I try


Watch him Hippo, he breaks cars!


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

What's your favourite dream car of all time?


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Thats like saying what your favorite watch of all time... we all have a grail out there somewhere but like watches I just dabble and buy n sell I guess.... Ive had too many sensible and silly cars over the years but some from my yoof Id still like to try are a Metro 6R4 and a SWB Quattro - but to be honest both of them would most likley be naff after the tuned Scooby I once had... some grails are best left as dreams... My experience of dream cars hasnt always been good either... I once went to buy a 328GTS and as the salesman nipped off to get the trade plates my ex prodded a solid looking large part of the dash for some unknown reason and it just came off in her hand... we made some excuses when he came back with her pretending to play with the buttons and stuff on this now totally fallen off panel making it look like it was attached and scarpered. I once asked to test drive a tuned capri 2.8 (horrible car) and when putting it back in the dealers forcort glasshouse he kept giving me the 'come on' signal even tho I was saying 'are u sure?'... I took the front bumper and lights out on a very famous e-type he had in on concession leaving a big scar on it... I later drove the e-type - I wasnt as impressed as Id have hoped to be. Not that long ago I got caught by a speed camera test driving a Noble as well but thats another story...









After driving or owning most of the UK produced small volume cars I did say I wouldnt buy any others but the call of the Caterham was too much to bear... theyre silly money new here and that translates to very expensive used prices as well.

Whats yours Hippo?


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

In a money no object world it would be a 250 GTO, or maybe if I had to slum it a 288 GTO!!!!!!!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Nice choices - beautiful lookers and very evocative but not "that quick" by todays standards really.. Cars have come along way from the 250GTO. great in its day of course... I had a lot of classics over the years and they were all fun, but the new crop of Evos n Scoobys really did put things in perspective... the older ones look better but are expensive to run and arent always the nicest places to be in all weathers (economic, metrolgical or social).

Back in the early 90s I remember watching a Golf GTi lapping Coombe faster than a Maserati 250F on one of the Classic n Sportscar days... the officals sent the Golf home - it wasnt in the spirit of the event. It made you think tho...


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

JonW said:


> Nice choices - beautiful lookers and very evocative but not "that quick" by todays standards really.. Cars have come along way from the 250GTO. great in its day of course... I had a lot of classics over the years and they were all fun, but the new crop of Evos n Scoobys really did put things in perspective... the older ones look better but are expensive to run and arent always the nicest places to be in all weathers (economic, metrolgical or social).
> 
> Back in the early 90s I remember watching a Golf GTi lapping Coombe faster than a Maserati 250F on one of the Classic n Sportscar days... the officals sent the Golf home - it wasnt in the spirit of the event. It made you think tho...


You're right there are much better cars in the real world, but as a humbled 18 year old photographic assistant in London I remember cleaning a 250 for a shoot and just falling in love with it


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

I allways wanted a 959 or a f40 as a 'yoof'

I guess a McLaren F1 is also up there...

Now my real world aspiration is a BMW 330d....







( on the company of course)

Wont happen though....I make my Bora 150tdi as annoying as possible to the grown up reps....


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

No idea what my dream car is - there's too many to choose from - a gullwing Merc would be nice (if only for the looks). There is/was a small UK manufacturer called Raffo who built something called the Belva which looks rather nice & is supposed to drive exceptionally well ..... also very few people would know what the bloody hell it was (which is something I like)









There was also a car called the Strathcarron that was launched in 1999/2000 that, needless to say, promised much but then sank without a trace. Seems like some were made though as one went to Le Mans one year - power came from a 1200cc Triumph motorcycle engine (160bhp).

I like small cars with powerful engines - the opposite to what I have now in fact (Audi coupe quattro) which is built like a tank & not particularly powerful or fast - which makes it more of a cruiser/tourer (nice car though







)









In the 2 piccies below the Raffo is on the left & the Strathcarron on the right - hadn't realised how similar they looked!!


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Nice swap Jon.......somehow I think this is one trade you will never regret









Although when I first saw the close up...and the black and yellow paint I suddenly thought "Oh no, he's gone and turned into Noddy!"







Well I guess Mr Plod will be just as interested in you as Noddy now? 

Best regards......you lucky bugger....well Caterham + Sun most of the time = eternal smile!

David


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

Worked on photo shoots with both a 959 and an F40 when i was young, I was allowed to drive the F40 for about 10 yards in the studio!!!!!!!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

jasonm said:


> I allways wanted a 959 or a f40 as a 'yoof'
> 
> I guess a McLaren F1 is also up there...
> 
> ...


Yes those were the bedroom posters most lads had. I always lusted after the Audi Quattro and the Maserati Shamal... I saw a stunning NOS (!) Shamal here about 6 months back, it was wonderful but it was approx Â£60k.... that car would struggle to be half that in the UK...









Yes an F1 would be nice and Id quite like an M3 as a co hack... 



pauluspaolo said:


> No idea what my dream car is - there's too many to choose from - a gullwing Merc would be nice (if only for the looks). There is/was a small UK manufacturer called Raffo who built something called the Belva which looks rather nice & is supposed to drive exceptionally well ..... also very few people would know what the bloody hell it was (which is something I like)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ahh the gullwing... sweet car indeed. I dont remember the Raffo but do remember the strathcarron - I didnt look different enough in the right way from an Elise (nor offered a significant saving) which i guess killed it off. Other cars like that are the Grinnal Scorpian range. I remember Mark Grinnal from when he was doing TR7s (I was a big TR7 fan - I had 3... I can admit it







).

Thinking of cars ID love to own or try I guess one classic shape thats always in my mind is the D type and the Aston range. I nearly placed a deposit (in a moment of total weakness - how one eart would I find the cash!














) for the new V8...



Boxbrownie said:


> Nice swap Jon.......somehow I think this is one trade you will never regret
> 
> 
> 
> ...


























Thanks David.



hippo said:


> Worked on photo shoots with both a 959 and an F40 when i was young, I was allowed to drive the F40 for about 10 yards in the studio!!!!!!!


Hippo - Sweet bike Avatar - that u hosting a minger?


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## hippo (Jun 27, 2006)

I'm afraid it's not, I have no skill on two wheels!!!! It is however one of my shots I did for Motor Cycle News the other week. Much safer to watch someone else with real skill!!!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Hippo - Silly question but if youve been doing shoots for bike mags for a while do you know what happened to a journo called Jamie something who ISTR worked for Supebike in 2001? I spent a great 3 days with him and Gus Scott at the ring in mid 01 and loved Jamie'c copy but he seems to have dissapeared from the scene.. hope nothing untoward happened to him... at the ring he was responsible for all the Brit groups being shouted at by the German officals as he wheelied off from the start of the test at the end of the course - the very famous German shouted 'No more veelies!' over and over whilst we fell about...


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## Steve264 (May 29, 2006)

Love the Caterham Jon, but when I tried one I found the footwell/pedal box too cramped for road use.

My dream car has to be a yellow Lamborghini Miura with the eyelashes - given me the horn ever since I was little.

My preference for everyday use has been Porkers, 911 Carrera stylee. I love small solid car crossed with grunty large engine, masses of torque and HP and rear wheel drive.

I built a Cobra replicar in the 80s with 4.2L overbored Buick v8, Offy manifold, Holley Carbs etc and grossed out on wheelspin in 5th gear etc. Niiiice.









Sadly, working most of my life away from home, I am not in car mode lately, so I have the benefit of the Saab Aero convertible that I bought for swmbo and then found she couldn't see the corners so she got a Jazz instead - waste not, want not, to an extent, but it's a bit of a flabby FWD mincer really.

Next beast should be a Porker Turbo if I am in charge - but I'm not allowed to buy a watch, so maybe me being in charge is a thing of the past














bloody women, why do they hold us in their thrall..?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Just watched the top gear repeat tonight, that new Noble M15 is a piece of work isn't it!


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## Steve264 (May 29, 2006)

trouble with a Noble is, the majority only see the first three letters....


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Steve264 said:


> Love the Caterham Jon, but when I tried one I found the footwell/pedal box too cramped for road use.
> 
> My dream car has to be a yellow Lamborghini Miura with the eyelashes - given me the horn ever since I was little.
> 
> ...


Steve - what year 7 was it you tried? the 1992-1996 K series engined chassis had very small pedal box... One of the things I disliked about my blue car. I could just drive it in thin shoes (im only a shoe size 8.5!) but mostly used socks. The post 96 is much better and I can wear any shoes now. Also there is the SV version which has a much larger passenger compartment.

Ahh the Muira... a damn beautiful car... theyre talking about a reissue... that would fix the realiability and other issues id have driving a classic... yum

911 as an everday car is excellent. I know folk whove racked up huge milages in em. Does that make the 911 the ultimate sportscar beater I wonder?! lol.

Steve, youre a man after my own... I bet the Cobra was fun.... and you actually know the worth of the Saab. Here people buy em for the european sports car panache... wtf?! I will henceforth quote you with the 'Flabby Mincer' comment when my friends discuss them...









Has she really laid down the law? just how many pairs of shoes and handbags does she have?



pg tips said:


> Just watched the top gear repeat tonight, that new Noble M15 is a piece of work isn't it!





Steve264 said:


> trouble with a Noble is, the majority only see the first three letters....


I quite liked the dynamics of the M12 - the noise was amazing, it handled well and was ok to look at - the interior was like a kitcar tho... a bad one. Lots of modern mondeo swtchgear and stuff and then alloy n leather and bathroom carpet... what a mess.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

JonW said:


> Yes those were the *bedroom posters* most lads had. I always lusted after the Audi Quattro and the Maserati Shamal... I saw a stunning NOS (!) Shamal here about 6 months back, it was wonderful but it was approx Â£60k.... that car would struggle to be half that in the UK...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I had an E28 M5 poster - and later owned the car. Quite a piece of work and a hoot to drive, even with 4 adults seated!

I now have an E36 M3 convertible and a NAS D90. Very happy with the combination and have been content for 3 years now.

Having said that, my grail car is a Z8 - not necessarily out of reach once I leave the Army. What can I say? I've owned 5 BMWs and enjoy the marque a great deal!

I love some of the classic sports cars (507, Dino, etc.), but as Jon points out the reality of owning one is another matter. Better a modern classic, IMO.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Colin - thats great! I dont know anyone who owner the car they had as a poster. Cool.

The E36 M3 isa nice mota - the newer M3s are amazing and Id love one as my beater. Downside to most M3s is the Vanos variable valves... my mate (who owns an Indian restaurant in the UK) had an almost new one that needed a new vanos system just out of warranty... he was quoted Â£2.5 to fix it... he traded the car for a 911!









I sat in the Z8. Nice, but Im not sure why BMW built it tho. It was a huge price and im sure they still lost money on them as they sold so few... they make quite good sense used of course!


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## oldfogey (Nov 29, 2005)

Nalu said:


> Having said that, my grail car is a Z8 - not necessarily out of reach once I leave the Army. What can I say?


Nalu, saw one of these at Le Mans this year and I have to say it looked good, but very retro 507 inside and out. I am told the front-engined V8 driving style is very much in the US tradition, updated, so I am sure it must be good fun. I'd love to have the opportunity to drive one.


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## Steve264 (May 29, 2006)

> Steve - what year 7 was it you tried? the 1992-1996 K series engined chassis had very small pedal box... One of the things I disliked about my blue car. I could just drive it in thin shoes (im only a shoe size 8.5!) but mostly used socks. The post 96 is much better and I can wear any shoes now. Also there is the SV version which has a much larger passenger compartment.


It would have been the 92-96 version as it was around '95 when I was thinking of getting one. I wear size 9s and found it all a bit too much for convenience.



> 911 as an everday car is excellent. I know folk whove racked up huge milages in em. Does that make the 911 the ultimate sportscar beater I wonder?! lol.










it has been my beater - I racked up 160k miles in one 3.2 Carrera over 2 and a bit years, and my first one I acquired with 140k on the clock and ran it until 220k.



> Has she really laid down the law? just how many pairs of shoes and handbags does she have?


Put it this way, she would out-do a centipede with a luggage fetish...



> I quite liked the dynamics of the M12 - the noise was amazing, it handled well and was ok to look at - the interior was like a kitcar tho... a bad one. Lots of modern mondeo swtchgear and stuff and then alloy n leather and bathroom carpet... what a mess.


Indeed.

"bathroom carpet..."


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