yoeddynz

is there free registration in nz if a car is older than a certain date? I can't remember.. Shit- i cant remember loads. Hang on.. Where i'm i?

I got a nice new front disc from alan bryer- he only had one left but I had another original un-machined low mileage one so put it in friends lathe and cleaned it up...my best concentration look... then fit them all shiney and new.... and fit new shoes in back- drums were fine! Drove car last night- no more juddering brake pedal and nice smooth stops. Sweet!

when i re- reg'd my old chevette i had to take to local wof station- a standard test. Then deemed safe i was allowed to drive it from blenheim to nelson with no plates. Got a cert (peter?) for mod's on the way and then at nelson vtnz place they gave it a more thorough test. They were happy to be looking at a nice old car for change. It passed easy and then i got new vin and nice new plates. Is there a age limit for personal imports into nz? I heard its hard to import anything newer than 92? I'm guessing my 3 would be ok as its an oldy and a classic? Can you import lhd cars?

yeah- there is a stupid method over here that calculates a cc rating for tax purposes! Its crap- they wont take mazdas official swept volume figure. So it also affects any one here trying to race a rotary as they get lumped into bigger cc class. On exile-rotorsport.com the fella's are constantly sending letters to dvla to get cars changed back to 1.2 or 1.3. Several have succeeded. Odd thing is that some rx8s got first registered as 1.3! Weird. Any way- i don't care as because i proved mine was built before 1/1/73 it is now tax free.

this just arrived in the mail... WOO HOO!!! wicked! No more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for me

FINGS I DONE TODAY ALWIGHT!... I jumped onto some springs and calculated precisely what poundage they are with the help of my trusty sidekick Hannah and her amazing tape measure plus some scales. I then fit the springs I selected along with my 'Brand spanking new Konis' that I purchased from classicgarage.com- who happen to have loads of old stock konis etc I wound the damping adjustment in 1/3 from start - it affects the rebound only and that happens to be what was severly lacking with my car. I then took it for a drive and hey presto! It actually drives great- much much less pitching about and bouncing over every little bump. and the roll is reduced too- I actually found my self hammering into corners with joyeus (sp?) abandon So phone calls to Gaz today and chase up where my rear dampers are!!! Yesterday I had this fella in front of me... He works for a magazine...more on that later

thats good info posted there david. Cheers. The copper pipe sold here is fairly easy to bend. But legaly to sell it for brake use it has to be rated for the job. Its been used used for decades here and the industry seems very happy with it. Although nz appears to have become the 'land of rule books' i'm sure that equaly if something wasn't safe here in britain for general use then they would clamp down on it! Britain is following strongly after the usa in litigation stakes.ie.. Anything that could get someone sued if it fails will get removed from use pronto! The way i see it is that if the right pressure rated copper pipe is used and supported properly as you should with any brake line subject to vibration then it will be fine. Its also interesting to note that in most countrys race car drivers- particulary rally- prefer copper because in event of the pipe getting smashed by debri on track or rocks etc it will just deform but not split. This is all irrelevant to me anyway- if mr vtnz says its not allowed- it aint allowed! Alex'about to buy some bundy' davidson.

i'll just wait and see.. I'm certainly not getting bored of it thats for sure! Practical classics magazine are coming over on monday to photo shoot and do article for the 'readers restoration' feature. wicked ! I'm well excited.

yep-all matching numbers, i'm the second owner, i have original motor- a mates going to borrow it so we can get his 3 on the road for a road trip to belgium. And interior is all complete and original excellent conditiion. Head lining mint, dash top mint etc. I'll just have to wait and see what offers i get here, but in the mean time use it through summer and drive it like i stole it.

i would hope to get about 5k pounds. 12.5 k nzd todays rate. A fair bit more than its cost me to buy and build but they never come up for sale here so supply and demand eh. 12.5k nzd wont buy me much rx3 in nz but would buy a good solid viva or chevette with heaps left over to modify. But i love my 3. I must finish my viva so i can see how that is handling wise.!

your right. On both things. It will be a hassle and i if get ok money for it here then with exchange rate i could get or build something else cool. Your also right about me loving the car- not in a 'stick my willie up the exhaust sort of way though'... The more i drive it the more i get used to its shit but predictable and fun handeling the more i want to keep it. So i doing the homework now. If i dont get a reasonable offer here (and i'm not gonna chase silly big money thinking its a ferrari) then i might bring it back. Which is why this forum is so bloody useful!

yeah that bit of road has a well dodgy tight corner after the bridge- once took a mates motor bike out there- i wasn't used to riding big bikes and never knew how much ya have to lean them! I went really wide onto other side of road -almost into the ditch. scared me and the on coming traffic. Whoops. I fit some koni inserts i got sent over from the us. Put them in on monday and man- what an amazing difference! Waiting for rear adjustable shocks to get made by gaz shocks in essex. They are making 2 pairs -one for my mate who has a rx3 too. Photos soon.

i'd rather not have to lie as it most likely will end up getting messy. The guy in blenheim who used to check our sample welds for tickets is also a cert bloke for vtnz. I could try him. I'm completely happy with the structural strength and took good photos- removed all the rot and replaced with new steel. It has filler but only to tidy things up- i certainly aint a pro so had to give places a skim. Theres a really good cert bloke in nelson- cant remember his name but he wasn't anal- just realistic and fair. Did my old 2.3 chevette. I wonder if i can do a midnight run from lyttlton harbor to blenheim. !

fuck me this is getting shit- back in the day ya could do any thing to a car. Good ol kiwi ingenuity eh. Now its back handed money to engineers just to get a cert for a new fucking gear knob! How long has this welding thing been about? I'm a fitter turner by trade- might have to get my welding ticket again if that would help. Or just sell car here:-(.

the sticker thing he was talking about was in relation to me talking about how fucking anal vtnz is about regulations- which in turn was in relation to me questioning vtnz's rules about copper pipes. Tenuous i know but.. Anyway- maybe i'll just argue, quote facts- when mr vtnz complains about my copper pipes. This world is getting so complicated!

whats that - people were chrome plating their brake lines and the pen pushers have said its not allowed! Fucking hell- ya wont be allowed to fit stickers soon! Not sure on copper mix. Yeah- rx3 possibly worth a bit more in nz but i have to get it there first. In many ways i'd like to bring back some thing different. Lots of 3's etc in nz where as here its rare hence creates more interest. I fancy a lancia fulvia- that would be cool in nz. Bit slow though..

i'm gonna fill my suitcase with as many rx's as possible.

sweet- love vivas ! I have an hb i'm currently fitting a 1600x flo into. Plus we have a 4 door chevette i need to weld up. All Piazzas here in blighty are turbo so have linked axles- not as simple to drop in.. But most have lsds

bugger! Whats bundy tube? Its not a hard job to change- just a pain. And steel aint as easy to do lots of tight bends without decent tools. What about fuel lines? Mine are copper too. I take the point about cracking but must add.. The copper pipes sold here in blighty must be certified and is better able to cope with vibration. And steel lines crack too- seen it. Not to mention rust- from inside out when brake fluid is old and has absorbed water. I think if any pipes are done properly with secure mounts where appropriate all should be fine. Not having a go but given how long copper has been used with it all fine and dandy here in blighty to me its just another fucking case of nz's vtnz office geeks creating more work. So if i import it then i guess they'll ask me to change it all when it comes to the first new re vin test eh? Will i be able to drive it away from test to go do required work? I'm not sure if i'm bringing rx3 back yet- will see what interest/offers i get here first. Plus i'm still not sure on the idea of an rx3 as a daily without the constant fear of the light fingered brigade! Maybe south island is ok eh.. No car thieves there eh?

if i bring my rx3 back to nz with me (if..) will i have to redo my brake pipes? I have used copper- high pressure stuff- fully legal here in land of long grey cloud! Has anyone on here used copper and got away with it?

just read ya thread- nice!!!! Why is it that there aint so many rotarys on Oldschoolnz? is there some sorta bitching going on between rotary fellas and everyone else? And rotahavik vs kiwi rotary...seems to be a split between them? cant we just all get along! I love your 2- looking fuckin mean- nice wheels- with the streatched euro look on the tyres. Just dont go fully euro and stick a fucking roof rack on it!!! alex

wicked!!! Poppy inny lights are the best looking!! cool car - very tidy. I built a HS replica when i was younger-with a 2.3. It never ran right even after spending alot of time on the engine and with a good cam plus my own homemade inlet to suit two hs6 carbs off a triumph 2500 The problem I think was that I started with a cf engine and they are low comp! bugger! What axle are you running? I plonked the piazza one in and also the front vented discs- straight on- easy!! Whats the centre console out of? Have you posted this car up on chevettes.com? they would love its clean look...that said that forum has been a little quiet recently.. Cant wait to get back to NZ and select a car that wont have rust...hmmm Viva...Chevette... And now I have my elford turbo engine to plonk into whatever i choose.

yeah- i'll pop some pictures up sometime of viva - as for chevette its got a whole build thread on chevettes.com and retro rides. Us within exile rotorsport in the uk have been sending letters to dvla who are in charge of taxing cars etc. We been pointing out that rotarys are only 1.2 or 1.3. Some have had success -and got cheaper road tax- some still trying. I'm lucky that i've been able to prove my car was built in 72 so i pay no road tax.

WOW ;D.... a god!!! thats a lot to hang on my shoulders! bought this recently- from deepest darkest wales... oldschool Elford Turbo Rx7... 2 kiwi friends popped by to help me strip it bare. very very very rusty!!! makes what the Rx3 started out as appear solid! We had this out in no time...then drank beer. later on my bench. Its a 'too cool oldschool, suck through SU' turbo setup. 165 bhp and more importantly more torque! clean as Turbo... was rebuilt- only done a few miles and then left with no anti freeze so a core plug popped out. Tips are brand new and clean- makes 6 loverly pishht sounds and has brand new clutch too. All good then but... But it wont fit the rx3 > the exhaust manifold collides with the steering box!!! so now I need another car to fit it into...... ;D I also scored a full set of Konis adjustables and lowered up rated springs from the Rx7 !!! retired to shed then later nice big fire and food and beer and inhalation of nature. Bliss.

yeah i cant believe how cheap rx's are here- even fd's are cheap. But hardly any oldschool ones left- my 3 is one of less than 15 we know of in the uk left! And 6000 plus were sold. Rust! I dont think any other 3 is doing as much mileage as mine- only about 2 others i know that are driven- jimbo's and jon's. The others are projects, race cars or just sat looking pretty- which is a fucking crime if ya ask me. All classics should out on the road being used! So in a land of 60million people it makes it quite a rare sight to see a 3 on the road. Only one rx4 i know of driven much. About 2 rx2's- one a 12a turbo. Quite different to back home eh!