GoldZilla

I remember seeing Missy Elliott on MTV Cribs, and she had a Ferrari shell with the guts chopped out (might have been a 355, but can't remember exactly), and she'd had it converted to a bed. A bed, dammit!!! Where the front luggage compartment was, she'd had it made so the whole section rose up (there was no windscreen), and there was a plasma screen TV attached under there!!! Beats any car racing bed I've ever seen in any shop or house, hands down! Back on topic:: Motor Show wasn't all that special this year, must agree. Definitely some nice chicks around though, but that goes for just about every year. Who was smart enough to get photos of them? I only managed two, and I can't even remember what stand they were on... I've uploaded my shots to the gallery. Nick T

Note to self: find and install *badly, and deliberately so* a rear window washer and wiper...

If the actual game comes anywhere NEAR close to deliviering these sorts of shots, then I think it's be worth buying just to run a few laps and watch yourself on a replay! Damn, some of those pics are so hard to differentiate from an actual photo that it's amazing. Has CGI really come this far? Even if these are only the shots done on a development machine, they're damned impressive.

Hmmm... Debate on the Camry Sportivo - my old man bought one just over a year ago, and I took it for a test drive before he decided he was gonna make the purchase. I'd read in a few mags that the Sportivo had different suspension tuning to the rest of the range, and that the Sportivo tune was the only one that Toyota should have released the car with. So, I had a chance to take lower-spec car out and try it against the Sportivo, and did notice a big difference between it and the regular-spec cars. The regular cars are sloppy in general, but the Sportivo is decently tight (considering its intended market) and has a good ride/handling compromise. It's still not a sports car, but it shits all over my (standard except for 195/50/15 tyres on alloys) 10yo AE-92 Corolla, and the ride/handling compromise is better than the 2001 Audi A4 1.8t that he also owns. I dorve that yesterday, and although the handling is pretty good, I was pretty tired after my drive on less-than-perfect roads due to being jolted around on the too-tight suspension. Depending on the quality of the roads, I think I'd rather drive the Camry over the Audi now - if only the old man hadn't decided that 4 cylinders was enough, and that he's too old now to press a clutch and drag a shifter around... Oh well, it's his car, so his decision. ******************* As for stupid car names (and as I've posted in other threads before): who was the clown that decided "Hyundai" and "Excel" were appropriate together? Nick T.

Hmmm, a big list here: Audi - RS2 (in co-operation with Porsche, mid 90's); RS4; RS6; A8 and A4 Turbo quattros (especially the Avant). Oh, and the original quattro sport from the old days of when Audi took over rallying. Maybe an allroad quattro in either 2.7V6TT or 4.2V8. BMW - any M3 (E-30, E-36 or E-46), especially the E-46 CSL; the M5 (E-34, E-39 and the new E-60); the E-34 540i with the 6-speed manual (super-rare and very quick), and any recent or current 3 or 5 in "Mafia-spec" (all black, dark tint and lowered over a big set of wheels - NOT chromies though). Maybe even an X5 4.8is. Honda - wouldn't mind an Accord Euro or the original DC2 Integra Type R, and would love an S-2000, but that's about it as far as Aussie-spec stuff goes. Maybe a new Odyssey, slammed over 18s. Suzuki, Kia, Proton, Daewoo, Daihatsu or Hyundia - ummm, I'll pass, thanks! Mazda - a new 6 or 3 (SP-23) would be nice, and an old school RX-2 or RX-3, or an MX-5SP or RX-8 would be great. Mitsubishi - any Lancer Evo from gen 5 onwards. Renault - WilliamsRenault Clio F1; RenaultSport Clio or RenaultSport Megane 225. Oh, and the insane mid-engined V6 Clio. Volkswagen - the Mark IV Golf R32 Mercedes-Benz - pretty much anything except the SLK with the genuine, factory AMG stamp on it - C36, C32, C43, and the new C55; E55; CLK55; CL55; SL55; and S55. Subaru - the new Liberty GT and 3.0R-B. Toyota - any JZX80, 90, 100 or 110 in Tourer V spec; a JZA80 Supra with no rear spoiler and a mild kit, slammed over some nice wheels; an IS200 or 300 (once again, slammed over some nice wheels); GS300 (w/ wheels and lowering); LS400 or 430 (same again); AE-86 hachi-roku, AE-82 twin-cam, AE-92 SX/GTi/FX-GT/GT-Z or ZZE-122 Corolla (with the 2ZZ-FE Celica motor); JZZ-30 Soarer and SW21 MR2 GT turbo. Lotus - Exige or Elise 111R, and the last of the Esprit turbos and the V8S. Pagani Zonda. Koenigsegg. Lamborghini - the new Gallado. Maserati - all of the GTs, especially the original 3200GT with the boomerang LED tail-lights. Ferrari - 308GTS, 328GTS 355 and 360 Modena, and some of the old stuff like the 250 and 275 GTO California Spyders (as seen in Ferris Beuler's Day Off). Aston Martin - the old James Bond DB5 and DB6, and the current DB9 in all its various guises. Nissan - well, the Skyline of course (KPGC10, KGC10, FJ20ET DR30, GTS-X or GTS-R R31, any turbo R32, R33 GT-R, any turbo R34, V-35), Stagea RS-FOUR, 350Z, RPS13 180Sx or S15 Silvia, N14 GTi-R, or "Mafia-spec" recent edition Gloria or Cima. Porsche - maybe it'd be easier if I mention the ones I don't like - no, wait - there aren't any!!! So many cars (and so many more), so little time/money...

How on earth did you amass such a huge number of Stagea pics? And a Moscow Nissan GT Club? Who'd have thought? Nick T.

Sad to see that these things happen. Condolences to all concerned. My 2cents worth: I think there should be some sort of compulsory defensive diriving course to all new drivers and repeat traffic infringement offenders. To say that there's no money for it is debatable - where does all the speed camera and red-light camera revenue go? Surely, the government is making a killing on the takings here, and they could at least put part of it back into the system in the way of (proper) driving lessons, better roads, etc. Anyone who has picked up/received the last few months (or maybe a year or so's worth) copies of WHEELS magazine can read for themselves the few basic measures that could be taken to reduce the stats on road deaths and injuries... Here's just a few, taken from the October '04 issue: * Better focus on roadcraft - driving is a skill, whereas current licensing procedures focus on rule compliance. Anyone can follow the rules and still be killed or injured in a car accident * Raise the licensing standard - how many people (us enthusiasts included) would know how to control an unexpected slide, or steer and/or brake to avoid an accident? How many people know how to use their mirrors properly? How often do you witness some clown who doesn't know the best/safest procedure on entering a freeway and merging with traffic? How many people know what do and how to react in an emergency stop? How many people panic when the ABS kicks in and the pedal starts pulsing beneath their feet? * Tackle over-confidence and risk-taking - we've all been there, so no need to explain this one! There are plenty of initiatives that have been shown over the past year or so which would probably cost the govt and the community less than a 10th of what it costs when someone (just one person, mind you) is injured or loses their life in a tragedy. Now, morbid as it may sound, I believe that when your number's up, there's probably nothing you can do about it. But isn't it annoying when you have a near-miss or accident (whether it was your fault or someone else's) and you get the shakes because you know that with better roadcraft skills that situation you just got out of (or just got into) could have been avoided? Education, not legislation! /end rant Nick T.

Ouch! Dude, as long as you're alive and not too badly hurt, that's the main thing! A broken leg (although painful and annoying) is probably a lucky break considering the damage done to the car. Jeez, you can't even recognise what it is from the front! Cars can be repaired or replaced, so that's the least of your worries for now. A damned shame after the car was taking shape quite nicely too! Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. Nick T

Jake, that looks a lot (if not exactly) like a HOME subwoofer that Kenwood released many moons ago, IIRC... Maybe it's an added bonus from the last owner when the car was sold and sent from Japan!?!?! Couldn't tell you what it was worth, though, sorry. Maybe you could get the model/part number off it and Google it, and then have a look on e-bay as well. Nick T.

Heheheh SK, that's GOLD!!!

Heheheh SK, that's GOLD!!! :thumbs: :owned:

Isn't that only if you don't wear it backwards? Backwards baseball cap is an automatic defect, isn't it? It's a weigh-bridge and pits job to clear, so I've heard... :jk:

Isn't that only if you don't wear it backwards? Backwards baseball cap is an automatic defect, isn't it? It's a weigh-bridge and pits job to clear, so I've heard... :jk: