From: Noddy on

"Atheist Chaplain" <abused(a)cia.gov> wrote in message
news:4c01fb70(a)news.x-privat.org...

> Does he mean that we put softcocks in the safe house...............
> because if that's what he means then I suppose the softcock is in my safe
> house ;-)

Lol :)

--
Regards,
Noddy.


From: hippo on
x_d wrote:
>
> On May 25, 2:02?pm, st3ph3nm <s...(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I think it's fair to say that bang for your buck, the MX5 is a pretty
> > damn impressive car. ?But not nearly as quick as an Elise.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve
>
> You know, all this comparison of speed with an MX-5 is probably all
> irrelevant to a MX-5 buyer.
>
> I never bought mine (NC) to win races. It was purely for the driving
> experience and as a road car, the power it has was more than enough.
>
> Certainly on a power track (and my experience on QR), the MX-5 was a
> bit dull on the long straights (it took so long to get to the end of
> the straight where the fun begins :-)). However, for me, the times
> that I set was more to compare to other drivers driving similarly set
> up car (read stock standard). So, you buy the car to see how good a
> driver you are, and that you race against other DRIVERS, and not other
> CARS if you know what I mean.
>
> I traded it in after one year and only 10000kms covered only due to
> practicality reasons (a baby and a need for a car with an auto box so
> the Mrs can use when needed). The EVO X that I now have would leave
> the MX-5 for dead but you know what, I miss my MX-5 (with the 6 speed
> manual) so so much :-( The driving experience and the cabin of the
> EVO X is nowhere near as good as the MX-5 (in the MX-5, you sit much
> lower and with the roof off, it is just a bliss).
>
> I have told my wife that one day a manual convertible will be back in
> the garage (though perhaps next time it might be a Boxter S :-)
>
> Cheers.
>
> PS. for bang for your bucks, the current WRX probably would take some
> beating (if you don't mind the understeer). Had one of these too in
> the past.
>
>

Agree on all points. The 1100 Mini was neither as quick nor as powerful as
a Cooper S, but was just as much fun in most situations. 100Kw in a
Peugeot 206 GTi isn't a fantastic power to weight ratio, but the handling,
balance and a reasonably short ratio gearbox ensures that you seldom
finish any sort of reasonable journey without a smile on your face.

Stuff the Nany State. Drive for Enjoyment!

--
Posted at www.usenet.com.au
From: Noddy on

"hippo" <am9obmhAc2hvYWwubmV0LmF1(a)REGISTERED_USER_usenet.com.au> wrote in
message news:httgv7$je8$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...

> Agree on all points.

Me too.

> The 1100 Mini was neither as quick nor as powerful as
> a Cooper S, but was just as much fun in most situations.

Most, but except when you tried to stop them in a hurry. The disc brakes on
the S's were a *massive* improvement.

The original Mini was one of my favourite all time "fun" cars and I
absolutely love them. I've had around a dozen or more of the things over the
years and have a secret desire to have just one more before I die (amongst
other things). If I found a mint original Mk.II Cooper S for sale tomorrow
I'd be *very* tempted to hand over the reddies.

Of course, it'd then have to sit in storage until I've finished the new
house and garage, sorted out the landscaping, finished the XP coupe for the
wife, built my hotrod, and looked around for an original XT GT to restore :)

--
Regards,
Noddy.




From: hippo on
Noddy wrote:
>
>
> "hippo" <am9obmhAc2hvYWwubmV0LmF1(a)REGISTERED_USER_usenet.com.au> wrote in
> message news:httgv7$je8$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>
> > Agree on all points.
>
> Me too.
>
> > The 1100 Mini was neither as quick nor as powerful as
> > a Cooper S, but was just as much fun in most situations.
>
> Most, but except when you tried to stop them in a hurry. The disc brakes on
> the S's were a *massive* improvement.
>
> The original Mini was one of my favourite all time "fun" cars and I
> absolutely love them. I've had around a dozen or more of the things over the
> years and have a secret desire to have just one more before I die (amongst
> other things). If I found a mint original Mk.II Cooper S for sale tomorrow
> I'd be *very* tempted to hand over the reddies.
>
> Of course, it'd then have to sit in storage until I've finished the new
> house and garage, sorted out the landscaping, finished the XP coupe for the
> wife, built my hotrod, and looked around for an original XT GT to restore :)
>
> --
> Regards,
> Noddy.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Maybe a more economical plan B - get a really good Clubman and upgrade
brakes, suspension and powertrain. Not as valuable but just as much fun
and a Q car to boot. Clubby has the advantage of giivng you a tad more
working room, although I agree the front looks ... erm ... square?

The other probably better (and maybe cheaper overall) option for real
world conditions would be to pick up one of the Japanes spec ones with
aircon, fuel injection, adjustable seats (and I believe, a decent bloody
alternator!) then go ratso on the engine. There's no more coming in under
the limited import rules but you can still private import from Japan or
the UK if you meet the right criteria and have the money.

I wish I still had my first 1100 Clubman and also the '65 850 that did
Sydney to Perth and back at least 4 times in the late 60s - poor old
thing!

--
Posted at www.usenet.com.au
From: Noddy on

"hippo" <am9obmhAc2hvYWwubmV0LmF1(a)REGISTERED_USER_usenet.com.au> wrote in
message news:htus28$lr5$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...

> Maybe a more economical plan B - get a really good Clubman and upgrade
> brakes, suspension and powertrain. Not as valuable but just as much fun
> and a Q car to boot. Clubby has the advantage of giivng you a tad more
> working room, although I agree the front looks ... erm ... square?

It does.

I've had a couple of Clubmans (including a mint version of one of the last
1275 LS's) and while they were a nicer car than the early roundies with more
room under the bonnet I never really liked the styling as much as the old
roundies. I think if I was going to do a "fun" car, in terms of it being a
"hottie" I'd do a roundie with a full house engine and have it set up to
howl.

> The other probably better (and maybe cheaper overall) option for real
> world conditions would be to pick up one of the Japanes spec ones with
> aircon, fuel injection, adjustable seats (and I believe, a decent bloody
> alternator!) then go ratso on the engine. There's no more coming in under
> the limited import rules but you can still private import from Japan or
> the UK if you meet the right criteria and have the money.

I looked breifly at that option for a car for my Mum some years ago as she's
always loved the things since I gave my old LS Clubman to her. When I asked
her what car she'd like to replace her tired old Mazda 323 about 6 years ago
the first thing she said was that she'd like another Mini and I thought
about one of the newer imports. We got as far as going to look at one that
was in an importer's yard not far from here and she didn't like it as she
thought the modern touches kinda spoiled the whole idea of the thing. She
ended up with a Hyundai Getz instead.

I thought the "modern" Mini was pretty decent, but the drive was pretty soft
and uneventful compared to the ealier ones as I remember them.

> I wish I still had my first 1100 Clubman and also the '65 850 that did
> Sydney to Perth and back at least 4 times in the late 60s - poor old
> thing!

Lol :)

Like most around here I'd think we've all had cars we wish we could have
back today. Most of my Mini's were shitfighters that I spent a zillion bucks
on hotting up only to get bored with them after a while and move onto the
"next big thing". However, I did have a pretty nice Mk.II Cooper S in BRG
with a white roof that I absolutely loved at the time, and it was one of my
all time favourite cars. It wasn't terribly quick compared to some of the
other "Frankenstein" Mini's I'd had, but it was just a great all rounder
that went well, cost next to nothing to run, was a shitload of fun to drive
and didn't need it's bonnet up every second week-end to be sorted.

Like anything, the older I get the greater they seemed to be so if I *do*
get serious about buying another one some day I'll have to find one I can
take for a decent drive to see if they're as good as I remember them being.

I'm sure they are :)

--
Regards,
Noddy.