Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Cars with airbag suspension look really shit. Like someone has installed the wheels wrong or a fat lad has sat on it.

I would argue this - Audi A8 has airbags.

I would also argue same point having owned Discovery 3.

Mercedes would retrofit your C43 with the engine from the C55 when it was released, if you asked nicely and paid a non-trivial sun of money. This was when AMG were more of a separate business than they are now, but there is definitely precedent for customers having later engines put into their cars by the factory. A 6.3 engined W124 is therefore possible to imagine, even if AMG/M-B never did it themselves.

When converting the C43 it required a new floor panel to be welded in to accommodate the new differential- the C55 diff is both larger and heavily finned to dissipate heat, and that wouldn’t fit under the C43 shell.

Years from now the Stance Nation will have a lot of questions to answer. Awkwardly.

I think what you're trying to say is you don't like a particular look that is synonymous with people who run air suspension.

Air suspension can be setup to look totally stock if you want it to.

anyone interested in a huge 406 estate? everything you’d need for a bike wagon, well looked after but old- from 2002- and remapped to give 135bhp. send me a message, it’ll be cheap.

Took it out for a welly this morning. Actually with a bit of umpf it overheated pretty quickly. Felt radiator all over and bottom drivers side is pretty hot, the rest of the rad is still completely cold.

Yep that's definitely a more informed and less clickbait way of saying what I meant!

Broadly speaking is there even any point into looking into a rotary Mazda in Ireland or UK anymore or would it most likely be nigh on impossible to find one that hasn't been abused and would turn out to be a complete moneypit?

I think that there is absolutely zero doubt that you'd need to spend money like a drunken sailor who has made port for the first time in six months in order to keep one properly.

That's the fear. I've always wanted an RX-7 (FC or FD) but I'd imagine they're all absolutely wrecked as they weren't terribly expensive for a long time (still not too bad now but I suspect that's because they are all wrecked).

Yep, total money pit. They had little or no rust protection from new, and while the rotary engines don't entirely deserve their reputation for unreliability it'd be a rare one that won't need some rotor tip work at some point. Beautiful cars though, and an LSx engine can be squeezed into them.

It would break my heart to LS swap one of these though, whatever about keeping it JDM and squeezing in a 2JZ... I feel like losing the rotary just wouldn't be an RX-7 anymore.

In fact if they're as rust-prone as that it might be a better course of action to buy a basket case and start from scratch for a good one?

Anyone have a good recommendation for somewhere to learn more about them? Good YouTube links or forums?

might find a good one in aus

For 3 rotor madness Rob Dahm

Was just about to say, there's a few good ones around here in sydney. I'd like one of those special editions they did for bathurst and the eastern creek races. FD RX-7, definitely a spot in the garage for one.

The expansion tank is connected to the rad by a small bore ish pipe, and you disconectted the pipe and revved it and no water came out. Is that correct?

Didn't rev it. Let it run idle and nothing was coming through but I've taken it all off and it's clear. Just checked the new thermostat which is supposed to open at 87 and it didn't start to open until 92. Would that lead to the rad issues? Also noticed that when engine was completely overheated no hot air was coming through heaters.

It is looking like a blocked/clogged radiator to me.

Any decent rad places that could recore to a higher spec aluminium core, or would a modern rad be a decent aluminium core.

But lets see if the headgasket has failed again.

Blown engine rx8 are very very cheap. Yet decent RX8 are a bit hit and miss price wise. Suspect that the VED and MPG always fancied rebuilding an RX8 as there aren't that many moving arts.

So you're saying modern radiators aren't always as good quality? Yeah I've put it all back together until the garage has had a look then will replace thermostat etc. Thermostat wouldn't lead to fan not kicking in though would it. So that must be rad I presume

Air suspension can be setup to look totally stock if you want it to.

Can we name the cars that have air suspension from new, as they have normal ride height.

What people seem to forget is why air suspension is around.

Yes, some modern rads are shite. Check for fakes and unbranded never heard of rads. An example is getting motorbike, honda NC30 water and oil rads from china. Very hit and miss while car parts are being copied and are poor quality. There are lots of ways that rad makers are trying to prove that their products are genuine.

The cold internal heater rad does not inspire confidence too. Is it an air lock and is that air lock caused by a blocked rad? When you take the thermostat out back flush the system in the opposite direction to the normal water flow. Maybe disconnect the heater water pipes and back flush that to see if there is a blockage?

If the body is in good nick I'd try my best to keep it as decent MK2 golfs are only going to go up in value.

I've always loved golfs and this is in good nick. Hate to get rid. Mileage isn't very high for a diesel either. I have toyed with the idea of putting a modern engine in but that seems a shame in a sense. Although a more reliable modern engine would be nice. These are pretty simple which is a bonus. The rads from VW Heritage are only 40 quid and their stock must be pretty decent. Once I get it back from the mechanic and fit the new thermostat I'll completely flush it all including heater matrix etc and see if that helps.