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

yes. beauty. Still keep thinking about the older 145s

Amazon estate?

Do you remeber when Vauxhall were cool?

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Wasn't that a lemon from the off tho'?

Dunno, was it? I thought it was just a re-bodied Elise. I loved that someone would buy the same car with a Vauxhall badge for the same price as a Lotus. Saw one on the road the other day and it made me grin, always preferred the styling of the VX220.

It was well rated in its time, I seem to remember

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG1EAwxZEtk

Alot cheaper than the lotus and different engine wasn't it.

Very much so, and were quicker than the lotus.

I remember talking to a guy at work who worked at lotus about the VX220, he said vauxhall / Opel had a much bigger budget than the original Elise S2 and hence it was actually quite a bit quicker, esp the Z20LET powered one

The turbo version was dramatically faster than the Elise, I quite wanted one.

Wasn't it that GM paid for the development of the elise/vx220 and built the production line in Hemel Hempstead. Did the elise have the toyota 1.8 celica engine, while the vx had a production gm 2.2 and 2.2 turbo with different engine management that the standard? Trying to remember off the top of my head. Friend has a VX and it is a bit spartan as a passenger, the passenger seat is fixed in place.

There was a daewoo version that didn't sell at all and got hold of some of the badges and changed friends car to a daewoo. Didn't notice till we told him.

I had an NA 2.2 VX220, sold it within 4 months. I knew it was impractical but even my younger self couldn't put up with it. Crashy over any bumps and a bit lacking in poke, my inner city centre commute onto a dual carriageway was painful. I might have forgiven the ride had it been the turbo. Very effective on roundabouts though.

I can't remember the details to be honest. The Elise S2 had a few different engines, basic one was still 1.8 K series, then one with the toyota 1zz and then the Elise 111R had the Toyota 2zz.

I really wanted an S2 111R but couldn't find a good one, then almost bought a VX220 on a couple of occasions but then decided i'd buy a house and then didn't do that in the end either.

The closest I’ve got is just sitting in my mate’s one and it felt really special. That driving position and barren race car style interior. I guess that wears thin on the daily commute.

Likewise, I've only sat in one (mates dad was Vauxhall dealership manager) but it felt like a spaceship to 15-yr-old me!

You make me feel old.

I’ve got 3 x K&N universal cone filters, 100mm fitting. Bought them to use in my coffee roasting extraction system but they didn’t work. Tested for 5 minutes then put back in the box so basically brand new. £30 each posted.

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90s Nova GSi

U have been Nova taken?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1641505&i=20

Head unit installed, matey bought the wrong harness so couldn't do anything about the reverse camera this time so he's gonna get them to send the right one and we'll try again next time... Sounds good, Android Auto didn't work yesterday but it was fine this morning... Need to spend a bit of time tinkering with it...

Matey has been working on this old P1800 for a client, he's actually flying down to Sydney to pick up his own one tomorrow! $20k... Apols for shit pics, tiny shed of a garage...

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Looks great for that money- anything for similar $ here would have a huge question mark hanging over it about rust.

sick as
needs a mark richards twinfin tech screwed to the roof

I'm going back next week for the reverse camera/tweeter upgrade, will take pics of the new beast when I'm there... He's a Volvo nut...

In other news... The key in my Suby doesn't like letting go of the ignition, I'm having issues getting the key out... It'll click to the point just before you can take it out, I have to keep restarting the engine until it decides to let go... Annoying...

I was right next to our local Suby place when it happened earlier so booked myself in for a diagnostic next Wednesday... I fully expect it to completely fuck up before then so it might go to my normal mechanic as an emergency instead...