Newsletter No 32
13 April 2006
Dear
Friends
I
want to share a few things with you before Easter.
We
recently modified an old M20 BMW 325i. By the way I really like these and its
predecessor, preferably the Coupe.
I
was quite happy with the result, as you might have gathered I like these BMW’s
as I have a lot of experience on them.
But
the customer then claimed that the car had not gained anything except paint
damage (which had old rust in them), come on…
Then
he was all smiles.
Then
he came in telling me a Diesel pick-up had just beaten him in a “dice”. Probing
revealed that the “Diesel” was a Hilux 4L VVTi petrol engine that would make
over 200 Kw and 400 Nm Torque once we are finished with it.
He
has a Airflap controlled 80/90 Efi system with 12 valves and 2.5 Litres and
expects to hold this against a 4L 24 valve with variable cam timing motor,
running a state of the art ECU ?
My
market just is not the "Boy racer".
We
have tried it and failed miserably to satisfy this kind of customer.
I
prefer jobs like 4X4’s or upmarket cars, like the Merc 230 Compressor we did
recently.
This
is fun development that has customers wanting RELIABLE fast cars that will pay
for me to do all, instead of just a little.
We
used to build 280 hp Golf 1845's (remember Roelf Lisse from Grootfontein) and
some hairy 3.4 Ford V6’s (Oswaldo Mendes beat rally cars costing a million more
than his). But there is no gain except
pride in this type of work.
I hope to be the person
you come to, to get the car set up right.
I
can make mistakes just like the next guy, so give me a chance please ?
When
I am finished, the first priority should be for the car to be reliable.
It
must be drivable, economical, smooth and powerful.
For
instance I recently had a 2000 model Nissan V6 come in. As you can see on the
Dyno graph it’s power/torque curve was dippy and it did not make the expected
figures. After we set it up the car was right were it belonged. An unscrupulous
operator could use the 20 Kw increase for advertising purposes (before and
after, as in my Newsletter 29). In reality
the UNICHIP made the car right. A bit more power than stock and a better fuel
consumption as well. Even to a novice the smooth (after our mods) line should
indicate something is better than before. And all that for 2 G’s.
What does irk, is that we show a technically minded customer how he can increase the efficiency of his vehicle (for instance by modifying the intake or fitting a K&N). And then he does not act on my advice claiming he has other plans. No problem, but why does he then come to me if those plans do not bring the satisfying results mine would have.
Next week is also a short week, another normal week and then it is another week full of public holidays, beginning of May.
No wonder we hardly have any work booked in.
My Wanted/for sale page is still running, with such
gems:
Make: MG closed top
Colour: Red
First Registration: 1967-05-01
Last Roadworthy Test done - July 2003
Import from UK - interior etc all still original.
Price: N$ 30,000.- negotiable
Home: +264 61 259 380
Mobile: +264 81 124 6113
Anybody wants to buy Katja's Polo:
VW Polo Classic, 1.4, 2001 model
Jetziger km stand: 67700
Full service record, white
Settlement value N$ 65330.00
For those
of you about to embark on trips over the public holidays, drive Safely and
enjoy it !
Nick