DTA (UK)

Yes it is mate! Got new stock arriving in a couple of weeks. Dan

The one I proposed to you is the single AFM type. I don't currently sell the twin AFM type but I'm sure my stainless steel pipe supplier can get me the required pipes for a twin AFM setup. I don't know what the price would be though. Dan

AFM diameter is 76mm. I can probably get you the 110 degree bends in stainless as well as the associated silicone and fixing bands. Drop me a line if you get stuck. Dan

Well done mate - good luck in the new job! Dan

I don't think so either Graham. I can't remember where I read it (possibly AutoExpress magazine) but it would appear that Honda will be brining out a car in the next few years which will feature a GPS based speedo. IIRC the speedo gets its primary reading from GPS and compares it to a wheel sensor. This means that if you're out of GPS signal the speedo still functions. Seems like the way forward but God knows when it'll become mainstream ... Dan

I like the REVO product - looks smart. Only thing is that in addition to a mobile phone kit, GPS Navi PDA and radar detector it's going to get rather clutterred in and around the dash! ;) Ultimately I'd like to build in a screen, have DAB radio and Freeview TV, surround sound hifi, GPS Navi and speedcam overlay and ConZult all in one. Ahhhhhhhh, keep dreaming I suppose (for now anyways). In the meantime, if you happen to come across an Alpine DAB unit (not a headunit but additional DAB tuner/gizmo) then please let me know. Dan

Christ Simon! I know how you feel. At least you're doing something about it. I had my car vandalised by a couple of bored thirteen year olds with pipes and bricks (this is going back about two years now). I found out who the little buggers are, got the police around (who gave them and their parents a stern talking to) and then told me they can't do anything more than that! Insurance wouldn't pay for damage as there wasn't actual visual proof they did it. Kids came back a week later and keyed the side (again, observed by a "nosey neighbour"), the old bill didn't even bother coming around again and just said that they knew whe did it and it wasn't worth their while to do something as their "hands were tied" ... We moved away to our new house fairly soon after the incidents and haven't had trouble since but my blood still boils when I think about it. Good luck with the legal route ... hope you get somewhere with it. These scrotes need to be taught to respect other people's property and be held responsible for any damage they cause. Be it inadvertent or deliberate. Take care mate. Dan

I've been wanting to do this as well. My Alpine headunit is DAB ready and all I need is the DAB receiver-gizmo. Unfortunately it costs in the region of £300 (which is about twice what I paid for the headunit!) so I guess I'll have to do with whatever comes over the airwaves for now. I did hear it's not all it's cracked up to be (DAB that is) as national coverage is not complete. Would be good to hear from someone who's got it working though. Dan

Yes, I thought so as well until it was confirmed by the Warwickshire Traffic management Group who monitor the systems. The cameras have been undergoing testing over the past 6 months and WILL GO LIVE on April 1st. THIS IS NO APRIL 1st JOKE! I promise you that. I have personally seen the cameras and flash boxes in action whilst sitting in traffic (obviously on the opposite side). They are there and they will be used so don't let the activation date fool you. As for the 2mph tolerance - I thought that handheld radar/laser equipment is calibrated to 7mph tolerance (ie 10% at 70mph) so it would appear the police are narrowing the margin of error. As long as they can produce factual evidence that their equipment is accurate to within a certain parameter then the drivers have little or no room for argueing. Dan

I've just been informed that the speed cameras on top of the gantries on the M42 (J4 to J7) will be going live as of April 1st. Here's what's been e-mailed to me: "We have been informed that as of the 1st April 2006, the new digital automated tracking system between junctions 3 & 7b on the M42 is scheduled to go live. There are 276 digital cameras which have been set to 2mph tolerance. You will not see any flash - the first you will know that you have been caught is when you receive the £60 fine!" The system is part of the digital traffic management system so if the speed sign reads 60mph the cameras will be primed for 60mph and not 70mph. You have been warned! Dan

Yes it will. Don't ask me exactly how and what you need (I'm not a mac man). I think if you've got a windows "emulator" running it'll work without problems ... if that makes any sense. There are a couple of people on this forum who run our ConZult software on mac laptops, perhaps one of them could enlighten us. HTH Dan

Basically, you need either a laptop permanently in the car and wired up to the motorised screen or have a "carputer" in the car. Choice is yours. The laptop spec to run the ConZult diagnostic software is very minimum (ie, WinXP, 64Mb RAM, 2Gb HDD, 433Mhz PII minimum) so can be bought cheaply. You'll also need a power invertor to power the system. The chap who owns the car in the pic I put up above built his own carputer and mounted in the boot. From there there is a link to the screen and he's also got a USB keyboard and trackball up front to manipulate the software. I think he spent about £300 on all the parts (excl. a customised version of our ConZult). HTH Dan

Richard, Although it seems that there is insufficient power to activate the igniters in the ballasts there is indeed some power going through the boxes. The low voltage can in fact be damaging the ballasts as the electronics will constantly think there is a "fault" (sorry for not being able to explain it better - brain is tired from long day). If I were you I'd sort out the work-around as this will definitely increase the life expectancy of your ballasts/igniters.

Thanks for the reference Greg. I do indeed supply the Goodridge hoses with the now mandatory line locators. Problems with the nipple fitments has been known quite some time eventhough it only affects a minority of cars (both UK and JDM by the way ...) The kit I supply now comes with all the necessary nipple adaptors but it is always a big help if the buyer can advise us on what male/female nipples they require. As a matter of interest, I currently have two full stainless steel brake line kits sitting on the shelf. Normal rrp is £115 per kit, will now take £95 including delivery for these two. Dan

I'll second that ... and I sell them ... and I'm based relatively near to you! :) Let me know if I can sort you out with A'PEXi's finest filter ware! Dan

Hi, I'm the official distributor of the DTA ConZult and can confirm that it will display correctly on a small fold out screen (see attached pic). You will still need to install the diagnostic software on a car-based harddisk but as you're building a carputer that shouldn't be a problem. So long as you've got a decent graphics card to provide for the real-time sensor feedback. We can get it custom configured as well to show just the information you want to see on the main screen but leave all the functionality intact for when you need it. HTH Dan

If it's these you're after I can get hold of them (not currently in stock). Let me know please. Dan

My apologies for hijacking this thread:- Jimjitsu, I've pm'd you yesterday regarding your polished dial order. Can you let me know whether you still want these please. Dan

Thank you very much chaps! The thought is much appreciated! Have been slugging it out ten rounds with various suppliers and the bank today so I'm due a nice bottle of bubbly later tonight (even if I do say so myself!) All the best, Dan > Zaat

This is the current legal situation. However, UK legislation is going to be in line with EU legislation in the not too distant future. For everyone's information, the X5 HID kits we sell are E-marked, DOT approved and road legal in this country. Furthermore, in the legal description above there is one major mistake ... in relation to headlights, self levellers are in the headlights - not rear axles! Dan

I second what Legrath states above. As I'm now in the "bulb" business as well as being a distributor of X5 HID kits I have found out one or two truths about the 300ZX headlights. In no particular order: 1. The headlight design is actually good however, the build-up of dirt on the inside (and poor allignment) is what causes these headlights to appear "poor" 2. As Legrath says, chroming the inserts is only for cosmetic reasons and does nothing to affect the light output. In fact, if the inside of the lens and glass are dirty chroming your inserts will only cause an increase in internal reflection thereby reducing the light output even further due to scatter. 3. Uprating the dip beam bulbs to say 100W will have minimal effect if the lens and glass aren't clean. Light output will also be further reduced as per explanation in no. 2. 4. Installing an HID kit will only make a significant difference if you also clean the headlights. Eventhough HID bulbs only "burn" at 35W (compared to 55W for standard bulbs) the amount of light they put on the road is significantly more (ie HID bulbs have higher "lumen" figures than standard bulbs). As per the explanation in 2 and 3, if you haven't cleaned the headlights you'll not benefit greatly from installing HID's as the light will be scattered significantly. So, in conclusion, the best thing you can do is to take the headlights apart and clean them thoroughly. If you then stick back the original (stock) light bulbs (and align them properly) you'll find that you've gained upto 50% more light output onto the road compared to before. Upgrade to a HID kit and you'll be even more amazed - a significant change in the light output. And another thing, if you compare the standard halogen bulb (rated at 55W) to a Xtreme White bulb (also rated at 55W but with the inclusion of Xenon gas) you'll notice that the latter burns a lot whiter. This will give the impression of giving you more light on the road. However, this is not the case. It is a matter of reflectivity and bright white light (ie daylight) reflects far better off objects than the yellow light of a halogen bulb. Furthermore, the reason why the EU (and soon the UK too) have stipulated that cars fitted with HID kits MUST have headlight washers and self leveling equipment is that if the headlights are dirty (either inside or outside of the glass) there is increased scatter which inturn means it is causing glare to other road users. Just so you know ... Sorry to go on a bit but it needed to be said. If anyone has any further questions or would like to discuss our HID or uprated bulbs then please get in touch. All the best!

Looking good mate - glad the lights arrived safely and were useful to you. Regards, Dan

Yes, deffo coppers as they were both in uniform. And just to shatter the myth that coppers aren't a bad bunch ... got pulled over in Solihull today for allegedly failing to display a tax disc. I did in fact have my tax disc displayed just not where it was instantly visible (ie bottom left corner as the damn disc holder didn't want to stick to the glass). Was let off with a stern talking to about the merrits of having a disc displayed properly. T*ssers! Dan PS - no disrespect meant to all the "good 'uns" - you know who you are ...

Pick up the phone and phone them. You're more likely to get a priced response that way than on here ... Dan PS - don't bother phoning me as I don't offer workshop facilities.

Yep ... still can't quite believe it myself. Was driving on the A46 towards Stratfort upon Avon this afternoon when a police car approaches from the opposite direction and flashes me followed by a friendly wave ... I wasn't speeding, he couldn't have been flashing and waving at someone else as I was pretty much alone on the road ... and then it all became clear! About half a mile up the road was a police speed trap set up with about half a dozen cars pulled over! Now isn't that nice! ;) Dan