DTA (UK)

LOL! The motorcycle cop with flashing blues scared the bejezus out of me. Didn't notice him til he was right up my backside and I was doing about 70 in the 50mph restricted zone (trying to catch up with you)! He did give me a quick glance as he went past and then a thumbs up! Not all cops are bad then! (No offence intended to any coppers on this forum - and I know there's a few of you lurking quietly in the back ground ...) See you at the next meet Marcus! Danny

That's their specialty mate. They do any colour and can even provide wheels in black chrome ... Not the cheapest but v. good. I'll see if I can dig up a link to their site tonight (when I get home). Last time I had a set op customer wheels refurbed/powder coated they had a two day turn around and charged somewhere in the region of £40+VAT per wheel (tyres removed) if memory serves me. Don't hold me to that figure but I'll find out later. CheerZ, Danny

If you're having no luck then let me know - I can send it to the company that powder coats all of my stuff. Cheers, Danny

If anyone is interested, DTA-Motorsport are now the distributors for Harve's camber correction kit. Currently have 5 sets in stock priced at £50 each (delivered). Possible price revision in the new year so get them at this price whilst stocks last. Cheers! Danny

And let me just clarify that, just in case my wife reads all this, although my name is Danny and I too am Dutch I had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with what went on in Newcastle ;) LOL Iain, next time you go over to Amsterdam let me know - I know a little place that serves pies with "stuff that'll give you wings" in it (and I don't mean Redbull) ... :x: Danny

Yeah it would be. I've been part of the "Player's Rally" a few years ago (when I still had my 355 Spider and lived in Spain) and it was absolutely fab! Went from London to Paris to Madrid and then back up to Monte Carlo via Barcelona. This route has recently been partly copied by the organisers of the Gumball Rally 3000 which was a great succes also. Would love to do it again. CheerZ! Dan

Hmmmmm .... Hungary - I love that place - especially the women :x: (but I never said that just in case my wife ever finds out ...) Here's a thought: How about organising a sort of "Gumball Rally" from the UK to Hungary by way of some interesting spots on the continent (I'm thinking Nurnberg Ring, Paris, etc). Could possibly get some other Z Clubs to join in the rally (for example the Dutch and German Clubs) and end up at the venue in Hungary? It would require a significant amount of organising and route/venue planning but would be the ultimate Z-event (IMHO). I've got a contact at an international event organising agency who recently organised something similar for the vintage Bentley Club - very successful event. This person would do it "freelance" and that would hopefully keep the costs down but quality up! Just a thought ... Cheers! Dan

Hi Mike, Not wanting to sound like an ogre but DHL usually sends me an invoice for imort duty and vat about 2-3 weeks after delivering the parcel. So far they've managed to do that every time - keeping my fingers crossed for you mate ... Regards, Dan

Jezus Alex - no words to describe ... I'm glad to read you weren't too seriously injured and that the biker will live ... Sorry about your car but it is afterall just a piece of metal - can be replaced - and I'm glad it protected you well during the event. Wishing you all the best during your recovery. Regards, Dan

No - HOLD starts you off in second gear (for use in slippery conditions) and you will be inclined to "give some more welly" to make the car go and therefore using more fuel. Leave the switch in the middle, OD engaged and take it easy with your right foot - that's the best way to control fuel economy. Besides, who buys these cars for their excellent fuel economy anyway? ;) FYI - switching the button to "Power" will keep the transmission in gear longer and shift at a higher rpm point - making it slightly quicker but not massively. I'm only down the road in Warwickshire so hopefully meet you soon. Regards, Dan

Hey Chris, Sorry to hear about your back troubles buddy. I've not got personal experience of a herniated disc but my father has had two in the space of 5 years (in his case weak back muscles but I'll get back to that later). This is what I know and can offer as advise. Be very careful with the painkillers. Aside from the obviouse addictive qualities you will be putting your back under excessive stress due to the fact that the pain isn't registering. You will then over exert your back and the pain will be twice as bad once the pill wears off ... This can potentially do more damage than good as the disc will continue to rub against the nerve (which could eventually lead to permanent nerve damage). A muscle relaxant is a better choice. A disc is basically a piece of cartilage which functions primarily to cushion your spine from daily impacts such as walking, jumping, etc. A herniated disc is a disc which has temporarily been squeezed out of its original position (usually by only 2-3 mm) and is pushing against a nerve running alongside your spinal cord (hence the pain). Normally these discs are kept in place by your back muscles (amongs other means) which is why physicians are always on about execising your back properly. Anyway, you will probably find that the pain you're experiencing "travels" around your body depending on which nerve the disc is pushing against and will (in most cases) manifest itself in either your lower back or one (or both) of your legs. When my father had his first herniated disc he couldn't use his left leg at all and could only walk completely hunched over. What can you do... First of all I'm not a medical expert and what I'm about to say is based purely on experience gained from my father's condition. This may not be the same as your condition and therefore you should be very careful when applying anything I say. In order to get the disc to move back into position you need to create more space between the two vertebrae which have squeezed it out. One way to do this is to use a "traction" device which stretches your body. I made such a device for my father which fixes onto the end of the bed and utilises a set of pulleys, weights and a harness (fitted around his waist). He spent 30 minutes in traction twice a day. Another way (although this could be quite painful) is to lay on your back and bring your knees as close to your chest as possible (this creates a bit of space between the vertebrae). What helped my father the most was Shiatsu (a Japanese form of massage). It is very intensive and it uses your body's muscles and energies to help heal whatever is causing you pain. It is far more effective than conventional massage because it concentrates on the areas around the problem and the bits which caused the problem in the first place (ie fix the problem not the symptom). For example, you've all heard that your internal organs are linked to various pressure points on your body. Shiatsu utilises these pressure points to help heal the bit that's not right. I'm probably one of the most sceptical people when it comes to this kind of stuff but I can not argue with what has helped my father heal. If it works don't knock it ;) Doctors have been quick to suggest an operation to remove the disc and fuse the two vertebrae but in my father's case this wasn't necessary due to the alternative treatment he received. Fusing two or more vertebrae should be your last option because (a) you will never again be able to bend that part of your back again and (b) because that part it stiff it puts excessive pressure on other bits of your back which may cause more problems in the long run. I think you will find that to reduce (not eliminate) the pain you are currently feeling the best thing to do is to take a muscle relaxant and stretch your back as I've suggested. If there is more room between the two vertebrae then the disc can move back slightly and stop pressing on the nerve and you'll get some relief. Once you have recovered (by whatever means you and your doctor chose) you should really make a point of exercising your back muscles. It may sound strange but it will really help in preventing another herniated disc from appearing. Remember, once you've had a herniated disc that area will always be a weak spot. Again, from experience, if the doctor sends you to get an x-ray you may be wasting your time. A herniated disc is next to impossible to spot on an x-ray. A far better and more accurate scan would be an MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) - You get shoved into a tube and they can "slice" your body and produce an incredibly accurate 3-D image of your internals. An MRI scan is quite expensive but well worth the money. I'm sorry if this is a mega message but I hope that my experience can help you even if it is only in a little way. If you want to have a chat about any of this then please give me a call on 07044016586 any time - I'd be happy to talk to you. I've helped several people in the past with my experience. In the meantime - take it easy (I know that's not easy), don't move too much and try to stretch your back. Best of luck to you mate. Take care. Danny

Word of caution: downpipes created for US spec Zeds may not necessarily fit our J-spec and UK-spec Zeds (different bolt pattern I think). Worth investigating before parting with your hard earned dosh. Dan

Hi, I pulled up behind you (in my silver Z- best colour IMHO - queue the colour wars!) after leaving the meet at the Boat Inn. You gave it large after J4 (M40), me in hot pursuit but had to back off at 110 because of a "perforated" intercooler :( and massive boost leak. Your car was bloody quick - what mods/boost are you running? I think we gave the guy in the new style Range Rover (chasing me ...) something to think about :) By the way, you had quite a lot of blue smoke coming out of the exhaust on full chat. Cheers mate! Dan

;) Don't tell my missus! :x:

Mijn e-mail adres is info@dta-motorsport.co.uk (zoals in mijn signature hier onder) en ik ben eigenaar van DTA-Motorsport (UK). Tot mails! Danny PS - my apologies to the rest of the forum who do not understand what's been said here. It is Dutch for "you poncy tw*t look what you've done I won't be able to sit for weeks now ..." ;) Just kidding - only giving Colin some info about where to go for answers in Holland and passing my own e-mail address on. CheerZ!

Colin - e-mail info@dta-motorsport.com. Zei zijn je dichts bijzijnde ZX-gurus in Nederland (gevestigt in Tilburg). Of e-mail mij ff - kan je vanavond helpen als dat nodig is. Groeten, Danny PS - let ff op dat een britse de-cat pijp niet op een europese zx past.

Not wanting to be funny Iain but is it actually legal to send a living animal via the postal or courier services? I'm assuming they require proper documentation etc. Would put a whole new meaning to the term "budget travel" ... might just post myself to Holland for New Year's as this will save me somewhere in the region of £120! Cheers mate! Dan

This is not meant to be a "jibe" at anyone who is fitting these to their cars ... just light relief and general observation that it is definitely becoming a trend. Although I bet some kits are more expensive than others ... queue the "pic du jour" It's a 600bhp Porsche 996 customised by the German tuning company Gemballa. Cost: from $350k Some people have more money than sense ... the wealth should be spread (preferably in my direction ;)) Cheers! Dan

Welcome! Yes, all Normally Aspirated 300's are import. UK-spec Zed are all Twin Turbos. There is a mixed view on what the advantages and disadvantages are of owning an import but a few the facts are that (1) imports attract a higher insurance premium and not all insurance companies will want to accept them, (2) they generally tend to be lower mileage cars and (3) they tend to have little or no service history and if they do it'll be in Japanese. Everything else is subject to the purchaser's believes. N/A's are very good cars indeed and tend to be less prone to expensive repairs than the TT's but then again, if you buy a lemon you get what you pay for. So, don't buy the first one you see, I'm sure somebody from this forum who has experience with the cars would be happy to come along and look at one with you and don't pay over the odds at dealers. Best bet is to look at the cars in the for-sale section on this forum. Most of these have been well looked after and come with a bit of traceable history. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask any questions on here but have a look at the FAQ and buyers guide first ;) Cheers, Dan

Hmmm ... good idea. Sound's like I'll have to take the units out and apart then - task number 852 on my To-Do List ;) Regards, Danny

Andy, Question for you ... without taking the lights out and apart - how the h*ll do you clean the inside of the dipbeam lenses? I can only manage to get a very thin coathanger in there and that's without a rag or tissue attached. Can this only be done with the light units out and taken apart? Thanks mate. Danny PS - for the record - I've had 100W bulbs in with the extra wire soldered on for over 2 years now. Only one has blown so far and the wiring is perfectly intact. Am now wondering if the inside of the lenses are "burned" and therefore can't be cleaned any more ...

Seems to be related to the recirc valves and generally louder when you've got an aftermarket induction kit installed. Nothing to worry about though.

Completely concur with Dave above - have had mine on (all round) for well over a year now and am v. pleased with both traction, durability and noise levels.

Jeez, chill guys ... I did not think about dyslexia at all when writing my initial comments so for that I apologise. I did not mean to offend anyone with any of my comments. It [dyslexia] is a fair point and I apologise ... can't think of everything 24hrs a day ... Wish I never posted either! :rolleyes: Points taken Vinz (re: little acorns - mighty oaks and service to Z community). However, I think I was fairly diplomatic in my observations - I could have been a lot more "direct" which no doubt would have been taken completely the wrong way. I'm sorry if I make myself look "petty minded" in your opinion but I do have a certain practical knowledge of the development of the ConZult and any other similar devices. And it is from that perspective that I was writing my comments. If you look at the guys website you'll see that 95% of the screens he's programmed do precisely nothing. You still need a ConZult to get any feedback displayed using his software and by his own admission it may not work on different handheld O/S's. From our own practical experience (and I stated this in my initial post) each differen handheld O/S requires different programming. This is not only an expensive and time consuming effort, it is also misleading to imply that this software will work across a wide range of handheld devices. For that specific reason DTA has stopped development efforts on porting the ConZult software to PDA level at this time. There are too many O/S variants out there to make it a viable business proposition. I realise that this guy is doing it for free but how useful is a free thing if it doesn't work on 98% of its intended devices? I'm not having a dig at you Vinz (or anyone else for that matter) I hope that is clear. Just clearing up a couple of misunderstandings/misinterpretations. I hope this post won't be misinterpreted although I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll regret posting this as well in a couple of hours ... Like I stated before, it's a kind thing to do but I'm still left wondering what practical use this software holds in its current state. And that, for me anyway, is the end of the story. Have a nice day all! Dan (gets coat for quick exit but sticks around to watch the fall-out ...)