JBarryD

I am lucky to have some very savvy friends who look after my son's and my own race cars ('50s and '60s Lotus) and they helped out with the trick clockwork stuff. Sounds excessive, but proper race mechanics have an obsessively thorough approach, they enjoy finding out new stuff, and they never like to cut corners. They don't knock-off at 5.30 and they never give up. Most important .... its also a matter of personal pride that they put you in the best possible car they can. Different approach and mentality to a "normal" garage. It already had its (Alunox ?) SS exhaust, which has a throaty note to it .... which in turn ensures the radio stays firmly switched OFF. All I did was clean it properly, take it down to the tyre man, and enjoy it.

Here are a couple more pics. Also one of my first one back in 1992 .... One of my clients loved it so much he immediately sold his Porsche and bought one exactly the same. THAT is what I call Customer Management.....we were like the Bopsy Twins. All we needed was matching cardigans.

Gaz, if you want to shift this to another topic, please do. BD

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Amusing comment simply does not work without reference to pic of 300 sadly rolled-up into a ball in a much earlier post. Duuuuur

Don't think that will polish-out!

Great to see the 3 ZEDs yesterday and meet you guys. Have contacted Powerzed about re-commissioning my black car. Thanks for the heads-up. Barry D

OK I paid for ( I thought two ) last year and have only just picked up the thread. Never rec'd any calandars. If the funds can be salvaged, please donate them to the club...it has been very good to me. Thanks Barry D

I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that when the tyres are moulded they have (in simple terms) a sort of skin from the moulding process. Drive gently for a while and this will wear through exposing the "proper" rubber. Once the tyre has gone through a couple of what are called "heat cycles" ...ie. gets warm/hot and then cools, the rubber cures and takes on the characteristics that you are looking for. It is hardly noticable for Mr.Average in a normal road car, although a good tyre supplier should caution that hard braking might prove interesting. In cars like the ZX if you haven't been warned it can be quite exciting. Almost like driving on ice, and far more dramatic in either the cold or the wet. In tuned versions...even more so ! Panic-not. Your Proxes (or whatever) will improve to your expectation after just a few trips, but take it easy for a bit. They are an excellent tyre. (and even the GP guys, who CAN drive a bit, fall over on new tyres now and again, with all the resources they have) BD

I had Toyo Proxes on the graphite 18" wheels that were on the car when I bought it ( and which will shortly be appearing for sale) I had not encountered them before as I haven't owned a 300 since they were current. When bedded-in they give excellent grip with a nice progressive breakaway. They are also quieter than I remember the Michelins which were irritatingly noisy at some motorway speeds. Hence, when I got the standard wheels reconditioned I also put new Toyos on them. You just have to be a little circumspect for 100 miles or so as they can't take the full beans for a while. As an aside, with the rear tyre on my racing Morgan (see pic over to the left) it is absolutely critical to run it through about 4-5 heat cycles to get it "cured" before you go for it otherwise (1) It won't grip and (2) It gets trashed in about 2 races. The wheeze here is to run new tyres in on the front and then swap them to the rear. Its an unusual challenge at we run about 100hp on Methanol driving through the single comedy tyre at the back.....but then we only weigh a gnats over 5 cwt so you could say it goes well. 58 secs Mallory with a passanger in ACU trim, 3 secs quicker in MSA trim with someone who can drive (Mark Hales!) Not bad for 1934. BD

I don't usually recommend traders or suppliers as inevitably it all goes tits-up the next time, but ................. I just had my standard ZX wheels completely reconditioned by Wicked Wheels and they have done a FANTASTIC job. They truly look better than new. They have a website, imaginatively named Wickedwheels.co.uk ...and don't Toyo Proxes slide around when they are brand new? And they take an age to get up to proper grip levels in the (very) cold. Really good though when they cut through to the real meat and get warmed up . BD

Thanks matey ! Just saved £70. Don't need to have a medical this year now I know me Heart is OK. Jeez that scared the crap out of me ! BD.

Been a designer all my working life so far. Work with a mob of very talented people of all ages and I love it. Long hours, stressful but hugely satisfying, good dough. Could you ask for more ?....well maybe shorter hours and a revolution to get rid of those w*nkers who call themselves a government but hey ! BD

Warm but no cigar ! Mk 1 with Mk 2 rear clip scoops. Pretty isn't it for a 40 year old design ? BD

I use CLOUDMARK Safety Bar....formerly Spambuster. It is a community to which you subscribe and it is pro-active. So it actually learns in real time and is always bang up to date. Very Easy. Very effective. There is a free trial too. Search for it, if you get stuck send me your email and I'll link you. BD

OK then, what's this ?

Check out the guys history. He has bought a couple of cars. Could be real ! BD

Sorry Chummy. YOU LOSE. I have been searching for almost a year for a perfect zx 300 and let me tell you the Auto Trader / Exchange and Mart / Gay News or whatever don't work. I just got my perfect car, and it was entirely due to the help and enthusiasm of the members of this community. I repeat.......YOU LOSE. MUG

I agree with Chris. Not much to ask that a serious person take a few seconds to show some degree of intent. BD

Sadly, and amazingly, he is not the first. One hopes that the genes are properly roasted and the prats fail to breed and thus die out by natural selection. BD

I have a '98 Autobiography 4.6 in metallic racing green with big wheels and cream/green hide which I bought new. It is now on 93,000 and has been completely reliable and trouble free the whole time. It goes like a 3 ton sports car should. It is my everyday workhorse and also drags around my 18 ft long racebox with racer and all the kit in as if it was not there. It will cruise all day at 100 and at 90 with the racebox on (On the continent of course) Life of the car it has given me 14.3 to the gallon, and still uses no oil. The only mistake I have made was putting non standard (Goodyear)tyres on it and then it handled like a whale. You must have the Pirelli Scorpions, they are the nuts ! Autobiographies are a good bet if you can find one. I was given this tip by a business friend who represented Connolly leather at Range Rover. He told me that cars which threw-up faults from the main production lines were taken to a seperate area for rectification or to be used as base material for the special order and limited edition ABs. In this special assembly area they were taken apart and virtually completely rebuilt by hand, so you should allways get one that has been properly screwed together. I can only speak as I have found...there are plenty of RR horror stories... but mine has been, and still is, an absolute corker. Good luck. Barry D.

Those were the days .... when you could buy them new. Here is my 2nd one getting its plate transferred from my first one (on the left) A lot easier than rebuilding them, but not as involving ! Barry D

Did you see this one on the same site ??....warning to you boys who tune 'em up too much !! Very funny and well done clip. BD http://www.vidilife.com/index.cfm?f=media.play&vchrMediaProgramIDCryp=B09CE1B3-B1B1-40B4-8BA2-2&action=1

Gottit ! Thanks chaps. BD