My new life - for those who've PM'd me!
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi guys,
To start with, My 'Eaton' email account is still current, but i've got no address book, calendar, and no mails from before the 7th!
So, those who used to mail me, if you could send me a quick mail, just so i've got your email address's again, that'd be cool.

Of course I'd normally send this out as a grouped email, but my empty contacts box restricts this somewhat! I wouldn't normally post this, but i'm sure Alterezia won't mind this once!

So Here goes:


It's Cold.
Yesterday evening I was round at a colleges house, along with Graeme and Sharon (best mate and wifey who moved out here 3 months ago!). We all noted that it was a little chilly when we went in the house at 4ish... Well when we left at 8sih, it was F&%$ING cold. Without question, the coldest I've ever been in my life (including 'watch on deck' duties on HMS Birmingham in winter a good few years ago). Scraping the windows, my hands and face were numb after a minute. Heater in the car isn't too efficient either, meaning I was actually shivering whilst driving for the first 10/15 minutes.

So how cold was it? Well the figures said 4 degrees F - but including the wind-chill, it was around -1 degrees F... In terms you'll easily understand, that's minus 15.5 / 18.3 degrees Celsius...

Fortunately, that's about as cold as it normally gets here at this time of year. BUT it's unusual for it to be this cold, this early... General indications are that it WILL get even colder in the next few weeks. Late Jan is the coldest of all; minus 25degrees c is not uncommon overnight so I?m told. I don?t know how folks in ?cold? parts of the world manage to do anything over the winter months!

Everything else is good, been looking at lots of houses - some small, some large, some perfect, some in need of work. I just can't decide which one! Further out from Town I go, the cheaper they are - but further out means your neighbour is 600-800 ft away - not ideal, but probably the better bet for when I eventually buy my engine dyno? House is going to be dependant on getting a mortgage ? which is proving a nightmare. Credit rating is everything out here; stupid stupid system. I?m on a roll now, so I?ll tell you somet else that stupid ? Washing machines and cookers arte still in the dark ages! I can?t remember how many years ago we got rid of our top-loading (clothes ruining) washing machine; but that?s pretty much all you can buy here! Cookers look like you?ve just time-warped back to the seventies. Fan assisted? Don?t make me laugh. Digital timer? Nope. Etc.
How about heated front windscreens on cars? I think every Mondeo of LX spec and above had a heated front screen (that?ll be around 75% of all UK Mondeo?s probably??). They?ve never even heard of them over here? Seriously, in a country that gets this cold ? very, very strange!!!

Speaking of cars? I HAVE chosen the car I'm going to buy: a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. And despite saying I never would, I'm going to buy a new car...
A few reasons for this radical decision - to start with, it's a brand new model, so no chance of getting a used one. Another point; my battered old sierra over here would be worth around ?1200 (or maybe ?1000 with the damage I left it with ? had a crash the day before flying out LOL!) - basically there is little depreciation in costs, because cars are 'useful' as long as they run (there is no MOT or anything like that over here). Hence, even a ?dog? costs a fair whack.
Next, all the cars are cheap to begin with - the Legacy I'm looking at would cost around ?26K in England (works out at ?14k here), hence depreciation is less from a monetary aspect.
Also, the towing weights over here are ridiculously small... The UK spec Ford Focus can tow 3200lbs, the (identical) US Focus is rated at just 1000lbs (400kg!). Lawyers are the difference, not the vehicle itself... It seems if you want to tow anything in the USA, you have to buy a big gas-guzzling behemoth pick-up. Fortunately, Subaru have seen this 'hole in the market' and rate the legacy at 2700lbs - just enough for towing a mini (on a trailer) to the race track!!!
Finally, the Subaru goes like stink - a 250hp rating, but independent dyno results show them to be knocking out more than this! Incidentally, the US Imprezza WRX has the same 220hp motor as the UK spec. The WRX STI uses a 2.5litre engine, which makes 300hp; The Legacy GT uses basically the same engine, but de-tuned. Hence, It can be RE-TUNED!!! I'm finding it a little difficult trying to talk myself out of buying it, but absolutely everything is weighed in its favour...

Hmmm, so I've written more about a car than anything else, but that is surely an indication that I'm doing well !!!

I?m not going to mention anything about the minis, suffice to say they will be coming over in the near future? Containers go missing, get impounded on silly tip-offs, etc? so mums the word until they are in my personal care!

I've already got a book on Honda tuning ? this is the next ?big? project after the A-series turbo has done its final evolution. You can put together a reliable, fully dressed (incl engine management) 12-second Vtec motor (without turbo/nitrous) for under $5500 it seems? That?s a good way to spend money!

Still, Have a good Christmas everyone, think of me on my jack whilst you?re tucking into your turkey?

Welcome to the States, Dave! As for washers, my aunt in Germany had a nice one in 1995 that beat out anything in the US, except on size/capacity. We finally have front loaders (that are stackable) but a set will push you back about ?1200. We bought a set, but it hurt...

If you are interested in tuning your car, give www.pegdrgr.com a look-see. One of my best mates, and one of the best tuners in the country...

**************************************
1967 Cooper 's' Turbo build @ www.drjing.com

Sounds like your going to get sorted pretty quick,

a guy left our place about 3 years ago to work at Goodrich in the states and he is certainly enjoying it, even better when you've got people you know going out with you!

he was on the phone today trying to sort out 'green card' stuff!!

do you get a poor deal on holiday entitlement out there, the chap I mentioned earlier, he only gets about half of what we get in the UK! (few more public holidays though I think)

enjoy!

Hey dave

I moved out here 3 years ago and brought the turbo mini with me. Customs was a nightmare. You are right about the washers though. Go to Sears and get a front loader. The cheapest are about $600. Im in Pa and its 6F today which is dam cold.

Colas

LOL!

Dave you had me laughing to the point where people at work were looking at me!

I cant wait for the stories of the mini destroying detroit iorn!

alex

AlexF

Dont mind these sorts of posts at all, its what General Chat is for, eh?

Glad everything is ok. That cold must be nasty, I hate it here and its +3 degs.. erk.

The more I hear the more I keep getting tempting to think about moving in a few years time!

Must be very strange though.

Good to hear that most things are going ok, hope the rest gets sorted asap.

Dave with temps like that your ACT will be down!! wind up the boost

Team Racing

hahah good idea jim!

I would love to move out there one day, i didnt realise there was no MOt though! Im more interested in the cheap fuel costs. Was it you out there once dave that was looking at a race track or something when there and posting about it?

Previous Engine: 1040cc Morespeed engine, 1275 turbo head T2 Turbo Mirage Manifolds Megajolt
Previous engine: STD metro turbo, megajolt
Drives: 399bananahp (flywheel) Honda Civic Vtec b18c4 T28 Turbo 1968 Mini

Megajolt maps to download: http://www.jamesfawcett.co.uk/cms/index.ph...&gid=3&Itemid=3

hi turbodave.
nice to see you have settle into the winter routine lol.

you can always tell if its below minus 12 deg c as the hairs up your nose freeze and the rattle when you breath in.

had minus 24 deg c in bosnia and yes that was f@cking cold.

best you get a snow plough for the turbo when it arrives.

ill send you a email.

regards the hogster.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

Good luck chap. David Vizard is over there somewhere. I know its like the, "Hell you're from England, do you know Jack Jones?"

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

and another plus is that you wont be getting sunburnt in the cold!!

Dave,

Adam and i send our love!

(not in a gay way tho...)