News
SURF’S UP FOR SERIES 2 DUTTON AMPHIB!
Aug 29th
Tim Dutton is celebrating a massive milestone this year. Fifty years of continuous car production is a huge achievement. He’s also just announced an updated package of updates for his Daihatsu Jimny-based Dutton Surf amphibious car, now known as, er, Surf S2.
Out go the Volkswagen Golf Mk3 headlights, replaced by some cool-looking DLR halogen/LED items, which give a pleasing upgrade to the car’s look, while heat insulation to the front bulkhead has been increased and is now factory-fitted.
Steering box brackets are pre-fitted as are all door-lock assemblies, twin bilge pumps, A-post grab handle and weathergear (if ordered).
More information from www.timdutton.com or More >
WRATH OF IRON
Aug 29th
Iron particles have a horrible way of finding themselves embedded in your paintwork and all wheel types. There are many ways in which our pride and joy receives these unwanted defects.
Vehicles leave the manufacturing plant they are more than often transported by train to their chosen dealership. During that exposed journey iron particles from the tracks are flicking up and onto your soon to be purchased vehicle created defects in the clear-coat before you’ve even received it. iron fallout is also easily collected just by general driving on everyday roads due to brake pads creating brake dust.
You can easily identify More >
BEETLE DAMPERS FROM GAZ
Aug 29th
The classic VW air-cooled Beetle had two types of rear suspension – independent rear suspension and swing arm. Of these, the IRS came with either single or dual joints/swing plates.
Leading suspension specialists GAZ now offer uprated, adjustable dampers that have been specially designed for IRS Dual Joint VW Beetles and should fit most IRS models up to 1979 (although there may be exceptions in certain markets).
The dampers are bump and rebound adjustable and can be quickly adjusted by means of an easily accessible single knob on the side of the damper.
The dampers are built to the same standards as the ones More >
BLOOD RED SNOWFOAM
Aug 29th
Autobrite Direct has a large range of car care and detailing products and there’s some real corkers within the line-up.
I really like their Devil’s Blood pre-wash, which as the name suggests is a red-coloured snowfoam that will freak your neighbours out and also give your car a great deep clean ready for shampooing.
It is very effective at removing engrained crud on your car’s bodywork and the foam is one of the thickest and longest lasting that I’ve used. Oh, and also very red … and has a cinnamon infused scent!
A 5-litre bottle offers great value and costs £40 and is More >
BEEFIER B-CLUTCH!
Aug 29th
Here’s a way to extract some extra performance from the five-bearing ‘B’ Series 1800cc engine as used in the 1968-1980 MGB without making any modifications to the engine internals. A Fidanza lightweight flywheel can easily be installed when you replace the clutch and will bring the following benefits: • Faster throttle response and quicker acceleration • Additional horsepower to the wheels (reduced parasitic losses) • Smoother, faster shifting • Easier braking, better slowing (due to reduced rotational mass) • Reduced clutch wear and improved efficiency (from better heat dissipation) • Cost savings and longevity (thanks to Fidanza’s replaceable green friction More >
SHEER INDULGENCE
Aug 29th
I’m a big fan of the ValetPRO car care brands and their Indulgence Cream Wax is an excellent product. It’s a liquid wax designed to make the protection step of any car detailing session easy.
Its smooth and creamy texture can be applied to the paintwork in a simple spread on and wipe off process saving time compared to traditional hard waxes.
Using high-quality natural carnauba wax, the product leaves a high-gloss finish that is hard to match. The cream wax also provides impressive levels of water beading and UV protection.
The product is available from one of ValetPRO’s distributor’s including Slim’s Detailing More >
TICK TOCK
Aug 29th
That annoying tick-tock noise you keep hearing on your engine may be a faulty head gasket. As your engine heats up, weak head gaskets shear between the heads and block, causing metal-on-metal clatter. High compression and forced-induction engines are especially tough on head gaskets, breaking down the sealant and leaving you vulnerable to leaks.
Vulcan Cut Ring Head Gaskets solve that problem. The pliable, perforated metal-core composite bodies don’t require sealant, yet eliminate coolant and oil leaks. The stainless-steel fire rings grip and bite the cylinder head for the closest fit and happily, there’s no machining required.
SCE Vulcan Cut Ring Head More >
EXO HAT-TRICK FOR REBEL PERFORMANCE
Aug 22nd
Not content with taking over the Exo tR1ke and triabusa three-wheelers, from EXO Sports Cars, new company, Littleport-based, Rebel Performance Machines, has now taken over the equally capable four-wheeled brother, the Exobusa.
Weighing in at around 430kg, the Exobusa, as the name implies, is powered by a Suzuki Hayabusa motorbike engine and if that wasn’t crazy enough, several examples have been supercharged!
Standard kits start at £4995, although a Kit-in-a-Box option (everything bar the engine and ancillaries) costs £12,995. Turnkey prices start at £19,995.
More on this one soon. In the meantime visit www.rebel-pm.co.uk or 01353 655 192 ENDS
More >
NEW DONKERVOORT SUPERCAR – ‘JOOP-JOOP’!
Aug 22nd
Dutch sportscar legend, Joop Donkervoort, has commemorated his 70thbirthday this week with his eponymous Donkervoort Automobielen announcing the new JD70 supercar.
Powered by an optimised version of the crushingly strong Audi Sport 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged motor, the JD70 will weigh less than 700kg and will be suitable for both road and track.
Performance figures for the JD70, which will start from €163, 636.36, will be released closer to its planned spring, 2020 reveal. Only seventy JD70s will be built – one for each year of Joop’s life (so far!).
Donkervoort tasked his team to develop the innovative JD70 at their Lelystad headquarters and More >
SOPHISTICATED SANDING
Aug 22nd
Mirka has added a new product to its Direct Electric Random Orbital Sander (DEROS) line-up with the arrival of the new DEROS 77mm.
The tool’s compact size makes it easy to use and enables it to get into confined spaces. It has a low-profile, which means the tool works close to the surface and means that you can control the sanding process much more easily.
It is available in a 2.5mm orbit delivering a smooth overall experience, ideal in post-paint conditions, or a 5mm orbit, which enables users to remove paint quickly and efficiently.
DEROS 77mm retails at £502.72 inc VAT and is More >
