Wow what a weekend! I drove up to Auckland for the weekend to see some friends and go to Speedshow.

 

660km each way - just over 8 hours drive on NZ roads.

 

I only made one quick stop for photos on the way up, snow covered Mt Ruapehu in the background.

 

 

I took the less well-travelled route and over the awesome State Highway 4 - which winds over a couple of mountain ranges.

I had a brilliant time. I love my car!!

Lots of corners and short blasts in between so the 100kph speed limit was pretty safe.

I don't think I really got near the car's handling limits at any point, which is fine by me

The handling is pretty neutral, steering nicely weighted. I love the R32 wheel and rack.

Power is noticeably up with the CR hybrid, standard injectors, MAF and Shark Stage 2 map. Definitely more torque, several times I had to check what gear I was in as the way it picked up in 5th I thought it was in 3rd.

Torque steer is up too, pulling out to overtake I didn't need to steer to get around things

 

Mucky car in Auckland

 

I attended a VASK car club meet in Auckland. Hard to believe it's mid winter here!

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robclubley/sets/72157634751493915/

 

On the way back I caught up with the guys from Auto Clique NZ.

John had his silver R8 wrapped as part of a show display. It looks pretty damn good!

 

 

 

 

Chasing the R8 through the climb up to NZ's Desert Road was an awesome experience.

 

Mt Ruapehu

 

Lunch stop in Taupo

 

I have loads more photos, will upload them to Flickr.

Oh yes and I missed nearly all of the 1017 earthquakes Wellington had this weekend. SWMBO was a little stressed when I got back.

Minimal damage in Wellington considering one was a 6.5 magnitude.

 

Law breakers:

I've just about talked myself into fitting the clutch and LSD myself (with backup from my ex-mechanic mate).

Maybe even the cambelt.

I really have to stop spending on the car and concentrate on paying for the holiday we just booked.

 

I should wash it.

 

your be able to fit the clutch your self no problems,just get it high!!!

 

whats the score on the hybrid now? leaving in standard injectors and maf forever lol

 

cleaner than mine

Not sure on the map/injectors etc. Waiting for Ben to get back to me with a plan.

good stuff

Awesome

I did a quick phone video to try and capture the angry noise my car now makes on boost. This sort of picks it up if you turn your speakers right up.

 

that sounds weird :wonder: looks fecking quick though

Well this looks a lot more convincing than my other one. And it fits under the car, woot!

 

very nice!! mine doesnt fit i must be lower

One jack, both wheels off the ground! Swapping front wheels to the back so I can get the rear kerb marks repaired.

 

 

Should be high enough to get the gearbox out. Hope we don't have any more earthquakes!

 

I wouldn't have dared jack it this high with my old trolley jack.

right tools, right job and all that.  love ya vids btw sounds nuts

take the bumper off makes for un-scuffed shoulders i had it a fair bit higher when i did it

I made a decision not to spend any more on the car for a few months. Then these came up for a reasonable price. Just the fronts.

 

 

A mate is bringing them down from Auckland for me in a couple of weeks.

 

I dropped the wheels off today to get the kerbing and tyre-fitter damage fixed.

Must get started on the gearbox removal. By the time we get the little one into bed and dinner sorted I don't have the energy to go to a cold garage and start pulling the car apart
 

Made a start on pulling the gearbox out:

 

 

 

Crap behind the arch liner. Mostly sand for some reason!

 

And 2000km of catch can collectings This is a 1kg honey jar!

 

Great work Rob! Remember the forum is your best friend if you need any tips on getting it out!

Haven't got much done today. Nipped down and drained the gearbox oil (smelly stuff!)

Popped to my mate's to borrow his impact wrench for the driveshaft bolts only to find it's an air one and he doesn't have a compressor.

So I went to Super Cheap Auto and came back with a 12v electric one. It was that or an 18v battery one for twice the cost and same torque specs. We'll see if it's up to the job.

 

I'm nervous about going under the car as we're having aftershocks every few minutes from yesterday's 6.6 quake.

Note the large chunks of tree under the subframe just in case:

Hmm maybe New Zealand isn't a great place to visit with the earth quakes lol

You got a picture of your car having a wee.

Won't be long til you've got it sorted though

No fancy gun needed there not that tight just get someone to put foot on brake

Can easy do with 1/2 inch racket buddy

  earthquakes 

Hmm maybe New Zealand isn't a great place to visit with the earth quakes lol

You got a picture of your car having a wee.

Won't be long til you've got it sorted though

 

  earthquakes 

 

NZ is a great place to visit! It's on the Ring of Fire so earthquakes are inevitable. And volcanoes. And cool stuff like geysers and hot pools and boiling mud and steam coming out of the roadside - though all that happens further North.

They're just a bit disconcerting when the car is on stands.

 

 

No fancy gun needed there not that tight just get someone to put foot on brake

Can easy do with 1/2 inch racket buddy

 

SWMBO refuses to help with this Doesn't want to climb into the car when it's on stands for some reason

Ok so it does sound like a good place to visit (again) 2-1 to wanting to visit

Lunchtime fun - driveshafts off.

 

Seats are part way here - in my mate's lounge in Auckland:

 

 

Also I was randomly browsing the internets and started thinking about replacing the wing mirrors.

Opinions on these? In black not chrome:

 

http://www.fk-shop.de/en/Sports-mirror-tuning/Sports-mirror/Sport-mirror-set-with-car-adapter/Sport-mirrors-Set-Cult-Style-2-fit-for-Skoda-Octavia-Typ-1U-Yr-97-04-oxid-9.html