bugster70

If you're running 275/285 in a 19", you'll need to drop to 30 profile tyres. 245/35/19 on an 8" rim for the front sounds fine. I've found this tyre size calculator quite useful in the past for this sort of stuff... Tyre size calculator

Jeez, I feel so dumb trying to work out offsets for these cars, what will fit, what won't, etc. I followed the link Erko provided to an offset calculator (in another - pinned - thread) and can see how different the clearances will be when compared to stock, but my problem is knowing whether that difference in clearance will actually pose a problem or not! So, first, can anyone tell me whether an 8.5" front rim with +38 offset and 9.5" rear with +45 offset will fit a BA Mk1 sedan okay? And then, if you're feeling adventurous, could you explain to me how I can work out what rim width/offset combination will be okay to fit to the same vehicle please?!

And how do you think this compares to OneCare? Apologies if that's a dumb question, I'm a technophobe at heart.

Dave, I've actually got a brand new plasma wall mounting kit (still in its box) that I never ended up using - it's literally been sitting under a bed for, oh, probably a couple of years now! Anyway, it wasn't an eBay item (I bought it from a local store) and is apparently suitable for screens between 30" and 60" (or 75-160cm) weighing up to 80kg (175lbs). I've certainly got no use for it (plans to wall mount my 42" plasma were shelved after we found a nice big entertainment unit that suited our decor better) so am happy to let it go for much less than I paid for it. If you're interested, shoot me a PM and I can email you photos, etc. Not sure where you are (I'm in Canberra) so not sure how much postage would come to - it's not exactly light.

Thanks heaps Dags, very much appreciated mate. I'll see how the auction goes and will be in touch via PM.

Wow, 9 hours, there you go - I certainly couldn't justify that to the wife (and kids!) for 4 bar stools. Dags, is that an offer mate? I'm in no particular rush (the wife may have different ideas) and if you're serious about that, I'll talk to my better half tonight and get back to you (the auction ends tomorrow, so I need to move reasonably quickly for stage one). Dunno where you are, but the stools are in South Yarra - is that too far from you? Haven't been on the forums regularly recently, but you've just reminded me why I love it so much/keep coming back!

Not 100% sure, but I reckon 7 to 8 hours?

Thanks for the suggestion Ben, annoyed I didn't think of that myself. Just a matter of trying to find some spare time during the day to ring a few places, but I'll get onto it when I can! As for driving to Melbourne, not a bad idea, except work and family commitments mean my free/spare time is rare/valuable - plus the drive down the Hume to Melbourne is boring as batsh1t. :( My offer still stands if anyone is planning a trip anyway and wants to reduce the overall cost.

Hi guys I was wondering if anyone was planning on driving from Melbourne to Canberra in the not too distant future? I've seen some bar stools (in Melbourne) that I'd like to buy on eBay, but am having serious trouble being able to find a way to get them back to Canberra (most couriers want them fully boxed, seller unwilling to find suitable box, etc, etc). If anyone is planning on driving from Melbourne to Canberra, and has some spare space in their car, I'd be very happy to pay for your fuel if you're willing to pick up these stools and deliver them to me. Pick up in Melbourne is in South Yarra, drop off in Canberra can be anywhere (I will drive to meet you). There are four bar stools, each about 67cm tall and 35cm x 32cm wide/deep. They're made of aluminium so should be very light. If anyone can help me out I'd be most grateful - either reply to this thread, PM me or email me direct at bugster70@iinet.net.au As I said, I'd be happy to cover the cost of your fuel or come to some other arrangement if you wish. Thanks guys, hope to hear from someone!

Great answer, many thanks mate!

Erko, you seem to know all about what'll fit and what won't. Can you give a range of offsets, in 19" rims for 8"-9.5" widths, that'll fit a BA sedan without rubbing - or isn't it that simple? Is it possible to fit a 10" under the rear guards without rolling them, or is that restricted to utes?

Another happy customer vouching for Mick's skills in this area!

Have I missed something here, or maybe I'm oversimplifying things, but I thought that as long as you kept your rolling diameter the same, your speedo should (technically) not be out at all? As a very rough guide, that means 45 series profile tyres in 17", 40 in 18", 35 in 19" and 30 in 20" - although of course the width of the tyre will play a role too.

I'd definitely get the slotted rotors for their additional cooling abilities, etc - the fact that they also look so much better is an added bonus! As for pads, I think any performance pad is going to be pretty dusty - just the price you pay for improved braking performance. I have the 'standard' pads supplied by PBR with their 'premium' brake kit and they're dusty as hell too.

Sorry for the delay replying, been offline for a few days. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the kit you're looking at is aftermarket/not sanctioned by Ford. Those 330mm rotors may well be compatible with the stock calipers but a) you'll need additional brackets for the calipers to make them work (I think these may be supplied as part of that kit) and b) you'll probably find the rotor isn't as thick as the 'premium' 325mm ones. As for DAB making a 330mm rotor in their 4000 series, I really don't know - I can only assume that it's not listed in their catalogue, they don't make them? Either way, if you're sticking with stock calipers, my inclination would be to keep the same size rotors but to upgrade to the DBA 4000 series items (make sure you buy decent pads too) and not to stuff around with that kit. Better still, go the whole premium bigger caliper/325mm rotor setup. Braided lines make a nice difference to pedal feel too and, IMHO, complete the package.

If the premium brakes fit under 17" rims, then fitting DBA rotors would make no difference to clearance. Yes, the 325mm rotors are also thicker than the 298mm ones, and are NOT compatible with the stock calipers - you need the premium calipers to fit the larger rotors. There are apparently some 'big brake' upgrade kits for sale on eBay that utilise the stock calipers with larger rotors, but a) I'm not sure how good they and b) they need additional brackets (supplied, I believe) to enable the stock calipers to work with the larger rotors. Personally, I'd either stick to stock calipers and put on the 298mm DBA 4000 series rotors with better pads or, better still, try and get hold of the whole premium brake front setup (the rear setup remains the same in the PBR upgrade).

Well, that all depends on what brakes you have! The stock brakes on the BAs used the 298mm rotors and, as I said before, just swapping these over to the (4504) DBAs and using better pads is a marked improvement over the original setup. If you want to go one step better, then the (PBR) 'premium' brake option gives you bigger and better front calipers and uses a larger grooved 325mm rotor (42104 in the slotted DBA 4000 series). As you might imagine, this is a significant improvement over the stock setup. And yes, I believe that those brakes were 'standard' on at least some (if not all) BA FPV models - the FPVs could be optioned up with even better Brembo brakes, but then you're getting into pretty serious money for replacement rotors, pads, etc. I THINK the 325mm rotors fit under stock 17" rims but hopefully somebody will correct me if I'm wrong (I've got aftermarket 18s with my premium setup so can't be 100% sure).

The heavy steering is all relative. Jump from an AU to a BA and the latter will initially feel like a tank, but you'll soon come to appreciate the far superior driving experience that heavier weight gives. Now most other cars feel like over power assisted toys to me and I love getting back behind the wheel of my car. As for the push, well, as you and others have said, a few mods and you'll soon wonder what all the fuss you used to make over your SS was about! The rush a boosted car can give is matched by few other things. And, when you add up how much you spent on mods to get that rush (compared to your SS), you'll be laughing all the way to the bank. I looked at trading in my XR6T for a Liberty GT, but even a very well respected Subaru tuner said that no matter what I did to the GT, it could never match the rush I get from a boosted 4 litre. Trust me, if it's sheer grunt you're after, you won't be disappointed with an XR6T!

I know you're talking about an NA BF, which I know little about, but here's my opinion on upgrading the BA (which, going by your comments, may be the same as the NA BF?). Anyway, I'm no expert and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the FTG kit uses the same rotors as are already on the car. While some folk rave about the PBR 'premium' calipers being a twin piston item, I think quite a lot of them don't understand that the standard rubbish calipers on the BAs were also twin piston calipers, just nowhere near as good as the larger PBR items. For a cheap mid-range upgrade, my opinion is that changing the stock rotors to DBA 4000 slotted ones (I think they're a better bet than RDA) and fitting better pads is the best bet. As others have said, adding braided lines will also give a better 'feel' to the brakes (they'll feel stronger and more uniform). For even better performance, go the whole hog and change to the PBR premium rotors with the larger 325mm rotors - rear setup can be left alone as even the PBR upgrade doesn't bother changing it. Some people have, however, opted to fit the BF rear brakes to BAs as they have larger rotors. Hope that helps.

BMW will be releasing a four version of the M3 later this year, sounds like something that could appeal to you (four doors, family friendly, V8, understated styling with plenty of go, etc, etc)? It comes pretty close to your new budget too, although you may need to revise it upwards a little more.

Car looks absolutely tops mate, well done! Of course, you did have the best 'colour' to start with! Glad you're so happy with the setup, and I'm not gonna mention anatidae...

The only problem with the Amex is that fewer and fewer merchants seem to accept it these days 'cos the fees charged by Amex are so damn extortionate.

We had a very similar experience with my Westpac Platinum Amex a few months back. Except the transactions originated in France and occurred around midnight our time. There were two separate attempts to charge about $25K (each) to my card, both of which were blocked by Westpac. Given the time of night it happened, they didn't risk waking me up by calling me but sent me an email asking me to ring them ASAP instead. I rang them first thing in the morning and was more than impressed by the speed they picked up on this and alerted me to it. So yes, for all they charge me, Westpac has kept me happy. As for the Platinum card, I use it in a similar way to Buffy. All my expenses go on it and my money stays offsetting my mortgage for as long as possible before the card is paid off in full each month. Works for us and apparently saves us a fortune. If only our monthly credit cards bills weren't quite so high!!! But yeah, you pay a higher annual fee for the card, but do get significant additional rewards in return.

devo, I know where you're coming from re wanting more light. When I first got my XR6T I was absolutely appalled at the stock light output, particularly on low beam. One of the first things I did was to upgrade my globes to the Philips +50% ones, which were a great improvement over stock (like you, I'd never consider fitting additional spotties/driving lights). However, I'd agree that these don't exactly last a long time, I think mine blew after 12 months or so. When I went to buy some more, the guy at the shop showed me the new +80% globes Philips had brought out. When he told me the price ($80 for the pair) I nearly choked, and said I'd stick with the +50%s. But he didn't have any in stock, so offered me the +80% for $60 and I decided to give them a go. And I'm really glad I did. I was VERY skeptical at the claim of extra light (80% brighter than 'stock', something like 25-30m longer beam, etc) and this was reinforced when I first switched them on at night ie. I was quite disappointed with the low beam output, which seemed no better than my old +50% globes. However, when I flicked on high beam, my breath was taken away - the difference was just incredible. I continue to be more than impressed with these and even have the odd chuckle when I flick on high beam - the light output borders on ridiculous for legal globes! In short (or not so short as it seems - sorry 'bout the long post!), I'd highly recommend these globes as a very significant upgrade from stock at a reasonable price. Just be sure to steer clear of the Blue Vision, etc, type globes as these are more for aesthetics ('bluer' light) than actual light output. Hope that helps, and good luck!

Sorry, I'm a bit slow off the mark (as usual!), but I'd be keen for something local too - it's been absolutely ages since I caught up with the ACT guys. And if Zeffers is the go, we could even hold it on the south side for a change - nice new place has opened up in Manuka! :ifiusethisimafag: BTW, I gotta say, I wasn't too upset about the SOO result!!!