nzskater

What size are you after? May be able to put you in touch with someone.

Macca

Chris. It hasn't escaped my attention. I was hoping secretly that Sean would get deployed there (but instead hes moving back to NZ which is also good!). With the low cost of late model metal like GT3 in the USA its a totally viable plan for us...heck you can buy a band new GT3 in the USA with options for 180K NZD today (thats almost 20% cheaper than mine ended up costing me).

pcarplayer

Hi J. Sorry mate

Mr Black has become something of a garage queen these last couple of weeks. Weird battery drain sorted. Worked out the stereo aerial earth and power wires were reversed. All good now. The dead battery stuffed up the idle and he kept stalling. I gave the IVC and MAF a clean and that at least made it drivable. MS reset the idle and now we are back in the game.

I Installed new struts for the front and rear bonnets. Not as bad as I thought that would be. I've also replaced the ignition switch. That was a bit of a bugger trying to remove the top screw. All sorted once I had the right tool, removed the front seat and was head down in the pedal box

Sorry fellas, i'm a bit of a detailing geek. Mr Black has also been subject to a 10 paint correction and he's all sparkly know. All ready to get grubby again.

The front diff pinion seal finally came through after 4 weeks. I rang Europacfic to see if the had one on the shelf - they did, then I found out the one we ordered arrived - that same day. Lesson learned

The upshot is there's been much bonding going on. I'm learning a lot about these cars and loving it

996tnz

Thousands if not 100s of thousands of Kiwis would be caught out by an emissions test as catalysts have never been compulsory here. I chose to run 100 cell race cats but most chasing performance here in NZ just delete the cats altogether.

Worst is when people overfill their engine oil and it all fires out needlessly as blue smoke.

Macca, if they've already accepted your mods, I would expect you'd just need to explicitly tell them that you don't have LVV and have them confirm their acceptance of that, though rechecking your policy wording and having them confirm your understanding of it is probably needed to be safe. I guess that an LVV cert pre-certifies that a vehicle modded beyond the threshold is road legal. Without it, the onus might otherwise be on you to prove that before they'd pay out. Could be difficult finding an LVV certifier willing to go that far after a crash.

Macca

Walt. Yes my documented modification list has already been accepted in writing by their executive underwriter Victoria White.

One problem I do see. I'm prepared to "open my kimono" on this but by doing so I may also create an above the line issue for other RSG members here currently insured with Prestigio and without LVV (for exhaust/Suspension/right height mods etc). Of course ill try not. I'm am almost certain they will not sign off on what I will require in order to be legally satisfied I am covered. I don't understand if "threshold" is defined in law or by precedence. Ill look into it Monday with and report back on here....stay tuned. It would be good to get this cleared up for once and all.

P.S. 911s built for the NZ market before Nov did not ship with Cat converters. We were one of the last countries with "dirty fuel" along with South Africa & UAE.

996tnz

Yes, a ridiculous revenue engine but that's how it operates. It would expect you to be recerted each time you move beyond 5 percent away from what height it states!

That makes a lot of sense but some LVV rules don't, especially for highly adjustable cars like ours. Roughly speaking, seats can be changed sans LVV provided they have sliders if the originals did, the originals had no airbags, the originals had no seatbelt mounting point attached (the issue with mine), convenient access to any rear seat is still possible, and they do not interfere with the manufacturers safety systems by impeding the seatbelts etc. Fitting a half cage doesn't need LVV provided the rear seat belts have been removed from the vehicle and the cage remains behind the driver and passenger. Door cards should only matter if airbag operation is affected. Airbags can only be taken out of cars over a certain age etc etc . There are limits on wheel widths, tyre fitments and tracks (no more than 25mm wider). IIRC.

LVV rules weren't written with the track day set in mind, but as you're probably doing, if I had height adjustables, I'd want them low on track and up higher for Targa. A motorsport authority card is similar to an LVV but allows a little more flexibility flipping between street config and track config I believe, but needs you to do several MS events a year and keep a logbook.

I believe springs and shocks can be swapped out for similar styles but going to coilovers/height adjustables (unless your model had them ex factory) invokes LVV certing. Some Bilsteins comply, some don't. As you'll see from the LVV plate examples earlier, the height adjustability is then meaningless on road anyway (or 'road worthy' track events maybe?) since it must stay within that 5 percent of the plate stated height.

That's probably the most frustrating aspect of the LVV circus. That, and the fact that it is a one way street - even if you revert to sub threshold mods or go pure stock, I believe it remains an LVV plated car forever (and you'd need to update your plate to reflect stock). I may do it eventually though if temptation gets the better of me. Can't really get enough front camber for the Nittos for instance...

996tnz

Legal non-adjustable exhaust mods don't need LVV but can be required to get a noise compliance cert (foil sticker on exhaust) if above about 95dB (and rear engined Porsches will need a very kind reading of the rules if between 97 and 99 to get it). Mine tested just within the 97dB '911' limit for exposed rear engined cars but I didn't want to pay the extra $200 odd for the sticker so just kept the official tester's test results to show if challenged.

Stupidly, though if I wanted to put some adjustable butterfly valves in my exhaust to quieten it for late night comings and goings, I'd need an LVV cert!

Interesting to hear that 911s recently went to them. Suspect most cars sold new here were catless as cats aren't cheap because of platinum etc. Hence the huge numbers of Kiwis who would fail LA style emission tests if they started here, though I suppose the more recent unsullied Jap imports would be OK.

Macca

Thanks for the additional insight Walt.

Im guessing your concern is being insured and thats why you have stayed away from modifying your car to the point you will require LVV (i.e. chip and engine output increases, exhaust etc are all acceptable)?

If that is the issue and the insurer confirms this has no bearing on your cover when using the vehicle would it change your position?

Just curious.

996tnz

Power can increase up to 20 percent over stock before LVV comes in, but there are limits on how that is achieved (can't mod turbos or swap out chips for instance). Mine's not far off that now. My LVV reluctance is partly insurance, partly resale since it stays an LVV car even if reverted to stock. That said, resale is not why I have the car. Most further LVV related mods would involve some compromise to roadability anyway so happy to wait. Once a few too many uber-sedans approach her performance in another model generation or two I might go LVV and throw her another 100-150HP to level it up, along with adjustable coil overs. Beyond those power levels, it usually costs too much in lost low rpm performance - those 700HP+ monsters with big laggy turbos are great for quicker 0-300 or top speed runs but less fun for track or daily driving, which are best met with instant torque on tap.

kiwi 911

Who did the paint correction - Final Touch or someone else?

Macca

Right. Just curious. Is there a stigma with LVV plate on car? - is there anything extra has to be done each year or extra compliance cost?

996tnz

Tried to find average resale impact of LVV once but car yards are probably best placed to advise. Our cars are already exotic to most people so those not in the know may be scared off by one that's more complicated than standard, so I suspect it just narrows the buyer pool, lengthens the sale period or lowers the price. Yours is a bit of a movie star so may escape that of course.

Beyond having to get an LVV vehicle reinspected to update the damn LVV at a few hundred bucks or so every time you add, remove, or alter a mod that falls under it, no I don't think there is any extra compliance once plated.

To save others Googling for it, here's that link to the LVV Threshold Guide: http://www.lvvta.org.nz/documents/su..._Threshold.pdf

pcarplayer

I did. I've seen final touch's work and wasn't particularly impressed.

Without trying to sound too geeky. Wash and clay followed by Menzerna 2500 on on a white pad on most of the car except the doors which required a little more oomph, 1500 on orange pad. Whole car then jeweled with 4500 on blue pad. The front hood and wings were already in good nick as they were recently painted so didn't need much work. Lastly, finished with Blackfire Wet Diamond. No wax as its not going to a show. Menzerna are superb German made products and the Blackfire works well on black cars

There was some marks on the passenger door were someone with studded jeans leaned against it and scratched it to buggery as Jason will testify. They are gone now

Ill take some pics when I get a chance.

pcarplayer

I saw a flouro yellow/green '64 heading towards the city on the northern motorway last night at about 530. Anyone here ?

mjg

By my reading any ECU flash on a forced induction car requires certification, irrespective of any increase in peak power output.