Artie

Those look gorgeous! What type of retainers do they have? My V8 has no retainers in the floor and my mats end up scrunched up under the pedals in short order!

you just need a short length to drop any overflow down below the car. I, too would be sure it doesn't drop onto anything that can fling the overflow coolant around.

Pad material is a huge issue! Most EBC pads up to and including yellow, just have a narrow temp band. Ferrodo and Hawk pads of more racing nature are suited to the V8. The Brembo setup is adequate, but good brake fluid and pads are required to get excellent braking. I have Brembos on my 99 and with Hawk HP Plus pads up front and EBC yellow on the rear, my seat belt will choke me from 120mph when depressed suddenly. The idea that you can only get stopping power from more Pistons is not accurate. Yes, it can improve the clamping force but improvement in pad material is a giant leap forward when it comes to friction developed for stopping. If you are having issues getting stopping power from your Brembo equipped car, try Hawk HP Plus or Ferrodo or even a Carbotech pad. Stainless lines, new fluid and a proper flush will have your braking much improved. Also, don't discount the performance improvement that can be made by ensuring the rear brakes are sliding properly on the slider mechanism as well as the pad material being applied to the rear. Using more aggressive pads will result in more dust, but I would rather be cleaning dust off my car and wheels than towing the car home with a damaged front end from lack of stopping power. Additionally, PNM offers some braking improvement kits retaining the stock Brembo calipers but increasing the diameter of the discs. This is a very easy and relatively inexpensive way to increase brake torque that will improve your stopping power. They offer standard disc type kits with solid discs for front or rear or 2 piece. I have ordered the 2 piece rear upgrade as I needed new rear rotors anyway so I will post a write up on installation when the kit arrives in the coming weeks. I will also be installing the 2 piece larger front kit as well with soon thereafter. Just thought I would add some context here to this constantly circulating myth that even the Brembo brake V8's don't stop well..... By by the way, the part number for the front Hawk HP Plus pads for the Brembo equipped cars is:. HB194 N.570 Artie 99 V8

I Love that Audi V8! The new wheels look great on your G Body! Some nice wide wheels! What size tyres?

Thanks Dan! How is that Audi V8 holding up? I remember following your build very intently! Thanks for the compliment! I thoroughly have enjoyed getting this car up to speed.

Cheers Mates! It has been a while since I have visited this forum. After selling my 89 Project off a few years back, I anticipated getting a V8 Esprit at some point but last year I found one. I have been busy with some family things this year and have visited somewhat sporadically to LT forums but forgot my password here and have been too lazy to reset it! I picked up this '99 Esprit from Guy Therien last February and have been massaging it over slowly as time has allowed. Glad to be back behind the wheel of an Esprit! Love this car and have missed the banter here! Artie 99 V8 Esprit 2006 Aston Martin Vantage

That's odd Lou, not sure why you'd only get certain values unless your interface cable is faulty. Also, did you pressurize your wastegate actuator to see if it holds pressure and opens properly? When I first got my Esprit I ran it hard from a stop sign once and the wastegate got jarred open and stuck partially open. It behaved as you describe. Very low boost and poor acceleration. I pulled the downpipe off and saw that the flapper was cocked back and jammed open somehow. I stuffed rags into the turbine opening to prevent damage to the blades and I pryed the flapper back in place. I then staked the little post that holds the flapper to prevent it from coming loose again. This solved my problem. Worth a try. Artie

I think the words are "Bloody Awful" Scott! Hideous is an understatement! Artie

Pics? I've never seen this!

Wow Dave! That is so beautiful it's a shame it's going to be all covered up with a body. By the way, there is a bolt missing from the table! Lol! Artie

Show Off!

I do too! And don't even have a V8! Nice engine cover!

Definitely keep us posted on what you find!

Hmmm! It's never meant to be easy is it?

Travis, Would welding in the backing plate distort the thin metal of the boxed frame section much? I have some pretty significant cracking on mine as well, and a buddy is a very good welder, but I'm worried about damaging or warping the frame. I would be sure this would reinforce the chassis reasonably better than the gym locker thick piece of steel on mine that's attached with 8 sheet metal screws! ARtie

Jason, Perhaps it's a loose shifter mechanism. Or the thin sheet metal plate that covers the shifter opening, or a loose master shift unit.......Or............Or.............Or.................The bonnet open/close rod if not fully engaged in closed position rattles in my car if I've worked under the bonnet and forgotten to close the bonnet. Or perhaps you've just blown a speaker...Lol! Sorry, couldn't resist!

Thanks Dave! Whenever you get some time to do that, great! My car has a 16ga steel plate that is sheet metal screwed over the shifter opening. Would love to add some rigidity there! Artie

C'mon Bibbsy! You could have stood further back to take the picture! Is that Sport 300, can barely tell from so far away! LOL! I'd give a lot to drive a real 300!

Trav, The bearing was the original rebuild issue! She always had a slight knock, but after 3 years of hard running at my mercy, she couldn't handle it anymore, would smoke at hard accelleration and finally started her one morning and sounded like a handful of marbles in an empty dryer! Decided it was something serious! Lol! I was pleased, at the time it was "Only" a bearing, but nearly $12K later EVERYTHING was new or replaced! The final reassembly this past spring, everything came back out and everything re measured to ensure no damage on the previous headgasket failures. Now, she is running great and strong and keeping the boost moderate at 1.15 for now.....Contemplating a new turbo soooon That's not a motor... !!!! PS, I thought that G car pic was missing something! Artie

Love it Rog! Looks a treat! Nice work! Artie

Dave, What's the thickness of the coverplate over the shifter hole? Also, any closer pictures of the rear triangulated over the engine chassis bracing? Thanks. Artie

I'm gonna venture a guess that this is the product. I've been looking at this exact thing to put on the lower edge of my sills. Since I have the sport 300 rubber on the front bumper and makes it look nice and low, but leaves quite a gap on the sills beneath the car. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NISSAN-EZ-LIP-FRONT-SPOILER-CHIN-VALENCE-SENTRA-ALTIMA-/170668786268?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item27bca7025c Artie

I completely redyed my tan leather 89 turbo interior over 5 year ago with Leatherique's system. I followed the instructions exactly to the letter, and it actually has weathered very well, in fact the original imperfections and slight streaks have faded together and given the dye a very uniform and non patterned uniformity. Aside from scratches in the leather from kids, or other sharp objects, the leather dye hasn't lifted, splotched or discolored. I use Lexxol preservative care now, since I ran out of the leatherique, but has not pulled any color up or any deviations in color. I'm afraid your local guy may have used "Automagic" dye that is very non colorfast and is designed for carpeting. Several of their products are "cover" products, designed to look good for a used car lot and then start coming off on your clothes, or shoes a few days after getting the car home.....Don't ask how I know that! Artie

Ha Travis! That's exactly where mine burned through also!!! All 3 times!!!