Barty's Green Z4 Coupé - Not another one…
- Thread starter Barty
- Start date
I don't know what's more exciting - trying to figure out what PDM stands for, or waiting to watch all of this unfold. Maybe there should be a prize if someone guesses correctly - a spin in the 206 perhaps? 
You certainly know how to keep busy [Ref]Barty[/Ref]. Looking forward to what comes next!
You certainly know how to keep busy [Ref]Barty[/Ref]. Looking forward to what comes next!
Calps said:I don't know what's more exciting - trying to figure out what PDM stands for, or waiting to watch all of this unfold. Maybe there should be a prize if someone guesses correctly - a spin in the 206 perhaps?
You certainly know how to keep busy [Ref]Barty[/Ref]. Looking forward to what comes next!
That’s an excellent idea! Although it’ll have to be the 147, as the Peug has moved on to a next owner. Managed to buy my best friend’s first serious car back from another owner, and have “brought it home”.
A 1.6 TwinSpark 147 Blackline, one of the last. Loaded with everything you’d want (leather heated seats, Bose, cruise, climate, and every design option you can think of) it makes for a perfect dog-van slash parts hauler
Pink Damper Mod: incorrect. Sadly, cause it does sound kinda fun
Thanks for the musical suggestion [ref]jock156[/ref], you helped me sort my playlist for the night :dance2:
It was actually very welcome and served as a perfect pick-me-up for what I think is now the 12th Zed in the studio!
A 2004 Maldives Blue 3.0i with a healthy 315.000km or 195.000 miles on the clock The owner is a young car journalist and enthusiast who wanted to learn more about detailing. Having spent a serious amount of dough on getting it technically perfect, he now wanted to give the Z some much-deserved optical love. Day started at 08:00, and having just come home I can’t say I’m looking forward to the job of ceramic coating tomorrow. Still, considering what it was, and more importantly how it turned out…
Yeah, that’s one shiny Z again, can’t wait for the outdoor shots! Perfectly timed for our Spring tour this Sunday
It was actually very welcome and served as a perfect pick-me-up for what I think is now the 12th Zed in the studio!
A 2004 Maldives Blue 3.0i with a healthy 315.000km or 195.000 miles on the clock
The owner is a young car journalist and enthusiast who wanted to learn more about detailing. Having spent a serious amount of dough on getting it technically perfect, he now wanted to give the Z some much-deserved optical love. Day started at 08:00, and having just come home I can’t say I’m looking forward to the job of ceramic coating tomorrow. Still, considering what it was, and more importantly how it turned out…Yeah, that’s one shiny Z again, can’t wait for the outdoor shots! Perfectly timed for our Spring tour this Sunday
That Maldives Blue Zed was one of the 5(!) Z4's at our first 2023 edition of Corvo on Tour. A great afternoon out with absolutely gorgeous weather and a dito line-up of cars. Germans, Italians, Japanese, Brits- from fairly mainstream to the exotic (Daimler Super V8 anyone...), good times all round.
Afterwards I dropped off the 147 and picked up the Zed for a trip to dinner, a quick rinse and an evening drive.
Gotta love spring 8)
Third Time Lucky..?
A post of threes this time: on Aero adventures, Zandvoort trips and Scramble #3.
Let's start with another UK-trip I took back in May. Left at 04:00 in the morning to take the 07:30 train at Calais. I met up with Stuart just above London to collect another aero bumper and set of skirts. An absolute gent as always, especially considering he -to no benefit to himself- stored and carried the bumper and skirts for me in the interlude between me buying the set and being able to collect them. So a big, heart-felt thank you to [ref]bigwinn[/ref]
After a spot of lunch with my sister I drove back down to Folkstone, and another 3.5h later found myself back home with all the goods in the back of the Alfa. Now before you think I'm selling these on: I'm actually not. I bought a first aero bumper back in late 2022, as a trade against the M-bumper belonging to Thomas, a mate of mine. He wanted an aero front on his coupe instead, so it made for a logical exchange. Unfortunately, that first bumper turned out to be damaged in such a way that a repair wouldn't be viable. We could fix it, but it would always remain a weak point and as such not something I felt comfortable giving Thomas since he provided me with a perfectly fine M-bumper.
So in came bumper number two, collected in May and fitted last week.
Looks good right? We thought so too, but there's a problem: apparently this bumper has been worked on in the past as well. Something we both hadn't noticed until it came to fitting it: the shape next to the headlight (curving up to the mounting point) has been altered in the past. Someone cut away some of the material, leading to a gap you can't correct for by moving the headlights around.
We hadn't noticed since you only see this when judging the bumper's lines against the rest of the panels. Since he lives 2.5 hours away, I dropped the bumper off at the painters first so we didn't have to do this round trip twice. We spent 5 hours adjusting the bumper, lights and trying everything we could think of, but all in vain. Since I'm a firm believer of keeping your word: I'm going to have to get a third, proper aero bumper now... Sh*t
Zandvoort #3
While this was a huge setback and a deeply frustrating issue to have, I did have a session at Zandvoort booked the very next day. Something I'd been looking forward to for a while and -fortunately- a day I hugely enjoyed once there.
We turned up with 3 coupes, including one you might recognise as [ref]JoelvdrZ4C[/ref]'s. While there, we discussed a roadtrip we've got planned surrounding Zedfest in August. We'll take the boat to Newcastle and then take on the NC500 before heading down to finish at Zedfest. Should be a good trip! Ultimately though, we were there for some track action, which we duly got at 18:00.
The first few laps I spent building up pace and confidence again. While I'd been back at the track since my little off in December, I hadn't driven round in anger yet. I found myself taking it unusually careful out of turn 12 for the first three or so laps, before promptly putting my foot down and returning to my old self. By the end of the session I could really push the car again in the way I did before, leading to plenty of giggles and a slightly car-sick passenger (no incidents there, fortunately) who afterwards decided filming and looking at the screen wasn't the best of ideas... :lol:
Unfortunately, Rik wasn't quite as lucky. He was playing around in turn 8, pushing the car to and sometimes slightly over its limits. While hugely experienced with RWD cars, it snapped at him on the 5th or 6th try and he spun off into the grass, just grazing (ha...) the barrier before continuing on. The contact wasn't without damage though; rear quarter, taillight, bumper and a bent back-box all marked his impact with the steel armco. Bugger
Octane Scramble #3
Then last weekend, it was time for Octane Scramble #3. An event organised by a Dutch car magazine that appeals more to the enthusiast than the racer (or ricer) scene; a field filled with over 320 classics, young- and oldtimers, exotica and extreme high-milers. The fun at Octane really is the diversity of the cars and owners, yet who all share and understand the same passion. Parked next to the "92 Diablo of an acquaintance of mine was a first generation Citroen DS dressed in what was left of its original paint, while on the other side my friend had parked up in his "98 Daimler Super V8.
I'd parked next to another friend's Brera SV6, next to whom was Bas with his beautifully restored Fiat Barchetta. Bas is the co-owner at our studio, and this little Fiat has been a true labour of love over the last 6 months. Only completed weeks ago, we haven't even been able to sand back, polish and coat the paint yet as it isn't quite hard enough yet. Job for next winter
Interior Appreciation
After Octane I decided to go for a drive. No people, no phones, no music, no distractions; just a cruise to enjoy the weather and clear my mind. At one point I pulled over to enjoy the silence, the views and just sit back and look at the car for a bit. It's always been a childhood dream to restore or build my own car, and this is the first serious foray into that area. Certainly won't be my last, but it's good to remind yourself just how far you've come sometimes and take it all in.
One thing I've never really done is show the results of the work on the interior (bits and pieces, but not the whole thing). So I decided to take advantage of the lovely sunshine and snap a few pics
Remember the beige? Yeah me neither... It feels and looks OEM, which is what I was after.
Upon closer inspection, you discover more and more details that deviate slightly from the original design. The individual steering wheel retrimmed and resprayed to match the body colour. The dash trim in Tiefgruen metallic that comes alive on days like today.
Another look at the steering wheel, as well as at the custom carbon binnacles I've had made. Matched to the carbon doorhandles (also trimmed in nappa leather), it just adds a subtle touch to the cabin that matches the exterior design with its elements of green, black and carbon.
Finally the M-sport seats, resprayed in a deeper, matter black than the original BMW black. Rather than add a drop of blue dye (which BMW does to create a slight sheen to the colour) I've gone for 100% black. The topcoat is 100% matte as well, instead of the factory 80% matte/20% gloss finish. Dito on the doorcards, which are still not the finished product.
In fact, the more I looked, the more I realised that while almost there (and gorgeous as it is, if I may say so) it's still not complete. I've got a few more plans for the dash, speakers, insulation, seats and door panels that I want to get done. Same goes for the exterior: nearly there, but not quite. The goal is to create the perfect foundation for a final modification that will dwarf all the work I've done so far. At that point, Project PDM (which will now receive pink springs thanks to the suggestion of [ref]Street[/ref], I promise!) will also come into play.
Fair to say: while I enjoyed my trip down memory lane and appreciated the progress this car has made, it also reminded me of just how big a change still lies ahead. Onwards then
A post of threes this time: on Aero adventures, Zandvoort trips and Scramble #3.
Let's start with another UK-trip I took back in May. Left at 04:00 in the morning to take the 07:30 train at Calais. I met up with Stuart just above London to collect another aero bumper and set of skirts. An absolute gent as always, especially considering he -to no benefit to himself- stored and carried the bumper and skirts for me in the interlude between me buying the set and being able to collect them. So a big, heart-felt thank you to [ref]bigwinn[/ref]
After a spot of lunch with my sister I drove back down to Folkstone, and another 3.5h later found myself back home with all the goods in the back of the Alfa. Now before you think I'm selling these on: I'm actually not. I bought a first aero bumper back in late 2022, as a trade against the M-bumper belonging to Thomas, a mate of mine. He wanted an aero front on his coupe instead, so it made for a logical exchange. Unfortunately, that first bumper turned out to be damaged in such a way that a repair wouldn't be viable. We could fix it, but it would always remain a weak point and as such not something I felt comfortable giving Thomas since he provided me with a perfectly fine M-bumper.
So in came bumper number two, collected in May and fitted last week.
Looks good right? We thought so too, but there's a problem: apparently this bumper has been worked on in the past as well. Something we both hadn't noticed until it came to fitting it: the shape next to the headlight (curving up to the mounting point) has been altered in the past. Someone cut away some of the material, leading to a gap you can't correct for by moving the headlights around.
We hadn't noticed since you only see this when judging the bumper's lines against the rest of the panels. Since he lives 2.5 hours away, I dropped the bumper off at the painters first so we didn't have to do this round trip twice. We spent 5 hours adjusting the bumper, lights and trying everything we could think of, but all in vain. Since I'm a firm believer of keeping your word: I'm going to have to get a third, proper aero bumper now... Sh*t
Zandvoort #3
While this was a huge setback and a deeply frustrating issue to have, I did have a session at Zandvoort booked the very next day. Something I'd been looking forward to for a while and -fortunately- a day I hugely enjoyed once there.
We turned up with 3 coupes, including one you might recognise as [ref]JoelvdrZ4C[/ref]'s. While there, we discussed a roadtrip we've got planned surrounding Zedfest in August. We'll take the boat to Newcastle and then take on the NC500 before heading down to finish at Zedfest. Should be a good trip! Ultimately though, we were there for some track action, which we duly got at 18:00.
The first few laps I spent building up pace and confidence again. While I'd been back at the track since my little off in December, I hadn't driven round in anger yet. I found myself taking it unusually careful out of turn 12 for the first three or so laps, before promptly putting my foot down and returning to my old self. By the end of the session I could really push the car again in the way I did before, leading to plenty of giggles and a slightly car-sick passenger (no incidents there, fortunately) who afterwards decided filming and looking at the screen wasn't the best of ideas... :lol:
Unfortunately, Rik wasn't quite as lucky. He was playing around in turn 8, pushing the car to and sometimes slightly over its limits. While hugely experienced with RWD cars, it snapped at him on the 5th or 6th try and he spun off into the grass, just grazing (ha...) the barrier before continuing on. The contact wasn't without damage though; rear quarter, taillight, bumper and a bent back-box all marked his impact with the steel armco. Bugger
Octane Scramble #3
Then last weekend, it was time for Octane Scramble #3. An event organised by a Dutch car magazine that appeals more to the enthusiast than the racer (or ricer) scene; a field filled with over 320 classics, young- and oldtimers, exotica and extreme high-milers. The fun at Octane really is the diversity of the cars and owners, yet who all share and understand the same passion. Parked next to the "92 Diablo of an acquaintance of mine was a first generation Citroen DS dressed in what was left of its original paint, while on the other side my friend had parked up in his "98 Daimler Super V8.
I'd parked next to another friend's Brera SV6, next to whom was Bas with his beautifully restored Fiat Barchetta. Bas is the co-owner at our studio, and this little Fiat has been a true labour of love over the last 6 months. Only completed weeks ago, we haven't even been able to sand back, polish and coat the paint yet as it isn't quite hard enough yet. Job for next winter
Interior Appreciation
After Octane I decided to go for a drive. No people, no phones, no music, no distractions; just a cruise to enjoy the weather and clear my mind. At one point I pulled over to enjoy the silence, the views and just sit back and look at the car for a bit. It's always been a childhood dream to restore or build my own car, and this is the first serious foray into that area. Certainly won't be my last, but it's good to remind yourself just how far you've come sometimes and take it all in.
One thing I've never really done is show the results of the work on the interior (bits and pieces, but not the whole thing). So I decided to take advantage of the lovely sunshine and snap a few pics
Remember the beige? Yeah me neither... It feels and looks OEM, which is what I was after.
Upon closer inspection, you discover more and more details that deviate slightly from the original design. The individual steering wheel retrimmed and resprayed to match the body colour. The dash trim in Tiefgruen metallic that comes alive on days like today.
Another look at the steering wheel, as well as at the custom carbon binnacles I've had made. Matched to the carbon doorhandles (also trimmed in nappa leather), it just adds a subtle touch to the cabin that matches the exterior design with its elements of green, black and carbon.
Finally the M-sport seats, resprayed in a deeper, matter black than the original BMW black. Rather than add a drop of blue dye (which BMW does to create a slight sheen to the colour) I've gone for 100% black. The topcoat is 100% matte as well, instead of the factory 80% matte/20% gloss finish. Dito on the doorcards, which are still not the finished product.
In fact, the more I looked, the more I realised that while almost there (and gorgeous as it is, if I may say so) it's still not complete. I've got a few more plans for the dash, speakers, insulation, seats and door panels that I want to get done. Same goes for the exterior: nearly there, but not quite. The goal is to create the perfect foundation for a final modification that will dwarf all the work I've done so far. At that point, Project PDM (which will now receive pink springs thanks to the suggestion of [ref]Street[/ref], I promise!) will also come into play.
Fair to say: while I enjoyed my trip down memory lane and appreciated the progress this car has made, it also reminded me of just how big a change still lies ahead. Onwards then
Another few gratuitous pics from last week’s Scramble
Really looking forward to Zedfest in August. Judging from the pics and stories of previous editions, it seems to have a very similar, equally accessible vibe to it. Plus, the NC500 roadtrip is going to be the icing on the cake
That does get me thinking: where will I wash the Zed before Zedfest… if anyone has any suggestions in the area surrounding Shepshed, I’d appreciate it 8)
Really looking forward to Zedfest in August. Judging from the pics and stories of previous editions, it seems to have a very similar, equally accessible vibe to it. Plus, the NC500 roadtrip is going to be the icing on the cake
That does get me thinking: where will I wash the Zed before Zedfest… if anyone has any suggestions in the area surrounding Shepshed, I’d appreciate it 8)
PDM, Closing Up, NC500 Roadtrip
It's been a while, so high time for another update. Since last time's outing at Octane a lot has happened, most of it great and some of it less so. First up, project PDM! The storage I had for it has always been temporary, so when I finally found a spot where I could store it for at least 9-12 months, it was time to move the bare shell.
Loading it was a nightmare, having to manually lift the shell onto a low loader was a challenge to say the least. Workout: check. My physical therapist's income for 2023: sorted. Anyway, offloading proved a lot easier with the help of a friendly forklift-driving local, so off into storage it went. While I'm not gonna give everything away just yet, a few people know of my plans with the shell now. Aim of the game is to build the ultimate interpretation -to me at least- of a Z4 coupe. NA engine, manual box, proper suspension? All on the cards. What exactly? That's going to have to wait a little while longer...
Closing up Shop
As most of you may know, I've been the co-owner and founder of a small detailing business for a few years now. What most people don't know is that I run that next to my day job, meaning long days, short nights and very few real "weekends". Both me and my business partner felt we either had to take it to a next level, or close up shop all together. The subtitle of this section kinda gives away that outcome doesn't it... While sad, we both felt it was the right choice. Besides the workload next to our regular jobs, we also differed slightly when it came to our views of the future. He's very much into detailing specifically, whereas my interest in cars is broader and perhaps a tad more technical.
Since I'm not done with having my own small business, I've decided to channel that enthusiasm and passion into a new venture called "Bart's Builds". The goal is to help people buy and/or build the car of their dreams. Since importing a car to the Netherlands takes some work, it's something I now help people with either by sharing my knowledge and experience, or by taking care of the process altogether. I also help with any modifications, upgrades or finishing touches they may have in mind, delivering the car they've always wanted to their doorstep. On to new adventures!
NC500 & Zedfest 2023
August, and it was time for a trip [ref]JoelvdrZ4c[/ref], [ref]MaldivesMax[/ref] and I had been looking forward to for almost a year now. On the 6th, we boarded the ferry to Newcastle at IJmuiden. 3 loaded Zeds ready for a proper roadtrip! We started the trip off well with an all but smooth transit across the North Sea. Strong winds and rough seas meant lots of greenish people and a slightly upset stomach for the entire crossing. The next morning we were happy to wake to clear skies and smoother seas, though breakfast still didn't quite sit right with me...
Off the boat we came and onwards we went! First leg: Cairngorms national park. Stunning scenery flowed from one bend to another, an absolutely gorgeous first introduction to the beauties of Scotland. The next day took us to Inverness, where we set off clockwise onto the NC500. We did this since we're in the left side of the car, driving on the left, thus giving us the best sea views possible. Our overnight stop in Dundonnell also treated us to the best sunset any of us had ever seen. Simply stunning...
Day 3 took us from Dundonnell to Thurso across lost of small, single-track coastal roads. Most people were incredibly courteous and friendly, though some camper driving adventurers found it necessary to drive in front of you doing 20 miles an hour for mile after crawling mile. Still, that didn't manage to spoil our fun and we had yet another day of fine weather to boot.
Day 4 marked the last day on the NC500 and took us from Thurso back to Inverness, and then down to Cairngorms again for our overnight hotel. Sadly, Max's car started acting up by randomly starting or not starting, depending on how the mood took it. We decided during our coffee break at John 'o Groats to stop at BMW Arnold Clark in Inverness for a "quick" check on the battery's health. Quick proved to be a relative term, since a simple diagnostic test took them about 2 hours to get round to despite assurances they'd be ready for us in a few minutes. At least we did manage to put a serious dent into their Coke and Fanta supply, so it's not all bad. What was bad, was Max's battery. Sadly, the folks at AC didn't have one ready so off to Halfords we went. After several attempts to explain to the poor bloke behind the counter that we really didn't need to register the purchase since we wouldn't be returning for a warranty claim any time soon on the count of us being Dutch, and in went the new battery. The little Maldives mile muncher (322.000km and counting) sprung to life like a new car. Ace!
Day 5, and it was a somewhat dull one to start with. 4.5h of mundane motorways cruising to the Lake District. Nevermind, once there the views proved to be stunning; very happy we added this to our list! Sadly, coming down towards Keswick my car started to make a rattling noise from the back. I had hoped it was a drop link starting to go bad, but just a few minutes and a particularly nasty dip later, and that rattle turned into a full metallic clunk; I'd blown a top mount. Crap...
Worried about how this might affect not just the rest of my trip but also my obligations at home just a few days later (my girlfriend would move in with me just a few days after the trip), I started calling and texting people. One of those people was [ref]Street[/ref], asking him whether he knew anyone that could help out in the area. As it turned out, he did: him! I took a turn as a passenger in Max's roadster, enjoying the last 45 minutes of open-top motoring to the hotel, and was driven back by Joël the next morning still stunned that Chris was willing to drive down all the way from Newcastle with the new top mount and required tools... I would propose he receives the "Legend" status on here regardless of post-count, simply brilliant.
Naturally, the great weather we'd been having thusfar had buggered off, and the rain was coming down neigh horizontally... Still, if ever there was a more suitable breakdown vehicle to help a stricken green Zed, I've yet to see it.
Jep, another one of the just 95 green coupes to help its broken companion. Sporting very familiar bronze CSL reps and a gorgeous M-bonnet (that's now moved up to the top of my wishlist, thanks...), seeing the two coupes together felt rather special. 40 minutes of tinkering later, and the job was done: all set for the trip home.
Well, when I say home, we had one more stop to make: Zedfest 2023. Originally, this had been the very reason for us to go on this trip in the first place. Missing out last year, Joel and I decided to not let that happen again for 2023. Sadly, we're very much aware that this may have been the last edition -at least at Shepshed- so we're looking at options to set up a Continental Edition next year.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet a few people behind the cars and forum handles in real life. The night before at the Link was very enjoyable too, and I'd like to that [ref]MrTidy[/ref] in particular for the great stories and laughs. Somewhere around 2 in the afternoon, it was time to head for Folkstone and the train back to Calais.
3500km in 7 days, and beside a dodgy top-mount the Z did well. Max also discovered he really wants a set of M-sport seats, so we'll be over sometime November to collect a beige set he's managed to dig up.
I must admit, I've had moments before my trip where I contemplated selling the coupe for something different. The Zed's been with me for 2 years now, while I normally don't have a car for much longer than 6-9 months before wanting something different. After this adventure though, I've really fallen in love with the coupe again. Being a daily driver means it can almost start to feel normal, the familiarity sometimes mistaken for a slight dullness. It isn't dull though, or normal, or boring for that matter; remember to use your Zed for what it was designed to do, and I really can't think of another car I'd rather undertake adventures such as these in. It's not the most practical, or comfortable, or frugal, or well-thought out sometimes (really- cupholders don't have to be this complicated or delicate), but when you're presented with a nice stretch of road and the mood takes you... God it's fun to drive. For the money, I can't really come up with a car that offers this much fun for that sort of running costs, and -not entirely unimportant- looks this good to boot. More to come? Absolutely
It's been a while, so high time for another update. Since last time's outing at Octane a lot has happened, most of it great and some of it less so. First up, project PDM! The storage I had for it has always been temporary, so when I finally found a spot where I could store it for at least 9-12 months, it was time to move the bare shell.
Loading it was a nightmare, having to manually lift the shell onto a low loader was a challenge to say the least. Workout: check. My physical therapist's income for 2023: sorted. Anyway, offloading proved a lot easier with the help of a friendly forklift-driving local, so off into storage it went. While I'm not gonna give everything away just yet, a few people know of my plans with the shell now. Aim of the game is to build the ultimate interpretation -to me at least- of a Z4 coupe. NA engine, manual box, proper suspension? All on the cards. What exactly? That's going to have to wait a little while longer...
Closing up Shop
As most of you may know, I've been the co-owner and founder of a small detailing business for a few years now. What most people don't know is that I run that next to my day job, meaning long days, short nights and very few real "weekends". Both me and my business partner felt we either had to take it to a next level, or close up shop all together. The subtitle of this section kinda gives away that outcome doesn't it... While sad, we both felt it was the right choice. Besides the workload next to our regular jobs, we also differed slightly when it came to our views of the future. He's very much into detailing specifically, whereas my interest in cars is broader and perhaps a tad more technical.
Since I'm not done with having my own small business, I've decided to channel that enthusiasm and passion into a new venture called "Bart's Builds". The goal is to help people buy and/or build the car of their dreams. Since importing a car to the Netherlands takes some work, it's something I now help people with either by sharing my knowledge and experience, or by taking care of the process altogether. I also help with any modifications, upgrades or finishing touches they may have in mind, delivering the car they've always wanted to their doorstep. On to new adventures!
NC500 & Zedfest 2023
August, and it was time for a trip [ref]JoelvdrZ4c[/ref], [ref]MaldivesMax[/ref] and I had been looking forward to for almost a year now. On the 6th, we boarded the ferry to Newcastle at IJmuiden. 3 loaded Zeds ready for a proper roadtrip! We started the trip off well with an all but smooth transit across the North Sea. Strong winds and rough seas meant lots of greenish people and a slightly upset stomach for the entire crossing. The next morning we were happy to wake to clear skies and smoother seas, though breakfast still didn't quite sit right with me...
Off the boat we came and onwards we went! First leg: Cairngorms national park. Stunning scenery flowed from one bend to another, an absolutely gorgeous first introduction to the beauties of Scotland. The next day took us to Inverness, where we set off clockwise onto the NC500. We did this since we're in the left side of the car, driving on the left, thus giving us the best sea views possible. Our overnight stop in Dundonnell also treated us to the best sunset any of us had ever seen. Simply stunning...
Day 3 took us from Dundonnell to Thurso across lost of small, single-track coastal roads. Most people were incredibly courteous and friendly, though some camper driving adventurers found it necessary to drive in front of you doing 20 miles an hour for mile after crawling mile. Still, that didn't manage to spoil our fun and we had yet another day of fine weather to boot.
Day 4 marked the last day on the NC500 and took us from Thurso back to Inverness, and then down to Cairngorms again for our overnight hotel. Sadly, Max's car started acting up by randomly starting or not starting, depending on how the mood took it. We decided during our coffee break at John 'o Groats to stop at BMW Arnold Clark in Inverness for a "quick" check on the battery's health. Quick proved to be a relative term, since a simple diagnostic test took them about 2 hours to get round to despite assurances they'd be ready for us in a few minutes. At least we did manage to put a serious dent into their Coke and Fanta supply, so it's not all bad. What was bad, was Max's battery. Sadly, the folks at AC didn't have one ready so off to Halfords we went. After several attempts to explain to the poor bloke behind the counter that we really didn't need to register the purchase since we wouldn't be returning for a warranty claim any time soon on the count of us being Dutch, and in went the new battery. The little Maldives mile muncher (322.000km and counting) sprung to life like a new car. Ace!
Day 5, and it was a somewhat dull one to start with. 4.5h of mundane motorways cruising to the Lake District. Nevermind, once there the views proved to be stunning; very happy we added this to our list! Sadly, coming down towards Keswick my car started to make a rattling noise from the back. I had hoped it was a drop link starting to go bad, but just a few minutes and a particularly nasty dip later, and that rattle turned into a full metallic clunk; I'd blown a top mount. Crap...
Worried about how this might affect not just the rest of my trip but also my obligations at home just a few days later (my girlfriend would move in with me just a few days after the trip), I started calling and texting people. One of those people was [ref]Street[/ref], asking him whether he knew anyone that could help out in the area. As it turned out, he did: him! I took a turn as a passenger in Max's roadster, enjoying the last 45 minutes of open-top motoring to the hotel, and was driven back by Joël the next morning still stunned that Chris was willing to drive down all the way from Newcastle with the new top mount and required tools... I would propose he receives the "Legend" status on here regardless of post-count, simply brilliant.
Naturally, the great weather we'd been having thusfar had buggered off, and the rain was coming down neigh horizontally... Still, if ever there was a more suitable breakdown vehicle to help a stricken green Zed, I've yet to see it.
Jep, another one of the just 95 green coupes to help its broken companion. Sporting very familiar bronze CSL reps and a gorgeous M-bonnet (that's now moved up to the top of my wishlist, thanks...), seeing the two coupes together felt rather special. 40 minutes of tinkering later, and the job was done: all set for the trip home.
Well, when I say home, we had one more stop to make: Zedfest 2023. Originally, this had been the very reason for us to go on this trip in the first place. Missing out last year, Joel and I decided to not let that happen again for 2023. Sadly, we're very much aware that this may have been the last edition -at least at Shepshed- so we're looking at options to set up a Continental Edition next year.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet a few people behind the cars and forum handles in real life. The night before at the Link was very enjoyable too, and I'd like to that [ref]MrTidy[/ref] in particular for the great stories and laughs. Somewhere around 2 in the afternoon, it was time to head for Folkstone and the train back to Calais.
3500km in 7 days, and beside a dodgy top-mount the Z did well. Max also discovered he really wants a set of M-sport seats, so we'll be over sometime November to collect a beige set he's managed to dig up.
I must admit, I've had moments before my trip where I contemplated selling the coupe for something different. The Zed's been with me for 2 years now, while I normally don't have a car for much longer than 6-9 months before wanting something different. After this adventure though, I've really fallen in love with the coupe again. Being a daily driver means it can almost start to feel normal, the familiarity sometimes mistaken for a slight dullness. It isn't dull though, or normal, or boring for that matter; remember to use your Zed for what it was designed to do, and I really can't think of another car I'd rather undertake adventures such as these in. It's not the most practical, or comfortable, or frugal, or well-thought out sometimes (really- cupholders don't have to be this complicated or delicate), but when you're presented with a nice stretch of road and the mood takes you... God it's fun to drive. For the money, I can't really come up with a car that offers this much fun for that sort of running costs, and -not entirely unimportant- looks this good to boot. More to come? Absolutely
is stunning though 
North West Surrey
Yes it was great to meet the three of you too Bart.
And you are right, Street really is a Legend. Just a shame he wasn't at Zedfest - it would have been great to see 2 Tiefgrun Coupes together!
Good luck with everything else that you have going on.
And you are right, Street really is a Legend. Just a shame he wasn't at Zedfest - it would have been great to see 2 Tiefgrun Coupes together!
Good luck with everything else that you have going on.