Time for a NI NZ molecule

[apollyon25]

Not only is the car sitting in my garage, all lonely and in need of a good thrashing...
I am 9595km away from home... Posting from Seoul, South Korea.

I understand why Korea is a technology hub. No-one sleeps here... 20hr work days are commonplace.
I am tired, grouchy and looking a little rough around the edges...

Nice people though, and they really look after you.

Make you work really hard though...

[wisp]

How long are you away for?

My car is sitting on axle stands awaiting a new petrol tank.

What a sorry bunch we are. We have to get these machines together and give Auckland a sight never seen before. Two Atoms in convoy.

BTW -  Hamilton Airshow 7-9th March.

[wisp]

20 April 2008. Well finally we got both cars together.......

[img width=800 height=600]http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/4Racers/P1020003.jpg[/img]

First J gave me a quick ride down the motorway and back. Wow, how smooth and quiet the 3 is compared to my MK1. Later when I got back in my own car I noticed the difference in ride a lot for the first mile or two. I like the sound mine makes under a wide open throttle though. 
Then we set off toward the coast, only to have to turn around. Bloody women.  (J did promise to give her a good spanking  ).
We headed north on the motorway to J's. What a sight. I got to drive my car beside another Atom.
There was a bit of a photo session at J's so hopefully he can post some more pictures or the video clip that was taken.

So next we set off from J's to cruise some roads local to where he lives. Not more than a couple of corners into the country side there was a loud bang from behind me, followed by smoke.  I though I had blown something but it was just an old MK1 trick. The left rear mud guard (fender) had come off. Several minutes later we were together again cruising through the country side. It's so cool seeing another Atom on the road. I can imagine, from some of the expressions, what people would have thought when they saw two of them cruise by.

At the end of the trip I was able to have a good look around the 3. Technically it is a very different car in many ways.

[apollyon25]

Bloody women... who goes out and doesnt take their front door key???!!!

I was sitting in the car at the gas station after filling up and doing the routine (belts, immobiliser etc) when Wisp sends me a txt asking how far away I am. Replied "20?"
(minutes) and headed off. Must have come across every slow inconsiderate driver on the way down to Wisp's place though.
Found his place and pulled up the drive.

Out comes John and the family... Then several minutes are spent comparing the two cars side by side and looking at Wisp's very quick petrol tank fix.
We nut out a plan for the drive/ride and head off.

Wisp without his helmet or ear plugs so that he "can hear the car". Comments at the first intersection were "It's a lot smoother and quieter than mine..."
On to the on-ramp and I floor it a little... 4th to 5th to 6th and we are on the way... A quick blat and we get off at the next exit and head back.
Got boxed in and didnt manage to open it up too much on the way back.

Pull up outside Wisp's place and discuss where we are going to go. Wisp jumps out and goes and grabs his helmet etc and then we're off!
We get about 20min into it and just onto some good back roads when my phone rings through the Bluetooth headset.
I take THE call and then spend the next 5-10 minutes trying to get Wisp to pull over so I can tell him. I try ringing but he either didnt take his phone or turn on his bluetooth headset. It turns out he hadnt turned his Interphone on or paired it to his phone.

Eventually I find a spot to pull over and indicate and pull to the side. He sees this and pulls over. I tell him the bad news and he suggests that we just "do a run up by your place".
Good idea ole' son.

We head North. We are a traffic hazard. I thought it was bad enough just with one Atom. Two seems to destroy utterly the locals sensible driving ability. They dont look where they are going and blur the lanes. But HELL its cool to see an Atom beside you or in your mirrors. I am grinning like an idiot. We swap who is on pole or taking point. We drive side by side and slow slightly so the gap in front widens. Then fang it alongside each other.

The first NZ North Island Molecule run had arrived!

We get to my place and the nephews (and one neighbour's boy) are out in force ogling both cars. Compariing and picking up the obvious ones - one is green, the other black. Ah gotta love kids. They completely missed the tube's direction changes.

We head off shortly thereafter up to a road I had driven a few days prior. Nice, tight, windy stretch of road. (I posted the google map link on another thread).
I see Wisp behind, I see a turn off, I see Wi...hang on... oh sh1t, where did he go?!!?!
Oh he might have taken that road to get onto Ridge... so the race is on... I fang it along to the intersection I know is a couple of kms up the road... I wait for a couple of minutes... Oh no... No Wisp... so I head back along Ridge to (hopefully) pass him by going the other direction... nope.
Then the phone rings... his mudguard is off. (*#$ (&$%#$((*!!!!

So I head back.

THEN we go for a drive. Along Ridge Rd, into the Coatsville highway, up to Silverdale, then back along East Coast Road.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&g ... 46069&z=12

[KiwiXTR2]

Well done. 

Is Brookdale Road sealed all the way through?  The last time I went that way (years ago) it turned to gravel halfway up the hill and I haven't been keen to get the Westfield stuck on a blind corner.

Now that you've had your first molecule (took a few seconds to work that out) it must be time for a trackday. 

[wisp]

It was seal all the way we went iirc.

A trackday is definitely on the cards. The MK1 needs a bit of remedial work first.

[John Lloyd]

[quote="wisp"]
[img width=800 height=600]http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/4Racers/P1020003.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

Is there a front on view of the car in the foreground.... the headlights look "interesting"?

[wisp]

[quote="John Lloyd"]
Is there a front on view of the car in the foreground.... the headlights look "interesting"?
[/quote]

How's this....

[John Lloyd]

Why have they been changed?

[wisp]

I think it is something that is done as part of the compliance process to make the car road legal in NZ.

Even my car has the headlights mounted much higher than UK cars.

[img height=450 width=600]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2339/219 ... bd82_b.jpg[/img]

[apollyon25]

Early on in the importing of the Atom to NZ, the NZ compliance agency LVVTA was asked by a vehicle certifier if the standard headlights would be suitable as is. They stated that because the headlamps were being shadowed by the front wheel guards, the indicator stalks and the front of the car, as well as being floppy, that an Ariel Atom with factory fitted lights WAS NOT compliant and would not be issued with a LVVTA Cert. So its now a rule. The fact that they also illuminate the footwell was not well received by our regulatory body.

So, I had the headlamps mounted further forward on custom made brackets (they pick up on the front bell crank mounting point and the side panel lug). The brackets are superb. I am a bit undecided about the light shrouds themselves. I like that you can see the suspension when you are driving but I dont like that they break the lines of the main tubes and look very 60's.

I'll probably swap them out for some low profile Hella ones at some stage.

[John Lloyd]

Thanks for the info', at least you have a street legal car, which is not the case with your neighbours  .

[benyeats]

[quote="John Lloyd"]
Thanks for the info', at least you have a street legal car, which is not the case with your neighbours  .
[/quote]

Seem to recall Wisp has a unique lighting set up as well so assume he is legit (if not may as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb and take the lights he has fitted off and fit something more asthetic)

Ben

[apollyon25]

Wisp's are also modified as his picture shows. They sit several inches higher than the stock location.

Basically once the LVVTA have passed it through compliance you are free to do whatever you want.
Obviously if you return them to their standard location you run the risk of having illegally mounted lights, where they will likely fail subsequent warrant of fitness (WOF) checks. Then you wont be allowed to drive it on the road.

Passing compliance is expensive. About NZD1500 just for the checking over not including the remedial work.

[wisp]

[quote="benyeats"]
Seem to recall Wisp has a unique lighting set up as well so assume he is legit (if not may as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb and take the lights he has fitted off and fit something more asthetic)

Ben
[/quote]

Don't you mean aesthetic? Hasn't that also got to do with personal taste? I like my certified lights the way they are, thank you. 

sheep    lamb  originality