Coffee - automation

As most of you know, i'll be getting out of bed at silly-o'clock in the future to make it to work before the roads are clogged up. Hence I don't want to spend any of my potential sleeping time boiling coffee. Especially not since I have an automatic coffee machine of the non-programmable persuasion.

Guess some things will have to change.

I've been looking at the Atmega range, but I haven't got a clue how to program the things. Fortunately there's google helping me out.
I found this site, which has a nice n00b-section, even the name says it all :-)
I'll be working my way through that, but if any of you have some other sites, recommendations or general tips, just let me know.

BOTW Honda CB900F

Since I started a car of the week thing, I might as well start something about bikes.

And I taught I'd start with a kicker. I present you the Honda cb900f.

Other than the fact that I actually rode the modern version of the bike, also known as a hornet 900 or the 919 in the states, it was apparently a very nice bike to ride. And seeing at how cool the one in the picture looks, it might be the base for the project I've been looking for.
Since I already have all the modern power, handling and long distance capability in the blackbird, I need a short distance play thing. Cue the cafe racer :-)

COTW 3 - Porsche 944 turbo

I'm at it again ... this time it's a Porsche 944 Turbo.

Let's brake it down: 

Pro: 

- 220 or 250hp on the rear wheels (ok, that number is at the crank but you get the idea)

- RWD 

- designed by porsche to go on where the 911 left off. (that didn't happen, but the mechanical design should be pretty good)

- 4 seater, with a bit of imagination

- it's a Porsche

- Turbo, meaning more power is relatively easy to achieve

- Pop up headlights ... how cool is that

Con : 

- It's the car that never went on, whereas the 911 did. This means having to live with the "it's not a real Porsche" comments

- Since it stems from the last century it's bound to have some problems

- fuel consumption. Old turbo engines were never known for their economy

- Pop up headlights .. they're heavy and bound to break at some stage

COTW - BMW E28 M5

Since i've been slacking off, here's another one.



The belgian legislation on oldtimers has changed a bit. For the last million years an oldtimer couldn't be uses when dark nor more than 25km away from the garage. Making an oldtimer completely useless.
The changes now liberate us from these restrictions, so driving an oldtimer might actually become fun.

So queue the oldtimer of my choise : The original M5.
It still has the nice shark nose design of old BMW's and not the strange edges Chris Bangle introduced. It came loaded with 80s flair and for that time a load of options. So electrical everything, which i will probably throw out in favour of weight saving and simplicity. Or as Colin used to say : if you want to add speed, just add lightness.
Now let's come to the heart of the car. As any proper BMW, it's graced with a nice inline 6 (the M88), producing 282hp. The ponies are sent through a 5 speed to the proper wheels, i.e. the rears. So we have the basical ingredients for a nice handling car.

As an added bonus, the car comes with 4 doors and can comfortably transport 4 people with ample luggage space. Making it a almost too good to be true.

As far as updates go, the E34 M5 engine is a straight swap to the S38B38, delivering 335hp. That being said, the original engine is good for a 6s sprint to 100kph and a top speed of 246kmh. Not all that slow, even by modern standards.

COTW BMW Z3 2.2

It is been a while since I posted a car of the week. So without further ado, here it is.
I've recently been looking at the Z3. The same logic goes as for the E46, since they came with the. M54B22 engine. For those who don't remember what that means, it's an engine that has the same base as the M54B30, that being the 3L 200-odd horsepower engine that was used throughout the BMW lineup. So a swap of this in a Z3 should be more than feasible. Especially since it was actually mounted in the Z3 coupé at some point in time.
Then there is the problem of it being a 5 speed. Here we can pick a part from the Z4,which should actually fit. Some more investigation is necessary, but hey I already got the engine sorted out.
So there you have it. Rwd 2seater with north of 250hp. Should be fun :-)

COTW BMW E46 320ci

Next option.

For people thinking it's weird to have that many different cars on your mind, have a look at the pistonheads forums overhere. So there you have it, my free ticket to yet another car-idea.

As some of you know, my celica has sprouted an oil leak at a very accessible place (NOT, it's not far from an engine-out job to get to a 20€ seal) Needless to say I've been putting of the repair and I've found myself driving a very nice E46 320d.

It's just a perfect all-rounder car. Very nice chassis (the optional M-chassis), comfortable on longer journeys, yet very able to put a smile on your face during a more spirited drive along some rare winding country lanes. The only thing is that i'm not a diesel fan, and I'm used to having a bit more power.

Soooo queue the 320ci.

It has the same nice chassis as the 320d, while the body is just a little bit lower and sleeker. That should make it even more composed in corners. It comes with an inline 6 cyl engine, which in my mind is the only proper engine for a BMW. It get's even better, since the M54B22 is family of the M54B30 which has won the engine of the year award from 2001 till 2003. And just in case the power-itch comes along it might even be feasible to put the 3.0L block instead of the 2.2L.

COTW 2 - BMW Z3 M coupe

Ok here goes.

Just saw a Z3Mcoupe on the airport parking.
I know I've been rambling about cars with 4 seats to be practical, but I'm willing to make an exception for this one.

Personally I'm a big fan of the car's styling. I mean, it's a shooting break, how cool is that.
As far as propulsion goes, it's an M-car. It has 321hp from a longitudinally mounted inline 6, going straight to the rear wheels. Meaning a tail happy handling and a butter smooth engine.

As far as taxes go, this is where it gets ugly. Our Belgian laws would have me pay a yearly tax of 1200€ just to keep it on the road ... ouch.
There is no way to get this down, the smaller 3.0L is taxed 950€, which is still plenty painful.

So tax-wise the only way to have a nice fun car is for it to be a smaller engine with plenty of horsepower. Either by strapping a turbo to the engine (Impreza) or by making plenty of revs (S2000)

Guess my next COTW will arrive sooner than foreseen.