From Mexie ... to MXSE ...

Daffy · Postby **Daffy** » Fri Oct 18, 2019 2:53 pm

bruce wrote:Dirt road with the roof down. Very brave!

Living on the edge!! :mrgreen:

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:04 pm

Next thing will be no hat and no sunscreen.

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Fri Oct 18, 2019 8:34 pm

Bruce, I must admit to being fairly slack with the sunscreen in my youth, though I've always been a cap wearer. Spent June/July this year putting an anticancer cream all over my scalp after the skin specialist found five spots he was very worried about. Won't go too much into the gory details but there was about 3 weeks of absolute Hell that I don't want to go through again! I now have a very smooth and shiny scalp of new skin

He told me I was extremely lucky the cream worked and warned me to put sunscreen on EVERY day no matter what and cover up even in heavy cloud. Suffice to say I have been well painted and covered while the top has been down since...

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bruce · Postby **bruce** » Sat Oct 19, 2019 11:21 am

Older and wiser Kev. We all experience the same.

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:28 pm

So ... another year older and not much wiser ... and another "anniversary update".

Almost nothing much to talk about car wise, but what a year it's been otherwise. Hope everyone's coped and come through in good health.

MXSE wise, maybe just out of boredom or maybe a reflection back to my original comment to my son 6 years ago on the drive home from the dealership that "this car should stay stock, it's too good to touch", but gradually bit by bit she's morphing back. It started with having some issues reading the instruments at dusk with the blue led's. I've had this since putting them in, but on a couple of drives recently it really became noticeable. I tried some clear bulbs, but was concerned at the heat without the condoms on them, so then tried the original red bulbs that worked well, then some red LED's that I had from back in the NB8A. The clear (white) bulbs were actually quite nice (but as mentioned got really hot) so I settled on the red LED's after driving with each a few times. The instruments are much clearer for me to read now than the blue - this color tends to blend with the black number surrounds making it all less legible for me. While this was all going on, at some stage I decided to return the instruments to original, removing the surrounds and needle caps. The retro HVAC panel was replaced with a (black) original. The 3 VDO gauges remain as does the Guardian steering wheel and I doubt these will change, but who knows.

Externally, the front splitter was removed quite a while ago, as was the "Bear" rear tow hook, but during this recent period I also removed the front hook and re-fitted the originals. Gave me an opportunity to respray the grille while it was off. The little chrome touches to the side indicators and reflectors and the chrome filler remain.

Under the bonnet, the CAI was removed and replaced with the stock intake and piping. I was really sick of the noises from the BEGi intake, so after trying several things over the years, the last of which did work reasonably well by closing off some of the gaps around the box, but it was still irritating. I'm thinking I might attempt to build a new intake box that fits better (and easier) and that is insulated better at some stage for something to do and see if I can return the CAI, but this is more for the appearance under the bonnet than for power as TBH I can't actually say I feel much difference without it. If anything, it feels better down low with the stock filter setup and that's where I drive most of the time. Certainly on a recent long trip the quiet made for more enjoyable touring. The full NitroDann exhaust remains which I think made the biggest difference anyway and unless I decide to really go back to stock I don't need to have the chip retuned.

One item that has been added, was a little project I just did suddenly one day with nothing to do. I've tried several phone holders ovet the years, including the expensive ClickOn ones, and none have fitted to my liking. The ClickOn covered the head unit controls and the end gauge, but I did like the clip in way it fitted. I had some thin aluminium scraps lying around and spent a couple of hours cutting and bending and ended up with this ...

The ClickOn holder use to vibrate way too much but this one fits in to the dash better and is rock solid while also sitting closer to the dash and giving clear view of the gauges and access to the head unit controls.

So that's about it for another year I suppose ... :lol:

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:36 pm

Just btw ... none of the removed parts are for sale, I'm keeping them for when I change my mind again. I had a number of queries for the BEGi intake when I first mentioned it on another thread so just saving us all some time ...

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The American · Postby **The American** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 4:42 pm

KevGoat wrote:Just btw ... none of the removed parts are for sale, I'm keeping them for when I change my mind again. I had a number of queries for the BEGi intake when I first mentioned it on another thread so just saving us all some time ...

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The ‘Bear hooks’ would be a collectors item now. I think I got one of the last sets...

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:39 pm

Ummm oops ... I just realised I missed my "annual garage post" last month

... and that pretty much sums up how poor MXSE has been neglected this year. I just popped out and checked and she's only done 800 kms since October 2020. That's sad. I have no excuses, can't even blame Covid as we've had it pretty good here in Adelaide. Most of that 800 kms was during just one short stay trip to the Barossa. We did a short drive to a cafe down the coast a few months ago, and that's been it for her all year

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ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:20 pm

Well, you've identified the problem and now you can do something about it! Go for a drive to nowhere this weekend :mrgreen:

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Fri Nov 12, 2021 12:56 pm

... once it stops raining ...

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Daffy · Postby **Daffy** » Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:41 pm

KevGoat wrote:... once it stops raining ...

Supposed to be a La Nina year….may be a case of take every opportunity!

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Mon Jan 31, 2022 10:33 pm

Wow, can't believe those posts were nearly three months ago...but finally took her out for a decent drive on the weekend! Felt bloody good!

Bit of a milestone on the drive ...

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ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:20 am

60k!? It's still factory fresh!

Glad to hear you got out for a run, I got out on Sunday too and it was great

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:26 am

60K in 18 years? Thats only just over 3k a year. You need to drive more..

(Not that I can talk. My NB has only done 32k in the 13 years I've owned it!)

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:58 am

Happy Anniversary MXSE! 8 years! Can't believe it's that long. She's had her hardtop on for quite a while now due to the house renovations and I'm kinda liking it, though it's quite a bit noisier inside than when the soft top is up. Certainly feels more secure when I park somewhere. Won't be staying on though once a new storage solution is found - was stored in our spare room last 7 1/2 years and isn't going back in there now renovated. I doubt I could justify keeping her if I only drove with the hardtop on, much better suited hatchbacks out there for me. Anyway, back to some relaxing in Halls Gap where we are staying in our trusty old Holden Rodeo camper for a week. Beautiful morning here this morning.

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