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New Speedster Owner In Canada


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#1 CDNspeedster

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 01:04 AM

Greetings from Toronto, Canada.

 

After a long wait I was finally able to bring a Speedster into Canada (non-compliant imports must be over 15 years old). After a quick trip to Germany, purchase negotiations, acquiring German plates, a side trip to Zurich for chocolate, dropping off at the port in Belgium, a lot of paperwork and a long drive from Halifax Nova Scotia...  we are back in Toronto with my new Mandarin Speedster.  Now off to get a safety and emissions check and local plates and then...  unfortunately put it away for the winter.  I'm hoping for an early spring.

 

I'm looking forward to chatting about the cars and using all your expertise to help keep the Speedster on the road and probably the track.

 

Cheers

 



#2 Ali87

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 02:48 AM

Nice one, that's dedication! Enjoy it, got friends in Toronto, will tell them to look out for it in the spring, can't imagine there are any more over there?!..

#3 turbo boy

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 04:03 AM

Wow! Now that's dedication. Mandarin orange too? Nice! Pictures please😝 Welcome to the club. Jon

#4 jackturbostage4

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 07:41 AM

Awesome ! 😃😃👍🏻

#5 Pidgeon

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 08:35 AM

I guess a silver Speedster would stand out over there, but mandarin - you'll cause a few accidents!

 

I have some friends in London and am over most years, late June this year if you need any bits.



#6 rob999

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 09:17 AM

Awesome. What made you go for the speedster?

#7 Ian59

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 10:21 AM

Awesome ! 😃😃👍🏻

 

           :yeahthat:

 

You'll certainly turn a few heads over there and It'll certainly stand out,

 

Well done on picking a great car     thumbsup

 

As already stated....Pics please.

 

Welcome to the asylum     :D  


Edited by Ian59, 14 November 2016 - 10:22 AM.


#8 Andrew aka Stuwy

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 12:49 PM

EPIC I wanted to know if you can bring in VX220s, mine is 15 this year :D Nice job, welcome to the forum, have fun and post pics!

#9 smiley

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 04:27 PM

Canada. Now that's awsome.

Probably only one there.

 



#10 Ormes

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 06:12 PM

Awesome :) thumbsup



#11 CDNspeedster

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 07:34 PM

All, Thanks for the warm welcome, I'll post some pictures as a separate individual reply in the post.

 

Nice one, that's dedication! Enjoy it, got friends in Toronto, will tell them to look out for it in the spring, can't imagine there are any more over there?!..

I expect this may be the only one here as the 15 year window is just coming into view for these cars.  Thanks for choosing the term "dedicated"....   "determined" or just plain "crazy" could also apply.  I'm in mid-town Toronto and I buy cars to drive, not sit around, so they may see me about the city. 

 

I guess a silver Speedster would stand out over there, but mandarin - you'll cause a few accidents!

 

I have some friends in London and am over most years, late June this year if you need any bits.

LOL, Yes the Orange is getting some notice and people seem to want to talk about the car.  Thanks for the offer on bits, I may take you up on it as things are already starting to go... Between Germany and Canada I've put about 4200 KM on in the last month and just today had a leak pop up from the top of the rad hose vent screw, so I'll be sorting that before the safety this week.  Looking at the (already very helpful) forums, it seems there is an o-ring in there? so I'll just swap that out.  The car seems easy to work on and the engine parts should be readily available here and other bits seem simple enough to fabricate.

 

Awesome. What made you go for the speedster?

I had the loan of a Speedster for a weekend when I was living in Switzerland in the early 2000's.  It was a fun drive in the mountains, so the idea has been in the back of my head for a while.  Also a few years ago I had a Cobalt SS TC as a mostly track car, it was fantastic on the track and I miss it.  I figured the speedster could work as a fun road car and occasional track car while providing a bit of novelty in Canada.  No point in taking the easy way and getting a Lotus, which are way too expensive here anyway.

 

 

EPIC I wanted to know if you can bring in VX220s, mine is 15 this year :D Nice job, welcome to the forum, have fun and post pics!

In Canada you can bring in just about anything as long as its 15 years old.  Some of the Provinces and insurance companies are more difficult if its a RHD car, but in Ontario and BC there are a fair number of Japanese RHD imports running around so those two are OK.  If you are serious about importing your VX220, let me know and I can help you with the process. 



#12 hairy

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 08:58 PM

Great story! Welcome to .org chinky chinky



#13 CDNspeedster

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 09:34 PM

As requested a few pictures of the car, the journey and one other. 
 
At the test drive in Germany.
 
Posted Image
 
On the way home.  Only in Canada do you get English/French moose warning signs.  I really don't want to think about hitting a moose in the Speedster.
 
Posted Image
 
On the street in Toronto.  Going for a Burrito, enjoying the roof off while we still can. 
 
Posted Image
 

And finally, the Speedster has to compete for garage/driveway space with this. 
 
Posted Image
 
And it seems the cars are already conspiring against me to be put away for the winter.  As I'm in the process of changing the water pump on the Riviera, the Speedster has sprung a leak at the front hose vent valve.  Seems I can have my own bulk buy on coolant.


Edited by CDNspeedster, 14 November 2016 - 09:37 PM.


#14 Ian59

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 09:45 PM

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]" Between Germany and Canada I've put about 4200 KM on in the last month and just today had a leak pop up from the top of the rad hose vent screw".[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;] [/color]

 

I have a new rad hose vent screw going spare.


Edited by Ian59, 14 November 2016 - 09:48 PM.


#15 CDNspeedster

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 10:35 PM

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]" Between Germany and Canada I've put about 4200 KM on in the last month and just today had a leak pop up from the top of the rad hose vent screw".[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;] [/color]

 

I have a new rad hose vent screw going spare.

 

Thanks for the offer.  I just took it apart, seems its not an o-ring at all but a just flat piece of rubber that probably gets stiff over time and due to the large bearing surface requires a fair bit of torque/compression to re-seal.  I'll go to the store tonight and see if I can't find a piece of flat rubber that will work as a new seal or an o-ring that will fit in the space.  If that does not work and I need the new screw I'll definitely be in touch.   Cheers.
 



#16 Strugs

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Posted 14 November 2016 - 11:09 PM

Loving this, top job! thumbsup



#17 Ian59

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Posted 15 November 2016 - 08:16 AM

 

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]" Between Germany and Canada I've put about 4200 KM on in the last month and just today had a leak pop up from the top of the rad hose vent screw".[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;] [/color]

 

I have a new rad hose vent screw going spare.

 

Thanks for the offer.  I just took it apart, seems its not an o-ring at all but a just flat piece of rubber that probably gets stiff over time and due to the large bearing surface requires a fair bit of torque/compression to re-seal.  I'll go to the store tonight and see if I can't find a piece of flat rubber that will work as a new seal or an o-ring that will fit in the space.  If that does not work and I need the new screw I'll definitely be in touch.   Cheers.
 

 

 

     thumbsup   

 

From memory, the screw comes with a rubber washer.



#18 speedster norway

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Posted 15 November 2016 - 02:54 PM

Its a rubber washer together with the screw.

Posted Image



#19 Ian59

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Posted 15 November 2016 - 04:06 PM

Its a rubber washer together with the screw.

Posted Image

                 

                        :yeahthat:



#20 quimbles

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Posted 15 November 2016 - 04:32 PM

try a jubilee clip around the hose below where it screws in. many vx's with this solution ;)

 

 






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