A couple of weeks ago I ordered a video camera and it arrived today. I’ve had a quick play with it after work but it really needs proper sunlight for a clear picture. I’ll be giving it a good workout this weekend and report on the quality and functionality after I’ve had a chance to play with it for a while.

The brand is Vholdr and it’s their new Contour HD camera. It’s very small for a HD camera but the only thing that’s HD is the video size really. The quality of the frames is more than adequate but I wouldn’t go shooting a movie with it. The appeal is that it takes wide angle video at 135º which makes for some really stable footage. It also has a SD mode which outputs half the resolution but doubles the frame rates for some excellent action captures. It captures to micro SD cards which are pretty cheap and I purchased a spare battery plus a small suction cup mount to attach it to flat surfaces on cars. It should stick to any panel which will yield some very interesting angles. It comes with a helmet mount kit and a goggle mount kit. Price for all of that came to a little over AU$500 delivered from the US.

I’ve spoken to 4 agents from 4 different kit manufacturers. Each one offers something unique in a package that looks pretty much the same to an outsider. One is better on price while the other might be expensive but with good cause. A glass body or two takes on the aluminium shell. Some try to stick very close to the original Super Seven design while others have evolved ever so slightly over the years. They each offer a variety of engines but there are limits and it all depends on how deep your pockets run. They each offer relatively the same suspension style while one offers a unique setup that deserves attention.

Subtle differences in each kit means I sit here scratching my head trying to decide which one to choose. At any time I’ve decided to go with one kit or another. In the end they all offer something good and something average. The right choice lies in finding the kit that ticks most of the boxes for me and making do. Small compromises never hurt anyone.

I’ve made up my mind to buy one kit or another and even to buy a second hand car or none at all. My engine choice has gone full circle from 4AGE to 2ZZ, 3SGE, F20C and back to 4AGE. With each decision I’m certain what I want when in reality I’ve still no clue. In a way not being able to jump right in to this project has been good for me. If my 240Z had sold quickly I would have made a bad engine choice which leads to a bad chassis choice.

Everyone over at Oz-Clubbies has been great in helping me with my questions. The community around clubbies is excellent in Australia which goes a long way in a hobby as technically demanding as car building. Without the support these cars would not be getting built.

Michel from Hunters Hill offered to take me for a drive before I seriously commit to selling my Datsun and starting this project. Thanks Michel. :) More on this next weekend.
Went out with the Datsun the other night and came home on a tow truck. The radiator sprung a leak and the engine was overheating very quickly. I originally thought it was the bottom radiator hose but on closer inspection I found the radiator had a leak under pressure. Out with the radiator and measure it up for a new one. Last night in bed (terrible I know, can’t stop thinking about these things) I had this irritating feeling that I had overlooked something. I have an electric water pump which I had not checked. First thing in the morning I checked it and nigh a sound chirped. Usually I would have stopped here and taken it to an electrician. Not this time. I opened it up and found a wire had come loose. Such a small thing can bring a car to its knees. A quick solder later and some fumbling with the brushes while trying to get it back together and the unit came alive! In the end it was a simple fix but one which has given me a nice boost of confidence.

After thinking about it for a while I have today decided to go ahead and build a Seven.

My Datsun 240Z will be hard to part with but I’ve truly had my fun in it and as much as I really do love it and as much as I know I will regret selling it it has to happen in order to fund the Seven and make room in the garage. I do sincerely enjoy the Datsun but at the same time it is not very reliable which is frustrating. The fuel costs! You can’t expect a high performance vehicle like that one to be reliable and each time something goes wrong I hate spending the money on it… It’s going to hurt, but I will need to part with it. Unless I find long term storage that is… :)