From: Barry Lovelock
Date: 25 Aug 2002
Time: 02:08:31
Remote Name: 213.122.152.139
You could try tuning the engine. 30bhp instead of 12 works wonders! Not sure how steep the Rimutaka ranges are, but my tuned cars would climb a 20% gradient at 30mph (50kmh) plus, instead of about 10-12mph (20kph is wishful thinking). Actually, there is something nice about about the crawler first gear and lots of revs in it, as long as it doesn't go on for too long. A good A7 engine has a feeling of invulnerability and it will probably boil before it bangs, but it does need to be in top condition.
Barry.