The difference between unbiased, impartial journalism and sycophantic, obsequious kowtowing should be plain to practitioners of the profession. On one hand you write the truth, on the other you bend it to suit vested interests. It's obvious to the journalist - but much harder for a reader to pick. Sure, if the writer has made it self-evident, you can see that the product review or news piece that you're being fed is simply trash. But what of sins of omission - where the nasties are simply left out?
These musings were prompted by a phone call. I'd written an article for magazine six or more months before AutoSpeed came into existence. In it I'd been very complimentary about a blower kit for the Holden V8. Bolting on the kit turned the car into a 12-second stormer - genuine power that simply can't be underrated. But the Achilles heel of the kit was a crude water injection system. It comprised simply a windscreen washer reservoir and pump that squirted water through a plastic hose into the blower intake. When boost arrived, the hose squirted.
Compared with the work-of-art centrifugal blower, the laser-cut steel brackets and the new in-line fuel pump, the water injection system was basic - too basic. And I said just that. Praise the good bits, criticise the bad - the role of any journalist assessing a product.
But on the phone was the man who had produced the kit. He strongly suggested that I shouldn't have made any criticisms - and after all, when all was said and done, the points were only my opinions anyway! That he and I had agreed in conversation that the water injection side of things could do with a big improvement was conveniently forgotten.
But he was prepared to be magnanimous. What he'd do was happily look over any AutoSpeed articles on supercharging - before they were published. That way, he'd be able to "correct" any mistakes or false impressions that had been created. In fact, he said, it was just the arrangement that he currently had with a major Australian magazine publishing house!
I point-blank refused. No feature article in AutoSpeed was going to be vetted by someone with vested interests. And no, it didn't matter whether he bought $10,000 of advertising - or none at all. The policy would remain in place. An animated discussion followed as he considered this apparently new concept of journalistic impartiality.
Finally, he ended up saying:
"Well then, I'd better make sure that my product is 100 per cent right before you guys see it!"
Exactly.
My screensaver has a simple message: "Hard Work = Results". It's not going to take the screensaver market by storm; I can't see people rushing to download a Britannic Bold banner that scrolls slowly across the screen, yellow against plain grey. In fact, I reckon that most people would consider it pretty bloody boring. But the slogan summarises a fundamental truth of life - and of working on cars.
I've been reminded of this when watching Ian Richards making carbon fibre body panels for his Daihatsu Mira TR-XX. Ian has allowed us to document every step for a special series that AutoSpeed will be running soon. I've been haunting his small workshop, Nikon in hand and shooting film after film of the process. And it hasn't always gone smoothly. No, the photography's been all right, but not always what's being photographed! While very experienced with fibreglass, this is the first carbon fibre work that Ian has done. From our perspective that's even better: it allows us to see mistakes as well as success.
But I reckon that Ian started doubting the wisdom of letting me be there every step of the way about the time that he angrily ripped the three layers of carbon fibre out of the bonnet mould. Even after vacuum bagging and 24 hours of curing, the bonnet was floppy. Distressingly floppy. It was a full day's work and maybe A$300 of materials down the drain. I didn't have the courage to fire the flashgun at that moment....
AutoSpeed's project car is now sitting in my driveway. It's a humble Nissan Pulsar EXA coupe, 1983 in vintage and turbo EFI in palate. At A$4000 it's also not going to break anyone's bank - yours or mine. The EXA is about the tenth car that I've bought secondhand. And it's always the same - the cars look wonderfully cheap in the newspaper or Web classifieds but when you see what you get for the money, you quickly revise upwards the amount that you're willing to pay!
The car is technically my lady's, and together we went to inspect six or seven. One had lost fifth gear (though the salesman swore black and blue that it had been there earlier in the day!), one wouldn't rev over 3000 rpm, and one had a freshly rebuilt engine but bubbling rust around the front 'screen. Basically we were after one of two combinations - either a car with a shagged engine/turbo but good body, or one with brilliant mechanicals and a passable body. Buying a car that had both attributes was considered financially not viable.....
One car that we drove had the most stuffed turbo I have ever experienced. The EXA fell into the so/so body but maybe great mechanicals category - the paint on the boot was very sad and the foam of the driver's seat could see daylight. I warmed the engine, pulled out onto the main road and I gave it a bootfull. Rear vision disappeared - literally the whole of the rear view lost in a pall of smoke! Not a stream, not a wisp - but boiling clouds of turbulent smoke blocking the view of two lanes, a median strip and street lights! The car was stickered at A$3000 - I offered A$1500. Giving me a pitying look, the salesman remarked "That's less than the wholesale price!" Graphically illuminated to the 100 per cent mark-up, we left shortly thereafter...
Finally we ended up at Pulsar Parts - much to my lady's consternation, a wrecking yard. There we found a maroon (burgundy?) EXA that drove satisfactorily and looked acceptable - bodywork okay, mechanicals okay. I bargained and bargained, succeeding in getting A$4500 down to A$4000 - and deciding that this baby was mine. Sure, the top end of the engine was a bit clattery, but adjusting the valve clearances should fix that - or so I confidently spouted to Georgina.
Unfortunately it was not to be - the valve gear is worn and no work with the feeler gauges and spanners is going to change that. But then again, with 180,000km on the clock, the original engine probably needs replacing, doesn't it? Especially if we are get anywhere near our aim of doubling its power.....
Julian Edgar
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