I visited VIR for a bike day.

The color on this 991 is super close to the LSB on my M3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man, a lot has happened in summer 2017. I was blessed enough to go to two F1 races.
The first in Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve where Hamilton broke Senna’s pole record and was presented with a race worn helmet by the family.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/35128251642/in/dateposted/

 

Link to blog here:
https://fantasticvoyagesunlimited.com/2017/11/01/canadian-f1-gran-prix-2017/

 

Then Mexico where Hamilton secured the 2017 WDC.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/24295304308/in/album-72157688581498464/

Blog here:

Mexican F1GP 2017…

 

Car wise, things have changed.

I traded my 18/19 staggered Equips for an 1996 240sx with a VQ35 and CD09 from a 350Z already in it.

It’s not wired up yet and needs lots of time and money that I don’t have at the moment.

It was a dumb idea but whatever.

The interior is in pretty decent shape. The dash has no cracks.

The body however has dents, and clear coat peeling everywhere. No real rust though.

It is FILTHY.

It’s a pile but I am happy to have another S14. These things are getting rare for real and the prices are stupid. So even if I have to sit on this thing for years before I finish it I will unless I can get a 95 or 97.

Engine looks in decent shape. Sitting outside in the weather has made this thing filthy though. Plus the tubs have been cut out.

Z calipers all the way around. Not fully bolted in or plumbed.

The pile of mess that came with it.

The few purchases I have made for it so far.

I finally got around to extending the LS400 lip for the Q45 and painting and installing the sideskirts. I also painted the grey trim on the car body color.

I have put in quite a bit of time and effort into this thing. Not a lot of money but sweat and frustration.

That was a major process but it MAJORLY improved the look of the car.

It’s crazy how just a tiny bit of aero can drastically change the look of a car.

No later than a week after I finished all this was the car sold. I was going to put the full VSSD set on the car and restore the paint. Sad to see it go.

I had been trying for two years to sell this car to replace it with a truck. All it needed was some aero. and paint.

The night I sold it. I had to drive to my friends Scott’s house to pick up some S14 wheels. Scott lives almost an hour from me. By the time I got home and swapped everything over it was almost 2 am before the new owner drove away.

While I miss that car it had to go to get something more practical. A mini van.

 

 

After doing stuff like this with my Lexus (wiring broke in Q45) I needed something to tow with and to carry tires to get mounted.

 

No trailer yet, but that is coming soon.

I did a little bit of driving. I think I’ve done 4 events this year. No grip or bike days this year unfortunately.

Man Zol out front in his IS300 at Piedmont

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/35029686112/in/dateposted/

 

 

Piedmont is HELL on cars. The first entry is like 30% grade and you hit it straight on.

Then you can catch a little air at the 3rd turn and fully compress your passenger side suspension.

As a result my body work is taking a beating.

Local hero Chris Cotrupi leaving me for dead.

Whut is you doin’ baby?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/35716885621/in/dateposted/

Lip and overs are in need of attention. I plan on going to 19’s and my Vertex front is painted and ready to go on.

But at that point I don’t want to drive the SC at this track anymore to destroy it.

So I plan to have the S14 running for local events.

So I am waiting for a few things before I freshen up the Lexus. I want to keep driving while I finish the S14. I might just use the M3 for grip days or focus on bike days.

I realized SC’s look best on 19’s but do not have wheel clearance for decent sized tires. When I do go to 19’s I will have to run rubber bands OR raise the car.

You know what I’m here for.

Following Scotty too hotty at the end of a train. We all over the place.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/35716878441/in/dateposted/

Found some 19″ Equips in my storage.

 

Visited Asheville to see the eclipse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95068106@N08/35911637274/in/dateposted/

 

Then played in the dirt.

 

Next up trailer and “restoring” the M3 to go to VIR for a few track days.

 

For 2017 I am thinking of going to 19’s on the SC.

 

I also purchased a Contour for the few events I do.

Fixed some things on the Q45 to get it ready to sell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated my tails.

I bought another moto. 06 with 3,008 miles. Fresh.

Also picked up new gloves. The goal is to do some track days on this thing at VIR.

 

 

 

This event I almost didn’t make. I had a conflict of interest between the Mexican GP and drifting. I really didn’t want to drive without transporting my car via trailer anymore because it takes so much energy to do and the anxiety of breaking and being stranded are so old. I had not procured a truck yet so I was on the fence. I had just fixed some issues though and wanted to try them out. I had found my PS issue, a line to the factory cooler was kinked restricting flow and causing a stupid wine. I had added a cooler, removed the factory lines and added new fluid. But on the other hand my downpipe was so crushed the car felt like it had 150 hp. So I decided to go and do two hours then jet home for the race.

It was hotter than expected and I was exhausted from lack of sleep. The runs I got were decent though, nothing broke and I made it back in time to catch the green flag. A good day.

Limited media of course since I only drove the early part of the day.

 

 

I can’t find the photos but when I got home I started looking for new ways to correct camber aside from the crappy drift works uppers. I contacted Figs but they weren’t super helpful and dragged their feet on giving me an answer. So I hit up Megan and they were extremely helpful. Installing the arms was a pain mainly getting the old ones out. They clearly had not been removed since the car was built. I ended up having to cut them out and buying new hardware from Lexus. It took about a week to do. I finished just in time for the second event of the summer. I had also installed new Megan fronts to replace my old TC Sportlines. I measuring tape aligned the car and went back to the track. The car felt much better. I was still having issues with my PS despite the new lines and fluid. But a vast improvement.

Also tried to go get some tires mounted and it didn’t work because the Infiniti got a flat.

Much more forward grip.

Articulation.

Pointing out where to avoid if you don’t want your oil pan or suspension broken.

Many more runs this time.

Taking the punk line. Those tractor tires are scarier than a K-Rail.

I moved on the exact date of a drift event at Piedmont so I had to wait a month to catch the next one. Unfortunately it started off as a rainy an dreary day, pretty rare in this area. But towards the end it dried up and the course got a bit faster. The course however is very rough and not low car friendly. I got a few ok runs in before I broke my axle and pulled the threads out of my upper control arm.

With no friends in the area to carry tires for me I had to get creative since the SC does not have great cargo space.

There wasn’t much media and after finally rigging my car to drive home I was beat. It started to rain again and I was driving home on one axle with a welded diff and a heavily loaded car. The lightening that came was super impressive and the thunder felt like it was going to cave my chest in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recently left the north east and moved back to the dirty souf. I did some research before I left and found there was a place of drift not far from me. Also a track I have always watned to drive, VIR, is fairly close as well as the Blue Ridge parkway and some other interesting spots.

But before that a quick catch up. I stripped the rest of the old chassis and had the car towed off. A huge load off my shoulders.

One last rompe at Richmans

One day while cleaning out the garage I dropped a tie rod on the back glass of the SC so I had to take it to get replaced. Expensive and hard to find.

I put everything up for sale with the plans to let go of whatever sold first. Hoping the Q45 would go first so I could get a truck for a daily, however the Bike sold first. I was sad but not really.

As a going away gift I got to see a RWB creation and ran into an old classmate of mine.

I can’t find the picture but Damien Bagley hooked it up on shipping. The SC and M3 went on his trailer and I towed the Q45 down behind the Moving truck and the Virago was inside.

 

I had a week off before work so I went out to a few meets to get a feel for the area. A photographer caught some images of the SC.

I wandered around and did a few of the M3.

And some of the Q.

Attended a Food Truck Festival/ Car show in Greensboro.