nismoman

So perhaps the R32 wasn't properly equipped when they went to Japan? i.e. should've taken supersoft semi's with them?

Go the GTR! So glad you got the 4WD sorted! and Beer-Baron, with the Japan trip, I had no idea that the super soft semi's were so hard to get! Those sneaky japanese - was probably a strategy to ensure no one else could run on them. Maybe we should do the same here. Ring around to every motorsport tyre outlet and tell them "do not sell to any super soft semi's to anyone except the aussies!!!" HAHAHA...

I'm assuming the Advan R34 will be running the super soft, super grippy compound of tyre at this event. Surely with Advan sponsorship, this should be a given. New sets every session anyone? If I remember correctly though, when Mark last visited Japan with the R32, didn't they find they were running a harder (and slower) tyre than their competition?

Neil, the Radical is sounding good. Out of interest, how much power did it produce at wheels on the dyno? At what RPM is max power achieved? Is it more than you had before?

Webber set fastest lap. Shows he can do it for one lap, just needs to do it for 58 laps.

Well at the last round at Eastern Creek, I got in 5 sessions. That was with 120 entrants and a few oil downs / break downs as well. They try to give you at least 5 sessions and hope to provide 6 sessions. So if you count only the flying laps (3) you get between 15-18 hot laps. You also get a full warm up lap which is awesome to get everything up to temperature and the eye in! So that adds another 5-6 laps making total 20-24 laps. Warm down lap isn't really a lap, just a few corners, so won't add them total laps. The best thing I love about Supersprints is the small window you have to lay down a quick time. Plus the fact it's extremely competitive and you don't have too many laps in a row to flog the bejesus out of your tyres, brakes, engine etc. In other words, it's quite challenging, fun and easy on the car!

Nice to hear some updates. Was keeping things to myself, but OK I can't resist. Latest gossip for the S13: I had side exhaust pipe made up and fitted to the Silvia. It starts from the end of the front pipe where the cat should start, then makes an angle towards the passenger side of car and exits before the rear wheel pointing downwards so I don't burn the side of my car. Looks fat and mean! I reckon I saved about 10kg in weight and hopefully gained a handful of kilowatts. I know for sure it cetainly sounds heaps different! SR20 sounds more like a tractor than ever before now! Looking forward to Wakefield, it's been over a year since I last drove around it.

This is my favourite build up ever! Thank you for sharing, you have carried out some very skillful work and provided alot of insight. Keep up the good work! Hope it all comes together in time for you.

Hey people, I have a set (4 tyres) used Yoki Advan A048's in 245/40/17 size for sale. Have a bit of tread left and at least a couple of track days left in them. Price: $200 Located in Newcastle, pick up only. Too much hassle to arrange courier etc. Pics show tread etc. Much better than any street tyre on the track. PM me for contact details to arrange inspection/sale. Cheers Mark

Hey people, I have a set (4 tyres) used Yoki Advan A048's in 245/40/17 size for sale. Have a bit of tread left and at least a couple of track days left in them. Price: $200 Located in Newcastle, pick up only. Too much hassle to arrange courier etc. Pics show tread etc. Much better than any street tyre on the track. PM me for contact details to arrange inspection/sale. Cheers Mark

Porsche 550 spyder. Just awesome. I'd give my left nut for one!

You can't go wrong with a set of Bridgestone RE55's.

Hahaha! That's what good ol James Hunt used to do! It was good enough for F1 drivers back then wasn't it? James Hunt - What a legend

Can we expect the Australian GP to be any better? I don't think Albert Park lends itself to overtaking any more than the Bahrain circuit, in fact, probably less. What's the easiest solution to implement? Make the compound difference between the option and prime tyres greater? Enforce 2 madatory pit stops? I have a feeling nothing will be changed in the short term. We are all going to have to suffer watching boring processional GP's or watch/follow something else. Did anyone see the season review of the European Carrera Cup on OneHD yesterday? For a one make series, there was plenty of action and overtaking. Blew F1 out of the water for entertainment!

Can we expect the Australian GP to be any better? I don't think Albert Park lends itself to overtaking any more than the Bahrain circuit, in fact, probably less. What's the easiest solution to implement? Make the compound difference between the option and prime tyres greater? Enforce 2 madatory pit stops? I have a feeling nothing will be changed in the short term. We are all going to have to suffer watching boring processional GP's or watch/follow something else. Did anyone see the season review of the European Carrera Cup on OneHD yesterday? For a one make series, there was plenty of action and overtaking. Blew F1 out of the water for entertainment!

Well I was think it's alot better idea than Bernie's solution of introducing short cuts. I've seen the push to pass button work well in other open wheel series so why not? I don't think it turns F1 into Mario Kart at all. There are no such coins to collect! The money has all been spent! lol! I think we can all agree that something needs to change in order not to suffer more boring GP's.

The KERS system provided us with some overtaking last year. So why don't they introduce a "push to pass" system. Doesn't have to work like KERS with batteries and energy recycling etc., but how about a giving each car a few extra RPM for 1 use per lap or something? You don't see any drafting anymore and you don't see anyone overtake down these really long straight aways either. Something's wrong with F1 and they need to fix it. I'm so close to ignoring F1 and playing GT4/5 on PS3 instead! I think the short term solution is to make it 2 mandatory pit stops. At least then we won't see everyone just surviving to make it to the finish line on their worn out tyres. It really was a joke watching the front runners turn to survival mode and try to make it to the chequred flag. If it wasn't for Vettel slowing and a few cars catching and passing, there would have been no action whatsoever!

I think there's nothing in it. I'm not too sure of the weight of the stock door trims on an R34, but would you think by the time you made them out of aluminium, retrimmed them in carpet and added handles, fixtures for switches etc. that the weight difference would be that significant? I would be suprised if you even saved 1kg for both sides. If you do go ahead, please tell us the weight saving!

G'day Dane, I was looking into the same thing with the windows, and you can get ones that are direct replacement for you standard front side windows. They bolt into the window rail and go up and down just like factory ones. The mob in the UK have them and I think a supplier here in OZ was selling them on nissansilvia.com. (can't remember their name) They were asking something like $250 each though. As an alternative, you can look at acrylic based perspex as a cheaper option. Just be aware that when replacing the standard glass windows with plastic, they may not seal as well against the rubbers. That's one downfall of frameless doors! Try this guy also for quotes. www.plastix.com.au I spoke to him awhile back and he said they will make anything including windows for cars. Can mould to any shape and cut to any size. Hope this helps. Cheers Mark

Great thread Duncan! Thanks for mentioning me. I didn't think anyone could match up my nickname to my car and all! (nismoman = S13 Silvia) Well done, good detective work. I had a ball as usual and the track was in awesome condition. I love turn 1 evey time. I somehow managed my best time of the day in the first session, and then tried to beat it every session there after without success. I thought the ARDC ran a good event, I ran 5 sessions which was excellent considering the amount of entries. This NSW Supersprint series is very popular isn't it? They said at the briefing they have a record number of entries for the series; 140+? More volunteers and officials coming back to support the series as well. Can only be a good thing for grassroots motorsport in NSW and Australia for that matter. Congrats to both Duncan and Stuart. You guys are damn quick.

Yeah, dead right there. I guess people will know and see who's driving the wheels off their car, whether they be a ring in pro or owner driver. I find at the track if you lay down a good time, people come and find out a bit about you and the car.

If it's a shop/business/company that wants good exposure and a good result by having a gun driver brought in, then they can run in Open or Pro class. Clubsprint class should enforce the rule of matching name on registration paper with driver name. If not so, then you go into Open class.

My prediction for the taking out the title is the Panspeed RX7. It has done a 55 sec lap of Tsukuba previously, which is blindingly quick.

I think if you can slide the car at the right time, at the right angle. Yes, it's quicker. But the problem lies in being consistent repeatably. I'm no professional and it's difficult to slide the car the same way, every corner, every lap. Keeping it straight and just on the edge of losing grip is more controllable and easier to repeat more consistently. (for me anyway) My 2 cents.

To be fair at just over $600 for two days worth of Eastern Creek madness, it's not too expensive. The amount of highly modified cars and international field ads more flavour as well! A normal supersprint costs roughly $200 and you should get more track time at Superlap. Is also 2 days of punishment on tyres, brakes, car etc. The problem for me is I am entered in the NSW superpsrint championship and I have 2 rounds in May already (2/5/10 at WP and 16/5/10 at EC) and I know by then my tyres will be fubar'd, brakes will need redoing etc.. So is a bit difficult for my measily budget to extend to all three events in one month. I'd love to do it, but I'd have to sacrifice one for the other so to speak. - read: SPONSORSHIP ANYONE? As an ARDC member, I think I'll go and enjoy a free day spectating instead!