Rezz

Yes man, I'm just about ready to launch my website, got a shipping deal going on with the cars/parts and accessories, and 2 or 3 propositions to expand and I haven't even opened yet! As far as importing cars goes (wink> DaiOni) it's more like: Private ownership in Japan for 1 year (requiring a parking space), registered (of course), import approval, and with the container, to make it worthwhile, you'd need 2 cars in the container, plus parts. Or you could just export the car, they work out the freight cost from the dimensions of the vehicle. I got a Mitsubishi Pajero going next month for a freight cost of $1400 to give you an idea...

According to the Japanese Domestic Car Bible, all *Series 1* variants of the HR31 GTS and GTS-X started in May 1986 bar the NISMO, which was Febuary 1987. As for the NICS and ECCS, I'm at work, so I'll get back to ya...

I'm starting to agree with you. It's nigh on impossible to get a vintage 1993 Autech catalogue (or list of available mods done by Autech that year), let alone get answers from the girl on the helpline. Sorry cobo-11, I tried, but theres just no way I can say for sure what was done to your car. Lets just say it was "serviced" by Autech:)...

Sorry man, from your info under your User name, it said "R32 GTS-4 Autech", and I though that you had (but didn't know it) a legit Skyline Autech Version... It's quite possible your car had work done by Autech. people don't realize that Autech is a "car lifestyle" modifying company, and that most of the work they do is fitting "Kid's Version" things to Nissan Serena's etc, things like tougher upholstery on the seats, car navigation, different paint jobs that aren't in the Nissan catalogue etc. So your car was probably bought and at the point of sale, had a few extras put on by Autech. Nissan makes the car - Autech bolts on some accesories, paints it a non-standard colour, puts in different upholstery, put a higher grade stereo in, things like that. Are there any easily identifyable differences between your car and a standard GTS-4? Like equipment, colour etc?

I remember watching an old Colin Chapman vid, and I think Jackie Stewart was driving an Escort in the '68(?) British Touring Car Chapionship. He was the ultimate powersliding master. He had that Escort, as underpowered as it was, sliding like you wouldn't believe around Brands Hatch, easily getting the fastest lap times... it was beutiful to watch, seeing this old Escort almost "floating" around the faster corners... In that situation, powersliding to get a faster laptime, is kinda outdated now in all but rallying, due to advances in tyre technology, suspension design etc... Whats more, the car is never out of control to an extent that it's hindering laptimes... well thats the theory anyway. Drifting on the other hand (in the circuit battle sense of it) is an intentional powerslide sustained for as long as possible with no consideration of lap times. Feel free to flame what I just wrote, thats just my understanding after going to illegal and circuit drift events here in Japan.

In 1992, Autech released an R32 Skyline GTS-4 with and RB26DE (yes, a non-turbo RB26) called a "Skyline Autech Version". This car was marketed as a "Gentlemans" GT-R, it had a non-turbo RB26 for not-so-brutal power delivery (it only had 163kw), and a full loaded interior, with auto everything and re-upholstered GTS-T seats and an AT transmission. It also had the aluminium bonnet from the GT-R, also the GT-R's grille. It only came as a 4-door. So, a) do you have a 4-door? B) Do you have an NA RB26? (heh, heh:D) This is the only model R32 to be released by Autech. I'd say that theres some shenanigans going on if you've got just an ordinary GTS-4...

Aye, thaat be true meeete...

Of course man it's pretty hard to keep going if your at 90 degrees to the corner at exit. But you should be at least 30 degrees, right? Being parallel with the exit line is like rallying. But I guess the whole idea with professional drift is to get the car as sideways as possible, as long as possible for any given corner. No if's, no buts. If theres room to continue the drift on exit, well then keep going!

Alright, I have to ask... whats an "e" Brake? When I explained my controller setup, I said "brake" is Square button, and "Handbrake" (sidebrake in AmEnglish?) is Cicle button. When I explained above, I meant the "brake", not the "Handbrake"... (f@ck, why was that confusing?) ...as a side note, I'd recommend you don't get into using the handbrake just yet. Get the hang of entering the corners correctly first. I'd say that when you said "it turns a little... then straightens out a bit for some reason", it's because your allowing the car to regain traction. For a lefthand corner: Approach the corner at about 100km/h (60mph?) and turn full-lock to the right, then full-lock to the left, at the same time you turn full-lock to the left, give it full throttle to initiate wheelspin. As the cars rear end gets about 30 degrees out, countersteer to the right to "catch" the momentum of the rear end. To sustain the "drift pose", keep steering between dead-center and full-lock right, while "tapping" the accelerator button to keep the car at about 30 degrees angle. Try these settings for the 180SX (240?sx in the US? I don't know): The Nissan 180SX is the best drift car. The SR20 powered Silvia`s are also good, but the S15 is a little too top endy in it`s power delivery, so to keep it sliding at the limit is more difficult than the others. Why the 180? Well, the SR in that model (in the game) has the bulk of it`s torque around 3-4000rpm, you need this to be able to tap the accel and get instant wheelspin at lower speeds, and to be able to "steer" the car with the throttle. Also, on it`s lowest ride height at the front, the 180 has excellent stance making the front end really stable... this is apparent in the low to mid-speed corners. The settings: SUSPENSION Spring Rate: (F) 5.2 ®16.2 Ride Height: (F) 89mm ® 89mm Damper Bump: (F) 2 ® 8 Damper Rebound: (F) 2 ® 8 Camber: (F) 10.0 ® 2.0 Toe: (F) 2.0 ® -2.0 Stabilizer: (F) Level 1 ® Level 7 BRAKES Brake Balance: (F) 20 ® 15 GEARING L.S.D. Initial Torque: ® 30 LSD Accel: ® 40 LSD Brake: ® 30 GEARBOX 1st: 3.012 2nd: 2.302 3rd: 1.820 4th: 1.501 5th: 1.245 6th: 0.874 Final: 4.083 Auto Setting: Level 21 ASM (Active stability controller) and TCS (Traction Control System): Obviously set to 0. *edit* IMPORTANT! Super Soft slicks on the front, with normal tyres on the Rear. Also, fully tune the engine, 500+ps is perfect power, no too much for the slow stuff, and not too little for the high-speed corners like at Apricot Hill. Explanation: Honestly, keep the Camber set to 10 degrees on the front. This "lowers" the car even more, and it increases the overall track width, giving more stable (and higher speed) drift ability. The gears ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT!!! That box is set. You won`t need 6th, and the other gears are set so close that it provides power wheelspin at any time (just select the right gear for the trackspeed).

Hit the nail on the head there... Lately I`ve seen a number of Australian "Drift" vids off the net, just short pieces, and for the most part... there just kicking the tail out on exit! Aaah, Drift? Haven`t got the gonads more like it. So many of those vids are titled "Check out this awesome drift!", or "Wanna see a Zed drift?" and I`m like, ok I`d love to see what Aussies can do nowadays. Then upon opening the file, I see this big power Skyline or whatever, and the driver *flys* up to the corner, slams on the brakes, putters around the corner, then floors the throttle on exit, resulting in what looks like a little chirp to the side. Mmmmm. Please tell me this is just an inexperienced "Drifter" getting all excited about losing traction for the first time! Please DON`T tell me that Danny from "Japanese Motorsport" is the only guy in Australia that can drift!!!!

Ok: 1) BALANCE. It's no good using a 1000hp car, coz theres no way that you can "feather" the throttle button carefully enough. Why? How do I know this? It's a 740kw car! When it comes on boost, with super soft slicks or not, that thing is gonna kick out violently. Theres no way to hold a drift coming into, through, and then out of the corner. I've tried it sooooo many times since early 2001, and why is it I can pull off almost perfect, linked, handbraked drift with the 180sx/Silvia's, yet with ANYTHING else it just gets frustrating coz the cars either spin out, or just do a gay little tail wag? 2) TECHNIQUE. Brake, shift down, tap the throttle. Brake, shift down, tap the throttle. Brake, shift down, tap the throttle. Brake, shift down, tap the throttle. Of course if your coming up to a hairpin or a slower corner, you'd have to shift down 2 gears or more depending. IT'S ALL ABOUT SETTING THE CAR UP BEFORE THE CORNER. Reduce the speed until you think you can manage the car through the approaching corner. the thing is, it helps if your going SLOWER, because you can easily speed up if you need to, the hard thing is slowing down again. You should be able to control the car without using the brakes so much during the drift (for now), but if your too fast into the corner, well, your gonna go off the track! 3) PATIENCE. Keep at it. You will get it. I set my controller up like this: R1 = Shift up, R2 = Shift down, Square = Brake, X = Accelerator, Circle = Handbrake, Triangle = Look Back. This set up leaves your left hand to solely do steering only. Using the GT FORCE Steering Wheel sucks coz you almost brake the thing trying to do lefthand corner to righthand corner links... About the video, my video card in my computer is a NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440, and I have no way to connect my PS2 to the computer, but as soon as I get it sorted, I`ll post up a nice demo at Grand Valley...

I agree. It`s a 5-Speed box with a 6th speed added for better economy at cruise, which, incidently, is still shite...

Could one of you extremely talented folk make a 1026x640 (I think!) wallpaper of the two pics of the Yellow 33GT-R in my sig? This is their logo... Help a hopelessly incompetent PC user out... Thanks in "Advance"... /Rezz

>Rob: I don't think a white bonnet on a black car (or any colour for that matter) is as successful as having a (black) carbon bonnet, coz standing back from the car, it looks like unpainted FRP.... you know, like you just bought the bonnet, and you didn't have enough cash to get it colour coded so you just slapped it on... My 2c, but it would look different, and if you teamed it up with a set of white wheels, it would look more cohesive.

Auto Modellista has been out for over a year and a half! Cool cellshading though, good choice of car. I'm wondering how the wheeis can be done...? Looks tricky.

Image sent...

I've got Photo Studio 2000 SE, is that any good/can I do what I stated above with it?

...I like the chrome around the windows... bling.

Guys, I'm using MS Paint (!) - it's the only thing I can figure out using - to make the Logo for my Business. So far so good, but what I really want to do is make the resolution better, from the now 24bit, to something more finer. Also, I'd like to use things like "carbon fiber" and "chrome" colours, instead of the usual colours... any ideas on what I can do? Cheers!

Thanks man. Big up

Flat shiftiing is when you change gears but don`t take your foot off the accelerator. Bouncy, bouncy bounce off the rev-limiter with a crap gear change, but if your lightning quick and time the change so that the engine doesn`t have a chance to hit the rev-limiter, you CAN actually add 10kw to your peak power... ...well thats what that Matt-black CRX driving Vanilla Rice geezah told me...

They be AVS Model 7's... but that center cap doesn't look like it says "AVS" on it, so they might be fake...

I'm confused... there are two different cars? Whatever, I think the blasphemous use of those GT-R badges, nay, the Neo Straight-6 engine cover, should result in an instant beheading with a rusty teaspoon...

DON'T DO IT PranK!!! I'm (click, click) WARNING YOU!!!

Just curious... How many other ppl like Vanilla Spice? If theres more than 10 of you, I might have to go and buy more ammo...