Beer Baron's Japan Photo Diary

[Beer Baron]

This is the paddock area behind the pits.

a nice line up of Zeds.

All the press waiting for them to finally wheel out the new 08 R35 GT Car.

Here is comes. This moment was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. A minute or so before the door opened we all just heard a big psssshhhht from the air jacks as it dropped down. Then a minute later we hear it start. then some quick reving. The sound was amazing. Then the door opens...

It's out!!

This is the moment that he turns straight for me and I realise I'm in the way. D'oh! some impatient revving sees us all quickly disperse.

Finally we get to see what it can do on track. After 1 or so warm-up laps Satoshi really gives it the boot and starts putting in some quick ones. The sound is awesome.

After maybe 5 or 6 laps he brings it in to rest on the main straight right in front of the main crowd in the grandstand.

he emerges victorious! The crowd is going mental at this point.

The crowd love Satoshi. He is one of the most successful nismo factory team drivers in Super GT. It's fitting that it's him who gets to debut the new car.

Looks great from pretty much any angle. very impressive race car.

It gets the Satoshi thumbs up

Check out the pack of media around it!

Now at this point things get weird. after a short speech about the new GTR. The crown goes nuts and starts chanting in perfect unison: "Nii-San......Nii-San". with almost military precicision. what made it so weird is that they were so spot on that in pause between chants you would have been able to hear a pin drop. It was surreal to be standing down on the pit straight looking up at the crowd chanting, and flag waving. They are all fiercely patriotic and brand loyal too.

and this is it. my final image of nismo festival 2007. Generations of Nissan race cars, all lined up along the front straight, with a nice japanese winter sunset to cap it off.

[Beer Baron]

I think that's all I can manage for today kids. Uploading and linking photos is some boring, time consuming sh1t!

should pick up on monday with Fuji drifting, and Tsukuba Time Attack. and some other non-car related pics too.

[CamGTS]

*Round of applause for Beer Baron*

[DRD-00F]

*joins in applause with military precision*

LOVE that GT GTR... My dream in life is to either drive it, or having something that came off it

[Beer Baron]

I sneakily touched it. haven't washed my hand since. next time I'll break a piece off for you doof.

[DRD-00F]

Awwww thank you!

Could you like... break the engine off and bring it to me?

[CamGTS]

BB is there a way to view all your photo's not via SAU?

[lingeringsoul]

I'd defnintely have to attend one of these festivals once in my life as a media, even if I have to make up fake media passes or jump the fence.

[battery]

i wish stuff like this happened in Australia.

[dacow]

absolutely captivating stuff!! Can't wait for the next installment!

[wrxkilla]

hey richard.

love the pics mate.

awesome stuff! thanks very much!

mick

[West]

This is now my desk top back ground, thanks mate.

[Large]

Best thread ever!

All these pics are making me want to go back to Japan asap

Edited December 16, 2007 by Large

[Beer Baron]

ok, time to make with the pics:

These pics are from a few days spent in Kyushu. The first few are the docks in f*kuoka (Kanda Port). I know not very exciting but some people will be interested I'm sure.

This is my truck sitting on the docks at Kanda.

A car carrying vessel at dock to be loaded.

another car carrier being loaded at the same time.

[imprsv]

By some chance do you have this in a higher resolution, its dying for my background picture but doesnt look fantastic streched

[Beer Baron]

My head at prime garage.

exhaust side. not yet done, but you can see the scribe line indicating how far out it will be taken. no knife edging on the exhaust side as it's a waste of time. just enlarge the port and remove the bumps and casting marks.

Combustion chambers not finished yet either. when done it will have the squish pads removed from one side, and have new valve seats cut (the ones from nissan were no good, CC'd and cleaned up a bit.

intake side. I think these pics speak for themselves. enlarged ports, knife edged, and the throats have been opened out quite a bit.

my block awaiting assembley. (in the foreground, that's a 3.2L 2J behind it)

some of my bits.

some more of my engine parts (trust sump extension, tomei cam gears, tomei valve springs, nismo timing belt, tomei headgasket, tomei restrictor, tomei cams) - not all in the shot

where the magic happens.

more after lunch.

[n154thrlz]

Truck? Damn... now thats excess baggage

Great thread man!

Gav.

[Beer Baron]

Prime Garage circuit/togue civic. awesome car.

[Beer Baron]

something very special. This is custom made for Prime, 4AG 20V crank shaft. It's the black one, the bottom one is HKS crank. This crank is one of the bits Tets' used in Yoshioka's D1 Hachi engine and it makes 357ps NO TURBO (some nos though). so yes, Tets knows how to build a motor. and Yoshioka won a round in the US. so of course Tets was very proud that he built the motor in that car. only 5 of these cranks were ever made, and I think 1 or 2 left only.

a few more serious motors at prime.

[Beer Baron]

a serious sized car carrier leaving the docks at Kanda.

a better view of the rear loading ramp.