Drivin Ivan

When I ordered my springs for my swb the rear was too high, sent them back and got replacements. - The rear end is quite a bit lighter on the swb - which is why they snap around so viscously on you compared to the lwb. The wieght loss makes a hell of a difference though :cool: :cool: Ivan

Go for the four point and make sure you get them anchored with the right size steel bolts and spreader plates. Make new holes if you have to to get them to sit straight on the shoulders - this is important. If you fit them badly you wont do them up tight enough, and that will only matter once! I have a swb, so I had to go 3 point Ivan

I run Eagle F1's on the Front and Continental N1's on the rear - standard UK wheel sizes. Done 32 laps of the nurburgring with that combination and they were perfect - by the time the rears are fully warmed up the fronts start to understeer the perfect amount, which means she slides into corners at 110 mph which makes your balls tighten the right amount. Ivan

Sparco Pro2000 race seat, weighs about 20Kg less than a standard seat. Was an absolute bitch to fit - the floor is very very not flat. So aluminium spacers and about three goes (the exhaust fumes do come in through the holes!!!) and she is in there and not coming out. Fixed in one position (minumum height and max weight applies) and I can't take the harnesses out completely. One of the absolute best things I have ever done to a car, worth all the blood sweat and tears to get it in. It feels great the connection to the car is real good. Ivan

Oh yeah and the panel to repair the damage on the rear is on the way from Japan at the moment - she was gonna be back at her best again at the end of the month (the body shop guy would have to wash it :rolleyes: ).

Japfest May 06 Castle Coombe 1minute 25s, I was on a faster lap (about 1.5 seconds) but crashed!! SWB with no engine mods at all, only thing I have done under the bonnet is a grounding kit (Smithy :cool: ). Springs all round (to my spec), new shocks on rear (MJP :) ) Many many brakes (Ryan :) ) Is that what you wanted young man? Ivan

Just needed to rant about it, I might convince the insurance company to give me the money any way - saves changing the gear box oil, getting new brakes agian, replacing the front dampers, and the list goes on. you have the same car you know what it's like.... Besides she has done 32 laps of the nurburgring - probably wouldn't have taken another trip, but it is gutting after getting the car to handle so well... I might buy her back and either rebuild or break.

Just had a Dutch truck driver drive into the side of the Z, was sat in traffic just outside work and he puts his indicator on and drives straight into me. I was stationary in the outside lane of the carriage way so couldn't go anywhere! I just sat there for a second swearing a lot, then the object of my wrath comes into view, he could hear me as the glass had smashed when the truck had mangled the door. I took a second or two to get out of the car, when the the guy saw the size of me and how pissed I was he ran back to his truck cab. I really wanted to bounce his head off the front of his truck. I calmed down and then relised I was blocking the carriage way so drove the Z car in front of his truck. Got all his details - he even had a proper accident report form, which I got my copy of. Took some photos on my phone and just as I was about to pull away plod turns up. This was not a bad thing as she was really cute little blond - lost interest when she didn't know what the car was. The wost part of the day was buying new rear tyres (£242) at lunchtime and not being able to use my new found grip further than driving back to work :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: Now gonna have to fight the insurance company about the value of the car again!!!!!!!!

I have just returned from a trip to the Nurburgring last weekend so if all is well with the car I may turn up too. :duffer: Ivan

Depending on how the money works out I may be up for another trip late sept. Ivan

When we went last year hours of practice on the playstation and Xbox really paid off. I managed to get the Z car on the playstation set up exactly the same as the real Z. It really paid off at some of the fast corners that were flat out in the game but when you got there your balls tended to shrivel and I either lifted or braked the first few times. Then I decided to be a man and take them flat - it gave me such a huge confidence boost and I was able to take a good half minute off my lap time. Around 9 min 30 was my best lap from the 15 I did on the my visit. The trick is to build confidence slowly. As said above each lap is totally different the conditions change constantly - remember it was designed to be as hard as possible. Going back in three weeks :dance: :dance: !!!! Ivan

No Just the door, there wasn't even a mark on the sill :p . I am going to need to get the tracking sorted, it hasn't moved much but with the way I drive can feel there is a slight change in the angle the tyre is hitting the road. It is going so well at the moment it's hard not to give it some stick. Ivan

Yeah I got a yellow one from Yami's other half, it was yellow. Spent Wednesday rubbing it down, later I sorted out the door!!!!! Got it sprayed and laquered and then fitted it on Saturday afternoon - there are still a few yellow hints visible but on the whole not too bad a job. £200 and 7 days to sort out my track day problem. Feeling pretty good about myself, especially after the door fits so sweetly. Ivan

All fixed now! Many thanks to Yami for her help. Ivan

Drive it like you stole it :hyper: Ivan

Err in short no! :rant: :headvswal

Popping and banging exhausts are a feature of stainless systems, especially when they are hot. Keep an eye in the mirrors on dark country lanes at night and you might see the flash from the back. Ivan

You have got to be kidding :D There were some nicely turned out cars if that's your thing, I was :( that the Beast was there and I missed it :headvswal . I was amazed at the amount of carbon people were showing off, it was almost obscene with all that bare fibre showing! Have you people no dignity? Ivan

Don't really need the vid footage I am still able to recall every second in minute detail, but it is good seeing the pics from the outside. I had given my own camera to a friend and when I get that developed (old stylee camera) there should be a couple of me loosing it. Hopefully more vid and pics will surface over the course of the week. Ivan

Nice pic, it kinda captures the moment as she got away from me. Ivan

Or maybe here

The GTO crash vid is here http://www.youtube.com/watch_fullscreen?video_id=nU_D5Z4BecY&l=237&t=OEgsToPDskITVWO2mmGlCHsgvk0ShzYY&fs=1&title=Japfest%20GTO%20crash

The track is the only place to safely do that sort of driving to the limits. I have seen some of the other incidents of the day and I definately was one of the lucky ones. I found the footage of the GTO going into the barriers :x: and the poor guy with the white Z with the destroyed engine :cry: Ivan

The insurance company are reviewing my claim at the moment, so still not sure where I stand on that at the moment :( . I have pretty much sorted it out, Yami gave me a number where I could get a spare. I wasn't bothered much cos I had so much fun on the track that a little knock on the door didn't dampen my spirits - it's just a car, my passenger and I are OK and the crowd gave me a hell of a cheer! Ivan

That's mine :headvswal