Category Archives: Cars

JDMST EOYM

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Inception! Berty shooting Scotty shooting Sarah!

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Berty and Scotty (with an a7S even!) at work.

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Love how the Zen Stand lit up tonight!

eoym
A shot from Mitch’s drone. I counted over 1000 cars, easy!

It’s 1.17AM and I’m still up, surging, maybe because I had one too many coffees at Brewristas earlier today with Alain as well as Pauline and Mark from Red Lantern Restaurants (I’m usually a one coffee a day guy). Or maybe it’s because the rain held off at the JDMST EOYM tonight and my gamble to go with my gut paid off with over 1000 cars coming out to play!

The forecast a week out was thunderstorms for Monday night. Earlier today BOM had issued a severe weather warning. 70% chance of rain out West became 80% later in the day. My phone was going CRAZY with SMS messages and messenger messages asking if the meet was going ahead or not. I also had some suggestions to postpone the meet, some suggestions came from really level headed people too, which I admit, started to sway me from listening to my gut. But hey, I’m the luckiest guy alive and my gut said it wasn’t going to rain, and too right, it didn’t rain! Not a single drop!!!

What an awesome meet. All the doubters missed out (as usual), so too all those who complained about the meet being held on a Monday night (seriously, it’s not a rave, or pub crawl?! Not like you’d be late for work the next day, or hung over?! It’s just 3hrs in a car park!!! I can’t see the difference between going to a car meet, or, say… dinner out?!). JDMST EOMM’s are back, baby! Here’s to a meet a month in 2015!!!

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Cliff to Coast Feature on Zen Garage

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Welcome!

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In Ya Get.

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Yew!

The Cliff to Coast Feature is now live on Zen Blog (with Ved’s photography and my commentary). Visit: http://www.zengarage.com.au/2014/11/cliff-to-coast-911-drive-day/

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Cliff to Coast Sports Car Drives

A few weeks ago I got an invite from Gavin Little of Cliff to Coast Sports Car Drives to come out and enjoy a day of driving 911’s through the twisties. He also asked me to extend the invite to Pauline Nguyen, which I did, and it all came together yesterday; A glorious day of spirited driving with a diverse fleet of 911’s and just as diverse and interesting people to enjoy the day with.

Ved came along as well, so look out for a full feature on Zen Garage Blog soon. I only rattled off a few shots (as I was too busy driving, and chatting!), so for now, enjoy my thoughts on the various cars I got to drive (I’ve excluded the Boxster as I failed to take a photo of it, but hey let’s face it… I was here for the 911’s!).

For more info, visit: http://www.driveporsches.com.au

911s
Pauline and I were a little late due to horrible morning traffic, but hey, we made it!!! This is what greeted us when we got to Cliff to Coast Sports Car Drives which is situated in a business complex in Helesnburgh.

993_interior
Gavin introduced us to the other people participating on the drive day with us. He made an effort to make sure it was going to be an interesting group of people, and too right we all got along really well throughout the day! The first car I got to drive was the 993, such a gorgeous shape. To my surprise it was auto! The auto held gears fine, but it just didn’t do it for me. The weighted assisted steering though, it’s to die for. The brake pedal needed serious muscle too, got to love old school! If this 993 was a manual it would have been my fave car of the day no doubt (would be so nice with a bit more sound too, would be perfect!).

walkietalkie
Walkie talkies were used so Gavin could announce turn-offs and other important information whilst we were driving.

brekkie
First stop: Brekkie at Cliff Hangar Cafe (I suggest the scones with cream and jam!).

pauline_997
Pauline and the 997. The 997 was the fastest of the bunch, plenty of grunt down low and just so comfortable and easy to drive. A bit detached for my liking, but would definitely make a very good everyday car.

beers
Lunch and beers stop at Burrawang Hotel (which was really lovely!).

996
Next up was the black 996 (turbo body but unfortunately not a turbo!) which had aftermarket wheels, exhaust and a more aggressive alignment.

996_interior
Suede steering wheel inside was the bomb and this car was my fave on the day in the twisties for sure, super planted, more sound and more feel.

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Selling my R32 Golf

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A few months ago I was offered $50k for my R32 GT-R. Biggest offer to date so I sincerely thanked the guy who made the offer. It was a decent one which had me in a spin for a night, but I kindly refused.

The last few weeks I’ve had an offer of $37k for my R32 Golf. I’ve been in a spin about it every day since.

I did intend to sell it a little while back (I even put it up on carsales) for a classic 70’s 911, which I had always planned to get when I turn 40 (next May!), but the 911 dream is dead, mainly because they’ve just become a bit too “trendy” for my liking.

I love both cars too much. The Golf has been the perfect daily for me. It’s loud and angry when I want it to be, and at the press of a button it’s silent and can easily sit 4 full sized adults, has great audio and leather interior (heated seats! So good in winter). It’s mostly invisible to the authorities (full engineers cert helps) and when I’m in it and a C63 pulls up next to me at the lights I don’t wish I was in the GT-R (which has been the case with many of my previous daily drivers).

So I’ve been chewing on this great offer for my Golf, and this morning I thought I’d wash the car. After touching it (lol), and seeing it clean I’ve made my mind up! Nope, she’s not for sale! Haha (cool story bro?).

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Post WTAC Hangs

bbq
That Lebanese BBQ! After 3 long days at Eastern Creek, we just couldn’t make it in to watch Formula Drift live, so instead we hung out at Veds place and watched the live-stream on his massive TV instead (which was absolutely epic). Cheering on Jabbit and Schembri from Blaze Unit as well as Beau Yates was awesome.

Scirocco
Matt from Camden GTI brought along his amazingly clean Scirocco.

matt_engine
Which is powered by a MK4 GTI (turbo) engine.

2spaces
Later that night we hit Mary’s in Newtown and spotted this douche taking up 2 parking spaces at the Dendy Cinema Carpark.

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WTAC 2014 Saturday

zenstand_wtac
Zen Stand on the skid pan.

racecardrivers
Race Car Drivers talking Race Car Talk.

wildspeed
Boso!

james
Hey James! Hey Lei Na!

james_camcover
Souvenirs!

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Sharpline Paints NA.

hos_nb
House of Stance RPRSNT! Tony’s NB is looking amazing.

ef
Brent’s awesome two tone EF looks so good on my old BBS rims (which are now re-barrelled and so much hotter).

joel
Hey Joelski!

e302

e30

dave
Acquired Taste.

wassef

fc
Twins. Still have to do a shoot with this FC and RB26.

stand_s15_bodyform
Bodyform.

trent_indy
Indy from IS Motor Racing strapping Trent into his WTAC EVO.

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trent_wrx
Trent being strapped in to the Top Class Tyres WTAC WRX.

fairlady
Fairlady spotted out back.

feed
The live feed was one of the best new features of WTAC this year. So pro, so good.

smokey_david_tarzan
Smokey, David and Tarzan!

topfuel_boss
Luke from Maiham Media interviewing Top Fuel Boss.

nob
And Nobuteru Taniguchi.

hoolah
John from Barrel Bros giving me a lift back to the carpark in their rad mini-van.

dp
Haha, David.

jacketnames
RS-R jackets.

beauyates
Beau Yates.

daisuke
Daisuke Hasegawa.

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Daisuke Hasegawa x Acquired Taste. So trippy to think that just a few weeks back the same shot was taken but in Japan!

gwyn
Hey Gwyn!

drifts
Onto the Drifts!

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767b_34
Mazda 767B Le Mans with my Golf! Couldn’t resist!

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767b_frontoff
Owner of the 767B removing his front splitter in prep for transport.

WTAC Saturday kicked off with setting up the Zen Stand, which supplied awesome shade from the blazing sun. The crowd was huge and the action was relentless. After their first sessions, Indy’s EVO was out with a blown turbo and best time of 1:33.7810 (11th in Open Class), and JDMyard’s civic blew a box retiring with a respectable 1.33.03 lap time (8th place in Open Class). David Dalrymple did well with a 1:45.5750 finishing in 18th place in Clubsprint Class, Mazzy went on strong for Adam (1:44.2096 ) and Hayley (1:48.9386) in Open Class and Nathan Antunes finished strong with a 1:35.0470 in the Bilstein Racing S14 (14th in Open Class).

I spent some time introducing Zen sponsored Formula Ford driver Trent Grubel to some key figures in an attempt to get him a drive next year. Trent does hold the lap record for the fastest Formula Ford on Eastern Creek Raceway, and we think he would make the transition from Formula Fords to cars really well!

Time flew, fast, was an action packed day and my sunnies tan is mad.

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WTAC 2014 Friday

Big day today. 5.30AM alarm… I’m up! Luke got to his Media briefing on time and the day rolled on pretty hard after that with lots of dramas and some fantastic moments.

ardc_garage
First stop, the ARDC Garage for a toasted bacon and egg roll and a good chin wag with Photographer Matthew Everingham.

david_streetcar
Spotted from above. David’s R32, which is very much more a street car than a lot of the competition in his category.

rb26_david_dalrymple
After the early sessions David’s radiator shroud cracked, ripping it off was the easy fix.

s14_turbo
The Heasman Steering S14 had some heat issues, the team were at it fast. Indy’s EVO had issues too, with the driver having to keep 4th pushed in (IE: otherwise it would pop out and thus driving one handed when in 4th gear!). The gearbox eventually blew.

nathanantunes
Shout outs to Nathan Antunes, pilot of the Heasman Steering S14.

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JDMyard Civic entering the circuit.

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Ross Churchill’s amazing Belair.

ross_bonnet
Jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

enzo_combi
Haha!

jesus_combi
Loved this ratted up Combi (sounded amazing too).

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combi_wtf
Found this underneath.

mead
Hey Mead!

madbull
MADBULL.

driftcat
Driftcat’s in town.

meek_speedhunters
Sad the Speedhunters guys aren’t here this year, was looking forward to hanging out. They’re here in spirit though.

danny
Hey Danny! Great work on the aero on the Top Class Tyres STi.

vsport_86_wtac_2014
V-Sport‘s new 86 project set for WTAC next year!

brad_heasman_wtac_2014
Hey Brad!

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Haha, Brad and Sarah, exaggerated height difference!

splitter_r32gtr
Dave’s new splitter created enough downforce to rip the front lip off his car. Desperate measures to get him out for one more session.

pressuresheet
Under pressure.

dave_gtr
On pitt lane for the last session, finishing strong too.

steve_evo
Steven Planinic ready to go out in his EVO.

jdmyardeg
JDMyard EG (also with a few niggling issues) in pitt lane.

ceecee
Hey CeeCee!

moo
Hey Moo!

indyreturn
Unfortunately Indy’s EVO didn’t make it back in time for the last session of the day, but all good, fresh box, all set for tomorrow!

schembri_3fingersneat_zen_wtac_2014
Blaze Unit. Scott Schembri, ready to rock. As the sun went down, the drifters came out to play.

ryan
Ryan, working back late.

houseofpie
It’s way past dinner time. House of Pie!!!

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WTAC 2014 Test Day Thursday

Luke Huxham of Maiham Media from Japan is staying over at my place again this year for World Time Attack Challenge. We thought we’d check out test day today; no crowds, just the cars, drivers, teams and a few friends. The vibe was electric, the sounds, the sights, this is going to be the greatest WTAC ever!

lukehuxham
Late start, breakfast at Coogee Bite.

kennysbenny
Kenny’s Benny, it’s been a while!

767b
Made a bee-line for the 767B. It looks amazing, seeing it rolling was trippy as, and hearing it… OMFG WOW!

vrmag
Dripping.

madmike_wtac_2014
Hey Mike!

madmike
Mad Mike’s MADBUL is looking amazing.

berty
Hey Berty!

fatgtr
David Dalrymple’s R32 GT-R at the ready.

hawkins
Andrew Hawkins, hitting WTAC this year with his revamped JET200.

bensopra2
Ben Sopra 380SX.

bensopra
Japanese drifter Daisuke Hasegawa.

tarzan
Tarzan!

injapanrightnow
Are we in Japan right now?!

jdmyard_eg
JDMyard EG Civic, we’ll be cheering these guys on!

burgess_geena
Geena!

adamburgess
Adam Burgess and Luke. Adam was driving Geena today. With Hails in the FD.

hayleyracing
Hayley’s helmet in the FD.

hayley_racing_zen_wtac_2014
Find your Zen.

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bpg_zengarage_fd_hayley_wtac_2014
Hayley lining up in pitt lane.

porsche
Evolution Custom’s Porsche 944.

hks
HKS GTR.

topfuel
Top Fuel Garage.

fd
RE-Amemiya FD.

max_orido_bike
Max Orido’s bike!

maxorido
The man himself talking to Mr. Amemiya

royalpurple
Spotted at the Royal Purple garage.

bryce
This guy! Hey Bryce!

indy
Hey Indy!

indy_evo_wtac_ismr
IS Motor Racing EVO. We’ll be cheering all these guys on!

kalis
Mr Kalis!

byp_testing
BYP testing surface temperature.

ved_scotty_nathanantunes
Inception! Race car driver Nathan Antunes being mobbed by Scotty, Ved and myself.

heasman_s14
Heasman Steering S14, cheer cheer!

ferrari_f460
One hot Fezza.

nitto2
Mercury Motorsport’s NITTO II. What a beast!

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nittoboot

mrcrackles
Mr. Crackles was a great way to end the day, and damn how is it that I’ve never had this coconut drink before? It’s amazeballs!

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My Supercharged MKV R32 Golf Video by tokyomada


That video shot by Daniel Motta last weekend is now live! Daniel’s done a great job considering he had such little time to shoot the car! Be sure to check out more of his videos here.

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Late Night KK’s Run

carwash

krysti_spray

krysti_carwash

krysti_ke

kks
Ohhhhhh.

donuts
Been a looooong time, baby!

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