Category Archives: Cars

R32 GT-R x 2 + Renault Clio Sport.

Caught up with a couple of car buddies last night. Chris, once an enemy, now a mate (way better way around than once a mate, now an enemy!) who also has an R32 GT-R, and Stewart who currently drives a new Renault Clio Sport.

I took the GT-R out. Quiet streets and cold air = so much win. I love this car. Every time I drive it I realise this.

Chris let me drive his R32 too. It’s nowhere near as clean as my car, but it was an awesome experience to drive another R32 (also tuned by Hitman in Penrith). Completely different to mine in engine tone, exhaust note, yet the same. Felt a little more responsive down low which makes me miss my old tune. He had a twin plate clutch which I didn’t like (I’m so glad I got rid of mine!) and a funky diff which was new to me. His steering wheel felt great and seats were comfy (I think they were R34 GT-R seats) in comparison to my bucket seats.

On topic. Stewart just came back from what looked to be an epic driving trip to Tasmania. He sent me a link to photos from his trip. Well worth the look. Click here for the photos, prepare to be gobsmacked.

It’s live! Visit: http://www.advanneovacup.com

Ticker sticker gizmo was used for the exercise book cover title.

1987, check the typography! Maybe I was always meant to be a graphic designer?!

My hand writing has gotten a lot worse over the years. Strange.

My family has ties with Honda so I was always a Honda Fan Boy.

Loved this car, so much, the colours, everything.

Adelaide race.

Scary reflection of the conspiracies Senna was dragged through in the film. He came 2nd in Adelaide, but I wrote this extra little bit down the bottom, looks like he was ripped, again.

After watching Senna I remembered I had a little book I made when I was 12 years old. I found it this morning and took a few pics of it :)

State Theatre – such an amazing building.

So much detail, they sure don’t build things like this anymore.

Part of the Sydney Film Festival.

Yesterday my mate Ben treated me to a screening of the Senna, a documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.

Apart from playing the Senna F1 game on my Commodore 64 every single day as a kid (I finished it!) I was never a huge Senna fan. I was more a fan of the winning Honda cars of Mansell and Piquet. I was 12 back then, and soon after I got into skateboarding, cycling, girls and I forgot about cars for a bit. When I did get back into cars Schumacher was my hero.

Over the years I’ve read a lot of debate about Senna vs. Schumacher. Senna fans are always quick to make him out to be the ultimate sportsman. All these snippets I’ve read and heard about the man made me think that he was some kind of saint, but after watching the film I’ve realised he was far from it. Not at all disappointing, he’s human after all.

Awesome film, really enjoyed it. There was so much footage of his face, up close, all of it was amazing as the man was so transparent with his emotions. Love the guy and I’m sad he died the way he did. I’m in awe of his achievements in the short 34 years he lived for, make me feel like I need to do much much more. I’m crazy inspired.

Video coming soon! Hehe :)

In for the kill! Photo by Kory Leung

Photos and videos from this week’s Circuit Club track day are just starting to make their way online. Click here for more.

Magic gold arm band.

Burnt paint from tyres getting crazy hot and scrubbing the guards (pic from last time when I also had -2 on different tyres).

Track damage is dead sexy (not my car!). Check the chunk taken out of the tyre too.

The Advan guys were representing and launching the Neova Cup Challenge (I did the logo design for it a while back).

A few weeks ago I committed to going to the next Circuit Club track day at Wakefield Park on the Queen’s B’day. I thought I had plenty of time to get my set-up right but as you might have read over the past few blog entries, it’s been a tight squeeze as things have gone wrong. Despite still having issues (the rear wheels are scrubbing on both sides), as well as the horrible weather today I decided to go.

I left late at about 9.30AM (most guys were meeting up at 5-6AM to get there at 8AM but that just ain’t my kinda style!) and it was non-stop rain all the way to Goulburn. I thought about turning around half way as there’s really not much point to tracking a front wheel drive car in the rain, but I forged on and when I got there the “dry line” that a few guys had earlier in the day was gone, and it was raining and miserably cold.

Narada and the boys hooked me up with a gold armband though, that special arm band let me go in any class on the day (A, being fastest and D being the slowest) at any time. I ended up doing only 2 sessions, one in with D, and one with the boys in B.

The first session out was wet, and the GTI surprisingly oversteery! I think the -2 degrees camber in the rear has made the car more fun, shame that has to change though as it scrubs really bad back there.

2nd session out I had Rob in the car, and I was surprised at how quick the GTI is. I could easily overtake an S2000, RX8, WRX and even an Exige on the straight.

I wasn’t at all going for a time though as the track was slippery and I was paranoid about damaging the rear guards any more than I already have.

Traffic on the way home was bonkers too. 60km/hr all the way from Picton to the M5 tunnel! I stopped off at McDonalds, chuffed down a Big Mac meal and now I’m home. Ultimately, despite all the dramas… I still had fun!

PS: Note to self: Book in a wheel alignment to push the rears out to -2.5 and see how that goes before going for -3.

Holey moley. Cut strut tops.

Sprint Booster.

There’s no real point to having camber plates if you can’t reach them to adjust your camber so I had the guys at Heasman Steering to cut off my strut tops. There used to be a cup covering the plates, now there’s a huge hole which makes camber and damper adjustment easy. They did a great job, it looks factory. I’m very happy.

We settled for -2 degrees camber all around and unfortunately I’m rubbing a tiny bit in the rear (wasn’t rubbing at -3) and I’m still rubbing up front on mid corner bumps. More mucking about needed.

I also bought and installed a Sprint Booster. I’m wary of gadgets like this, but I thought I’d give it a go as it was cheap, easy to install (or uninstall) and it’s in high demand on the Golf forum so I was sure I could sell it on no worries if I didn’t like it. My review is here.

Fresh ADVAN Neova rubber. Probably one of the sexiest tread patterns on any semi so far!

Tucking at the back, sticking out at the front.

A little Mexican, sticking out too far. I need to adjust camber plates to dial in more camsber, unfortunately I can’t reach the camber plates though!!! Grr!!!!

Got my new ADVAN Neova tyres fitted today. They’re a little wider at 235’s instead of the R888’s 225’s (to meet load rating). I had massive dramas with the tyre install and alignment place, but I won’t mention any names. I’m currently rubbing like a mofo front and back but I’m booked in with Doug at Heasman’s tomorrow for some of his magic loving.