24HL, Thunderhill '08

Things of course melted down into a frenzy of activity during which there was no longer time to photograph or blog anything. But here area few observations and ideas regarding the 24 Hours Of Lemons 12-08 Thunderhill event:

Getting to the race early is great. The Snowspeeder was well prepped, giving us time to relax, meet other teams, take photos, check out cars, run some test laps, etc. Don't underestimate how much this improves the entire experience of a 24HL.

If the track has good facilities, camp. This is economical and looks fun. So far I'm finding track town motels cost about 200% what similar accommodations in similar hick-towns. If you book early you can take the edge off. Teams were grilling, drinking, hanging out, playing Gran Turismo... I think it would have been a blast to camp at the track. 

We had great pit neighbors. Free Range Racing, another MR2 team on one side, and Eyesore, 24HL veterans known for great cars, competition, and themes, were on our other side. Being able to rub elbows, swap tools, and share snacks with both of these teams raised the experience another bar. 

There were 5 first gen MR2s in this race: 

• 12th place, Lil' Smokey and the Bandit, 77.
  
• 16th place, Nerd Herd, 08 (with a spiff 20 valve JDM 4age motor).
  
• 17th place, us in the Snowspeeder, 03.
• 19th place, Pole Position, 3.
  
• 70th, place, our pals with Free Range, 80.

People are figuring out what great cars these are. Funnest on the track I'm sure.

Our race went well, but black flags were our weak spot. We only had one mechanical issue, a minor cooling problem that was resolved during a penalty. The only thing that kept us from a top-10 finish was our 4 black flags. Randal and Joe were both very clean this race but each managed to attract one flag. I had 2 flags with a little contact jockeying for position day 1 and I spun right off the track on day 2 after a tire chnage. We pulled a great fuel/driver change under a course-wide stop and we were able to keep the car rolling nearly constantly for most of day 2. Our fueling system is very effective. The car was fast and reliable. We didn't have any major repairs. Everything was pretty much dialed. I expect Joe and Randal will be a top 5 car at Reno in May.

Chart of our position by number of laps. The gaps were black flag penalties. Brown was Randal, red was me then Randal but couldn't tell when the driver change took place, green is Joe, and purple is me.

As always, the race was extremely entertaining to spectate. I witnessed a car veer of course then come back across the front straight on 2 wheels and hit the wall, the Faster Farms Chicken car flip completely over coming to rest back on all fours, a 944 Porsche over-cook a chicane spin off course at about 90 MPH, I missed the flames but saw the driver scramble out of a smoking VW Scirocco that had caught fire, and countless other exciting events.

We had 2 entertaining penalties from black flags. Randal got the "Bob Ross penalty". He got to wear an Afro wig and paint a landscape on the hood of the car. After spinning off course I earned a three-legged hike the entire length of the paddock and back with another deviant driver, made worse with the fact I was past due to urinate. 

There was an incredibly cheap dyno service at the track and Joe got the Snowspeeder in just before close for one pull. After all the work on the engine we had high expectations, but the results were a only 93 horses. Randal tweaked the valves a bit more and we ran without really know the final effects, but what it comes down to is that the car has more than enough power to go spinning off the track if you're not careful.

The Thunderhill course is a blast. After only two previous races on the Altamont (RIP) bumper-car ring, T-Hill's vast stretches of wide, fast, curves, plus the stomach-lift as you dip out of turn 5 were fairly daunting. Test day and the first part of my first leg of driving I was pretty conservative. After about ten laps under a yellow flag though, I finally loosened up and let the MR2 do it's thing. The whole first half of the track is very MR2 friendly. It sticks to the big smooth sweepers and could usually inch past heavier cars there, and on the tight elevated turn 5 we could usually just go in hot and out brake everyone on which ever side they weren't. I had a grin-cramps when I turned the car back over to Randal.

This is the first time I wasn't too tired and busy at 24HL to goof off a bit Saturday PM. We had a few beers while we cleaned up, then bumped into the Eyesore team at pizza.

My leg is sore. Joe's brakes could use a tune and I guess I was really romping down hard on the pedal. My lower right leg is very sore and painful when I put pressure on my right big toe.

This was my favorite race so far. Great people, track, and event!

Here are my photos of the trip and event.

Here is the race summary on Jalopnik.

Subaru Impreza WRX 2002 "the black car so fast"

Specifications :

Tuner : Alex Witkin
Basic Car : Subaru Impreza WRC 2002
Power : 403 hp
Bodykit : C-West bodykit
Bumper : APR carbon-fiber air splitters
Other : installed a remote map selector, a test and up pipe and a high-performance boost controller all straight from the Turbo XS catalog, To mix quality-fed fuel into the chambers, Witkin fit in a dual Walbro high-flow fuel pump, and customized and flow tested 780cc fuel injectors

Suzuki Swift Pick Up Concept

spesigfication :
esin : DOHC VVT 1.6-liter
Transmisi : manual lima percepatan
Ekterior : body work DG-R Design Concept and Modification, grill custom, spoiler belakang, double tail pipe
Interior : steering wheel Isotta racing, monitor 7 inci
Pelek : Lenso BlockMesh type (17x7,0)
Ban : Neuton
Total biaya : Rp.120 juta

2008 Geiger Ford GT, "Race Car true"

Specifications :

Vehicle Type : 2-door coupe, modified car
Engine : 5.4 liter V8
Configuration : Mid Engine/RWD
Aspiration : supercharger
Displacement : 5409 cc
Torque : 617 lb-ft
HP : 701 hp
HP/Liter : 129.8 hp per liter
1/4 mile : 10.9 seconds
0-62 mph : 3.5 seconds
Top Speed : 211 mph (electronically limited)
Transmission : 6-Speed Manual

Ford Mustang AV8R

Specification :

Basic Car : Ford Mustang
Engine : aluminum block 4.6-liter, 24-valve V-8
Power : 400 hp
Eksterior : Satin Silver finish is offset by a black hood and decklid, red accent lines, dark gray side stripes, an Air Force star on each front quarter panel, and an oversized, etched AF star on the glass roof. The faux gas cap on the trunklid also gets a white star motif, and the rear spoiler is black with a red stripe and the AV8R logo in the corner.
Interior : features distressed "bomber jacket" leather inserts and trim panels along with a "Bullitt" aluminum instrument panel appliqué and shift knob.
Handling by Ford Racing : dampers, lowering springs, anti-roll bar kit and strut tower brace

Specification:

Engine : K20A engine, Feel’s throttle body and a Feel’s ECU system, Feel’s aluminum radiator,The clutch upgraded to a copper mix unit
Exterior : Feel’s front half spoiler and side skirts and rear apron, sports grill,headlight eyeliners and front air duct, Feel’s vented carbon hood or "bonnet",Feel’s FRP trunk, Both the rear roof spoiler and the carbon rear and side wings
Interior : Original Feel’s full bucket seat with a Takata harness, the factory airbag steering wheel Momo racing wheel a Feel’s titanium shift knob
Suspension : custom adjustable Feel’s damper kit
Brake : upgraded rotors and carbon pads
Exhaust : Feel’s titanium exhaust system peaking out from under the rear bumper
Tyre : Advan A048 M compound tires
Velg : AME Tracer TM-02’s 18"x9" +35 (front), 18"x8.5" +45 (rear)

Acura RSX Type S Modif "Street Car Super Nakal"

Specification :

Owner : Brian Nguyen
Hometown : El Monte, California, US
Basic car : Honda Acura RSX Type S
Engine : 2.0L K20Z1 with AEM cold-air intake, Hondata intake manifold gasket, Jackson Racing supercharger (roots type), 3.2" pulley, Mugen radiator cap and reservoir socks, Racecoated custom valve cover, Strup race header, Tanabe Hyper Medallion cat-back exhaust system, TEIN hood dampers
Power : 285 whp
Wheels : Desmond Regamaster Evo 17X8 +35 (white), 215/45R17 Falken Azenis RT-615 tires
Brakes : OEM DC5 Type-S Brakes
Suspension : Type II coilovers, Mugen front strut tower bar
Audio/sound system : OEM Type-S Bose sound system

Honda Acura RSX Type S lansiran in 2005 belonging to Brian this indeed not sembarang Acura RSX normally. Saw how tampilan outside this one car was seen the "street" really. Restoration of the exterior of the car was also begun with ubahan the front bumper used the Mugen make, side skirts, the wings behind A Spec, diffuser behind custom, as well as the increase window visors output of JDM DC5 Type-R. As Though want to clarified tampilan racing him, the whole body the exterior of this car was given the green colour screen by Pilo. For the sector foot-foot, this car stood on the rim racing the white colour of the measurement 17 inchi output of Desmond Regamaster Evo was wrapped the tyre Falken Azenis RT-615. Satisfied with ubahan in the exterior part, Brian then began memodif entered the interior part. Here was seen by several parts-parts racing that was simple berkombinasi with parts luxurious standard Honda Acura. Parts racing this including being the use jok front racing Recaro along with the Takata output seatbelt, was met also by the fitting jok behind and the door panel custom, shift knob

Nissan R32 Fast and Clean

To equip him, the exterior part of Nissan R32 was done by Do Luck. Yap, the modification house from Japan that was famous with the production body kit thus took part in taking the cultivation interior R32 this. Results of the work of the hands of the Do Luck personnel then made Nissan R32 be seen extraordinary. Like the front bumper, sideskirts, as well as the GT increase the wings and support the bar in the rear. Moreover, the white screen R32 that received the touch from JMI Motoring same was equipped with grill, taillights cover, and the rear-view mirror garapan Speed Architech that was Christian's post.

Nissan Skyline R32 memang mobil yang sangat digemari orang di seluruh dunia. Skyline jugalah mobil pertama yang menjadi ikon kerena menggunakan mesin RB26. Memang belum banyak modifikator terkemuka asal Jepang yang menggarap mobil ini. Kembalinya R32 ini mendapatkan antuasias yang besar dari para punggawa Nissan R32 lain. Terlebih dengan turut andilnya sebuah rumah modifikasi asal Jepang untuk menjadikan R32 lebih baik, bersih, dan cool.

Christian Coujin adalah sang punggawa Nissan R32 yang kali ini akan mengalami perombakan. Mobil lansiran tahun 1989 kepunyaan Christian sudah memiliki fitur yang difokuskan pada pengerjaan mesin. Ini terlihat dari penggunaan dua mesin turbo dari SARD IHI RX5s yang dilengkapi dengan Amuse R1000 TBE, SARD fuel rail, SARD FPR, dan pemasangan cover mesin, cover camgear, dan memindahkan box baterai agar mesin tetap terlihat bersih.

modif scion TC to white acrylic car

erbicara sedikit mengenai Scion tC, pada dasarnya mobil ini adalah mobil buatan pabrikan otomotif ternama asal Jepang, Toyota. Memang oleh Toyota, mobil sport kompak berbentuk liftback coupe ini hanya dipasarkan di Amerika Utara. Di region ini, Toyota menggunakan merk Scion untuk mengejar segmen target mobil generasi muda. Kembali ke mobil Scion tC modifan Rays ini keseluruhan bodynya sudah ditambah bodykit buatan Kaminari. Selain itu kap mesin serta sayap belakang mobil ini sudah memakai bahan karbon. Untuk bagian kaki-kaki, mobil ini berdiri di atas velg berukuran 18 inchi keluaran Rays G-games 77M sedang bannya sendiri menggunakan merk Toyo Proxes T1R.

Masuk ke bagian interior, kesan balap juga sangat begitu terasa. Lihat bagaimana kabin mobil berpintu dua ini sudah banyak ditambah fitur-fitur racing seperti pemakaian 2 jok racing keluaran Bride Zeta, pedal merk 5Zigen, dan gauge/indikator-indikator buatan Auto Tech Interiors. Walaupun sudah didesain dengan konsep balap, sektor audio mobil inipun tidak lepas dari ubahan modif. Untuk audio, mobil ini memilih perangkat audio baik itu subwoofer maupun amplifier keluaran Kicker sedang boost gauges menggunakan merk SARD.

Seperti tidak mau kalah dengan bagian eksterior dan interior yang sudah modif banget, mesin Scion tC inipun mengalami beberapa ubahan modif. Mesin standard Scion tC pada dasarnya sama dengan mesinnya Toyota Camry yaitu mesin 2.4L 2AZ-FE. Untuk mengejar kesan balap, beberapa penambahan pun sudah ditambahkan di mesin mobil ini seperti pemasangan GReddy turbo kit, TD05H-18G turbo, intercooler, SUS manifold, sambungan knalpot racing, serta penambahan injektor 440cc. Semua penambahan itu dilakukan demi tercapainya kesempurnaan akselerasi mobil ini. Dan untuk menahan laju mobil dipasanglah seperangkat sistem pengereman keluaran Project forged. [mot/timABT]

Specification :

Owner : Rays/G-games
Basic Car : Scion tC
Engine : 2.4L 2AZ-FE with GReddy turbo kit, TD05H-18G turbo, intercooler, SUS manifold, downpipe, 440cc injectors and Evolution 2 exhaust, and 5Zigen oil catCh tank
Suspension : Tein Super Street coilovers, GReddy front strut bar
Brakes : Project forged four-piston calipers and pads
Wheels : 18x7.5 RAYS G-games 77M wheels; 225/35R18 Toyo Proxes T1R tires
Audio : Kicker subs and amps; SARD boost gauges

SpeedART Porsche 997 Turbo Tuning – a really lethal blade!

I’ve recently seen some chart on German TV about the most favorite cars in the world. 

There were names such as Nissan Skyline, Mercedes-Benz 300SL and etc., but the most surprising was the name of this winner – the first place of Porsche 911 around the year 1975. 

The car with its toughness, simple sporting interior, powerful engines and great workmanship conquered all other famous vehicles. But time has come, so today we can enjoy the legend’s next successor of famous Porsche family. 

In 2006, the Porsche 997 Turbo was introduced in Geneva and it’s a successor of the famous Porsche 911. Its design from the Porsche 996 was restructured to look of a real racer. 

Distinctive lines, suction openings, rear wing, LED lights and other various elements make this car really uncompromising. 

The Porsche 997’s engine comes from the Porsche 964/GT1 model with some improvements of course. Sharp sporting sound is a result of six cylinders with displacement of 3.6 liters and cooperating turbocharger. No surprise that it can produce amazing 480 hp (353 kW) at 6000 rpm and 620 Nm of torque. 

This performance potential allows hitting 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds (3.4 seconds with Tiptronic automatic transmission) and the top speed is 311 km/h. There’s a new system VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry) developed by BorgWarner to maintain better and perfect work of the turbocharger. 

Porsche will be always the symbol of pure dynamics and sporting emotions. Its really the best candidate for the first place in that chart, because this is a machine that never disappoints its owner. 

Perfect technical parameters, amazing body and even better power-to-weight ratio – this is the Porsche 911.

honda phanthom

Honda Phantom is an example of Japan's classic style motorcycle. It has already succeed sold in some country such as Thailand in South East Asia.
Harley Davidson indeeds became one of American greatest legend with it's classic style motorcycle. But, it doesn't mean that no other country has classic bike. Japan is an example.

Honda Phantom - Thailand

Honda Phantom is the most popular big motorbike in Thailand and chosen as favorite touring bike. Built under license here in Thailand they are tough bikes, ultra reliable with a very good turn of speed and above all very comfortable to ride. Also, in the very unlikely event of mechanical failure they can be repaired almost anywhere in Thailand.

The Honda Phantom
With electric start, single cylinder, four stroke engines with six gears and a top speed of 155 km/h. Tubeless tires, alloy wheels, front and rear disc brakes and crash bars are some of the features. With a long wheelbase they will give you a comfortable ride on Thai highways.

2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal

GM design chief Ed Welburn and Chevy General Manager Ed Peper just gave the media our first up close and in person look at the new 2010 Chevy Camaro coupe. The reveal was done in the mechanical prep shop that GM design uses for the final prep on all its concept cars. Peper announced that Job 1 for the new Camaro will be coming on Feb. 16 of next year, and although no official pricing is available yet it will be priced aggressively says GM brass. That aggression goes right along with the new looks and powertrain choices for this new coupe, as well. Chevrolet will offer the Camaro in 3 trim levels, the V6-powered LS and LT and the V8-powered SS. The V6 is a direct injected 300-hp 3.6L unit while the 422-hp V8 displaces 6.2L. Both engines will be available with either manual or automatic transmissions, all with 6 speeds. An RS package will be available as an add-on to to the LT and SS models. GM designers have stayed remarkably faithful to the concept design, although they have made some tweaks mainly to the roofline. The car really looks handsome in person with its short front overhang and big wheels. They're wheeling the car outside so we're in pursuit to get more pictures in the sunlight and we'll have our own video the reveal up soon, as well. Stay tuned and check out the gallery of live shots we assembled so far below or visit this post for all the official specs and images.

2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images

You've waited long enough, so let's dispense with the pleasantries and get right down to the hard facts.

• Three models - LS, LT, SS
• LS and LT come with 3.6L direct-inject V6 (300 hp/273 lb-ft)
• SS six-speed manual comes with 6.2L LS3 V8 (422 hp/408 lb-ft)
• SS six-speed automatic comes with new 6.2L L99 V8 (400 hp/395 ft-lb) and Active Fuel Management
• 3.6L DI V6 gets 26 mpg highway
• 6.2L V8 with automatic gets 23 mpg highway
• RS appearance package available on LT and SS (includes HID headlamps with integrated halo rings, spoiler, specific taillamps and 20-inch wheels)
• Front and rear independent suspension
• FE2 suspension for LS and LT, sportier FE3 for SS
• Four-wheel disc ABS standard, SS gets four-piston Brembo calipers
• SS model gets adjustable Competitive/Sport mode for stability control and Launch Control on manual models
• Available 18-,19- and 20-inch wheels

You can read Chevy's full press release after the jump and browse the official, full-size image collection in the gallery below. Stay tuned for our post of live coverage from our team on the ground.

Lotus unveils the Evora

Project Eagle has finally been unveiled today at the 2008 British Motor Show as the Evora, and Lotus is beaming over its little eaglet. The Evora will be the most grown up and accessible Lotus in the British manufacturer's lineup. To illustrate, the automaker claims it will fit two American males in the front seats (did they just call us fat?). It's a mid-engine, 2+2 coupe (a convertible is planned) with 3.5L V6 sourced from Toyota but elevated by Lotus above its humble origins to produce 276 horsepower. The car weighs just 2,976 lbs., which might be a lot for a Lotus but is well below the average weight of most cars. The interior is unlike any you've seen from this automaker, which is to say that occupying one won't be like staying in a hostel compared to a four-star hotel. You've got leather all around, a nav system, and Lotus promises ingress and egress have been vastly improved over its other models.

The Evora will be built on a new assembly line at the company's assembly plant in Hethel, England at the rate of 2,000 annually, but has been designed to meet safety and emissions requirements around the world. That many cars for so many markets means the Evora will be exclusive, although we don't expect Lotus to leave money on the table if there's big demand for its new, softer, more accessible sports car. Other vehicles will also eventually be built on the Evora's new aluminum chassis, which is called the Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) and was first seen on the Lotus APX Concept. It can be stretched, widened and carry a vehicle weighing over 4,000 lbs. One new Lotus is enough for now, though, as we try to wrap our heads around a Hethel-based car with creature comforts.

HONDA OSM CONSEP

Honda says that the OSM roadster on display at the 2008 British Motor Show is merely a design study, but given that "design study" is frequently a euphemism for "future design language," we wonder if we're seeing the next iteration of Honda car styling. Frankly, we hope so, because this is worlds better than what we've seen from the automaker of late, from the Accord right on up to the bland and bloated Pilot. The OSM, short for Open Study Model, is a shapely two-seat convertible that we'd be happy to drive today. Well, maybe with headlamps that weren't lightsaber-sized. Other than that, we love the jaunty look, especially in back, where the taillamps sweep gently from one side of the car to the other. Since it's a styling exercise, there's no specific powertrain combination associated with it, but Honda assures us that the car is an indication that lightweight, low-emissions motoring needn't be boring. No kidding, guys. Inside, the cockpit basically evolves the two-tier instrument panel you'll find in the current Civic into a far more attractive driving environment that we hope to see in road cars sooner than later. While Honda says there's no plan to create a production sport/econo roadster like this anytime soon, somebody's obviously thinking about it. Future S2000 replacement, maybe? "Design studies" such as this don't happen by accident.Honda's low-emission sportscar study model has been revealed at the British International Motor Show, at ExCeL, London. The lightweight roadster design study displays one of Honda's core engineering principles – to design stylish and exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible. Named the OSM (for Open Study Model), the two-seater joins the confirmed-for-production CR-Z sports hybrid and FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car on the Honda stand at the show. "We're trying to show that low emission cars can be attractive," says Andreas Sittel, Project Leader for OSM. "There is no reason why a car that's more environmentally friendly can't look great too – and be sporty and fun to drive." The concept for the project was 'Clean and Dynamic' – and this direction was followed for both the exterior and interior design, ensuring a joined-up, consistent 'language' between the two. One example of this can be seen at the rear of the car, where the body actually extends into the cabin between the seats. The exterior design is a balance of smooth, rounded curves and sharp lines to provide definition in key areas. The headlights are cleverly integrated into the front end, stretching from the nose to the top of the wheel arches to look more like a part of the original body. Inside, this uninterrupted, fluid approach is continued, with long sweeping curves extending from both door panels to form a frame for the instrument display. The concept for the dashboard was to avoid creating the traditional block of 'heavy' colour and material in front of the driver; in keeping with the clean and lightweight theme. For that reason, the dash is broken into sections, with the most important instruments in direct line-of-sight of the driver. Key information is displayed in a rounded, enclosed central binnacle, with levels and figures in bright blue on a black background. This matches the trim inside the car, with the seats and door furniture trimmed in a new, gloss-effect blue leather, accompanied by white leather sections, in line with the exterior body colour, a one-off paint called Mystic Pearl. The driver's main controls and functions are distributed in an intuitive layout, close at hand on a panel that curves downwards to the right of the driver. A centrally-mounted semi-sequential gear-shift points towards a fun-to-drive transmission, along with paddle shifts either side of the steering wheel. Integrated into the gearshifter itself is a red ignition 'start' button, which reinforces the sporty direction of the car. The Honda OSM was designed by Honda's R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany. It's the latest example of the young talent being developed within Honda's design studios in Europe – following the Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept (Geneva 2007) and the Accord Tourer Concept (Frankfurt 2007). At present, the Honda OSM is a design study model, and there are no plans for it to enter production.

New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con

NBC is unveiling the new Attack Mode for KITT today at the very large Comic Con convention in San Diego. ShadowyFlight.com is covering the reveal of the car live in its forums, but this image has already made its way on the web and confirms that KITT has had his wings sheared. Gone are the various spoilers that cluttered the first version and what remains is a cleaner car with dual side exhausts, a deep chin spoiler that looks pretty heavy duty, an equally strong looking mesh grille, what appears to be rocket launchers where a shaker scoop would go, a still-very-big rear wing, rear air diffuser and new spokeless wheels that were stolen right off of a Bonneville Salt Flats racer. The rear tires are extremely oversized and still manage to poke out from the newly flared fenders. Is it better than the first Attack Mode version of KITT? Yes. That doesn't mean we necessarily like it, though. The Knight Rider fan community seems split as well. Make up your mind in the comments after visiting ShadowyFlight.com for over 20 more additional high-res pics of the new Attack Mode KITT.

Ed Peper to ZR1 detractors: "Bring it."

GM thinks that the Corvette ZR1 is pretty much the baddest machine on four wheels, period. This was driven home today in a post on the Fastlane Blog by Chevy general manager Ed Peper. Seeing him advocate his brand's (and GM's) flagship is far from surprising, and as he rattles off the car's positives, it seems like pretty standard-issue public relations fare. It's only as he wraps up that he seems to get a little exercised over some folks' habit of turning all Corvette-related conversations into pushroad vs. overhead-cam arguments. In response, he namechecks some very heavy hitters -- the Porsche 911 GT2, the Ferrari 599 GTB, and the Lambo LP640 -- as he casually pulls the gloves off, matter-of-factly stating that the ZR1 has a better power-to-weight ratio than all of them. Then, in his parting shot, he dons the brass knuckles and calls out any and all comers who would challenge the Corvette ZR1's abilities with two simple words: "Bring it."

You know what it is when this kind of smack talk starts flying around? It's fun. And we haven't even heard from Lutz yet.