Time Attack UK - UK cars to compete at Tsukuba

[Andy Barnes]

Hi all,

Ive just sat here in at Do-Luck in Japan for 20 minutes writing out an update of our progress so far and managed to mistaknely hit the delete key and lose it all!! arrgghhhh .

So, the short version for now....

Its 4am in the morning, were having a good time and already lots of stories to tell between us having been here a day and a bit. Update is we are at Do-Luck today to check over the cars and get everything ready to go to Tsukuba for testing for a couple of hours. Adrians car is ready after all he had to do was polish it but had a minor short lived panic when his ECU wouldnt recognise his password and he needed to remove the 3K rev limit but it suddenly did, Our 350Z now has a new ARC intercooler and TM Works proto coil packs and has been retuned by Mr Ito on his dyno. Clive`s RC Evo has been photographed inside and out for Evo mag in Japan and Paul from Zen ventured off to Super Autobacs to retune his car on thier 4WD dyno to only call us all about 1hr later to say his engine`s camshaft sprocket ( one of them ) had sheared off completely smashing valves into the pistons... panic.....

Within 40 minutes of the car being back at Do-Luck, Paul his crew and Cive and his crew had the engine out of the car and sat on and engine stand and started removing the heads to reveal the damage. Paul seemed undeterred by the major hiccup and said ` yeah, we`ll rebuilt it tonight if we can get the parts ` like it was no major issue

After searching around Mr Ito from Do-Luck located the 10 valves, gaskets and...At 9pm everything arrived fro different locations including calling in a favour at JUN to supply us with sprockets which Mr Abe from Blitz did for us via Koyama at JUN as he was here helping Adrian.

As I sit here its 4.15am,Paul is still putting his engine back in and we are supposed to leave at 5am for the track. Most of the 29 strong crew at back at the hotel which a handful of us here to load the trucks and help Paul where we can ( but he doesnt really need it which I am pleased about as I have no idea how to put a Subaru back together ! )

Weve all been up for around 24hrs already and just knocked but some super high strength energy drinks which are likened to cough medicine so were all upbeat again.

Thats it for now, good times, big dramas already but were mustering on to get it all done.

Hopefully we`ll have a bit of luck and all 4 of us will get to the track as planned.

Pictures and more info to follow when we get time, great to be here with an enormous amount of people taking huge interest in us all.

I will be back soon with more info after today`s testing at the track .....

Cheers all

Andy

[Smokey 1]

ohhhh my God, I thought it was just me who had last minute issues. Well done for all jumping in to rebuild Paul's engine, can't wait to see some pics bet you all look like smurfs(go easy on the red bull )



Smokey

[hockey-boy]

full respect to all for getting stuck in.

good to hear it will be running would have been a shame to have one out after all that travel etc.

good luck

[m6beg]

Thanks for the update.

And well done to everyone for getting stuck in. If there is one man that knows his scooby's then that's Paul. Good luck.


Mick

[stuartstaples]

Go on Team UK

awesome team work.

[Daz]

That's what I love about situations like this...everyone from different companies helping each other out to ensure the car can still take to the track. Fantastic.

I bet your all having a blast out there...I can't wait to see some footage.

[RKTuning]

Any more news?
good luck Andy,Adrian,Clive and Paul
Ron

[ashills]

this is from danny at RC developments posted on mlr

Andy in Sumo Power 350Z managed to record an impressive 1'03min lap.

Adrian in the Fensport Celica finished the practice session with a 1'07min but had a few problems.

Phil Glew in the Zen Performance posted a 1'00min lap.

Clive managed to post a 1'01min lap and was extremely happy and Tarzan Yamada did a 59 in the rc evo and said theres a possibility of A 55 second lap with some changes but not all will be possible this weekend

[Andy Barnes]

Hi all,

Well... where to start!

Update in a sumerised version so far..

In testing on Tuesday Adrian Smith misshifted a gear in his Celica and over revved the engine which resulted in a piston smacking the head and spelling the end. After getting the car back to Do-Luck, They checked it over, declared the engine dead ( as he uses some custom parts which are not available in Japan ) so Mr Ito from Do-Luck found a replacement standard engine and Adrian, mhs engine builder and the guys from Blitz set about exchanging all his parts on to the stock engine last night. He worked through the night and got it finished, today he went to the dyno and remapped the car whilst we all went for the second test session at Tsukuba. His car is now ready although way down on power due to the stock engine but he's pulled it off to get out tomorrow for the event which is awesome.

If that wasnt enough, In testing today Paul's Zen car had an engine failure on its first outing with something bad like a bearing letting go in a major fashion and ending up with the car stopped just after the Dunlop bridge on track. Within 30 minutes the car was loaded on a truck and sent back to Do-Luck's shop 2 hours away whilst Mr Ito once again started pulling favours to find Paul a new set of parts ( I think via Power Enterprises ). As I write this I am sure they are all in Do-Luck building a brand new engine from scratch to get back to Tsukuba in the morning making it the second time for Paul to have the engine out in as many days Prior to the engine trouble they were running 1 minute flat today on the GC8.

Clives car running well and today he racked up some 1.01's in the car and is feeling better about the circuit and improved lines as am I. Tomorrow Taniguchi will drive the RC Evo to see what he can do with it so that will be great to see and get feedback from.

Tomorrows event is 3 X 20 minute sessions for us so we need to get it right.

Me?, well I ran a whole second quicker today in the Z than yesterday which I am pleased about but we only got on session today after a pit drama meaning we couldnt make the second session and not giving me more chance to improve my lines on the track and find the time I am missing. Currently I think I am losing at least a second and probably 2 through the Dunlop bridge corner and follow through which I plan to remedy tomorrow I hope.

Ive been talking to the guys from Hi Octane who are here from Australia running thier R32 GTR, they are running 1min flat and struggling with grip but are upbeat about it and hoping to find some more time tomorrow.

When we left the track tonight M Speed were changing thier Holinger box which had broken in thier R34 GTR and the Cyber Evo had engine troubles but they were fixing it.

We're all struggling with no sleep and its certainly all happening out here but we're all mustering on. The help we have here with Do-Luck and everyone else who is helping directly is amazing, without question Do-Luck's effort has done us all proud as we continue to lean on them for help in solving problems, even down to finding everything to make a brand new engine for Paul in a matter of hours.

Most of us are now at the hotel near Tsukuba with Mr Ito and Paul etc back at Do-Luck making the new engine. We're back up at 5am to get to the track and organise ourselves for the event whre hopefully we'll find the Zen boys waiting and ready for action, fingers crossed.

Sorry but I cant upload any pictures still at this time but we have loads to share with everyone very soon,

Off to bed for some sleep....hmmmmm sleep.....

Cheers

Andy

[Bajie]

Nice one for the updates.
Hope all goes well on the next outing.

[hockey-boy]

good luck to all tomorrow.
i think its amazing how everyone is pulling together to keep the cars up and running

full respect.

bet the atmospher out there is amazing between everyone.

[EvolutionVI]

Originally Posted by hockey-boy

good luck to all tomorrow.
i think its amazing how everyone is pulling together to keep the cars up and running

full respect.

bet the atmospher out there is amazing between everyone.

As im out there with the teams,i have to say,even as they race against each other,there is such a great atmosphere,unbelievable cool.

Its very sad for Zen and Fensport,but they take it real good,i think they see it as a challenge to even race their cars over here. This is quite impressive,most others would have packed the tools/parts,get a beer and drink as much as possible,but they are real sportsman

Hopefully all 4 teams can go out tomorrow and finish the race without any more problems and with results that show their knowledge and effort they put in this project

best regards
Alex

[RKTuning]

Blimey
cant believe the major setbacks the boys have had but still got them up and running again, Fantastic. I want Mr Ito on my team what a man

[trackday addict]

Congrats to all involved to keep going & to Do Luck for making miracles happen

watch that weird Far East redbull equivelent it plays havock with the digestive system

[stuartstaples]

Fantastic effort from everyone involved. You guys should be proud regardless what happens tomorrow.

Very best of luck