Jun 27, 2008
Jun 22, 2008
Jun 21, 2008
Updates
Jun 15, 2008
Jun 14, 2008
More seized Nissan GT-R's in Florida
If it is true about the taxes and DMV in Florida. There could be more than 100 cars seized.
Its always about the money. Always
US Customs is part of Homeland Security. People seem to think that Homeland Security is separate from customs.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/about/
"CBPis one of the Department of Homeland Security’s largest and most complex components, with a priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has a responsibility for securing and facilitating trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. regulations, including immigration and drug laws."
In Car RC Video Camera System
From Autoblog. This is really cool. Put yourself in your RC car. Pan and tilt on the camera.
Video after the jump
Broken 3rd Gear Nissan Skyline GT-R
I got a technical email today. It read
"Well it finally happened..... 3rd let go in my stock box today. Its behind a 2.8 with twin RS's... I know 3rd is the weakest link and I am always a pansy shifting into 3rd.Third gear is a weak link in the Nissan gearboxes. Its at the center of the stack, and we think the gears walk a little bit outward on each other and then shear all the teeth off. There is also a mismatch in the stack of gears. In the following picture of the OS Giken gearset, you can see the gears don't mesh up 100%. In the above picture is an early and late R32/R33 gearbox. Some people try and say the later boxes are stronger, theres a picture of two broken gearsets.
What are my options here? What would you recommend? OS gearset? Im no too keen on the 5th gear being shorter then stock....
It is a road car so im not interested in straight cut noisy gears."
So what are the options ?
An OS Giken Gearset is an option.
OS Giken Gearset |
The OS Giken gearset is stronger. Good for about 700 hp. Not unbreakable. It can and will break. The 1st gear is longer, 2nd, 3rd , and 4th closer together. You will hear this transmission called a "crossmission". It actually should be called a "closemission" or "crosemission" . Japanese and their R's and L's , B's and V's. Just a pronunciation error. There is an optional 5th gear, but you can run the standard 5th gear. The OS gearset is helical cut gears with synchros . It drives and feels like the stock gearbox.
The R34 GT-R Getrag is always an option. They are the same/similar V160 that is in a Toyota Supra. The Supra guys have pretty good luck with them. In GT-R's we tend to break synchro sprags, and that type of thing. The Getrag is a good box, 6 speed. A little noisy. Sounds like a box of rocks at idle. You need a new transfercase as the Getrag uses a unique bolt pattern on the transfer end. You also need a new clutch, or actually a new flywheel as the height is different. New main driveshaft or section, new propshaft. Couple other minor things. The Getrag was setup for 3.54 main gears , so the stock R32/R33 4.111's might be a bit steep. You have an extra gear though, so its not too bad.
Getrag V160 internals |
My suggestions for most cars is to try out an OS gearset ,
Redline Shockproof Heavy(not in the Getrag) , a twin plate sprung hub clutch, and shift easy into 3rd.
Jun 13, 2008
Update to Seized Skylines: Seven More Seized on the East Coast
Rumors are seven more Skylines were seized on the East Coast recently. More information to follow I wonder what the link is ? UPDATE: From UK GTR Forums.
"1) I think it came from japan according to the export certificate.Franz is Andre. Same guy. He had some more cars seized earlier in the year. R34's and S15. The Florida title guy ... have to wait and see. I probably know who it is.
2) Dont know who imported it, i think the guys name was Andre or Franz or something.
3) Somone in florida registered it originally in the US for the guy i bought it from in Georgia. So the title went from florida to georgia.
4) Florida. i have a copy of the first title given to the car.
Well, the agents did say i am not the only one. They said they are seizing a lot of them."
R32 GT-R Seized in Texas
From GT-R.co.uk forums
A poster over on GT-R UK forums had his "state legal" R32 GT-R seized by US Department of Homeland Security.
"I just had homeland security come to my house (after owning the car for about a week, (agents said it was just bad timing on my part nothing triggered it i just owned the car at the time)) in Houston, TX and tell me that my gtr was illegally imported and needs to be seized. They said that they are cracking down on all "illegal" skylines in the country and it was part of some big skyline investigation or some crap. I have the seizure warrant if anyone wants proof.
By "illegal" they mean r32's and 34s without DOT bond releases. There is NO WAY for me to get it back as a race car, show car, offroad, etc. The car is not technically significant, prepped for track, etc to qualify for those sections, so i am being forced to export it. Lets not get into the debate about legal versus not legal in this thread. I was just another one of those guys who thought that titled, registered meant legal, but now i know after talking with many head honchos at DOT."
I posted on that thread that I found it odd to get his car seized. His is the first I have heard of.
Jun 12, 2008
Notice of Cancellation of NOPI Colorado and NOPI Utah Events
ATLANTA, Georgia – June 12, 2008 – Effective immediately, NOPI Motorsports is forced to cancel two upcoming NOPI Events located in Colorado (Drag Race and Car Show) previously set for June 21st and 22nd as well as the Utah event (Drag Race, Drift and Car Show) previously set for July 18th and 19th of 2008. NOPI Motorsports has faced extreme weather at their past 8 events, which has affected NOPI events in a great way. Each event the NOPI staff has pushed through these adversities to accommodate all of its sponsors, racers and fans in the best way possible given the circumstances. Many times events have been postponed and made up at a future event due to weather shutting down tracks and making it unsafe to run on.
This unfortunate turn of events has placed a major financial burden on NOPI Motorsports, which already faces an extremely challenging economy. With fuel costs at a record high, people are watching all of their extracurricular activities, and taking a chance at attending an event that would possibly be affected by weather plays a negative roll. “We have been running top notch events for years now,” said Michael Meyers, President of NOPI Motorsports. “I have never been faced with anything like this. We are having incredible support from racers and fans this year, in fact some of the best action we’ve ever seen has taken place here in 2008. There was no way to forecast any of this. We are working through all of it to see how we can make these events up. I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused to everyone. This is a major setback for NOPI Motorsports and new territory for all of us.”
Makeup events have not been announced for the two cancelled events located in Colorado and Utah. The NOPI Motorsports staff is working on the possibility of makeup rounds, as well as determining points towards the 2008 championships. Each of these issues will be addressed here shortly.
The next NOPI event will take place at the New England Dragway on August 2nd and 3rd. Please stay tuned for future news and events from NOPI Motorsports for the 2008 season. If you have any questions, you may contact Jesse Poole at Theory Communication and Design at jpoole@theoryconcept.com or 954.428.1800.
NOPI hates the West Coast. Westerly States. They just get no love out West.
Jun 10, 2008
Jun 9, 2008
Jun 8, 2008
Jun 7, 2008
Nissan Silvia S16 - RWD Sports Coupe Information
From 7Tune via Autoblog
"Expected to be based on a shortened version of the Z's FM platform and dubbed FR, the new coupe should be powered by either a naturally aspirated 2.0L or possibly a 1.6L or 1.8L turbocharged four-cylinder. Speculation is that the S15 Silvia successor will be approximately 4,350 mm long, 1,750 mm wide and share the same wheelbase as the Z."
A cool, cheap, turbo, rear wheel drive coupe. Who will buy it ? Whos in line already ?
Cars and Coffee
A few GT-R's out and about. My first time to go to Cars and Coffee.
An RB25 powered right hand drive Z. Super clean.
Big Lip R33 GT-R
Nice, red is faster
Jun 6, 2008
Jun 5, 2008
Jun 4, 2008
Got My R35 GTR Today
Bikini Driving School : Focus Auto Sales R34 GT-R
Girls and Cars. Jacko did a great job there. Kept focused to the job at hand.
RB26 Bolt Tightening Torque
Head bolts 12mm x 1.5
The cylinder head tightening sequence is a five step process. The bolts are tightened from the center outwards.1. Tighten to 22 ft/lb
2. Tighten to 80 ft/lb
3. Loosen bolts completely to 0 ft/lbs
4. Tighten bolts to 22 ft/lbs
5. Turn bolts 85-90 degrees clockwise with an angle wrench, or tighten to 76-83 ft/lbs when torque wrench is used.
ARP headstuds
Stock torque is 76-83 ft/lbs.
Main bolts
34-38 ft/lbs from the center outwards. Done in two or three steps.Rod bolts
Apply engine oil to connecting rods and nuts before assemblyTwo steps
1. 10-12 ft/lbs
2. Angle wrench 60-65 degrees.
RB26 Bolt Tightening Torque. Head bolt tightening torque. Main bolt / stud tightening torque. Rod bolt tightening torque.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Suspension Specifications
GT-R Suspension Specifications
| Shock Extension | Shock Compression (kg - .03m/s) | Coil Spring (kg/mm) | Stabilizer diameter |
BNR34 front | 212 | 97 | 3.2 | 22.2 |
BNR34 rear | 98 | 63 | 3.2 | 24.2 |
BNR34 Vspec front | 267 | 110 | 4.0 | 22.2 |
BNR34 Vspec rear | 125 | 77 | 5.0 | 24.2 |
BCNR33 front | 242 | 69 | 3.2 | 22.2 |
BCNR33 rear | 150 | 55 | 3.2 | 26.5 |
BCNR33 Vspec front | 275 | 85 | 4.0 | 22.2 |
BCNR33 Vpsec rear | 175 | 67 | 5.0 | 26.5 |
BNR32 front | 178 | 51 | 2.4 | 20.0 |
BNR32 rear | 113 | 41 | 2.7 | 25.4 |
BNR32 Vspec front | 200 | 56 | 2.4 | 20.0 |
BNR32 Vspec rear | 113 | 41 | 2.7 | 25.4 |
Skyline GT-R Alignment specifications coming up in a later post
Car | R32 GT-R (early) | R33 GT-R (normal) | R34 GT-R (normal) | R35 GT-R (early) |
Length | 4545 mm (178.9 in) | 4675 mm (184.1 in) | 4600 mm (181.1 in) | 4650 mm (183.1 in) |
Width | 1755 mm (69.1 in) | 1780 mm (70.1 in) | 1785 mm (70.3) | 1900 mm (74.9 in) |
Height | 1340 mm (52.8 in) | 1360 mm (53.5 in) | 1360 mm (53.5 in) | 1370 mm (54 in) |
Weight | 1480 kg (3265 lbs) | 1530 kg (3373 lbs) | 1540 kg (3395 lbs) | 1737 kg (3829 lbs) |
Wheelbase | 2615 mm (103 in) | 2720 mm (107.1 in) | 2665 mm(104.9 in) | 2780 mm (109.4 in) |
Front track | 1480 mm (58.3 in) | 1480 mm (58.3 in) | 1480 mm (58.3 in) | 1590 mm (62.9 in) |
Rear track | 1480 mm (58.3 in) | 1480 mm (58.3 in) | 1490 mm (58.7 in) | 1600 mm (63 in) |
Cars and Coffee - June 7th
From DropJays Blog
"Cars & Coffee but if you do June 7th a little Skyline meet has has been arranged to show up at the regular Cars and Coffee that is held every Saturday down in Irvine CA. Come see a handful of Skyline GTR’s that live in the US and Canada."Map after the jump
After 17 years , the F Series Pickup is no longer the Sales Leader
From LA Times
"And, after 17 years, Ford's F-Series trucks were dethroned from the top sales position, falling to No. 5 behind the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
"I think it's a watershed moment," said Jim Farley, head of marketing at Ford."
Thats a pretty big deal. It goes to show what a few dollars in gas prices does to the average consumer. I have always talked about "global warming" and consumers choices in vehicles. It is economics that get people to change their choices, not concern for the environment.
"GM in May saw a 37% decline in light truck and SUV sales and its share of the overall U.S. market dropped below 20%, a new low for the automotive giant that in 1980 had 45% of the U.S. market."
"The fuel-efficient Honda Civic compact had a record month with 53,299 sold, a 38.5% increase from May 2007. It and other small cars including the Fit helped Honda, which sells very few light trucks and and is heavy with fuel-efficient cars, post a 15.6% increase in vehicles sold for the month.
Hyundai, Mazda, Kia and Subaru posted sales increases for the month. So did Nissan, which saw an 8.4% increase in sales, driven by a 43% burst from its Altima sedan, which like the Civic comes as a hybrid as well as a traditional drivetrain. But Nissan's results were pulled down by a lineup that includes large SUVs such as the Armada, whose sales fell 52%, and the Titan full-size pickup, which was down 56%."
Big pickup and SUV sales drops. I wonder if people will go for LPG or CNG conversions for big trucks how they do in many parts of the world. Diesels aren't that great of a choice for most people, with diesel over $5 a gallon locally.
The automakers are going to have a hard time reacting to this huge change in consumer demand. It has already been a boon for some automakers, others are in for some huge losses, and may even go away. Hummer anyone ?
Jun 3, 2008
C - West Demo R34 GT-R for Sale on Yahoo Auctions
Auction Link. C-West never drove the car much, always in the showroom or in storage. They put about 8,000km on the car as a demo car but never raced it or drove it hard. Neither did I. I put the Nismo 320k speedometer in brand new when I got the car from them and now it is just over 2000km. So in total the car has about 10k, easy driving. I did have C-West tune the engine from stock after I bought the car from the C-West owner Omoto san about 5 years ago. Also I had them repaint it afterward. Yellow was only produced in 1999 and very limited production. The Japanese don't like yellow much, they like white and black or silver. So yellow was rarely ordered. I've only seen a few R34 GT-R in all my years in yellow. But C-West took the Lightning bolt Nissan yellow which was a bit bland and repainted in the color you see. Now it's on par with Ferrari or Porsche or Lamborghini colors, something Nissan never had sense to do, but it's still the original color... yellow. It does turn heads everywhere I go. Funny, C-West produced the die cast model (limited 500 pieces) in the same color. That was even before they repainted the real car for me. So this big car got the same color the die cast model had. These three points are some of the best selling points for the car. The whole exterior of the car is aero C-West kit. One other sales point is I changed out the whole interior to M-Spec Nur leather heated seats and panels and kouki white stitch. Also I added the kouki bigger rear brakes and calipers. Later upgrades like the rear wing and carbon trunk C-West came out with, I put on this car. I made it racey, but kept it drivable like a good street car, and looking like the original demo car. I think it's about 480 horse power, maybe 500. Since the engine with was tuned from stock with new parts, it has been driven just over 2000 kilometers by me only, and it reads so on the clock, the Nismo 320k speedo I put in at that time new.
Specs:
Engine and Drive Train:
HKS GTSS Turbines
Mines Pro II outlets
HKS front pipe 75 x 75 x 80
N1 Exhaust manifold
HKS Step one camshafts
HKS timing gear pulleys
Trust clear timing cover
Apexi Power FC
Apexi Boost controller
Nismo injectors
ARC Radiator
ARC intercooler (10cm)
Tomei fuel pump
Nismo fuel pressure regulator
Trust/Greddy stainless intercooler pipeing
Trust/Greddy oil cooler with engine bay oil element mount
Nismo air flow meters (air mass sensors)
Ogura twin plate carbon racing clutch
Nismo front lower arms and tie rods
Custom modified intake pipe (stock), Polished aluminum with plate welded in
Polished aluminum (stock) turbine inlets X 2
Quantum (English made) suspension, adjustable for height and soft or hard ride
Kouki Vspec II rear calipers and rotors
Stainless Nismo brake lines
Nismo clutch operating cylinder
Nismo stainless operating cylinder line (hose)
C’s short stroke shifter
HKS power flow air cleaners
Nismo muffler and exhaust pipe (8 cm)
Nismo tower bar with brake stopper
Nismo black 18” wheels by RAYS
Interior and Body/Aero parts:
Nismo White 320k speedometer
Nur M-spec front and rear leather seats (fronts have heaters), with M-spec matching door panels and rear seat side panels.
Nismo carbon look garnish behind door window x 2
C-West full aero kit as per original demo car: front/rear bumpers, rocker panels, bonnet, eye liners
C-West later Super Trunk hood, dry carbon 3.4 kg.
C-West later 3D GT II S wing with optional rear flap, which is on all C-West’s actual race cars.
Full respray, by C-West. All glass was removed, doors and trunk
Original demo stickers reapplied by C-West, one sticker replaced by NISMO sticker on doors
Nismo front WHITE blinker lamps and side markers
Die cast replica model of the car in the photos is included with the real car to the buyer or third owner.
Jun 2, 2008
Nissan Sales Drop on Higher Gasoline Prices
From Bloomberg
"Nissan Motor Co., Japan's third- largest carmaker, led a drop in domestic auto sales in May, as higher taxes and fuel costs cut demand for new vehicles."
"Sales of cars, trucks and buses fell 6.1 percent to 221,377 from a year earlier, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement today. The total excludes minicars."
"Japan's consumer spending has slumped because of inflation driven by higher food costs and a record price for gasoline. Car sales also dropped on one less selling day and after the tax rate on automobiles rose to 5 percent in May from 3 percent in April."
"Gasoline in Japan surged to a record 160.3 yen a liter ($5.76 a gallon) last week. The tax rate fell for one month in April after the government failed to agree on a revenue bill."
Gas prices, gas prices, gas prices. Effecting the world.