Beer Baron

the shifter in GTR boxes (well 32 and 33) is in the transfer case. not 100% sure on 34 off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure it's the same arrangement, so you will need to check that and possibly correct it. also there is no "cutting the transfer case off". it just unbolts but i'm not sure if you need to unbolt it and make up an extension housing for the back of the box (box is much shorter without the transfer case obviously) or if you leave it there and just remove the bits inside. of course you will need new tailshaft too and possibly new clutch if the input shaft is different. I would budget around $10K to get it done nicely. but as adam pointed out it wont give you that much better gearing for your freeway driving. It is a little better though. I would either do the diff ratio change. generally autos will have a taller diff (around a 3.9 or so in skylines I think) so you may find a 34 auto diff is better. or get a custom 5th gear made for your box. someone like PPG or PAR could do it, but if it's fixed to the shaft then you'll need them to custom make one.

mmmm super chiller. everyone be cool. it's not a stick up, I just want to retrive the beers from your chiller. orchid thai sounds like a winner.

you are invited for the next one. It's on, thursday, 2 weeks from this one. wont be as tame this time as I will be there to ensure standards are maintained.

nice plan kel. the ol' "I'll accidentally leave something at the pide shop and have to go back around dinner time to pick it up". very nice.

I reckon not only will kubica get on the podium he will win at least 1 race this year, and finish the championship inside the top 6. GO POLAND! about time we had something to cheer for. apart from half price vodka at the polish club every thursday night. mark my words. Kubica 08 wins = 1+ podiums = 2+ results = 6th or better.

off the top of my head it was 7.9kg on the airport check in scale. and it may be a 13" too. I'm not sure what the dude told me, it was either 19X12 or 19X13, but shouldn't make much difference either way. It's about the same weight as my enkei NT03s and my Weds TC05s which is very impressive as both those wheels are very light forged aluminium and are a measly 17X9 in size! bear in mind the GT centre lock wheel is forged magnesium and very thin, hence the light weight. I'd say a forged alloy wheel maybe 10kg or so for that size.

that is top secret all over. very big on wangan runs for video, and various stunts, but of late have not been turning out any really hard core top level circuit cars. The last few years it seems they have focussed a lot on show cars (like the V35 V8, the V12 conversion they did last year etc) and a lot of those cars never seem to get fully finished. Like they have it nearly complete and say "it's making 400ps now on low boost but we expect 800ps once we change turbos" or some such, but that never seems to happen as they move onto the next project and never show any times etc. I may be harsh but in the few years I've been going there I'm not a big fan of how their focus has shifted and also their quality of finish seems to have dropped a bit too. Don't get me wrong though they still make some kick ass customer cars and do some amazing work and some of my favourite japanese tuner cars have come out of the Top Secret workshop, but I just feel in recent years they have shifted away from what I liked about them so much back in the day.

well how else do you think they can afford a new set of rubber every session?!

for wheels I reckon you need some magnesium, centre lock 19X12 TE37s. plus I already have one, we just need 3 more and you have the first set. also, perhaps I should take over driving your 32 now as you and mark between you surely can't pilot this many cars. I'll happily set fire to my grey car and watch the 10s of thousands of dollars burn. plus you need to go for the hardcore body style like M-speed for sure (I know you will). maybe even just ask them to make you one.

I think a certain someone has blue-prints for an M-speed GTR beater up on their wall at home... I know it will be very nice. hey you were not far off with the 32 and we both know how much further the M-speed car is towards being a full on race car.

yeah true. I still don't believe it's anything like 10% though. Someone please drive through a 110 camera at 122 and tell me what happens my guess is fine.

that is good news. I wasn't sure if anyone else would be brave enough, but the more the merrier.

guys, I may not be able to come. some sad news, my grandfather passed away and his funeral is today in newcastle. will see how I go. I know, it wont be the same without me...

well enlighten me then if you know differently.

10% are you kidding me? lol. It's more like 2 or 3km/h. so 63 in a 60 zone will most likely see you booked, as will 103 in a 100 zone. I have no idea who came up with this 10% theory, but it's bullshit.

hehe, call me robot in disguise. I think when I spoke to you way back when I only had ordered 2, Russ was the 3rd.

yep snowy is right. anyone importing and complying one this year wont be looking at a huge saving (but there will be some saving). It will really come into gear next year. in 2009 the 07 and 08 models will have fallen in value quite a bit in japan and they will become a much cheaper option than buying here. getting compliance for R35 is pretty risky which is why I can't foresee many other people putting in the work and money to gain compliance for it, but I could be wrong. anyway, I will be sure to let people know when we are done. it's still very exciting

nope this one is the 3rd.

rock out! April will be perfect. I will have the grey car back on track by then and hopefully I should have gotten your 35 here by then too, so you can make us look silly with a near standard car! and troy, I will give you the keys to my 32 mate. you're a top steerer and since my car has ABS we will both be spared the brown moments I hope. hehe. I may even have a new car to pilot which will be pretty quick, but mums the word for now.

lol, I don't think andrew is allowed to call it a track car anymore. 1 meet in 3 years does not a track car make. my mums camry sees more tack time. hehe if that doesn't get him cracking nothing will.

sorry mate, as above, deposit taken from simonster.

hehe, I knew you wouldn't be able to keep the secret forever. I've been bursting to tell people since December! It's going to be exciting.

well since the cat is out of the bag I might as well give up the news. Yes the R35 has been added to the SEVS list. This was done by Herman at Envy Imports last month. In a little partnership between Herman and I we are importing an R35 with the intention of gaining compliance for this model. It being on the SEVS list does not mean much though, so don't get too excited. It just means it's an eligible vehicle. There is still a long (and expensive) process ahead of us but we will almost certainly be the first in australia to be able to supply and comply R35 GTRs for road registration. If everything goes to plan we will be able to import and comply 2007 and 2008 models, possibly even early 2009 models. I am also supplying another R35 for someone for race use. If anyone is interested in importing an R35 feel free to send me a PM as I don't want to go into too much detail here. Our first car should be arriving next month.

scathing me ol mate. I have no idea what you are on, but ps is not a french measurement, and nor does it stand for power stroke... lol even if it were french why would it have an english name? it's german, let your fingers do the googling as I cant be knackered typing it out and I will just look dumb spelling it wrong. edit: d'oh beaten to the punch.

your beliefs are wrong I tell ya.