09GTR

I went for the HKS setup for a few reasons: 1. it was tested & proven at the time (Cobb wasnt even available) 2. it was an end to end kit from one manufacturer, I didnt want to mix parts (White 35 did this and there were all sorts of set up issues) 3. I want to do some serious mods down the track - turbos, intercoolers etc, hence I want to build a strong platform with the right hardware The 800cc injectors are for two reasons -1. I wanted the safety as I was running out of injector with the stock ones, 2. again I have future fuel requirements in mind... With the BOVs ,I've had history here - most factory BOVs I've used on Evos and WRXs leak under high pressure, it may seem excessive with the current setup, but when I crank this baby up they'll do the job (they look great too) The HKS boost controller is incredibly flexible, enables me to change the power delivery without having to download a new map. The full HKS setup cost me $12,500. Its incredibly consistent with the same power delivery every time. Pretty good value really. So in summary I suppose it all depends on what your long term goals are - a mild tune is possible without all the hardware, but if your goal is to eventually build a low ten second car I reckon building the right hardware platform from the start is a must... whatever that hardware might be.

I went for HKS570 kit, 800cc injectors, Cobb custom tune, AP slotted rotors, Carbotech 12 pads for track, Endless MX72s for street, stock back end exhaust, dunlop tyres. These mods are pretty basic really, but see 401kw at the wheels (check out the thread Love The Beast to see the results). I have two custom maps for street/drags & track. The car is incredibly reliable, but quite loud. Cost wise expect to spend btw $20k and $30k. Jim at Croydon Racing Developments has done all my work ( and my last eleven cars!). Hope this helps.

also, Jim has the car running very rich to be safe, as we learn more about durability of engines we'll get leaner.

suspect its me hitting the limiter!

After a few hundred laps of Oran Park, a handful at the Creek, a 10 second quarter mile, and 80-odd laps of Bathurst, I needed something different.....Texi Skids. Yep I took the R35 out to the skids last weekend, managed to finish first in the Go to Whoa, and then got into some drifting! To be honest, some of the Skyline boys were absolute genius drifters, and I was the novice. That said, for a first timer the R35 and I went ok. Check out the photos below and the VIDEO!!!!!! [ attachment=269390:WF4U8527.jpg]

Turned out mine and White 35 were tie rod issues, all fixed. Nissan Brookvale are on to it.

Guys, it was great to take the R35 to an event like this. Thanks for the vids and photos. Personally I thought the day was perfectly organised, and it was great to be able to take passengers. The rain was a blessing for me. Drag racing and track days are easy compared to this sort of thing. It was the first time driving the car on a skid pan and I have a lot to learn! I look forward to the next one. Once I work out how to get my videos from the gopro to youtube I'll share them around.

If you can afford it today, just do it. Buy the 35, spend $30k on mods, and you've got a $200k weapon that sounds like a monster, pulls 0- 100 in 3 seconds flat or less, runs a ten second quarter,looks different to anything else around, stops so hard it makes your chest hurt, and sticks to the corners like wet sh*t to a blanket. I agree entirely with the comments about mods. You get in a stock 35 after driving a modded one and they are quite sedate. However if you are prepared to spend the money (which you clearly are) the modified 35 will amaze you, and you can drive it to work every day and take the kids to the Wiggles. When you are done at the wiggles you could drop the kids off, nail a few laps of your favorite track then drive home for tea! Nothing compares to a modded 35 for overall flexibility.

Now seriously considering turbo upgrade and tranny cooler...but I do have to have the conversation with my wife...

What were the results?

I have to say I wasn't paying much attention to my speedo!!!! I'm going to have to invest in a driftbox/incar video setup so I can analyse this sort of thing. Check out Duncan's video of his 1:44 lap at EC and you'll see a luff-like lap. I reckon you are glimpsing the speedo at the wrong time. Duncan was doing mid 160s through turn one if my memory serves me correct, I think I was too. Sure enough, I',m turning in at 190 odd, but on the apex its definitely more like 165. As for the straight - I'm seeing 250s, then smashing those MX72s like they've never been smashed before- hence the smoke! The MX 72s delaminated after Bathurst, and have never been the same again. I'll look into the supersprint Duncan, you could give me some tips!! I'll let you know hoe the Carbotechs go on the street.

Hi guys, having smashed up my original stocker pads and rotors, and a set of Endless MX 72s, I've now installed AP slotted rotors and Carbotech 12 brakepads. The pads are primarily for track use, but a lot of the guys in the US are using them for street and track. Initial feedback from street use is really strong initial bite, very strong all the way to standstill when hot, but a little noisy when cold at low speed. There is no doubt the stopping power is significant with this set up. Next track day is Oran Park on Jan 14th. Get yourselves along to this one as its the last open day ever at OP. I managed a 1:48.5 at Eastern Creek last week. Given it was the first time I've ever driven that circuit I was happy with that. Of course Luffy did a 1.44 in a stocker in the Motor Mag test, so there is plenty of improving to do for me..... My 20 inch dunlops have done 80-odd laps of bathurst, 35-odd laps of EC, and still have lots of life left in them!!! The Dunlop is a much better tyre than the Bridgestone, which barely lasted one decent track day. One last thing - I had to replace my Ozzy Cozzy today - the bugs from Bathurst melted into the plastic and completely ruined it. The lesson here is wash the bugs off the Ozzy Cozzy straight away (ie. dont let the filthy car sit in a workshop for two weeks).

Agreed, in fact I have 19 inch Volks on the way wrapped in Hoosiers - look out Bathurst a two twenty something is in my sights...

I have over an hour of in-car video including David Wall at the wheel, and a scary moment at turn 12 late on day two where I got totally sideways! I also have a three lap duel with White 35 where I caught him..hehehe...I just have to work out how to edit it...

Dave (NUR) did a great job, went hard for two days, had the odd issue with a catch can, but hammered - didnt get a lap time, but when I post the video you will see a couple of laps of the NUR as I followed him for a while. There is a great section up mountain strait where I blew past him...hehehe The funny thing was, when he got back to Syd he realised he'd left the torque split on the max setting to the front wheels!!!!! He still murdered the Evos, Mercs, Bimmers, and the odd porsche too - great car, sounded wicked too.

Here are some teasers, more to come... [attachment =256290:mppitts2.jpg]

I don't think I can ever go back to Oran Park, Wakefield, or Eastern Creek again. Not now. Not after 73 laps of arguably one of the greatest tracks on earth. Let me give you the context. I have owned and modified lots of fast street cars, and driven them on the street. However I have only done five track days ever, and three of those have been in the R35. So you see it would not be an exaggeration to say that the night before the drive Bathurst event I was crapping myself as the excitement gave way to the fear of confronting the mountain, and a track that demands respect, or it will bite. But this car is so damn good, even a novice can extract a level of performance that belies logic. To remind you my car is running the following mods: HKS 570 kit ( midpipe, cats, actuators, intercooler piping, blow off valves, boost controller, HKS spark plugs) A Cobb Custom Tune 20 inch Dunlops (road tyre) Endless MX 72 pads Endless brake fluid Willall oils I de-tuned the car for a rigorous track session from 401 kilowatt at the wheels to around 360, running 16 pounds boost. (in the end I didn't install the 800cc injectors, decided to wait until after Bathurst as its hardly the place to trial this new mod). For the record White 35 was running about 345 atw. The first day of the event was spent learning the lines, following instructors like Warren Luff and David Wall around the mountain. As the day wore on I started gaining in confidence and speed and the traction control remained firmly in the "ON" position. This became problematic, as I came out of Forest Elbow onto Conrod, the traction control would come on strong through 3rd, 4th, 5th, and even 6th gear as the computer simply couldn't handle the pitch, speed, lumpiness, and the pure uniqueness of a track built for the bold....those with a willingness to break the Nissan guidelines, and throw VDC, and caution, to the wind. After several laps of turning VDC off entering the Elbow and turning it back on again at the bottom, I duly obliged, and through caution to the wind. The result? A novice, on street tyres, stock rims, a tankful of 98, in my daily driver, with the air-conditioning on ran a 2 minute 33 lap time! And I can hear the pros groaning that that lap time doesn't do justice to a car that Luffy reckons is good for a very low 2:20, but I have to say for a mug punter I am stoked! That I could get 281 kph down Conrod, (and Luffy got 285), is simply unreal! White 35 and I ran consistently in the low to mid 2:30's all day yesterday, and White 35 actually nailed a 2:32 late on the second day. The car performed faultlessly, I did not experience one moment of brake fade, the pads were amazing. Tranny temps saw 134 every 5 or so laps, which was fixable with cooldown lap, I saw a max of 142 with David Walls help! The outside air temp was btw 34 - 36 degrees. The tyres are fine, plenty of life left in them. They get a far bigger smashing at Oran pk than Bathurst. The mountain is much harder on brake disks than tyres, with my factory front discs finally cracking by late day two. Engine oil temps were fine, coolant fine. Next year we will do the five day event. We will be fitting tranny coolers, and race rims and rubber. As far as the competition is concerned, the GTR took many scalps and was noticeably faster than the majority of the euro stuff including Porches, Audi R8, etc. That said, there were some very experienced drivers doing a great job of handling the mountain, and a great group of guys to boot. I have an absolute ripper of a video that I will load as soon as I can work out how that shows me and White 35 having a battle royale over three hard laps. I'll also load some pics asap. As for the circuit, there were two magical sections for the GTR. The first was turn two up to and through the Cutting, where you could get quite a drift around the tight left hander up to McPhillamy. The other was Skyline (aptly) - this was a flat out (180 kph)drift from the inside left ripple strip to the right sand trap before a hard brake into the esses. So fellow R35ers, get your deposits down for 2010. I can assure you it is an experience you owe it to yourself to have in an R35, on a track that was once, and is again Godzilla country!

White35 and I are heading to Mount Panorama next week for Drive Bathurst. We are doing the two day program (wed & thurs). Is anyone else coming along? The beast will be making its Bathurst debut with new 800cc injectors being the latest addition. Running MX72 pads and endless fluid, dunlop tyres, Willall oil and well over 400kw at the wheels. CRD are race prepping both cars and will be there on Thursday. Last year the event was a Porsche-fest, so it will be good to see the GTR mix it with the Germans! Will get some video and photos of course. Cant wait!!!

I find my car is .2 - .3 of a second faster with VDC off, but with 401 kw at the wheels thats probably because traction control is slowing the power delivery with VDC off.

I had an identical experience after one track day similar milelage. My advice to you is to relax, chuck some Endless MX72 pads, Endless brake fluid, and go and drive your car like it is stolen. Your rotors will be fine, your pads will last longer, your wallet fuller, and life will be beautiful! Nissan dealers have to tell you this stuff, but it is rubbish. I know because I took the advice above, my car is perfect. As for the warranty issues, it is almost impossible to keep your warranty. Supposedly if you switch VDC off you lose it. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard and having owned EVOs, STIs, HSVs, a BMW, Hondas, Toyotas, an Alfa, Fords, and a Leyland I can assure you that Nissan Australia's treatment of their high performance customers is by far the worst I have ever experienced. However, the Brookvale guys are excellent, they just have to play by Nissan Australias rules.

White 35 thats too funny...clearly this CD has come from your personal collection. Im finding Def Leppard a good choice for driving the R35 myself....

what was the boost level?

remove the disk from the plastic cover before you try to place them inside the device.

Check out a DVD called Motive 3. Its a GTR extravaganza where 8 modified GTRs (including mine) and one stock r35 are raced down Kootamundra airstrip. The DVD was made when my car was mid way through its phase one modifications, with stock computer and some HKS piping. The surface was pretty slippery, all cars were a bit slower than normal. The stock R35 ran a 12.0, and CRD's JUN ran a 10.0. This car has done 9's. It's a well made DVD, and a good laugh. Its by Jet Multimedia. CRD have copies, all the cars belong to CRD customers. For those of you interested to hear what the HKS 570 kit sounds like inside and out of the car, this will give you a good feel for it. I'm going to see if I can get my car back there next year will all the mods done. White 35, you should get along as well.

Yes White 35 I have an idea. You should spend the money on a driving course. Recommend Luff stage one mate, basic braking and cornering.