Marks S12 Grand Prix

Ok, yeah that is where the clock is located on all s12's i think. It was the idea to make it look factory.

Cutter: why ship over a whole car when you can buy just the panels in belgium.

sunny1600 on 11:33:10 AM / 29-Oct-12Cutter: why ship over a whole car when you can buy just the panels in belgium.

Yeah the real one is more than just wide body panels molded in... special wheels, right hand drive, and special documentation in the manual.

Arro on 10:52:34 AM / 30-Oct-12Yeah the real one is more than just wide body panels molded in... special wheels, LEFT hand drive, and special documentation in the manual.

What is a "Champion edition"? That even legit?

Yes it is. Check the blogs on s12silvia.com

Do you have proof of the special documentation in the manuel of the S12 Grand Prix? Never heard about that and mine didnt have any special documentation when I bought it.

I think it was for some soccer team maybe the aussie team

No, it was for the Swiss football team Grasshoppers in Zurich.
Read more about it on the S12silvia.com blog
http://s12silvia.com/community/index.php?/blog/3/entry-9-the-s12-champion/

'sunny1600','index.php?page=Thread&postID=1045838#post1045838'I noticed some pictures arent working anymore. So here is a summary of last years track time with the S12.

Long due update.

The original idea was to put the tracktime stuff into a blog but Colin is way to busy to finish that atm so we decided to put it in the project thread instead.

2012: tracktime of Marks S12 Grand Prix in bird's eye view

Last year I have been to two tracks. On the 8th of July 2012 I drove the S12 on Donington national circuit in the United Kingdom and I have been four times to the Nürburgring/Nordschleife in Germany.

Japfest 2 8th of July 2012
Donington Park
The weekend of the 8th of July me and a buddy have been to the UK for a Japanese car show with tracktime, called Japfest 2. This is in the midlands of England and held at a historic racetrack, Donington Park. We arrived a couple off days before the event to make it a decent holiday trip. We visited the local pub quite occasionally, because it was raining a lot.

We decided to go and visit the track, it was not open but we were still able to get a glimpse of the circuit and feel the atmosphere. Donington national circuit is not as long as the more famous Nordschleife, but it also has height differences and it looks like a fun circuit, more about that later.

As a regular visitor to JAE (http://s12silvia.com/community/index.php?/blog/3/entry-159-jae-2012-the-s12s/) for the past four years I have been used to the British Japanese car scene. It was nice to see old friends again, and make new. Japfest is different from JAE, it is more track oriented. There are still show and shine cars, but a lot more cars that are there just to race. Thats what I am talking about, I met some of my buds from a UK based group, Cable tie racing and I have met them also this year at the ring. Cool bunch of guys, with the same interest so that bonded very well.

More about Donington national circuit.
At Japfest I drove the short version of the race track, the Donington national circuit which is 1.957 miles. I drove in the intermediate class, which is for the more serious track tools. I knew I would get overtaken a lot with my 145 bhp on a stock car but I rather drive in this class then with tupperware drivers where I have to watch out for people that cant drive. I did 4 sessions at Japfest 2, drove 33 laps so that was quite a good value for money. Loved some parts of the track especially the right left Goddards and the Old Hairpin. My favorite is Coppice. A hard blind right corner. You see it on the video I made at 2.53.
A strange thing is due to the close presence of the airport you see planes taking off at the horizon. Very cool.

As said above, Donington race track has a bit of height difference, nice corners and some fast corners. It is a fun track to drive on. However it was Japfest and not trackday only so between the sessions in the intermediate section I returned back to the paddock where the S12 stood between my friends of the Nissan Primera Owners Club. During those time it happened a lot that people came to me for a chat about the car on track or that they had a S12 before. There was even one guy that came to check the VIN if this was originally equipped with a FJ20 (noticeable by the codename RUS in the VIN plate). They liked it in particularly to see such an old car in such a good condition lapping the track.
I drove at Japfest on a totally stock car, the BC racing coilovers I had ordered where in back order for two weeks so next year I expect to put down some better times.

Here is a link to the pictures I have put on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117350045092898.21104.100004537081670&type=1&l=ba971f930d (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117350045092898.21104.100004537081670&type=1&l=ba971f930d)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/736896_129068690587700_402566963_o.jpg)
Bird eye view of Donington race track

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Entrance to Donington Park

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Me and my buddy Wout entering the track

And off course some action shots
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And to finish it off two video's

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcQ6kAZik6I[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W5XcbACC_4[/video]

It is a fun track to drive, I have only driven my car on the Nordschleife but had plans to visit other tracks. Next year I will go to some other circuits as well. England has a lot of small circuits, but there are some in a few hours away from my place that are also quite well known. I think the most know apart from the Nordschleife is Spa-Francorchamps with the famous and the notorious bend eau rouge.

From next years plans back to another famous and also notorious track. .
The Nordschleife / Nurburgring
One of the most famous tracks in the world. A track with some dark clouds overneath it, nearly bankrupt due to mismanagement. However I am confident the Ring will survive, with or without the latest additions.

A track with a lot of history and a mindblowing experience every lap you drive there.
Last year I have driven as much as in 2011. That is 11 laps. In contrary to last year I didn't do this in one morning. There were a lot of track closures, I went four times last year. The last time I was with Colin, and I am sure he will mention it in his blog regarding his eurotrip.

So back to my experiences. I have driven the Ring only with a stock car until the last two times I have been. My last three laps where with a modified suspension. BC racing BR-RA 8kg front spring rate and 5kg rear spring rate coilovers. I must say this is quite the improvement. The car is a lot stiffer now and it handles so much better. For next year there are the plans to finally polybush the subframe and do some handling mods, but most important is to visit more tracks and do more track time at the Nordschleife.

Here are some pictures made of the 12
First some comparison pictures of my car with stock suspension and the bc coilovers
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And some random action shots

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Here you have a good example of the height difference. Which is 300 meters from lowest point to highest point.

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Sometimes it is very crowded on the ring, as you can see on this picture.

Links to all the Nordschleife 2012 pics
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100612666766636.1330.100004537081670&type=1&l=2348b99413 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100612666766636.1330.100004537081670&type=1&l=2348b99413)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100613146766588.1334.100004537081670&type=1&l=79d343dc6d (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100613146766588.1334.100004537081670&type=1&l=79d343dc6d)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100614053433164.1340.100004537081670&type=1&l=80f9dcb38c (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.100614053433164.1340.100004537081670&type=1&l=80f9dcb38c)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.111457222348847.18102.100004537081670&type=1&l=eb8eef6963 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.111457222348847.18102.100004537081670&type=1&l=eb8eef6963)

I also have some videos

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrfgC7atdSY[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vVSVA4FrSk[/video]

It is all about having fun, and you have the most fun among friends. The understand me and they understand my passion, drive the tracks around the world. My best weekends there are the ones with my mates. It is the combination of going shotgun with a buddy on a lap, doing a barbeque with some beers besides the track or just take a walk on the track when it is closed. This mixture makes it something to look out for every time again.

So looking forward to next year, the plan is to attend more different Euro tracks and I can say that the Trip has started last July at Donington Park.

Hope you guys enjoyed it, and remember if you ever go there.
Don't forget to

Have fun with friends
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While you are there take a walk on the Ring
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Drive the famous Nordschleife

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Find out why the Carroussel is so famous.
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Place that deserved decal
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Enjoy the great roads near the ring
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And fix your car
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And if you want to read more about the Nordschleife
http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/ueberuns/the-legend-nuerburgring/nordschleife.html (http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/ueberuns/the-legend-nuerburgring/nordschleife.html)

I hope you guys enjoyed it

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I know I did.

I am sooo jealous. I wish we had gorgeous tracks like this with open days like you have. Keep driving it and enjoying it!

thats pretty badass. yeah i dont like the floorpan design on the s12 verymuch.. the awkward hump near the trans tunnel is strange..lol

but i have to say i liked the silver smaller rims a lot more than the larger work rims.. the larger ones make the car kinda look goofy but that just my humble opinion.. looks killer man.. your making me really want my s12 to be running right now..haha

Last time it appeared like the S12 was running on 3 cylinders, so we checked the spark plugs. They where fastened way too much and only came loose with alot of effort. Unfortunately the ceramic on one off the plugs was damaged and was laying in the bottom off the spark plug hole, so next problem. The spark plug wasnt completely screwed out of the hole so we could get the ceramic out with a compressor. We put in new plugs and it was running alot better instantly.
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Also mounted a deepdish LTEC steering wheel and because I have driven on circuit Zandvoort recently I have also placed a sticker of that track on the back of the windshield.

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Like I already said there was coming a small update.  I have a few pictures and a webpage where you can see more of it.
The story begins like this. I saw a scale model of a local Supra that looked alot like the real deal.
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I wanted a scale model of my S12 for some time now, and it had to be a replica of my Grand Prix S12. Only problem is those arent made. So I asked Kris if he could make it for me and he liked the idea.

It started like this.
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If you want to see more about this project, take a look here: http://www.modelbrouwers.nl/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=40973
It is in Dutch but google translate can help and the pictures are pretty much self explanatory.

To top it all off here are a few pictures of last sunday when I attended the Wangan Warriors meet which is a Jap car only meet which attended 400+ cars. Not bad for some guys that have a forum and do this for the hobby.

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For now the S12 is in wintersleep mode, waiting in the garage for next years plans.

I love both your cars  :angel:

Last weekend I went to my welder to have the mounting of the drivers seat redone. I wasnt happy with it and neither was he. The way it is done now it is more solid and easier to adjust.
Here are some pictures of the result. I still need to grind it down a bit and give it some paint.

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And a before and after picture

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The FJ gearbox has seen better times so I bought a FJ box for cheap. And because the FJ was also cheap I also bought that one.
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Instantly lowered the mazda :P
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Also ordered a new clutch and pressure plate. This will be replaced together with the gearbox.
I want the friction plate/clutch plate to have a better lining so it can handle the track abuse better.

I also bought a Nismo sport muffler which will be mounted together with a 2.5inch stainless steel custom exhaust system together with a DR30 FJ20 N/A exhaust manifold I have had laying around here for two years. That will need some serious remodelling but nothing my welder cannot fix!

Saturday we plan to mount the setrab oil cooler and while we are at it change the oil. Some time ago I bought a refurbished S14 front brake setup which hasnt done 1000 km. We will fit the S14 front brakes to see how big a spacer I need to make the brakes fit in the 15inch Gotti's.

With all this done we should be sorted for Japfest UK. So hopefully see you there.

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Glad to see you still have the GP Mark. She's looking better than ever. Hope you get her back on the road soon.

Cheers mate. It still is on the road. Just need some minor problems fixed.

Tomorrow we are going to test fit the S14 brakes in the front to see what size spacers I need with the Gotti rims. And hopefully mount the oil cooler and do an oil change while we at it.
Then next week I bring the car to a workshop to have the gearbox changed and also the clutch replaced.
I have picked up the clutch plate today with a different material mounted on it. The workshop owner is also a nordschleife fan. He has driven over 500 laps in the last years. He used to tell me stories of earlier times when a yearcard on the ring was 1100 gulden (thats aprox 500euro) in comparison to now when its like 1700 euro. Inflation right.. :(

Time for a trip down memory lane.
In 2011 my S12 would be featured in Youngtimer Magazine. A dutch magazine about cars of the seventies, eighties and nineties. Unfortunately my engine blew up and I had alot of problems afterwards with the rebuild. In July of 2012 the feature did happen. There are some mistakes in the article but overall I like the feature.

Here is a scan of the article. It is in Dutch but I have translated it as well as I could.
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Translation article Youngtimer Magazine number 15 July/August 2012

Page 22

Introduction
29-year-old Mark van der Velden is a Nippon-freak at heart when it comes to cars. Proven by the many pictures in his room. Rightly proud he is of his Nissan Silvia S12 Grand Prix, a special limited edition, which spoils the sports driver with generous power and good driveability, while the lover of art is operated with beautiful Japanese engineering. Although the Brabander is particularly careful with his white coupe Youngtimer Magazine was allowed to take it for a ride.

Article
Nissan brings the Silvia S12 Grand Prix in 1983 to the market. The big difference with the normal S12 is in the body shape. The standard looks slender, graceful and pruning tight. The GP has the contrast as if it's on steroids and it has a wide body kit that looks like a sumo wrestler. The wide costume fits the coupe exceptionally well. Even when standing still, the car demands respect. Of course the body is not the only difference. Especially under the hood there is a technique of a very different caliber. There is a double overhead cam with a displacement of two liters, with the codename FJ20E. This machine is good for 145 hp. Indeed, not much, partly because it looks suggests at least 200hp+. The block, however, offers an unprecedented potential for tuning and can easily double the power. Mark has enough future plans; a FJ20ET turbo and manifolds are already impatiently waiting on the shelf.

Van der Velden lost his heart to cars from the Land of the Rising Sun. His first car was a Nissan sunny N14 1600.

Page 23
Article
I like to take my car out on some laps around the Nordschleife in Germany. For this purpose I had modified the sunny. GTI brakes, an improved chassis, all perfect for street and track use. Driving pleasure guaranteed, and all three years, without excessive costs. Another proof that the technique of the Japanese is hard to beat. The bodywork was less, I sold the N14 in part-out.

End of 2010, it is due time for something else. The quest begins on the internet. Mark has a few requirements. The car must be rare, preferably RWD and road tax-free.
In Germany Mark discovers his current Nissan near the Czech border. "Not exactly next door, but for something special you have to put more effort in it to obtain it.. After several emails with questions, answers and photos it was November 2010 and the buy was agreed. After a small deposit the car was taken of the auction site and could stay there for a few months. In February 2011, I picked the GP up. "

Small writing underneath picture of Mark
When Mark van der Velden thinks of cars they come from Japan.

Page 25
Writing in top photo: Nissan dealers can provide almost nothing for these cars

Article
Such a silvia is not a modest appearance. The extended fenders recall those of the Audi Quattro. The Quattro ones are made of metal and are integrated with the bodywork. Nissan used polyester parts that widens the body on both sides 7 cm. No show, but necessary because of the front 7" and 8" wide wheels in the rear. The screens are in one piece, with the rear riveted. Nissan has tried as much as possible to conceal them, but that was not exactly successful. On the hood the 'power bulge' displays proudly. In combination with the higher FJ20 engine this is a sheer necessity. The folding headlights feature washers and wipers powered by the same engines as the lights move. Very special are the guards for the headlight lenses. Protection against crossing wild? The special footrest for your passenger is also a rarity in street cars.
Mark wants to keep his Silvia S12 Grand Prix for a long period and plans a respray in the future. Striving is to keep the car look as original as possible on the outside. It can be difficult to get all the original stickers, but if it is impossible to get the originals, they can always be reproduced.

A nissan silvia, with a FJ20E engine. The FJ-blocks were built in the eighties and have a deep motorsport history. The FJ24 is a 2340 cc engine, which was used in the Nissan 240RS rally car. The FJ20 is the normal 1990cc production version, which we find among others in the DR30 Skyline and Silvia S12. The cast-iron block carries an aluminum head with two chain driven camshafts. All together an almost indestructible piece of art, countless racing and

Numbers with pictures:
1. In the eighties the sunroof is inevitable, this Silvia is not an exception.
2. The FJ20 overhead cam is a fine example of classic motor construction. It is well known in the tuning world that the engine harbours great potential in power and moderately displays such ability.
3. All GP's are on a composed 15" Gotti wheels, front 7" wide and the rear 8 ". It is typical that a Japanese manufacturer opts for French wheels!

Page 26
rally successes have proven it.
The white Silvia GP has left the factory in May 1985 and was first licensed in January 1986. At the time of purchase the km-counter stood at 185,000. There are now 9,000 added. Mark found a MOT report from 1995 where the car had at that time a milage of 177,025 kilometers. In the ten years before there is thus only 8000 km driven!
Unfortunately there is no service history. A thorough maintenance is vital. Besides the standard items Mark replaced all the fluids. The brake pads were replaced, the thermostat, the track rods and a large handful of other parts. After all this the RDW (the Dutch civil service for road traffic) doesn't give this thick Japanese car the slightest obstacle in the way. Since February 2011, the S12 is on Dutch yellow license plates.

The enormous fun can now begin! Every ride puts a big smile on his face. Until ..Mark  "It was not Friday the thirteenth, but Friday the eighth. The 8th of July 2011 to be exact, "I'll never forget it. Big white clouds of smoke rose from all the cracks and crevices of the hood! Shit, a burst in a coolant hose .. The engine got incredible hot and the cylinder head was damaged, cracked in two places to be more precise.'
Mark says that he quickly found a replacement head at a nearby Japanese car junkyard. The gaskets needed to be ordered from the U.S., but that went smoothly. "Nissan dealers can provide almost nothing for these cars, so you have to rely on countries such as the USA, Australia and England. There is still enough FJ20 supply, which gives peace of mind.
After rebuilding the block, stuff got worse. The company that had overhauled the cylinder head cut off a valve stem. With two valves just too much .. With the result that the valves are no longer able to provide in the normal way. "
Mark is now really fed up with this, "I decided to buy a completely different block, which I found in Germany. It was not expensive, so I dared to risk it. Together with a friend I did the swap in three days. The engine ran perfectly straight away, one problem less. Revision of the transmission is still on the priority list, which has some odd sounds. The starter or the starter gear is not good, but it does still run''.

Blue text in the middle of the page
"With everything you can notice that the car is designed for much more power."

Page 27
The car does drive fantastic! It is quite heavy with its 1375 kg. Everything feels remarkably tight and solid. The interior has a typical angular eighties atmosphere. The vast amount of plastic is characteristic of Japanese-made cars of that era. The many shades of blue that really come at you from every angle underline this experience even further. These seats offer more lateral support as you would expect at first sight. The steering wheel looks like it came straight from a Bluebird. This super sporty coupe deserved a more sportier interior!
The five-speed shifts completely free of play and the clutch performs its work as on the day of delivery. The suspension should have been a tad stiffer, but this Nissan doesn't roll too much on its longitudinal axis. The car responds very directly, which is a big advantage on the circuit.

The classic sixteen valve behaves like a true sports machine and is pretty tame at lower RPM's. However when you floor the gas pedal, from roughly 4000 rpm there comes a wonderful explosion of power. The exhaust will treat you to a wonderful deep rumble that animates you to rev it over and over again. You notice on everything that the vehicle is capable of much more power. The braking system is also there to cope, it has a big overcapacity in its current power.

Mark uses his S12 for hobby, although certainly it is not an impractical car. 'For everyday use I own a mazda 323 hatchback from 1987. My grandparents bought that car brand new. The car has just had its run in period with only 80.000 km's on the speedometer.
Part of the hobby includes visiting events. High on the priority agenda are Japanese car events like Japfest 2 Donington Park in England and the Japanese Auto Extravaganza, also on the other side of the North Sea. "This is one of the largest events for Japanese cars in Europe. The S12 GP is extremely rare, but in such major British festivals he is one of the many rare cars! But hey, that is the charm, you can enjoy watching and comparing. "

Blue piece center of the page
The market.
We are quickly done with it, because the stock of Silvia's S12 (April 1983 - September 1988) is very limited. Of the few cars offered the state varies. A decrepit copy can be obtained for 700 euro's. Beautifully maintained in standard condition are on a tight four grand. The Grand Prix with its wide body was never sold in the Netherlands. They can be found In Germany, but they are very rare. Switzerland and Austria also belonged to the elect and there is rarely a GP to find. If you can found one, count on about 5,000 Swiss Francs. Production numbers are not known. Wikipedia talks about 50 units, but that's probably too little. Elsewhere you can read about 4,400 units, of which 3.483 with FJ20e engine. That will probably sit closer to the truth.
Its hard to find parts through Nissan dealerships in the Netherlands. The Internet helps you sort needed items, most of the time you need to import items from the USA, England or Australia. Prices are often surprisingly pleasant. Also used parts are easy to find on the world wide web.

Numbers with the pictures
1. The extended fenders remind of the Audi quattro. Headlight protectors to protect from crossing wild?
2. Apart from the low seating position the interior differs not that much of the interior of a brave Bluebird from the same period.
3. The seats look not really sporty, but are excellent, with adequate lateral support.
4. The large rear window provides access to a decent boot. Typically eighties, lots of black plastic.

Later this week I will post an update reg. Japfest UK Castle Combe which I attended two weeks ago and had some fun on track with the 12.

So sick to see a s12 in a magazine. Good work

Dude, your Mazda is like my dream daily driver...also, NICE s12!

Event report Japfest 2014: UK Castle Combe

The week before the event I checked the car, gave it some maintance and mounted the setrab oil cooler with a 85degree temp sensor and a mocal sandwichplate.
The weekend of 10-12th of May I went to the UK with a friend of mine. Tracktime was bought several months before.
We decided to depart on friday morning. From Dover it still is a 285kilometer/ 3hours drive.
I had decided to spend the friday evening at my mate Taz's place at the English Riviera in a place near Torquay. So the trip was a bit longer then necessary. We also passed Stonehedge, however because we are Dutch we refuse to pay 20 pounds to see some old prehistoric bricks 

After a long trip with leaving at 7.30 in the morning we arrived at Taz's place at 18h local time. We did some beers and decided to get some sleep before the clock would ring at 3.30 in the morning. An hour later we were on road to the premeet near Castle Combe circuit and at 7.30 we drove off to the event with a bunch of primera's. As usual there was a nice queue to get in. However this time it was much worse and it took us 2.5hour to get in. Some dickhead decided to crash his honda and left the event in an ambulance.

Finally arriving at the event we had to hurry to get to the sound check (Db test) and a mandatory briefing. After alot of stressing finally back in the car and onto the track. Unfortunately there fell quite some rain on the track which resulted in a very wet and slippery tarmac, duly noted!

Castle Combe is aprox 30 kilometers from Bristol and originated as an airfield, just like alot of other English tracks. Sinds the 1950's there are races held. It is a fast track, but it is also bumpy. Which makes it more difficult to brake properly. During the briefing the instructor tells that this is the track with the hightest accidents ratio in the country. 25% of all UK track accidents happens on the Combe.

The first session was on a fairly wet track. Advantage of this is that you learn to know your car very well. Lots of corrections needed especially in corners, and sometimes it just goes wrong. Seems a good reason to do a drift day soon. Top Gear decided to warm us with their presence. James May was driving in the same session. I found it peculiar that such a strange car was on a Japanese car event. He was "driving" a green peugeot convertible.

Second session went better. Tarmac was dryer and the speed also went up. Had a lovely drive and loads of fun.

Here are some pics of the event.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/10264450_281503708677530_4779788144151543238_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1622227_281503615344206_3608037410111852539_n.jpg)
On the way to the premeet
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t31.0-8/10258066_281507405343827_5078265801144166832_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t31.0-8/10257797_281507398677161_7174301429520457798_o.jpg)
Always fun. Traffic jam. :P

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31.0-8/10339334_281781695316398_7241655074685454593_o.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10341459_281833261977908_1707806038388297439_n.jpg)
Briefing

Some trackphotos
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t31.0-8/1658714_281777981983436_4018880987674021440_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t31.0-8/10255728_281777985316769_372565837271902663_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t31.0-8/10293820_283530101808224_1764805309992404015_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t31.0-8/10269303_283530105141557_4781796361524219567_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31.0-8/10338467_283530165141551_1943526750735909308_o.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31.0-8/10269085_283530181808216_7779087762883415556_o.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31.0-8/10321730_283530281808206_8716616417441274859_o.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t31.0-8/10338386_284362978391603_3446273839407792612_o.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31.0-8/1401296_284362975058270_3800936839897647665_o.jpg)

(https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/10277716_281503535344214_2586235973347299513_n.jpg)
Return trip
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t31.0-8/10317543_285430581618176_5099105472660007902_o.jpg)

Also made some videos
http://youtu.be/5zPqLhQY9LU
Compilation video

http://youtu.be/kWUysM8Rpww
Round in session #2

http://youtu.be/9aD_O3GZ9V8
Session #1

http://youtu.be/dgDGG6KU6m0
Session #2

http://youtu.be/WLqEX7eIiWg
James May

Sunday evening we returned back in the Netherlands and it was completely worth the roadtrip. I think the UK car events are way better then the Dutch event JAF.

Next stop Zolder? Assen? or perhaps Spa.

After Japfest I received a nice present from an English friend of mine.


Fitted the sticker for those extra horses.


Received a nice letter from the French smurfs.


Had a nismo muffler collecting some dust so time to have the exhaust line welded.






It was needed just a little bit.....


Small piece of the bumper and tow hook needed to be cut away.


The endresult.
Before and after


The piece of the bumper surrounding the tip of the muffler will be adjusted since I am not yet happy with that.

Two vids

http://youtu.be/PU3pHXp3wfE
http://youtu.be/fR7ud9la_iU

Soon I will have the decibels checked because I think it will be too loud. We will fit a freeflow silencer between it somewhere.
Current setup is a 2.5inch stainless steel exhaust line with a nismo muffler.

Also made a key holder

Damn, you cleaned that up nice!

Yesterday me and Jano went for a spin and took some pics of the silvia.










Something to hang the keys

Last friday I did a compression test with my friend Chris.

We already thought the FJ was not in a very good condition. And we were right.



The spark plugs seem to look fine. Only the spark from cylinder 1 is less black.

Soon we will test it on the dyno to see how many horses it has still left.

Last friday I had a Simons silencer and a small restricted pipe welded in. The smaller diameter piping should help against the noise. Piece of metal from 2.25 inch extended to 2.5 inch and had that welded in after the silencer.
It seems the Fj pulls better again, however that might just be a mental thing.







The exhaust noise is less now.

http://youtu.be/41hOoYs_zuw

And how it was without the silencer.
http://youtu.be/PU3pHXp3wfE

With the silencer I have to watch out with tresholds. Already scraped the silencer a couple of times. Only problem is that it cannot really be higher mounted. The original spot is not available because of the floor pan modification.

Soon mount the S14 front brakes and the car will be ready for the Nurmeet.

I think this is a good place to drop some Grand Prix and FJ goodness

Last weekend 12-14th of september I have been to the annual Nurmeet organised by SXCE.org (German silvia club). It was the most crowded one I have been to yet. Friday morning I installed the tent and at two we where already in Adenau enjoying a hamburger with fries at Bistro Cockpit (prev. Hannes). The atmosphere at Cockpit it not like it used to be but things change...

Friday evening we had a bbq and on saturday a tour through the Eiffel area. Very lovely environment. Sunday I did two laps on the ring. First lap it was foggy, very beautiful to see the ring in a different way.
Sunday evening around 9 I was back home. Exhausted but that needs to happen at such a weekender.

Some pics and other stuff.

At the Nurmeet.






I had a bit of a scary moment. They asked me to rev it so I did manually and the throttle cable came loose from the lever and it went full open.


Result is on the pictures above :D

Overview picture off the meet. It was really crowded. Lots of nice silvias.


At the camping place the Jugendheim


On sunday we went for the ring.


It was quite foggy



Some pics on the ring.

















In three days I drove a total of 906 km's. And it was totally worth it!!

Some vids.



Partial first lap of the day. Gopro quit half way.
http://youtu.be/GSMbsSYU8-w
Later I was able to close the file with the gopro Sos function.

http://youtu.be/AdZjQ5cLcGE
Filmed on low quality on a budget cam. Found out later it was not filmed on the desired 1080p mode.

The weekend was awesome again. Next year I hope  to go more times.

Wow - wish my speedo went up to 240!!

Nice

Today a friend of mine made some pics of the Grand Prix.
Here is a preview







I have made some pics myself. These are the best I made.

the first 2 pics and the last one are pure calendar pics man, keep it up!

Bought some small upgrades



Solid steering rack made by David Carroll. Explanation of the use. Passenger side solid mount whether RHD or LHD. The stock driver's side mount basically just has to keep the rack from twisting once one of these is installed. It locks the rack down and keeps it from moving side to side. Stock it's a really soft and squishy rubber bushing that doesn't do much when compared to the driver's side. With stock mounts the passenger side does probably 80% of the lateral locating of the rack but the rubber still flexes and lets the rack move some. The solid passenger side mount eliminates all of that movement.These are machined from black Delrin and eliminate ALL lateral movement of the steering rack under turning/cornering loads. Even if your stock rack mounts are in good condition you will be amazed at how much more direct the steering is with one of these installed. A T/C Kit and one of these solid mounts are the first two mods I would do to any S12.





Tension/Compression rod bearing kit made by David Carroll. T/C Kit: I have produced a UHMW / aluminum ball & socket assembly to replace the forward rubber bushing in 510s & Zs for at least 15 years. The 'T/C Kit' as it's known is usually the first handling modification done to any of these cars. It's a cheap, easy way to make a major difference in the handling of the car, especially under heavy braking. What it does is eliminate ALL fore-aft movement of the front wheel under braking and cornering loads. This is done by replacing the forward rubber bushing with a mechanical joint. The rear rubber bushing does not need to be replaced unless it is cracked and at risk of falling out. This is because all the rear bushing does is apply pre-load to the T/C Kit's ball & socket to keep it from rattling. The rear bushing is NEVER compressed further except while braking in reverse, and it handles that just fine.

Keep in mind that the stock two rearward rubber bushings are retained with a T/C Kit. All they really do is preload the ball & socket joint but they do have to be intact enough that they don't fall out! They are compressed slightly when braking in reverse, but otherwise they're only job is keeping tension on the ball & socket. If your bushings are crumbling you should get two new rubber bushings and replace them when you install the T/C Kit. They are cheap from Nissan. You should NOT use polyurethane bushings with the T/C Kit as they are too stiff.

Last month I went for a drive with my friend Stefan. He also has an S12.









Also did a photoshoot with DomasM in Rotterdam.

Every picture are some pictures combined to get this result.

























I am waiting on the pictures made by RoyZweers. You will see them pop up later.

This weekend I have the last ride of the year planned for the S12. Afterwards the S12 Grand Prix will be in the garage for the next three months looking like this.

07 Juni 2015
Few upgrades to the S12 Grand Prix, only mounted a solid steering rack made by experimental engineering/ David Caroll. Off course the thread was worn because of some rusty bolt. New thread, new oil and filter and that was it. I still have the S14 4 pot brakes that I should really install on the car, as should the PU bushes from Energy suspension I still have collecting dust.
Not many upgrades, but I have been cruising with the GP. With the Dutch SXOC I went to Japfest at Zandvoort Circuit. I took a German friend from the sxce.org with me and he had a great time.

Some awesome pics




The next weekend was the weekend I was really looking forward to.

ROADTRIP!!!!

Just like last year we decided to go to Japfest 1 Castle Combe in the UK. My buddy Mike and I decided to go a day sooner so we had an extra day to chill at the coast in the Torquay area at my mates Taz place. So we decided to leave really early in the Thursday morning...........
To get in a huge traffic jam at the E34 even before Antwerp. So we decided we went a bit offroading leaving the highway and find ourselves another way.




As to be expected there was a bit of rain. It was England off course!


Around 18h UK time we arrived at my friend Taz which I know from the NPOC. He lives near Torquay at the English coast. Stunning environment, lovely roads and we had great weather. What else can you wish for??? Right! Beers!! And we had a lot off those.




And Full English



Saturdaymornings early departure took us to Castle Combe. We did a premeet with the Primera OC (NPOC). Did some tracktime which was great. I had bought 3 sessions. This year it was devastating warm (well for UK standards that is :P ), so it was a 1000 times better than last year when it was raining cats and dogs. Unfortunately my second sessions was over way to soon due to a red flag. 35 pounds for 5 minutes of driving time.. ouchhh.. expensive session. An EVO had his rear bumper in flames and a honda decided to be a lawn mower. Plus there was an extensive amount of debris on the track. I did found out it is a really fast track, something you notice better when pushing harder on the track.











Spotted some other S12ââ,¬â,,¢s on the paddock.



After the event we drove to a hotel nearby Castle Combe. Decided to celebrate a good weekender with a shitload of beers and steak. In the end I did drive 1800 kmââ,¬â,,¢s that weekend and also the FJ20 decided to use 2 liters of oil. :P



And a more recent picture of me and my mate Chris with his S13 SR20DET.



Planned short term fun time with the S12 Grand Prix.

27 Juni Tracktime at Zandvoort Circuit
http://vrijrijden.nl/

4th and 5th of July to the Nordschleife / Nurburgring

16th of August tracktime at Rockingham during Japfest 2
http://www.japfest2.co.uk/

If its possible I would also like to go to Zolder Circuit for some laps. Not many updates but the S12 is used for what it was built. Driving it with a big smile, preferably on a track off choice.

And a small video of me at Castle Combe to Finish off.
https://youtu.be/8yFbsTAGrkI

That two-tone blue s12 looks really purdy. Oh, and I guess your Blue-Smoke Unicorn doesn't look half bad either.

I'm jealous that you've got tracks to play around on.

Did I see a blue Turd in there!?

I only wish my S12 looked that good.
Maybe someday, I'll find a good one. I don't think I'll put the effort into the body of mine now.
Kinda like my own body...

Last winter the S12 Grand Prix has been stripped and rebuild cosmetically. The widebody panels have been removed to fix the always present rust on the rear arches (typical GP problem). The right rear panel was the worst and needed to have a new  wheel arch welded in.



















After the painting. The car has been painted in two steps. First the whole of the car in white. And a few weeks later the accents in black.







Post Merge

God bless you for doing this.

Very nice. Shame photobucket killed all the older photos though.

Please never stop posting photos of this car. Love seeing one living an active lifestyle.

It is really nice to see your clean GP getting love and being used! Keep posting these!

Nebuchernezzer on 06:32:54 AM / 24-Aug-17
Very nice. Shame photobucket killed all the older photos though.