*56K Beware* The 2004 East Coast Meet pic/video thread!

Well I pulled back into Raleigh this afternoon after a fantastic weekend in the mountains. We had a lot of cancellations, and ended up with five people in attendance, four of them Club S12 members: Johnnyfive, one_equals_two, MrBob, and myself. Between us we had three S12's and one Contour SVT. Since they were coming from relatively nearby in Tennessee, one_equals_two and MrBob didn't camp out, they just came out Saturday to the Tail of the Dragon and then hung out at the campsite in Waynesville, NC for a bit that night.
Of course the highlight of the weekend was pushing our cars to the limit on the Tail of the Dragon on Saturday afternoon, which if you haven't been paying attention is an 11-mile stretch of U.S. 129 that crosses over the NC/TN line and boasts 318 curves. There was a bit of traffic, mostly motorcycles, whose riders come from all over the country to ride this road. We spent some frustrating time stuck behind slowpokes who had no business on that road (Death to the Lumina!!!!), but when we harassed them enough to get out of the way we were able to open up. The sound of revving engines and squealing tires echoing off the mountains was very Initial D-like. :devil:
And now what you've all been waiting for, PICS!
Here's my SE and Johnnyfive's '86 turbo at our campsite on Saturday morning:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_01.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_02.jpg
After we got up late Saturday morning, (after proving that a six-foot individual like myself can indeed sleep quite comfortably in the back of an S12 hatch with the back seats down.) Johnnyfive and I headed out for the Dragon, but not before taking a slight detour to drive the southen end of the Blue Ridge Parkway:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_04.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_03.jpg
Our first minor mishap of the day occurred when Johnnyfive's '86 CA18ET sputtered out just as we were pulling of the Parkway onto a scenic overlook. Turned out the repeatedly shifting weight and g forces had shifted his custom battery slightly and loosened one of the posts.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_01.jpg
There were scattered showers in the morning, and quite a bit of fog rolling over the mountaintops in the higher elevations along the Parkway:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_02.jpg
There wasn't too much traffic on the Blue Ridge, which was great, but we did get caught behind a fool on a bicycle, fortunately it was on a downhill so the bike was pushing 35 mph but we still would have liked to go faster:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_03.jpg
After leaving the Blue Ridge Parkway, Johnny and I made our way to the southern end of U.S. 129, and began climbing up toward the Tail of the Dragon.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_04.jpg
When we were stopped at a Wendy's for lunch we got the call from one_equals_two and MrBob, they were at the north end of 129 coming south, so we decided we would meet up somewhere in the middle, a little while later as we came around a bend on the Dragon, a a black S12 and a Contour SVT fly by going the other way, and pulled off at the next opportunity. One_equals_two and MrBob turned around and came back to meet us as a little spot of wide shoulder.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_07.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_08.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_06.jpg
Then we all headed up toward the north end of the Dragon.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_09.jpg
A nice shot of Calderwood Dam, taken from what is known as Guardrail Cliff,
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_10.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_06.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_05.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_07.jpg
At the north end we pulled off to take a break and snap some pics.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/one_equals_two_01.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_12.jpg
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_13.jpg
Heading back south on the Dragon, we had a couple of stops to re-attach intercooler pipes on turbos running almost constant high boost. (Funny I didn't have this problem 8-) ) But seriously guys, just listening to your turbos on those curves was worth it. Plus one_equals_two had finished re-assembling and tuning his motor after the T3 install the previous day, so some quirkiness is to be expected.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_14.jpg
I apologize that we don't have more pics from on the Dragon, but this road takes all your concentration. The videos below were either taken by passengers or when we were stuck behind slowpokes.
Back at the southern end, johnnyfive put a dragon in his tank:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_15.jpg
After taming the Dragon, we all drove back to Waynesville and the campsite to share some grilled hot dogs and shoot the s**t until those guys had to head back to Tennessee.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_16.jpg
And here we are, from left to right, MrBob, myself, one_equals_two, and johnnyfive.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/johnnyfive_10.jpg
And I have to include shots of the engine bays of the S12's in attendance.
Here's one_equals_two's '86 CA18ET with newly-installed intercooled T3:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/Engine_Bay_one_equals_two.jpg
Johnnyfive's '86 CA18ET with Volvo intercooler:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/Engine_Bay_Johnnyfive.jpg
And my '88 VG30E:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/Engine_Bay_cls12vg30.jpg

And now the videos: (right-click Save As.....)
Video 1 (Approx. 4.5 MB):
Taken by me from the passenger seat of one_equals_two's Turbo on a brief run on the dragon near the northern end to show off his new turbo:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/one_equals_two_run_01.avi

Video 2 (Approx. 12 MB):
Taken by Johnnyfive from the back seat of one_equals_two's car:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/one_equals_two_run_02.avi

Video 3 (Approx. 10 MB):
Taken by me, running at the back of the pack while we were stuck behind the infamous red Chevy Lumina that became the bane of our existence, but the temporary slowdown is the only reason I was able to take one hand off the wheel and shifter to shoot some video:
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_Dragon_02.avi

Video 4 (Approx. 4.5 MB):
Taken by me, STILL stuck behind the Lumina of Doom, as we pass a gathering of bikers at Guardrail Cliff. Calderwood Lake is far below. I apologize for the defect in this video, my camera went nuts when trying to adjust to changing light conditions while recording AVI.
http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/Meet/cls12vg30_Dragon_01.avi

So as you can see, a great time was had by all. We hope to do it again. I will be posting larger versions of these pics and some other on my website this week, so watch for the update.

awesome stuff.

HOPEFULLY the northwest meet goes through and I'll have tons of pics...hopefully heh.

:headbang: YEEEEAAAAHHH!!!!!

That road was the best road in the universe.

How to slay a dragon 21st century style:

1. Have V6 torque beat the **** out of it
2. When it starts stumbling around throw 24-26 psi of compressed air at it.

kills dragons dead

48 gallons of 93 octane fuel~ $96
misc. stuff ~$30

Driving 24 hours total for 12 hours of the most totally awesome driving ever experienced=priceless

:burnout:

Man no video or pic i'd ever seen of the dragon just doesn't do it justice. If you're not a grandma or pussy you will dig into this road becuase that seems to be the only reason it's there....

I did learn a few things....

1.The CA and VG engines can take their share of abuse. I can't vouch for Chris as far as how much he was winding it out. But at one point I was at 4000-5000 RPM for a good 2 minutes straight and it didn't over heat and nothing gave out (except the brakes were screwing up) .

2.T3's are not too big for the CA18ET maybe for jason's I/C piping :rofl: (hehe) but not for his engine

3.Safc's are cool and I will go back to TN to steal jason's S-AFC. Nah i won't do that but I am buying one

4. My car runs too rich and i should really get that fixed :devil:

5. S12 brakes suck... stock S12 clutches suck.... questionable master cylinders suck too....

6. jason's and Mr. bob are crazy f'ing dudes and can drive their asses off. They also might have some stuff to sell us too

Props to chris BTW for totally awesome, cool, and cheap battery holder.

My pleasure, Johnny, glad to hear you got home OK. I'd bet replacing that master cylinder would clear up a lot of your brake problems.

Just to give everybody else an idea of what the Tail of the Dragon is, I thought I'd post this, courtesy of http://www.tailofthedragon.com

http://www.v6-s12.com/Linked_Images/S12/postermap2003.gif

Nice road :) we do a similar run down the Old Pacific Highway in NSW, it's longer but there are straight sections to unlike this 3 million curves in 11 miles thing hehe. Salps12 should know it well scene as he lives quite close to it, i'm not to far away either, which reminds me salps12 what are you doing on the evening of the 10th....for no reason at all.
It's a biker mecca to, there are hundreds of the things buzzing around on weekends up there.

Man, I would have loved to have made it. As it was, the alternate plans I'd originally made (working on my smashed 3rd car, Dodge Colt) for Friday were themselves interrupted by preparations for an early-semester autocross. My club usually does not get permission to use the parking lot we do our events in the first weekend after classes start, but we did and I was needed to get our club car RX7 running :-P At least I got to enjoy the autocross. I do need to teach some of the n00b's how to fix the '7 though, I'm tired of keeping the old girl alive. Not like Datsun/Nissan products...they just keep working...
Anyway that's some cool media you brought back, maybe next time I'll show and I'll bring my external camera set up.

what are the rims on the black hatch? old 300zx rims right? they look nice!

Aussie S12 drivers, this is somthin we also gotta do...........lets organize ppl!

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sorry to hijack post for a little :-) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

yeah, i like the rims,

catch

yay that looks like tons of fun! hopefully if theres another one next year my car will be ready for the trip (from new england)

I don't know, I don't think I can wait a year. I wanna go back there right now.

The pics and videos are awesome...

I really wish that I could have made it...maybe next year...8)

Yea we definately should make this annual or (biannual ;) chris) maybe even triannual.

Jersey sucks I wanna move!!

ya the stock brakes suck i was playing thru some corners thru a few mountain passes and well lets just say brake fade happened so quickly that i almost nailed a concrete gardrail, on the other side was a 500ft drop, cause i faded the brakes so quickly so i caution anyone playing around too much ..but man it was fun

oh chris you need to gets these videos to dan so he ca add them to the main page in the multimedia...

A little OT but those of you having brake fade issues, what pads are you using? If you've got garden-variety AutoZone or similar $20 pads it's not surprising you are having braking issues. A simple upgrade to superior pads (i.e. supposing Carbotech makes anything for S12's) would go a long way...and this is assuming you have bled your brake system recently to get rid of air pockets and/or "wet" (water in solution) fluid and replaced with decent DOT4 or better fluid (even better, Ford HD/Motul/ATE SuperBlue/etc).
The 200SX already has a superior braking system to, say, the early S30 Z-car (admittedly, another car whose brakes are marginal), given the vented rotors up front and the rear disks, and they're not much heavier so my guess would be that a lot of your fade problems could be solved by a better choice in pad.
To compare to a car with good brakes, my friend's Miata has survived 12 track events this summer with NO hint of brake fade whatsoever with a full set of Carbotech Panther pads. He got poor because of this and resorted to some AutoZone semi-metallic "specials" all around, and now he can fade them in normal street driving (adjust 'normal' to fit the spirited driving of crazy college students...;-) )

There was a lot of issues with my brakes that weekend. My master cylinder seems to be leaking I'm getting a new one tommorrow. I'll definately look at different pads when mine wear out.

oh chris you need to gets these videos to dan so he ca add them to the main page in the multimedia...
I'm downloading them right now.

I found it interesting that, even on the downhill with my more nose-heavy SE, I didn't really notice the brake fade issues that Johnnyfive and one_equals_two were talking about. Part of it may be that I replaced the master cylinder and completely flushed the braking system in the spring, but I've got cheap pads on there, and the rear pads and calipers need to be replaced. Even so, my brakes grabbed just fine every time.
I was thinking it may be the way I was driving, I wasn't on the brakes all that much, I would brake hard before a curve and then downshift going into it, so I was on the brakes hard but never for more than a few seconds at a time. I dunno, I'm just trying to figure out why the two lighter turbo cars seemed to have more brake fade problems than I did.
Now my tires, on the other hand, I could definitely feel the change as they heated up. When we got started on the Dragon, they weren't making much noise. By the time we were near the end, the squealing was almost constant in the hard curves, and I could feel the diminished grip in the tires. But my tires are cheap, too, so that should be expected. All in all I was very pleased with the SE's performance.

I found it interesting that, even on the downhill with my more nose-heavy SE, I didn't really notice the brake fade issues that Johnnyfive and one_equals_two were talking about. Part of it may be that I replaced the master cylinder and completely flushed the braking system in the spring, but I've got cheap pads on there, and the rear pads and calipers need to be replaced. Even so, my brakes grabbed just fine every time.
I was thinking it may be the way I was driving, I wasn't on the brakes all that much, I would brake hard before a curve and then downshift going into it, so I was on the brakes hard but never for more than a few seconds at a time. I dunno, I'm just trying to figure out why the two lighter turbo cars seemed to have more brake fade problems than I did.
Now my tires, on the other hand, I could definitely feel the change as they heated up. When we got started on the Dragon, they weren't making much noise. By the time we were near the end, the squealing was almost constant in the hard curves, and I could feel the diminished grip in the tires. But my tires are cheap, too, so that should be expected. All in all I was very pleased with the SE's performance.

dont forget the vg cars have a larger diamter rotor and calipers so that makes a big difference as well

Yeah that's true I forgot about that. Well whatever it was, the SE didn't let me down.

KILLBOY.COM HAS PICS OF US ON THE DRAGON!!!! (http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventframe?event=04RK003A00&start=112&ts=1094069230)

Man, if I didn't have -$30 in my account right now I would so buy up all of those.

Who took all these pics? Just some guy sitting on a lawnchair on the edge of the road?

Holy crap that is awesome!!! Except that rear shot of my car, I had no idea it was leaning that much, it felt great. Wonder what's up with that? I did have quite a bit of stuff in the back that I didn't want to leave out in the open at the campsite. On the other hand I've got KYB GR-2's on the back that are less than 6 months old........That must have been one of those corners that I pushed to the very limit, from the rear it looks like the back end is about to break loose, which did happen on several corners. (But a little pressure on the throttle brought it back into line beautifully every time.) From the other two angles it doesn't look like the car is leaning all that bad.....I dunno.

I got one more little present for you guys, a desktop background that I whipped up today (1280 x 1024):

http://www.v6-s12.com/images/Wallpapers/Dragon_Desktop.jpg

that desktop looks good. As far your car it isn't leaning too much. that corner has some bank to it.

I ordered my picture as soon as I saw it. :burnout:

dan: You hit the nail on the head. Some guy sitting in a lawn chair by the side of the road takes those pics. We were lucky we got some the guy left by the time we came back the other way.

man that guy must see some sweet ass cars just sitting there all the time

Yeah Johnny I think you're right about the lean, I think I remember that corner that's one that I went into too fast and had to be on the brakes harder than I wanted and ended up on a crappy line through the curve, had some understeer going on. And the pavement is banked there, on one of the other pages on Killboys site there's a pic of a Mercedes SL convertible in about that same spot and it's sort of doing the same thing.

I ordered the other two pics of my car, not that one. Props for scouring that site to find those pics, johnny.

;) No problem I took that corner a little conservativly i think i was going about 35 in the pic they took of me. I hear you on all the crap in the back though. I had almost 200-300 lbs. of misc crap in the back including my tools http://www.club-s12.org/board/images/smilie/icon_redface.gif

i almost had the rear come out of line twice first when we started to get into the twisties and I barked second downshifting (the way my brake pedal was made it impossible to heel-toe) . The other time was when I felt rotation a little coming around one of the faster sweepers I tapped the brakes there. I didn't really push too hard as far as cornering cause if I crashed I would've been completely ****ed. But i gave that engine a good thrashing and it took it and asked for more (even after the pipe blew off :mrgreen: ). Once I got a little used to the road I just slowed for the corners till until i felt comfortable to the speed (many of the 25) then just had the turbo blast up the next straight which most of them were hills. Most of the time I was either in second and sometimes in third coming out of the corners.

The fastest i think I saw on my speedo was 70-72.

edit: Oh I never told you why i was checking out the fuel pump on the Blue ridge. I knew it was running but I was afraid the hose i used to connect the fuel pump to the top of the tank broke and was trying to see if it did. I still have no Idea why it stalled but it did the same thing two days ago. I replaced the positive terminal on the battery and that seemed to fix it. For now anyways.

i wish that i couldve made it so that i wouldve been the only oddball there with a notch!