Yesterday VWGolf.net.au hit Eastern Creek for a Volkswagen Advanced Driver Training course (which was amazingly free of charge!).

An awesome day was had by all, so many funny moments! You can check out the rest of the pictures and commentary here

My GT-R has finally passed an engineers certificate. The car is now “legal” and I can drive it on the roads without being overly paranoid about being defected.

With the stock airbox back in the car and a new quiet Fujitsubo exhaust I’ve passed emissions. I’ve taken the roll cage out and the carpets are back in too. I now have to go to a blue-slip station with the certificate and from there I can take the new blue-slip to the RTA and I’m all set.

New boost controller running 1.3bar now (was on 1.4 before).

In comparison to the last tune the curve is a lot less aggressive. Indy says the stock airbox is to blame, it just can’t suck in enough air quick enough.

Grrr M5.

My mate Dave was there. He’s still bitter about me not showing up to his B’day party last year (Hi Dave!). We had the traditional Hungry Jacks meal on the way back home too.

The Golf had lots of power but no brakes, at all.

Yonas and Zi were out too. Zi did a 1.07 today (daym!).

I made my return to the track today. Not in the GT-R, but in a VW Golf (funny how things work out!). I think it’s been about 2 years or so since I’ve been on the circuit. Usually I get nervous the night before, but not so this time, even Christina was up for taking her car out on the track (so proud of my baby!).

Clear weather but damn cold (hey great for the turbo cars!) we got caught in crap M5 traffic (the tunnel again!) and when we finally got to Wakefield we were a little upset at how many cars there were in street class. Luckily there were so many of us that they set up a new group which made the day feel more like a private track day (nice!).

I managed consistent 1.13’s all day despite having absolutely no braking power at all. My best time was a 1.13.07 (oh so close to a 1.12!). I’ll have to now look into bigger brake$$$$$$$.

You can view a lot more pics and commentary here:
http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?1275-VWGolf-net-au-TRACK-DAY-pics%21-Wakefield-Park-11-6-2010

Out of curiosity I hit the dyno today.

I suppose I was dreaming to think I’d net a 50kw gain out of the REVO Stage 1 tune, having said that my mate Kevin with a GIAC Stage 2 tune only got 1.6kw more than I did. Considering my car was on semis (apparently less power on a dyno as they’re so sticky) and that I chose to go for a mild rather than wild Stage 1 tune I suppose I should be happy.

More photos from the dyno day today here

I hit the track (Wakefield) this Friday. I’ve not been on the circuit in sooo long and I’m pretty excited about it (I even had a dream last night that I drove all the way out to Wakefield only to realise I forgot my helmet and gloves at home!).

In preparation I’ve done a few things to the MKV:

I had a one on one session after hours with George from VW Village in Kensington. He REVO tuned my car. He says it’s making about 50kw more now!

“Flashing” an ECU sure seems a lot easier than tuning a car on a dyno with a Power FC. It’s a simple matter of plug, upload and you’re done. Despite asking for a very safe and mild tune, the results are insane and my MKV is a completely different beast now. Too much power for a front wheel drive car in my opinion!

I’m trialing some 20mm spacers up front for wider track. The car feels a lot flatter now. If I kill my guards this Friday on the ripple strips at Wakefield I’ve got no-one to blame but myself!

Yesterday was one of those days. I had a billion things to do; meetings, more meetings and car stuff too. Everything took a little longer than I thought and that put me smack bang in the thick of peak hour. Getting caught in the M5 tunnel sux ass.

Rear green stuff pads are now in and damn they’re punchy. I’m surprised at how much the rear pads work on the GTI.

My shortened end links are in too so I’m all set!

Brad’s JUNKA Drag Beetle.

Brad’s desktop background, yup that’s him.

This Beetle is so cool on more than a few counts. It’s owned, built and driven by Brad Young who owns and runs Westside Mufflers in Padstow NSW. I got to know Brad when I worked upstairs from him with the JDMyard guys a few years ago. Like all of the best he’s ridiculously hard working and a super nice guy.

I’ve always known him to be a beetle fan. He’s shown me pictures of some of his old cars but being the busy guy he is (he’s a family man too!) he rarely gets time to work on his own cars.

A few years ago he started work on a new Beetle Project. He aimed to get the weight down and hit 10’s at the strip. Over the past few years I’ve heard about this thing being built but I only got to lay my eyes on the finished product at the recent VW Nationals.

I dropped in to see Brad yesterday to catch up (and also ask him to help me out on the snapped sway bar end links for my Golf), he was actually working on his car and also shared this video too:

Yup, nuts huh?

I then dropped in to JDMyard and caught up with the boys and Zi, who’s back! (man hugz!). He’s sporting glasses now (wayfarers?!) and a new cat (?!!?! so so so cute though in real life ahahaha).

Pretty chuffed today! Charles Kha and Chris Brasher covered the last JDMST EOMM at JDMyard for SPEEDHUNTERS.

You can check out the feature here:
http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010/06/03/jdmst-end-of-month-meet.aspx

Last night my Mum’s youngest sister had her B’day party at Mizuya which is a cross between a festy drug dealer infested Asian style Karaoke bar and Wagaya.

Despite initially feeling like straight clubbing with the parents the booze was flowing and the oldies had a blast belting out 70’s and 80’s tunes (out of key which was a bonus).

My Uncle Bernard – Blue Suede Shoes.

Helen the B’day girl with her BF Michael.

My cousin Nicholas with his girl Romina. 1st loves they’re going 1.5years strong!

Whilst changing my front pads we noticed that my passenger side sway bar end link was snapped clean. Every modification comes with a consequence! (in this case, a massive front sway bar). I’ll have to get this one welded up for now if I’m going to make it to the track next week and look for a stronger aftermarket set later.

Last Wednesday night on the way to a Pizza night with the Golf crew we dropped in to City Performance (who share a space with Scuderia Imports).

Dino!

Yes it’s the real deal.

BMW with something different under the hood…

…!!!

Perhaps the fanciest Pizza joint ever.

The restaurant owners is a Ferrari nut.

Christina playing with Tendy’s iPad (he gave us one to take home!!!).

More pics here