The Nürburgring Diaries Archives Volume XlV

[vitg]

viperinthegrass
Posted 7/2/2006 11:24:06 PM
message detail Speaking of wild rides, I have been using my version of
"Mr. Toads Wild ride" in the British GT Championship (European Hall)
trying to win an E-Type Jaguar in Black.
I have been getting some useful A-Spec points with the AC 427 S/C '66 run
stock with an FC tranny.
I have fluked upon a magic setting for the Car - add 100kg ballast and set
Aids at 3 / 6 / 1.
the old AC handles like a dream, i would strongly recommend the Race at El
Capitan, great fun.

BTW I got my Black Jag ( and 12 others besides in different colours)


jetta42
Posted 7/2/2006 11:30:03 PM
message detail Hello! I just stumbled onto this topic, and it seems like a
great idea! Anyway, next time you guys pick another WR
I will take part for sure! I just wish I was farther in the game. Iv'e
owned it for about two weeks and I still have only about 9% of the game
completed.

Thanks guys!
---
Crank it to 11!


MrPinstripes
Posted 7/3/2006 7:29:04 AM
message detail GTCLASS- I believe 4'42 is the fastest confirmed
Nurburgring time (FGT in Arcade).

My 4'59 run was far from perfect. I almost lost it at one point and was
very cautious through several others. I'd guess a 4'55ish would be
possible on an absolutely perfect clean run.

Here's the video if you're interested:

media.putfile.com/GT4-Nurburgring-4-min-59-sec

---
"Sometimes I think it's a sin, when I feel like I'm winning when I'm
losing again..." ~Sundown
Pics- photobucket.com/albums/a346/MrPinstripes


ciscrack
Posted 7/3/2006 9:04:51 AM
message detail I'm happy to see everyone enjoying my pick.

vitg- Looks like the same car, except mine is red and silver and has Acura
emblems on it.
---
but I wanna be breastfed by Princess Leia, playa
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


Von
Posted 7/3/2006 6:56:28 PM
message detail Mr. Pinstripes, that was a magnificent run. Im fairly
certain you have the DFP, because theres no way I can be that smooth on
the DS2...
---
Tiny subaru versus gigantic german deathring!-Amarynceus


RanBinRai
Posted 7/3/2006 7:04:38 PM
message detail MrPinstripes - I have to agree with the other guys about
your vid. It was a great run and must've taken alot of time to get it so
perfectly, and having Motorhead on the soundtrack makes it even more worth
watching.
---
This is the nature of my sig.


lucky21s
Posted 7/5/2006 4:54:42 AM
message detail bump


oldguy1957
Posted 7/5/2006 5:53:36 AM
message detail Ciscrack, you need to choose the next chooser of the WR.
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


ciscrack
Posted 7/5/2006 9:19:37 AM
message detail Crap, I've been busy this week and forgot about it. Has
RanBin Rai picked a car recently? If not, I elect him. I don't see tooo
many regulars on other than a few of the old schoolers. If someone else
wants to step up, I'll gladly hand over the reigns to whoever that may be.


Soulidarity
Posted 7/5/2006 1:19:39 PM
message detail he picked one like 2 weeks ago, I think. But he's one of
the most active 'ringers at the moment, so he's still be a good person to
pass it on to.

---

[vitg]

RanBinRai
Posted 7/5/2006 6:02:50 PM
message detail Sure, I'll find one.
---
This is the nature of my sig.


oldguy1957
Posted 7/6/2006 4:46:35 PM
message detail Just curious: Is there a name for the hammer-down, flat-out
(in most cars) section between Bergwerk and Mutkurve?
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


RanBinRai
Posted 7/6/2006 4:49:07 PM
message detail I never thought about that. I was going to check the map
they had here at GF but it looks like they deleted it.
---
This is the nature of my sig.


oldguy1957
Posted 7/6/2006 4:54:08 PM
message detail All the maps I've seen only have the bend names. Nothing
for the straights, except, of course Dottinger-Hoho.
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/6/2006 5:57:55 PM
message detail The uphill section between Bergwerk and Mutkurve is
Kesselchen, is it not?

www.nurburgring.org.uk/satellite_pic_named.jpg


---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


RanBinRai
Posted 7/6/2006 8:10:37 PM
message detail Sorry guys, I hate to back out of picking the car for the
next WR, but I think I will have to start GT4 over again. My data hasn't
officially been corrupted, but it freezes whenever I try to load my game.
So I'm gonna be getting to work on this soon.
---
This is the nature of my sig.


GTCLASS
Posted 7/6/2006 8:26:23 PM
message detail Hats off to Mr. pinstripes. Helluva run.I cant wait untill
I have this track memorized.



viperinthegrass
Posted 7/6/2006 9:03:11 PM
message detail I have added Map of the 'Ring to the Photo Gallery

i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/Anurburgringmap1.gif

Tough break RanBinRai - have you tried getting the disc cleaned ? When my
PS2 died it damaged my disc as well so it would not load every time,
getting it cleaned and surface scratches removed helped.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/


oldguy1957
Posted 7/6/2006 9:13:55 PM
message detail I had assumed that Kesselchen was just one of the bends in
that section. But you're probably right, Muse. Thanks!
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


Soulidarity
Posted 7/7/2006 5:58:26 AM
message detail I'll throw you guys something to play with for the weekend.
I don't see it on the list and its one that I had considered picking when
I was still playing.

TVR 350c

Enjoy

[vitg]

lucky21s
Posted 7/7/2006 6:47:43 AM
message detail ooh, I get the RR


lucky21s
Posted 7/7/2006 6:53:27 AM
message detail *drum roll*
dadadadadadadada DA

This weeks Racecar Rider is...... the lancia stratos rally car

</tv presenter voice>


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/7/2006 3:19:37 PM
message detail i love the ring it is the 1 and only i have a grate time
is 5.20.515 it´s ok i know i can do beter what is your best time??


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/7/2006 3:34:31 PM
message detail my BEST time on citta di Aria is 1.08.822 with toyota
89race car take that if u can i have it in saved replay...


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/7/2006 3:39:35 PM
message detail yes what is it? my best 5.20.515 with toyotas race car
89 i can do better i know


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/7/2006 3:46:54 PM
message detail thats BAAAAAAAD :)my best is 5.20.515.toyota race car 89
minolta in free run i have it on saved replay but i know i can do better


Soulidarity
Posted 7/7/2006 3:49:32 PM
message detail is there any reason in particular that you keep posting
your time with the minolta?

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/7/2006 4:46:20 PM
message detail Hello again 'Ringers!

Back again playing GT4 & checking the forum (sorry to see latino1ny go,
albeit for a good cause). Otherwise new product development launch at work
has completely consumed my time over the last few months. Hadn't touched
PS2 or posted since my "Hollywood Challenge" way back.

Unfortunately, I went to play, and received the (not so) wonderful "game
save data corrupted" message. Needless to say, not so happy be me. Oh
well, it gives me the chance to play a cleaner game. Besides, I never
completed DM34. It remained my final hurdle on my previous game, except
for oodles of gold medals (I never really try much harder than earning
silver). Amazingly, I silvered 61 and golded 15 on my first or second try
for all the licenses. I only have 4 bronzes on the S licences to clean up
to at least earn all the silver cars. Amazing what a little time off can
do. Was only 5.5 sec away from gold on S-16 on second try (first was a
FAIL).

In going back through the posts here, looks like some nice WR's have been
selected. As I acquire them, I'll get them out for a run. Soulidarity,
your TVR 350c pick works for me, as I can pick it up at the dealer . Will
report back once I roll out in it.

PS- from the 'if you even care' file: Return of 'Race Club' delayed until
I have sufficient game status to facilitate.


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/7/2006 11:06:36 PM
message detail Hey OmicronPersei8, if you've got a clean game going, don't
forget the Proto Motors Spirra from Korea.

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/8/2006 6:44:19 PM
message detail Here's a nifty article (with photos) of a race between an
Audi R8 and a Harrier Jet. The Harrier won, but only by a nose.

[vitg]

OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/9/2006 8:58:31 AM
message detail ^Amazing. The R8/ R10 have become arguably the most
dominant race cars in history. Since their introduction, they have proven
virtually unbeatable. Nice find.
The article reminds me of an article by Car & Driver(?) titled ‘Vette vs
Jet’, in which they raced an F-15 against the legendary Corvette
“Sledgehammer” (Lingenfelter engine in a Callaway prepared C4). IIRC, the
results were similar- the Vette leapt out to an early lead, but once the
Jet got going, it literally flew by the Vette. Close times, but the trap
speeds told a different story.

Anyway- onto the ‘Ring- I don’t have lucky21’s Lancia, or a GNX, OR a
LeMans Quattro yet, but I got a couple others mentioned here, so I’ll give
a rundown:

Proto Motors Spirra
Wanderingmuse, thanks for the reminder on the Spirra. Like many of the
other Korean cars in this game, its drivability and performance are
underrated. However, I may be in the minority when I say I don’t find the
styling particularly great. It looks to me like they cut and pasted
styling cues from many other sports cars, and just incorporated it into a
standard MR platform. Fortunately, it drives more complete…

N2’s: Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the unintentional drift championship
nominee- Spirra on N2’s! This car had a bad habit of wanting to switch
ends on me at every opportunity. I found the best solution was to run a
gear up through the turns, and downshift only on the straights. Once I got
it down, though, it was a kick to snake it round the ‘Ring. Managed a
landscaping free 8:27.033 on my 3rd lap.

S2’s: Now we’re cooking with gas. This car is a completely different
animal on sports tires. It remains quite controllable when drifting though
turns, and tracks much straighter. The added grip allowed me to stay in
the proper gear without fear of excessive tire spin. The suspension is
reasonably stiff, so the car wants to hop a little, but nothing too wild.
Got down to a 7:47.234 on my second lap.

Wrap up-
Thumbs up- Solid suspension, even power delivery, good P/W.
Thumbs down- Blatant styling mimicry.
Bottom Line: Honda called- they want their S2000 taillights back; Hommell
called, they want their Berlinette rear quarter panels back; Lamborghini
called…

Acura DN-X
Wow. Once it gets going, it sounds like its gonna take off. I wasn’t sure
if I was driving it or just taxiing onto a runway! In a game where the
engine sounds for SO many cars are less than desirable, a diamond appears
in the rough. No N2 run, so only S2's:

S2’s: Rarely do I come across a car so powerful, yet so easy to drive
fast. It’s a heavy car, but the ridiculous torque curve allows for solid
punch at all RPM’s. I found myself pushing this car on my first lap harder
than many other cars, all without dire consequences. This thing just goes.
Got a 7:41.980 on my first lap, and was down to a 7:35.047 on my second.
Finally got too crazy on my third run and beached it, so I packed it in.
I’ll never get another, so I gotta keep the miles down.
Wrap up-
Thumbs up- Stealth styling, Lockheed sound, mathematically impossible
torque
Thumbs down- A little too girthy to be a true supercar, 4WD prevents lurid
powerslides.
Bottom Line- A four door SR-71 Blackbird.

Be back soon with a report on the TVR 350c.


ciscrack
Posted 7/9/2006 9:56:40 AM
Omicron- Glad to see you enjoyed the DN-X. You can drive
the hell out of the one you've got if you do the memory card trick to
aquire a second unused one. Y'know, go to the trade screen, pull your card
out of slot 1, put it in slot 2 and load the garage, buy the car for 200K,
then swap the card back into slot one and save.
Haven't taken time for the Stratos or TVR yet. Maybe I'll get on it today
sometime.
---


RanBinRai
Posted 7/9/2006 10:08:06 AM
^I did that with my Lancia Stratos, which I was in at the
time. Then, I did the trick. After that, I sold the same Stratos that I
was just in. I decided to get right in to the Stratos I just bought from
myself. So when I clicked Get In, this notice popped up (forgot what it
said). I clicked OK; it began saving my game. Then, seemingly just before
it would go back to the garage screen, it froze. After that, I couldn't
load my save what so ever. I could however, start the game with no memory
card then insert it and load my replays in the theater. And what a *****
that was, because on the same day it happened, I just finally passed DM34
and I was 90% complete. How ironic...
---
This is the nature of my sig.


oldguy1957
Posted 7/9/2006 6:00:26 PM
message detail TVR 350c -- 7'40.6 on S2's. Need to trail-brake to keep it
from pushing in the corners.

Lancia Stratos Rally Race Car -- On R1's with the tranny auto-set on 11.
7'38.1. Wild ride. I get the feeling the suspension was not set up for
high-speed tarmac racing. There are some places you just can't go flat out
and keep it pointed in the right direction. I gave up trying to get a
clean run. I'm sure 7'20's are possible.
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/10/2006 12:47:52 AM
message detail WR™ - TVR 350c - '03
Tally Ho Chaps ! Another fine thoroughbred Steed from the TVR stable. One
could hardly find a better Motorcarriage with which to enjoy a leisurely
Sunday Afternoon Canter.
Sorry, went all Evelyn Waugh there for a moment, but I am better now.
Best time ( Oil change, aids off S2's) - 7 ' 38 . 471
Best time N2's - 8 ' 08 . 576 keeping pretty close to the "30 second"
target difference.Pretty good to drive on both sets of tyres, I probably
threw it around a bit more than I usually do but it is fun to drift
around.
A nice pick for a WR you are having when you are not having a WR.

RR™ Lancia Stratos RallyCar '77

An altogether more problematical Car to pilot around.
I agree with Oldguy that the suspension not at all suited to the 'Ring.
Coupled with that Stratos " I have an Axis through the middle of me I want
to Yaw around" feeling, made it very hard to stay on track when really
pushing (as we are all inclined to do).
I did not bother fiddling with the settings, as I usually make things
worse, but I did find that moving the ballast slider to + 30 helped a lot
with stability.No perfectly clean laps but much better.

Best time - R1's, Oil, Gearbox up a couple of clicks and Aids off - 7 ' 38
. 472

Best Time as above with +30 on Ballast slider -
7 ' 29 . 375 Not as many major crashes as stock but not perfectly clean
either, but on the whole not to bad.

Lucky21s certainly likes the feisty ones.

---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


lucky21s
Posted 7/10/2006 6:48:47 AM
message detail ^^^Arrr!

Anyway, to officially announce my return I have a competition.Something to
do with muscle cars......

Anyone up for it??


I have been catching up with the WR's
lancia stratos
8'26 (with S2s)
vvvvvvery drifty,but thats the way I like 'em!

Tvr t350c

N2's 9'13.563
ahhhh drifty, new experience
S2's 8'28.692
back to basics

the Lemans
7'51
very feisty!


Soulidarity
Posted 7/10/2006 7:06:39 AM
message detail VitG - next weeks WR is yours

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


lucky21s
Posted 7/11/2006 12:33:36 PM
message detail I can't let this topic die on me! I'm going to have to
preform CPR!
Charging......Clear!

----------------

Charging...Clear!

------^-----^---
We've got a pulse!

(consider this a bump)


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/11/2006 3:37:55 PM
message detail What do you have in mind Lucky ? I'll give it a go as I
really enjoyed your Speed 12 challenge.

Mmm, my pick for WR™.
Okay, I have a thought.
Hint No. 1 - A Brand that has not featured before.
---

[vitg]

OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/11/2006 7:40:01 PM
message detail WR™- TVR 350c

Sometimes I wonder if TVR actually stands for Thinly Veiled Racecars, as
that is how they all perform. Can't go wrong with a powerful V8 in an
ultralight body. That's an easy winning formula. As pointed out before,
trail braking is vital to prevent understeer early in the turn. Despite
the light weight, traction is not an issue, as the car hooks up clean even
out of turns. Could use a taller top gear, as it reaches top speed pretty
quickly.
N2's- I actually preferred the car on these tires, as it allowed me to
induce more oversteer upon corner exit, helping to improve overall time.
8:17.344 on 3rd lap.
S2's- Catlike in reacting to inputs, a product of added grip & feather
weight. However, I found the braking points to be earlier than I expected
for optimum results. Managed a 7:42.003 on my 3rd lap.

Thumbs up: Strong acceleration, Kate Moss curb weight, unique styling
Thumbs down: Pronounced understeer at limit, Reflex Spice paint should
banned (thank goodness for other color choices)
Verdict: V8, lightweight, runs great!


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/11/2006 9:07:54 PM
message detail Ooops !! You are going to hate the Photo Gallery shots then
Omicron . sorry !
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/11/2006 9:14:04 PM
message detail One of the (many) tragedies of GT4 is the lack of Racing
Modified TVR's. Perhaps they thought them unfair? I've not gotten to the
T350, but the Tuscan Speed 6 is a Gran Turismo Hall of Famer. It's no
surprise the T350 would be superb.


---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


Soulidarity
Posted 7/11/2006 10:01:08 PM
message detail VitG - Had a little trouble at Aremburg, did ya?

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/11/2006 10:32:53 PM
message detail VitG, don't sweat it- the photos are nice, and I even like
many of the chameleon colors in the game (especially the Hyundai HDC6),
but for some reason I just can't say I'm a fan of that color. Maybe its
the name (sounds like the 6th member of a crummy pop band), or the actual
shade, because it looks like metallic vomit to me.


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/12/2006 5:23:39 PM
message detail G'Day all,
Just a few notes so you know I am paying attention.

Muse - I would have bet money (unusual for me) that a Jet Fighter would
thrash any and all Race cars, there you go, live and learn.
I miss my Cerbera LM Race Car from GT1, my favorite Car. I hope they
rectify this oversight in future versions.

Souli - A bit of bother? Yes you could put it that way, I would have said
a major ****up !! I was trying to see how fast I could take Schwedenkreuz
on one of my laps and suffered the inevitable consequences !!

Omicron - love your writeups, very entertaining.

Okay time for another hint for the Weekend Rider™ -
You have to win it, but this should be no problem.
Especially if -
"You Live in a House With No Sin, You May Cast the First Stone"

ps - Oldguy, could you email me at [e-mail] I have a query for
you.Thanks.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


Soulidarity
Posted 7/12/2006 7:07:03 PM
message detail Well, I thought it probably wouldn't be right to not at
least run my own WR, and since I did decide to pop the game in today
anyways, I grabbed the TVR and took her around the 'ring. Surprisingly
enough though, I didn't actually own one, which leads me to believe that I
was thinking about the Tamora that I had flirted with choosing for a past
WR.

As for the driving experience, it was as pushy as everyone has mentioned
it being and then some, even with my driver ballast added (which sits
pretty close to the rear wheels). With all the rust, and the extreme
pushiness of the car, I had a difficult time running clean (only ran one
lap), and my braking points were way off, though I was happy to find that
I still know the track as well as ever. I was happier still to take
Pflantzgarten perfectly and make a clean run through the Pflantzgarten
"straight".

As someone else mentioned (Omicron, I think) the gearing leaves something
to be desired, as I hit the rev limiter twice on the D-H straight. An FC
tranny would be the best thing that ever happened to the T350c.

All in all, though, I thought it was a pretty interesting ride, and would
be fun to spend more time trying to curb its stubbornness.

As usual, I ran it with an oil change, N3 tires (I just can't do the N2
thing, never have been able to), and 89 kg of ballast to represent me.

8'18.187

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


Soulidarity
Posted 7/12/2006 7:09:45 PM
message detail Also, I'll try to get to the Acura, Lancia, and/or VitG's
WR-to-come later in the week. But I've been playing through Suikoden V,
and don't want to leave it out of the PS2 for too long, as I have a bad
habit of abandoning books and games if I leave them to the side for too
long.

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/13/2006 6:59:57 AM
message detail VitG, your clues are elusive as ever.

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


lucky21s
Posted 7/13/2006 8:53:42 AM
VitG the idea I have for a competition is...

The American Muscle Car Competition

basicly, there will be 2 rounds: buyable and winnable muscles

Just pick 2 cars and report back with your best time.

buyable first, on s2's then winnable on N2's
I hope everyone knows what a muscle car is, no trying to sneak in a panoz
esperante gt1, and, as you may have guessed from the title, they have to
be american

[vitg]

OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/13/2006 4:17:06 PM
Lucky, for your AMCC, I would like a little clarity on the
definition of 'muscle car'.

The criteria I have always used is the following:

1. FR configuration only
2. Large displacement (minimum 3.8 liters)
3. Minimum 2+2 configuration (No 2-seaters, although special cases exist,
i.e. '65 Mustang GT 350R )
4. Live rear axle (No independent rear suspension)

Using these 4 criteria, I believe this accurately separates true 'muscle
cars' from 'sports' cars (i.e. Corvette post '62, Cobras, & Vipers), and
also eliminates the more modern 'sports sedans' (Chrysler 300C, Pontiac
GTO).

This is open to interpretation/ debate, so I'll open it to the floor- what
do you think?
---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


Soulidarity
Posted 7/13/2006 4:23:34 PM
message detail Perhaps a complete list of eligible cars is in order? Not
everyone has the same level of knowledge to be able to easily separate out
everything under your criteria, should we use it.

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/13/2006 5:24:26 PM
message detail Greetings from Oz,

Here is a another hint for you, based on recent conversations -

"By (omi)Crom & Mitra, I Think He's Got It"

As far as muscle Car's go could we use the "Allowed" entrants in the
various Muscle Car Races in the American Hall as a guide ?

More Later.
---

lucky21s
Posted 7/14/2006 4:21:47 AM
message detail well I don't know much about cars so I think I'll either
use omicron's (lurr rules!) suggestion or go by their distinctive
shape.also I may make it theyare from the legendary showroom only.


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/14/2006 7:04:17 AM
message detail ViperintheGrass emailed me this morning stating he's having
internet issues, and won't be able to post the WR in a timely fashion. So,
at ViperintheGrass' request, I'm pasting his clue explanations, and
(drumroll please), the WR pick:


"Hint one – Brand not selected before = Hyundai

Hint two – Have to win it, "If you live in a house with no sin you may
cast the first stone" = Cathedral Rocks

Hint three – "By (omi)Crom & Mitra I think he’s got it" ! = Omicron Persei
casually mentioned the Hyundai HDC6 ’01 when we were talking about paint
jobs a few posts ago.

That did give me a chuckle. So that is my pick the Hyundai HDCD6 ‘01"



The purpose to the "Cathedral Rocks" hint, I'm assuming, is because it's
won in the Special Condition Hall, Cathedral Rocks Trail II (Easy) race.
If you haven't won one yet, I highly recommend using a street Lancia
Stratos with dirt tires to do so.

Have a good day all, and as ViperintheGrass would say, more later.


---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


Soulidarity
Posted 7/14/2006 10:28:24 AM
message detail Ya, I remember really liking this car (HCD6). It was a bit
underpowered, but the handling was very easy to get comfortable with.

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


RanBinRai
Posted 7/14/2006 12:48:35 PM
message detail lucky21s - An AMCC...I likes the sound of that.

VitG - Nice one. I'll have to do that race soon to get it.
---
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-oZbtaGNc
'99 WRC; Impreza rally car @ Tour de Corse


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/14/2006 8:51:21 PM
message detail Speaking of the Lancia Stratos, does anyone remember what
the final list of modifications was for the TotLS version? If I remember
correctly, the car evolved with subtle modifications that eroded away the
flaws, without changing its identity. I happen to have the Hyundai,
however, and Lord Willing, I'll try it in the morning.

As for a 'Ring competition, what about a race to the T2 mark, or anywhere
other than a full lap. Or, a race from one sector mark to another within a
lap? Like, from the last sector mark before Pflantzgarten to the first
sector mark after (which I believe is the beginning of D-H)?

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/15/2006 5:32:37 AM
message detail just started 24houer race bin driving for 9houers stright i
am tired very tired ...


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/16/2006 7:02:27 AM
message detail Greetings all,
Okay so it is late here and I am watching the French Grand Prix and
writing posts during ad breaks.
First up - mrcool I feel for you, dont forget you dont have to do it in
one sitting, you can leave it paused while you catch a few ZZZ's. Good
luck.

Lancia Stratos - I had a look through my records and found the following
setup which I believe was the last of the upgrades for TotLS

"The upgrades permitted for Week 9 are:
NEW- Racing Exhaust
NEW- NA Tune 3
- Racing Chip
- Racing Brakes
- Triple-Plate Clutch
- Racing Flywheel
- S3 Tires
- (Dirt Tires)
- (Snow Tires)"

Here are a some times for the Hyundai HCD6 '01, please excuse my previous
spelling error.

Oil change, S2's, Aids off -
8 ' 24 . 647, quite a nice Car with that typical MR "floaty" feel without
ever really getting out of hand. I'd say this Car would benefit from an
Increase in hp to take advantage of the tall gearing.

N2's - 8 ' 54 . 447 - for some reason it felt very stable on the N2's and
really flew, thats not to say there were not a few semi controlled (ahem)
slides happening but it really did handle very well.Kept the time to
within 30 secs of the S2 time so either ( to paraphrase Ignoc_n_err) I
Sucked less or Rocked more.Dunno.

for Luckys AMCC I will be using the Cougar as my bought Car (second hand)
and the 'Cuda 6 pack for my winnable Car.
I think I will also post times for these from start to T2 for both S2 and
N2 tyres for Muses comp within a comp.
that will all have to wait until tomorrow though, so, for now- more later.
---

[vitg]

Soulidarity
Posted 7/16/2006 8:21:32 AM
message detail I've got an RR in mind for this week

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


RanBinRai
Posted 7/16/2006 11:47:34 AM
message detail I bet I know what it is.
---
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-oZbtaGNc
'99 WRC; Impreza rally car @ Tour de Corse



Soulidarity
Posted 7/16/2006 1:32:43 PM
message detail I bet you do too

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/16/2006 7:59:33 PM
message detail WR™- Hyundai HCD6

VitG, nice pick. This has always been one of my dark horse favorite cars
in the game. I have used it extensively off road to improve my rally
skills, as this car is a fantastic 'trainer' for learning the art of
rallying in GT4. Consequently, I never drove it much on the tarmac, and
never before on the 'Ring. I do love the styling on this car- Nice
conceptual layout, coolest taillights in the game, and the chameleon paint
adds a nice touch.

S2's: Wonderfully predictable on road. The power is adequate, albeit a
little underwhelming. The shifts are smooth, and the gear spacing is
excellent. Unfortunately, one thing became apparent on road that I never
noticed off road- The car has a very soft suspension. Although it helps to
keeps the wheels planted over bumps, it leads to excessive body roll in
the turns. Seriously, I haven't seen a body flop over so much since
watching Italy win the World Cup . Nonetheless, the car was easy to
drive at the limit immediately. 3rd lap yielded a silky smooth 8:19.433.
With a mild hp bump and a sports suspension, this car could really hustle.

Thumbs up= Awesome styling, smooth gearbox, user friendly drivability,
hidden off road prowess
Thumbs down= Stay-Puft Marshmallow suspension, could use a couple more
ponies in the stable.
Bottom Line= A well executed concept, but a little lacking in overall
sportiness.

As for the AMCC, I will choose a couple of 'Ponies' for the comp:

Buyable: '69 Camaro Z/28 302
Winnable: Shelby Mustang G.T. 350R

I'll report back later with some times.

---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


lucky21s
Posted 7/17/2006 7:08:07 AM
message detail Greetings from the land of Irn Bru!

The official list for the AMCC is....

Chevrolet

corvette coupe (c2)
camaro z28 302
camaro ss
corvette stingray L46 350 (c3)
(p) (me) chevelle ss 454

Dodge

(me)Charger 440 r/t
(p) Charger super bee 426 hemi

Plymouth

Cuda 440 six pack
(p)Super bird

Shelby

(p) Mustang G.T 350r

Mercury

(p) Cougar XR-7

p for prize


lucky21s
Posted 7/17/2006 7:26:06 AM
message detail the rules

you are allowed only an oil change

round 1 on S2's (buyable cars)
to avoid confusion submit only one time
since I'm going for my week (almost) in the sun(and rain. Lots of rain)
you have 6 days starting tomorrow

Also, in the event of a tie, we will have a showdown
Also also I have a prize to spice things up. It may be immaterial, but its
the best I can give you.

Adios Amigos!


another_pine
Posted 7/17/2006 7:56:49 PM
message detail I want to start racing on the ring again so bad. I was here
for the last topic but my friend took the game back and sold it towards
Madden 07 :/
---
Has any1 here been to newgrounds?
No. None of us has ever been to Newgrounds. Not a single one.
Ever.~Jimfish


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/17/2006 9:24:07 PM
message detail Would it do any good to beg for the FC transmission to be
allowed for the muscle cars?

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/18/2006 1:18:15 AM
message detail I would like to second that motion Muse as I was all ready
to post some times for my selections.I sorta assumed FC Trannys would be
okay as well as oil change as otherwise it is not much fun grinding around
the 'Ring on the Rev limiter all the way.
I will be happy enough to redo my laps if necessary but i will still post
best times to T2 just for fun.

More Later, off to check on the latest from the Civic race comp.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


Soulidarity
Posted 7/18/2006 5:40:28 PM
message detail ok, the RR for this week, as Ran has almost certainly
guessed, is the '87 MOTUL Civic, which can be won in the Civic one make
race. It can be a bit pushy, but that should come as no surprise
considering that it is a FF racecar. But the understeer can be easily
controlled with a bit of lift throttle.

[vitg]

OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/18/2006 5:43:01 PM
message detail Well, I guess that puts me in the minority in that I am
against the FC transmission option. If allowed, that gives an
insumountable edge to the Big Bore cars, i.e. the '71 Charger or '70
Chevelle. One reason this remains a good competition is that in stock form
all of the muscle cars have limited gearing, which keeps all the top
speeds fairly close. With top speed limitations, it comes down to keeping
speed (in the case of the smaller HP cars), or 'point & shoot' brute force
acceleraration (in the case of the big HP cars).

If FC transmissions are allowed, the big HP cars are no longer held back
by their gearing, and will just walk (or run) away from the other cars.
Cars the likes of the '69 SS Camaro would be flat crushed by cars like the
Superbird, given that there is a 100+ hp gap.

As such, I support cars run pure stock (with oil change).

---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


Soulidarity
Posted 7/18/2006 5:44:15 PM
message detail ^^ good points.

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/18/2006 7:52:22 PM
message detail "Cars the likes of the '69 SS Camaro would be flat crushed
by cars like the Superbird, given that there is a 100+ hp gap. "

I don't know, hp isn't the only thing that makes a car fast, especially at
the 'Ring. I for one would like to see that race, and if the Camaro was
the Z28, I'd put my money on it (with both having FC transmissions)
instead of the Superbird.


---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


mr_Cool987
Posted 7/19/2006 3:34:10 PM
message detail i just want to tell u all .that i am 4 sec away from
beating the euro record in the Ring.......


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/19/2006 3:35:23 PM
message detail My apologies everyone, I failed to nominate the next person
to select a Weekend Rider™.
Perhaps Another_Pine if you are lurking somewhere?
If not I will dob someone in tomorrow.
Later.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/19/2006 5:48:19 PM
message detail "I don't know, hp isn't the only thing that makes a car
fast, especially at the 'Ring. I for one would like to see that race, and
if the Camaro was the Z28, I'd put my money on it (with both having FC
transmissions) instead of the Superbird."

Well it just so happens I've chosen the Z/28 as one of my AMCC cars. So if
the Superbird finds a driver in this competition, perhaps we'll get the
answer...

As Mr. T would say, "I got no time for jibba-jabber". Since we don't have
official status on the FC issue, I will capitulate and run it both ways:

Pure Stock (w/oil change only):

Buyable Entry: ’69 Camaro Z/28 (309 hp)
T1= 51.196
T2= 1:31.286
Final= 8:21.847

Prize Entry: ’65 Shelby Mustang GT350R (326 hp)
T1= 49.991
T2= 1:29.881
Final= 8:05.619
-
Stock w/Fully Customized Transmission added:

Buyable Entry: ’69 Camaro Z/28 (309 hp)
T1= 50.901
T2= 1:30.974
Final= 8:11.993

Prize Entry: ’65 Shelby Mustang GT350R (326 hp)
T1= 49.695
T2= 1:28.700
Final= 7:57.226

Interestingly, the Shelby upgrades to a 6 speed with the FC tranny; the
Z/28 just gets a 5 speed.
-
Soulidarity, that Motul Civic seems like a cool choice for a RR. The
current tournament race appears to be popular in the forum. As I haven’t
run the Civic one make series, I don’t own one, so I’ll try & remedy that
here in the next couple days…

---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy



ciscrack
Posted 7/19/2006 8:22:04 PM
message detail The Superbird was the first WR I chose way back in time. I
believe all the better times were somewhere in the 8'10-8'15 range on
S2's. Throttle control is key to getting decent lap times with that thing.
Wheel spin in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. Fun to drive tho.
---
but I wanna be breastfed by Princess Leia, playa
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/19/2006 11:07:56 PM
message detail Ah Yes, the Superbird, I remember it well. Good times, good
times.Sigh.

I have not had a chance to run my AMMC completely stock yet, but in the
meantime here is where I am at :

Stock w/Fully Customized Transmission + Oil:

Buyable Entry: ’67 Mercury Cougar XR - 7 with S2's
T2= 1:30.529
T8 to T10=1:12.614
Final= 8:07. 009

Prize Entry: ’71 Plymouth 'Cuda 440 Sixpack with N2's
T2= 1:37.910
T8 to T10=1:18.858
Final= 8:47.039

Forgot to note hp, will add that next post.
More Later.

---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]



viperinthegrass
Posted 7/20/2006 12:23:22 AM
message detail A few thoughts on the Cars.
I had not previously driven either Car (the main reason I selected them)
so it was interesting to compare them side by side as it were. I ran both
on S2's and N2's as well to get a fair idea of performance.
The Cougar wins hands down. It is very exhilarating to run hard on the
N2's. There is nothing quite like hammering sideways through Plantzgarten
at about 83 mph for clearing your sinuses.
The 'Cuda, although it is heavier, has a better P/W ratio but I found it
to be "stodgy" on either set of Rubber.It certainly feels planted on the
road and is very stable but just does not "have" it. Looks good though.
Photo's uploaded.

Souli - good choice for RR™. After recent events. I imagine we will see
much more sensible times eh ?

More Later.


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/20/2006 5:46:25 PM
message detail If noone nominates a WR, should we make the RR the WR?

[vitg]

200 posts and counting.

Time for another break, lazy bastich aint I ?

[vitg]

sidewinderl
Posted 7/20/2006 11:18:08 PM
message detail Although an Aston Martin was used recently, has the V8
Vantage been a WR yet? First one that came to mind anyway...
---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/20/2006 11:55:34 PM
message detail Sidewinderl - No it has not been a selection yet.
So, guess what? Tag ! You are it.
---

oldguy1957
Posted 7/21/2006 5:54:23 AM
message detail Hey, Muse. Have you noticed that the TT version of the
Diaries has revived itself, and has been going on strong (relatively)
without us?

Just thought it interesting. You were basically keeping it alive by
yourself for a while. Then when you left, it pretty much died completely.
Now it's got a new bunch of guys that have taken it over and seem to be
having a lot of fun with it!
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/21/2006 6:07:03 AM
message detail I saw that, and was glad to see it. I've put TT down for
the time being. The difficulty was getting to me. However, you can't help
but feel like a proud parent seeing the Diary take a new life of its own,
eh? Kind of fun to watch, if nothing else.

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


sidewinderl
Posted 7/21/2006 6:11:09 PM
message detail Well in that case, I guess it's obvious this week's WR is
the:

Aston Martin V8 Vantage '99

It can be found in the Used Car Showroom II (for over 200k as I recall).
Kinda late notice for a car that doesn't show up very much in the
rotation, but oh well. I'm not really sure what to expect, so I'm
interested to see if it'll blow through the Ring or just plow through
it...I do seem to recall that when I took a fully modded version out for a
spin (quite some time ago), that I liked it a lot better than the one in
GT2...

---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/


Soulidarity
Posted 7/21/2006 7:05:38 PM
message detail I haven't been able to top my time from the competition in
the MOTUL Civic, so I'll just post the time from that.

7:40.607

Also, being that I just picked up a Proto Motors Spirra for its
corresponding challenge, I had to take it out on the ring just for
giggles. While I remember it being the WR awhile back, driving it was not
familiar at all. So I have to wonder if I even drove it. I can't remember.
Suffice to say that it is a wild, but fun, ride.

---
"There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and
gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe." - Lewis Black


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/21/2006 9:02:11 PM
message detail Soulidarity, I recall taking the Spirra out not too long
after restarting my game (stupid corrupt data :I ). It was wanderingmuse
that originally suggested it to me. You could probably go back a few pages
and catch my write up if you care to, but I recall it being a squirrely
oversteer loving SOB on N2's, but a terrific & fast car on S2's.

---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


oldguy1957
Posted 7/23/2006 7:41:34 PM
message detail Aston Martin V8 Vantage '99

7'43.8 on S2's

Sometimes you just get "that feeling" and it turns out to be right. When
sidewinderl wrote that it doesn't show up in the used car room very often,
I went to look, and there it was!!

It must be a heavy car, because it FEELS like a faster lap than what the
stopwatch reads. It has an overabundance of power, and brakes very well.
It's a bit of a boat handling-wise...but not really all that bad. You have
to baby the throttle until you hit third gear, and sometimes it even
breaks traction in higher gears if you go over a rise.

Again, if someone had covered up the time on the screen, I'd have thought
I had ran between a 7'25 and 7'30. But the clock don't lie!
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


RanBinRai
Posted 7/23/2006 8:46:46 PM
message detail Hey all

I just wanted to explain my absence from these last few WRs.

Since I had to start over, I don't have the money to buy too many cars
these days. I'll probably just go to Extreme Events before finishing
everything else (unlike before) that I didn't get to last time, so I'll
make some big money and just to do the races I never finished before. And
I also just haven't been playing GT4 as much as I used to, mainly from the
intimidation of having to do all of it over again.

Peace.
---
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5-oZbtaGNc
'99 WRC; Impreza rally car @ Tour de Corse


sidewinderl
Posted 7/23/2006 9:07:49 PM
message detail Aston Martin V8 Vantage '99

I wanted to drive it more to see if I could get more accustomed to it, but
I'll go ahead and say something about it.

I wasn't quite so lucky in getting mine. I had seen it earlier that day,
which made me think of it, but I had to go through 2 or 3 weeks to find
another.

Wheelspin was present, but It didn't even phase me. I've been running a
500hp supercharged Mustang GT on S2's and it makes the Vantage seem like
an AWD (wheelspin-wise) in comparison. The Mustang spins R2's through 3rd,
if I recall correctly. Maybe I should invest in a limited-slip or some TCS


I highly recommend not driving this car after running nothing but low 7's
in stock-powered R34 GT-R's on the 'Ring for a month lol

I ran a 7'40 just like oldguy, but I'm pretty sure it should run a 7'30.
The first thing I noticed about it was that it did feel a lot faster than
the lap time shows...feels like a 7'00 car to me. The weight is horrible
(over 1700 as I recall...full weight reduction takes it to 1500, i think),
but the handling is relatively good.

I really like the look of the car, especially the rear end and the stance.
I want one in black...

Oh, and the funny thing I noticed (that I've never noticed on any other
car...maybe I just don't pay attention), is that while under hard braking
(in first person view), I could see sparks coming up between the gauges.
Made me do a double-take when I first saw it

---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/

[vitg]

viperinthegrass
Posted 7/24/2006 11:00:57 PM
message detail Greetings from Oz,
Have been a bit pushed for time recently but have managed a bit of
driving.

Racecar Rider™ Motul Civic
Went back to the stock version for this i.e. R1's. Oil change and Aids off
the only other changes. No tuning just run it as I brung it.

Best - 7 ' 57 . 380
After lots of laps in the recent Comp. I must admit I am quite fond of the
Old Girl. Very well mannered especially if you can be bothered Tuning it
(I was'nt).It does go quite hard but not as hard as some people would have
you believe. A good and timely pick, thanks Souli.

Aston Martin Vantage '99 WR™

Agree with what has been posted before except that wheelspin is a problem
when using N2's (spinning up to 90mph in third !) otherwise a very fine
Car.Very heavy at 1970 kg but plenty of grunt as well.
I saw sparks as well, must be due to low & soft front end bottoming out.

Best on S2's (Aids off etc) - 7 ' 42 . 262
Best on N2's - 8 ' 17 . 135

Sorry to drop you in it Sidewinder1, but you came through beautifully,
well done !



Soulidarity
Posted 7/24/2006 11:07:31 PM
message detail ya know, I completely forgot to change the tires back on
the civic :/

I may need to give it another run to correct that.

---
If I'm here and you're here, doesn't that make this our time? ~ Spicoli


ciscrack
Posted 7/25/2006 9:19:55 AM
message detail Looking at some of the times for these past few rides in
comparison to mine, my times suck.

Aston Martin Vantage- I already had one in my garage, but it had been
bastardized sometime in the past, so I had to buy a new one off my backup
save. I was a little disappointed becuz my original one has the sweet gold
rims. Overall it seemed quite heavy and not very willing to turn. I only
did one lap as I wanted to run 4 different cars and didn't really want to
stay on too long. My final time on S2's was 7'56.128.

Mugen Motul Civic- Kinda reminds me of the silly ricerides I would see in
Oaktown. I was hoping it would be a little faster, but it might've just
been me. Didn't really experience a lot of character in it and it was a
bit of a sloppy lap. Final time- 8'12.094

AMCC

Buyable car- Plymouth Cuda 440 Six pack Sherwood Green Metallic w/ the
beatiful gold rims.
A little more stable and speedy with cornering compared to the Aston
Martin. Top speed cut off at 120. SUX!!!! Drove like a muscle car, not
quite like the Superbird, but it definitely had the M.C. character I've
grown to enjoy. Time- 8'38.764


Prize car- SUPERBIRD!!!!!! I have 22 to choose from, so I grabbed the
Moulin Rouge one, fitted with gold rims. When I got to the track, I found
out the goldies were mounted on my snow tires. DAMMIT!!! Oh well. Just
like I stated when I picked it as WR and many others agreed, it drives
like a yacht. Now that might not sound good, but it is a fun car to get
the hang of, and IIRC, choosing this as WR helped at least 1 or 2 people
beat DM14. Even tho it drives like a boat, it actually seemed to corner
better than the Cuda. There is a lot of body roll, but it sure seemed to
stick a lot better and has a higher top speed than its brother. Final time
there- 8'17.500

On a personal note- On Aug. 31, I'm planning to hike the entire Mt.
Whitney trail in one day(22 miles, 6,500 elev. gain). It is the highest
peak in the contiguous U.S.(14,496 ft.). I've reached the top twice
before, but those were on multi-day trips, camping @ the 10,000ft. mark. I
hope to complete the hike, trailhead to summit and back in less than
14hrs. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of hikes over the past few months of
varying difficulty, and as the day gets closer, I'm doing higher
elevation, steep trails. I posted some pics of my last two hikes in the
high sierras on my photobucket page. The lake I visited was @ 8,400 ft and
Ralston Peak tops out at 9,240ft. I thought some of you guys that enjoy
the wilderness might enjoy seeing something new, but very, very old.


s13.photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/Trails%202006/
Enjoy!
---
but I wanna be breastfed by Princess Leia, playa
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/25/2006 5:26:30 PM
message detail Happy Trails indeed Ciscrack!
Bloody excellent photo's, thank you very much, I did enjoy.
---


Soulidarity
Posted 7/25/2006 5:40:12 PM
message detail Hey ciscrack. I actually used to do a lot of day hiking,
and a bit of backpacking. I've always wanted to spend a week or so
backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, just to see how much of it I could
manage. Finding a full week to spend doing that would be tough though, and
I'm in horrible shape, so I'd need to remedy that first. I've been meaning
to start doing some short day hikes again just to get me started, but
we've had thunderheads daily, and the last thing I want to do is end up
being caught in a flash flood. Lots of trails up on the mountain outside
of town, though, so i'm sure I'll have plenty to keep me occupied once I
get back to it.

---
If I'm here and you're here, doesn't that make this our time? ~ Spicoli


ciscrack
Posted 7/26/2006 8:53:09 AM
message detail Thanks VITG!
Soul- All I gotta say about that is don't lose touch with the real world.
If you give your respect to mother nature, you'll be rewarded tenfold. I
would like to spend some serious time on the PCT, but I don't really want
to carry 50+ lbs. of equipment and supplies for days. I probably will
eventually tho, way too much to see where the average person isn't willing
to make the effort for such adventures. I've never been anything close to
resembling average and I like to see what the world looked like before
humankind created the artificial world that surrounds us. Or just the
oddities of nature like my "crazy tree" pic. WTF happened there?

---
but I wanna be breastfed by Princess Leia, playa
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


MrPinstripes
Posted 7/26/2006 1:50:27 PM
message detail Good luck, Ciscrack. Sounds a bit less than relaxing to me,
but I'm in the same boat as Soulidarity; I'm too out of shape to do much
more than static camping.

A few years ago I hiked the Pictured Rocks (50 miles over 6 or 7 days;
can't remember which) with the BSA, and it was amazing. We did a 14 mile
day, most of which was on beach sand, and that wasn't too pleasant, but
the rest of the trip was great. Nothing like eating your trail mix with
your feet dangling over the edge of a 200+ foot cliff overlooking Lake
Superior.

On an on-topic note, I busted out the Yellow Bird for a stab at the 'Ring,
and man, have my skills deteriorated. I never did get a clean lap, and my
fastest was almost a full minute slower than my best.

Oddly enough, I took the Minolta out for a spin (just to double-check the
helling I was giving a certain someone), and had a much easier time with
that. Untuned stock on R3s saw me closing in on 5'20, cementing my opinion
that 5'06 is a pretty shoddy time for a turbo+R5 (and probably N20)
equipped version.

I guess hammering at the 5'00 mark in the FGT stuck with me more than
driving the cars I enjoy has. Go figure.

Later, all.

---
"Sometimes I think it's a sin, when I feel like I'm winning when I'm
losing again..." ~Sundown

MrPinstripes
Posted 7/26/2006 2:06:55 PM
message detail By the way- Great pics, Ciscrack.

---

sidewinderl
Posted 7/26/2006 2:53:25 PM
message detail ...and somebody think of another WR

---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/26/2006 4:37:50 PM
message detail ciscrack, your upcoming adventure sounds amazing. Have fun-
I'm sure you will. Here in the midwest, the only way I get above 2000 ft
is in a plane BTW be sure to take photos, your others are fantastic.

Here on the catchup:
WR™ - Aston Martin Vantage '99

Had to slog through a few weeks to get one of these. At 228k, its a bit
salty for a used car. Not a great styling exercise for Aston. Festooned
with the additional bodywork, it comes off a little NFS like in
appearance. Ouch, that's gonna hurt.

S2's
I third the previous opinions- wheelspin happy in low gears, and while it
sure feels fast, the clock settles all debate. A lap 3 best 7:47.112 isn't
wowing me for 550hp. Apart from the aforementioned traction issue, it's
not too tough to drive though. The Vantage just doesn't carry a lot of
speed at all times, lending to the slow overall time.

Thumbs up: 550 hp, British charm, good burnout machine
Thumbs down: 80's styling in a '99 model, As heavy as a hippo on a steady
diet of KFC
Bottom Line: A two ton, 550 hp, British GT - if anyone wanted the Bentley
Continental GT in this game, here it is.

Racecar Rider™ - Motul Civic

Not too shabby for a little ricer. I tinkered the suspension a little,
tweaked the gearing slightly, and yanked a 8:02.993 on my third lap.
Otherwise, not much else to say- Its a FF race car.

Oh-
*snags WR for this week*
I've got one for all, with some 'rockin' clues-

Clue #1: SuperUnknown
Clue #2: Their Satanic Majesties Request
Clue #3: You da man!

---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

[vitg]

ciscrack
Posted 7/26/2006 4:44:46 PM
message detail Here in the midwest, the only way I get above 2000 ft is in
a plane

As heavy as a hippo on a steady diet of KFC

lol

---
but I wanna be breastfed by Princess Leia, playa
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/26/2006 8:00:52 PM
message detail G'Day All,

I have been studying the photo’s of that Tree and , as an ex.
Horticulturist, I have a theory to explain the strange growth habit. The
basic shape of the Tree suggests it is what we call “Apically Dominant”,
i.e. the main stem (or Leader) is the most vigorous and will grow
vertically from the tip, at the same time suppressing the vigour of side
shoots. I would suggest an injury ( Insect attack, Frost or Fire) has
caused a side shoot to start growing Horizontally early on in the Tree’s
life. For some reason this “Side Shoot” has started to display Apical
Dominance much later on and begun growing vertically very vigorously.

Of course the other reason could be someone parked a Vantage on top of it.

Later.

---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
[e-mail]


sidewinderl
Posted 7/26/2006 8:29:43 PM
message detail zing!

---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/


OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/27/2006 8:26:53 PM
message detail "Of course the other reason could be someone parked a
Vantage on top of it."

A-HA! I just knew something was funny about that tree...

i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/OmicronPersei8/GT4/CrazytreeAston.jpg


---
“Brian, I'm gonna be honest with you, that smells like pure gasoline.”-
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy


oldguy1957
Posted 7/27/2006 9:21:18 PM
message detail I have another "tree theory":

I remember a story from when I was a wee tyke, about a young tree that,
during a storm, had a larger tree break and fall on it. The young supple
tree bent over double, but did not break. It lived in pain for many years
with the weight of the dead tree laying on top of it. But it reached out
with its top-most (which had become its side-most) branches, and continued
to grow, and once again reach for the sky.

Then one day, many years later, the old dead tree rotted to the point that
it broke in half, falling to either side of the living tree, eventually
returning completely to the earth from which it was born.

Although forever crippled and deformed, the relief the living tree felt at
being allowed to once again straighten its back, however slightly, gave it
joy, freedom, and almost euphoric pleasure and release from pain, far
beyond that which it had only been able to DREAM of for most of its
tortured life.

While the other "normal" trees around it constantly complained about
trivial things like insects, winter cold and boredom, the deformed tree
rejoiced in each day...nay, each MINUTE that it was allowed to hold its
proud head in the nourishing rays of the sunshine of daytime, or the
magical moon-beams of night.

Of course, there COULD have been a car sitting on it, too.
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/28/2006 12:10:48 AM
message detail Fair Dinkum, you guys crack me up, you really do.
Oldguy57 - What a sad, sweet, funny Story.
I laughed so hard I think I popped a Kidney.

BTW I think the WR™ is an Audi.

More Later.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/


lucky21s
Posted 7/28/2006 6:28:48 AM
message detail yo everyone I'm back.
regarding FC tranny I'm afraid I have to put my foot down cars are run
stock

secondly, the competition is closing soon so get your times in before me.

thirdly, I believe there will be a tie-breaker



OmicronPersei8
Posted 7/28/2006 4:42:09 PM
message detail Lucky21s- I have stock times posted, so I'll stick with
'em.

Sorry VitG, no Audi. How'd you arrive there- I'm curious?

If you haven't guessed, This week's WR is the: Spoon S2000.

The 'rockin' clues:

Clue #1: SuperUnknown- 1994 Album title of Popular Grunge Band
Soundgarden. Notable billboard top singles included Black Hole Sun, Fell
on Black Days, and Spoonman.

Clue #2: Their Satanic Majesties Request- 1967 album of the Rolling
Stones. Notable tracks included She's a Rainbow & 2000 Man

Clue #3: You da man!- Looking at the complete song lists from both albums,
the two songs which share man in the title are Spoonman and 2000 Man,
which leaves us with our car.

This car can be found in the tuner lot. Note that is does come with S3's
standard.



Soulidarity
Posted 7/28/2006 5:17:24 PM
message detail Very creative clues. I shut down on "Superunknown" as I
couldn't figure out how Soundgarden (I at least got that far) could have
anything to do with cars in this game.

---
If I'm here and you're here, doesn't that make this our time? ~ Spicoli


MrPinstripes
Posted 7/28/2006 8:42:26 PM
message detail Very nice riddle. I kept trying to remember a album titled
"You Da Man!"...

---

[vitg]

wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/28/2006 10:19:11 PM
message detail When you drive the car, you'll have to double check to make
sure the S3's aren't racing slicks. It GRIPS.

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


viperinthegrass
Posted 7/28/2006 11:19:48 PM
message detail G'Day All,
Doing a bit of overtime this weekend, all grist to the "Buy a copy of TT"
mill.

Omicron - I became convinced it was an Audi RS6 because of the following :
The Soundgarden clue, Sound = Audio, which is pretty close to Audi.

"Satanic Majesties" = Rolling Stones = RS

I must admit the last clue had me stumped though, but there you go !
A very nice pick, I remember winning a LOT of races with this Car early on
in the game. Very good.

I am off now to redo Lucky21s challenge as well as the new WR as well as
the ProtoMotors Challenge at Sarthe.
Good times.Good times.

More later.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/29/2006 6:32:11 AM
message detail For those in the market for a new car:

www.classicdriver.com/uk/find/4100_results.asp?lCarID=1719199


---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


MrPinstripes
Posted 7/29/2006 6:38:13 AM
message detail Damn! Where'd I put that lotto ticket...

---
"Sometimes I think it's a sin, when I feel like I'm winning when I'm
losing again..." ~Sundown
Pics- photobucket.com/albums/a346/MrPinstripes


sidewinderl
Posted 7/29/2006 10:48:48 AM
message detail Meh...the color on that Jag is kinda crappy I am in the
market for one of these: coconutslum.com/95musgtred/01.jpg ....I'd
prefer black, though, and I haven't decided if I want a GT or a GTS...I've
never actually driven a manual, but I have it in my mind to get one...

Went to some guy's house the other day and he had old MG roadsters lying
around everywhere. There was one nice condition one, but most of them were
rusty shells...one was in his shop, and a couple good condition fenders
were hanging above it. The guy makes knives (damascus knives even), and I
wonder if he also restores and sells the MG's. Found a picture of the
model they look like (tail lights are a dead give-away):

www.sportscarsupplies.com/uploadpics/MG%20ROADSTER%20BRITISH%20RACING%20GREEN.jpg

---
photobucket.com/albums/d4/sidewinderl/



viperinthegrass
Posted 7/29/2006 6:30:07 PM
message detail That is one Beautiful Car.
---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/


wanderingmuse22
Posted 7/29/2006 9:07:17 PM
message detail How does the Spoon S2000 compare to the little BMW race car
(330 touring, or something like that)?
---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27



viperinthegrass
Posted 7/31/2006 1:59:24 AM
G'Day all,
No chance to do the S2000 yet, maybe later.
Meanwhile -
Lucky21's AMMC update (Car's Stock + Oil change, Aids off);

Plymouth 'Cuda Six Pack - 8 ' 36 . 087.
Time to T2 ( Nice Idea btw Muse, should make it a regular thing) - 1 ' 35
. 601.

Mercury Cougar - 8 ' 19 . 678.
Time to T2 - 1 ' 33 . 744

Omicron - Could you send me an email ? Thanks.

Later.


oldguy1957
Posted 7/31/2006 5:35:22 AM
The Spoon S2000 is a great little car. I ran a 7'51.4 on
S2's. I crashed braking for the final turns on N2's, but I believe I would
have been the normal 30 seconds back if I hadn't.

I love the high, even torque band. And 3rd gear is perfect for the entire
technical section. I used the racing version as one of my "giant killers"
early on in the game, and extensively in GT3.

This car is the opposite of the A-M Vantage. It gets it speed from being
nimble and quick, instead of being a "tank" with a lot of hp. I enjoyed
the runs very much.
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


wanderingmuse22
Posted 8/1/2006 5:32:28 AM
message detail bump

[vitg]

wanderingmuse22
Posted 8/2/2006 6:21:48 AM
Have a great day, everybody.

(bump)

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


ciscrack
Posted 8/3/2006 8:20:03 AM
message detail Been too obsessed with a-speccing FGT championship to be
bothered with anything else lately. 4 races to go.

Beer
Underage girls
Mojitos
Party!!!!!!!!!!

---
I wanna sleep in hotels that smell like the pheromones of 16 yr. old
girls.
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1



OmicronPersei8
Posted 8/3/2006 4:54:59 PM
message detail Sorry to pop out for a bit; Huge response to our recent
product launch has our production on OT, and I am spearheading some in
house retooling projects. But enough about work-

WR- Spoon S2000 :

I am glad others like this car as much as I do. It is deceptively faster
than it looks on paper. As for the looks- while color choices are limited
(read: 1) , the S2000 really maintains the clean, uncluttered lines and
classic proportions of a proper 2 seat roadster. It' s one of the better
visual designs to come of of Japan.

S2's:

While it only boasts slightly more HP than a stock S2000, there is a lot
more available torque, and it pays off in spades. The Spoon really is a
fast car, and the high revving 4 banger sounds respectable through the
upgraded exhaust. The tuner sports suspension has pretty good settings
right from the factory, as the car really handles quite well. Gearbox is
dead on for well timed shifts; never felt like I was in gear limbo. I
enjoyed driving it so much, I put in 4 laps, with a best of 7:53.988.

Thumbs up: Torquey Engine (in an S2000!!), tuned suspension, gearbox as
sweet as Golden Grahams
Thumbs down: You can have it in any color you want, as long as you want
navy blue
Bottom Line: A real gem of a sports car that should not be missed

Oh, I do have a little 'Ring adventure:

I was setting up to start the Nurburgring 4 hr enduro last night. I
selected my favorite Lotus Elise 111R, tweaked with a NA stage 2 (222 hp),
TP clutch and SR flywheel. Here was the lineup:

Camaro SS
SVT Cobra R
Opel Speedster Turbo
NSX Type R
Audi S4

I assumed the only potential troublemaker in that field would be the NSX,
with the Opel as a respectable turtle. Boy, was I wrong...

I was taking it pretty easy early, down ~7 sec at T2, ahead of the S4. The
SS had the lead, but the Opel had gotten in front of the SVT. I shrugged
it off...

By Karussel I was now getting some green tires and decided to put the
spurs on, as I was in third ~5 sec back, with the NSX just behind the
leading Opel. Silly Speedster, I thought, you are in over your head. I
figured he was helping me by holding up the NSX. No worries, 4 hrs to
go...

Well , I get by the NSX at the end of the technical section, but where's
the Opel? He's still up by 4 sec! Well, I'll catch him soon enough, I
figure...

So we hit Dottinger Hohe- the Opel up by 4 sec still. I see 150 mph, but
by the end of the straight, I am down by 6 sec! End of lap one, I am down
~6 .5 seconds to an Opel! Well, enough is enough. But despite driving
fairly well, he absolutely begins to walk away from me.
My 2nd lap- 7:40.XXX, but I am now down 9.5 sec!
3rd lap, I am fast- 7:39.XXX, but I still lost time- down 11 sec!!
Orange tires at end of 4th lap, so I figure he'll pit too, but nooo, he
keeps on. I pit. I figure this is where I'll have to get him, as he my go
red and crash himself to death. But no avail. he pits on lap 5, and by T1
of lap 6, I am down 12 seconds, despite consistent ~7:40's. even the NSX
is way behind.

Somehow a heavily modded Opel was in the lineup, as there is NO way a
stock ~150 HP Speedster Turbo is cooking 7:30's at the 'Ring.

Has anyone ever dealt with this, or was I just crazy from the recent heat
wave...


viperinthegrass
Posted 8/3/2006 5:51:56 PM
message detail Hello everyone,
Have been doing a lot of extra work Instructing lately so not much time
for driving or checking in to the boards.
Managed a few laps last night to catch up with the Weekend Rider; as well
as the Spirra.

Spoon S2000 WR

A very competent and good looking Sports Car, although I was disappointed,
as it looked as though the roof was a convertable but did not come off
when driving it. It took a while to adapt to the Spoon as I have mainly
been driving Mrkinder's lately, but I took a full 10 seconds off on my
second lap so I was pretty happy with that.
Very respectable performance with some quite impressive cornering speed,
helped no doubt by the S3's.
Best time ( Aids off,Oil change, no tweaking)
7 ' 46 . 252
I see the occasional S2000 here being driven by people having a mid life
crisis but without the money to buy a Porsche. A pretty good choice
really.

I will revisit the Car on N2's later today.

An interesting dilemma Omicron, I wonder if it is some random "difficulty"
addition put in by the programmers to keep us 'Ringers honest ?

On an unrelated note, as of a couple of weeks ago, I now have at least one
example of every Car in the game, so if anyone wants a photo of something
in particular or a Road test, let me know.

More Later.

---
photobucket.com/albums/c53/RingDiary/
Don't just stand there, Learn First Aid !


wanderingmuse22
Posted 8/3/2006 5:59:11 PM
message detail VitG, the Sunfire. I'd like to see that.

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


OmicronPersei8
Posted 8/3/2006 8:26:38 PM
message detail OK- I grab a stock Opel Speedster Turbo w/ S1's and try the
Ring 4 hr again. This is the initial lineup:

SVT Cobra
Camaro SS
Opel Speedster Turbo (Justin Gatlin Edition? )
Lancer Evo VIII MR GSR
NSX Type R
Speedster Turbo(Me)

I decide to use B spec to see what happens...

The Speedster is in first by T2, and NEVER looks back. 1st lap: 8'04 (14
sec ahead of NSX)

By the 4th lap it is up by 36 sec on the NSX, which is way ahead of the
rest of us. Its best lap was a 7:48- slower than what I remember seeing
with the Lotus, but still suspiciously quick. He does pit on lap 4, but is
so far ahead it doesn't matter. I switch to his camera- he gets to 163 on
the big straight- by contrast my stock Speedster hits 146, with my Bspec
best lap of 8:37.

Its interesting, because we all know the Opel Speedster Cup is full of
steroid injected cars. I just don't recall the game modding Speedsters at
will. So I did a little probing-

I dug thru some old posts regarding A spec pts, and came across something
about a jdwill FAQ that had some notes about the AI modding sub class cars
to reach a higher class in a field. Anyone have any info on this FAQ, or
AI modded cars in general?


Soulidarity
Posted 8/3/2006 8:31:47 PM
message detail I think ciscrack may have a copy of that FAQ. latino had
one for sure, but obviously getting it from him would be pretty tough
right now. ciscrack does lurk this topic, but I really don't know how
often, so you might try an "ATTN: ciscrack" topic, asking for it. If he
doesn't, than I'm sure someone around here does, as a lot of people were
asking for that FAQ for awhile, and it was getting passed around via
email.

In fact, now that I think of it, I think latino may have hosted it
somewhere too.

---
If I'm here and you're here, doesn't that make this our time? ~ Spicoli


ciscrack
Posted 8/3/2006 9:49:43 PM
message detail I'm outta town right now and don't have acess to the faq.
I'll get to it in a few days.

---
I wanna sleep in hotels that smell like the pheromones of 16 yr. old
girls.
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


OmicronPersei8
Posted 8/3/2006 10:11:14 PM
message detail No rush, ciscrack. It isn't life or death.
I just got riled up when my beloved Elise was getting de-pantsed at the
hands of the lesser Speedster.

I think I'm gonna end up running it in an SLR Mclaren anyway(A-spec be
damned) , because it should prove invaluable practice for DM 34.


ciscrack
Posted 8/3/2006 10:38:24 PM
message detail I don't know about the AI modding the cars. Never really
experienced that, and don't recall reading that in the faq. I know I used
a Lotus Elise 111R, modded to what point I'm not sure, for 155 pts. I
really have no idea what lineup I was against, but my advice would be to
cycle thru lineups to find one without that damn Opel. I just now had a
vague memory of hating that car for some reason. I'll get back to you.
---

[vitg]

ciscrack
Posted 8/3/2006 10:51:21 PM
message detail I was just trying to search for latinos posting of the faq,
but couldn't find it. There are a whole bunch of other hits for him. Then
I decided to search for myself. I found this. Read the first post.
idforums.net/index.php?showtopic=12506&st=600

ciscrack
Posted 8/3/2006 10:58:36 PM
message detail Actually, not the first post. More like in the middle of
the page, posted on Jan. 23.

---

OmicronPersei8
Posted 8/5/2006 7:52:36 AM
Cool, ciscrack. You know you're cool when you are a
reference source. Your flying cars trick is truly wiki-worthy stuff.

Oh, BTW, sorry I didn't assign a WR picker- my bad. So while I throw out a
RR to keep us occupied, if someone wants to step up and grab the next WR,
feel free.

RR: Honda S2000 LM Race Car


oldguy1957
Posted 8/5/2006 7:53:04 AM
message detail Is someone picking a car for this weekend?

(bump)
---
A.K.A. Don Papa


ciscrack
Posted 8/5/2006 3:32:42 PM
message detail Omicron- email me ciscodalicious@yahoo
---
I wanna sleep in hotels that smell like the pheromones of 16 yr. old
girls.
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


ciscrack
Posted 8/5/2006 3:51:11 PM
message detail Well since no one has been picked to pick a WR, how 'bout
this.
ALFA ROMEO:
GTA Cup : ALFA ROMEO Giulia Sprint GTA 1600 '65
I just now picked it off the car list FAQ, haven't tested it at all and
not sure when, if ever, I've driven it. But I hope you all enjoy it and
I'll probably take a few quick runs later on.

Omicron- Give me a heads up when you mail me since I rarely check that
address.
---
I wanna sleep in hotels that smell like the pheromones of 16 yr. old
girls.
photobucket.com/albums/a282/ciscrack/?sc=1


Flibutz
Posted 8/6/2006 8:14:54 AM
message detail <3 @ you guys!

I don't have electricity at my home (well now I do have one!) right now..
Let alone a net connection. Glad to see you're still around! Things have
been strange lately but I think I need to get back into this as soon as I
get my PS2 powered up.

Keep on ringing!
---
-so ist das leben-


OmicronPersei8
Posted 8/6/2006 8:49:23 AM
message detail ^Good to hear from you Flibutz. Hope you get that power
situation cleared up.

ciscrack- check your mail.


wanderingmuse22
Posted 8/6/2006 9:08:58 AM
message detail The Flying Finn! Speed returns...

---
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27


Flibutz
Posted 8/6/2006 1:40:44 PM
message detail
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604540639943123451&q=climb+dance

Ari Vatanen & Peugeot 405 T16 @ Pikes Peak 1990

scary!
---
*so ist das leben*