Sunday started out like any other day, I put on my Roarsome Daddy socks! {} Then we headed off to Birmingham Wheels to compete in Drift Knights, a competition event run by Prodrift Academy which I was keen to try! Set off at 6.15 and arrived about 8.50 just in time to unload and then head to briefing. Pitted with my bro Harry Hudson in his awesome SR20 RA28 Celica originally built by Huxley Motorsport. Copied my top, yet again! {} Copied my top yet again! {} We had practice from 10-1.30pm, then qualifying was drawn from a hat, the way qualifying works is very different - there was only 22 drivers in total, so they split qualifying into 2 groups of 11, and you had battled everybody else in your group - so you got 10 battles before the Top 32 even started! Great competition battle practice. For every run you were scored and gained points - I ended up qualifying 3rd which I was pleased with! {} Due to there being only 22 drivers, a Top 32 was possible but the top 10 qualifiers got a by-run. Top 16 came round pretty quickly and I won that battle, then one of the other lads competing had quite a nasty crash - and then just reversed the car off the track pronto exactly like this!! No fucks given lol {} Top 8 battle was against Richie Gilby in his JZ Sil80 - pretty cool looking car and sounds nuts! It was a good battle and I came away with the win putting me into the Top 4! {} In my Top 4 I went up against a red E36 compact with a stock M50(2.5 lump) - he was absolutely flying, THE fastest car out there all day and was stuck to every bodies doors like glue - He won our Top 4 battle and went on to win the event outright by a mile - look forward to seeing how he does in future! {} I didn't have a 3rd/4th battle due to the other guy breaking his car so I came away with 3rd! Not the way I would like to have earned it! {} Had a good day although being extremely long - finally packed up and went home - arrived home just after midnight! Curry and bed it was! This year has been insane and I don't think I'll be able to top it really - properly outdone myself haha! 6 Trophies in 1 Year!!! {} Drift Matsuri at Anglesey this weekend coming and then I'm done and the S13 will be going into hibernation for a few months whilst she undergoes a bit of work and gets some small upgrades! Onboard from Buxton Battle Royale is now on Youtube btw - lagging behind a little, life is so busy at the moment with drifting, work and family! Dont have time for editing footage lol. Tried some new software with this and tried to include some outside views of the battles - let me know what you think!
It's got less anti-squat so gives abit more traction, you'd use it in combination with solid bushes. Is 10mm wider as well IIRC.
As you say, really well done. Really inspires me and others i bet. See you at Matsuri (Purple Soarer)
Drift Matsuri! YES! The last time I attended Drift Matsuri was back in 2014 in my old CA S13 and I've been wanting to return ever since but life got in the way! This year though I made a special effort to make sure I could go. Well worth it!! We went to a wedding on Friday, and didn't leave the evening do until about 9.30pm, got home and off we set to Anglesey, arrived around midnight, dropped the trailer off and headed to the hotel. Got back to the track around 8am, unloaded the car off the trailer and then went to briefing, then whilst I was putting the trailer in the trailer park, Mr Harry Hudson jumped in my car and took it to Scrutineering for me so I could get out on track asap! Thanks man!! {} Anglesey has 3 layouts. There is a touge style track that has alot of elevation changes. Then there is a single hairpin that is used for scrubbing in new tyres/learner drifters/backwards entry attempts, finally there is the national track, which is fast as fuck! 4th gear corner going into a 3rd gear hairpin and then a long straight into another 4th gear long sweeper! Really fun. It was rather wet but I made the best of a shite situation and had loads of fun, twinning with Hayden in his Rx8 {} Going fast on National in the wet - tad sketchy {} EXTREMELY Sketchy {} This is what happens when you manji the straights kids! Dont bother!! 4th gear into truck tyres is NOT pleasant. It caved the door in to the point where it would not close properly, {} also pushed the rear quarter behind the wheel in real bad, {} {} and also messed up my front bash bar and bumper. Luckily no suspension damage which I am super thankful for!! {} Harry Hudsons 'Bumper Delivery Service' at its finest!! {} Harry then went in the back of his van and pulled out his panel beating hammers and a big lump of wood and jumped straight into the boot of the S13 and hammered the rear quarter back into a decent shape along with the door so it was closeable... {} I spotted that the rear quarter panel damage had actually cracked the seam of the rear tub and folded the floor in a bit - urgh. {} {} Cable tied the front bumper back together best I could and went back out in the afternoon {} The tracks had dried up dramatically and was mega in the dry! National was alot faster than I had remembered! {} The hairpin track was mega fun! I was on there loads over the weekend attempting 4th gear backwards entries and I kept getting more and more confident, although looking back I wish I had dropped the rear tyre pressures, as I set them at 50psi cold so I could go fast on the bigger tracks. {} Battered old girl... {} Touge was also loads of fun {} {} Saturday night there was night demo's which was cool and then a big party which was also ace! Even though we left early... As a group we made a cracking effort over the weekend! I did alot of cosmetic/body damage on my S13. Hayden blew up his Rx8 Engine and Gearbox on THE same run!! Chances of that?? Harry bent his 8.8 Mustang Axle on the Celica and David in his 3uz IS200 smashed the side of his car to pieces on the same tyres I did mine on! Although he didn't get stuck! {} This S13 has had a rough 12 months. Me and Amy counted that we've done 33 events in the past 12 months! And this car has not let me down once! Super reliable and absolutely faultless! I've finally got it driving how I want and I can't wait to add a bit more power and grip into this car ready for whatever 2020 throws at us! {} I've posted a bit of onboard on my Instagram(Chulme123) and Facebook page and I will post a youtube video at some point but for now, 2019 - Over and out! {} PS... It's been a long time coming. {}
Cant wait to see what 2020 brings for you Charlie. You've really improved over the last year and you are proof that you don't need 1000bhp and Wisefap to be competitive. You just need a reliable car and a massive pair of balls. See you soon
Thanks man means alot - although i'm not sure on the massive pair of balls bit hahaha *SMALL UPDATE* Went to Driftcup Dinner Dance with Amy - dressed up and had a great time! Was good to see all our friends without the stress of drifting etc and trying to chat inbetween tyre changes etc etc - alot of alcohol was consumed!! {} Garage is finally done! {} S13 in its new home - looking sad because she knows she's about to be stripped down over winter! {} Proceeded to carry out said strip down {} Parts pile getting bigger... {} Tried to get a fancy picture of my new manifold and turbo for next year {} Then removed the Stock Diff and Shafts that i've been running all year {} Made some racks with the help of the mother to store bumpers and the like {} {} Pushed her outside and turned her around with the help of Amy and proceeded to strip the engine down - Hot side first {} Then the cold side {} Finally the radiator etc... {} Then things changed... my plan originally was to get the head off, send it off to get skimmed, and then refit it with a new uprated Headgasket and ARP head studs and thats about it, then upon speaking to Adam & Ali and MB - they all suggested I should change bottom end bearings whilst I can to extend the life of the engine - so now I'm gonna be pulling the engine out tonight with help from Jamie and wacking it on an engine stand to spruce the bottom end aswell - it will be staying stock though, I don't have the budget for forged bits and if I'm honest I don't see the need right now!! More updates to come soon ladies - PS having a garage at home is amazing, I love it
Garage is awesome! I can’t wait until I get my own garage.. ps. What’s the plan for the old manifold/turbo?
Came home from work Friday night to find this in the living room - Amy and Scarlett had spent 3 hours building it - over 50 nut and bolts!! Managed to get it out of the living room though and into the garage which is handy! {} Jamie came round with engine crane and we pulled the engine out {} {} then had Pizza - Yes, thats Chicken Korma topping - the best! {} Jamie had to shoot so left me on my own - so I unbolted the box {} Next evening me and Amy got the engine up on the stand that Adam from AB Auto Works kindly lent me! Had to remove the clutch and flywheel though - urgh {} Engine bay is looking a little worse for wear now - may give it a small clean. Can also see in this pic that we snapped a power steering line conveniently...the one that I made a few months ago - ideal! {} Nowt crazy just added work - hopefully have some real progress soon
Pushed the car outside and got some pictures of it with all of our achievements this year! So so so proud of what we have done - way beyond any expectations I had!! Amy has been THE best spotter and pit crew I could of asked for, I wouldn't of had the opportunity to do alot of what I've done if it wasn't for her support. {} {} Loaded the old girl onto the trailer {} Took her upto D8RC for some bodywork and a few small fabrication bits and bobs {} Got home and found these stacked neatly in the garage! Mega happy and amazed that Rota have come onboard for 2020. I can't wait to show you guys what I have in store for next year, a long time coming! {} Spent that night tearing down diffs, 4 to be exact, swapping backplates here there and everywhere {} Had a bit of hassle fitting an S13 backplate to a Kaaz 2-way Diff... seen as the core is bigger it hits the little filter on the corner {} Screwdriver and hammer got the job done and I removed the filter - the breather has been blocked off anyway so its pretty pointless it being there... {} {} Finally got the backplate fitted up - just need to give it a good clean at some point and paint it. {} Also ordered this a while ago, mega happy that its arrived, put it up straight away! Like a kid at christmas {} Me and Amy got to stripping the SR20 on a Friday night when we were child free {} Plugs out and they seem decent and nothing unusual there! {} Cams out {} Head off and stripped ready to be taken to the engine shop tomorrow {} {} Whilst its out I decided to do the bottom end bearings to be safe {} Adam came round from AB Auto Works and gave me a hand stripping the sump off etc and using plastigauge to check the clearances {} All came back fine so will order up some standard sized ACL Race bearings which should be here in the next few days hopefully!
Been pretty busy the past few weeks with family stuff and christmas stuff but managed to squeeze in a bit of work on the SR20... New Bearings arrived - ACL Race Bearings (The thrust washers turned up 2 days later) {} Got the head back from the engine shop after being skimmed all nice and flat along with the valves being re-seated and new stem seals. {} Adam from AB Auto Works came round with his big puller and got the crank pulley off nice and easy. {} Then pulled the crank out and placed it on the table along side the new bearings and got to fitting them in the block. {} Crank all back in and she turns over nice and smooth - fingers crossed so knocking here for a while! Just waiting on the gasket kit to arrive so I can re-assemble the oil pump etc {} My new loom from Norfy arrived - meaning I can run Audi coilpacks for more reliable sparks! {} Removed the injectors from my rail and boxed them up to send down to MB for him to work his magic {} Also had a spare 10 minutes so built this thing to help me slide around the garage ! Not bad to say its from Aldi's middle aisle! {} {} Hopefully alot more progress over the next few weeks!
Just spent the best part of an hour reading through a part of your build thread Charlie. I'm damn proud of you, not only your driving achievements but your personal ones too, and you have a fantastic family to support you - your genuinely pushing me to do more with my skyline and try to achieve similar goals in the coming future, with hopes my family will be there to support me like yours do you, hopefully sitting next to you and having the pleasure of driving with you Love you man x
Thanks Skid - means alot man! Just remember there always has to be a balance, and I may have been a bit shit at that this year, I will definately improve next!! Engine updates - Spent Friday night(as ya do) cleaning up the headgasket area with the heater and my newly built seat as above ^^^ {} Started off with a small blade scraping off what was left of the old gasket and it came out looking like this, it was smooth to touch but there was a few sticky places and it certainly wasn't good enough! {} Got some thinners and a very very very fine scotch pad and went at it with that - came out alot cleaner which I'm happy with now {} Also did the front oil pump cover sealing area and water pump area as the engine has obviously had an oil leak in this area before which has been fixed but not cleaned up, again came out pretty good! {} Bought a Bentley Bulldozer - Absolutely astonishing piece of kit!! Really holds upto its name! {} Not quite what you expected ey? I shit you not that is what its called on the Screwfix website. Anyway, Only a small update today, but I placed a decent order with Slide Motorsport today aswell Tomei Poncams(256) Tomei Type A Valve Springs Siruda 1.2mm Headgasket ARP Head Studs Locking nuts for turbo/exhaust/manifold. The Tomei stuff has to come from Japan so that will take around 2 weeks, hopefully quicker!! Then I can get the head on and really start building it back up properly, hoping to drop it off with MB middle of Jan for mapping so definately need to get a move on!
Christmas time has been rather than busy and I havent had chance to do much on the car, but the past few days have been productive!! Amy spoilt me over christmas and got me bloody loads!! Including a new Halfords Toolkit(Black Edition) for Track Side and she got an album made up of my 2019 Year which means so much to me!! {} Then had to pull the car out the garage and spin it round - thought i'd take a sneaky picture whilst it was half out! New 18" wheels and kit that I'll be running this year {} The reason for turning the car round was so that I can drop the rear subframe to send it off and get it reinforced. Solid bushes are a pain but got there in the end with a few pry bars and some heat! To say this has been on the car for over 2 years its not that bad! {} Removed all the arms etc and took it outside to clean it up {} Used Black Dog Chem Anti-Caustic TFR and my garden hose with only scrubbing in a few corners to get rid of some heavy CV grease and it came up pretty well!! Extremely happy with the condition of it. {} Then removed my fuel tank to clean it up and do a few repairs - removed the fuel pump holder and found my issue as to why my fuel gauge hasn't worked since Driftland... seems the float off the end of the level has detached itself and has been freely floating around the fuel tank. {} Cleaned up the offending area - thinking of welding in some pipe to make another breather setup as without it is pretty painful filling this up at petrol stations! {} Looking pretty bare underneath now {} Finally hung up my whiteboard that I bought 2 months ago! {} Then got to stripping down my coilovers and re-greasing them - I tend to mess with spring rates alot throughout the year and I wanted to change them earlier this year but found the top collar that the springs sit on was seized, so knew I had to get that slackened off. {} {} {} It seems that one of my rear shocks maybe slightly bent looking at these photos? Strut is upside down and the coilover is sat flat on it, but is lent to 1 side at the top... hope the pictures explain it right. Anyway I can't afford new coilovers so these will have to do until next season when I may upgrade to some CS2s budget depending! {} {} This cool little sticker turned up which I ordered before Christmas! Rather fitting with the Blue Rocker cover aswell! Thanks C's Garage!! {} Had a spare hour today so stripped the old arms off my rear knuckles {} Knocked out all of the metal bushings in the polybushes and cleaned them up and re-greased them and put them back in {} Then found all my new arms for 2020 - bushes instead of rose joints - although I would prefer Polybushes, these will have to do for now until I get some spare cash to buy some polybushed ends. {} got them fitted up - shame about my lower arms but the balljoints are good so I don't need the need to take them off as its just creating more work. {} The rear subframe is currently with Slide Motorsport who are kindly reinforcing it for me, so i'll go and pick that up next week, get it powdercoated and then back in the car ASAP!! Along with a few odd jobs here and there on the car, its just a case of waiting for the engine parts to turn up and get the engine built back up and back in the car! {}
Another small update... We have a new addition to the family... {} Got the rear subframe built back up, arms/hubs/diff/shafts/new brakes etc - excited to see what the hydro is going to feel like with these new calipers! {} Fuel tank is in and all plumbed up ready to go again {} Got the old stock bootlid off - pickup time!! {} Jokes, I'm not stupid... FRP Hatch with Plastic screen now fitted - so much lighter!! and I get to retain the boot struts which is even better!! {} Got it lowered down again onto the ground and got the front end up in the air to fit the new brakes - going from this (Stock S13 setup) {} to this (Z32 4 Pot setup) - These should definately help me stop alot quicker! {} Although I've found out I need new braided lines as mine have seized and one snapped when I was unscrewing it... Waiting on a few other bits and bobs so hopefully be done sooner rather than later!!
