AC Can-Am @ Riverside - Friday Sep 15

[Craig Dunkley]

Lilski's version of Riverside is absolutely sublime ...we used it a lot yrs ago, my 1st gt3 race at RD was here, took Chris Down out whilst being lapped.
Wish I could join you guys, have fun

Haha indeed it is a superb track...all of Liski"s tracks are, there is in my opinion nobody better. Is Chris still around? ...a very fast driver, back in the day when I used to host, there was no one even close to him in the McLaren GT3, you yourself though @Medilloni was certainly very quick, you was always a front runner. I may may attend this one, but certainly would have to be a provisional, due to my health.

 

[dbx71]

We had the same problem with Japan products especially motorcycles. Die hard Brits used to name it Jap Crap! How sad they were and it was the only way Brits could defend our own product which by comparison was not in the same league as theirs.
I can make it sound even worse than that, i was and still am a car dealer that started in the late 70,s. Datsun and Toyota brands were already on the radar with dealers including me who tried to sell them to us Brits. However, they refused to buy them because of WW2 issues, but within only a couple of years those same people bought them rebadged as Triumph and then Rover brands. Just as they did in the US as Chevrolet later on. Work that one out. Of course they loved them

Yep, I still remember the day my oldest brother, who had already moved out on his own, showed up for a visit with a new Datsun 240Z. All the neighbors (in our small Northern California town) who came over to take a look were saying to themselves, 'what the hell is that'...? But I could tell they secretly liked what they were seeing...

As for me, my love affair with cars and motorsports started when big bro took me out for a drive in that same car. I remember smiling from ear-to-ear...

I still remember being fascinated with the gauges on the dash (probably just a clock and an oil temp gauge, but they looked so cool) and the sporty lines...

 

[HF2000]

We had the same problem with Japan products especially motorcycles. Die hard Brits used to name it Jap Crap! How sad they were and it was the only way Brits could defend our own product which by comparison was not in the same league as theirs.
I can make it sound even worse than that, i was and still am a car dealer that started in the late 70,s. Datsun and Toyota brands were already on the radar with dealers including me who tried to sell them to us Brits. However, they refused to buy them because of WW2 issues, but within only a couple of years those same people bought them rebadged as Triumph and then Rover brands. Just as they did in the US as Chevrolet later on. Work that one out. Of course they loved them

I have driven two Mazda 626's (for 200k each), Toyota Verso for 400k and now a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for already 120k without any problem what so ever.
My neighbour had a BMW 218 Tourer (based on a Mini Cooper chassis) and sold it out of frustration about what went wrong and how much that cost him.

Jap-fan here (car wise)!

 

[dbx71]

Haha indeed it is a superb track...all of Liski"s tracks are, there is in my opinion nobody better. Is Chris still around? ...a very fast driver, back in the day when I used to host, there was no one even close to him in the McLaren GT3, you yourself though @Medilloni was certainly very quick, you was always a front runner. I may may attend this one, but certainly would have to be a provisional, due to my health.

is this the famous Craig D that everyone was asking about? seems like you had everyone pretty worried. pleasure to make your acquaintance. i hope you're recovering and doing better these days... it would be great if you could join us. i'll be making an attempt at hosting, appreciate your patience... lol

 

[dbx71]

I have driven two Mazda 626's (for 200k each), Toyota Verso for 400k and now a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for already 120k without any problem what so ever.
My neighbour had a BMW 218 Tourer (based on a Mini Cooper chassis) and sold it out of frustration about what went wrong and how much that cost him.

Jap-fan here (car wise)!

Yep, we have a Mazda mini-van, a Kia Forte S (Korean) and my 'fun' car is supposed to be my 2004 Audi A4 with manual transmission. I think that Audi has spent more time sitting in my garage with one problem or another, than it has spent on the road. Been chasing the check engine light problem for years, which will not go away. I love driving it, when it runs it's really a blast to drive, the only problem is keeping it running.... might have to send it down the river...
In the meantime, the Mazda and Kia are ready to roll, 24/7. Just turn the key and go.

 

[Kek700]

Although all very true, you cannot argue with a timeless icon of perfection.

 

[gearwhine]

Although all very true, you cannot argue with a timeless icon of perfection.

View attachment 693952

I can see the grass is wet with oil and all the control cables are hanging down making the levers needing ape fingers to pull on them. Plus, i know its not running cos there aint no smoke

 

[Rcbill28]

Some machines make us remember them our whole lives. Some others not so much. I raced a 1984 Maico 490 that I'll remember to the day I die as the best bike I ever got on. And I had many that I have no memory of.

 

[HF2000]

But I must confess that I had an Alfa 33 for 2 months while waiting for my other car and I enjoyed it a lot although I had to go the garage 3 times because something broke.

 

[gearwhine]

Some machines make us remember them our whole lives. Some others not so much. I raced a 1984 Maico 490 that I'll remember to the day I die as the best bike I ever got on. And I had many that I have no memory of.

Been there and done that too. You must be tall cos every time i rode one i fell off when it stopped plus it was way to hairy for me. I settled for a series of KTM 250,s for quite a few years. I rode Enduro though , not motorcross so you probably never stopped

 

[gearwhine]

But I must confess that I had an Alfa 33 for 2 months while waiting for my other car and I enjoyed it a lot although I had to go the garage 3 times because something broke.
View attachment 693955

An Alfa broke! Are you kidding me? You can tell i,m a few years older than you Han as my experiance was with the Alfasud version. Still remember that sound and all that damn time i spent syncronising those damn webers

 

[HF2000]

It was amazing to drive with a 1.3l boxer engine that performed best at 160km/u!
I went to Austria with it to go skiing.
But other things broke like the electric windows. Very annoying.

 

[Kek700]

I bought a new spitfire for the 1976 summer, had it a month, could not take anymore and PX'ed it for a Alfasud Ti. A fantastic car, lived in my memory ever since. it is probably a pile of red dust now.
Well and truly in my top 10 cars.

 

[Medilloni]

I bought a new spitfire for the 1976 summer, had it a month, could not take anymore and PX'ed it for a Alfasud Ti. A fantastic car, lived in my memory ever since. it is probably a pile of red dust now.
Well and truly in my top 10 cars.

Haha, the Spitfire taught us to never lift off mid corner, that swing axle made life 'interesting' ....sold mine to my sister, she was a typical MX5 driver poser back then

I had a the same 'Sud too, handled like a dream and sounded great I was a good welder back then, but not that f***ing good

 

[Rcbill28]

Wow I can't believe I did that.....wrong year Maico I should be severely punished . I need to proof read...1981 was the 490 ....my apologies especially to my Maico

 

[dbx71]

I bought a new spitfire for the 1976 summer, had it a month, could not take anymore and PX'ed it for a Alfasud Ti. A fantastic car, lived in my memory ever since. it is probably a pile of red dust now.
Well and truly in my top 10 cars.

As a youngster in my late teens / early 20s, always wanted a TR6 Spitfire, and then later the TR7 (wedge). After reading the comments here, guess I should count my lucky stars that I missed that bullet...

 

[gearwhine]

As a youngster in my late teens / early 20s, always wanted a TR6 Spitfire, and then later the TR7 (wedge). After reading the comments here, guess I should count my lucky stars that I missed that bullet...

The TR7 was not a bad car really but they could not sell it over here. The shape was a bit to modern for the times i think. Saab used the engine for years in the 99 and 900 but it think they refined it somewhat.

 

[cerebralvortex]

Oh I wish I would have driven all these old cars.. they have so much more character than cars nowadays.

Here is a 6 year old video of me driving the 917/30 around Riverside. For some reason this video has been quite popular on my channel. Looks even better in AC now!

 

[SwannyUK]

Afternoon, can you set me up with an emperor account please? I'd love to do some of these races, loved racing on GT Legends back in the day. Unfortunately I've signed up to another event this Friday but will definitely join if another one of these comes up.

 

[The Almighty Snark]

Ooh nice combo! I'll be attending a party so no racing for me but I hope you all will enjoy this legendary track!