Prawny Baby Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Right chaps, I'll keep this brief, as it's only an idea discussed by a few of us so far this evening. Since getting back from the Ring in september, I've wanted to go again as soon as possible. following Georges post this week, it would appear we're all liking the idea of a trip at Easter time. So, the potential plan: Leave england on good friday, heading for the ring. Staying at Camping AM Nurburg Spend all weekend at the ring Come home monday night. Ferrys should cost around £50 per car, and the trip can be done on £100-£150 fuel depending on how thirsty the car is.... Lap's cost 22E each, or an 8 lap ticket is 140E. I think 8 laps would be enough for most people in a weekend. So far, it's looking like it'l be Me, Frenchman, Custard (echodave) George (Spunky) SteveS and few other potentials..... What do you reckon chaps? I figured if we get something organised sooner rather than later it stands a better chance of success. Official opening hours for the tourist laps have not been published yet, but the guys on Northloop seem to think it'll be open all Easter weekend. Anyone else interested>? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 (edited) I'll read what you wrote in a second and edit accordingly, but basically, I'm up for it, if I have enough money, injection, and a valid passport in time. Edit: So we're looking at about £300 all in? or is camping silly pricey? It might be pushing it a bit really, not sure I can get the money together in that short time. Not many pay packets between now and then Edited January 14, 2010 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 I was planning on going anyway but we'd be going 11-17th May to see the 24hr race in the middle of it (13-16th) I'd really, really like to finish my Golf in time for that + it gives me an extra month and a half to gather funds. So on those grounds - sorry TF, I'm out. (Go with my idea, it's a much better one ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prawny Baby Posted January 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 The reason we're looking at the easter weekend is to try and keep the costs as low as possible, bank holidays either side of the weekend mean people don't have to book any time off work at all, and t2 full days/3 full nights is more than enough to get your fix! I'd LOVE to go for the 24 hour, but when you're going Rich surely they TF sessions will only be on Monday night and Tuesday? plus the place will be full of wankers..... Robin: TB, Frenchy and I are all going back in late august/early september as well with TMF on the retro run, what about comming along to that? I think your car more than qualifies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Ring dates mention nothing the 2 days before or the day after so I assume they'll be Touristfahrten. The days during the race will mainly just be an enormous piss up (ah Bitburger ), the place should be abosolutely buzzing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 If the mini had behaved itself recentley I'd be well up for this. But I don't fancy doing 1000+ miles in germany in a relativley unreliable car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 50/50. Depends on the cash situation. Just spoke to my dad, he'd love to go (used to be a rally driver back in the UK) so I guess if we split the costs between each other the chances of me going would be much greater. I haven't really got a car for the job, would need to get a normal LSD for the M3, change the weight distribution, reconfigure the suspension and buy some slicks. That's a lot of work. Are you guys sure that 8 laps in a weekend is enough? That's like 160km, I do that distance on an average drift day where the tracks are no longer than 1-1,5km and you spend most of your time in the pits changing wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Greetings - buy slicks? You do realise that tourist sessions are not for racing cars, but road legal, road registered cars? If you turn up on slicks, you'll be turned away. Plus you don't need to do lots of work to the car. Most there have open diffs and standard road suspension... Any car will do the job, as long as it's registered and so on (And TuV approved if you're in Germany!) I'd say 8 laps is enough, but you could do double or triple that in a weekend if you wanted. I think I did 12 or 15 laps in my last visit. Could have done less, but had to buy just one more card... Easter weekend is good as there's usually TF days on the bank holidays. Lots of Brits go over, so there can be big queues to get on and off, and quite a few closures too. Given the state of the Economy and Euro vs £, who knows? I'd avoid 24 Hours/VLN dates if you're looking to go lapping. It's not uncommon for TF days to disappear to allow cleanup/track repair as required. Best you'd get I reckon is a couple of evening sessions either side. Either go for TF or N24, not both. BTW, if people are looking at official calendars on the Nurburgring website, keep in mind they don't list all events, industry pool days and so on. If it doesn't say TF, don't assume it will be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Greetings - buy slicks? You do realise that tourist sessions are not for racing cars, but road legal, road registered cars? Well that counts me out then. My car is registered but it's not road legal. It would fail an MOT instantly on every single point possible. And knowing Germany, a valid MOT is not going to be enough when the car obviously cannot pass one. As for the diff mine is locked which is no good for track racing. It's just one of those things that will get you into trouble in a fast corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Weren't you looking at buying a 7 series? You could take that? You could even take the CRX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamus Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 i thought the 7-series was already purchased? however taking either of those would result in a weekend thinking- 'hmmm wish i had my track slag bimmer...' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 I'd love to tag along with this! I've been wanting to go to the ring since forever. Shame though, I'm allowed no time off work over easter at all and Tobias would moan at me for wasting more money on car stuff rather than buying bike stuff. Fool, you should be working overtime at work for bike stuff and not on TF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 As above, I already have the 7 series and driving it around would probably end up with me regreting I didn't take the M3. Another thing is that I'd never risk driving there and racing around the track in the same car. I guess one can always call the authorities and ask them how they stand with the current modifications done to the M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Pencil me in as a passenger. A weekend away with you guys would be a good laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 As above, I already have the 7 series and driving it around would probably end up with me regreting I didn't take the M3. Another thing is that I'd never risk driving there and racing around the track in the same car. I guess one can always call the authorities and ask them how they stand with the current modifications done to the M. From what I've heard (and seen of some cars at the track!) if it's MoT'd and registered then they'd only stop you going out if the car was dangerous (i.e. dropping fluids, or looks shabby), too loud, or has pointy bits that could injur other people. Things like bonnet pins that arn't flush, or wings with sharp edges that could hurt a biker if you hit them. If you're not MoT'd, and you're involved in an accident which requires you to produce documents for the police/insurance companies, and you haven't got them - *then* you'd be in trouble. Quite a lot of people turn up in modified cars, some dedicated Ring track cars. Another one wouldn't look out of place. That said, I'd have no issues about lapping in the same car I drove to and from the track in... I'll read what you wrote in a second and edit accordingly, but basically, I'm up for it, if I have enough money, injection, and a valid passport in time. Edit: So we're looking at about £300 all in? or is camping silly pricey? It might be pushing it a bit really, not sure I can get the money together in that short time. Not many pay packets between now and then Camping cheap. Supermarket in Adenau same as here. Injection? For what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prawny Baby Posted January 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Camping cheap. Supermarket in Adenau same as here. Injection? For what? Injection because his carb'd 8v is a sack of shite Robin: the tupmans still have the KR Oli bought, would that be of interest to you at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Injection because his carb'd 8v is a sack of shite Ah, I thought he meant a medical injection! I was trying to think what diseases you could catch in Germany, apart from Ringworm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 That said, I'd have no issues about lapping in the same car I drove to and from the track in... Let me get this straight, I'm getting lost. For instance, is this video shot on a normal "free for all" day that we'd be going to, or is such driving forbidden? Youtube Video -> ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Yep, that's a tourist day. It's odd. Legally it's a derestricted, one way road. i.e. you can go as fast as you want, but you are subject to laws of the road for overtaking and in case of accident/death. You're not allowed to time your laps or video them though. Most people drive the same car on track that they do to get to and from Germany. I always wear a helmet too (not on the motorway!) I was just trying to make the point that you don't have to have a dedicated track car, you can just turn up and drive comfortably in any road car, as long it's upto the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 From what I've figured out in this thread, you're essentially talking about taking the car to the Ring and driving around as if it was a normal ROAD, not a track where you can actually try to go a bit faster than you would usually. It's classed as a toll road, and it's an autobahn so you can go as fast as you like round it. It's not a race, when I was there I saw everything from 29euro rent-a-car's to Dodge Vipers lapping! There's been a few Driftworks trips there aswell from what I've seen you could go and drift round it at a snails pace if you really like as long as you're not a total bellend about it! And you worry much too much about having a welded diff, it's nowhere near as bad as you make out Also, incase you're not on Driftworks, someone posted one of your videos on there a couple of months back and it went down very well indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Injection because his carb'd 8v is a sack of shite Robin: the tupmans still have the KR Oli bought, would that be of interest to you at all? Indeed I would, what was the spec like on that? I remember something about bike carbs? I think regarding the ring I'm gunna leave it till the retro run in the summer, gives me a bit of time to get this dirty weber off my car and save up a bit. Greetings, you are indeed aloud to drive like that on a normal day there, however what we're saying is if you're not comfortable doing it, then don't, because it's not worth wrecking the experience just to get a slightly quicker lap time. For instance if I went to castle coombe (about an 1:15 away for me), drove like a nutter, and binned the car, I'd be pissed off, but not nearly as pissed off as if I'd driven across half of Europe, and spent £500 on the whole trip only to smash my car and be lumped with a nice big charge for destroying a barrier. There's nothing stopping you driving on the edge the whole way around, and if you can do it then fair play, but it's always going to be the element of risk that slows a lot of people down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 (edited) To perhaps labour the point of it not being a race: as a first timer I was keeping up with and overtaking far superior cars like BMW's and Porsches, but lesser cars with far better drivers were flying past me, you just drive however you feel comfortable And although you're not meant to and are ill advised to time laps, I was delighted to get sub 10-minutes Edited January 16, 2010 by Jolfa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Right, so in short fast driving just isn't encouraged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 It is encouraged, but only to the best of your ability. I think that's the point that is being put across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Definatley encouraged, but you have to be realistic. Some coffin dodger in a 911 cab will be driving so slowly you'll be trying to get past, then some anonymous hatchback will leave you for dead, despite you being convinced you should be quicker. It's only when you get back to the carpark do you spot the sticky tyres and german plates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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