User avatar
junglejustice
Verde
Verde
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:19 am
Location: Granolaville, WA

Nurburgring, 75 Experience et al;

Post by junglejustice »

Just stopped over in Germany to drive the historic old Nurburgring track (some 14 or so miles of the most amazing track ever!)

Driving The Ring was incredible! Der "Grune Holle" (The Green Hell as it is known) was amazing! We HAVE to get a group together from over here-there-everywhere real quick before some bunny-hugger puts a stop to it! I am setting up one group for March '06 and one for May) to then also see a bit of F1 races while we are there...

The Nurburgring is like a wheel-to-wheel race every day, only with a mixture of amateurs and pros all running in the same session! Track days will NEVER be the same... It's 20.8 kilometers of wet, dry, foggy, sun, blind corners, blind hills, bikers, full race cars, kit cars, FAST street cars, a bus full of pensioners, a tow-truck - one never knows what death awaits you around what corner.

The track undulations are EXTREME but the Europeans feel nothing! They just go all out - even the tow truck that had to tow one of Ron's school cars that spun out right in front of me hauled arse back to the pits - following the perfect line!

It's like riding a psychotic horse towards a burning stable....

Many accidents (probably about 20 on Sunday en easily 10 on Monday...) Ron says that it was a bad day though and it was mostly bikers (those guys are nucking futs...), an M3 CSLs rolled over, a totaled 911 GT3 RS etc! It's like the "Wild West" of Germany (I think that this is what the world would be like if Dawie de Villiers ran it...)

Cost is like 550 Euros per person including 1 night accommodation in a very nice B&B 2 kilos from the track, meals, drinks, his Alfa Romeo T-Spark cars fully race prepped with roll cages, his magic suspension and race tire setup, gas, track fees, private instruction etc etc. Those transaxle cars handle unbelievably well on this track. They keep up with (and overtake) the best of BMW and Porsche through the turns!

Lot's of fun running 250 kph with Ron on the Autobahn. His "75 Experience" is an amazing service!

Anybody else here dive in to the Karussell at 80kph before? Scrape-scrape goes the Evo kit... When the GT3s dive through there they make this other sound - kind of like a splitter 10Keuro10Keuro10keuro sound...

Unreal.

Walked about 3ks of the track (down to the Caracciola and back) cool to see the track roll to of-camber on blind crests - really helped my driving the next day.

Ron is a great host!
...to Alfa, or not to Alfa? That is the question...
gtv11636
Gold
Gold
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:31 pm

Post by gtv11636 »

That Realy sounds like a Grate experience! :D

I'd love doing that some day! :P

I wonder tough, Is it only a one day course or are there more options ? Do you know maybe the prices per each course ?
User avatar
TurbMarc
Silver
Silver
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:35 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by TurbMarc »

User avatar
Mericet
Gold
Gold
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:12 pm
Location: Mount Gilead, OH, USA

Post by Mericet »

Damn John, you will get me in BIG trouble with the budget department!
Neil C.

85 GTV 6 "Benna della ruggine e mangiatore dello zoccolo"
User avatar
Fernando
Platinum
Platinum
Posts: 350
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:28 am
Location: South Africa

Post by Fernando »

John you lucky bugger.Sorry I never had the chance to meet you personally at the Alfa Concourse event.My dream is to drive the Nurburgring before I am to old. :D

You have definatly captured the 'spirit' of the place.Glad to see you give our old Transaxle cars some due credit as I read Roberto Giordanelli's write up in Auto Italia and he is mostly very unflattering about the 116 setup.
:evil:

Did you manage to get some photo's ?

My only gripe is now my track days are going to also seem seriously dull by comparrison...
"Racing is life,everything before and after is just waiting."- Steve Mqueen
User avatar
Andrew.b
Platinum
Platinum
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:21 pm

Post by Andrew.b »

Fernando wrote:
You have definatly captured the 'spirit' of the place.Glad to see you give our old Transaxle cars some due credit as I read Roberto Giordanelli's write up in Auto Italia and he is mostly very unflattering about the 116 setup.

Fernando,

I fail to see how this is mostly 'unflattering'? If you are referring to the bit about 'broken exh manifolds/rear brake adjustment', that was a fact - the cars were pretty tired, and Ron openly admits this.

If it was negative or unflattering, why would Ron bother to have the article as a download on his site??

Having driven the cars on the same trip I have to agree with Roberto, more importanly, the article is more based on Rons school and the package available, than a dedicated track test of a tired 75. (the main reason of the feature being to raise awareness)



It's an amazing track, and everyone should drive there at least once - I'm sure JJ will agree ( he's hungry now....)

We should organise a GTV6.org trip!!!!!!!!

What bit did you find negative??

Quote 1. from Roberto....

"Thanks to his Nordschleife experience and championship-winning Group A Alfa Romeo GTV6, Ron Simons has developed several handling kit options for rear gearbox (transaxle) Alfa Romeos at affordable prices.

The ultimate in fit-and-forget, these systems have been painstakingly developed for both road and race use.

The list includes uprated castor arms and Watt linkages, spring and spring-assisted damper kits,adjustable antiroll bars,brake solutions and uprated differentials.

As many manufacturers know, there can be no better place to set up a car than the Nordschleife. Alfa 75TS ‘Ring edition’ car to demonstrate limits."

Quote 2.

"Alfa 75s oversteer but this is satisfyingly controlled with the usual balancing act of steering and throttle.

These cars certainly suit Ron’s driving style. Like a rally driver,he likes to get the car loose on approach. This oversteer provocation helps to rotate the car on corner entry."
Andrew b
User avatar
Mezevenf
Platinum
Platinum
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:52 am
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Contact:

Post by Mezevenf »

I'd love to join the trip, I'll probably be the youngest though :S.

Time to start saving funds methinks.
Bernard M (AKA Mef - Mezevenf)

1986 75QV 3.0L 24v V6 - Silver
1985 GTV6 2.5L 12v V6 - Red
1999 166 3.0L 24v V6 - Red

NightSpec
User avatar
Giuliettaevo2
Verde
Verde
Posts: 790
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 11:56 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by Giuliettaevo2 »

Last week there was a re-run of an old episode off Top Gear on tv over here.

Jeremy Clarkson was made fun off that he took 9.59min to make a lap in a Jaguar ?? Diesel :oops: . A german lady called Sabine Schmidt told him she could do that in a Van! :) Off course this Sabine has driven 15.000 laps... She drives a new BMW M5 V10 every day as a Ring-taxi! :) This week they took a Ford Transit Diesel Van to the ring and let Sabine drive it. At first she took co-host Richard Hammond with her and finished in 10.22min!! they then lightened the van by removing the extra seats, tools and Richard and Sabine really went for it resulting in a 10.06min lap!!! :shock: Later Sabine told that this was the heaviest lap ever. But what a fierce sight! :twisted:

I believe it takes Ron Simons about 8 and a half minutes to make a lap with his 75 TS... :wink:
Drive it like you stole it...
User avatar
Mezevenf
Platinum
Platinum
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:52 am
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Contact:

Post by Mezevenf »

Ya, that episode was damn cool. Chick has some skills.

Should play some more GT4 'ring. Good practise maybe? ;)
Bernard M (AKA Mef - Mezevenf)

1986 75QV 3.0L 24v V6 - Silver
1985 GTV6 2.5L 12v V6 - Red
1999 166 3.0L 24v V6 - Red

NightSpec
User avatar
junglejustice
Verde
Verde
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:19 am
Location: Granolaville, WA

Some Pics;

Post by junglejustice »

Here ya go...

I think that 550 Euros buys you one night's accommodation, a very nice dinner and drinks during a theory demonstration the night before, the car, gas, track fees and the instruction the next day for one fantastic experience overall...

Extra nights are only 35 to 45 Euros per person per night sharing a room in a VERY nice B&B and Ron does offer private instruction at a tailored price. He has for example a private track event during the European Grand Prix that runs 3 days - it does cost more - but for those of you who have ever done the "death march" of a Formula 1 event to find the cheap seats, it is nice to know that while we are driving the Nordschleife during this event, the Euro GP is going on down on the new F1 track. When you are tired, you drive the 75 down to right behind the grand stands and you just walk up to your seats....

Alternatively, we should plan the trip for Ring time to fall right in the middle of a 1 week to 10 day trip with two back to back F1 races at each end; (fly in to Italy, see - say, Monza the 1st weekend - head to the Ring for 2 days or so of driving and then catch - say, Spa the next weekend... That way we get 2 x F1 races on the same trip and a Ring drive and the costs during our time at the Ring are lower when you avoid the Euro Grand Prix circus at Nurburg....

I am going to try and put a package together with Ron that will give us all maximum bang for the Euro, the most overall track-time and enjoyment and an opportunity to do this as an Alfa Forum group from all over the world. I already have 6 commitments for the May trip form the Northwest club, so it sounds like ol' Ron is going to have to do some 75 buying to update the fleet...

By the way; in contrast to some of the comments above and regardless of how you interpret Roberto's article, I can vouch that while the school's cars may show their age, brakes and suspensions are good. Ron would not turn you loose in something that was unsafe.

- Great opportunity for some of us to finally meet each other!

Let the significant others know that shoe-shops are the same everywhere...
Attachments
Picture 001.jpg
Picture 001.jpg (87.03 KiB) Viewed 11476 times
Picture 009.jpg
Picture 009.jpg (66.5 KiB) Viewed 11475 times
Picture 026.jpg
Picture 026.jpg (46.19 KiB) Viewed 11474 times
Picture 040.jpg
Picture 040.jpg (75.9 KiB) Viewed 11475 times
Picture 047.jpg
Picture 047.jpg (56.45 KiB) Viewed 11475 times
...to Alfa, or not to Alfa? That is the question...
User avatar
junglejustice
Verde
Verde
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:19 am
Location: Granolaville, WA

Some More...

Post by junglejustice »

More Ring shots...

Ron and one of his instructors - Carolyn - from the UK - pretty nice gal and a good racer!

Also, the Karussell....
Attachments
Picture 052.jpg
Picture 052.jpg (72 KiB) Viewed 11465 times
Picture 055.jpg
Picture 055.jpg (67.79 KiB) Viewed 11465 times
Picture 056.jpg
Picture 056.jpg (65.59 KiB) Viewed 11465 times
Picture 057.jpg
Picture 057.jpg (66.44 KiB) Viewed 11464 times
Picture 058.jpg
Picture 058.jpg (56.39 KiB) Viewed 11466 times
Last edited by junglejustice on Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
...to Alfa, or not to Alfa? That is the question...
User avatar
junglejustice
Verde
Verde
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:19 am
Location: Granolaville, WA

Pics

Post by junglejustice »

...and a last few...

An Ultima GTR like the Alfa Twin Turbo jobbie in SA but this one runs a Chevy 350...

Also, a shot of Sabine - Ring Taxi V10 M5... She is sideways most of the time... The "van" story is a scream!
Attachments
Picture 059.jpg
Picture 059.jpg (46.28 KiB) Viewed 11461 times
Picture 066.jpg
Picture 066.jpg (90.55 KiB) Viewed 11462 times
Picture 073.jpg
Picture 073.jpg (40.73 KiB) Viewed 11462 times
...to Alfa, or not to Alfa? That is the question...
User avatar
Giuliettaevo2
Verde
Verde
Posts: 790
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 11:56 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by Giuliettaevo2 »

That's her allright! :wink:

nice pics!

Everyone i spoke too told me to take her Ring-taxi! there is only one advice i can give you guys; take the lap with Sabine at the end of your stay, or else you might think you could do that too and really hurt yourself :cry: . Remember she has approx 15.000 :shock: laps on her name so she knows everything about the ring...

I have had the pleasure of riding with her in the older type BMW M5, with the 400bhp, and that was a true pleasure (and a bit scary too!). 8)

Go for it!
Drive it like you stole it...
User avatar
Andrew.b
Platinum
Platinum
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:21 pm

Post by Andrew.b »

Just to be clear.....to all.

I was not, in any way, suggesting the rear brakes were no good!!!!! Only agreeing that they are a maintanece issue on all 75, and need constant adjustment - phew!

Brakes and suspension were first class.

I have only good things to say, as does Roberto if you read the article.

A gtv6.org trip would be great!! We can all meet up, and show each other our best moves.

So is MAY the date this will happen??
Andrew b
User avatar
Zamani
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1757
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:20 pm
Location: Cameroon

Post by Zamani »

That's possible. I'm also thinking of dropping by London to visit the Uni attended for a while.
Post Reply