http://www.ebitv.jp/fmp.swf?vfile=1743

>8^)
ER

http://www.ebitv.jp/fmp.swf?vfile=1743

>8^)
ER

I always knew the Japanese liked drifting, but in an F1 - :p
....and Jeremy Clarkson had the nerve to call the F1's rear 'skittish' :wink:

I always knew the Japanese liked drifting, but in an F1 - :p
....and Tiff Needell has the nerve to call the F1's rear 'skittish' :wink:

The drivers did a terrible job of holding their lines through the corners. I bet more proficient drivers could maneuver these cars like they're on rails. :icon16:

Since the first one was so great I'm sure you will all want to see the sequel. :sunglasse

http://www.ebitv.jp/fmp.swf?vfile=1744

>8^)
ER

On the subject of models, I came across these,

http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/gallely_sonota.htm

scroll down......Ueno and Lark gtr models. very good detail.

Those look great! Thanks for sharing. :cool:

>8^)
ER

Those look fabulous. I am not into models but I would definitely get those. We really need a solid contact in Japan.

Those look fabulous. I am not into models but I would definitely get those. We really need a solid contact in Japan.
Sorry - you can't "get" those. Not sure if it's apparent to any but the most serious model fans but those 2 cars are 1:43 scale and were built from long out-of-production resin kits from the (closed) French firm Provence Moulage who at various times had arrangements with some Japanese shops like Romu for special versions.
The Japanese have some absolutely amazingly talented model builders and the cars photographed would be the product of one of these talented builders. Such efforts are often one of a kind or extremely limited production and the prices can be astronomical. Even 20 years ago there were a few 1/43 models changing hands at prices of ~$1200 and the technology has come a long way since then!

Edit: there are some construction shots here:
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/lark_gtr_tocyu1.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/lark_gtr_tocyu2.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/lark_gtr_tocyu3.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/lark_gtr_tocyu4.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/f1gtr_tocyu1.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/f1gtr_tocyu2.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/f1gtr_tocyu3.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/f1gtr_tocyu4.htm
http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/tocyu/f1gtr_tocyu5.htm

Now go look at a 1/43 diecast so you have a clear idea of the size model we are talking about and think about the work that went into producing those beauties - in a base material that breaks if you look at it the wrong way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to be really blown away poke around on the "progress" (http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~scala/progressi.htm) page and take a look at how some Formula One kits get completely re-shaped with sheet brass and turned and cast parts and how the detail is so fine that a binocular microscope is shown on one page as being the means by which the modeler could work on such tiny parts.

Okay - now for the real reason that I started this thread. I hope you are all still paying attention. :naughty:

I found an 8 minute on-board video of GTR #25R lapping a wet Suzuka Circuit in Japan on Oct 22nd, 2000. This would be when the car was running the 'ZERO' livery in the Japan GT Championship series. It appears to be taken during practice or qualifying as there are very few cars on track.

The view out the front screen isn't the greatest with a bar of the rollcage and an air vent hose blocking some of the view, but you still get a feeling for the speed and the sound is excellent. He spends the first lap or so taking it easy while trying to get some heat into the tires and then really starts ripping on it which was surprising to me given the wet track conditions.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSoDJTRFnPk

I was sort of stunned to find something like this at random and it actually cost me $20 for the software license I needed to be able to download the stream for my archive and share with all of you. Money well spent I'd say.

Here's a larger sized image of the car in the video:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/th_p4_big.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Peloton25/p4_big.jpg)

Enjoy! :)

>8^)
ER


BTW: Over the weekend I'll find a place to stick the 40MB file so you can download and save it yourself. The image quality is a little better than the YouTube encoded version.

I was sort of stunned to find something like this at random and it actually cost me $20 for the software license I needed to be able to download the stream for my archive and share with all of you. Money well spent I'd say. You're talking about being able to download the youtube video, or the raw file behind it?

There's a way to do it without spending $20.

I'm talking about the original file. I'm the one that hosted it on YouTube.

The file was in .WMV streaming format on the website I found it and the it was hosted on a very slow connection which kept buffering while I was trying to watch. The original file is a 700k stream even though it doesn't look like it on YouTube. Trying all the tricks I knew and freeware programs I could find weren't successful in saving the source.

I was going to pay a lot more for a license for WM Recorder as I like using that program (the freeware version is good for files 2:00 or less), but found something cheaper that seems to work just as well. I'll get some more use out of it too so I'm not to upset if I could have saved money, however, if you think you know of a free-of-charge way to save an 8:00 long .WMV stream I'd be interested in hearing about it.

>8^)
ER

^^^
Thank you for this lovely Christmas present. I look forward to unwrapping it in my harddrive. :iceslolan

Somehow I knew you'd be a fan of the content here. :grinyes:

If I put this up on Google Video you guys can easily download an .MP4 version of it, but the quality will be degraded again from their re-encoding process. I could also stick the original .WMV up on Rapidshare or do a yousendit sort of thing. I have to admit I've not been paying attention to the latest and greatest in large file sharing so if someone has some ideas I'm open to anything that's free for you and me.

>8^)
ER

Ok, Rapidshare is effectively out of business, so I've uploaded the original .WMV file to YouSendIt.com this evening.

I do ask that everyone please not share this link directly on other forums so that those who actually pay attention here will have the benefit of downloading it before it expires.

Link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/OTTKwiggoxN5TA%3D%3D

The link will expire in 7 days and will be available for 100 number of downloads. After that, you will have to beg. :uhoh: :lol: :p

Let me know if you have any trouble getting the file.

>8^)
ER

^^ Cheers (again!) Erik

Check out these vids,......1996 vol 3 Lark GTR,s in action!!

Bl....dy Spectacular!!!

http://videos.streetfire.net/search/jgtc/0.htm


Many thanks, Slappy :thumbsup: Who ever you are.

I was thinking about buying this DVD set for the collection. I guess now I won't have to. :cool:

I should be able to save the original file/s since I don't think Streetfire doesn't offer that option.

Any Japanese translators in the house? :grinno:

>8^)
ER

Wow - after watching it all the way through, it's incredible to see just how close #13R's DNF incident in the 2nd race at Fuji was to taking out both F1 GTRs in what would have been a tremendous crash. :eek: :eek:

Also, the video seems to show very clearly that it was #13R wearing race number '60' that DNF'd in the 4th race at Fuji. It even shows a young Ralf Schumacher climbing out of the car. That means the poster included with "Driving Ambition" is not accurate as it says the GTR that DNF'd at that race was the '61' car which was driven by John Neilsen and David Brabham, and would have instead been #14R. Shame on them... :shakehead

That also jives with other information I found on the web listing the points totals by round for the drivers of the two LARK GTRs in the 1996 All Japan GT Championship series:

STD DRIVER CAR 1 2 3 4 5 6 PTS
1st D.Brabham UK F1 GTR #61 15 20 03 15 -- 10 63
1st J.Nielsen DK F1 GTR #61 15 20 03 15 -- 10 63
3rd R.Schumacher DE F1 GTR #60 20 -- -- -- 20 20 60
3rd N.Hattori JP F1 GTR #60 20 -- -- -- 20 20 60

Seeing the crash of GTR #14R in the 5th round left me wondering whether that car is really gone. I know there are no confirmed sightings of it since that race which leads me to believe it may have been scrapped. Surprisingly the damage didn't look all that severe, but maybe the hit was harder than it appeared. Anyone have any knowledge of the whereabouts on #14R since then?

I have the file downloaded - I'll do the same YouSendIt trick later tonight so that I can share it and then stick the link in here. :cool:


Edit: Ok, since no one complained the last time, the JGTC_1996.wmv file has been uploaded to YouSendIt - it is about 55MB. Here's the link - let me know if there are any issues getting it: http://download.yousendit.com/FD52AB17403C0BFE

The same rules apply by the way - 7 days, 100 downloads. Please rehost it yourself if you want to share a link to the file elsewhere.

>8^)
ER