Japfest 2012

[Steve-A]

Went to Japfest yesterday with the Exile boys, thought I'd cross post my pictures and thoughts onto here as you guys might like to see them

Japfest, meh!

The plan was to meet at 8:45 about 3 miles outside the circuit. At 8:45 all of us were sat in a big traffic jam about 4 miles from the circuit.

It took me and Ross till about 1/1:30 to get parked inside the circuit! It was ridiculous. Once inside there certainly were plenty of cars on show, but very very few old skool cars. It felt pretty 'macdonalds carpark' at times.

The 'Excel rotorsport' stand was tucked away in a corner, but still had a few people wandering by and looking.



With Tim having issues with Nev and dropping out, there were 4 cars on the stand.



Tools Rx2 was looking lovely as ever. The LSD worked well to rip up some grass





James was repping exile properly, with totally awesome tyre paint! and headlight.





Mark joined us a little after I arrived.




I was just happy to get there, especially after 4 hours of stop start traffic where the new engine ran flawlessly.




Got a nice arty shot

[Steve-A]

I didn't get too many other shots of the show really I guess that shows how much there was that interested me. There were fields and fields of cars.



Saw this clean FB, went over and had a chat to the owner. He was on MRC but I'd not seen his car about before. Looked very clean, even if he kept telling us it wasn't!



We saw Marc S with his FB which was looking really good Stopped and had a chat, well Tool stopped and chatted I kinda stood quietly and listened! haha Forgot to take pictures

We watched one of the MRC track sessions and saw a stream of rx8s flogging round.





This guy in the Nissan Primera won our respect for giving it everything and making serious progress!



Then we went to look around the show and spotted a few retro cool cars but not too many. I was a big fan of this Datsun, I've got such a thing for old skool 2 door saloons right now.




This pair of Corollas were nice.




And there were some nice 240s on show.



Lastly my mate Ross got a few pics of Tool's rx2 as we left.

[A7RXY]

Nice pics Steve, pity only a few old school, but at least you made the effort, I'm afraid I would have turned back at the traffic jam.

Dibs

[Marc S]

Was good to see you guys yesterday - sorry I was cr4p at the introductions, and I am rubbish with names - Tool, you should have told me you were Tool...if that makes sense...I had no idea you guys where who you are

Sorry I never made it over to see you, but as you know, we were right over the other side, and the single lane down to the other fields was so jam packed when I went, I simply gave up...it was too busy this year...

anyways, my FB was indeed over with club323f, and quite a few people came over to chat about it, take pics, stroke it etc

I stole these pics from another club member...as my camera was 150 miles away in my kitchen










The green elford that was there is Mark P's - it's insanely clean and original....luverly

[mark7p]

Hello guys, it was good to meet up with you and chat, we arrived near Castle Coombe at about 0915, but it took us over an hour to get in, and parked up. Met Marc S and we had a good old natter, met up with Tool? and his friends just as we were leaving and had a chat. Whoever took the pic many thanks, she looks great, first trip out this year. Met up with Carl Hayward on the Club stand, said a quick hello.
Hope to meet again. All the best Mark7P

[TOOL]

Just doing some recon boys

Those damn resonators, I can't get them any closer I tell ya!

[ian65]

nice write up Steve.... the traffic management plan sounded like a shambles, good photos of all your cars gents.... looks like James has won the 'exiler of the month' again!

[MelloYello]

I will not go on about the bad too much as you have heard it already. Traffic sucked. If you like - blue subarus, rally subarus, black subarus with big bass, subarus with pink bits, go faster stickers, engines that go "phfffitush"- then this was the place to be.

Photos on the way in ( had a spare 3 hours to kill while in the queue)





Our plot-







Went for a wander took some fotos of stuff that caught my eye



Cars! back to the cars!












Got a thing for NSXs



and a SVX


Oh and here is photos of the MRC Member crash, what a supreme example of amateur driving- slam on brakes approaching a corner, just go straight




Was good to catch up with some of the crew. Glad i had Kiwidave in my car for conversation.

Bring on Retrorides Gathering.

[mullins]

Met up with Carl Hayward on the Club stand, said a quick hello.

Shame he didn't come to Santa Pod. There was an FD there he had mapped the previous day that needed his engine warranty

[KiwiDave]

Marc

I snapped a couple of pics of VYV. I was with James (SilverArrow) as TWiR was not ready in time. Walked past twice but could not see you there. Still trying to catch up...... must happen one day surely