It was an early start in the R34 for the jaunt to Hinckley where I was meeting up with the JDM Performance UK group before the short convoy to Mallory. To be neighbourly, I decided to bring the car out of the garage the night before so I could “get in, belt up and get off” quickly. Nobobdy needs the sound of a cammed RB26 at 5:45am on a Sunday morning.

After proceeding swiftly, I’d earned enough time in hand to stop at the M6 Toll Services, Norton Canes, for a coffee and a pain au chocolate. Wish I hadn’t bothered. Coffee wasn’t particularly warm and the pain au choclate was fresh – once.

Onwards.

Off the M6 Toll is a nice few clear roads which I managed to navigate with an assortment of relatively late braking and a heavy right foot – I was warming the clutch up, honest. The noise of that screamer and the T51r mod to the Pulsar 30-770 is just mega, intoxicating and addictive. It just screams out of the roundabouts or the 90 degree turns, both which filled my journey.

After meeting up and convoying with a really cool and eclectic mix of JDM specials, we arrived. A few Civics, some very nice EVOs, particularly the EVO V and most obnoxiously loud GT86 I’ve ever heard in my life. Ana complained about the noise, but she didn’t even go. That’s how loud it was!

The car was on full show for the spectators and those who knew the Skylines and RB26 in particular were very complementary, especially about the Rajab Racing Intake Manifold – and how it doesn’t look anything like anything else on the market. And the best thing, is that drives like no other manifold on the market either. It gives me such an improved low end that it’s honestly a pleasure to drive.

The journey back happened earlier than I thought. After arriving there for 8:15am and being setup by 8:30, most people were mingling by 9:00 and on their second coffee by 10 past! The show was ok. The marshalls were all very friendly, it was mostly well organised but two things stood out. The first was the amount of halfwits just revving off and the second was the stench of marijuana. Both of which I can’t stand. Especially the revving off. You’re going to knacker your engine. Just stop. Some marshalls were ok, some asked to stop, so there was a bit of a disconnect there. It could have done with some more atmosphere, it did feel a little flat, with only a couple of trade stands on 2 coffee/food stalls. Maybe some food for thought there, literally.

Come 12pm, people were starting to leave. Not wanting to be one to stand on ceremony, I decided to go as well. Exit, stage left. Boost to 1.5bar and let it sing for it’s supper on the way out. And it did. 7500rpm and a screamer pipe, it’s just stunning.

20mpg average across a 200 mile trip, with the clutch and the brakes fully warmed up. A job well done. Roll on the next trip.

I tell you, it’s going to be tough next year to choose between the R34 GTR and the Supra. What a choice to have.

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On the way up to Wheels Up North, the car again was faultless, but again I stopped to top of the fuel tank! After meeting up near Preston, we convoyed up and had a little play on the M6, all within the speed limits on some empty stretches of motorway. It brought back some smiles about the first part of the trip to Scotland back in May of this year. And just how differnet, better, faster and more responsive the car is now.

The weather up in Windermere wasn’t great, with some hints of sun, but the car received some really positive attention. People love the engine bay, with lots of “oh look at that”, and “that’s how you do it properly”. I love hearing that, it makes the expenditure, the research and the time without the car all worthwhile.

I also managed to catch up, unexpectedly, with some old car friends, which is always a great thing. Just a shame it’s only once or twice a year to get to see friends. Something we all need to remedy in the future, not just at the next Wheels Up North.

Next event is The Ultimate Show in Liverpool, on Sunday 28th July – the day after I get the Supra…

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The car performed a treat on the way, 1.5bar, 7500rpm, screaming through the much needed lovely summer morning. And it also meant a couple of trips to the local petrol station! Shell 99 was inhaled this weekend!

After TunerFest, I’ll definitely attend more events with Asphalt Knights, they were a really nice and friendly bunch. Would be good to get involved and bring some more high quality JDM cars to them. I think the next even with them will be with the Supra!

It will be nice to have the option to chop and change between cars if one is away for some work with SRD, which lets face it, one of my cars always will be away!

The next event will be sometime in August, in a collaboration with Sunday Scene, I think. But I fancy a longer outing next… who fancies a trip out to somewhere like Dumfries and Galloway? Go and explore some wonderful roads in the south west coast of Scotland.

If the Isle of Man ferry was quicker and cheaper, I’d happily head over there for a couple of days. Screaming through the roads there would be insane fun, and you can’t deny it. But three hours for that short distance and £340 return is just a bit too much…

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