Goodwood Festival of Speed 2008 Press Day

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GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2008 'Press Day' event:

On 9th April I was honoured to be invited to this event by Nissan UK's press department, and was asked to bring along the 1971 KPGC10 Skyline GT-R to take part in demo runs up the Goodwood hillclimb course, and to display outside the house.

Nissan UK had arranged for a new ( French registered, but RHD ) R35 GT-R to be brought along by one of their motorsport partners, and it was nice to have a C10-series GT-R and the latest R35 GT-R together in the UK for the first time.

Well, what can I say? The weather was great, the other cars taking part were stunning, and the atmosphere was really friendly and relaxed. I haven't had such a good time in ages. It was a nice opportunity to run the KPGC10 on open - unsilenced - side-exit exhaust and newly-fitted slicks, and to show the car to many people who had never seen one before.

This year's Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place on the 11th, 12th & 13th of July, and is well worth visiting if you can make it.

Some pics from the Press Day ( my thanks to nissansportz.com for sending the photos to me, and allowing me to use them here ):

Alan T.

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More photos:

[RayG1988]

Amazing man, thanks for the pictures. Do you have a thread with your Skyline build?

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And a few more:

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Do you have a thread with your Skyline build?

I'm afraid not ( I didn't build it! ), but there is a thread where I reported bringing the car from Japan to the UK. If you have a search around on the site I'm sure you should be able to find it fairly easily. I wrote some of the story surrounding the car and how I came to own it, and there were quite a few pics too.......

Alan T.

[geezer]

Quite an honour indeed, to be invited to spend the day with such an illustrious gathering of cars. Must have been great fun to stretch her legs a bit and leave the picture taking to someone else. Very nice photos, thanks for sharing.

[Carl Beck]

<b>Given a choice I'd take the one on the Left.</b> Sounds like you had a great time and I'm sure everyone else enjoyed seeing your GT-R and getting to hear it as well. The only thing that is more fun than owning these cars is sharing them with others. Getting to run them up to speed however comes in a close second... Hope someone took some video for you....

<img src=http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23218&d=1210952206>

FWIW,

Carl B.

[John Coffey]

Congratulations Allan! Did you get to hob-knob with the rich and famous? Your Skyline looks great and yes, I would take it over a new one in a New York minute. Goodwood is on my list of must do's before I die.

[Alfadog]

Awesome shots Alan. The C10 looks so dainty next to the R35. I see a few new stickers - and you look very cool in that outfit. Is the car treating you well?

How did you enjoy the day? Any "interesting" moments or comments?

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Carl and John,

I'm surprised that you would both pick the KPGC10 over the R35. I have to say that when I saw the 'disguised' R35 last year I wasn't a fan - but since I saw the final production versions it has been growing on me a lot. I think the reputation that it is building for living up to its own hype performance-wise is making it look different. It certainly had enough 'presence' to not be upstaged by much else at the Goodwood Press day........

Awesome shots Alan. The C10 looks so dainty next to the R35. I see a few new stickers - and you look very cool in that outfit. Is the car treating you well?

How did you enjoy the day? Any "interesting" moments or comments?

Hi Alfadog,

The car is treating me very politely I have to say. Yes, a couple of new stickers. Some of them are to cover stone damage ( and jack handle damage ) - but others, well, I find it hard not to!

Did you spot any other revisions to the car? The front-mount 'Works' style oil cooler was only fitted a few days before the event. I took off the 432R cooler and have requisitioned it for the 432R replica project.

Some changes inside too: Deleted the console ( weighs a ton! ) and fitted a 'Works' style switch bracket instead, and added a period 'Izumi' steering wheel that Matsui san kindly gave me. Fitted an untrimmed, black-painted Ikeda Bussan replica seat base on the passenger side. I reckon it looks better than having nothing at all there.......

"Interesting" moments? Well, the car was pretty squirrely on the high crown of the road ( it is deceptively difficult a bit further up the hill - as the surface undulates a lot ) and the road was really dusty on the first run. Looking in the rearview mirror to see a Group C 'Silk Cut' Jaguar closing fast was heart-fluttering to say the least.

Stone-cold slicks are 'interesting' too.....

My main impression of the day was the friendly, informed and relaxed atmosphere. Lots of people took the time to come over and have a closer look at the car, and they seemed genuinely interested in the engine in particular. Meanwhile I was wanting to run off and take a closer look at so many of the other cars present. It was a real treat.

Alan T.

[kats]

Hello Alan,

Congratulations on your attending the great festival:love:

I see people are looking at your GTR and you!!

I must go there and see your GTR and 432R project.I will fly to London June and July...

Thank you for sharing pictures.

kats

P.S Thank you for the post on my thread,when I fly to you please let me know the meaning of the " casett tape". I will bring a small gift for your GTR/S20 engine.

[240znz]

Yes indeed, my first thought was "nasty on cold slicks". Too much camber on the rear? I too recommend anyone to go to this event. It is a wonderful day out with many many fantasic cars on display. Any old F1's this year Alan?

I'll stick my neck out and say that I'd take the new GTR. Shame we won't get them offered by Nissan New Zealand, but I'm sure there will be some imports and soon.

Great pics Alan, keep them coming.