Chicago Meet was Great!!!!
Discussion
I would just like to say a huge thanks to Brad for setting the gathering up. It was an awesome time. We had 4 running cars show up this year. Everyone was great to talk to and really friendly. We all got along great. I have already sent my pics to Mark to post on the US Ultima club site.
And I would like to say after getting to ride in an Ultima twice, I am now definitely hooked and will have to build one of these in the future (hopefully the near future). What an awesome car! Thanks to Jeff and Brad for the rides.
Thanks again Brad, and it was great meeting everyone and putting a face to the screen names. I look forward to coming back next year, and following the build sites of the guys who are just getting started. Good luck with your builds Ray & Lloyd, Eric and Scott.
TONY
>> Edited by Hugger Z on Monday 12th September 16:21
>> Edited by Hugger Z on Monday 12th September 16:25
And I would like to say after getting to ride in an Ultima twice, I am now definitely hooked and will have to build one of these in the future (hopefully the near future). What an awesome car! Thanks to Jeff and Brad for the rides.
Thanks again Brad, and it was great meeting everyone and putting a face to the screen names. I look forward to coming back next year, and following the build sites of the guys who are just getting started. Good luck with your builds Ray & Lloyd, Eric and Scott.
TONY
>> Edited by Hugger Z on Monday 12th September 16:21
>> Edited by Hugger Z on Monday 12th September 16:25
My thanks also to Brad for setting it up, and for everyone for turning up and making it a great event. Even though
I did get my car there in the end (thanks Mike for all the help).
On the 7 hour trip back to Minneapolis I was a rolling road-block. I was trailering the Ultima in an open trailer and ket the speed around 60. Most people on the interstates do 70+, and everyone slowed down to take a look, some a long look - causing a rolling traffic jam. (No, Ray, it wasn't because one of the wheels had fallen off the trailer
) Since it was Sunday, it was mainly passenger vehicles. Some people even tried taking photos of it from their cars!
Anyway, it was a great few days. I'd encourage everyone to try to attend such an event.
BTW: How did the British Car Show go?
I did get my car there in the end (thanks Mike for all the help).
On the 7 hour trip back to Minneapolis I was a rolling road-block. I was trailering the Ultima in an open trailer and ket the speed around 60. Most people on the interstates do 70+, and everyone slowed down to take a look, some a long look - causing a rolling traffic jam. (No, Ray, it wasn't because one of the wheels had fallen off the trailer
) Since it was Sunday, it was mainly passenger vehicles. Some people even tried taking photos of it from their cars! Anyway, it was a great few days. I'd encourage everyone to try to attend such an event.
BTW: How did the British Car Show go?
Brad,
My thanks for hosting, too.
Each time someone posts they've completed their car, I am more excited to start my build. I can't wait to join the ranks of Ultima driver!
Jeff, Brad, Mark, and Craig...thanks for making your cars available for us new guys to review...and for the generous rides.
-- Scott
Reno, NV
My thanks for hosting, too.
Each time someone posts they've completed their car, I am more excited to start my build. I can't wait to join the ranks of Ultima driver!
Jeff, Brad, Mark, and Craig...thanks for making your cars available for us new guys to review...and for the generous rides.
-- Scott
Reno, NV
Big thanks to brad for hosting the event and planning our activities. It was great to be able to drive next to other ultimas. I knew the ultima was a bad ass car but seeing it move through traffic from another car gives you a totally different perspective. We went from one running car last year to 4 this year. Let’s see if we can get 10+ in 2006.
Pictures and videos are up on the US site www.ultimaclub.us/2005ClubMeet.asp
Get used to it, it only gets worse when the car is on the road. The cell phone Paparazzi is everywhere.
mark
Pictures and videos are up on the US site www.ultimaclub.us/2005ClubMeet.asp
craig-ultima said:
On the 7 hour trip back to Minneapolis I was a rolling road-block. ... Most people on the interstates do 70+, and everyone slowed down to take a look, some a long look - causing a rolling traffic jam.
Get used to it, it only gets worse when the car is on the road. The cell phone Paparazzi is everywhere.
mark
Thanks to all who attended our get together. I recognize that it takes you all time and money to travel to Chicago and hope the trip was enjoyable and worthwhile. It was a sight to behold....four street legal Ultimas in one place. A North American record I would think...?? Everyone got along just fine as almost everyone are just good friendly people (except Ray who is as mean as a rattlesnake). I enjoyed the differences between the builds and the personalization that goes on with Ultimas is what makes them so much fun to look at. I'm looking forward to future get togethers which should include some driving events suited to all skill levels. I'll be forwarding my pictures off to Mark for posting. Thanks again for attending and keep in touch.
Brad Z
www.bradzeman.com
Brad Z
www.bradzeman.com
craig-ultima said:
I'm not sure that anyone could create a driving event suitable for my driving level . Maybe Ray could try and work something out?
You will only learn by doing! And you have a pretty fun car to learn on!
You can only get better from here Craig. Good luck. Next year you will be giving rides and hot laps at the meet.craig-ultima said:Right...not unless Ray can get Al Unser, Jr., Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Christian Loeb, Tony Stewart, and a few others on the same track!
I'm not sure that anyone could create a driving event suitable for my driving level
Craig, you have some great road-course tracks in your part of the country. Go to one of them and ask around about a good driving club/school to go with. It's not expensive and you will learn a lot through them.
Driving on a track is a lot different than driving on the street (as you can imagine -- and no police). But, your first 3-4 times out, you will go with an instructor whose job it is to familiarize you with the track layout, track etiquette, and performance driving techniques; it's not a zoo of crazed speed-freaks banging fenders and trading paint, as some would think. And, you can actually take a rental car if you don't want to start out with the GTR.
As a primer, just take a helmet and show up at a track-day event. Someone will give you a ride so you can get an idea of what it's about. You will be surprised at your progress as your lap times drop and your skills increase.
BTW, beautifully built car! And, you chose the fast color too!!!
-- Scott
craig-ultima said:
I'm not sure that anyone could create a driving event suitable for my driving level
Craig:
Maybe Ray could set us up an Autocross course for us. Lloyd told me Ray was one of the best drivers in his class (females under 18).
Brad Z
www.bradzeman.com
Hi guys - thanks tremendously for the encouragement.
This morning I fixed a few small things on the car. Then a friend of mine who just taught her 16 year old son to drive a stick shift took me out in their car (family sedan) for a few hours. I got the hang of that, and then spent about 30 minutes driving my Ultima on the local streets, doing a lot of deliberate stops and feeling out where the friction point is on the clutch. I then went out on some longer roads, again close by my house, that have 55 mph limits. I did about 20 miles today!
I am pleased and honoured to say that in the entire 30 minutes, I did not stall the car once, did not miss a gear on down-shifts (Ray witnessed a beauty in Chicago!), and my up-shifts generally were "okay", although initially I made a few mistaken shifts from 2nd to 5th because I missed the center gate, but the car has so much torque it rumbled through my mistake.
For those of you wondering what this is all about - I built an Ultima GTR (the red one in the photo above - 6 speed, 550 bhp SBC, 535 ft-lb torque), got it finished just a few weeks ago, and trailered it to the Chicago meeting last weekend... and I have never learnt to drive a manual transmission!
So, if I am sounding a bit proud, its simply that I have now (with the help of friends) taken the car on the road myself and done an "okay" job of driving it. Today was a big day for me.
The car itself drew complete attention on the road - way worse than when I had the car on the trailer back from Chicago. Today I had a few people do U-turns in the middle of the road to follow me. People who passed me while I was waiting to make a turn slowed down or pulled over so they could wait for me to catch up. At one major intersection I was the first person in the right turning lane, and one guy in the oncoming traffic saw me and stopped his car dead in the middle of the intersection wanting me to turn in to the road in front of him. Crikey!
Performance - its insane. I can't push the engine over 3500 rpm because it sounds so loud and so darned aggressive it scares the bejeezes out of me. Yet the real power band on my engine is 4200 to 6500 RPM! Even with my conservative driving, the gas pedal is like a fast-forward button on a VCR recording of the road in front. In 6th gear I was able to cruise about 60 mph at around 1800 rpm - even without downshifting, the car literally lurches forward with more gas. I had to be careful to keep the car to 60 (I hit about 80 at one point and didn't even notice - yes, in a 55 zone... arrgh). And something weird happens with my engine at around 3000 rpm where I think the aggressive cam overlap starts to enter its right operating point. The power generated is astonishing and throws the car forward in any gear. I was also pleased that the coolant temperature stayed between 80 on the road and peaked at 95 when I was doing the local street stop/start practicing.
So with today's accomplishment I am an extraordinarily happy novice builder and novice driver. Practice makes perfect, so I'll be out again tomorrow for some more low speed driving (weather permitting).
Sorry for the long post - I just can't contain my sense of joy at building and now driving this car, especially given where I started from just 10 months ago.
This morning I fixed a few small things on the car. Then a friend of mine who just taught her 16 year old son to drive a stick shift took me out in their car (family sedan) for a few hours. I got the hang of that, and then spent about 30 minutes driving my Ultima on the local streets, doing a lot of deliberate stops and feeling out where the friction point is on the clutch. I then went out on some longer roads, again close by my house, that have 55 mph limits. I did about 20 miles today!
I am pleased and honoured to say that in the entire 30 minutes, I did not stall the car once, did not miss a gear on down-shifts (Ray witnessed a beauty in Chicago!), and my up-shifts generally were "okay", although initially I made a few mistaken shifts from 2nd to 5th because I missed the center gate, but the car has so much torque it rumbled through my mistake.
For those of you wondering what this is all about - I built an Ultima GTR (the red one in the photo above - 6 speed, 550 bhp SBC, 535 ft-lb torque), got it finished just a few weeks ago, and trailered it to the Chicago meeting last weekend... and I have never learnt to drive a manual transmission!
So, if I am sounding a bit proud, its simply that I have now (with the help of friends) taken the car on the road myself and done an "okay" job of driving it. Today was a big day for me.
The car itself drew complete attention on the road - way worse than when I had the car on the trailer back from Chicago. Today I had a few people do U-turns in the middle of the road to follow me. People who passed me while I was waiting to make a turn slowed down or pulled over so they could wait for me to catch up. At one major intersection I was the first person in the right turning lane, and one guy in the oncoming traffic saw me and stopped his car dead in the middle of the intersection wanting me to turn in to the road in front of him. Crikey!
Performance - its insane. I can't push the engine over 3500 rpm because it sounds so loud and so darned aggressive it scares the bejeezes out of me. Yet the real power band on my engine is 4200 to 6500 RPM! Even with my conservative driving, the gas pedal is like a fast-forward button on a VCR recording of the road in front. In 6th gear I was able to cruise about 60 mph at around 1800 rpm - even without downshifting, the car literally lurches forward with more gas. I had to be careful to keep the car to 60 (I hit about 80 at one point and didn't even notice - yes, in a 55 zone... arrgh). And something weird happens with my engine at around 3000 rpm where I think the aggressive cam overlap starts to enter its right operating point. The power generated is astonishing and throws the car forward in any gear. I was also pleased that the coolant temperature stayed between 80 on the road and peaked at 95 when I was doing the local street stop/start practicing.
So with today's accomplishment I am an extraordinarily happy novice builder and novice driver. Practice makes perfect, so I'll be out again tomorrow for some more low speed driving (weather permitting).
Sorry for the long post - I just can't contain my sense of joy at building and now driving this car, especially given where I started from just 10 months ago.
Craig,
Great story. I ordered my kit on 25 July this year and I cant wait for it to get here. Reading stories like yours get me all worked up.....you can really sense the excitement in your post.
I nearly came over for the Chicago meet.... I have ordered an LS2 with a Magnacharger through Jeff Schwartz and was thinking of going and meeting him there.
Keep posting.
GC
Great story. I ordered my kit on 25 July this year and I cant wait for it to get here. Reading stories like yours get me all worked up.....you can really sense the excitement in your post.
I nearly came over for the Chicago meet.... I have ordered an LS2 with a Magnacharger through Jeff Schwartz and was thinking of going and meeting him there.
Keep posting.
GC
Craig
I can understand you wanting to talk, at length, about it as there is no other way to release the feelings.
Reference your gear changes and missing third remember that the 'box is internally sprung to live in the third/forth line so don't grip the shift and try to place it just push it forward and it will find third for you. Likewise pulling back will find forth.
Enjoy
Steve
I can understand you wanting to talk, at length, about it as there is no other way to release the feelings.
Reference your gear changes and missing third remember that the 'box is internally sprung to live in the third/forth line so don't grip the shift and try to place it just push it forward and it will find third for you. Likewise pulling back will find forth.
Enjoy
Steve
Thanks guys...
Grant - I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Schwartz for the first time last weekend at the Ultima meeting, and he took me for a ride in his yellow GTR. WOW - that was a heart-stopping experience - exiting sharp turns at 70 mph and topping out at 150 mph (in 200 mph zones, of course
). There is an incredible multiplying effect when you take a great driver and combine that with a great car. That is Jeff and his GTR. A number of other builders are using Jeff and his company to build out their engines. If my ride in his car is a credible data point, then you are in very good hands. I've been to Hong Kong a number of times - I do hope that you can find the right sort of place to take an Ultima out for a real run!!
Steve, thanks for the input on the shifting. I did three relatively long runs today (about a 15 mile pattern) which included local roads, some higher speed roads (55 mph limit) and some interstates. I'm doing the shifting okay now, but my shifts are too slow and in first and second I think I am still letting the clutch out too quickly, and the engine revs are probably too low. But, no stalls yet! Good news is that there are some good performance driver schools around here, so that is my next port of call.
Driving on the interstates is an absolute blast. Even without downshifting, the transition from 70 to 120 is maybe 4 seconds. The sound of the engine is like a giant threshing monster behind me - in fact, the roaring sound is all around. The force of acceleration is like a swift kick from the rear. And all this still prety much keeping the engine below a "pedestrian" 3200 rpm...
I simply cannot believe this car. The power of course is beyond words to describe. But the steering is amazing as well - it is tight and precise, but that doesn't describe it well enough. It is so instantaneous that after a while even novice me started to forget about the steering wheel and the steering system and tyres, and really felt like my two hands were steering the car itself, literally on the road surface. I've never felt that degree of proximity to the road before. The Ultima team has truly created a marvel.
Grant - I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Schwartz for the first time last weekend at the Ultima meeting, and he took me for a ride in his yellow GTR. WOW - that was a heart-stopping experience - exiting sharp turns at 70 mph and topping out at 150 mph (in 200 mph zones, of course
). There is an incredible multiplying effect when you take a great driver and combine that with a great car. That is Jeff and his GTR. A number of other builders are using Jeff and his company to build out their engines. If my ride in his car is a credible data point, then you are in very good hands. I've been to Hong Kong a number of times - I do hope that you can find the right sort of place to take an Ultima out for a real run!! Steve, thanks for the input on the shifting. I did three relatively long runs today (about a 15 mile pattern) which included local roads, some higher speed roads (55 mph limit) and some interstates. I'm doing the shifting okay now, but my shifts are too slow and in first and second I think I am still letting the clutch out too quickly, and the engine revs are probably too low. But, no stalls yet! Good news is that there are some good performance driver schools around here, so that is my next port of call.
Driving on the interstates is an absolute blast. Even without downshifting, the transition from 70 to 120 is maybe 4 seconds. The sound of the engine is like a giant threshing monster behind me - in fact, the roaring sound is all around. The force of acceleration is like a swift kick from the rear. And all this still prety much keeping the engine below a "pedestrian" 3200 rpm...
I simply cannot believe this car. The power of course is beyond words to describe. But the steering is amazing as well - it is tight and precise, but that doesn't describe it well enough. It is so instantaneous that after a while even novice me started to forget about the steering wheel and the steering system and tyres, and really felt like my two hands were steering the car itself, literally on the road surface. I've never felt that degree of proximity to the road before. The Ultima team has truly created a marvel.
Craig,
The Porsche and Ferrari clubs here organize runs throughout China. They go to the Zhuhai Grand Prix track, the Shanghai Gran Prix etc.
Nice wide roads on the expressways, but full of all sorts of dodgey machinery.
Apart from that there are places that you can have a bit of a run within Hong Kong....Every Sunday morning all the guys in their GT3's, F40s, F50s etc go out at dawn......cant wait to see their faces in the rear view mirror.
The Porsche and Ferrari clubs here organize runs throughout China. They go to the Zhuhai Grand Prix track, the Shanghai Gran Prix etc.
Nice wide roads on the expressways, but full of all sorts of dodgey machinery.
Apart from that there are places that you can have a bit of a run within Hong Kong....Every Sunday morning all the guys in their GT3's, F40s, F50s etc go out at dawn......cant wait to see their faces in the rear view mirror.
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