Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
08-11-2012, 07:09 AM
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Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Pikes Peak NSX Update:
Well the morning after the fuel pump was replaced. The car went out for the morning practice session. I was supposed to have made it out, but overslept.
Turns out during the session Cody and Tabitha had a pretty epic Ooops moment...... at Engineers. Many many big time names have done the same at this corner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZc2463dl8
Pic taken by Joel Yust on the mountain. The first two, he took is when he almost got ran over by the car! Snapped a shot incidentally while he was trying to jump out of the way.
Cody was fine, Tabitha was injured. When the car finally came down on 4 wheels, there was a boulder under her seat that pushed the floor pan up approximately 8". She was literally put between a rock and a hard place.... The motion compressed her spine and she's been in serious pain ever since. But she's a real Trooper! She messaged, "Make sure to bring my gear in the morning."
The car suffered severe damage to the aero. It took 3 pick ups to bring the parts that came off the car down to the pits. The chassis itself was in pretty decent shape, nothing really damaged minus the floor pan. Radiators were leaking as well as some electrical getting shaken up and killing the engine.
I showed up to our headquarters when i saw they had gotten back. Then i saw the carnage myself.... I knew i was in for a long night.
Here's what i saw when i arrived....
So the boys and i got to work repairing the car. Had only 14 hours to have the car back in one piece. So we got to work! The six of us pulled off what i would call a "Miracle". Within those 14 hours we had the car completely torn down and rebuilt. Cody and the others worked on getting the car itself back up and running. While Keith from Garret Turbos and I worked on getting the aero all back together. Every piece of carbon fiber aero was damaged and needed to be repaired. Let me just say i learned a lot in carbon fiber epoxy repair. With a judicious use of spare tires and 2x4s we rigged up supports and weights in order to keep the epoxy and the parts curing where we wanted them!
But we finished and got the car back on the trailer at 4am and on the hill just in time!
Car ran awesome i was told! Our repairs held up like they were never damaged in the first place! Seriously this is a life altering experience, never thought i was capable of doing this. Especially on such little sleep. Running on 4 hours per every 24-40 hours of being awake.
Car qualified in 6th place for the Unlimited class. We just wanted to qualify and be in the race so we kept the car in one piece. Also Cody wanted to see how Tabitha would be able to cope with the cornering with her injury.
All i can say is that after today's practice session i have the utmost respect for Tabitha! She put up with severe amounts of pain just so they could achieve their dream!
Stay tuned for race day updates! Tomorrow is going to be a chill day and Cody mentioned taking the car to the dyno again and cranking up the boost from 22psi at 670+ whp to 26psi estimated 750whp at this elevation.
Well the morning after the fuel pump was replaced. The car went out for the morning practice session. I was supposed to have made it out, but overslept.
Turns out during the session Cody and Tabitha had a pretty epic Ooops moment...... at Engineers. Many many big time names have done the same at this corner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZc2463dl8
Pic taken by Joel Yust on the mountain. The first two, he took is when he almost got ran over by the car! Snapped a shot incidentally while he was trying to jump out of the way.
Cody was fine, Tabitha was injured. When the car finally came down on 4 wheels, there was a boulder under her seat that pushed the floor pan up approximately 8". She was literally put between a rock and a hard place.... The motion compressed her spine and she's been in serious pain ever since. But she's a real Trooper! She messaged, "Make sure to bring my gear in the morning."
The car suffered severe damage to the aero. It took 3 pick ups to bring the parts that came off the car down to the pits. The chassis itself was in pretty decent shape, nothing really damaged minus the floor pan. Radiators were leaking as well as some electrical getting shaken up and killing the engine.
I showed up to our headquarters when i saw they had gotten back. Then i saw the carnage myself.... I knew i was in for a long night.
Here's what i saw when i arrived....
So the boys and i got to work repairing the car. Had only 14 hours to have the car back in one piece. So we got to work! The six of us pulled off what i would call a "Miracle". Within those 14 hours we had the car completely torn down and rebuilt. Cody and the others worked on getting the car itself back up and running. While Keith from Garret Turbos and I worked on getting the aero all back together. Every piece of carbon fiber aero was damaged and needed to be repaired. Let me just say i learned a lot in carbon fiber epoxy repair. With a judicious use of spare tires and 2x4s we rigged up supports and weights in order to keep the epoxy and the parts curing where we wanted them!
But we finished and got the car back on the trailer at 4am and on the hill just in time!
Car ran awesome i was told! Our repairs held up like they were never damaged in the first place! Seriously this is a life altering experience, never thought i was capable of doing this. Especially on such little sleep. Running on 4 hours per every 24-40 hours of being awake.
Car qualified in 6th place for the Unlimited class. We just wanted to qualify and be in the race so we kept the car in one piece. Also Cody wanted to see how Tabitha would be able to cope with the cornering with her injury.
All i can say is that after today's practice session i have the utmost respect for Tabitha! She put up with severe amounts of pain just so they could achieve their dream!
Stay tuned for race day updates! Tomorrow is going to be a chill day and Cody mentioned taking the car to the dyno again and cranking up the boost from 22psi at 670+ whp to 26psi estimated 750whp at this elevation.
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08-11-2012, 10:00 PM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Well here are the updates:
Today i spent majority of the day hanging with the guys i came out here with. Haven't spent much time hanging with them because i have been too busy working on getting the car race ready. So we hit the peak! Got some good video of my friend chasing my mini cooper on Pikes Peak Toll Road. We reached the summit sat in line right behind Monster Tajima to get donuts, damn guys didn't leave enough for us. From there we began our decent having fun along the way. About halfway down we stopped for a photo opportunity with our cars for once! During that photo session, i saw this familiar Acura TL that was loaned to Cody and Tabitha pull up and start waving at me. I approach them and was told we gotta go. Hopped in my car and had to leave my buddies behind to finish up some work on the NSX.
Turned out we had a photoshoot scheduled with HRE Wheels at 5:30pm at Devils Playground. Lexan window had to be riveted on as well as some minor vinyl repair done by his sponsor. We didn't get out of the shop until 5:15pm and it's 35 minutes from the shop to Pikes Peak, and another 25 minutes up to Devils Playground.
We drove through some sketchy weather to get there. Thunderstorm had rolled in and we were essentially driving through lightning, rain, and hail. But we kept on through hoping that the photographers would still be there. Sure enough they arrived after we had just backed the car out of the trailer. And what do you know, risking getting electrocuted paid off. We arrive to the most perfect lighting conditions available, and the car became a piece of art in the light.
Here are some of the pics that were taken by our crew on cell phones, the pro pics haven't been uploaded yet:
These pics don't do it justice!
Afterwards we parked the car and trailer at our pit, then headed of to a team dinner that was delicious. I had lamb and beer and i was a happy man!
Now i need to be awake in 2 hours in order to get to the peak and hopefully be let in on a crew pass. I donated my ticket to one of the guys i came here with. He was broke and i wanted him to experience this.
Keep you all posted, however there isn't any sort of cell signal or Wi-Fi available to me. So it might be Monday after i get home before i can do anymore updating.
Wish us luck!
Today i spent majority of the day hanging with the guys i came out here with. Haven't spent much time hanging with them because i have been too busy working on getting the car race ready. So we hit the peak! Got some good video of my friend chasing my mini cooper on Pikes Peak Toll Road. We reached the summit sat in line right behind Monster Tajima to get donuts, damn guys didn't leave enough for us. From there we began our decent having fun along the way. About halfway down we stopped for a photo opportunity with our cars for once! During that photo session, i saw this familiar Acura TL that was loaned to Cody and Tabitha pull up and start waving at me. I approach them and was told we gotta go. Hopped in my car and had to leave my buddies behind to finish up some work on the NSX.
Turned out we had a photoshoot scheduled with HRE Wheels at 5:30pm at Devils Playground. Lexan window had to be riveted on as well as some minor vinyl repair done by his sponsor. We didn't get out of the shop until 5:15pm and it's 35 minutes from the shop to Pikes Peak, and another 25 minutes up to Devils Playground.
We drove through some sketchy weather to get there. Thunderstorm had rolled in and we were essentially driving through lightning, rain, and hail. But we kept on through hoping that the photographers would still be there. Sure enough they arrived after we had just backed the car out of the trailer. And what do you know, risking getting electrocuted paid off. We arrive to the most perfect lighting conditions available, and the car became a piece of art in the light.
Here are some of the pics that were taken by our crew on cell phones, the pro pics haven't been uploaded yet:
These pics don't do it justice!
Afterwards we parked the car and trailer at our pit, then headed of to a team dinner that was delicious. I had lamb and beer and i was a happy man!
Now i need to be awake in 2 hours in order to get to the peak and hopefully be let in on a crew pass. I donated my ticket to one of the guys i came here with. He was broke and i wanted him to experience this.
Keep you all posted, however there isn't any sort of cell signal or Wi-Fi available to me. So it might be Monday after i get home before i can do anymore updating.
Wish us luck!
08-12-2012, 04:26 AM
#13
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Beautiful!
Update from Cody's facebook page about the photoshoot:
Update from Cody's facebook page about the photoshoot:
Originally Posted by Cody Loveland
Wow. What an amazing week; we have all really dug deep and found ourselves. From essentially rebuilding the car in 12 hours, throughout the night resulting in no sleep for forty five hours, to an absolute spiritual photo shoot at devils playground, we have gained pride and respect for this mountain on a scale unimaginable. When we drove up the Devils Playground at 7pm last night, through hail, downpours, lightning, and wind, we thought she was pissed at us. No; she was testing us. The moment the trailer gate hit the floor, and the car backed out, the sun poked through the clouds and shone directly on us. No, she isnt pissed at us - she's testing us - because that's what she does. I feel like we have "passed" her tests, and have received her blessing. Nothing in the world feels more beautiful than to be blessed by this mountain.
See you at the top!
See you at the top!
08-12-2012, 10:20 AM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
I've been going crazy waiting for a video of it flying up Pikes Peak! Hopefully a speedy recovery for Tabitha and a good race for Cody! Good luck out there!
08-12-2012, 08:42 PM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Got to the top ok! Solid beginner time... 2nd in unlimited!
First run was scrubbed halfway up due to a wreck ahead so we thrash-fueled it, and it went back up.
Solid job buddies. Great pic/write up too jake.
Longest weekend of my entire life. Wow
First run was scrubbed halfway up due to a wreck ahead so we thrash-fueled it, and it went back up.
Solid job buddies. Great pic/write up too jake.
Longest weekend of my entire life. Wow
08-13-2012, 08:55 AM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Great job guys! I was spectating up in Devil's Playground and was excited to see the car make it up, especially considering how many cars with much larger budgets and sponsors did not. Also, thanks for still coming out this year, the cities here needed the race and the racers after the fires knocked out a lot of tourism money. Hope you're able to make it back next year!
08-13-2012, 09:19 AM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Whats the story on the Sentra convertible with the flames in the background?
Looking forward to seeing more pictures/video from the event too.
Looking forward to seeing more pictures/video from the event too.
08-13-2012, 05:32 PM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Who'd a thought that all the favorites to take the record all would have either stuffed it or had a mechanical failure. It was one crazy day! 2nd in Unlimited!
Thanks to everyone else that helped out with the rebuilding of the car both Wednesday and Thursday night. We faced an uphill climb and because we endured, we were rewarded. The mountain shined bright on us yesterday!
Thanks to our boys Keith and Yukio our Garret reps! If it hadn't been for you guys i would probably died from boredom on race day, but you guys showed me the inner workings of your world and for that i'm grateful!
And ultimately thanks to Cody and Tabitha, i know you say you should be thanking me and have done just that. But you two gave me the opportunity to learn more than i ever could have from any book or video. Real life experience in the world of being in race support!
You all be sure to keep on the lookout for the Lovefab NSX! I have a feeling that we'll be showing up next year with more experience and familiarization of the car, we should be looking good! So if possible come on out and represent us! I'll be looking for company on race day!
I thought a month had gone by...... LOL! Seriously it has been an adventure these last 7 days!
And they say weekend because they didn't show up until Thursday night. I had endured the full 6 days!
Great job guys! I was spectating up in Devil's Playground and was excited to see the car make it up, especially considering how many cars with much larger budgets and sponsors did not. Also, thanks for still coming out this year, the cities here needed the race and the racers after the fires knocked out a lot of tourism money. Hope you're able to make it back next year!
08-13-2012, 05:34 PM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Also i hope that Rhys Millen's crew likes the gift i put in the bed of his truck this morning! Wish i could have dropped it off at the hotel, but i'm sure they were beat since they didn't pick up the phone.
Congrats to Rhys on finally accomplishing his dream! And only by .004 seconds!
Congrats to Rhys on finally accomplishing his dream! And only by .004 seconds!
08-13-2012, 06:48 PM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Here's one of a few I got on Sunday, looked good!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61873135@N02/7778282008/http://www.flickr.com/photos/61873135@N02/7778282008/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/61873135@N02/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61873135@N02/7778282008/http://www.flickr.com/photos/61873135@N02/7778282008/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/61873135@N02/, on Flickr
08-14-2012, 01:26 AM
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Re: Lovefab NSX "Miracle on a Mountain"
Well boys i'm finally home, i think that drive home was the most challenging part of the entire week! If i didn't have to work a double shift today, i would post up all the pics i took. That may not happen until tomorrow night.