RWD Integra, Florida to California Transportation for D1?

[BlakeFuller]

To all in the Forum:

Greetings. Many of you may have heard of the RWD Acura Integra that was built by Braille Auto Development for drifting. We are planning on attending the Driver Search and the D1 event at the end of February 2005. We are also planning on bringing the car from Florida to California one week prior to the event. In other words we are planning on transporting the car at the end of this week.

We are very excited to get the car at the event, and get an opportunity to compete. There is just one problem: How to get the car out to California from Florida?

We were planning on using our tow vehicle however it will not be completed in time for the event. Looking at the cost of transport from the Florida to California is over $1000 for the sources we have researched. Currently our only option is to drive the car to California. While it is possible, that is an extremely long drive for a car with no interior and the spares that we bring to the event would not all fit in the vehicle!

If anyone is transporting a car to California from anywhere in Florida or on the East Coast that may have extra room or would like to share a transporter, please contact me at blake@brailleauto.com.

Also, if anyone knows of an affordable shipping company, please feel free to post it as we are in need of some suggestions!

Thanks for helping us get to D1.

Blake Fuller
Braille Auto Development

[Wayne]

hey man love the car, jonny says you guys are going to come out with kits soon, still waiting whats teh deal man ?? he also told me that someone got married, congrats man. Peacee

[driftex]

is that kit going to be just for the integra? keep up the good work.

[BlakeFuller]

Kit for Integra RWD

Regarding the "kit" for the RWD Integra:

We have mapped out exactly what is necessary for a conversion of both the 1992-2000 Honda Civic's and the 1994-2001 Acura Integra vehicles. While a ckit for these vehicles is doable (as evidenced by our vehicle), the cost of the production of the kit is currently higher than our ability to set funds for this over other products we wish to develop. If interest is high enough and cutomers wish to pre-order, of which we would need at least 25 customers, then a kit could be made. The cost for such a kit would definately be above $5,000.00, which puts it out of range with many Honda/Acura owners currently.

We can offer custom vehicles on a unit by unit basis, but the cost is a bit higher as all the parts, from teh engine/tranny mounts, to the rear trailing arms, rear subframe, chassis and rear differential are all custom made.

Thanks for the interest. We hope to be at D1 driver search!
Blake Fuller

[FD3S_pilot]

if you do get to go to d1 usa ...

i wish the best of luck......

[drift matic]

hey, werent you were at the washigton d.c drift showoff i think you would have won if your car wouldn't have broke. got any specs of the integra. hope you make it

[XanThoZ]

That's simply incredible. I'm sure that you'll definately raise a few eyebrows with that Integra with you make it to finals. Not to mention the publicity you'll recieve both here in the US and Japan. Best of luck to you guys!

[BlakeFuller]

Not going to be at D1- bummer

Thanks guys for the positive feedback.

While I was willing to do what it took to get the car out to d1, the vehicle is not going to be entered. Why? Simple safety. The cage in the car is a 6-point, but it does not use a full 6-point configuration with a-pillar bars, halo hoop and door bars. We would be able to do driver search with the car, but if we progressed beyond that point, the car would not be leagal for competition due to the new D1 rules for 2005.

This definately is a dissapointment, but the Integra will be at other events this year. Since it is a personal (shop) car, the Integra is used for events that are not conflicting with other vehicles I drive for that take priority.

I do know the car will be used at some local events in Florida. And, if it is the best thing we have going (it is a great drift car for local events, but for FD or WDC it is still possibly 20-35% down on power to what we need), I will be driving it.

We have such a passion for this Integra since it is so fun going out with something noone else has and doing quite well with it. Sometimes I think the judges have a hard time judging because they don't know how difficult (or easy) the vehicle is to drive.

Speaking of judges: you mentioned the Washington D.C. Drift Showoff event. At that event, two of the Judges, were professional drivers who have either driven the car or had seen my driving in the Integra improve dramatically ina matter of months. So they knew some of the background on the car and it made it a lot easier to compare my driving in the Integra vs. other drivers in known cars like the 240 and the Corollas. Although, as things would turn out a well-driven Volvo won the event. It's cool to see diferent approaches to drifting.

Drifting can be done in any vehicle. It is just more difficult in some types. I look at cars like sports atheletes do clothing. A professional basketball player could wear Football gear to a basketball game, and while he could muscle through anything, he would loose agility, and it'd be pretty hard to slam dunk. Likewise a Football player might wear basketball gear to a footbal game and be a bit faster, but man if he was hit......


Blake

[Piner]

dude i saw you at the drift showoff in homestead and the SFL sideways 2004 and i just have to say i am very impressed with that you can do with that car. I always hear people talk about turning a FWD RWD but few start the project and even fewer complite the project. I have alot of respect for you taking on that challenge.

I hope to be competing with you in the future. I took 5th place at the last South florida sideways event but ended up killing my car in the process I know what its like with an unusal car hell nobody there could figure out what my car was. Well anyways good luck to you in the future

[akuma S14]

thought you drove the GT PRO s13? what happened there?

[NEXTLEVEL]

hey blake thanks for the gas at pikes peak driftshowoff you saved me i wouldnt have made it to the final without you.. BTW i was in the gold 240 good luck geting the car over there maybe i will see you there but probably not as i dont have a car to drive if you know anyone lol best of luck

Scott

[BlakeFuller]

thought you drove the GT PRO s13? what happened there?

Yes, I still drive for GT Pro and the 240 drift car that they own. Sine that car is on the West Coast and the Integra is on the East Coast, I normally fly out for the GT Pro car, such as at Irwindale, or the Time Attack.

So why did I not just fly out for the D1 event and drive the GT Pro car?

Simple, the registration for D1 is now full for this event. We were to late in registering the GT Pro car!

I will be in Cali this weekend for a test day, but I will be back to Florida to focus on our business.

[BlakeFuller]

hey blake thanks for the gas at pikes peak driftshowoff you saved me i wouldnt have made it to the final without you.. BTW i was in the gold 240 good luck geting the car over there maybe i will see you there but probably not as i dont have a car to drive if you know anyone lol best of luck

Scott

For those of you whom do not know this story:

We were out in Colorado for the Falken Drift Showoff. It was the first time we used the Jackson Supercharger on the Integra, and made some steering angle improvements (so that it would have similar angles to a stock 240, instead of dumb FF steering angles). We were performing very well in the Integra. When the final round came, a certain 240 was running out of race fuel. Since I hade extra fuel I gave him the last of my fuel. That same 240 went on to beat me in the final round as I spun (rookie!).

It was very ironic to think the same car I helped ended up beating me..... But, it is better to be beaten fairly than beat others through cheating.
(just a little moral story for you)

Layter,
Blake

[akuma S14]

So then you won't be running drivers search or D1?
that sucks.

[FD3S_pilot]

But, it is better to be beaten fairly than beat others through cheating.
(just a little moral story for you)

Layter,
Blake

The Art of War... .........(or at least close enough ;P)