Three Years of the James Crivellone Driving Sim

[AndrewBird]

Played it and loved it since day one-ish. Plan to play it again next year.

[Wh33lhop]

So you are donating an M3 tach?

Hey, I'm just sayin'. :p

[Dave McLaren]

At least it's a short drive home from the bar. ;- )

That rig is positively inspired. Love it.

[Jparkr]

I had the pleasure this past Sunday to finally visit James' house and try the simulator, but just for a few laps as we had to go spend the afternoon at the Tacoma Glass Museum. The sim is as awesome as described. Now I need to get myself invited back over, get some laps under my belt, and work my times up the lap charts. I'm coming after you Parker! :)

Hahaha bring it Lance. And don't worry about an invite, just show up. Thats what we all do.

[evil_twin]

I want to play... :(

[StereoInstaller1]

This hasn't gotten any less awesome. I do wonder if maybe a higher redline tach might be more appropriate though.

So you are donating an M3 tach?

[Lance Racing]

I'm not last.

I had the pleasure this past Sunday to finally visit James' house and try the simulator, but just for a few laps as we had to go spend the afternoon at the Tacoma Glass Museum. The sim is as awesome as described. Now I need to get myself invited back over, get some laps under my belt, and work my times up the lap charts. I'm coming after you Parker! :)

[Wh33lhop]

This hasn't gotten any less awesome. I do wonder if maybe a higher redline tach might be more appropriate though.

[daniel]

i've had the pleasure of using this.

[Miso Beno]

Photos from the 2006 build session. (Lots of hammers)


Ok I lied about the hammers, but at least we have saws!


Like I said. The original diriving simulator started out as a simple "LETS GO TO HOME DEPOT AND MAKE SOMETHING COOL" project. No plans were made, just a pile of 2x4s, a couple car seats, and a bag full of hammer.... saws.




Production plans? what production plans? We don't need no stinking plans.


What? More of this douchebag? Seriously? Take that god damned saw away from him!


The frame for one of the originals.


Wait did you say originals? Yup. Originally there used to be two driving sims but space became a concern so one was eventually dismantled (perhaps with hammers) and burned so that no army could recreate it. Then all efforts were focused on the one remaining sim in a quest to make it 75% more awesome.

And for those too lazy to click through the link at the top of the first post to see the second version here are some highlights.






As you can see that while many core components (ok, most of it) has stayed the same, other incredibly important bits like the core computer, and the sexy wood box that holds it all together are now much fancier. YAY FANCY!

[namsayin]

legit!

[Miso Beno]

Most of you guys remember the driving sim that James posted a year ago in it's unfinished, hot glued and hammered together state. Some of you have even had the pleasure of driving it in one of it's MANY iterations; heck Derek from inmygarage.com wrote a damned feature article about it. (He was also involved in building it along with a few other goons from the PNW Crew). The JC Custom E30 Driving Sim from 2008 has survived a full year of hard use and near constant hammering, painting, kicking, driving, and the occasional application of Griot's Garage Speed Shine straight to the VIDYA CARD (Don't actually use griots garage products to clean computer electronics. it's just a bad idea.) but it is still far from finished. I had the pleasure of swinging by James' place for a beer and we got to talking about where the driving sim is at and I snagged a couple updated photos for your dancing and dining delight.

Currently, the sim has upgraded from GTR to Simbin Race On, but and still rocks the, now abandoned, racing simulation diagnostic output application, Sim Tools. The custom manufactured driving column needs a little updating (it fell victim to an unfortunate, but very intentional airbag deployment) and is becoming more sloppy every day. Shifting has become more of an art and less of a hard science as the base shifter's gates are slowly pulverized by aggressive, drunken racers, and the peddles still need a little work to be correct for an E30. Of course the interior could use a little more upholstry, and there is the case of the GIGANTIC CRACK in the dash.

All things considered, for a project that actually started in October of 2006 (October 26, 2006 judging by these Facebook date codes) with an impulse purchase of 2x4s and a 24 pack of Heineken it has withstood the very inebriated test of time.


Early Driving Sim production Photo. (10/26/2006)


The Sim as of 11/26/2009 with James in full simulated racing gear.


James in full simulated racing gear going 88mph.


Product Placement.


Every gauge works. Even the gas and engine temp gauges. Also, that IS an E30 dash instead of the Porsche dash from 2008.


Working stereo, CD Changer, OBC, dash lighting, and of course climate control complete the package.


And what use is Sim Tools without an extra LCD to output it to?