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?
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?
Comment