DO IT YOURSELF TECH DAY / INTRO TO VIPER DAYS
Saturday, August 23rd

Hey Guys and Gals,

We will be hosting our first So Cal Viper Club "Do it yourself Tech Day" on August 23, 2008.  This event will be held at our own Lance Kouchi's shop in Wilmington, CA.  Lance has a lift and plenty of space for us to show the group some basic service procedures such as oil changes, brake pad inspections and changes, E-brake relocation installation, jacking points on our cars, jack stand locations on our cars, basic undercarriage inspection, tires, wheels, etc.

Dave Cawthorne, Lance and I will be on hand to help answer common questions you may have about your cars.

We will also plan to spend some time answering your questions and discussing preparing your cars and yourself for our upcoming Viper Days Driving School and Track event to be held September 12, 13, and 14 at Willow Springs.  I'll plan to bring my "track prepped" GTS so that the group can get a look at a street legal (barely), track prepared Viper.

We plan to be on hand at Lance's shop between 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM.

Lance's shop is located at:

Electronic Balancing Co.
660 east D street
Wilmington   CA  90744

CLICK HERE FOR MAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=660+east+D+street,+Wilmington,+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.720774,67.675781&ie=UTF8&ll=33.775116,-118.254712&spn=0.008374,0.016522&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=33.774588,-118.254682&panoid=YD_XH1ybZLMDMRK22ik-jQ&cbp=1,159.53107666148276,,0,-2.0479599171263123)

Bring your cars and your questions - we'll try our best to have answers.

Please RSVP so that we can plan lunch as the club plans to buy for our group.

Dan  <2


Attendees:

Anhtuan Pham
Art Pena
Ben Kawata
Brent Kern
Bruce Conklin
Carlos Hernandez
Dan & Cathy Everts
Dave Cawthorne
Eric DeDominic
Glenn & Steph
Jim Kenahan
John Bennett
Lance Kouchi
Mike & Cheryl Sinkinson
Mike Buckingham
Mike Burgoyne
Mike Fujita
Mike Pickett
Nino Valmossi
Noel Vega
Peter Jackson & Linda
Scott Pennington
Sean Casey
Steven & Carol Borecki
Tom & Shawn Gorny

 >g

OGO is in >r I'll bring lots of track prep stuff, ramps, scales to weigh Vipers, toe plates, bleeding brakes equipment etc plus 20 years of track time >v

OGO  O O O

Dan,

Should be a great event, barring work travel I'll be there and Diann will be at the mall.  If my pan's not on yet maybe I'll bring it and utilize all the helpers?

Dave,

Glad your coming with all the set up stuff!  maybe you can bring your fabrication team??

Mike

 >m

Nice try Mike   >k >k

OGO  O O O

I cannot tell you how much great information, tips, and help I have received from all the members of this club.

Even if you don't plan on going to the track for Viper Days, the info will still be invaluable and a very relaxed venue for everyone to learn, ask questions and get some hands on do's and don'ts.

I'm definitely there! 

Folks this is a great event to get a ton of useful information on Vipers. 

Big thanks to Lance, Dan and Dave for putting this event on. >r

Hey Art,

You're very brave letting Dave  O and Lance do your brakes before Viper Days .....

Just kidding,

Dan   >v

It's okay Dan, if they fail, I'll just stop the Viper ala Fred Flinstone. <B

Better start doing squats!  ^2

Put Nino on the list.  I'm  >q for information.  Lance, thanks for hosting >u. 

New to this site, I am in, could use some help in geting to know more about my car.

Welcome to the website and the SoCal Club !!
I look forward to meeting you.  We have a bunch of really great members that have a ton of knowledge that are all too happy to share with us new guys. 

Take care,
Lance

OGO has all his ducks in a row[/size]  >r

Now if I can just remember to come  ^8 ^8 ^8 ^8 ^8


OGO  O O O

OGO,  O

Maybe Lance can set up a cot so that you don't have to miss your afternoon nap?  >w

Dan

Please add me to this great event.  Sorry I have not been to any events in a while.  I cannot seem to match up my schedule.  I miss everybody!!  And getting my car out of the garage to play with all the other Vipers.

Awesome, I'll be there!

Steph and I are now 100% in for the event.  Had to install a E-brake relocation set on the 08.   It would be nice to watch the install with a lift that I can stand under!

Glenn >8

Hey Glenn,

So ..... you installed an ebrake relocation kit on your 08?

Are track tires in your future?  Hope so.

Hope you can make it to Lance's place.

Dan

Hey Glenn,
Doing the E-brake relocation with the lift was definitely the easy way to go.
Ask Art......He sat down and watched 6 of us stand under his car do it for him !   >w

Let me know when you want to do the silver car....that way both of you can drive at Viper Days !!!   >g

See ya in a couple weeks.

Glenn,

The e-brake kit install on Lance's lift was so easy, I wore a white shirt and didn't get it dirty.  Then again, I was sitting most of the time supervising to ensure they did a great job >w, which they did.  I felt like I had a pit crew, Mike, Justin, Ben, Dan, OGO and Lance all did a great job, you guys are hired to do the next e-brake on the next Viper I get  >v

Once you do this mod, you'll have more options when it comes to tires, since you can run 18's all around.

Hope to see you and Steph in a couple of weeks.

We are playing musical wheels on our cars.  The new set Forgeline 19" on the back have a razed lip on the inside for strength so it requires the kit.  Forgeline supplied the kit with the wheels.  It took only one call to Archer Racing to get it right for the E-Brake install. Those mid west boys are on it!

Glenn.......

OK,

So where are the pictures?

I'll bet they look good.

Dan

 
You will half to wait till the 23rd.       <9   <L

Steph and Glenn.............

I'm in, but I can't get there until around noon.  Sounds fun and I'm looking forward to Art showing me how to do it!  Bring a shirt you can get dirty! >l

Just in time for lunch eh Brent? 

You and Art been talking????

Hey Dan,

I'll be coaching Brent on his Supervisory Skills >v. 



Brent,
1st Lesson - Wear a white shirt to the event, that way nobody will expect you to get dirty >k  More to follow  <I

Back into the fold as they say ;)  Mike was talking to me on Viper Alley and told me to come to this event.  So I will be there!  Besides, its like 25 mins from my house so I have no excuse.

The last event I was ever at was the DC Dyno Day in 2007!  What can I say? its been a very busy year and a half ;)

But now I am starting to get real interested in road racing so this event sounds perfect!

I will have to miss this one! My wife has plans for me that day. >o
I will see you at Viper Days! Mean time I will get my car ready on my own. Can someone take notes for me I don't want to miss anything. Then just type them up and email them to me. Thanks, Scott

Scott,

Sorry you can't make this one.

I thought about doing a side sill vent install during this event (after I saw your side sill kit).

Maybe next time.

See you at the track,

Dan

Maybe we should do an instructional D V D for the V C A  Saturday on how prep a Viper for  the track  "Hollywood style" since we seem to have a multitude of CHARACTERS  in the club. I'll be Larry!  Who wants to be Moe or Curley?


   Glenn....................... >l

Wise guy ay!  Knuck...knuck...knuck.  Didn't think I'd know who you were talking about right, Glenn?

..... and I thought he was talking about me .....

Looking forward to Sat.'s meet!  Looks like it will be a good turnout!

Really curious to find out what my car weighs.  With some new mods coming it'll be interesting to see how much weight I shed.  In the next few weeks will be, CCWs, PS2s, Euroteck rotors, and exhaust crossover delete.

Maybe it will just barely start to balance out all my stereo equipment  >l

I'll be the black SRT coupe with silver stripes.

-Anhtuan

Ok Art.  White shirt, check!  Scott, I'll take mental notes for you and fill you in when I see you.   >u

Hey Anthuan,
Glad you are going to make it !  I haven't seen you since Dyno Day last year.

Here are a couple of pics I took of your car that day.

(http://www.kouchicentral.com/images/07%20DC%20Perf%20Dyno/07%2014%2007%20103.JPG)

(http://www.kouchicentral.com/images/07%20DC%20Perf%20Dyno/07%2014%2007%20161.JPG)

(http://www.kouchicentral.com/images/07%20DC%20Perf%20Dyno/07%2014%2007%20179.JPG)

See ya,
Lance

Hey that's one sexy beast!  >w

It'll be good to see you again Lance, and yes it has been awhile.  Thank you for opening your shop up to us!  See you Sat.!

Thanks to all who came out today !!! 
It is always so much fun seeing everyone and what a special treat for me to have well over a $1,000,000.00 in cars parked in front of my building.
A special thanks to Noel and OGO for coming out early to help me set up.
Also thanks to Art for bringing awesome teacakes to ruin my diet.
Thank you Dan and Cathy for the gourmet lunch.

Here are just a couple of pictures from today.

Thanks Lance and Lori for opening the door to your shop today.  Had a great time busting knuckles with all the wrench heads!  Art I found my pocket still had some bolts from your car in it.   Oh well less weight go faster.  I will give them back next time we meet.  Hopefully I will remember where they went.

Glenn and Steph................ <

Hey Glenn,
Thanks for the personalized piston retractor tool !   Great idea and I'm sure I'll make good use of it.

>m Maybe you can sell the idea to OGO for an e-brake relocation kit

See you at Willow Springs !!!   >v

Here's a few more >w


OGO  O O O

My son and I had a great time meeting all of those who attended. Thnkas to Lance for opening his shop for all of us, Kathy, Dan Big Dave. Thanks for making my son and I feel welcome. I will see you all at the Car Control clinic in Fontana.

Hey Carlos,
I'm glad you made it out.  Hopefully some of your questions were answered.  If you ever have any questions (i.e. your current suspension) post it up on the So Cal board.  I'm sure you will find the proper solution or resource to get it solved.

See you at the CCC !

Lance

Thanks Lance, I will do that.

As always an big thanks to all the people that made this event possible, Lance, OGO, Dan and Cathy,  >t 

Thanks Glenn and Nino for all the tips you provided, I feel like I'm ready to start my own performance shop  >m ^8

It was good seeing the all of the new members and I hope you all sign up for Viper Days, you'll have a blast!

Yes that was a great day!  I love events like that where we can learn stuff, talk about mods, racing, and hang out with cool people!

And as others have said...thank you so much to everyone for all the effort that went into pulling this together!  It was much appreciated.  The amount of knowledge I picked up in that one day was amazing.  And it was really great to meet everyone... some for the first time and some it had been too long.

You all convinced me...I spoke with Courtney today and signed up for Viper Days!  <m  I'll be there on Friday and on thru the weekend!

Cheers,
Anhtuan

Lance,

Sorry I didn't make it, SSGreen has only 502 miles on it, so there was nothing to change.  So Cal Mini Maniacs had a run out the back way into Big Bear with lunch at the Bar-B-Que pit and then down Hwy 330, so I caved in and went with them.  Man thoese guys can rock around a twistie better than about anyone else I know, not putting meself in that group!   >j

Hey Anhtuan,

It was great meeting you, glad you're going to be able to make it to Willow next month, Courtney should be able to give you a 1st time attendee discount of $100, which should cover some of the gas expense.

Hemotox,

You coming to Viper Days in September?  Then you'll be able to take those twisties like the MM. >v