In response to some questions about Alberta get togethers, I just wanted to expand a little on Gord's comment about short-notice get-togethers at Lightspeed Innovations in Red Deer. While they are not really meets, most Friday nights, Cam (the owner) opens the shop to responsible car owners to come in, tinker, meet up, BS, whatever. There's usually a good group of knowledgeable, helpful guys there including one or more Lightspeed techs who really know their stuff. Every time I go there, it seems my car comes away with another mod. Or two. But it's always a good time with some cool cars and interesting people.

Examples from this past Friday night:

- four guys standing around under Gord's (Sylvan Lake V35) car, looking for a coolant leak, with it running, right under the dumps:

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://s238.photobucket.com/flash/player.swf?file=http://vid238.photobucket.com/albums/ff14/SwivelMan/VID00003.flv"></embed>

They found it and fixed it, so good news there. Sorry for the crappy vid/pic, I took them with my BB cause I didn't want to run out in the torrential rain to get my Canon T1i.

- a mad scramble to get cars in the shop when hail was reported in the south end of town, here's my car hiding under Gord's:



- modded Audi blowing a CV boot on the dyno and slinging grease all through the inner fender.

- laughing at some gangsta boi looking 'to get some love for his ride on the dyno, yo'. Kid, this is Alberta, we speak Redneck. And dyno-tuning is definitely not free, nor should it be.

- practically taking the front bumper off my car just to put in some Philips HID bulbs I got from Dustin (and thanks for the Nismo radcap, D!). Dustin and I struggled with the damn bulb for 20 minutes before Gord came along and clip, twist, done. We'll never hear the end of that one, I'm sure. Gord also installed my radcap -- took him less than 20 minutes and he got it on the third try. j/k, of course.

- buying a t-shirt from Linden, who's on the Canada #2 bobsled team, to support their sled for 2010

Cam is a friendly, easy-going guy so we respect his shop, ASK before borrowing any tools and clean and put them away when we're done. But if anyone wants to come out sometime, just post up and I'm sure you'd be welcome. Cam's interest is to provide a place to tinker with cars and perhaps get a little business when guys realize he runs a good shop.

 

Thats really cool for a mechanic to 'loan out' his shop to a bunch of guys like that. Very nice indeed!
I would be all over that if someone around here did it. Just to meet with the guys more regularily would be fun.

 

I spend most of my Fridays at Lightspeed in past years we would often go to car meets on Friday or hit the track, this year it had been working on my car but usually they have something going on like late night dyno sessions or guys just hanging around BSing. Cam is a good guy to open his shop up on Fridays to let guys hang out. It was originally done in order to give young guys a place to hang out on Fridays as an alterantive to the bars or parties. I guess some of the young guys grew up and still hang around. There is a good group of guys that hang out there for sure, most are very helpful several are mechanics never hurts to have a few of them around when you are tinkering. Without Cam and the guys that hang out at Lightspeed on Friday I know I wouldn't have been able to my DIY build. If anyone is interested in coming to a Friday night at Lightspeed try to pm ahead of time to be sure people will be there especially if your driving from Edmonton or Calgary because as soon as my car is tuned I will pushing to go to the track or other car related functions.

Its not really a loan out his shop deal it is more the latter part of what you said a place to meet up and hang out. Most of the guys that hang out have been customers/friends of Cams for many years so he dose let us get are cars on the hoist if one is availible. But its not like you anyone can just show up and use all of the tools and hoists. I have been friends with Cam as long as I can remember we were street racers before it was the "cool" thing to do (neither of us do or support that type of thing now) so that was in the 90s before F&F made it mainstream. So Cam will often allow my guests to do some tinkering, Dustin has also become friends with Cam and we have had several G/Z guys down Wayne(swivel hips), Sean (karma), Lloyd(formerly SMarinoZR now Zat Zuma) all of whom Cam has really liked as well as a few other fourm members that are not very active have got turbo installs and other large projects done, So he enjoys the company of our "crowd". I guess I just wanted to elaborate a bit so we don't have a bunch of guys showing up expecting to install a bunch of parts thats not really how it works I just thought I should make that clear. On the other hand if you do come he won't pressure you or expect you to buy anything nor will he try to sell you anything, he actually dosent even like talk much about that kid of stuff after work but if guys are looking for a shop to do a project or some small work on your car for you its a good chance to get to know the people you might have working on your car everyone is friendly weather you are a customer or not I have noticed that is not always the case with performance car shops.

 

Looks like a good time haha. I think I live in the wrong part of the province. Sadface.

 

Thanks for the clarification, Gord, I was hoping you'd chime in since you know Cam very well.

 

I should swing by one Friday night after work (from Leduc). I didn't know about this "Friday night man shack". I probably would have come down a couple times by now.

I do plan on getting to Castrol every night they are open for street legals for the rest of the year. It would be good to see you make a pass or two Gord, maybe another meet like last year.

I managed a 14.2@102 with a 2.3 60'. Couldn't get any traction in second and some of 3rd gear. Stupid base model with an open diff. Quaife is my next purchase.

 

No problem, i just don't guys thinking they can show up and start using the shop to install parts they bought off ebay. He is laid back but I don't like to push my luck. Anyway it is a good spot to meet up with other car guys and hang out.

PS. I think we are going to try to have my car finished and tuned for Friday so we can go to Castrol raceway. It depends on a few things, my work may get in the way but I am hoping I can get the exhaust finished up and a tune.

I also went to Euroquake(a huge euro show)on Sunday it was crazy lots of Lotuses, Porches, Ferraris and one Lambo along with the Benzs, Beemers Audis and VWs. The guy putting on the show did an "others" category by invitation only, I got included even though I don't think my car is quite show ready. I ended up winning best of show "other". I thought I had a chance at the best performance engine but there was a pretty sick VW GTI R-32 with a wild turbo set up that won. They had some sick trophys some of the best of show ones where shifter gates with a gear shift sticking out in 1st gear second gear or third gear, that were milled out of solid aluminum they cost about $800ea and the dyno queen trophy was a chrome compressor side of a turbo it was sick.


The proceeds of the show went to the Canadian Bobsled team that was there selling T-Shirts to help fund raise and the proceeds from the concession stand went to MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving) it was a huge turn out but it was one of those day that I didn't feel like pulling out the camera but the wife got one of our girls in the bobsled.

 

Let me know for sure about Castrol, Gord, and congrats on the trophy! Well-deserved.

350Z T you should definitely come out to the Man Shack!! haha!

 

I hope you can race one day Gord. I have given up a few race nights to come tinker on your car its about time.

 

Keep me informed as I may be able to make it friday to watch "the beast" do a couple runs. Unfortunately my car is still up on the jackstands and hopefully should be back on it's wheels soon. Unfortunately, the engine isn't broke in yet and there will be no 1/4 mile runs this year

 

I saw that euro show when I pulled into work on Saturday night.. I saw two lotus esprits rip outta the lot after it was finished... had I known there was that much stuff I would have tried to get over there for a look but I was busy with clients.

 

awesome, If lightspeed can get me a deal for installing my clutch kit. I would be in for coming to red deer from edmonton
06 G35 i am odering my clutch kit soon.

 

I would just give them a call, I'm sure their number's somewhere on www.lightspeedinnovations.com

 

Yeah I will have to try and make it down one night.

I plan on going to Castrol every night they have street legals for the rest of the season. I have to destroy my stock clutch (new clutch/flywheel this winter). I just put a VLSD in a couple of days ago with a 3.3 final drive, so my times should improve significantly.

 

I have some parts to install one of these days. Should have a little mini meet. When you going to the track this Friday?