ARIEL ATOM FACTORY VISIT AND PRIVATE TOUR

premiershine9 · 10-17-2012, 02:41 PM

GREAT guys!!! Smile

Kaan · 10-17-2012, 02:45 PM

99% sure now... i'll get my just for men on, shave, put on my MM gear... and try to fit in with some college kids Wink

premiershine9 · 10-17-2012, 02:55 PM

Kaan Wrote:99% sure now... i'll get my just for men on, shave, put on my MM gear... and try to fit in with some college kids

Don't forget a lanyard..... if you'll be going for the freshman look.

V1GiLaNtE · 10-18-2012, 02:26 PM

premiershine9 Wrote:
Kaan Wrote:99% sure now... i'll get my just for men on, shave, put on my MM gear... and try to fit in with some college kids

Don't forget a lanyard..... if you'll be going for the freshman look.

And try to look really hungover.. :vomit:

Kaan · 10-18-2012, 05:44 PM

Dr. Hoes Pizza for dinner? its in Cville! <3

premiershine9 · 10-18-2012, 08:01 PM

Kaan Wrote:Dr. Hoes Pizza for dinner? its in Cville! <3

hmmmmm

BFisch06 · 10-18-2012, 09:35 PM

How about the Briar Patch near SweetBriar College?
I've been here several times - amazing food for very reasonable prices. It's literally right off US-29 just north of Lynchburg - right along our route. They're open 11:00am - 10:00pm on Saturday.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bunnypatch.biz/menu.shtml">http://www.bunnypatch.biz/menu.shtml</a>
883 South Main Street, Amherst, VA 24521

HAULN-SS · 10-19-2012, 12:33 AM

Ha..that is not at all what I expected when I clicked on that link.

premiershine9 · 10-19-2012, 09:06 AM

HAULN-SS Wrote:Ha..that is not at all what I expected when I clicked on that link.

X2 LOL

Brad- lets do it! Or we can hit up Kaans place

V1GiLaNtE · 10-20-2012, 06:12 PM

Bravo gentleman for putting this on.

Great time!

Sully · 10-20-2012, 07:51 PM

Sad I missed it but I just couldn't get out of bed after getting home from work at 4:30am Cry

Yes I'm a bitch :roll:

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Jewels · 10-20-2012, 07:51 PM

From the facebook pics it looks like you all had a great time. Sorry we couldn't join you guys, but glad it was a good trip.

premiershine9 · 10-20-2012, 08:56 PM

It went GREAT!!!!!

Got to see everything behind TMI Autotech and the Atom- even the V8 prototype which James May, Clarkson and the Stig have all driven!!

Big thanks to my officers and everyone who came out!!!!!! No surprise this was a great trip!!!

Hopefully Goodspeed can post ALL the pics here!!!

Crazy unique opportunity for MM!!

I'm exhausted and going to bed. Gnight.
- Dan

**Goodspeed** · 10-21-2012, 02:00 PM

That was very, very cool. Thanks again to Dan & the officers for organizing this, to TMI for opening their doors to us and my thanks to Kaan & Sylvia for the ride!

I probably don't speak only for myself here, but I left feeling that I could've locked myself away in that building and been totally content forever. So much cool stuff to play with and the Atoms, of course, were the icing on the cake.

All my pics can be seen here.

[Image: 8109205805_341d77649d_c.jpg]

premiershine9 · 10-21-2012, 03:30 PM

Great pics Goodspeed!!

ScottyB · 10-21-2012, 10:07 PM

awesome time! thanks officers for putting this together. TMI Autotech, the makers of these cars, noted that they'd never had a college club come through before, so it felt great that MM was the first to make that mark and pay respects to their awesome product. it was really cool to talk to the guys that put these together every day and get to have a Q/A session with them.

not much to add to Goodspeed's photos but here are a few. the rest are on my facebook page.

spec and road chassis being built, and a spec chassis being fixed after a crash
[Image: 598926_10100791205025659_967087125_n.jpg]

[Image: 598926_10100791205025659_967087125_n.jpg]

cars in stages of completion. the craftsmanship is incredible.
[Image: 499_10100791205489729_1499274512_n.jpg]

the only GM LSJ (turbo 2.0) Atom currently for sale in the US in front of the only supercharged K24 prototype under construction
[Image: 197519_10100791206023659_717365371_n.jpg]

[Image: 197519_10100791206023659_717365371_n.jpg]

again with the craftsmanship and details. i love that you can see everything in the car, its all functional art.
[Image: 427779_10100791208084529_861292186_n.jpg]

[Image: 427779_10100791208084529_861292186_n.jpg]

[Image: 46262_10100791207999699_504266420_n.jpg]

[Image: 581592_10100791207874949_1140485123_n.jpg]

then we walked into this room, and it felt like being 5 years old in the R/C car aisle of Toys'R Us all over again :bow:
they're pretty much all stored for big-money guys when they go to and from the track.
[Image: 532731_10100791206323059_30086475_n.jpg]

[Image: 532731_10100791206323059_30086475_n.jpg]

cars almost ready for delivery. apparently one customer is driving the orange one from here straight to Texas IIRC? badass.
the TopGear V8 car is in the middle...kind of an uncerimonious place to dump a storied car, but its engine-less for now.
[Image: 318952_10100791207525649_1035645615_n.jpg]

[Image: 318952_10100791207525649_1035645615_n.jpg]

and yes there was a brand new GT-R in the parking lot, owned by one of the techs. it was pretty funny...Goodspeed and i were hanging around with some other people (don't know names) and gawking at the car, and someone asked the owner how he felt it compared in speed to the Atom on track. "oh yeah, its definitely as fast....for 3 or 4 laps. then everything overheats" :lol: he loved it as a road car though and was really impressed with the tech it packs.

BFisch06 · 10-21-2012, 10:15 PM

Just a small correction - not trying to poke fun or start a flame war:

ScottyB Wrote:...the only GM LSJ (turbo 2.0)...

The LSJ is the supercharged 2.0 - the LNF is the turbo'd one.
(I'm the resident Chevy guy & worked on the LNF during my time as a dynamometer engineer with GM in Detroit. The LNF is an amazing engine, which is why I put my money where my mouth is and bought one :mrgreen: )

ScottyB · 10-21-2012, 10:19 PM

BFisch06 Wrote:Just a small correction - not trying to poke fun or start a flame war:

ScottyB Wrote:...the only GM LSJ (turbo 2.0)...
The LSJ is the supercharged 2.0 - the LNF is the turbo'd one.
(I'm the resident Chevy guy & worked on the LNF during my time as a dynamometer engineer with GM in Detroit. The LNF is an amazing engine, which is why I put my money where my mouth is and bought one :mrgreen: )

:lol: i figured if anybody was gonna call me on that it would be you, i remember you came in with the HHR and had the corvette racing hat. no problem, i don't mind being corrected :thumbup:

do you recall if that is the turbo or super'd one in that atom? i thought it was the turbo unit.

premiershine9 · 10-21-2012, 10:46 PM

When I finally saw the ONLY V8 powered prototype that the Top Gear cast drove right there in the back of the warehouse..........
[Image: mother-of-god-super-troopers.jpg]

[Image: mother-of-god-super-troopers.jpg]

BFisch06 · 10-21-2012, 11:14 PM

ScottyB Wrote:do you recall if that is the turbo or super'd one in that atom? i thought it was the turbo unit.

It is actually the LSJ. I don't think Ariel has ever used a turbo for the Atom - in any variation nor on any continent. They started with Honda, moved to GM for the Atom 2, and went back to Honda. The LSJ was a nice engine, but GM stopped production due to emissions. I think Ariel's choice on non-turbo engines is directly related to the lag. I can't say I wouldn't make the same decision though - if I had a car like that I'd want to the go pedal to work instantaneously!

Sources:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showthread.php?12014-LSJ-Ariel-Atom">http://www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showt ... Ariel-Atom</a>
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Family_II_engine#Ariel_Atom">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Family_ ... Ariel_Atom</a>

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