# Litchfield New Dyno Facility



## Litchfield (Feb 26, 2008)

We thought we would share some of our exciting news that has seen us significantly upgrade our site and explain how this will affect our Nissan GT-R customers :wavey:










As many of you who visited us through 2014, or follow us on Facebook will know, we have been busy improving our facilities to allow us to offer an improved range of services. The centre piece of these changes has been the installation of a top-of-the-range chassis dynamometer.










We are delighted to announce that after months of work we installed the UK's first 4WD MAHA MSR Dynamometer. This German made, state of the art dyno is the most advanced on the market and was originally designed for some of the largest manufacturers of cars and sports cars. 










*Not a simple choice*

We had resisted buying our own dyno over the years until the reality of safety concerns on local roads, ever increasing power levels and the pace of our development work created a necessity for a dynamometer at Litchfield. Choosing the correct dyno should have been an easy task, considering we have used every type and brand over the years. If only this was the case....

Initially we discounted the new Maha system simply due to cost. Our former site housed the cheaper LPS3000 which worked well, but this was the older twin roller design with unlinked axles, creating unnecessary strain on the transmissions and centre differentials of many of the current models in which we specialise. In addition, we had plenty of experience with using Ecutek's Maha Land and Sea dyno with our own GT-R, although this also uses an unlinked twin roller setup.










We also explored a number of the American dynos which are significantly more cost effective. If we had wanted to produce headline numbers or run dyno days then these dynamometers probably would have been perfect for our needs. 

We also looked at the Australian manufacturer Dyno Dynamics that has become a popular choice amongst many tuners in the UK. Like the American models this type of dyno is designed to measure power at the wheels and then uses a fixed multiplier to calculate the flywheel figure that many of our UK customers demand. However it is not a calculation method we have ever really agreed with and these types of dynos are also unlinked.










After much consideration we flew to the US and spoke with Superflow who, in our view, make the best of the American (directly linked roller) dynos. They use a mechanical transmission system to synchronise the front and rear roller sets and we know of a number of tuners who are very happy with them. We came very close to ordering one of these, especially as we already had a Superflow engine dyno on order.

Just before pulling the trigger we thought we should re-examine our options. We decided to take up Maha's offer to visit their factory and test the MSR500 system in person. We drove our GT-R to their facility in Germany to directly test their claims with a known car. 










It quickly became clear that their knowledge, experience and the advantages of their electric motor drive system made them the ideal choice for cars with a complex 4wd system, like the Nissan GT-R. The ability to add additional modules to suit our development program had also negated our concerns about the initial higher cost.










During testing we were amazed at the consistency and repeatability of the runs. Maha did a number of different power runs as they demonstrated the software and the dyno's control of the power between the front and rear axles. Just prior to breaking for lunch, we did a run on low boost which produced 893.4 bhp. Once we had finished and returned to the dyno, the run was repeated and the car produced 893.7 bhp, we were impressed! 










The Maha MSR500 dyno equipment we were considering was the same as that installed at Porsche, VAG group, Toyota Motorsport and BMW M Power, amongst others. The key distinction over the other modern dynos mentioned above is that they don't directly link their front and rear rollers. The MSR500 does couple the front and rear rollers but, uniquely, it is done by driving them with motors. The electric motors are very quickly and accurately controlled, capable of generating huge torque. This makes them ideal for ensuring, when necessary, that the rollers are rotating at the same speed but not necessarily with the same applied force. The dyno can therefore cope with any change in axle torque loading as the car shuffles power fore and aft, varying the assistance of the electric motors attached to each axle. This is especially useful on some of the Haldex 4WD systems which have the axles spinning at subtly different speeds. 

We have learnt, over the years that coping with quick variations in torque is vital with all wheel drive cars as advanced as the Nissan GT-R. Additionally, the drive motors allows the un-driven wheels of 2WD vehicles to be rotated at the speed of the rear wheels, preventing error codes generated by advanced ABS modules. The motors also allow the vehicle to be run on the dyno without the engine running; useful for testing drivetrain components under very precisely controlled and restricted loads.










_*Our 2wd BMW M3 Driven up to speed with the engine off demonstrating the power and control of the electric motors*_

*Dyno cell*










We were acutely aware that the performance of the dyno cell surrounding the dynamometer is every bit as important as the dyno hardware itself, if the readings derived from the dyno are to be considered useful and accurate. With this in mind, we conducted considerable research to ensure we could achieve the best possible set-up. 

We have paid particular attention to the cell design, not only to manage all aspects of reducing heat-soak, but also to create the movement of as much air mass as possible. Rather than simply increasing air pressure on the front of the car, it is the air mass passing through the cell that is crucial in simulating real world conditions. 

We have previously used dynos with apparently powerful fans placed in front of the car. Once the air flow hit the radiator/intercooler it loses a lot of its energy, almost stalling and not removing the hot air away from the front of the car. There was also virtually no airflow under the car, where a significant amount of the heat would be retained. 










Speaking to MRT (one of Australia's largest tuning firms) about the problem and using the excellent Dynapack at Advanced Motorsport in Silverstone gave us a fascinating insight into what could be done with the correct management of air. We decided early on in the design process that the test cell should not have a front-mounted forward blowing fan. Instead we would use a rear-mounted extraction fan and shape the room to move the air continually though and around the car.










The driving-force for the airflow through the room is a massive variable-speed fan mounted in its own sound proof room. This fan is capable of moving a huge amount of air, far exceeding Maha's recommendations, with its bell mouth entrance and low roof height keeps the air flow high at all times. 










Air is fed into the cell just in front of the car's radiator by an adjustable duct. This is shaped to flow air underneath the car and some over the top of the bonnet. There are additional ducts at the top of the doors to encourage airflow along the roof of the cell directing any exhaust gases toward the extraction the fan. 










In front of the dyno is a large room which features a massive roof-mounted ducting mated to four evenly spaced grills. Theses have been sized to ensure the test cell is fed with ample cold air with little to no restriction. On the entrance wall there are also additional vents to allow fresh directional airflow despite the closed external door.

The Maha dyno has its own weather station allowing us to make sure that the temperature is correct and that there is no artificial pressure drop within the room which could cause inaccurate measurements. So far we have only needed to run the fan at 65% capacity even with our most extreme 1,000+bhp GT-Rs. Additional directional fans were purchased for cooling specific areas of the engine bay or for use with mid and rear engine cars. This means that we can do multiple pulls on the dyno using any high-powered car and still have an intake manifold (on the GT-R) that is cool to the touch.










continued....


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## Litchfield (Feb 26, 2008)

Uniquely in the UK, our dyno has triple retarders installed allowing it to safely handle well over 1,800bhp with ease. These retarders then create further heat energy that needs to be controlled. In anticipation of this, we installed a bespoke underground cooling system which feeds the huge retarders and motors with fresh air to aid their consistency. We have also chosen to take Mahas' optional high grip Ni/Cr coated roller set to minimise wheel spin on even the highest output cars.

Once the cell was completely finished and operational we had further days of intensive training with MAHA Germanys' chief engineer, Michael Plainies. It was great to hear that Michael considered our dyno cell to be the best of this type he had seen. Very satisfying considering his years of installation experience all around the world and a testament to the hard work our team has put in.










*German accuracy*

The first question we and our customers have asked is "how accurate is the dyno?" Below are some sample runs of various cars we have run on the dyno.










*Noise control*

When we designed the dyno cell we wanted to make sure that the generated noise from the car and dyno was contained and did not affect the work within the workshop or customers in the waiting area.










The brief was to be able to hold a normal conversation directly next to the room without having to raise your voice to be heard. To achieve this the cell uses a combination of sound proofing materials, solid construction and air gaps to contain the worst of the noise and vibration. The customer waiting area is also fully insulated and sealed to help reduce noise further.










A large blast-proof triple glazed window was placed on one side of the room so customers can view their cars being run from the comfort of the waiting room sofas. The dyno computer can also be displayed on one of three wide screen monitors in the waiting area for instant power measurements.










Inside the dyno cell we have installed four HD cameras which allow the operator to watch the car from all angles from a separate 42" monitor. Additionally a massive 62" LCD monitor shows all the vital information to the dyno operator. 










For safety there is full-time voice and computer communication available between the operator and the office where the dyno is also visible in real time from the HD cameras. 










This also means we can have someone operate the dyno whilst we continue the tuning in the warm confines of the office  


*Customer benefits*










The new dyno set-up has been engineered from the outset to provide us with empirical testing and repeatable development of all our new tuning packages. It will improve lead times and give our technicians and engineers the ability to immediately test any new ideas. Better yet, each and every road-car tuning package can be finely calibrated on the day of the customers visit, with provable before and after dyno data to back up the cars performance. 










*We are currently busy updating our Stage upgrade packages using the dyno and these will be available shortly.*

The dyno also has many additional uses that people may not have considered, such as running in the new engines and gearboxes we have built. Components can be broken in in a tightly controlled environment - the car can be gently run through the gears over a pre-set road course with varying resistance levels. They can be carefully monitored throughout, making sure each build is performing as expected at every stage, without the risk of accidental damage from stone-chips or worse and without even getting the car dirty!

It is not just the engine performance the MSR enables us to monitor. Because we can monitor the torque requirements and drag characteristics of each axle independently we can make sure the transmission and, in particular, the 4WD centre clutch is performing as expected.

*Below is a sample of a car cruising on a constant throttle under no load. Note the front and rear wheel speeds are the same and that assistance and torque are shared between the axles.*










*Then when the accelerator is depressed the torque and assistance shifts drastically between front and rear but the wheel speeds remain controlled correctly (left column).*










Top race teams like Manthey Racing (multiple Nurburg 24hr Winners) can even use their MSR dyno to measure pad knockoff on calipers to see if they are sticking or not pulling back far enough which causes unnecessary drag, considerably improving lap times.










Dyno coastdown test measuring the drag on both front and rear axles independently










* GT-R Road Simulation mode and Power runs*










We have purchased additional software from Maha which allows us to perform very accurate road condition simulation and ensures we have the correct loading on the dyno when under acceleration or coasting.










Using our local airfield we are able to accelerate our standard and modified test cars to over 150mph and allow them to coast back down to a standstill in neutral. Taking an average from multiple runs in both directions, the data was loaded into the dyno software which is then able to calculate the load from the increased air resistance and frictional losses at speed. The dyno then adjusts its load values to simulate the resistance the car actually experiences on the road at different speeds.

To get the dyno loadings perfect we have tested and recorded GT-Rs with 600bhp, 800bhp and 1000bhp and fed all of this information back into the dyno.










The road simulation mode is ideal for live tuning adjustments as it allows us to make sure the load is correct to perfect boost control, fuelling and transient delivery, something we wouldn***8217;t be able to do so easily with a fixed rate dyno.

We can also install pre-defined road/track routes to replicate the gradient changes of driving on a particular road or track, Maha will even sell us the Nurburgring data file.


* Emissions testing and fuel consumption*










Being able to accurately measure tail pipe emissions doesn't sound interesting but it is very useful in fully understanding how an engine is performing. It's all very well telling our customers that we have improved their fuel consumption or emission level for each of our stage packages, but now we will be able to quantify these improvements. 










On some of our recent testing of our Stage 4 cars we have made significant improvements in Hydrocarbon levels (unburnt fuel) which on a long cruise will help fuel consumption. You will not see these changes in a normal power test graph or on an ECU log but you will notice it in the saving in fuel over time. If we can burn the fuel more efficiently then it will also help us to produce more power for the same boost levels and we will shortly be releasing new Stage map updates that take advantage of this. 

Emissions sample image











* Timed Acceleration runs*










_2 repeat runs at 1 bar (1&2) followed by 2 runs around 1.2bar (3&4)_

Another great feature to help us quantify an improvement is the ability to time acceleration between various points. The dyno can calculate how quickly the car will now accelerate from 30-130mph in 5th or 20-70mph in 3rd, all with real-world load applied to the car. Not only does the dyno record these times but it can display them as a league table. This table then gets constantly updated each time the car passes through these two points. If, for example, we wanted to improve the power between 5,000rpm-6,000rpm we can set this as a timed window and accelerate through with the benefit of not having to start loading the car up from low rpms. This avoids creating unnecessary heat build-up and enables us to just plant the throttle from the same point making the runs consistent. This is a great tool for us to get the calibration close during live mapping sessions.

These are just a few of the many features we can use the MSR to help us improve the products we offer our customers.

* What can we expect in the future?*










We have always put a lot of effort into our GT-R ECU calibrations, proven not only to be powerful and reliable over the years but also innovative. For example the release of our Version 4 custom maps with Litchfield Traction Control, safety trips and the ever-popular Pops and Bangs map. 

Our new dyno has allowed us to develop some clever and unique in-house tuning tools to work with the ECUTEK tuning software on the GT-R. Each of our Stage upgrade kits is now being reviewed and tweaked using the dyno tools and we will soon be offering revised maps and products to all our customers, showing a benefit from improved power but also reduced fuel consumption and emissions. 










But it's not just Ecutek customers that can benefit from our revised tuning, as Cobb Pro-tuners we can also offer our services to customers who already have the Accessport for their GT-R.










We had the first Syvecs ECU fitted to our GTR and recently we have been working closely with them on a number of exciting new projects. We have lots of tuning experience with this powerful ECU and our dyno makes tuning considerably quicker.










Whilst we are very excited about all advantages a powerful tuning tool such as the Maha MSR500 can provide, it is really only the first of many new developments we are looking forward to sharing with you. The building work for the dyno cell fitted in neatly with our recent expansion, seeing our site more than double its workshop space. Litchfield is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and creating exciting new products for the very best performance cars. 

We have now had plans approved for further expansion which will complete our initial development strategy. To avoid complete information over-load we will save that for a future instalment!

Thank you

Iain


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## Peacehavenboy (Jan 14, 2011)

What an AMAZING update Iain!! I cannot wait to bring my car up to you guys in the coming months! !
Great work Team Litchfield!


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## paulmc (Oct 31, 2004)

WOW. not much more to say:thumbsup:


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## Viper® (Oct 25, 2014)

Damn

That's some hot ass smoking high class nice cracking expensive set-up you got there.
Shame that I will probably never be around to see it


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## goRt (May 17, 2011)

Excellent as always, can't wait for new stuff!!!


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## AdnanK (Jun 11, 2013)

Brilliant update Ian, really looking forward to coming round when I get my GTR later this year!

On a side note as you're updating the Webpage with the packages, can you quote the Torque figures too along with the BHP please


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## s2gtr (Jun 30, 2001)

Looks really impressive, I also see you offer upgraders for the RS6:bowdown1:

Will have to make an appointment to come & see you:thumbsup:

Dave:wavey:


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## gtr mart (Mar 29, 2004)

Having already experienced the dyno I can confirm it is indeed an excellent set up and that the air flow through the cell is more in-line with a major hurricane than what you normally get with a dyno. 

Great work team Litchfield and also delighted to see you offering cobb tuning and service.


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## bobbie (Jan 3, 2013)

Well done Iain, Everyone should congratulate you on your dedication and commitment and investment to the tuning scene, you are at the forefront of all that,:bowdown1::bowdown1::bowdown1:

Bobby


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## Jonndogg (Oct 27, 2012)

This is really an excellent looking facility especially for and independent outfit. I'm a powertrain development engineer for a large OEM and aside from having a full closed return wind tunnel and climatic control your not missing much at all over what I use. Congrats to all involved its clear you are engineers not just "tuners".

So... I'm picking up a stage 4.25 gtr from your facility next week, I'd like to get it on the dyno if possible ? I'll be in touch as I'm sure demand is very high.


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## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

you should have got a projector and output the results onto those nice white doors in front of the car.


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## Kenco (Jul 25, 2003)

WOW! Nice write up and even better set up!

It reinforces why I drive 400miles to get my car serviced/tuned by you guys.

You just need to get your finger out now, and build a workshop in the north!


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## evogeof (Aug 3, 2014)

Kenco said:


> WOW! Nice write up and even better set up!
> 
> It reinforces why I drive 400miles to get my car serviced/tuned by you guys.
> 
> You just need to get your finger out now, and build a workshop in the north!


 400 miles  only 29 for me :chuckle::chuckle::chuckle:

nice work lads see you on the 27th


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## anissut1974 (Jul 10, 2013)

evogeof said:


> 400 miles  only 29 for me :chuckle::chuckle::chuckle:
> 
> nice work lads see you on the 27th


Will be there on the 27th as well. Stage 2 here we come!!!!


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## Kenco (Jul 25, 2003)

evogeof said:


> 400 miles  only 29 for me :chuckle::chuckle::chuckle:
> 
> nice work lads see you on the 27th


200miles each way!


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## Anders_R35 (Jul 20, 2011)

What a great looking setup, well done. You can see how much thought has gone in to this.


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## Henry 145 (Jul 15, 2009)

Nice one Iain...a genius...can see why Adam talks about you so much!

Will be to GTR in near future I hope


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## Fryman (Sep 4, 2014)

epic writeup sir! your ocd attention to detail is definately something else!


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## evogeof (Aug 3, 2014)

anissut1974 said:


> Will be there on the 27th as well. Stage 2 here we come!!!!


will see you there then


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## willgts (Jul 17, 2004)

I can say firsthand that the difference a couple of days of fine tuning on my GTR on the dyno with no mechanical changes is utterly astounding. 
It's an amazing tool for diagnostic work and for achieving the best power possible from a setup. It is by far the most dramatic improvement in all areas of driving the car I have experienced. This is attributed not only to the high specification of the Dyno and how well it has been setup. But also to the depth of knowledge of the operators, Iain and Dan.


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## Turbotwo (Jan 28, 2011)

The most common description for this post is wow and i couldnt` agree more..Wow!..

I`m more than impressed that you`ve got a genuine OEM quality development dyno and aren`t just content with posting headline figures,but are clearly comitted to further refining not just the GTR but many others marques to..definately looking forward to getting my car on those rollers next time i come in for a service


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I'm a little tired from all the reading but at least I've learned a lot. I think most of us fail to appreciate the difference between rolling roads. I never thought a road dyno could be as capable a development tool as it is.

Can't wait to feel the benefits - and get a number!


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

There Friday for works and a session, look forward to seeing it all in action


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## Vernonjones (Oct 23, 2012)

Hi all. I was lucky enough to see this being constructed as we were keeping some of the Litchfield series Atoms there. The attention to detail and level of planning that went into the build was amazing. I even recall Iain not being happy whit the smallest of details and undoing 2 days worth of work just to 'get it perfect'.

I got to try a couple of the Atoms on the MAHA as one of the first trials, couldn't believe how accurate it was. The plot below is actually of 2 separate race cars both with 10k race miles on them.

Can't wait to get my new GTR setup on there hopefully this Friday! Glad it goes to 1,800


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## shaunyboy (Oct 22, 2014)

Awesome read looks a good bit of kit


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## ifty (Jul 27, 2005)

Congratulations on the new setup, and a very interesting write up.


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## Kabz r35 Gtr (Sep 27, 2012)

Must say that is one stunning setup there:bowdown1:


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## w8pmc (Sep 16, 2010)

Looks fantastic. Will defo make a point of popping down at some point & getting mine on that Dyno


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## Grimblin Gibbon (Jul 16, 2009)

I recognise that car!

Superb setup Iain.

Looking forward to seeing the plots when the rebuilt gearbox with Dodson internals is installed and we can let the beast loose!


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

Dyno day?


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## Litchfield (Feb 26, 2008)

Thanks guys, it has been a long but interesting project and I’m really pleased with what we have achieved  I also know I should take the early advice and employed a project manager  

It also owes a lot to some of our GT-R customers who have kindly given their advice and time to help us. We’ve had a customers who are build sound proof and panic rooms providing invaluable advice on the construction, aerodynamic experts on air flow ideas and glazers on where and what type of windows to install. 

Simonh, We’d love to do a GTR forum/club dyno day and it just so happens we have the Motorsport Coordinator here for a service on his GTR so we’ll set something up. Let me know who’d be interest? Perhaps we could put the proceeds to charity?

We have plenty of parking space on site and we should be able to do 15-20 GTR’s on the dyno in a day.

Iain


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## goRt (May 17, 2011)

I'm in


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

if it happens I am certainly in


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

If love to come and see this in action even if I have to drive down the M5!

I'll be there!


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## Tariq (Mar 24, 2008)

In too.

T


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## gtr mart (Mar 29, 2004)

Deffo in for this as I am sure Stan will be once you guys have done some modding for him lol. I want to see how my cat compares to when it ran on your dyno for the glos group rolling road day.


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## twobadmice (Jul 2, 2013)

I'm In! Will be speaking a lot I'm sure!


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## SamboGrove (Jun 27, 2010)

I think a dyno day would generate a bit more interest than 15-20 cars! I think you may have to have a dyno week!!


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## AnEvoGuy (Aug 17, 2011)

A dyno day sounds great! Let's get dates in the calendar.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I'm in for the social, not fussed about the dyno run unless you have time to schedule an engine build before then!


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## Litchfield (Feb 26, 2008)

Steve has asked if we can help support the local charity for children diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and Jenson's Journey in particular. So that will be the cause now just need to arrange a suitable date


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## R35Audio (Jul 9, 2002)

Would love to come down, meet up and chuck some tenners in a bucket of course, but not worried about getting numbers. 

Andy


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

OldBob said:


> There Friday for works and a session, look forward to seeing it all in action


I must say the whole setup and service was very impressive, great facilities and equipment, shuttle to the Gupshill for nice brekkie and to listen to the Cheltenham punters tips - lol 
Thanks to the team used, Neil, Luke, Darren (I think), Dan who all stayed late and to Iain for as usual taking the time to chat, explain things to ensure you get the best out of your car. Watching the initial curves subsequently get trimmed, smoothed and optimised was very interesting.
Well worth a trip, got a nice pub bragging dyno printout to boot :thumbsup:


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## Tiler (Mar 28, 2014)

I'm in. The tea is very nice at litchfields. :bowdown1:
It would be nice to meet more owners.


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## Tariq (Mar 24, 2008)

R35Audio said:


> Would love to come down, meet up and chuck some tenners in a bucket of course, but not worried about getting numbers.
> 
> Andy


Highest number should donate double>

T


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## Vernonjones (Oct 23, 2012)

Agree


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## goRt (May 17, 2011)

Date is 30/May/15 bizarrely announced by Miskin on the register when the offer is made here?!?!?!?

1. Simonh
2. goRt
3. charles charlie
4. Tariq 
5. gtr mart
6. twobadmice 
7. Tiler

Watching:
1. Adamantium 
2. R35Audio


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## Vernonjones (Oct 23, 2012)

Im in with my car.


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## maxkirk (Dec 18, 2012)

Count me in


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## Litchfield (Feb 26, 2008)

Yes the plan is for the 30th but we'll make a proper announcement shortly 

Iain


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## paulmc (Oct 31, 2004)

I am actually onshore for a change but nearly 500 mile drive


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## s2gtr (Jun 30, 2001)

Litchfield said:


> Yes the plan is for the 30th but we'll make a proper announcement shortly
> 
> Iain


Is this GT-R's only, or can I bring my RS6, after Litchfield have tuned it? :nervous:

Dave:runaway:


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## goRt (May 17, 2011)

s2gtr said:


> Is this GT-R's only, or can I bring my RS6, after Litchfield have tuned it? :nervous:
> 
> Dave:runaway:


Someone's got to make the tea ;-)


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## w8pmc (Sep 16, 2010)

s2gtr said:


> Is this GT-R's only, or can I bring my RS6, after Litchfield have tuned it? :nervous:
> 
> Dave:runaway:


Great point. Is this open to non Nissans?


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## jeffsquiz (Feb 21, 2008)

It's been a while since you done my stage 4 as Sly is only next door but would definitely take the day off to visit on a DYno day, count me in if you have a date.:bowdown1:


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## Tariq (Mar 24, 2008)

Vernonjones said:


> Agree


And anyone hitting 1000 + should donate £1 per BHP over 1000:chuckle:


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## gtr mart (Mar 29, 2004)

w8pmc said:


> Great point. Is this open to non Nissans?


Only slow ones. Consider yourself not welcome lol if your vbox times are anything to go by :chuckle:


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