NorCal: Exhaust 'Fest 2012

[gferil]

When: April 21, 2012. 10:30AM
(10:00AM pre-meet at Starbucks if you want to caravan from there)

Where: Alameda Naval Base, Parking Lot at West Ticonderoga Ave and Ferry Point (37.773284,-122.298465 are the coordinates for Google Maps). We will do our first photo shoot there and then move to the other areas to do the recordings (keep reading the post for more details)
Starbucks Pre Meet: 720 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501

Who's Invited: Any Z4 or Z4M owners!

Why: The main point of this meet is to be able to create a compilation video for the Zpost forum of how Z4 and Z4M's sound with different exhausts and modifications. We will be using one high quality recording source (thanks to aestheticstorm for volunteering his equipment and skills to take video) so that we can establish a baseline of sound across all recordings. We will also have a dB meter or two so we can show how loud each system is with respect to OEM.

Of course the secondary reason is to get together and meet our fellow local Zpost members and get some pretty cool photo and video opportunities! We'll plan on doing a group lunch for anyone that is free to attend afterwards as well. The location is going to be Calafia Taqueria

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl...17645984572482

I'll modify the list below as people respond as attending, let me know if I left anyone out or missed any details!

Attendees:
1. gferil (generic branded resonators, similar to Aero Turbine)
2. davebho (OEM setup)
3. runnerx (OEM setup)
4. Beta (EU headers/OEM mufflers)
5. dorifto88 (JVT headers/RE X Pipe/OEM mufflers)
6. aestheticstorm (RE Diablos)
7. Finnegan (RE Diablos)
8. Skelekitty (RE X Pipe/Eisenmann Sport)
9. Mfanatic325 (JVT headers/SS X Pipe/SS Race)
10. E for Effort (RPi)
11. RobMCoupe (EU Headers/RE X Pipe/Stromung)
12. MRZ07 (Remus)
13. jdl1pt (hopefully SS Powerloops...hint hint. Otherwise OEM)
14. marinb (Fabspeed headers/OEM mufflers)
15. Santov (bringing the apparel!)
16. flpnout (Einsenmann Race E89)

OK, so I did some recon of the spot, and the main big parking lot is still good to do photo opportunities, but there is also a Motorcycle Safety Course that is held at the same time we will be there (good ol MSF, I'm a former student!), so we probably can't film much video there or the MSF instructors might call the cops on us if we are making too much noise and disrupting their class. However, there are a few stretches of open road and back parking lots I found in the area where we can do recordings and more pictures.

Either way, as a big group of people in privately owned parking lots and public roads, and we will be making noise...so I figure we won't have too long before someone either alerts us to the police or they end up rolling through themselves during routine patrol. IMPORTANT: please remember to act responsibly, we don't want this meet to be ruined by illegal behavior such as excessive speeding or noise violations.

So here is a breakdown of what I noticed during my recon:

Here's the main parking lot where we can meet for pictures:



Here's an area where we can do "normal acceleration" runs:



Here's a back-up area for "normal acceleration" in case the first one doesn't work:



From normal acceleration we can go to this parking lot (St. George Spirits) to do standing revs:



And then from there we can do hard acceleration on this road (let's make sure to do it right cause we will attract too much attention if we stay for too long):



Of course, we'll play it all by ear depending on how vacant the areas are or if we feel we're attracting too much attention. Ideally we'd all line up for normal acceleration and just drive by Errol as he records us, and then we can re-line up in the same area for hard acceleration but if needed we can move to the Main St area.

The parking lot of St. George Spirits (Hangar 1 vodka...one of my favorites) is open, and the business itself opens at 12 noon, as well as a bunch of other wineries in the area, so I figure we should be out of there by 12 before people start coming in. I'm sure police start patrolling that area after 12 as well to make sure people don't leave the wine tastings or Hangar 1 place under the influence.

Here's a quick shot I took of the background of that parking lot (it's big I was parked all the way in the back) of the St. George Spirits that will make for another good photo opportunity:



Here's some google maps I marked up of the general area. You can see where the residences, schools, and Naval owned buildings are. As you can see we're going to stick to the outskirts, where it's mostly commercial and industrial places to attract less attention:



Area around the parking lot, red squares are either fenced off or has businesses that are open and would not be good to do things in, and there is a section of Ferry Point that we should avoid due to a MASSIVE speed bump that will tear up the undersides of our cars between Oriskany and Ave M:



Area north of the parking lot, same square color legend as above:



Area in the northern most section, where we will do most of our recording:



Hope this all works out! I've never put anything like this together so apologies in advance for any difficulties we run into or if I wasn't clear on anything. Any advice on what I missed or ways to run it better I'm open to.

If there are any local members you know that don't appear on the list above, please reach out to them and see if they can make it! Looking forward to meeting you all!

[v3.2mc]

it is awesome that you guys are doing all this, and i'm anxious to see your results!

will anyone be installing your data into some sort of spreadsheet? these results will be almost as awesome as the VIN database!

[XMetal]

Wow...what a turnout! Wished we had something similar in So Cal

[mfanatic325]

Should be fun

[gcochard]

You guys should document exactly how you set up the sound equipment so others can reproduce it for different exhaust setups.

[Pheonix]

Great turn out... I am looking to move the the Bay Area in the next few months but does not look like i am gonna make it (very slow jobs search process). Otherwise my contribution would be "OEM Header/SS X Pipe/SS Race". Looking forward to the results

[beta]

This is going to be pretty epic. I'm really excited to see Ron's Aero Side Skirts in person, besides listening to all the exhausts.

[Finnegan]

It's going to be a blast. Side skirts, exhausts, good folks, fun!

[jophish17]

very much so hoping for a video, as there aren't many good videos with the same environment/equipment/etc for really comparing the systems for potential buyers

[DataStream18]

This will be awesome! Wish I was in Cali! Cant wait to see/hear the video!

[crfine88]

Awesome event, wish I could attend!
I look forward to the results!

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by crfine88

Awesome event, wish I could attend!
I look forward to the results!

Chris, we wish you could attend too! Your car + the DKF exhaust system. Cheers and get some sleep!

[RobMCoupe]

Looking forward to this. The bad thing about this is I might want a new exhaust :-)

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

Looking forward to this. The bad thing about this is I might want a new exhaust :-)

If you're lucky that's all you'll want!

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

If you're lucky that's all you'll want!

this

[flpnout]

Count me in. Eisenmann Race Exhaust

[RobMCoupe]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

If you're lucky that's all you'll want!

I on the mod bug ever since I bought the car. Still have a few more mods to go.

[crfine88]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Chris, we wish you could attend too! Your car + the DKF exhaust system. Cheers and get some sleep!

Ron, I am going to need a definition for the the word "sleep" you used above. Not sure I remember this one. Is it english?

[DataStream18]

I'm thinking he means a nap, not sleep! Sleep would mean more then 4 hours!

[santov]

I'm in guys! I confirmed! I also have a Radio Shack sound meter we can use, although plain DB readings alone aren't useful for selecting an exhaust system.

I'm bringing a few hoodies and tshirts.

[RADRACR]

I think we really need to get some rolling WOT exhaust notes in as well, in addition to the standing idle revs. I emailed everybody about doing it on the freeway but no one was interested That's not very fun you guys.

[gferil]

Originally Posted by santov

I'm in guys! I confirmed! I also have a Radio Shack sound meter we can use, although plain DB readings alone aren't useful for selecting an exhaust system.

I'm bringing a few hoodies and tshirts.

Great news! I shall definitely bring some extra cash to buy some apparel!

I have the same dB meter, so we can use one to stand next to the person taking the video, and one can be inside the car so we can get two simultaneous readings of actual dB. From there we can have whoever edits the video put in text of how much dB was generated max for both interior and exterior for each run.