Toronto Bug Show (long)

[Brett P VanSprewenburg <brettv@rocketmail.com>]

Toronto Bug Show weekend was great, mostly not because of the show, but
because of the people I get to hang out with. :)  Here's a greatly
condenced version...

I arrived on Saturday afternoon, about an hour behind schedule, and I
did my best to make up time on the 407 ETR by hitting 90+.

I met up with Jim J & Robin, Daun, Angie, at Alee's house.  I jumped right
in and washed my car while Jim and Daun washed theirs and found a new tool:
the bug schrunchie.  Ask Daun for details, it's great for removing really
smashed on bugs.

We then all piled into the Chrikroot Pathfinder to head for the autocross.
The low-brow gatekeeper wasn't letting any non-vw's park in the lot (the
buttcrack) so Alee tried to spray him with stones and we parked on the side
of road. :)  At the course we met up with Marco, Jason (TMB), Paul (Botch),
Perry, & Dave.  I'm sure there were others and I'm sorry I have forgetten
to name them.  Matt, Jason & Perry were racing, and Paul was...being Paul. :)
Matt gave me a Twizler, but Jason didn't want any of mine. ;)  We made plans
to videotape a 200kph (120mph) pass on the 407 late that night with our two
cars.  yeah baby.

Jason pulled a trophy for some quick times on the course, while Paul and
I headed back to Alee's house in the wrong direction at 110+ mph..only
to be taken out by a Saturn...we almost missed our exit catching him.  We
then went on a fantastic hunt for the elusive Canadian 'Beer Store' and
due to my bionic eye implant and directions from a non-english speaking
native, we spotted one during an intersection sprint.  Well equipped for
the evening, we headed back to Alee's.
Naturally, Jason blew up his tranny during a 'fun-run' and had the car
towed back to Alee's (not the last VW of the weekend to be pulled into
Alee's house!).  Naturally, another 9A box and fresh clutch kit was sourced
in fast order. There was enough experience on hand to mentally change
the transaxle 4 times over...however, there was only room for two or
three and not enough 'workin' clothing to go around. :/  (Also not the
last car to have mechanical surgery!  Daun, how did that powersteering
pump replacement go?)  The night went well, even if it was cold out...
Frank visited a few times and the worst thing that happend was that Paul
got bopped in the face with a magazine...hopefully Frank won't have to
take Paul to school anymore.  :-p  (sorry!).  No one else was seriously
injured.  I think Jasons car was back together after 1am sometime...

The next day, we finally got everyone out the door and moving to the
show at around 10am...when we finally hit the 407 the cars just broke
free and RAN.  There were about 11 of us in the train, ranging from
Rocs, 'verts, Fox's, Golfs.& Corrados.  The VR6's and fast 16v's broke
away pretty quickly, then it was down to business.  Jason was streaking
away quickly in his 2L 16v lightened Mk1 Scirocco, and after I passed
Paul in his nice white 16v roc, and Matt & Angie in his VR6 Corrado
I went after Jason for that promised 200kph (120mph) run. :)  Traffic
on the 407 was light to non-existant, the road is 3-4 lanes wide,
smooth like in your dreams, with graceful curves and few inclines,
so conditions were good.  Slowly I caught up to him, finally overtaking
him at an indicated 125+mph (on my 160mph speedo).  I was taching very
close to an indicated 7 grand, somewhere in the 6800-7000 region.  Jason
was taching around 6400 (as we later discussed).  Nobody else was
catching up to us at that speed, which we pretty much held for quite
some time.  According to the gear calculators on scirocco.org, we
were actually going somewhere in the neighborhood around 132-140mph or
roughly 215-225kph. No shit.  If the conditions weren't as they were,
there's no way I could have do it. I won't talk about the exit ramp pass
that Jason made after that run, as I was laughing so hard my leg cramped
up on the turn. :)  We were so damn pumped up when we got the show...
it was unreal. I have never gone as fast as a car could go, let alone
that speed for that amount of time.  Like I said...unreal.

The show was alright, amazing unorganized, and air cooled centric as
usual.  Paul and I parked next to each other, the white boy roccos.  We
took several very cool pics...I'm sure we'll have a website for the
Bug Show pix eventually...Alee took first in Cabby stock, while hopeful
Jim stood by and watched as some totally done up VR6 'vert and some
other ultra clean 'vert took first and second.  Oh, that's one of the
major issues with this show...they hand out awards based on how many
cars show up in the class...like it takes at least 5 cars in a class
for there to even be a second place....pissed people off to no end really.
I managed a second place to a Zender widebody roc with a rather dirty
engine bay (no where near as clean as mine) and a smashed out headlight.
Wow, maybe I should have busted out my turn signals or something as
a mod...the show is bullshit and if it wasn't for the people I like
to hang out with I wouldn't go.  Anyway, there was some good cars there,
nice people, decent venue (flea market and all kinds of food...live
chickens on Saturday!) so it's not a total loss.  Better luck next year
Jim!!!

Leaving the show my car felt friggen GREAT!  The engine seemed powerful
and willing...maybe that high speed run cleaned it out!  Or the Garrett
chipped 'tuned' itself to that style of driving...dunno...but it was
great!

Both of Alee's cars quit on the way back, one of which had to be towed
back to her house for some surgery...while the other was eventually
revived with a jump start...electrical problems with both I believe. Love
those VeeDub electrics, eh?

Jim & Robin & I hurried back to the USA with no trouble, not even at
the border where we threated to make incriminating FRS radio chatter
while the other person was at the customs booth. :)  Jim managed to
'Mike Leach' a curb on the way out too...no damage right?

I'd like to extend my thanks to Alee and her parents for putting us up
for the night, and putting up with us and the mess.  It was a historical
weekend!  I've left a dozen things out, but maybe someone else can jump
in with more details...later!

==Brett


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