Introducing TIMSYBERIA

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by BRAIDusa

Our last race event of the season was Empire Hill Climb in Empire, Michigan. We have been sponsoring this event for nearly a decade now and have fallen in love with the place. This year we ran the hill in our 911 rally car which we towed up there behind our Sprinter. The Timsyberia was driven up separately and was used as a course car. All three vehicles had a great time despite the 911 being quite slow on the hill.

Looking good..

[BRAIDusa]

Now that our TIMSYBERIA Cayenne has been strutting around at various events we thought it was time it earned its stripes so to speak. Yes, it’s time it got some rally credentials. Now this thing, as great as it is proving to be, is no Paris-Dakar or stage rally worthy vehicle. Nor is it going to do the actual TRANSSYBERIA Rally (is that still a thing?) But it should be perfectly cable of handling a Time, Speed, Distance rally (TSD). “What’s that?” you might ask. Well, it’s more like the original style of rally whereby the crew (driver and navigator) are given a course to follow on public roads and an average speed at which to cover said course. The tricky bit comes because there are hidden checkpoints where the organizers check to see if you are ahead or behind schedule; to the second! So there’s a lot of pressure on the navigator to keep the crew on course and on time. The speeds are always below the posted speed limit but the challenge is in allowing for accelerations and decelerations necessary to safely get down the often narrow, twisty and unpaved roads that are typically used. We thought the TIMSYBERIA was more than up to the challenge. We, on the other hand, not so much.

Car prep is minimal. Just a solid, reliable vehicle but we did makes sure to load up the full-size spare, some tools and fluids and drinks and snacks for us.



The event we entered was one leg of a three-day National Championship round hosted by the Detroit SCCA. Unfortunately (for us) the style of this event was a “trap rally” whereby the organizer tries to trick you into going off course in such a way that you automatically end up back on course without realizing you went the wrong, and consequently longer or shorter route, with the inevitable penalty points for doing so. Well we fell for almost every trap and therefore scored what must have been a record number of points for a National level TSD! We are from now on going to refer to these types of events as “Gotcha rallies”.

Never the less we had fun driving around SE Michigan’s best scenic dirt roads and proved the TIMSYBERIA to be an excellent TSD weapon. It just needs a better crew to pilot and navigate it. Our next TSD is not a trap rally and should be on snow. Look out for that update in a few weeks. Here are some pics from the event. Unfortunately TSDs do not generate exciting media content but do come with great sunrises if you’re lucky:

[BRAIDusa]

More credentials for the Cayenne TIMSYBERIA. We went off-roading, a bit.

We wanted to see what the car could do but don’t see ourselves as mud -boggers or rock-crawlers so the local off-road parks didn’t seem to be a good fit. We wanted an expedition experience, all be it a toe-dipping one. We discovered a 37 mile so called “Off road route” In Northern Michigan that the DNR had strung together. This is on partly on dirt and paved country roads but they are mostly the transitions to the more interesting single tracks on state land.





Consequently we needed to acquire the requisite permits:



And load up what little recovery gear we had, i.e. none! Our goal was to drive at least some of the more interesting portions of the route near where we were staying to at least get a feel for what the trails were like and what the TIMSYBERIA is capable of. Also, not to get stuck. Temperatures were in the 40s with melting snow on the ground so we thought the Falken Wildpeak all terrain tires should be fine. The first bit of dirt we traversed was easy enough but one section proved very wet and boggy and we almost got stuck (see video). We pressed on in rally style but soon encountered what could only be described as a bog and thought it best to turn round and seek the refuge of a paved road.







Upon review of a video someone made of the whole route it appeared we were in probably the most extreme part and were wise to have turned back. We’ll look for an opportunity to return and conquer the whole thing soon, hopefully with more gear and another vehicle or two because misery loves company, and a tow please.

[fisher22]

That looks like a blast! Props to you for getting out there. Can’t wait to hear how the next one goes.

[BRAIDusa]

Rennline Goodies, Oil Leak Fixes & Tires

We got a new phone so we needed a new phone holder. We called Rennline’s emergency number and they sent us one of their amazing TIMSYBERIA-specific Wireless Induction Charger Mounts.



It took us longer to open the package than install it and we couldn’t be happier with it. The new phone’s not too shabby either. We do miss the rotary dial of or previous phone though.





Remember how we failed to replace the valve cover gaskets and gave up. Well, we didn’t give. Instead, we re-grouped and took the car to the professionals at Munks Motors. So there!



Now our TIMSYBERIA keeps all its oil in the motor instead of the driveway and doesn’t feel like it’s about to set on fire when you pull up at a stop light. Perfect.

It’s winter in Michigan now so we don’t roll here without proper tires on proper, winter-white, wheels.







These are 245/70-17 Blizzaks on BRAID Fullrace T Dakars in 17x8 with an offset of ET33. People in the cayenne community seem surprised that you can fit a 17” wheel on these cars but BRAID wheels are known for their high brake clearance so they’ll fit on anything with 350mm diameter brake discs or smaller. Anything else and you’ll need 18” or bigger. We have you covered though.

[fisher22]

Don’t see them too often. This one did pretty well.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2010-porsche-cayenne-s-transsyberia-12/

[BRAIDusa]

TIMSYBERIA Goes Rallying, Again!

But before we could do that we had to install some rally lights because dark. We called up our friends at Eurowise who sell lots of parts for off-road Cayennes and ordered up their bolt-on light bar designed to hold four Hella 500 lights. Cleverly, this kit bolts to the Cayenne’s tow hook mounts using specially designed threaded screws and puts the lights just in the right place.









Last month we entered the Son of Sno*Drift TSD rally so called because the narrow and twisty dirt roads it uses are typically snow covered. They weren't but we had fun anyway. We didn't get lost this time but were not very good at keeping to the schedule so didn't place very high. The Cayenne behaved flawlessly though and even pulled off an improptu scandinavian flick after a late note.









In the next update we'll attend another rally. Can you guess which one? It's "related".

[fisher22]

That looks so bad-a$$.
You guys are killing it. Love the commitment.
Can’t wait to see the next one.

[BRAIDusa]

Originally Posted by fisher22

That looks so bad-a$$.
You guys are killing it. Love the commitment.
Can’t wait to see the next one.

Thanks Fisher22.

[BRAIDusa]

In our last project update we told you we would be attending another rally and we weren't pulling your leg. In fact, this one was a stage rally! No, we haven't secretly turned the car into a full stage rally beast. We went there in "sponsor mode" AKA posing around mode.

We've been sponsoring and attending the Sno*Drift rally in northern Michigan for over ten years now but haven't been up there for the last three. Typically we'd drag the whole dog and pony show up there in our RALIVAN and trailer and spend three cold days in various parking lots with our display. Well we think we are established enough now that we don't feel we need to do that anymore so we just drove the 3 hours north in the TIMSYBERIA and hung out at the parc exposes, service areas and a few stages instead. So much more relaxing and fun. In fact it was great to catch up with the rally family and see the latest cars, especially the ones with our BRAID wheels on.

Here are some pictures of the shenanigans for your viewing pleasure:

[fisher22]

I wouldn’t ever think you guys would pull anybody’s leg. From what I’ve observed, you always do what you say, and say what you do.
Glad you’re not shivering so much out there in the elements.
Nice photos.
Thanks.

[BRAIDusa]

It’s driving season, not fixing cars season. However, we’ve been fixing cars.

The winter months revealed that the tailgate struts on our Cayenne were getting weak. They were still working but would barely hold up the tailgate. They had to go. Unlike normal cars it’s not so simple.





They’re beefy buggers once you get them out though and look like they belong on a motorbike or small sports car suspension!



Our battery was of dubious origin and during the colder months showing signs of weakness so we replaced it with a new AGM unit. We didn’t think we’d bore you with pictures though.

We continue to enjoy driving this car on a regular basis and enjoy taking pictures of it. We are always amazed by the response it gets at events to.







See if you can spot the significance of this location. Hint, zoom in):



Like we did with our RALIVAN we took the Cayenne to Krown rust proofing in Rochester Hills, Michigan to get it treated. It might seem weird doing this in the spring but that’s when the salt applied during winter starts to do its thing.

[BRAIDusa]

It’s been a busy summer round here but not much of it involved the TIMSYBERIA. Here’s a few highlights:

We got invited to an open day at the Jackson Speedway in mid-Michigan. The idea was to invite some people from various branches of motorsport so we could assess the facility’s suitability for holding our events. We were asked as part of the rally community, so naturally we took it for a spin around their potential rallycross track as well as the drift track! It got a little dirty.





As our Cayenne is so far rust free, we really want to keep it that way even though we drive it all year round. Therefore, we thought we’d give it a good shot by taking it to Krown to get it treated, just like we did for our RALIVAN. They did an excellent job as usual.





To contribute to the celebrations around 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars on June 8th we assembled all our Porsches outside our showroom and took some pictures. The Cayenne looked enormous next to our 944 and 911s.







We only did one Modification to our Cayenne this summer. One of the weird complaints we have about our Cayenne is the strangely laggy throttle response. Fortunately, there’s a fix for that. It’s called the SprintBooster https://www.sprintboostersales.com/SprintBooster/2002_to_2010_PORSCHE_Cayenne_Sprint_Booster_V3--SPRPO012 According to the website it purports to eliminate throttle lag and give instant acceleration response and we are happy to report that it does.



It installs between the pedal and the wiring loom so you have to remove a cover to access the location. The controller mounts anywhere. We stuck ours on the dash behind the steering wheel where we can’t see it. It stops us playing with it mid corner, which would be “interesting”.

[BRAIDusa]

A few weeks ago, we had an opportunity to take the car up to Cross Village in northern Michigan again. We didn’t get too hardcore this time but we made a new friend and drove the car through Lake Michigan.

[fisher22]

Always nice to see what you've been up to. And as usual, you impress! And winter's coming!

[BRAIDusa]

Originally Posted by fisher22

Always nice to see what you've been up to. And as usual, you impress! And winter's coming!

Thanks. It sure is. Winter Whites are already on.

Untitled by BRAIDusa & Team Illuminata Motorsport, on Flickr

[Matt at Pelican Parts]

Looks great as always! Keep the updates rolling!

Originally Posted by BRAIDusa

Thanks. It sure is. Winter Whites are already on.

Untitled by BRAIDusa & Team Illuminata Motorsport, on Flickr

[BRAIDusa]

TEAM ILLUMINATA MOTORSPORT 2023 FLEET REVIEW

2005 CAYENNE (TIMSYBERIA): https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/timsyberia

The Timsyberia Cayenne continues to fulfill its daily driver and TSD rally roles admirably while keeping us on our toes mechanically. No Cayenne nightmares have appeared and it has never let us down but we have had to fix a small oil leak, and replace the hatch struts during 2023. We gave it some 17” BRAID wheels and Blizzak winter tires recently and some rust protection from Krown as it’s just so clean. We took the car up the actual Sno*rift rally and also used the car to discover Northern Michigan’s trails on two separate occasions. We also participated in the Son of Sno*Drift TSD rally in what passes for winter these days. We were entered for the Press On Regardless TSD rally in the Fall but a back injury saw us withdraw a couple of days before. We’ll be back to conquer that one in 2024 however.



2015 SPRINTER (RALIVAN): https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/ralivan2

Of all our vehicles that actually drive this might me the one we’ve used the least this year. About the only proper road trip we’ve used it for was when we dragged our 911 up to the Empire Hill Climb again. Before we could do that, we had to address the cooling issues it had exhibited the last time we did this. To be sure we didn’t have any more issues about a month before the event we replaced the radiator and viscous cooling fan and give it some new coolant and a transmission service. Other work on the van involved wiring the heating elements of our amazingly comfortable Scheel-Mann seats and installing a bulkhead to separate the cargo area from the cabin. We also took the van to the Mercedes dealer in Novi for a recall and to have the 70mph governor deleted from the ECU. We now can rip at around 85 if we want to!



85 QUATTRO: https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/85-ur-quattro

This year we got to drive and show the 85 Quattro a few times. We are still chasing some minor drivability issues and the passenger side window regulator is awaiting its third fix attempt but we can now enjoy the car. We got it fully detailed, paint corrected and ceramic coated at Auto Europe early in the year and it has never been cleaner. We really enjoyed showing the car at the DeutscheMarques show at the Gilmore Museum and a concours in Northville as well as numerous cars and coffee events.



84 911 RALLY CAR: https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/84-porsche-911

Not a lot of work on the 911 rally car this year but we got to drive it quite a bit. The year started out with some new wheels and tires as we upped our game with tire width. Then we replaced the front anti roll bar bushings and fixed an oil leak. We took the car to plenty of cars and coffee events but the standouts were our attendance at the Woodward Dream Show at M1 Concourse with around 15 other rally cars as part of the Woodward Rally Cars (WRC) Group. We were also invited back to the American Speed Festival at M1 where we demonstrated the car’s track capabilities and the Empire Hill climb again. Not a bad year for the little car that can.



83 QUATTRO RALLY BUILD: https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/quattro-rally-build

We are closing in on finishing the dry build phase of this project. Once we get the wiring done, we can disassemble the car and prep the shell for paint. Hi-lights this year include, power steering pump mount, hood pins, A-pillar gussets, handbrake lever delete, radiator ducting, cold air intake, spare tire, intercom, fire extinguishers, map light, dash cover, power wiring and the bumper and hood slot mesh.



89 944 TURBO: https://teamilluminata.com/blogs/89-944-turbo

Early in the year we got a new addition to the fleet. A 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo (951) fully built race car and all its spares. We are not sure what we’ll do with this one yet or how it will fit into our marketing plans but it does look good in the showroom. As it’s not even close to being street legal we haven’t driven it much but we did shake it down at a local autocross in the summer where, despite its wide Hoosier R7 tires, it performed very well and was very easy to drive. The only real mechanical work we have performed on the car is to give it some proper BRAID wheels and more autocross and track day friendly tires. Hopefully we’ll have some opportunities to get this beast out on a track during 2024 so we can see what it can really do in the environment it was built for.

[BRAIDusa]

SON OF SNO*DRIFT RALLY

Last week we resumed our abuse of the Detroit SCCA Region’s TSD rally program by participating in their Son of Snow*Drift event. It was looking like being yet another Son of Mud*Drift but for a big winter storm that blew in the day before and made for a very interesting drive to the start and event itself. So, we faced some tricky conditions. Good job we have #properwheelsbybraidusa and #propertires mounted to a #propervehicle.





As usual we prepared to the ultimate degree by loading the TIMSYBERIA Cayenne with Hobnobs and proper tea. There was some recovery gear in there too somewhere and lots of wires, some of which were attached to “technology”.







The rally started from a restaurant just west of Detroit and headed further west into the boonies around Ann Arbor (we think). You could see the competition quaking it their boots in the parking lot as we pulled in, once we cleared the windshield of course. The TIMSYBERIA Cayenne can look pretty intimidating in “rally mode”. They needn’t have worried however.







Once we returned to the restaurant around 8pm we were still smiling even though we managed to finish last in class. For the first two legs our GPS and software was malfunctioning so we were way off schedule and missed a few turns while trying to fix it. We gave up on that for the third leg and resorted to stock class rules for which we were not the least prepared but we did a lot better. However, we couldn’t recover from the debacle earlier so ended the rally with about 1000 points. Not too bad all things considered and not last either.



One again the TIMSYBERIA Cayenne was a champ. We will be back and plan on getting zero points at POR later in the year with maybe even one more rehearsal before that. Stay tuned.

[BRAIDusa]

SNO*DRIFT RALLY (AKA #poodrift)

We have been attending the Sno*Drift stage rally in northern Michigan as a sponsor or volunteer for nearly 20 years but this year we decided to fulfill both roles simultaneously. We were honored to be asked to feed the course workers and other volunteers during the event on the second day, Saturday, using our Cayenne “Timsyberia”. This would entail driving the entire route and handing out lunches at the various worker stations as well as feeding some of the mobile volunteers. First, we had to prep the Cayenne. As room would be a premium we put our spare on the roof, loaded up our recovery gear and checked the air pressure in our Blizzaks.







After studying the schedule and the route it soon became apparent that this would be a lot more complicated than we thought. As we had to wait till workers were on course in order to feed them that limited when we could start each stage. We also had to get to the end of each stage before the 000 car caught us which meant getting to the end of the stage before their scheduled finish time. This wouldn’t leave much time to stop and distribute lunches along the route. Even more complicated is that the event runs two sets of zero cars that cover alternate stages. This meant that by the time we’d finished feeding one stage the 000 car for the next would already be on the stage. We either needed a time machine or a new plan. While our Cayenne is more than capable of going 88 mph, we decided to come up with a new plan instead. We decided to feed some of the stage crews ahead of time at their meeting points and to hit some of the stages that were run twice after their first run was completed. Even so this would not leave a great deal of time on some of the stages so we decided to make the Cayenne more conspicuous by adding an ice cream truck chime! Yes, we turned it into an ice cream truck and made as many people as possible aware so they’d know to expect us and we wouldn’t have to wait around too much. Not only was this extremely effective it also made many of the workers smile which was an unintended bonus.

https://youtu.be/GuTJE4uTgzE?si=W5D6wnA5afJCj01i



Another hurdle confronted us however, when we went to pick up the lunches first thing on Saturday morning. There were nearly 300 of them and they wouldn’t all fit in the vehicle; even if we dispensed with the occupants! A plan F was needed. (Yes, we were already at plan E). Looking at our schedule and negotiating with the folks who made all the lunches we decided we could swing by two more times during the day and reload more lunches, hopefully. That actually worked out and we got to feed everyone we were supposed to, got to drive quite a few of the stages and watch the rally at the spectator area of the iconic bonfire alley stage.



https://youtu.be/RfIfE3aM1u4?si=eqXwjwnPrZxkoeD_

https://youtu.be/tXvRevIMBW0?si=rtQHiygLjmdtH_vN

https://www.facebook.com/reel/754729666720682

Even though it all worked out the logistics of a stage rally are so complex that we might have just gotten lucky and we can’t say with any certainty that we could implement the same plan next or any year. We concluded that, assuming we are invited back, next year we’ll run two vehicles with two people in each one rather than the three people we had this year. That should allow us to basically precede the two sets of zero cars on each stage and not have to go back for more lunches during the day. Hopefully, before then, we’ll have lots more fun with this amazing vehicle so like and subscribe, as they say.