The Blind Sightseers Rev It Up!! 😲

Please click the video and watch a trailer i managed to make with iMovie, and watch me and my lovely wife Sarah on the driving day!! Full (long) post coming soon on the whole amazing day! 😀

Blind 3 Supercar Thrill Trailer…

Hi friends. Sorry it’s been silent over here for a couple of weeks but…I’ve ben on the mountain top in dream land! First i managed the trail marathon which i really didn’t think was possible, then my dream came true when i got the opportunity to drive again after 22 years (thanks to Sarah’s birthday present to me)…But not only drive again…But to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430 Spider and a Audi R8!

I have finally recovered from the body of pain that was due to finishing the trail marathon, but i havn’t recovered from the pure excitement due to flooring the accelerator and paddle shifting through the gears whilst being blown back in the seats of these stupendous cars!! 😲

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😲 Wow…Look What The Blind Sightseers Have Just Found??

Please click this logo to view the ablenet website

 ablenet

Our Mission…

Our mission is quite simple: we want to get more disabled and visually impaired people enjoying new, fun and exhilarating activities. We want to help people with disabilities feel confident that they can enjoy the same activities and life experiences as someone without a disability.

 Hi readers!

Just guess how excited i am right now?? 🤣

I have just stumbled onto the ablenet website and found this…?

Please click the Lamborghini Giado to view the ablenet facebook page

All images supplied by the ablenet facebook page ⇧ 

Are you ready for the drive of your life for an astonishing 6 miles each per Supercar? 

If you love supercars and are visually impaired, our ‘3 Supercar Blind Driving Experience Super Thrill’ is an experience you won’t find anywhere else. It is the best way to get to you in your favourite supercars and experience the peed, and thrill, of a high-performance beast.

Yes, it is true. Whatever your level of visual impairment, you can drive a Supercar with Ablenet. All of the cars are automatic and a super skilled instructor will guide you around the track whilst having access to a footbrake should it be necessary.

So, whether it’s a Lamborghini, Ferrari F430 spider, Aston Martin DB9, Audi R8, Nissan GTR or Porsche 911/997, we put you with the largest fleet of cars in the UK for you to choose from. The hardest part is choosing…

The great benefit to driving on a race circuit is feeling the pure power of an awesome car. You will be with a professional instructor who will teach you the art of driving.

The experience also includes a thrilling hot lap ride when the race driver will show you what a performance car can do around the circuit. Typically in a BMW M3 V8 saloon car or Vauxhall VXV8, both with 3 passengers.

Since going blind at 25 (21 years ago) i’ve been waiting for someone to give the blind a truly accessible experience like the ones ablenet offer! I’ve always said “i can still drive…I just can’t see where i’m going”. 🤣 
 
I’ve always loved cars as when i was fully sighted i worked in a bodyshop as a panel beater and used to customise cars etc…Even my own! My dad, uncles and my cousins have always been mechanics in the motor trade so i’ve grown up with cars too. So when i stumbled onto their website, i just exploded with passion to drive a supercar or 3, lol! 
 
Sorry for sounding like a group b rally car “too much raw power with little containment”…But getting involved and trying out all of the experiences on the ablenet website is like a dream come true for me. 😀   
 
Other experiences for the visually impaired by ablenet…
Flying a plane, diving with sharks, shooting, archery, skiing, indoor sky diving and much more…Wow i think me and Sarah are going to have some fearful fun! 🤣💪🏼 😨 

Memorising My Trail Marathon Track – #2 ‘The Carousel’ 🤔

IMG 3791

Hi all its ‘Memorising Monday’..So its time (once again) to engage your imagination to the max, before you make the link i’m suggesting for the second corner that i’ve named on my trail marathon track, lol! 🤣

 

 It was absolutely hammering it down with rain on Saturday, and i was glad that my iPhone wasnt too wet to take the photo…But the camber on this left hander is amazing and it just forces you around the corner without even turning. It seems like it has accessibility built in, as i dont have to figure out where the bend is as it just throws me around the corner! 💪🏼 😀

Once ive blitzed out of the corner i always think of the Carousel at the Nürburgring! 😲 

Memorising race tracks…🤔  

Since playing ‘Le Man 24Hr’, ‘Pole Position’, ‘Outrun’ and many more in the arcades as a child, then playing racing games on the Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, PS1, PS2, PS3 & PS4 i’ve always been good at memorising tracks. This didn’t stop when i was registered blind either! Using my memorisation skills i can still drive around some of my fave tracks like Spa Francorchamps, Monza, Suzuka, Interlagos and Le man…But after all these years, i still havn’t managed to memorise the full Nürburgring! 😭

This sets me up nicely for naming lots of the straights, corners and chicanes whilst trying to memorise the trail marathon track. I just hope i don’t bore you to death with all of the motorsport references before i finish, lol! 🤣

The Trail Marathon…😲    

I know I’ll be stretching myself past my limits for this challenge and so your encouragement and support would really help me to keep my training on track. Any donation you can spare would build my morale and endurance so I can smash this and reach my £1,000 goal to make my mum proud.

Together we can be a force for change and BEAT MS! 💪🏼 

Steve’s Blindman Trail Marathon

Fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis SocietyIn Memory of my mum Valerie.

Read all about my story and epic challenge HERE

Memorising My Trail Marathon Track – #1 ‘The Corkscrew’ 🤔

The Corkscrew

Hi all! I’m going to ask you to engage your imagination to the max, before you make the link i’m suggesting for the first corner that i’ve named today on my trail marathon track, lol! 🤣

The photo (above) in no way shows the rough incline which pops your hip out if you hit it wrong (done it a few times), but as i walk up it (not down like the race track) i always think about ’The Corkscrew’ at Laguna Seca. 😲  

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – From Wikipedia

The famous Turn 8 and 8A combination, popularly referred to as ‘the Corkscrew’, is considered one of the motorsport world’s most challenging turns, due to the 18-metre drop in elevation as well as its blind crest and apex on the uphill approach.

Memorising race tracks…🤔  

Since playing ‘Le Man 24Hr’, ‘Pole Position’, ‘Outrun’ and many more in the arcades as a child, then playing racing games on the Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, PS1, PS2, PS3 & PS4 i’ve always been good at memorising tracks. This didn’t stop when i was registered blind either! Using my memorisation skills i can still drive around some of my fave tracks like Spa Francorchamps, Monza, Suzuka, Interlagos and Le man…But after all these years, i still havn’t managed to memorise the full Nürburgring! 😭

This sets me up nicely for naming lots of the straights, corners and chicanes whilst trying to memorise the trail marathon track. I just hope i don’t bore you to death with all of the motorsport references before i finish, lol! 🤣

 

The Trail Marathon…😲    

 

I know I’ll be stretching myself past my limits for this challenge and so your encouragement and support would really help me to keep my training on track. Any donation you can spare would build my morale and endurance so I can smash this and reach my £1,000 goal to make my mum proud.

 

Together we can be a force for change and BEAT MS! 💪🏼 

 

Steve’s Blindman Trail Marathon

 

Fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis SocietyIn Memory of my mum Valerie.

 

Read all about my story and epic challenge HERE

Fire Up The Quattro…Both Of Them!!! 😨

Hi all! Today’s post is a little different, as i rarely get the opportunity to experience a proper car…Never mind get to talk all about the engine, tyres etc with another proper petrolhead! 💪🏼 🤣 Well it all started at the end of Eileen’s funeral last week when we needed a lift to the train station to head back home. Ben (ex brother in law and friend) said he’d give us a lift and disappeared to go and get his car?!

What is that visceral rumble outside?? 🤔 

Audi $S4 1

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

  Please meet the RS4…😲   

Ben: “Firstly, the RS4 was hand built by quattro gmbh (Audi’s in-house performance arm). The B7 RS4 is powered by a direct fuel injected (FSi) 4.2litre V8, producing 420bhp and revving to over 8,000rpm.

Mine is around 450bhp and revs to 8,500rpm due to some minor modifications. It has the quattro all wheel drive system with a 60:40 power split with a rear bias to aid handing. Front brake are floating discs with 8 piston callipers (also used on the Lamborghini Gallardo). As with all B7 RS4s, it’s a 6 speed manual (has to be manual).” 

Audi $S$  2

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Fire up the Quattro…

As Sarah was getting into the back seat she said “You’ve got to be in the front for this one” i said “Fantastic” as Ben kindly guided me around and opened the door as i got in. I said “Awww these Recaro bucket seats are amazing, and i can fit in them properly now i’ve lost 5 stone, lol!” 🤣 

Audi RS4  Dash

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

I was listening to the rumbling beast ticking over as Ben slipped into the drivers seat. “Awww i love a V8 it just sounds amazing and it’s only just ticking over!” Ben then blipped the throttle a few times (to widen my smile even further) and pulled  away.

Sadly the train station was only about 10 minutes away, but when we reached the duel carriageway…Ben wound the windows down and floored it!! 😲

I’m not sure if it was the instant force of being blasted back into the seat, or the symphony of the 450 angry beasts filling my ears that gave me that feeling like nothing else…I simply couldn’t stop the huge grin from leaving my face! 😀

“Wow that was immense” i said whilst pealing my head off the rear window, lol. “That was only 6500rpm as we keep running out of road, we have 2000rpm left” Ben said as he gifted me with another blip of the throttle to evoke the awesome symphony!

The tunnel…😲

Audi $S4  4

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

We even had a tunnel moment where you can really hear the deep growling boom of the V8 through the open windows, awwwww…I’ll pause for a minute for you to imagine the beautiful sound of the V8…😲
The exhausts…

2 Audis

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Pulling up outside the train station (oh no the car experience is coming to an end) we all got out. I was wondering why Ben had left the car running as i knew he’d already said he’d come inside to check everything was ok and our tickets worked in the gates etc…Above and beyond kindness! 😀   

When…🤔 

Ben walked me around the rear of the car on the nearside about level with the tyre. He then placed Sarah in a similar position on the offside, “Stay there a minute and listen to this!?!” 

It all happened at the same time…My ears were blessed and blasted with the massive sound of the V8 from the rear, then my lower half of my trousers blew backwards from the wind (tornado) blitzing me from the tailpipes…And as the revs lowered we could hear the huge pops, bangs and explosions coming from the exhaust! Wow what a finish, and now we understand what you were up to, lol! 🤣 

I can’t thank Ben enough for giving me and Sarah this amazing experience, and Sarah was happy that i got to talk all about cars without boring her to death, lol! 

Oh just one more thing…This monster has 275mm tires and 20 inch rims! 💪🏼 

The Audi 4.2 V8…

Audi 4 2 V8

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

 

Fire up the second Quattro…😲 

2 Audis 2

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Please meet the Audi 90 quattro 20v sport…
Ben: “The old one is a 1991 Audi 90 quattro 20v sport (One of only 92 ever built), it’s a rare car. Powered by a 2.3litre 5 cylinder twin cam engine. It has a 5branch exhaust manifold and fully electronic multipoint fuel injection (very advanced for its age). It was an early adopter of catalytic converters but as mine is pre 1992 I’ve removed mine (totally legally).”

“Along with some internal engine work it’s power is up from original 170bhp to around 220bhp and this revs happily to around 7,400rpm now. It too has Quattro all wheel drive with TORSEN centre diff and lockable rear diff. It has cast front suspension arms and is considerably lighter than a normal Audi 90. I’ve had this for about 15years.”
Audi 90 Quattro 2

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

About 5 years ago on another trip to Derby, Ben kindly gave me and Sarah a similar blast in this classic Quattro. It sounded and felt fantastic and it was a real blast back from the past! I remember Ben opening the sunroof and windows to get the full exhaust tone playing in our ears…What a beautiful sound! 😀  
Audi 90 Quattro 5

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

What’s under the hood?!
Audi 90 Engine

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Audi 90 Engine 2

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Audi 90 Quattro 7

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Audi 90 Quattro 6

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

Audi 90 Quattro 8

⇧ Photo supplied by Ben – ©Performance Prestige ⇧

 My story and a little about my “Novadose”…🤔 

As you may know my last car before i went blind…Was my custom 1991 Vauxhall Nova 1.4SR resprayed in dark pearlescent purple (bottom half) and white for the top half after i’d fitted a full Zender body kit. . As i worked as a panel beater in a bodyshop, my fave part was hammering out the rear wheel arches, filling them for a slightly wider arch…So i could squeeze in the 205mm tyres on the 17 inch rims. I’d only ever seen 16 inch rims on a Nova in Derbyshire before, so i had to see if i could fit the 17’s…That’s why i called it the “Novadose”. 🤣   

I’ve always been interested in cars as most of my family are/were mechanics…I think that’s why i get so excited whenever i have a car experience like the one above…And why i’ll always share it with you guys! 😀

Do you have any car experience stories to share? 🤔