Just been for a drive - Milltir Cerrig Pass (pics)

[Blown_Imp]

Just got back from a fantastic drive in the GT4, we are in wales and I made a trip from Llangynog to Bala over the Milltir Cerrig mountain pass on the B4391, and oh what a road!
Conditions are not ideal, -4°C and very icy, but the road had been well gritted and the sun had (briefly) passed over it melting the majority of the thin ice. There were however still frozen streams over the road I had to be careful of.
We started at the cottage and down the steep concrete drive, covered in ice! As with every time I drive this car it did not even break a sweat, totally composed, hard to tell there was any ice at all.
Then out on to the pass proper, it was so much fun! The road was freshly gritted and whilst boosting along the grit was pinging up off the arches, it was what I built this car for, B roads
Time for some pictures –

Stopped near the top -


Snaking black top, perfectly smooth too! -


Yep, was icy too –




This was the drive –




Finally a cheeky video going east to west, heading up the pass towards Bala –


Brilliant fun using the car as it was meant, I would love to come back to this road in the summer, about 4.30am on a Sunday, mmmmmmmm.

Thanks for reading chaps and chapesses

J

[dbizzle]

Fantastic! Nice work, looks like fun.

[Blown_Imp]

Thanks dBiz, I had a lot of fun and kept my pregnant wife happy (she stayed at the cottage with the dogs) as she got chocolate!

It just re-iterated just why I have this car, it is so capable and reassuring to drive, and covers ground like nothing else I LOVE my GT4!

J

[cairyhunt]

Great pics! Look'd like fun.

[Mystery Machine]

I personally reckon this model of GT4 is one of Toyotas finest moments (along with the AE86, the AW11 and the GT86) - a true drivers car.

You've then made it even better with the application of mods focused on increasing the driving pleasure...enhancing and evolving what Toyota created.

The comlete absence of unneeded/unnecessary mods places it firmly as my favourite Celica ever. It's just so right. It's been built to perform its best and to be used whilst staying lean, mean and purposeful. This post just makes me smile that you're out there doing just that, using it and enjoying it.

It makes me want to be there on those B-roads, sat in the passenger seat lapping up every bend, soaking up the acceleration and grinning like a cheshire cat at every mile reeled in.

Many thanks for sharing. It's such a great car and it makes me so happy that it's out there being used properly and enjoyed.

[Blown_Imp]

Crumbs, thanks Bruce!

It is all for a purpose on this car, there is more to come and I am happy that the effort is going into an ST205. As you say, the car that Toyota built was built for a reason, with many of the features clearly not guided by the accountants but by FIA rules and engineers. The outcome is something that actually worked better on the road than it ever did on the stages.

I spent so much time on the supercharged imp, building something I thought I wanted, but the outcome was so complicated and on a knife edge that it was a constant worry to drive.
The Celica was a reaction to that, build something to DRIVE, something that was designed by hundreds of engineers to be driven, and something with the capacity to absorb the ideas in my head and cope with the sometimes obscene outcome.

Thank you again for the kind words, that passenger seat is free whenever you are, ready to pummel some tarmac into submission

[speedy88]

Awesome, this might inspire me to finally hit up some roads I've been eying up on google maps

Used to live with a guy who had one of these... he seemed to just complain about the fuel consumption. I think it was wasted on him

[jrevillug]

I have to say that I envy you three things: 1) Having those roads on your doorstep; 2) Having a driver's car ready to go; 3) That car. As Bruce has said, it's one of the most focused builds I've seen in a long time - and the fact that the focus is on driving pleasure rather than lap or quarter-mile times makes it so that much better. ;D

My Clan's never going to be as fast as this, but I'm hoping that it'll be just as much fun to chuck down B- and unclassified roads.

[Blown_Imp]

Ha! Yeah, the fuel consumption, mmmmmm not great!

The thing is, this car is my hobby, and to make my hobby work it requires fuel. Horses require fuel, cyclists require fuel, HiFi's require fuel, it is just part of the game! Worth it too

To be honest it is not too bad, averages about 26mpg (30ish off boost, and around 8-10 on boost). The only other thing is it MUST have 98 octane or higher, being a Japanese import it is tuned for 100 octane Japanese fuel, british fuel is a bit weak for it and can end up breaking the ring lands

Go and drive those roads mate, you don't even have to be driving 10/10ths, I was at about 6/10ths today, driving to the conditions and visibility, and it was a wonderful low stress / high pleasure drive. Forgo the four pack from the shop on friday night, spend the money on optimax and take your car down some windy roads!

J

[Robinxr4i]

Some awesome roads and scenery, I had a similar experience about 6 months ago when I had to drive to Anglesey the road through the mountains was great. Just a bloody pity I was in a brand new diesel Astra hire car I'm sure your GT4 would be much more suitable mode of transportation. I'm hoping with the suspension mods I've got for my Sierra it should be a great B-road blaster!

[DarrenW]

I've been on those roads loads of times over the years, I think at least five times in the last 18 months or so. Haven't taken the Puma out there yet, but I will in the new year ;D

I am often to be found in the Ponderosa Cafe on the Horseshoe Pass, usually at least once a fortnight, I go with my Old Man for lunch there in the week. I don't usually drive that though, he's low-flying in his 5-Series ;D

[Blown_Imp]

JRevillug, I am lucky to have these roads on my doorstep for one week of the year, on holiday but the dream (like Bruce!) is to end up living in wales.
The clan would be ideal for these roads, you could really stretch it's legs, where the Celica is only being tickled, poking the monster out of every corner in second touch third and let off again!

Robin, I am sure the XR4i will be ace, just make sure you have quite soft spring rates, it makes a massive difference to the grip and predictability on poor roads. Oh, and NOT TOO LOW!

Darren, these roads are new to me, we normally holiday around Conwy and Snowdon, again lots of incredible roads. I did also spend most of my 4 years at uni driving around the Gower and Brecons, making the most of the quiet roads cheap petrol and plentiful time

[jonallsorts]

Looks like great fun Blown_imp, I live about 10 miles from the gower, I've been for a spin in a friends car and he does gower runs regularly, I cant wait to do the same with a nice car - not much point in my A4 diesel!
Bet the GTfour is suited perfectly to it!

[hak074]

Excellent post. Those pictures are so good, made me feel like I was there. And boy did it look frozen. Excellent car for tackling those roads in those conditions. Would a set of Monte Carlo studded tarmac tyres have helped?

This picture is amazing. I love it. Do you have a desktop size version of it?



Great work for getting out there amongst it, when most people would have liked to stay in bed and eat chocolate with the dogs warming their feet ;D

[goldenwonder]

I LOVE that road.
I've cycled it & driven it several times. Not sure I'd want to try it in anything lively when it's that cold though, unless it's 4x4-looks like you've got the right car for the job!

Moving closer to it at the end of january all being well can't wait!

[Blown_Imp]

JonAllSorts - I think the GT4 would have been too big for the gower to be honest, we all had small cars at the time, in the group we had a Chevette, XR2i, 205 Mi16, Nova GTE, Primera eGT, and I had a GTti Daihatsu. Many many fond memories of drives to the beach

Hak074 - Glad you liked it, I rarely post these days, but try to make it a quality one if I do. I do have a higher res version of that picture, PM me your mail address and I will send it over.

GolderWonder - Lucky B*gger! One day we will be closer too

I did take my 35mm SLR and got more pictures on that than I did on the digital, so give it a week and I will update this thread with some proper pictures

J

[goldenwonder]

I can't wait! Have you ever driven the road from Llanfyllin to lake Vyrnwy & around the lake?
Great fun if you can get a clear drive without the tourists. Although not as pretty as the 4391

[judgie]

boost+4wd+empty roads=fun
the beetle i'm building[well have sitting on the drive] is going to be a ROAD car. When i built my 1303 it was ment to be a fun road car but it sort of evolved and now is a pure race car.Its horrid on the road but it does its job on the track.
Theres a lot to be said for a well set up road car and it allways amazes me how often i get cars in that are just not road cars being used on the road with a disappointed owner.

[Blown_Imp]

Hi Rob,

The idea of a racecar for the road sounds great, the reality is pretty harsh to be honest. The LSD in the Celica is a little too raw at low speeds, as it the clutch, but once moving on a flowing road it all comes together as an excellent package that is a pleasure to drive. The clonky LSD improves turn in and has nearly eradicated understeer, and the grabby heavy clutch locks up properly and pays for it's self with light weight and rapid RPM changes.

What kind of setup will the road 1303?

J

[Tim]

Really really want a GT4 now....