AUS Zedfest 2010 @ Armidale

Hi again everyone!

Thought i'd start the ball rolling with a thread for our bi-annual event we just finished today.
Just got home and a little knackered. One of the biggest weekends you could imagine. So fun, so well organised, so many great people, so many photos to post up, and sooo sad to say goodbye to everyone when it's over

Friday arvo was arrival with no real plans except for a yummy BBQ dinner that filled everyone's gullets. That first day (historically) always is usually the biggest piss-up night with everyone being just so happy to see old friends and meeting new members they've only known as a nic on the forum.
Many drinks were consumed and as per usual at any Zedfest, we were asked to settle down by management. lol.

Saturday we were all up with something like 40(?) Zeds doing a massive convoy up to the mountains for a windy cruiZe (Minus a couple of wrong turns ) for lunch at the delightful Tea house, then for photos at a property located at the top of the mountains next to a lookout. Rob & Ruth were the owners of the increadible property and hosted us with open arms to use their lush green grass paddock for our photo shoot with incredible valleys and undulating hills as a backdrop. THANKYOU both so much for letting us use your yard for our photo shoot, you are probably the sweetest people i've ever met!

Saturday night we had our yummy Thai dinner restaurant which was just delicious! There was a bit of a wait for some of the meals, but they were catering for 55 odd people at the one time. But the service was just delightful!
Drinks as usual back at the holiday park, and i think Black baz won the "Trooper" award for consuming the most liquid for the night. What a champ, and tons of fun as always.
...and we were asked to settle down again Sat night once again.

Sunday morning, some silly buggers decided to go Golping at a rediculous hour with hangovers. and got 9 holes in for some golfing prizes. Good work guys, no thanks, i'd rather work under a car for an hour or two with my hangover! Myself with help from member Mitch made up an "A" class ally under-tray for HaylZ's zed with much success. - BTW Mitch, it was a real pleasure to finally meet you mate, what a top bloke, and hope we get to catch up again for some other event mate.

Then all the cars got detailed for the Show and Shine that happened around lunch time Sunday. Wow! I reckon we've got some of the most impressive Zeds in the world right here in our very own Aus300zx community. Stunning examples of great cars that have been looked after and/or modified so well it makes your head spin! :zlove:

Sunday night was our presentation dinner at the Armidale Bowls Club in the function room were we had delicious meals and watched prizes and awards being given out for golf champs and show and shine winners. That dinner was really well organised and a highlight of the weekend imHo.

Monday mornings are the absolute WORST days of the weekend. Everybody packed up early and had to say their goodbyes for a long drive back home, and back to reality. Not kewl at all

--- So, just in closing, a HUUUUUGE thanks to HaylZ and 90TTZ for organising the whole weekend. There was just so much work and effort in organising it, and i think every single member that attended would agree that these two members have outdone themselves for providing this time for us all! Thankyou! :zlove:

There are so many pics, i'm just shitting myself waiting to see them all!! ...so bring them on!!!! (i have a few aswell that i will post up when i host them shortly)

Can't wait to see everyone again real soon! This sort of thing needs to be an annual event! 2 years is two long between drinks guys.

Cheers,
Benny. :zlove:

 

Home safely and without incident.

Tracey and I would like to add our big thanks to all those who organised or helped over the weekend. It had everything - good company, interesting activities, drama, comedy... the lot (and a little bit of social lubrication to keep everyone happy).
There are tons of pics. Karl spent this morning running around collecting as many as he could. Good luck sorting them out Karl. Oh, and by the way, if there are any incriminating shots that were left on the camera memory by mistake, I trust they will be auctioned for the highest price.

Thanks again to all. I look forward to the next one. 2 years seems such a long time.

 

Also just arrived home, without incident... wow, what a weekend!
Huge thanks to big Karl and our beautiful HaylZ for organising a super event, also thanks to Black Baz who not only kept me plied with wine each night (still recovering) but what a great MC at the awards.... you are hilarious mate!

I'm about to look at all the incriminating video taken well after I crashed on Saturday night.... Cindy and Baz - get your bribes ready or they may end up up on YouTube.

 

I just got home after a nice cruisey drive home. I'd like to thank MagicMike for getting me down there and MrsMagic for being awesome and giving me more drinks when the scotch ran dry!

You're an awesome bunch of people and I loved every minute of my first Zedfest

Also I'd like to thank Dino for giving me somewhere to sleep, Benny for giving me an awesome view of the undulating hills, Chrispy for being born in 86, Haylz for throwing that annoying cow at me, LittleBaz for drinking my "rum", Maree and Gav for being awesome hosts for our drinking as per usual, Baz for being extremely loud and last but not least the helpful security guard for helping a poor lost Tonto find his way home on Friday night

Hayley and Carl sure do know how to organise one hell of a ZedFest! :zlove:

 

Benny's Pics! [LOTS]

Grouping everyone together for the CruiZe Saturday morning...








Arrival at the Ebor Waterfall lookout on part of our cruiZe...






Aww, love you guys! :zlove:


Lookin' Kewl Mikey!


paparazzi shots...






The Falls...







Now, on our little drive through some nice country roads to our photo shoot destination...






Me driving with my awesome PSA/photographer, Tonto. Top bloke, glad to have you aboard mate! :zlove:









Arrival for the photo shoot and lining up all the Zeds!














HaylZ's Zed looking uber low with her kit sitting on some thick lush grass!


Some elevation for our moderator "Chicken Legs" ...oops, i mean K-zed to take happy snaps.




BlueZ's sexy 370Z looking great with a lovely backdrop...


So is Brissie Beauty's Zed...


Some Tech work done on HaylZ's Zed Sunday morning while the masses were out Golping...




...with some competant supervision from our delightful "Nasty_Girl", Ash...


"A" grade undertray is born - even with hangovers thanks to help from Mitch, and Chrispy...


Now everyone is shining their sexy beasts ready for the Show 'n' Shine...


Mmm, shiney dish now


...this is where i run out of photos. There are soooo many more floating around, looking forward to seeing the rest! :zlove:

 

And I'm sitting on angrybear's porch about to have a beer. Will post pics when I get home

 

Good to see you green again big fella. Was nice to meet you.

 

A weekend to remember, that's for sure

It was very well organized, many thanks to HaylZ, Karl, Benny and all others for all the effort that has gone into making this event such a highlight.

HaylZ car decided to overheat on a long hill on the Thunderbolt. After an hour and a half of shooting steam and spitting coolant it calmed down and we could continue.





Outside the caravan park ready for Saturdays drive to Dorrigo





Cars outside lunch restaurant



View from lunch restaurant



All the cars at the Dorrigo photoshoot. K-zed the photographer from top of the ladder on top of the ute

 

I got home last nite

Seen i had to work today. Was a problem free cruise home not much traffic or what there was of it was in the mirror in no time

Thanks to Karl and Haylz for organising the weekend, I'm glad I could make it in the end, Thanks to Stu for the bunk also. Was good to catch up with everyone again, I took a bunch of pics but wasn't sure if Karl was going to post them up.

Bring on Goulburn 2011

 

WOW... What an amazing weekend!

A HUGE Thanks to Karl and Haylz for organising such a well planned event!

K-Zed... I dunno what I could bribe you with to 'accidentally' delete that video, or anyone else with what I'm sure are charming photos from Saturday night!

But, other than that, had the most wonderful weekend!

The early morning Golping was a surprisingly amazing hangover cure (as quite a few of us found out) although walking the whole course most likely helped quite a bit!

A huge thanks to Andy, Reek (KELLY!!) and Erik for putting up with me in your cabin for the weekend!

It was so hard leaving this morning, sucks so bad that we all live so far apart.

Looking forward to the next time we're all in trouble again!

Events like this really make you realise how much you love these guys!

Thanks for everything!!!

 

four days .... 1300 kilometres ..... 35 or so beautiful Zeds .... 50 plus absolutely magnificent people ... oldies, youngies, newies .. uncountable fun times ...... top food .. heaps of grog .. a couple of nasty hangovers ....

EQUALS A SIMPLY MAGIC LONG WEEKEND .... thanks to everyone for making my time at Zfest so very special .....

AUS300ZX ...simply the best .... !!!!!

 

you finally out did me baz

bout time you stayed up longer and drank more than me lol

 

Lucky you ....

Mods don't take bribes. (Any pics posted herein will be denied vehemently).:bash:
Doesn't help when the vids are all black-as with only highly suggestive audio. :rofl:

 

Arrived home safe and sound in Brisbane some time this afternoon

I would like to say a big thanks to Brissie Beauty for her company/transport to and from Armidale and to Lee and Shazza Zedder for giving me accommodation Greatly appreciated!

Also, a big thank you to Hailz and Carl for organising Armidale, the event was flawless, definately something to remember for the rest of my life :zlove:

I have never enjoyed myself as much as i had the past few days! It was great to finally put forum nicknames to faces and to learn and appreciated the hundreds and thousands of hours that go into our beautiful cars.

I hope you all had as great of a time as I did, and i have also uploaded some pictures to facenbook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=166141&id=716812656&l=6646f691e9

Feel welcome to add me as a friend on Facebook also, my name is Adam Wilshire.

Thank you once again for the real sense of a community and i have definitely taken allot away with me this weekend. Now i just need to get motivated and financed to fix my Zed for Goulborn next year!

Thanks so much
Wilo300ZX

 

good news ... my highly technical, "pull the Vid plug" worked ... lol....

 

Here is some pics I took over the days, less some of the more incriminating images.

Cruise up from Newcastle


Despite a short delay on the Thunderbolts Way, we were back on track shortly after some running repairs. In the Town of Walcha (pronounced 'walker'), there was this truckstop with unused trailers. While the Z was only a few cm shy of fitting completely under the trailers, It was nonetheless a good time for an impromptu photo or two (Complete with locust roadkill in the front grill). Showing off the stealth FMIC and mesh, and stonechipped front bar


Arriving at the destination: Pembroke toursit park, Waterfall way, Armidale.


One of the Newcastle Blokes Steve, had dramas with his Z, nevertheless, trailered it up to zedfest like a true Champion. Within half an hour, the Z (affectionately named Dead-Zed) was swarming with enthusiasts who narrowed the problems down to faulty PTU harness.

Special thanks for the repairs go to K-Zed


Magic Mike (middle)


Chrispy


And our old mate, Jack daniels


First Night: Good Friday's BBQ saw 90TTZ (Karl) break all OH&S rules with an ingenious public address.Temperatures were comfortable, with thanks to a crackin' good feed and plenty of drinks to ward off the chill.



Day 2- Cruise Day

Got up nice and early to wash the cars. Seen here is Luke (Zeder1984) and his 260z. His Z32 is in repairs atm, so we found a suitable replacement. We re-jiggered the points gap on the dizzy in the carwash bay, as it was idling rough. Must have done the trick, as this fat-wheeled, cammed L26 gave its all, keeping hot on the tails of many a Z32 throughout the cruise. Foreground is my Z, DVL-300.




Steve's black Z32 "dead Zed" lived again after the golden touch of the Z gurus, making a flawless 250-odd Km trip to dorrigo and back. I built this Z with steve and Luke (above) so was super stoked to see the niggling gremlins ironed out, and see it reliably perform throughout the day. The far car is Nick300zxTT's Z31 turbo, filling in for his Z32, which was also under repairs for the weekend. Such is the nature of Z ownership sometimes :bash:


The progress of the Cruise was halted due to some roadwork on the route, incorporating one of those annoying traffic light systems. We waited 3 cycles for the procession to get through.




Reaching the photoshoot location, we assembled the group in preparation of a group photo. After hijacking the farmer's Navara ute, and his ladder for a suitable vantage point, K-zed was reminiscing of his days on the Titanic, singin out "I'm King of the world".


After the tom-foolery, we ended up with this:


Thai for dinner, followed by shennanigans at party central.


Can't you just feel the Z-love?!?



Day 3- Golf and Show'n'shine

Mitch did not choose to attend golf. My track record is less than appealing. In my last golf effort, I went with a dozen balls, and came back with negative 6.
I stuck to a real man's passtime- playing with CARS :zlove:


After Haylz's mishap going up the Thunderbolts way, the heatsoak from the engine, coupled with high engine load and reduced airflow from slow moving traffic, there was some overheating issues. Thankfully damage was minimal, and the mint 300 was in action for the weekend. To reduce the engine temps, BennyC, Chrispy and I made a air guide from some thin alloy sheet and tin snips. Easy work, and a fun, beginners mod for anyone with similar troubles.

At the show'n'shine, AngryBear (Barry) isd seen taking the opportunity to claim victory over Haylz while ispecting the immaculate undercarriage of NZX-300 (Joe?)


The game was on for 'the lowest Z' award for the day. The main contenders were andymac, and benny C. The afternoon saw a number of members, myself included, fitting new coilovers to andymacs car. the final results are below:





There was a short cruise afterwards, where I rode Shotgun with nastygirl taking some pics. It is quite hard to get a good shot from the passenger seat, short of standing out of the targa tops... here is some some random snappage of the trip:




Overall, I had a blast catching up with you guys, this being my first Zedfest. Would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to feel the friendship that this forum brings to so many people. I will definately be going to a future zedfest, and would love to see it happening on a regulat yearly basis, rather than the bi-annual event that it is now.

 

HUGE thanks for Haylz and Karl for a awesome weekend. You guys out did yourselves and everything seemed to run smoothly.

We had a great trip down from the GC through some twisties. Many drinks to be had and great to catch up with all the old and new faces.

Dinner last night was fantastic and I came away with Rice is Nice award

Can't wait till next year!!!

 

Great photos Mitch! - and also a great write-up mate.
Such a great weekend, and i agree that this should be occuring once a year instead of just once every 2 years.