GSX AutoX Street Mod

[96dsmftw]

Dang, a whole year without an update. Maybe I'll just start dropping pics of the year here. It was an eventful year with plenty of issues, it was probably overdue as I am usually pretty lucky throughout the year.

 

[96dsmftw]

Feb 2023
This was last year's off season project. Can't believe I didn't post about it in here. I had always wanted to make my own bodywork. I got a cheap 3d scanner and used it to make a fender. I 3d printed the mold and made my first carbon fiber part. It turned out well enough (came out of the mold anyway haha) but wasn't quite right. It had a lack of resin and took of some of the mold coating out with it. It was a complex part for a first time so I called it a win. At this time, I was running a 275 with the plan to run 315s for 2023. This fender was supposed to be that wide but I messed something up and it was just wide enough for a 275. It had the look I was going for though.

I had also started looking at bigger aero. The wing needs to be as big as the rules allow and the silver megan racing Frankenstein wing was about 60% of what the rules allow.

 

[96dsmftw]

March 2023

I spent some time redesigning my mold for the fender to make it a bit wider. I put bondo in the mold and sanded it down to start with a smoother surface. Never got to attempting to spray in gelcoat instead of painting it in with a brush before the season started.

Another big idea is redesigning the front curved compression arm. It's the one last piece of the puzzle for the suspension arms. I started out with the design pictured. Keeping it simple with a heim joint and some bent tubing. However, this arm takes the brunt of the braking forces (pretty much the highest load in a race car). I was also attempting to make it adjustable to have caster adjustment that's actually a caster only adjustment. After a quick stress analysis, it becomes obvious how beefy this arm must be to withstand the braking forces. The other tricky part is the arm must rotate inward and outward of the car (when steering) and up and down during suspension travel. Seems like an easy heim joint application except the center of mass of the arm isn't between the two ends of the arm due to its curved nature so it will flop around with only a heim joint. I did 3d print most of the parts anyway to see what it would look like and it was cool for a 1st version nonetheless.

Also, started on some weight reduction. I too the Kirkey out of the passenger seat of the Datsun and put it in the passenger of the DSM, replacing the stock seat. Shaved about 20lbs after having to make a new seat bracket. Found the reasons he driver seat was so wobbly as well. The nut in the body had ripped out, welded it back in and had a mostly solid driver's seat again.

 

[96dsmftw]

April 2023
Time to step my game up. Konig 18x12 +20 with some Hoosier A7s in 315/30/18. They are huge and require a 25mm spacer but they fit. Couple pics from the first event on them

 

[96dsmftw]

April 2023

Race season started to ramp up. 4/23/23 had the first local region points event. Got 1st RAW and 3rd PAX. Good start to the season on 315s for the first time.

4/29/23 This weekend was a double event weekend. One event on Saturday and one on Sunday. The clutch was giving way the event before this with the new grip level of the tires. Saturday me and a friend co drove my car. We got a 1st/2nd RAW time sweep on Saturday on a slipping clutch. Sunday rolls around and the car is ok for the 1st runs until the clutch heats up and starts slipping again. We gave up on it and my friend hopped in his miata to finish runs. I let the DSM sit thinking maybe if it cools off I can get one more run. This thinking never works, I get burnt everytime I think "maybe just one more". I start my one more run and clutch starts slipping 5 seconds in. I try to manage and just let off and cruise to the finish 3/4 of the way through. Then something unfortunate. Coming through the finish I see moisture on my windshield. Huh, that's weird. Reach out and touch it (still cruising through finish chute), and it's oil. Bad bad. I bolt to the trailer as easy as I can. Get there turn and shut the car off. Look underneath, oil everywhere. It's pouring out of the timing cover, all over the splitter, and a nice snail trail in paddock. I got extremely lucky it happened very late in the run. Oil pressure never dipped below normal even leaking out like that. I'm sure I have the accusump to thank for that extra 3 quarts. Event over.


Diagnosis revealed oil pump had given up and had play in the drive shaft. It jacked up the seal and sent it all out the side of the pump.

Fun stuff:
I have a fuel cell in the car so it requires a bulkhead. Fabbed up a cover. Turned out well for what I have to work with.


Started on another project. 3D printed wing. Did a ton of research, found a profile I liked. Drew it up in CAD then cut it into 5 even pieces. This will be a dual element wing to replace my current ebay custom. The new main element was bigger than the entirety of the old wing.




Action shots: