Getting Ready for the 2006 Race Season...................

[Greg Collier]

I just wanted to say... great work! not only to greg.. but the rest of the racer out there. it's nice to see what has taken place with all of your cars over the past year. with that said, i wish you all the best of luck this racing year!!

Now, what i have to do to my car is:

install the engine and dash harness
weld and install the rollcage
install stiffer springs
install new racing seat and 5pnt harness
OHHHHH get the car running after installing the harness!!!
get header tape for cast for the future

btw i start racing 4-8-06

That's great to hear Tim! So how's your ankle with the surgery and all?

It is cool to see everyone taking care of buisness on their cars... It's even cooler to see everyone actualizing that these cars can do something better then just drive in a stright line!

Greg

 

[Slapnut]

well, i had to hire a lawyer and what not, imagine being hit in the heel with a sludgehammer everytime you take a step, thats kinda what it feels like....as far as the ankle getting repaired anytime soon, it doesn't look good. So i said screw it I AM RACING!! so now the scramble begins

 

[Slapnut]

GAHHHH my dumbass, just remember that my car is a 92 mits mirage 2dr hatchback.... the sedan parts will fit......adjustable suspension and what not.....

 

[underradar92]

James, you are the Great Fabricator, so why don't you try this:
Instead of spending a billion dollars on Stoptechs, see if you can make 2nd gen 3000GT calipers and rotors fit on a DSM. You can buy them dirt cheap, the wheel lug pattern is the same, and those brakes stop a 4,000 lb 3000GT just fine. You'll need 17 in. wheels to clear the calipers, but you need those with Stoptechs anyway. I bet stock 2nd gen 3000GT wheels would clear. The last time I bought a set of 3000GT wheels, they cost me $100 a wheel. I also ran my street tires on Milli Miglia alloy wheels ($125 each), which cleared the calipers, but they are only 7.5 in. wide -- just wide enough to mount 235/40 Toyo Proxes!
If you can make all that work, you'd make the new generation of DSM racers very happy!

For those who think the Stoptechs are wonderful, IMHO they pale in comparison to the brakes I had on my 3000GT: 13.5 in. Coleman two-piece rotors and Porsche Big Red calipers. If you can make the stock 3000GT calipers work, then the Big Reds probably would work, too.

Rich

Ahh Rich, you flatter me I actually made some hats, was going to order Coleman rotors, etc. I've got a pair of 3kgt calipers. Last fall I saw a guys 3kgt front calipers start on fire at R.A. scrapped that plan. There is also a concern on my part about master cylinder compatibility with all those large volume calipers, & I am too lazy to RnD all that stuff. I'm ordering a TCE 13" kit and my current wheels (17" enkei's) will almost certainly clear.

 

[Slow old poop]

Ahh Rich, you flatter me I actually made some hats, was going to order Coleman rotors, etc. I've got a pair of 3kgt calipers. Last fall I saw a guys 3kgt front calipers start on fire at R.A. scrapped that plan. There is also a concern on my part about master cylinder compatibility with all those large volume calipers, & I am too lazy to RnD all that stuff. I'm ordering a TCE 13" kit and my current wheels (17" enkei's) will almost certainly clear.

Yes, I remember the 3000GT with brakes on fire. Don't forget, that's a 4,000 lb car, and I've never seen brakes catch on fire like that before. I suspect he was running street pads, not race pads, or had a brake fluid leak.

In your copious free time, still try to make the 3KGT calipers work anyway. I think that could be a real profit-making enterprise for you, seeing as how they would be half the cost of Stoptechs and work as well or better.

Besides, once you figure that out, then you could adapt the Big Reds for a killer brake system.

Someday you gotta see Jon Wieman's setup on his 3000GT: 14 in. Colemans that are 1.5 in. thick, with Big Reds that have a 1/4 in. spacer to accommodate those super-thick rotors. Put THAT setup on a DSM and it would stop like hitting a brick wall, never fade, and never warp. Crikies, Jon has to get two laps on the brakes just to warm them up.

 

[Greg Collier]

Eight days and counting till California Speedway. I worked until 10PM last night and finally got the oil leak taken care of on the turbo oil return line. I ended up making a cork material gasket with a tight fit around the mounting bolts and used RTV BLUE on all four sides. I let it set overnight and started the engine this morning. At temperature all looks good.

And old business buddy came over yesterday and helped me install a new wing. It looks pretty aggressive and should do the job on keeping the rear end in check. It was quite the task with all the rounded corners of the car to work off of. I think we had a half a roll of green masking tape on the body with dozens of triangulation points marked all over the place.

There's no way I'm going to be able to get the car to the painters to paint the fenders. They're gonna make me up a couple of pints of yellow and I'll spray it myself. It might not be perfect but hopefully good enough for the season opener. There's usually a lot of photographers at the track at the beginning of the season so you want the car to look as spiffy as it can be. The latest picture in the 2006 Grass Roots Motorsports is from last years Cal Speedway opener (a year later)...

I picked up 40 gallons of VP 103 unleaded today at a cost of $380.00. It cost me $200.00 last year at $5.00 a gallon. They say the cost will be going up again next month... isn't that just great! I'll be picking up another 30 gallons tomorrow...

Tires also get replaced tomorrow. As I pulled off the rears one had the cord showing. I never checked it after the last race and it was "brand new"... $$$$**^&%@#$!!!

Greg

EDIT: Oh yeah, spoke to PWR this morning. The radiator never made it off the docks in Australia, they're going to try and air-freight it here by next Thurs... ya right! It looks like the Fluidyne will be in there for the season opener so we shall see what we shall see. I always feel like the low man an the todem pole just before the season starts...

 

[underradar92]

Yes, I remember the 3000GT with brakes on fire. Don't forget, that's a 4,000 lb car, and I've never seen brakes catch on fire like that before. I suspect he was running street pads, not race pads, or had a brake fluid leak.

In your copious free time, still try to make the 3KGT calipers work anyway. I think that could be a real profit-making enterprise for you, seeing as how they would be half the cost of Stoptechs and work as well or better.

Besides, once you figure that out, then you could adapt the Big Reds for a killer brake system.

Someday you gotta see Jon Wieman's setup on his 3000GT: 14 in. Colemans that are 1.5 in. thick, with Big Reds that have a 1/4 in. spacer to accommodate those super-thick rotors. Put THAT setup on a DSM and it would stop like hitting a brick wall, never fade, and never warp. Crikies, Jon has to get two laps on the brakes just to warm them up.

I may try to get Todd @ TCE to sell me thicker rotors & calipers, then figure out a way to fit the whole mess between 1g struts and, well the curb I guess. There are space issues. P.S. Don't forget I have to drive this thing all summer !

 

[mavisky]

I was looking at the APR wings myself, but by the time I bought the wing, removed the stock wing mounts on the fenders and hatch, then had the holes filled and painted, I figured that it would cost me somewhere around $1500 for a friggin wing. Here's hoping I can come up with that downforce somewhere else.

 

[Slow old poop]

I was looking at the APR wings myself, but by the time I bought the wing, removed the stock wing mounts on the fenders and hatch, then had the holes filled and painted, I figured that it would cost me somewhere around $1500 for a friggin wing. Here's hoping I can come up with that downforce somewhere else.

You have that same little wing as I have on my Eclipse. Somewhere in here is a discussion about installing a wickerbill on that little wing in hopes of increasing downforce. I stopped development because I am wicked close on points to running in TTA, and that mod would add some points.

Rich

 

[mavisky]

I'd thought about a reasonably thick lexan application to it. That way it wouldn't look weird as hell.

Basically just extend up from the rear about 3 inches or so at the angle of the rear of wing.

 

[Slow old poop]

I'd thought about a reasonably thick lexan application to it. That way it wouldn't look weird as hell. Basically just extend up from the rear about 3 inches or so at the angle of the rear of wing.

Not bad. The wickerbill we used on a trans-am car* had a replaceable element, so we could just slide in a new one that was anywhere from a half-inch to two inches high, depending on the track. For example, we'd run low downforce at Road America and high downforce at Cleveland. I'd like to figure out some way to do that on the DSM.

Rich

*I crewed on a Trans-Am car one summer.

 

[terefic181]

You have that same little wing as I have on my Eclipse. Somewhere in here is a discussion about installing a wickerbill on that little wing in hopes of increasing downforce. I stopped development because I am wicked close on points to running in TTA, and that mod would add some points.

Rich

Rich,

I think you might be talking about this one, about 1/2 way down: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203956&highlight=WICKER

As Kyle said, it's a pretty simple concept, but might just do the trick.


Tom

 

[Slow old poop]

Rich,

I think you might be talking about this one, about 1/2 way down: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203956&highlight=WICKER
As Kyle said, it's a pretty simple concept, but might just do the trick.
Tom

Yes, that's the one. I lost track of which thread it was in.

We are certainly getting carried away here, ain't we?. Greg's thread is up to 8 pages, and some of it actually applies to his car.

Maybe we need more road racing threads, or to start posting in existing threads ideas that fit the topic. Or something like that. For example, I posted a Q in the NASA Prep thread about the cutoff switch, but I think many folks have stopped looking there, ### I got only one reply.

I still think we need our own Road Race forum, but I seem to have been either ignored or outvoted.

Rich

 

[Greg Collier]

Yes, that's the one. I lost track of which thread it was in.

We are certainly getting carried away here, ain't we?. Greg's thread is up to 8 pages, and some of it actually applies to his car.

Maybe we need more road racing threads, or to start posting in existing threads ideas that fit the topic. Or something like that. For example, I posted a Q in the NASA Prep thread about the cutoff switch, but I think many folks have stopped looking there, ### I got only one reply.

I still think we need our own Road Race forum, but I seem to have been either ignored or outvoted.

Rich

And fortunately it was the correct reply

 

[Slow old poop]

And fortunately it was the correct reply

Which one?

That the remotely actuated switch idea won't work or we shouldn't have a road racing forum in here?

Rich

 

[Greg Collier]

Which one?

That the remotely actuated switch idea won't work or we shouldn't have a road racing forum in here?

Rich

As long as your kill switch is within view of the commonly searched area it being remotely actuated should be fine.

As far as a specific road racing forum, it's not my call. I do however, think that a lot of drag racers have become interested in the road racing venue seeing the threads in this forum. And if you post a question, I will come

 

[CanadianTSi]

Looks Amazing!

I can't wait to read all about your trials and tribulations at the first race

Have any pictures of the front of the car with the bumper mounted?

 

[Greg Collier]

Looks Amazing!

I can't wait to read all about your trials and tribulations at the first race

Have any pictures of the front of the car with the bumper mounted?

Thanks!

We're hoping to keep the tribulations to the minimum. Our biggest concern is the radiator at this point so if it means I have to lay back the first race then so-be-it

I'll be dyno-ing the car this Sunday with the bumper off or the front dyno tie-down straps would take their toll. I'll have it back on by Monday and post a picture of the entire car...

Greg

 

[Slapnut]

Yo Greg?, is there a chance that you could get some audio of the pig running

 

[Greg Collier]

Yo Greg?, is there a chance that you could get some audio of the pig running

I thought about that... and Scot has the means to do it, so we'll see

 

[Dream On]

Or a video of the dyno?

 

[terefic181]

Yes, that's the one. I lost track of which thread it was in.

We are certainly getting carried away here, ain't we?. Greg's thread is up to 8 pages, and some of it actually applies to his car.
Maybe we need more road racing threads, or to start posting in existing threads ideas that fit the topic. Or something like that. For example, I posted a Q in the NASA Prep thread about the cutoff switch, but I think many folks have stopped looking there, ### I got only one reply.

I still think we need our own Road Race forum, but I seem to have been either ignored or outvoted.

Rich

My appoligies to Greg on that. I think we all tend to post to Greg's threads, probably because they seem to be a gathering place for anyone interested in road racing. I'm not sure how Greg feels about all the extras, but I'll try to keep my off topic post here, to a minimum.

As for the creating a new area for road racing, I kinda go along with Greg. I think a number of members that may not be interested in road racing, may become so, because all the racing types are together, and therefore the road race pages are seen more.

Tom

 

[Slow old poop]

My appoligies to Greg on that. I think we all tend to post to Greg's threads, probably because they seem to be a gathering place for anyone interested in road racing. I'm not sure how Greg feels about all the extras, but I'll try to keep my off topic post here, to a minimum. As for the creating a new area for road racing, I kinda go along with Greg. I think a number of members that may not be interested in road racing, may become so, because all the racing types are together, and therefore the road race pages are seen more.

Tom

Gee, I didn't mean it as a criticism. Just an observation. But you are right: we are using Greg's thread as a community gathering. With 3,500 hits so far, it looks like lots of people are following it, too. Greg should be proud, and rightfully so, because this is a good indication that we got something good going here.

Still, if I have a techie question about prep, I plan to use the NASA Prep thread, even though not many people seem to have subscribed to it.

Rich

 

[Greg Collier]

I'm not big on formalities guys. I don't care where the information is being viewed just as long as we're communicating with each other. I think it's great that we're all here doing what we love doing.

Rich, where ever you post your stuff I'll be reading it and responding if I can. I try to post to everything that we're related to, and some.

Greg

EDIT: By the way... we're all getting ready for the 2006 race season!!

 

[underradar92]

[

EDIT: By the way... we're all getting ready for the 2006 race season!![/QUOTE]
Thats the way I like to think of it!