New guy just found this specific forum

[David Hester]

..a victory in itself. :beer:

 

[gcassidy]

Michael, that's one of the best testimonials I've heard in a long time. I'd like to shake your instructors hand, he took a negative and turned it into a positive by showing you what really matters while you're learning.

And I'm so glad you got in those dry sessions. It gave you a chance to use some of those tools you were putting in your toolbox in the rain.

Congrats, and welcome. :beer:

 

[pinetopbilld]

Thanks for the kind words Greg. I felt the same as you about my instructor and I shook his hand enough times for the both of us. I really let him know how appreciative I was for everything. He allowed me to ride a couple of sessions with him and I think that helped me as much as anything. The instructions that he was giving me while I was driving he would repeat them and show me while he was driving. That really made it easier for me to understand the terminology that was being thrown at me. Being able to see and feel the techniques being applied was invaluable. I would have never known that I could brake that hard had I not experienced it.

I know it's not a race, but nobody wants to get passed by a Malibu, lol. Anyways I wasn't racing. I was just doing what I had been taught to do and it just so happened that I got to pass a few cars in the process and it was way fun. Can't wait to do it again and would love to get to do an event where I could meet some you guys on here who have helped me so much. Thanks for the welcome as well Greg. After the event I some how feel like I am more part of the group now.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I love it!:rockon:

You are doing it right. First ever event and it was raining? Perfect, absolutely perfect! No better opportunity to practice catching slides.

Now you just have to keep it all balanced and not let it wreck your relationship with mama and the kids because it is absolutely addicting.

Balancing 3500 pounds of glass and steel on 4 tiny little square patches of rubber is a hell of an adventure in real time physics.

Then there is the adrenalin.:rockon:

Congratulations.:beer:

 

[pinetopbilld]

Hey guys, it has been a little while, but I am still around. Did a huge home remodeling project this year which was very expensive, but I still managed to do VIR with Trackdaze again during Veterans Day, LOVE the Grand Course. First off, I just read through this entire thread and just wanted to thank everyone again.

Ok, enough of the mush. I definitely drove much harder this year. It was dry and I already knew the line so I was able to push it some more. 120+ out of Oak Tree heading to the top of the roller coaster and 130+ out of 17 heading to 1. Needless to say I pushed the car much, much harder. I had to add oil a couple of times during this event. Didn't do that last year and have never had to do that before. Is this normal? Just for a reminder the car is a stock 97 Cobra, catback only, 23,000 miles.

 

[racebronco2]

I love it!:rockon:

You are doing it right. First ever event and it was raining? Perfect, absolutely perfect! No better opportunity to practice catching slides.

Then there is the adrenalin.:rockon:

Congratulations.:beer:

I agree with you Jimmy.

I have instructed in the rain several times. The students were bummed because it was raining. My remark "what a fantastic opportunity" . They looked puzzled. I said now you can get the car to slide slightly at slower speeds with alot less traffic. Most people won't drive in the rain. They ended up having a blast after the fear wore off.

 

[WutApex]

.... I had to add oil a couple of times during this event. Didn't do that last year and have never had to do that before. Is this normal? Just for a reminder the car is a stock 97 Cobra, catback only, 23,000 miles.

Yup. I burn some oil when running hard at the track too. With that said, I recently switched from off-the-shelf partial syn to Amsoil 3000 and I didn't end up having to add anywhere near what I had in the past.

 

[pinetopbilld]

Ok, so burning a little oil is normal. Do I need to do anything about it or just let it ride?

 

[pinetopbilld]

Everyone must be hibernating for the winter, lol. I hope not because I have some winter projects that I need some help with. First off, do I need to do anything about burning a little oil on track days? Oil cooler? Windage tray? Different oil pan? Or just keep adding a little as needed?

Second and more fun, I want to do some suspension stuff. Just a little, not anything crazy. I want to kill two birds with one stone. I want to get rid of the 4x4 look and improve handling at the same time, on a budget of course. Just a nice, simple, basic set up.

 

[Sirl]

Hey there...
Going to need some more info. What car do you have?? 2V? 4V? 302? What year??

If the car is not smoking, I would just keep a close eye on the oil. Make sure you are full in the morning. Many guys add an extra half quart, just to be safe.

I tracked my New Edge for a few years with just H and R Super Race spring and Koni Yellow shocks. The car handled well, and the ride was just fine for every day driving.

So, provide some more info, and we can give more details about your setup.

 

[wheelhopper]

Concentrate on making mods for the first couple years safety and reliability mods.

Braided brake lines
Upgraded fluid
brake ducts
gauges
racing seats
harness
roll bar needed for the harness
HANS

I always run extra oil. It probably would be a good idea to have a road course oil pan, but I have been tracking for 7 years without one and no problems. I would recommend an oil cooler. I think it is just part of making the engine reliable.

I am also for doing a mild suspension upgrade. Some springs and shocks. Keep it simple while starting out. So many new drivers feel that to go faster they need to change the car. Most of the time they don't extract the most out of the car they have.

 

[pinetopbilld]

The car is a 1997 Cobra 23,000 miles, basically stock. The only mods I have done so far have been for safety and reliability. MGW shifter, braided stainless brake lines on all four corners, upgraded brake fluid, and a set of authentic Cobra R's on street tires. The only go mods I have are a Magnaflow catback and a drop in K&N air filter.

I have enough power, love the 4V, and actually the car handles pretty good as it is, I just hate the 4x4 look. So after thinking about it I am not really trying to make the car handle better, I am just trying to get it to look better without making it handle worse. It isn't my daily driver it is my play toy. If you can remember when this thread started a couple of years ago that's what it was about; fun capable track car for a few events each year and reliable weekend cruiser. But if a better handling car is the by-product of getting it lower, so be it. So I guess I am looking for best cost effective improvements.

 

[Sirl]

Sounds like a perfect starting point.

The only thing I would do, other than maintenance items, fluids, belts, etc. is get a good set of springs and dampers.

I would recommend Bilsteins or or Koni Yellows with H&R Super Race Springs. I had the H&R Super Race springs and Koni Yellows on my car for years, and tracked it just like that. Handled very well and still great on the street. Of course, a good set of Sub Frame connectors is important as well. I would only go with Steeda or Max. Motorsports on the sub frames.

Lastly, a good set of track tires, and brake cooling ducts, and you'll be set for a while.

Good luck!

That is all you need to go have some fun.

 

[pinetopbilld]

If all I do is the connectors, springs and dampers do I need faster camber plates?

 

[pinetopbilld]

Caster camber plates. Autocorrect lol.

 

[dragon40k]

The car is a 1997 Cobra 23,000 miles, basically stock. The only mods I have done so far have been for safety and reliability. MGW shifter, braided stainless brake lines on all four corners, upgraded brake fluid, and a set of authentic Cobra R's on street tires. The only go mods I have are a Magnaflow catback and a drop in K&N air filter.

I have enough power, love the 4V, and actually the car handles pretty good as it is, I just hate the 4x4 look. So after thinking about it I am not really trying to make the car handle better, I am just trying to get it to look better without making it handle worse. It isn't my daily driver it is my play toy. If you can remember when this thread started a couple of years ago that's what it was about; fun capable track car for a few events each year and reliable weekend cruiser. But if a better handling car is the by-product of getting it lower, so be it. So I guess I am looking for best cost effective improvements.

I didn't notice brake cooling ducts on that list. You'll need them sooner rather then later.

 

[pinetopbilld]

I do plan on doing the brake cooling ducts as well I just forgot to mention it.

So a basic set up of subframe connectors, dampers and springs sounds like it should fit the bill for both better handling and looks. Do I need to add caster camber plates for alignment purposes or should I be good to go?

 

[Sirl]

Yep, you should be GOOD to GO!

 

[SeikenFreak]

I agree with you Jimmy.

I have instructed in the rain several times. The students were bummed because it was raining. My remark "what a fantastic opportunity" . They looked puzzled. I said now you can get the car to slide slightly at slower speeds with alot less traffic. Most people won't drive in the rain. They ended up having a blast after the fear wore off.

I am one of those people I guess :lol1: :bash:

Spring 2012 I went to my second HPDE, first time with my Mach and man was it raining. I took the car out for one session maybe? It was cold, raining and all my stuff was getting soaked. I was on "Max Performance Summer" whatever Sumitomo's that comes with all the aftermarket wheels. Window open and rain coming in on everything. First time on this specific course (NJMP Lightning), which I was already nervous about anyway. My friends came along to hang out and observe so now they are just standing around in the cold windy rain.

Driving around the course at like 20 MPH and constantly terrified of crashing it was super bumming me out. My first event was in my STI and my instructor said I did great and I had a ton of fun. Dry weather, different course (NJMP Thunderbolt), and The Beauty of All-Wheel Drive.

I feel horrible saying that I didn't like it because of exactly what you mentioned. All the NASA people there were like "ahhh its fiiine.. great opportunity to learn to drive in the wet" and I'm like sure yea, completely understand. But I just wasn't ready for this. I absolutely went down there with the intention of getting comfortable with RWD, but not to this extreme degree. I had a hard time apparently on this one corner where the instructor kept telling me (in a strong kinda frustrated sounding instructional voice no less lol) to "let the wheel out let the wheel out" because he insisted I was ploughing the front end out of this very low speed turn and I just couldn't feel it. From everything I could see and feel in the car, if I let the wheel out I would have driven straight off the course. But obviously he knows what he's doing. I just physically couldn't bring myself to do it so he was kinda grabbing the wheel and steering it a bit. And then coming up through the sweeping crested first turn the rear broke loose for a second. Was like driving on ice.

But I just felt really crappy about the day and decided to leave. Thanked my instructor for his time on my way out. Haven't been able to get back to the track since. It was miserable and hundreds of dollars down the drain (dur hur) IMO. Feel like I want at least one dry weather day in the RWD car before attempting rain, even though that is probably backwards. Still dying to get back out there though.

I've actually got the sessions on video with horrible windy audio but never put on my YouTube channel. The last STI session is on there though with the engine going.

Sorry wall of text.

 

[darreng505]

Got it. Wet. Windy. Cold.
One bad day.
Now get back out there.
Try not to have expectations. They will only distract you.