now in aluminum
https://i.imgur.com/97vZWS5h.jpg

but wait, there's more
https://i.imgur.com/grgNNbih.jpg

then load up and go
https://i.imgur.com/YsCZzTPh.jpg

to here
https://i.imgur.com/WI6QG2Zh.jpg

with a brief stop to see parents - and their Corvette
https://i.imgur.com/3nGGkBBh.jpg

Did SCCA Track Night in America at PIR. that was fun, car stayed together and seems ready to run at Optima. Exhaust was quiet enough that I may remove the cones - then if there's a problem, just reinstall them. They kind of kill top end speed... but the rule is this - they give you a warning, then you can fix it, and it's fine, but you have to tell them what you did.... so if the cones aren't there and it's too loud, I'll know that by putting them back in that I'll be okay....

and wow is that concrete slick at PIR.

Narrowing in on ready
first remove the baffles.
https://i.imgur.com/2uU43MFh.jpg
I think they do affect top end power... we will see
brief break to let the lab float
https://i.imgur.com/oIcH4EIh.jpg
happy lab
https://i.imgur.com/L28dKJ8h.jpg
so remade the optima brackets
https://i.imgur.com/bjYYfxdh.jpg
before
https://i.imgur.com/BhLLpbDh.jpg
with tall stands
https://i.imgur.com/a3yMNnNh.jpg
with the new stands
https://i.imgur.com/5RMD314h.jpg
other then cleaning the car is ready to go.... next up fix the ac problems (or lack of ac) in the motorhome, and install tie-down plates in the trailer
​​​​​​​

and, we're loaded (Luigi is coming with).

weirdest thing, the trailer I bought for moving...
https://i.imgur.com/Fd1z5AFh.jpg

fits the Corvette just fine. boy was I lucky :)
https://i.imgur.com/HEho5Q6h.jpg

Lots more ready this year.... Optima 2022...

a brief recap since I wasn't here last year. I busted tail to get to Optima 2021. I made it. I got there and cell phone reception doomed my event. My head wasn't there - so anyway - I had another dog last year, an English Mastiff named Buick. The night before I went, I had to put him down.

Still miss that lug, but this year, at least I should have a time in every event. Do I think I'll win or even place? nope. But I will do each event.... I also have an ace card - my parents live close-ish to PIR and if something does go wrong, I have a full fab shop available....

everyone likes pictures... so we start there....
https://i.imgur.com/j7v9197h.jpg

Chad won and was a neighbor in the parking lot.
https://i.imgur.com/RMYuiach.jpg


what a trip the filming is. I may end up nowhere on it (kind of doubtful because I had cameras on my car pretty much the entire time) - but I seriously think one of the biggest boosts I got was from that whole thing.... I know all you experienced racers don't think anything of it - but to me that was as much a trip as sliding out of the box on the stop challenge (oops)....


So in other news... the car.

It still runs.

but, I need better tires - I finally saw how they could help, but I'll also say that up and until now, they would have been pearls before pigs...



it ran. But I knocked off after completing all the first rounds because I was getting concerned that it's dropping a cylinder. I cannot afford a new motor this year, much as I'd love to have stayed 3 more hours and ran....



The clutch.... ugh. Even at the low power, doing the last challenge - the accel/braking session, the clutch started to slip. I don't know what to do about this, that clutch is supposed to be able to handle the power.... but the bbc torque? yeah. Maybe I should bandaid it with 3.73 gears? then the tires would go up in smoke before the clutch did....

so the list

https://i.imgur.com/eMCq32Hh.jpg



I need to find 200 tw tires



and the clutch is "check".... it should be okay, but then again, it was getting funky on the last brake portion..in all seriousness, I should put a 3.73 rear gear in


the mirror won't stay aligned and I need a better rear view... so suggestions would be nice

Pictures
Saturday night drive
https://i.imgur.com/fQXR79Mh.jpg
those cones never knew what hit them
https://i.imgur.com/eMKsRLZh.jpg
appropriately named "braking challenge"
https://i.imgur.com/5TQp6nGh.jpg
road course
https://i.imgur.com/vHKOZ3Jh.jpg
D&E
​​​​​​​https://i.imgur.com/z2xQMRvh.jpg

time to start fixes, steering
https://i.imgur.com/6Nv7kBF.jpg
fixed
https://i.imgur.com/JQ2bptx.jpg
with this
https://i.imgur.com/oOoPRNm.jpg

in other news, starting to put the lift in
https://i.imgur.com/DJBaIxL.jpg
the guy I bought the place from - this was his initial location before his business needed the space.
https://i.imgur.com/xBTOfIg.jpg

I think that makes the most sense. as I unpack I'm starting to be amazed at how much space I really have for activities..
​​​​​​​

Congrats on all you've accomplished so far this year. Good luck getting more seat time with the car. You're doing great

Time to continue the upgrades....

a little rich and the plugs are too hot
https://i.imgur.com/2lJ7ljph.jpg

Of course, getting colder plugs requires ordering them....

also working on the alignment - the C5/C6 front suspension uses the typical GM cam bolts... and they can move... need to find a solution to this
(and the stupid potato camera's inability to hold a steady shot)
​​​​​​​https://i.imgur.com/MwOljHah.jpg

In other news, I'm also going to stiffen the front sway bar. The tire lift should never have happened - not just that but you can see the car does lean a bit into high speed corners....

Brown Santa arrived today
https://i.imgur.com/XOCNxfXh.jpg
18x10, 18x12.5
https://i.imgur.com/HAcTQL6h.jpg
poor fgz, they're still too big for him.
forged, light weight
https://i.imgur.com/cpICrFih.jpg
Apex gave me a deal on them, basically I paid the cast price for these (actually, a little less)... thanks Apex