Thanks for posting pics of two cars that can give you so many bad ideas: that AMX and DuSold's Camaro. They're about enough to make you put the bed in front of the cab, then put a hood on the bed, turning it into a shoe with rear-weight bias. Bad ideas . . .

It sounds like you had a good time--you got to soak up the strip in style!

I read that whole truck build because I love those old Cummins trucks. I had a 2012 Cummins, and never had a problem with it. Recalls done on oil changes. In and out. Other than the steering one. You have some great builds, including this one. Thanks for sharing! Is the racing easier on the body?

I signed up for the Cascade Car club track day and instruction a week or so ago. Headed up to the class portion with Doug Bockman (sp). He put on a good class and went over a lot of the same stuff as the team continental class I took a few months ago. He went a little more in depth on car control and I took a good bit from his class.

We had 4-30 minute sessions on Friday at PIR, first two were in the rain. I was pretty bummed at first running in the rain but it turns out I got some really great car control lessons with the wet weather. Leaning how to keep the rear out without spinning it out, over correcting or lifting. After 60 minutes of in the rain I had a pretty good handle on getting around in the rain, it was slow, three cars went into the wall hard that day.

Third and Fourth sessions were in the dry and awesome. Truck worked well, track was fast, I picked up a lot about exit speed, getting on the gas faster. Slow in, Fast out is starting to mean something.

I tightened up the front coilovers 3 clicks and softened up the rear a couple and the truck was better, front end had a lot less dive and the truck was pretty balanced. I was able to get the rearend out on some faster corners but it was very predictable and controllable.

4th session I tracked down the fast car in the group a new z-28 and we did 6 or 7 laps around the track with me on his ass. He could pull me a little bit on the front straight but I could reel him in on the corners. We had a great time and passed our fair share of cars.

We talked after the session and he was impressed, could not believe I was able to hang with him the entire time.

I still need a lot more work, truck needs a little bit but I am getting better and more confident.

Onto a few pics I snapped.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psz4aeiryd.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psbz5sk8la.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psfhqkgvdj.jpg

Only on track action I got of it, hope to get some more.


http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psqq2nfnjg.jpg

Funny part was I loaded it up with a bunch of steel, tubing bender and a hydraulic ram today and did a bunch of running around.

Love this truck.

Sean

Congrats on all the progress made...with driver and truck. :thumbsup:

Lookng at the stance on that thing is addictive...

I did a couple of track sessions in the rain last weekend and learned a ton as well. Then in the semi dry session after I put what I learned to use and ti really showed. I loved driving the track in the wet, was giggling like a school girl when I came off track.

Curious if you made any adjustments to truck between the wet and dry session? I ran the exact same setup on both and seemed to be just fine.

Some of the best driving lessons I've received/learned from - was at DirtFish.... not only is it wet - it's gravel... you finally figure out how to control the car with just the loud pedal and begin to enjoy looking out the side windows! LOL


This truck is so kool - but YOU learning to drive it is way kooler!

Nice job on the truck! It's looking better and better every time I see it, so basic, clean and just does what it's supposed to. The white with black wheels is just about my favorite color combo, diggin the canopy as well. :action-smiley-027:

I've got to schedule my track day at SIR (Actually Pacific but I'll never call it that) you should come up and show me how to drive.

It was nice meeting and talking to you at the Portland Transmission show.

Bob

And here I thought you were giving the auto hobby a break and going biking/hiking? Hope you have had time to work in a few here and there.
But I'm glad you picked it back up. I came to this site (from Tbricks) following the other Ford. Now this one. Well done! Really cool truck!


ps got the Volvo running! Finally!

Nonhog....that is awesome about the Volvo. Its about time =)

Thanks everyone else for the comments. I ran the setup three clicks softer in the rain and it seemed to really help out all around letting the truck move before it just broke loose.

Have gotten the truck out to two track days in the past few weeks. Last one was Friday night at the SCCA Tracks Night in America. We had Rain all week, then Friday was overcast and dry, it was meant to be. Got in three sessions and the truck did very well, getting faster each time out so I am learning my way around a track finally.

After the first fast session there was a crowd of suprised onlookers checking the truck out when I got back to the Paddock. Lots of questions and thumbs up and more than a few suprised fellow car guys there on track with me.

There was one car that I just could not hang with and that was a new hellcat on new Toyo r888 tires. Car was damn fast. I held my own with everyone else out there though, worked my way around a handful of Subaru's, Sti's, BMW's, 2 CTSV's and a few others. The truck works very well.

Here are a couple of photos from the last two track days cause everyone likes pictures.

First time with the truck in the rain....I was not happy but learned a ton about car control, it was a blessing in disguise actually.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psqrvyokk2.jpg

The Subaru behind me was very fun car to play with. It had a full STI swap in it and was pretty quick. I ended up getting around him but we had several laps of fun before hand.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psodvbjywn.jpg

Just a couple of the old girl on track.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6ncpk7sw.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psx4bk2uio.jpg

And then there was this guy. 2015 z28. Car is just plain bad ass. He could pull on me by a car or so down the front straight but I could reel him back in through the corners. We had some traffic and both made it around them and got in a good 7 or 8 laps of me pushing him around the corners and him dragging me down the straights it was very, very fun.

This photos was at the end of the longstraight away into turn 4 at PIR.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psoyqohnoe.jpg

I dragged my friend Chris in his Dinan tuned 335i out with me this past friday and we had an absolute blast at the track. His car is quick....he was not expecting the truck to be as fast as it was at all.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psuoo8goj3.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psr2cpzjf9.jpg

Getting ready to head out for a session.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pseuyi8jd2.jpg

So how does the truck work. After 5 track days including two Optima weekends I think the truck works pretty well. Its not a full tilt race car, its still an old truck.

I am pushing it pretty hard and its taking it. I need to work on getting the right springs on it and stiffening up the sway bar on the front a bit. It has a little body roll in the corners but you dont feel it in the truck at all, just in photos. I would like it to be a little flatter into the corners though.

It turns extremely well and corner exits are very good, I actually make up a fair bit of time on corner exit speed, the power cones on fast and the truck dead hooks once its through the corner and settled.

I am getting too much heat in the front pads and glazing the pads and rotors so I am going to try some other brake pads this week and see if that helps. I am running AC Delco Ceramic pads for the c5 vette. I think I am going to try some Hawk pads now, not too sure what to go with as i am driving the truck, tracking it and autocrossing it all in close proximity to the other.

Ill try and do a better job of keeping the thread updated. Have not been working on much lately so not much to report other than using the old girl exactly like I built it to be used.

Sean