It's been a while since I've updated this thread...mainly because there hasn't been much to update on. Life has taken a front seat lately and Barney has been relinquished to the back seat for now, it's all good though...many updates are planned and in the works once my schedule relaxes a bit.
I did make an upgrade to my crankcase ventilation setup which worked wonderfully, it's detailed here
https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=54712 and I also added the Chad Ryker GoPro external mic mod just in time for my first time out on a big track in almost a year.
Last Thursday I went to the SCCS Track Night in America event at the freshly repaved and reopened Heartland Park Topeka road course. What an awesome event...if there are any TNIAs near you, I highly recommend attending if you can. It's a great value mainly designed to get noobies acclimated to running on a road course but also gives veterans a place to play on the cheap as well. We got (3) 20 minute sessions in on course for $50...can't beat that.
The car worked great, this was my first time on a road course since adding the locker, big rear springs, 18" wheels and of course sticky RE71s and the changes were noticed immediately. I did have to spend some time knocking the rust off the driver, and could use some more of that apparently after watching all my missed shifts in the video. I think my shift rail has finally reached the point of needing some attention, I seem to struggle to find both 3rd on an upshift and 4th on a downshift. Coming over the top of a blind Alpha 0 hill at 130 mph at end of front straight may have contributed to my missing of the 5/4 downshift a few times as well...
The catch can worked awesome, the engine didn't use a drop of oil nor miss a beat and I LOVE the microphone mod... Check out the video of my last session and turn your speakers up..
I spent the first couple of laps trying to keep up with my friend Keith...unsuccessfully, once he got away I settled down and got a few good smooth laps in. I have learned (at least on this slick new pavement anyway) that these RE71s are slick when cold...have about a 2-3 lap window of goodness...then slowly go away again as they overheat. I don't remember the Falkens having such a narrow window of goodness...but the extra fun laps of stickiness make up for that I'm certain.