Project "Payback"

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

I'm preparing for my first road course event this Saturday. I'll be running the 3.2 mile loop out at spring mountain ranch in Pahrump where the Optima challenge is held. I need to get my accumulator plumbed and working, at least one tow hook made, and a couple other miscelaneous things before Saturday to pass tech. I was hoping to have my oil cooler set up done before my first event. I've been in touch with Ron Davis but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'll just have to run hard and pull off the track and watch my temps. Once the accumlator is working ,I'll have 10 quarts of oil in the system so that should help some until I figure out exactly what direction to go with the oil cooler.

I've decided I like the original look of the car better. It's just to damn black with the new wheels and I like the 19" wheel out back. I've been kicking around narrowing my rear bozes and widining the fronts and sticking r888 rubber on them as well. I just can't bring myself to bolt the bozes back on with those pilot sports. They just have no grip compared to the r888's.

I highly suggest running your first few events on the Pilot Sports. New drivers shouldn't be learning on R-Comps. It will be a crutch for you and you wont be getting an accurate idea of the limits of your car, your driving and grip. Then again I don't know what your racing experience is....

I think a lot of people in the pro-touring world have a tendency to overthink speed parts, mods etc. Go out there and have fun. Once you get lapped by a 123rwhp miata you'll realize that your car, its parts, and all the engineering you've done don't mean a thing. Its all driver skill. Seat time is the best investment you can make...

Start attending more HPDE events. That said I'd like to drive out to Vegas and run Spring mountain with you one day...

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Flash68

how has this car not been featured in a mag yet?

Seems the mags are focused so much on LSX based cars right now... yawnnn...

[Vegas69]

No way man....I want my grip and 275's up front. My main goal this weekend is to get a feel for road racing. They are supposed to have some instructors handy for a ride along. If I'm hooked, I'll spend the money on their driving school. You should, it's supposed to be one of the best tracks around.

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

No way man....I want my grip and 275's up front. My main goal this weekend is to get a feel for road racing. They are supposed to have some instructors handy for a ride along. If I'm hooked, I'll spend the money on their driving school. You should, it's supposed to be one of the best tracks around.

Its not a question of IF you'll be hooked, you will be. The only problem I forsee is your pretty expensive paint job. You might want to clear bra the hell out of that car if you haven't already. I expect my car to be paintless by the end of next year from so many rock chips at the track. Dick Guldstrand told me that if you're not sliding off the track you're not driving fast enough so be prepared for that as well

Go out and get a bunch of seat time and instruction, its an absolute blast. I'd love to see another pro-touring car actually out at HPDE events ripping it up. I'm a little bit sick of these $100k pro-touring cars 'racing' at 35mph autocross events...

Drive your damn cars folks, thats why we built them like we did

I should have my tremec in by then. Their safety requirements are a bit more than the group I normally run with. Firesuit, neck collar, roll bar? I guess thats because of the class they're forcing you to run in.

I'll keep an eye out for events up that direction. I typically run with Speedventures.

http://www.speedventures.com/events/Default.aspx

Every time I've gone out, I've invited everyone on both forums, and not once has a single car shown up. Trailer queens

We should have a big block shootout

[fleetus macmullitz]

Originally Posted by 1in1969

How about painting/powder coating the centers on your Forgelines? Silver or light Charcoal? Just a thought. Car looks great BTW! Shawn

Or the whole wheel.

[tones2SS]

Originally Posted by Flash68

how has this car not been featured in a mag yet?

I have to ask this question again myself.
What a killer car. Now that Todd's being messing around with the auto-x, we know that it can talk the talk and walk the walk. Great car Todd.

[Vegas69]

Forgelines won't be changing. I like the wheels alot, but they are my track look. I modeled the car after the boze wheels. I have clear bra'd behind both wheels up to the crease in the body. Not everyone has the ambition to race and they may not have built their car for that purpose. That wasn't my original intention when the project started. I've just come to the realization that I have waaaay to much performance for the street to appreciate safely. Now I'm making the changes needed to make the car as reliable and predictable on the track as I want it to be. I always wanted to get into circle track racing later in life. This may be the precurser to that or a faster form of road course racing. I'm not afraid to get some chips in the car since it already has plenty from running around town. Paint can be fixed or refreshed. I built it to drive! Last time I checked, that was the intended purpose of a car. You will see me in California eventually. I do want to trailer it that far in case of weather or a mechanical problem.

As far as the magazine deal goes, I haven't sent one photo to anyone but Steve Rupp in the construction phase. Steve said he would shoot it eventually and it just gets better and has more history everyday. I 'd rather it was down the road after I've run some road course events as so on. That wasn't the reason I built the car and I can care less about car shows and showing it off. The biggest car show in Nevada is this weekend and I'm racing. I also turned down a spot at a recent indoor car show at a local strip casino. It's probably to late, but I wouldn't be interested in a Sema spot at this point either. I'd rather she was sitting cozy in my garage where I may have the chance to drive! Now if it got me into teh optima challenge I'd have to suck it up. LOL

[Tom.A]

Good luck at Pahrump.
I hope you get invited to the Optima challenge. Last year was great event to watch but the 40 car field was a little soft.....ie; I could do without Barry White driving a Ford crossover I think they hoped to get more cars and in the end they were left with some seat fillers. Hopefully they will select a full 40 cars like yours that are geared for this type of event

[fleetus macmullitz]

Originally Posted by tom_a

Good luck at Pahrump.
I hope you get invited to the Optima challenge.

Agreed, it really should be there.

[Vegas69]

I'm already trying to work the back up deal with Jimi with Optima. I'll probably just show up and if a spot needs filled. His exact words to me were " We already have enough 1st gen camaros in the field".