1985 Monte Carlo SS known as Barney

[SSLance]

Thanks for the kind words David... I enjoy sharing my adventures with the class, before, during and after my projects. It's a great way to learn while at the same time maybe helping others learn something along the way as well.

Ron said in his radio podcast interview the other day with Jimi Day and Rob Kibbe that is what has drawn him to the Pro-Touring crowd most of all, the camaraderie, willingness to share...and most of all the way we help each other out any way we can. That feeling doesn't exist in most other motorsports arenas...it is special to us.

[SSLance]

It's funny...this whole interior re-work project was done basically so I could run 5 point harnesses... New seats, new roll bar, everything...and the last thing that is going in is finally in...the harnesses.



I ordered some Flanged Alloy Socket Cap Screws, M12 Size, 50MM Length, 1.75MM Pitch and some Nylon-Insert Nonmarring Flange Locknut, Zinc-Plated Class 8 Steel, M12X1.75 Thread Size nuts and was able to use them to fasten the new lap belt brackets and the factory seat belt brackets to the factory holes in the floor. The bolts were long enough that I was able to put the lock nuts on the back side of them to prevent any loosening and give an extra sense of security for the driver. The hole in the lap belt brackets was just big enough to let the bracket swivel on the bolt to desired proper angle.

This is the driver side rocker panel attachment of the harness lap belt outside the carpet and the factory belt bracket under the carpet.





Bad picture but here is the trans tunnel attachment, you can't see the factory belt because it's behind the black harness lap belt.



And the shoulder belt attachment points.



One of the brackets I needed for the submarine belt is on backorder so I haven't installed them yet. I can see the need for them though as I noticed when I was sitting in the seat and pulling the shoulder belts tight, the lap belt pulled up from across my hips into my abdomen. I'll get those in when the bracket gets here...shouldn't be a big deal.

Can't wait to see how the new belts and seats hold me in position better when out on course...this Saturday!!!

[GregWeld]

Ah --- all that we do in the name of "racing". LOL Nice work Lance!



In the Mustang --- I have to be very careful where the connection/release point is in relation to my belly and the bottom of the steering wheel! I have short legs (only my legs! LOL) and have to sit pretty close to the wheel.... if I'm not careful with the sub belt length -- and pull the shoulders tight - it puts the release in "interference" with the bottom of the steering wheel and I've released the belts while cornering! That's not a good feeling on the road course -- you have to come in because you just can't continue being loose in the seat.

[SSLance]

Maybe sneaking in a salad every now and then and laying off the cheeseballs might help with that Greg! lol...

I think I'm alright in that scenario, I'm more concerned about having room for my elbows flaying about... I used to run my GTO seats up pretty close to the wheel basically to make sure my right foot could get up on the gas pedal to make sure I was getting full WOT. If I try to run these Recaros up that close, I run out of room for my left elbow as it hits the seat bolster and door panel.

I've reconfigured the gas pedal a bit to make it easier to get WOT without having my foot way up on it and I'm hoping that is my cure. We'll just have to see how it all fits once I make a run or two.

The lap belts are a mo-fo to adjust...for some reason I can't pull up on the adjuster to pull them tight without having a bit of slack in the lap belt itself. What I ended up doing last night was to unlatch the belt, snug it up, then suck my gut in while relatching the belt. I got it tight and centered that way but if I have to reposition the seat for any reason, I'll have to readjust the belt again. That is not going to be fun when hopping in the car for another quick run on the autocross course. That's what the test n tune the day before is for I guess...to get all of that stuff set.

It is going to be more of a pain for any passengers I take for ridealongs. Getting them strapped in (people who most likely aren't accustomed to harnesses anyway) might be cumbersome because they all might be different sizes...

[Panteracer]

I still use the old latch type belts.. still 5 belts- and new to date
I have had a few people tell me they have accidentally
unhooked everything just moving around.. not for me
Plus I am still old school... but mostly old

Bob

[GregWeld]

I fixed that whole strapping in thing with two mods...

#1 - removed passenger seat completely


#2 - Hired Sutton... he helps me get organized


LOL



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You're spot on with the gut comment..... and I've started to work out again with a trainer 3 days a week. So that's FIX NUMBER 3

[SSLance]

This weekend all of the off season prep was put to the test. It's where the rubber meets the road as they say. Our local SCCA test n tune was Saturday, and our Event 1 was Sunday. Weather was perfect for Saturday, couldn't have been any better...Sunday...not so much. Huge thunderstorms and rain all morning long, we finally got our first car off a little after noon and the track dried pretty well, but was still cool and damp and the conditions made us have to improvise on the course making it much more choppy and technical with no high speed zones at all. But hey...it was still racing and that's better than not racing.

Here's my best run from yesterday taken from the GoPro behind the seats.



And here's the same run showing how well the new Recaro seats and Simpson belts are holding the driver in place.



Had a great weekend, car did great, driver did okay once the rust was shook off... Had a half second lead in class through 4 runs yesterday and on the 5th run Patrick picked up 7 tenths which is huge...and clipped me by a tenth for the class win.

We were about a tenth apart on Saturday as well at the test n tune. So much fun racing with someone right at the same speed you are...had a blast.

Here are a couple of runs from the test n tune on Saturday, was a much more open course...got well into the 5,000 RPM range where the new power kicked in several times during a run.

[SSLance]

Oh yeah, I forgot the best part...

Noticed the rear axle bearing gone bad vibration yet once again on the way home yesterday.

[DavidBoren]

I think it might be time for a new axle. Maybe a Ron Sutton decoupled 3-link, as well. That should end this axle bearing nonsense once and for all. Then again, it's really easy for me to spend other people's money.

I'm glad to hear your fancy carburetor is working well for you.

[SSLance]

While I agree a decoupled three link would be awesome, you have to remember that this is a budget build that I race for a hobby. I am not racing this car for a living!

I basically have the same three choices that I had last year when it started eating axle bearings.

(1) keep replacing them as needed (getting good at it and they are cheap)

(2) upgrade to tapered bearing axles (about $300 with a slightly better bearing setup)

(3) convert axle ends to full floaters ($$ not only for the ends, but also the new rear brake package that has to come along with the new floater ends).

Then, if going that route...it only makes more sense to upgrade the front brake package similarly at the same time so they remain a balanced brake setup. $$$$

I just don't want to spend the money to do a full brake upgrade to resolve a problem that costs me $25 bearings a couple of times a season.

I'm pretty certain the left bearing is failing this time and it was replaced before the Optima event last July...it's had a BUNCH of abuse on it since then. The tapered bearing axle setup might be the prudent choice here but I'm not sure just how much better they'll be than the current bearings are considering what I do with the car? Need to sleep on it and check out my schedule...then decide.