WELD/SUTTON DIRT MISSILE build

[Ron Sutton]

There were only 9 bets in the pool (chickens ?) & the winner is Chris Tremel ! We ran 1:54:78 & one of Chris' bets was 1:53.5.

Chris, you've won your choice of $45.00 or an all expenses non-paid trip to the vacation destination of your choosing.

If it helps heal any wounds to the others that picked times, we did think we were going to run the 3-mile Thunderhill track the "NORMAL" direction. Depending on who you talk to, the normal direction lap times would be 3 to 6 seconds quicker than the opposite direction. I tend to dismiss the 6 seconds & think it's more like 2 or 3. So "maybe" we would have ran 1:51's to 1:52's.

Going the normal direction, as Benny gets used to the car & we trim it out. (I intentionally set it up "tight") I expect the car to run 1:50's here.

The one thing I am clear on, as is everyone there, this track wasn't designed to be ran clockwise. The run off areas, curbing, blind spots, etc make running this track backwards VERY dangerous in really fast cars. The Porsche racers protested & refused to run it that way, it was so dangerous.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

There were only 9 bets in the pool (chickens ?) & the winner is Chris Tremel ! We ran 1:54:78 & one of Chris' bets was 1:53.5.

Chris, you've won your choice of $45.00 or an all expenses non-paid trip to the vacation destination of your choosing.

If it helps heal any wounds to the others that picked times, we did think we were going to run the 3-mile Thunderhill track the "NORMAL" direction. Depending on who you talk to, the normal direction lap times would be 3 to 6 seconds quicker than the opposite direction. I tend to dismiss the 6 seconds & think it's more like 2 or 3. So "maybe" we would have ran 1:51's to 1:52's.

Going the normal direction, as Benny gets used to the car & we trim it out. (I intentionally set it up "tight") I expect the car to run 1:50's here.

The one thing I am clear on, as is everyone there, this track wasn't designed to be ran clockwise. The run off areas, curbing, blind spots, etc make running this track backwards VERY dangerous in really fast cars. The Porsche racers protested & refused to run it that way, it was so dangerous.

My 1:52.2 guess might have covered running normal around the track.
My vacation destination would probably be going to one of your future track days! I know it was work, but that had to be a real hoot!

[FETorino]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

There were only 9 bets in the pool (chickens ?) & the winner is Chris Tremel ! We ran 1:54:78 & one of Chris' bets was 1:53.5.

Chris, you've won your choice of $45.00 or an all expenses non-paid trip to the vacation destination of your choosing.

If it helps heal any wounds to the others that picked times, we did think we were going to run the 3-mile Thunderhill track the "NORMAL" direction. Depending on who you talk to, the normal direction lap times would be 3 to 6 seconds quicker than the opposite direction. I tend to dismiss the 6 seconds & think it's more like 2 or 3. So "maybe" we would have ran 1:51's to 1:52's.

Going the normal direction, as Benny gets used to the car & we trim it out. (I intentionally set it up "tight") I expect the car to run 1:50's here.

The one thing I am clear on, as is everyone there, this track wasn't designed to be ran clockwise. The run off areas, curbing, blind spots, etc make running this track backwards VERY dangerous in really fast cars. The Porsche racers protested & refused to run it that way, it was so dangerous.

Was the clockwise track direction the only issue you were dealing with?

[96z28ss]

The car photographs well, and is a beast once it got on the track.
The car had some issues that were being dealt with all weekend. Luckily no one showed up that could run as fast. Walking around the pits people would ask if it was ever going to do more than a single hot lap in a session. People wanted to see that thing run.

Its was complete opposite of Greg's other mustang. Old Yellar you just arrive and drive

Hopefully the car is all dialed in for the next outing.

[GregWeld]

It's 9:30 PM and after going to back to the track this morning to confirm some details on my new shed space.... and fussing a bit in the old space -- a nice 12 hour drive and I'm home.


I will post a long and detailed review of the real actual events tomorrow when I can think straight and think about what I want to say.

[Ron Sutton]

Originally Posted by FETorino

Was the clockwise track direction the only issue you were dealing with?

Oh hell no. For me & the crew it was a rough 3 days. Thursday after Greg drove the car around the block at Randy's shop ... at speeds we won't mention here ... the throttle quit responding. We loaded anyway & went to the track. So Friday morning at the track we spent hours figuring out what the cause of the problem was. Before we accurately diagnosed the harness I had ordered two throttle bodies, harnesses & other stuff from Summit in Reno & had it "Lyfted" to us at the track in Willows, CA. 3 hours & $400 will be the answer to some questions asked here.

After we got the harness reworked & car running, the first session on track was cut short from oil blow by out of the Dry Sump breather. For anyone not there, there was a cloud of smoke that would come out. This problem haunted us all 3 days. We got it "reduced" enough on Saturday to where we could make a warm up lap & run 2-3 hard, fast laps before it reared its head. But it never went away & won't until we change the system.

We also had a cooling issue. We run a C&R extruded radiator with a heat exchanger built in to cool the engine oil. The engine got hot quicker than it should have. This amplified the oiling issue & the oiling issue amplified the cooling issue. So the crew had to do a routine of clean off the dry sump vent, any excess oil & cool down the car after every run. Friday's test day was brutal. Not good. And not the way the car should work or will work, once I get it fixed. Saturday & Sunday were "better." The crew & I never quit, so we toughed it out did what was necessary to run the best we could each session of the NASA weekend.

We did miss a session each day as well. The missed session on Saturday was to repair a broken shock mount from where Benny got off track after the bypass. This required the shock mount to be rewelded on & braced. Thank goodness there was a good shop there to fix that, or we'd have been done. We missed another session Sunday, dealing with burnt starter wires. (Engine bay was very hot).

The car was crazy fast, but it's not correct yet. The RSRT stuff I designed, like the chassis, suspension, brakes, 3rd Member & engine combo all worked well. Some of the things I just buy, also worked good, like the PPG Sequential transmission, QuarterMaster clutch & X-ineering "no lift" shift controller. But the ARE Dry Sump system had serious issues that were frustrating as Fu#$. So was the C&R cooling system. Both of those companies have awesome records of great products. But the systems they recommended that are "currently" on Greg's car did not work well at all. Gotta be fixed.

So back at the office, I'll be working with the cooling experts at C&R & the dry sump gurus at ARE to figure out what's wrong & make whatever changes are needed to Greg's car & future Track-Warriors. After we figure out what changes are needed to the dry sump system tank/plumbing/venting & cooling system, we'll bring Greg's car back to Randy's shop & make those upgrades/corrections. Well before it runs again. Frankly, we'll probably go test just to make sure the cooling system & dry sump vent don't have any issues & work as they should before going to another event.

At this time, the car is NOT plug n' play. Rob, I didn't want you to take me not posting a story with details as "all was great." I did want to announce the pool winner. As you know, it was rough. But we toughed it out & got a couple TTU wins which are really a testament to the car's capabilities & the crews perseverance. But we still have work to do.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

Oh hell no. For me & the crew it was a rough 3 days. Thursday after Greg drove the car around the block at Randy's shop ... at speeds we won't mention here ... the throttle quit responding. We loaded anyway & went to the track. So Friday morning at the track we spent hours figuring out what the cause of the problem was. Before we accurately diagnosed the harness I had ordered two throttle bodies, harnesses & other stuff from Summit in Reno & had it "Lyfted" to us at the track in Willows, CA. 3 hours & $400 will be the answer to some questions asked here.

After we got the harness reworked & car running, the first session on track was cut short from oil blow by out of the Dry Sump breather. For anyone not there, there was a cloud of smoke that would come out. This problem haunted us all 3 days. We got it "reduced" enough on Saturday to where we could make a warm up lap & run 2-3 hard, fast laps before it reared its head. But it never went away & won't until we change the system.

We also had a cooling issue. We run a C&R extruded radiator with a heat exchanger built in to cool the engine oil. The engine got hot quicker than it should have. This amplified the oiling issue & the oiling issue amplified the cooling issue. So the crew had to do a routine of clean off the dry sump vent, any excess oil & cool down the car after every run. Friday's test day was brutal. Not good. And not the way the car should work or will work, once I get it fixed. Saturday & Sunday were "better." The crew & I never quit, so we toughed it out did what was necessary to run the best we could each session of the NASA weekend.

We did miss a session each day as well. The missed session on Saturday was to repair a broken shock mount from where Benny got off track after the bypass. This required the shock mount to be rewelded on & braced. Thank goodness there was a good shop there to fix that, or we'd have been done. We missed another session Sunday, dealing with burnt starter wires. (Engine bay was very hot).

The car was crazy fast, but it's not correct yet. The RSRT stuff I designed, like the chassis, suspension, brakes, 3rd Member & engine combo all worked well. Some of the things I just buy, also worked good, like the PPG Sequential transmission, QuarterMaster clutch & X-ineering "no lift" shift controller. But the ARE Dry Sump system had serious issues that were frustrating as Fu#$. So was the C&R cooling system. Both of those companies have awesome records of great products. But the systems they recommended that are "currently" on Greg's car did not work well at all. Gotta be fixed.

So back at the office, I'll be working with the cooling experts at C&R & the dry sump gurus at ARE to figure out what's wrong & make whatever changes are needed to Greg's car & future Track-Warriors. After we figure out what changes are needed to the dry sump system tank/plumbing/venting & cooling system, we'll bring Greg's car back to Randy's shop & make those upgrades/corrections. Well before it runs again. Frankly, we'll probably go test just to make sure the cooling system & dry sump vent don't have any issues & work as they should before going to another event.

At this time, the car is NOT plug n' play. Rob, I didn't want you to take me not posting a story with details as "all was great." I did want to announce the pool winner. As you know, it was rough. But we toughed it out & got a couple TTU wins which are really a testament to the car's capabilities & the crews perseverance. But we still have work to do.

No..... no, you won't be doing anything with the car because as you know - you were FIRED. I will post why, in detail, in the morning when I have time.