Ok, finally taking the time to update this. Last update was the Sunday night before RTTC. As most of you know, I did make RTTC, but it was not an easy journey. I had it mostly together Tuesday night, but found out the links for the watts were too long. So Wednesday during my lunch, I ran out to a offroad shop and picked up some weld-in threaded adapters so I could make new links Wednesday night. Get them together and finish up the last couple things on the car. I know something's not quite right since there's an interference between the rear rotors and the backing plates from Kore3, but I press on (more of this later). First drive was about 1am Thursday morning over to my buddy's house to pick up my hood. Gave me enough time to bed in the new pads. Drove the car to work that day and left for California about 5pm. Made it to the La Quinta in time to catch the last of the parking lot partiers.
Here's a couple pictures from that week. Wasn't taking many due to rush to get the car done.
So Friday morning of RTTC. Luckily I was on the autoX first so I could test out my new suspension that I finished up just over 24 hours prior. It was running fine throughout the day until late afternoon on the autoX course. Heard one pop, didn't think too much of it, heard another, and then the sound of metal dragging on the ground. Oh ****. Car is still rolling ok, but I coast off to the side. Get out to look underneath, and my &)($&#% torque arm is hanging on the ground. Push it back to the pit area and get it up on jack stands to see wtf happened. The upper bar cracked and sheared which placed the entire load on the lower turnbuckle which then failed.
Red lines show where it broke
After running around asking everyone if they had a welder on site. Brett from Fab53 offered to take it home and weld it back together for me that night. HUGE thanks to Brett for this. He saved my ass big time. He brought the arm back Saturday morning, complete with lots of extra bracing and a ubiquitous Fab53 sticker. Threw it in and went racing. Raced all day Saturday without issue, and then drove it home on Sunday.
Whew.
Drove it to work one day the week after RTTC and realized something was still wrong. Took me a few weeks to dig into it, but I found out that the offset of my rear axles (flange to bearing) was wrong. Rear rotors dug into the backing plates and pad abutment brackets. Got that fixed just last weekend and cleaned up all the collateral damage. Finally driveable again last Sunday. No issues. 'tis a good feeling.
So how do I celebrate?
Drive on a bunch of dirt roads today
It's filthy beyond belief, but it's good to be back.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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