What do we have here?
- Thread starter DarnYankeeUSMC
- Start date
Don't see ARP studs on those mains
The 2.0l from a 2004 suzuki, for my 1989 pontiac lemans lemons car. Timing skipped and it bent valves as we were getting loaded for a race, really sucked.
New valves, new bearings, new rings, arp rod bolts and head studs, fingers crossed for 3 digits at the wheels (old engine was likely less than 50hp at the wheels). Goal was to get it to the tuner by Christmas.... And the first race is June.
Helped a buddy drop an M30B35 in his E28 today. I forgot how big those engines are relative to the cars.
Got finished changing out a bunch of stuff on my 12 tacoma with 148000 miles on it. Steering rack was leaking, 1 cv axle was bad (changed both), swapped the needle bearing out with the ecgs bushing, changed outer tie rod ends as I was already doing the work. All pretty well except I think I misaligned the steering spline by a tooth or so.
Also don't let the front stabilizer bar fall on your face. It hurts. No bruising, nothing broken. Bloody nose when it happened. Swelling in cheek area and left side of nose.
Also don't let the front stabilizer bar fall on your face. It hurts. No bruising, nothing broken. Bloody nose when it happened. Swelling in cheek area and left side of nose.
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- Nov 3, 2010
- 8,645
- 17,544
Didn’t realize that the general Lee had a grill guard.
- Nov 3, 2010
- 8,645
- 17,544
Things that make you go Hmmmmm.
They should have put BF Goodrich Radial TA's on it.
Getting closer. Hopefully in the car Sunday and to the tuner soon.
My old pig, 65 Coronet, 440/727/4:10. I bought it last spring but spent almost the entire year at my dad's place in Montana. It hadn't been registered for the street since 1978. I have a shit ton of parts for it. I just need some good weather to start working on it again, and fuck it's going to snow tonight and tomorrow again.
When I saw this:
I thought it was ovaries. It’s been a few days...I need to chase the old lady down.
Very cool, seeing that car out after so many years. Glad you’re saving it.
The boy and I went to Hallett for Good Friday VIP track day.
It was great. I set a new PR (over two seconds faster than last time I was there). Still not good, but I’m there for fun and won’t ever be competitive.
Here are some pics:
The photographer used a filter on this:
Same picture without filter:
And a couple more:
It was great. I set a new PR (over two seconds faster than last time I was there). Still not good, but I’m there for fun and won’t ever be competitive.
Here are some pics:
The photographer used a filter on this:
Same picture without filter:
And a couple more:
None of y’all will ever be as fast as mcrider55 heading to meet a male escort in his vette.
What year is your Camaro? I don’t think I would’ve ever gotten my ‘23 2SS 1LE if I’d ordered it with the PDR. Wish I had it, but I’ll live without it I guess.
The PDR should be standard in Cadillac V Blackwings, Camaro 1LEs, Corvette Z51/Z07 packages and optional for any V-Series, SS or Stingray.
PDR video put into Cosworth Toolbox is fantastic (and free!) data analysis for for anybody who tracks their car. Yeah, a Catalyst or AimSolo2DL gets you most of the way there, but the integration just makes sense...
PDR video put into Cosworth Toolbox is fantastic (and free!) data analysis for for anybody who tracks their car. Yeah, a Catalyst or AimSolo2DL gets you most of the way there, but the integration just makes sense...
It’s a 2024. When I found out they were ceasing Camaro production I decided I needed one. I started looking at the ZL1, but the only one I could find was black and I wanted one of the blues. After looking for a while and realizing my chances of getting what I wanted were very slim, I called to buy the black one, which had sold.
Then started the hunt for a SS1LE or ZL1, but I had some non-negotiables.
Every car I found for sale had a list of people ahead of me.
I found this Red Hot 2SS1LE that’s highly optioned waiting for delivery. It checks the most important boxes and the dealer wasn’t charging a premium over MSRP.
Setup:
6M
PDR
BCD (giant copper-free brakes)
Red seatbelts
Red knee pads
Navigation
It’s a lot more red items than I would have chosen, since the 1LE calipers are always red, but it is sharp.
My biggest complaint is the paint on these cars is the thinnest and chips easily. My car only has 2,000 miles on it and I think there is a scar for every bug and rock that looked at it.
My ATS-V was originally produced Raven Black, but was immediately repainted Velocity Red in Lansing so the car could be featured in the 2018 North American International Auto Show. Nobody likes a black car at an auto show, and they had a Vector Blue Metallic coupe, so they made a Velocity Red sedan. 1/1 car for 2018.
That is all written to say the front of my car looks like the surface of the moon due to rock chips, partially from I65 through downtown Louisville but mostly from driving on circuit (I think Gingerman's surface is the worst for this). Even 5yr ceramic coating didn't seem to help, really should have PPF'd the bumper/hood/fenders but didn't know what I didn't know.
I consider it character. At some point I might get it repaired, but that'll probably correspond with damage of some sort and a conversion to Full Racecar.
That is all written to say the front of my car looks like the surface of the moon due to rock chips, partially from I65 through downtown Louisville but mostly from driving on circuit (I think Gingerman's surface is the worst for this). Even 5yr ceramic coating didn't seem to help, really should have PPF'd the bumper/hood/fenders but didn't know what I didn't know.
I consider it character. At some point I might get it repaired, but that'll probably correspond with damage of some sort and a conversion to Full Racecar.
This kind of stuff is why I have a dedicated shit box Miata track car...
Get smacked with track rubber...meh...
Have a massive off... meh...
rock chips...meh...
etc...
mechanically the car is bad ass, but physically it doesnt look great.
Get smacked with track rubber...meh...
Have a massive off... meh...
rock chips...meh...
etc...
mechanically the car is bad ass, but physically it doesnt look great.
That's what track insurance is for...bin the semi-daily? Go get another. Rock chips and rubber marks are a sign of as-intended use.
Only sorta joking, if I knew I was gonna fall into this hobby I'd have started with a fully prepped E36/E46 or NB and a trailer.
(I see you registered for Ozarks in May...its tempting but I may end up at Pitt Race that weekend)
When I ordered my ‘23, the PDR was on constraint with no end in sight. Hell, even 2SS was on constraint for a while, but I still managed to get mine, just without PDR. It was about an 8 month wait from order to pick up. I love it, even without PDR. LOL
That's what track insurance is for...bin the semi-daily? Go get another. Rock chips and rubber marks are a sign of as-intended use.
Only sorta joking, if I knew I was gonna fall into this hobby I'd have started with a fully prepped E36/E46 or NB and a trailer.
(I see you registered for Ozarks in May...its tempting but I may end up at Pitt Race that weekend)
oh im not talking about how great my Miata is, just saying I dont give a shit about it on track for the most part. If I wrecked it real bad on track I could pull everything off of it, pull the drivetrain out, get a new roller chassis for 500-1k bucks, a new cage for 2500-3000, bolt everything else back on and be back in business. Even though I have 30-35k in my car, track insurance isnt worth it IMO at the rates I have seen. MAYBE if I ran COTA with how much they charge for the ARMCO if you hit it.
If you decide to run Ozark I think we have room in the house we rented for another person or 2. Its a great track. Well worth the travel.
lol. Nope. .308.
Saturday's effort. QD breather doodads for the new race car motor.
Valve covers come next...
Valve covers come next...
Im only giving suggestions on your 11:51 lap... And ill try to find my PR 1:33(I think it was) lap and post it up tomorrow... I dont think I deleted it from my Gamin, but I might have. And these are only suggestions as its hard to see with PDR video exactly how close you are to the edges.
Please dont take my critique as anything more than trying to help you get better. And some of the stuff my car will do, your car will not and vice versa.
Turn 1: get further right to the curbing then get onto the left curbing at the apex. There is a small channel between the asphalt and curb that will grab your drivers tire and hold it. You are also WAY over braking and braking to early IMO. I am taking that turn @70mph and I know my car will take it at mid to high 70's... you are 55mph. Im guessing you can gain 10-15mph on that turn if you start wider in the right curb, damn near run over the apex curb and let the car track out.
Turn 2(bus stop)... braking early again IMO. Brake later and harder. Try to get your eyeballs to pop out! Turn in later. Turn the 2-3 into a straight line towards the left side curbing just prior to turn 4(aim at the start of the curbing). Run over that 2-3 curbing with driver then passenger tires. And keep that straight line to left side track out. Look at the track map to visualize what I am trying to tell you. In your PDR video you can see all the rubber deeper into turn 2...
Turn 4: try to come right and take that tight instead of wide. If you can hold it, its faster. The wide to tight you are doing is what most instructors teach because its "easier" but its not faster. Then stay right towards the little section of right curbing before turning for 5.
Turn 5: You are turning early into 5 IMO. You dont even get towards the right curbing at track out at all. You are down on speed quite a bit. I think you are over braking 5 because your setup isnt far enough right after 4. Its a fast transition off of 4 into 5.
Turn 6: maybe over braking a little bit, but otherwise looks decent. Get further right into the curbing before entry and at track out you will only hit the last 1/3 of the curbing if you are carrying enough speed. The apex IMO is about where the big drain or whatever it is. I think its a little later apex. If you spin off 6 there is tons of run-off... Ive probably seen more people go off 6 than anywhere else.
Turn 7-8-9: get a bit further right before 7 into the curbing then try to make that 7-8 a straight line. The entry to 7 has a like 2x3 ft. tar patch... drive over it or even a little left... Once you crest 8 and come down the car will put some G's on and you can lean into the brakes as the track transitions for the uphill to 9. The big tar patch into 9, try to stay inside of it or at worst put your drivers side tires on it. When you come out of 9, stay left, dont try to drive back right immediately, you have a long straight to setup to the right side. The bump at the bridge isnt bad at speed(I know thats why you are trying to come right immediately). You can see the curbing for 10 as you come out of 9, aim for it.
Turn 10: I think you can wait just a fraction longer before turn in and maybe start just a bit further right into the curbing. Some people will tell you throw away the first apex(I think you do that), track out towards the middle(you didnt track out much, try to get closer to the access road crossing), then come in hard to apex the second turn and then track out right and hammer down the straight.
Those are my little critiques. I think you are over braking and not carrying the corner speed mostly, which with such little time in the car isnt a surprise. A few different line choices if you can hold them. And attack the curbing... im a whore though that likes to work the curbs...
Let me see if my PB is still on my Garmin from last September and ill upload it.
Edit: Ive got my 1:33 lap on my Garmin and its saved, but I cant get it off the Garmin on my macbook. Ill do it on my PC in the morning. Watching it though I can see a few things I can do to go faster.
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Working some bugs out still, but close to taking it to the track. Until then it’s an ice cream getter with the daughter 
I think I know the answer, but is it still the 4.3l?Working some bugs out still, but close to taking it to the track. Until then it’s an ice cream getter with the daughter
Here's my 1:33.58 PB... I know my car has ~5 seconds left in it compared to a buddy who runs a very similar car.
There's a few things I see in there that I know are a better line, like I laid out in my last post, that I didnt quite get to. I also need to up my corner speed in a few places(turn 1, turn 4, turn 5, turn 9, turn 10) as I have more track that I am not using.
That white Mustang was an older Mach 1 I think it was. I reeled him in and passed him in every session. I was eating him under braking every session. I went to try to chat with him after one session and he was a complete asshole so fuck him. I just wanted to chat because he seemed like a decent driver. He just wanted to make excuses why Miata's were eating him LOL... He didnt get invited to the beer tent.
Off by one number
5.3 LS with s475 turbo.I know my car has a lot more to give than what I’m using. That’s most of it - I’m still learning the car.
Huge thanks, for the turn by turn. It’s very helpful. Overall, I agree with you. After watching your video, I’m certain I can be carrying A LOT more speed than I have been. I’m also not sure about the brakes. They are massive and I’ve not gotten close to their limits, so I really don’t know where the braking limit is. I’ll watch the PDR after a session where i believe I was really getting on the brakes and the damn brake indicator will be less than a 2/5!
The best I’ve seen posted from a 6th Gen SS1LE is a 1:26:xx. Now, after watching your video, I see how that’s possible. I just have to be less of a chicken shit and go faster.
Maybe I’ll see you out there. I’m generally not an asshole, but I might make excuses….
I figured. I'm stubborn and retarded so I always thought it would be cool to build up my old S10 with the 4.3.Off by one number
People are doing that too! Those 4.3’s are identical to a 350 minus 2 cylinders. Lots of info out there on people using them.
I only come up there for Miata's at Hallett. There is usually a waiting list of non-Miata's and a few get in every year. Its a good event. Runs the track both directions.
And like I said, I know I missed a few of the points that I need to hit to shave time. I actually was planning to "throw away" that session trying some new lines in a few sessions and came away with the 1:33. I can clean up some stuff that I wasnt to concerned with because I was really working on the turn 4 tight line and the tighter line on 9 also as well as carrying more speed and not braking down to grab a lower gear, but rolling through in a higher gear. A big place for me will be to carry more speed through 1, 4 and 9 specifically.
Any time on track you have the wheel turned you arent going faster. You are either scrubbing speed naturally due to the tire being turned and causing more rolling resistance OR you cant put the power down with the pedal. So when you have a long straight you dont need to immediately setup for the next corner(9 going for 10), you can come out of the corner and aim for your setup point. 10 to 1 is a natural setup on the right side and 1 sets you up nice for 2 just staying track right. 9 to 10, stay left and drift right during the course of the whole straight, no need to drive right immediately.
As far as the brakes, learn to use the braking markers and dont touch the brakes until the 5 marker and HAMMER down on them and see where you are at when you hit say 30mph or something. You will throw away a lap on doing that in a few spots, but it will give you an indication. If you hit 30mph by the 2 marker, then you only need to brake at the 3 to make the turn... or if you only need to brake down to say 50mph from 100 you might only need to start at the 3 marker. But you need to know what your car is doing under hard braking. I think stuff like Draggy also has braking data you can pull from it. Do some 100-50 braking exercises or whatever to know your distances. I think braking markers are standard in 100's of feet to the turn. In my car I can generally hold out until the 1.5 to 2 marker. I lift at the 2, transition to brakes by 1.5 and then LAY INTO them. I brake late and use the shit out of my brakes. Its where I catch most people since I dont have any HP.
But you can see with my video what a "decent" lap with 140hp will do. Hallett wont reward your heavy high HP car like a track like COTA or Eagles Canyon would. The straights arent long enough. You have like 20mph on my down the main straight, but at Eagles Canyon you would likely have 35-40mph on me down the back straight and I can never make that up. I can hold my own at Eagles Canyon through about turn 9, then the back straight people just use their HP and run away and I never catch up to a 40-50mph deficit.
This video is pretty funny on braking... after the guy buries his head in his own lap under braking he pits in and they tell him "oh you hit 40% braking thats pretty good"... LOL. Start at 8:40 if my link doesnt do it.
Yeah, I think it was Hot Rod magazine that built one up years ago and it ended up pretty potent. But even then most of the aftermarket go fast parts had dried up. Maybe things are different now.
Regardless, that truck went to the big mud pit in the sky long ago. When it got to the point that I put almost as much oil in as I did gas and the doors flew open under hard (relatively) cornering among many other things, I decided it was time. That's back when they were nearly free trucks, now I'd have to sell my left nut to get a clean one.