-
So like. Wow.
This entire engine replacement process has been a test of will, strength, and insanity. Parts are tough to get ahold of for this engine, because it was only made for 5 years. Over that 5 years they had MULTIPLE changes for one reason or another.
I'd get one thing complete only to be held up trying to find a replacement part, or the one I got didn't work, at all. Even though it is supposed to...
The replacement engine I took to the machine shop was bored 0.030 over, and rules only allowed 0.020. which I had told the machine shop. So that block wasn't legal. Y'know, the one I drove to arkansas to pick up.....
They found me a replacement but it's from a Camaro, the difference is, the Corvette block has 4 bolts per crank journal while the camaro was 2. Whatever.
The original flywheel and clutch were on their last legs, so I had to replace them with a single mass unit. Which put a delay on getting the engine internals balanced.
It was literally one thing after another for troubles.
Fast forward 5 months after I started this fucking project. G
I had the car put completely back together 2 weeks prior to nationals. And then dropped it off at a local race shop so they could weld in my x-pipe and connect the midsection of the exhaust I had to cut out to pull the engine. They got the exhaust done in an awesome fashion, and the day of a TNiA for a shakedown.
I'm trying to break in the engine, at the track, along with the clutch. Car develops a missfire and I call it a day after two sessions. I'm pissed and out of ideas. I call a buddy up to diag the issue, carte blanche. Because I'm fucking at a loss of mental stability. I'm also out of time. Less than a week before I leave for nats.
He calls me up two days later, says I owe him an hour, which is $80. Turns out, I swapped around plug wires for 6 and 8.
Fucking whatever. Car runs great now. So I put in to start getting the car broken in....
I only get 100 miles on the car before I tow down to bowling green. Remember, I haven't ever had the chance to drive this car in anger ...ever. I'm also on brand new Koni yellows, which were on backorder for like...........3 months.
First day of practice, it's raining off and on, so I am tiptoeing around the track, afraid SOMETHING is going to break. Because why not after the drama to get here. Nothing happens on Thursday. I'm slowly becoming more comfortable with the car.
Friday is first day of times runs. I'm nervous but still excited to finally be there. I get stuck behind a Ford Probe, part of cold lotion racing, and can't get a point by. I'm stuck at 2'40 lap times and can't get a point by. After the second session of this, I walk up to the guy and beg him for a point by, he graciously concedes he will give me one on y last session for the day. He also mentioned that he was being flagged for smoke, to which I could tell him, he was locking up his back tires going into 10, because I had 40 minutes to watch him do it over and over ....
Final session on Friday he give me a point by right away, and I don't see him for the rest of the weekend. I'm immediately into the 2'31s and clawing my way up.
Friday finished on a good note, and I was starting to piece the runs together on what the car wants.
I was excited for Saturday track sprints. This is where I knew I could make up some time on cars.
West course, I wear the wrong shoes out, and get my shoe stuck on the brake pedal on my fastest run. I left an easy 1.5-2 seconds out there because of it.
East course, I'm ready, I watch what others are doing. I completely bitch my downshift and rev match on my final two runs. I'm fuming pissed at myself.
Of note, still learning what to do with this car. And my feet, because I can't do certain things due to my hip shit.
Saturday night I run through what I can do to make some changes.
Sunday I am hell-bent on not fucking up my downshifts in heavy braking zones. I talk with a couple of people and head out. Session one gets a red flag for THE probe clipping the rumbles too hard and flipping the inertia switch. I check on him after the session and all is well.
We go out again and I'm chomping at the bit. I put in one lap at pace to get the nerves out, then settle in for a lap. The video doesn't show it well, but I am clipping curbs pretty aggressively. I finished that lap, to look at my timer, which shows I'm on a 2'31.... I call bullshit on the time and just accept it and finish my cool down. When I get back to impound Nate congratulated me on a kick ass time. I shrug him off at first, then ask him what it was. 2'27.935. I'm ecstatic, because my goal for the weekend was a 2'28 (I'm still MILES from the pointy end of the field, though). We have one more session in which I go out to work on cleaning up basics, and to have a good end for the weekend. No hero level shit.
We lack up, and the week of Nats is over.
I'm already wanting to go back. But first, I need to get a roll bar, seats, and a harness into the car so I can focus on driving, instead of staying in the seat.
Video. Feel free to critique. I am going to be working on initial brake input, and brake pedal release over the winter as my major focus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4xG...ature=youtu.be
-
Of note, you were only 3 seconds behind the M6 but were 15mph slower on the top end. You were really hustling around the twisties to achieve that. :up:
-
Thanks for that bit of info.
Next year, it will be on 315s! Nothing like 40mm wider per tire to make the car a little faster!
-
Yeah? You've never brought it up before...
;)
-
How do the TT's work? Do you get an out lap, hot lap, cool down lap? Or do you get a 20 minute (or whatever) session in which to set your time?
-
Basic format event you get three 20 min practice sessions. Two 20 minute fastest lap session, where the fastest time for the day counts. 3 track sprints, and two 15 minute fastest lap sessions.
-
In the last year they have changed those 15 minute sessions to out-3-in sessions. That enables them to run half size groups.
-
OK, so you DO get a decent amount of track time, similar to a plain ol' HPDE.
Someone was trying to tell me that your hot laps were limited.
-
After much debate and discussion. I'll be selling the Vette do to many reasons. I don't really fit into the car, and with my hip limitations, foot work under heavy braking is a bit difficult with size 12 shoes.
I'm currently kicking around ideas. Please add any knowledge about the vehicles listed. Goal is under 30k and I would prefer to stay in the Sport class, but am not against stretching to tuner. I just don't want someone's project.
C5Z
996
Early Cayman S
Giulia Ti RWD(flappy paddles)
S550 mustang gt/eb with the PP
12-13 boss 302
F-Type S
Currently laying the discussion is the c5Z. This isn't because of I want to track the defacto package, but it's the easy button.
I'll be looking at a Giulia later today, but that's just too get me to scratch an itch. I *may* look into a stick axle mustang 5.0 instead of the boss, but that would lose me the roadrunner engine.
-
Just get whatever feels best in GT:S.
