Nope, as mentioned I simply used an old custom rail from another race seat setup I had. However w/o that rail I would of needed a custom rail and will still likely have a diffferent rail made so I can change the seat position.

There's a nice Recaro SPG seat for sale which Pat told me about but it's an XL so I can't use it. Here's the link: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...t-sale-xl.html

You also might want to consider the Kirkey seat I still have from Gene Felbers old track car that Pete was talking about. It's in great shape and has a really nice comfy cover on it. Check out my massive moving sale thread for pics.

 

DO NOT GET T HE FLU this year it’s a nasty SOB. Anyway finally feeling a little better.

After not competing in anything all year other than a few autocrosses I was super hyped to run TTS with NASA at there Oktoberfest event on the VIR F course. I arrived on Friday around lunch time which allowed me to run a couple of warm up sessions to make sure the car was still in the groove and thankfully no worries there other than my 4th and 5th gears are grinding and getting into gear can be a challenge. My girls came down Friday night and we hit Outback for dinner and stayed up late watching extreme fighting on SPIKE TV, love that ****!

The Saturday morning qualifying session is very wet so I tip toe around running like a 2.35 or something but good enough to qualify 1st. During the 1st timed session I’m late to the grid because I’m also instructing (lucky here w/ a good student in a supra) but figure they’ll let me go up front but they point me behind a buddy of mine in his 120 hp Nissan SE who qualified 3rd (he can drive) so clearly qualifying was not important or relevant but not a biggie because I was only 5 cars back or so however believe it or not the field was so big I didn’t get a clean lap and ran a 2:09. No worries though because I had an ace up my sleeve, some new Hoosiers waiting at the track side vendor Hoosier has a nice contingency, 2 free tires for winning classes and 1 for 2nd place so I figured I’d order up some new ones so I wouldn’t embarrass myself and just in case I was lucky enough to win I’d get some free tires. Well the second timed session I had to rely on my pit crew which in this case is Brent and the girls w/ the larger portion of course coming from the girls , just fooling because Brent was huge all weekend (THANKS AGAIN MAN) to run my car up to the grid and he got me in around the 7th spot which isn’t bad because I was lucky to even be on the grid. Ok so the car is waiting and I’m out on track w/ my student and once we come into pit road I leap out of his car and into my car just as the pace car is leaving the pits and fortunately the the pit official let me leave w/o fastening my harness but I think the S2000 behind me was a little pissed at my erractic driving while following the pace car and restling with my harness until I was finally buttoned up at oaktree. Now that I’m buttoned up and the green flag waves I find some space and get two open laps but I decide to come in because the track is loosing grip because of the misting rain. Fortunately the time was good enough for 1st by literally 2 or 3 hundredths, man that was CLOSE but HELL YEAH for the win!

Sunday I qualify 1st again but who gives a **** lol Can’t remember where I started but I got some clean laps and ran an official best of 2.07 something which I hope is good enough for the win because I’m feeling like hammered **** with early flu symptoms and tell the girls I’ll probably call it a day. Well they rally behind me and I go out for the second session and the car has a massive hesitation so I come in and discover the wastegate line came off and it’s overboosting. Well we get the line back on but not in time to complete a full lap. 3rd session I’m looking for my truck to get my wallet to get gas but the girls borrowed it to go to their special track look out. I get in my wifes car and go 4 wheeling to hunt them down to get the wallet, so I can get the gas and get out on track but the session is half over and guess what happens, the FRIKKEN line comes off again “F*$*%(#)K” somethings aren't meant to be. Anyway Dan Kopp who apparently can drive the wheels off his STI runs a 2.06 and spanks me bad. Not sure I could of beat him had the line stayed on but people were putting down some really good times because it was cool outside and the track was full of rubber from two seperate hour long enduro races that afternoon. Speaking of times Phillip Grabow ran a 1:59 in his extremely cool STI which was running on low boost (i think he said around 450 and could of been running 600rwhp). Can't wait to see that car running at full potential. I caught up to him on one of his cool down laps at oaktree and when he took off he left me like I was in a spec miata and then preceded to spin in front me messin up what could of been my only clean lap the 1st timed session lol. There were also some GTRs with lots of bolt ons, one of which ran a 2.00 flat lap.

It would appear that my little FD is going to need some serious prep work this winter to continue competing w/ the modern day vehicles. DAMN THEY BE FAST!

In summary it truly was a spectacular event and the TT sessions were HUGE so I look forward to running with NASA some next year and hope even more people jump on the TT train.

Once I get the computer fixed up I’ll put up a vid on youtube.

PS I also now have an official race team name which my wife coined after listening to me go off on my endless excuse rants which is “ALMOST” Racing. I try not to make excuses but seriously when it comes to auto sports there really are a lot of things to bitch about

 

Glad you are feeling better man. I went to Alexandria/DC this weekend and thought about seeing if you were going to be around and drop off the editing software if you were, but I figured you were prob. still sick. Great weekend at the track! Look forward to next year. I'll be doing TT next year I hope. Just have to get my times down so I can be competitive. Almost racing... Almost. haha.

 

I agree about the importance of proper padding... and in the right places. But if you get into an accident where your helmet is actually going to hit that bar behind the seat I think you're going to have bigger problems on your hands. Just trying to imagine what kind of impact it would take to cause that is difficult.

 

Oh yeah, thought you might enjoy this story. When I was bleeding the tires I was talking to Morgen and telling her I was going to pull your car around for you since you were short on time but had no idea where the key was. After we check the car and it's not there, Morgen is trying to think where it could be... Erin walks off and comes back with key in hand and says "here you go."... haha. That's what I'm talking about! Keeping tabs on her old man.

 

That's AWESOME!, when you're "almost" racing the crew chief can be any age

You know she's always taking her two little fingers like a piece sign, pointing them at her eyes, sticking her arm straight out and pointing at me, just like Bob in Meet the Parents

 

haha... that's great. Software headed your way man. Now to finish all the crap at work so I can pull the engine and tranny(thank God for great friends like Dan(Chadwick)), wait for the guy to pick up the roller, and get ready for Road Atlanta this weekend. Just makes the track time all the sweeter.

 

Brent,
Thanks once again for sofware!

VID is up from Sundays 1st timed session which yielded a 2.07 and put me in 1st but I was later hammered by the flyin 4 wheel BEAST from the EAST driven by Dan Kopp who laid down a 2.06 in the sessions to follow. I had some issues with my wastegate line and didn't take the time needed to properly secure it so nothing came of the other sessions....I KNOW excuses, ESCUSSSESSSSS

Probably won't drive anymore this year unless it's in my backup car because my baby is at the shop getting some much needed TLC and I'll come out swinging next year. See you at the track

 

Hey man... great video and great time. Did you do anything special for time trialing other than new tires, i.e.: turn the boost up?

Looking forward to coming out swinging next year my self!

 

Hey Pete,
I'm still running on the wastegate spring and the car is actually down on power (engine probably loosing some compression) I can't even get 150 on the front straight and barely 150 on the back. Notice the 2nd lap the faster lap I have trouble going into 5th (trans is all kinds of messed up) and barely reach 145 that lap. This car was going 155 front and back last year.

I think the tachy stuff they put down has helped but I'm getting a little faster here and there and still have room on the brakes but that's always risky. I say given the right circumstances a 2.05 is there but that's about all this car has without making some serious changes IE coilovers etc....

Currently it's getting another junk trans (fingers crossed), duct work for brakes etc..., good used clutch, lower it a smidge and corner weight, aligned and hopefully get the seat in a better position. These little things will help especially the brake ducts that's long been overdue and will really increase my confidence (being more aggressive) with that pedal both in terms of fade and longevity (not sweating heating them up too much).

 

For head and neck restraints, give the DefNDer a look. Its a bit more comfy than the Hans IMO and it actually has some side restraint built in.

http://www.defnderneckbrace.com/

 

Definitely something to look into, thanks for the link

 

Damn dude. that's a serious time when you're down on straightaway speed. I suck. You should've considered the KD Rotary tranny like I did, though admittedly I've not really tested it. If it lasts, you make your money back after an additional R&R or two with crummy ones.

Thankfully, my ridiculously complicated move situation should be resolved soon, and I can get back to working on the seven. I'll give you a ring, and perhaps plan my annual fall pilgrimage to the Fritz Flynn Speed Shop. :-)

P

 

I thought about going the KD route and even called mazdacomp (approx 2500 shipped) about a new trans but decided to just pop in another used trans. I've found a really good local shop to do the work so atleast I won't rip my shoulders apart putting it in

I also think my engine is getting tired so I'm sure once the trans goes in it won't be long before everything comes back out and that's when I'll go with the ACE up the sleeve.......NOT an LSX......YET.....but I think you originally saw the card hehe

Good luck w/ the move our house is still in transition COUGH but one things for certain even with a month of Sundays it'll never look anything like the Brady house.

 

^^^^

I'm surprised you're not just playing "the card" now, while it's the off-season. If that motor is going, all it's going to do is ruin a track weekend down the road... but I know you like to squeeze out ever last drop!

 

I have no idea what your wild card is, but I assume we are going to be terrorizing everyone in a 3 rotor vs. LSX battle royale. I think that engine still has plenty of life left in it man. I mean we are no where close to even needing to pull start it. Once that happens, it's "almost" time

 

I'm slowly moving out of the gutter and into a shady spot but still a long way away from the palace....UHH you know GT3, big rig, stuff like that hehe.

Seriously though I think atleast a compression test is in order so I'll check it out and go from there.

 

Me and Pete have been joking about starting a NA 3 rotor group buy conversion w/ KDR, who's in

 

If I was comfortable with the ECU stuff, I'd love to have one of these set up's, especially being NA... that reliability would be awesome.

I see your brakes are for sale... what next?

 

It would be a challenging undertaking to do it properly which is why it really isn't practical but it's a fun dream. Hopefully I'll be able to snag Gordons car when he's finally too old to drive. Maybe MAZDA will actually build another 7 that's a proper step up from the FD but that's an even bigger dream

I change my mind like the wind so for now I'm keeping the brakes.

 

I think it needs to be a N/A 4-rotor. You can trade one of your cars for the e-shaft!

 

If I sell everything I own I might be able to afford a complete 4 rotor engine

Forget about it I'm going LSX in a corvette

 

haha... I remember Jimlab saying something to the effect of "So I finally decided on an engine... I picked up an LS6, with a 03 Z06 permanently attached to it"

 

I'm not sure the space time continuum will accept you tracking anything but an RX7. There'd be shockwaves :-)

 

That's how I see it as well

Today 40k gets you a c6 Z w/ all kinds of goodies (bone stock) that would absolutely terrify most LSX FDs and then drive home in style all the while breathing in that new car smell

I seriously think if driven properly w/ just a few bolt ons it would be a sub 2 minute car at VIR.