[SECC] Autocross

Wed May 25 01:56:07 EDT 2005

I left out an important part. When I got there I thought I would get out the trusty wrench and double check the lug nuts on the tires. Well the third one I went to tighten snapped off even with the wheel and I did not know what I was going to do. I had just paid to race the entire season and it looked like I was going to miss the first race. Well I got very lucky as I am standing there looking at the wheel Tony Ellison drives up to watch us. As I go out trying to find a parts store in a town I am not familiar with Tony got the broken stud out  and then I was ready to go.

Donnie

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BEllison at bbafiberweb.com 
  To: secc at corvair.org 
  Cc: corvairsc at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 1:48 AM
  Subject: RE: [SECC] Autocross

  Dang, Donnie, beat me to it.  L

  I concur - it was a blast.  Kind of different though.  While working the course, it's hard to see where to put the pylon back.

  I felt sorry for the fiero.  It sounded pretty ugly when it hit.  They pushed it out of the way so the autocross could continue.  It sounded mean with that v8.  I DNF'ed my first run down near there, so I went by where he hit.  He crushed a metal trashcan into a cement based light pole AFTER he jumped the curb about 4'.  Trash can was flattened.

  Once I found my mistake, I had a great 2nd run, and my 3rd run wasn't quite as good.

  At first, we didn't think it was a Corvair friendly course.  In fact, we thought it was a Corvair angry course.  If the little ricer cars had trouble with the tight curves, we figured it would be even harder on us.  I stayed in 1st for the 1st 3 curves, up to 2nd, and never came back.  I barely had enough power in 2nd, but I just couldn't get up the nerve to shove it down to 1st, then back up again, and I figured back down again, too.  

  The other 4 races will be the exact same course, so I've got some modifications to make.  There's a huge left hand sweeper, some off camber, about middle way thru the course.  Add to that 3 turns that are <90, and 1 complete 180 up a slight hill, all with tight radii.  Although my dipstick showed ½ way between add and full, my oil light came on 4 times during the 2nd run during those tight turns.  Must have been all those G-forces.  I topped it off for the 3rd, and no light.  But, I'll be installing a baffle, DEFINITELY before the next run.  I've had enough engine trouble.  I sure am glad I replaced that oil pressure switch after the oil filter blowout in St Augustine.

  Thanks to Donnie, for letting me know about it.  Tony went to watch.  I think he's got the bug now, too.

  Can't wait til the next one.

  Barry

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: J&D Bird [mailto:ddabirds at charter.net] 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 1:29 AM
  To: SECC; Janey
  Subject: [SECC] Autocross

  I had a blast tonight autocrossing with my headlights on. A local club has a night series that runs at night on Tuesday nights that end close to midnight. This club is not afraid to put pylons out and crisscross a course which is a lot of fun in the dark. I think the course had two turns that were almost 90 degrees which is not fun in a Corvair or any long wheel base car. It is at an Ag Center across from the airport so we do not have to worry about noise being a problem. Do not have the official times yet but in the class Barry Ellison and raced in I think Barry won it. In that class there was a Z-28, 5-Series BMW and a Mustang that definitely had a V-8. There WAS cool looking Fiero running in another class that the guy had a dropped a small block V-8 in it and it sounded so good. It was a good looking car until he did not make a turn and centered a light pole.

  It was a lot of fun running an autocross at night and I kind of think it helped me since I could not see all of the pylons to over whelm me. I will let you know the official times when they are posted.

  Donnie Bird

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  _______________________________________________
  SECC mailing list
  SECC at corvair.org
  http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/listinfo/secc
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.vv.corvair.org/pipermail/secc/attachments/20050525/c946972f/attachment-0001.htm