AutoX school 5/3/2008

[Gforcefd]

Here is a couple of pictures from me at autoX school on Saturday, my car is still leaning a bit on the skid pad, I think i want that Aspire fron sway bar upgrade, maybe that will help.

Logan

[Seth]

looks like fun!

how much is the school?

[Safety Guy]

Don't roll that Funtop!! :p

My guess has been that a stiffer front bar would just increase understeer, but we won't know for sure until someone actually tests it out. Autocross seems like a good testing venue!

Then again, how smooth are autocrosses usually? Perhaps the addition of real world bumps and potholes may upset a too-stiff front end.

Karl

[Gforcefd]

We have the benefit that most of the AutoX events in the Glen Region SCCA are at the Seneca Army Depot airfield that has been closed since the 80's. The pavement is beautiful. From my short amount of experience my car handles really well right now, just wish it stuck to the ground more, if I could get that back tire down it would help alot. Any ideas Quawdog?

Its was 45 dollars for a nine hour school, well worth it, some really good instructors.

Logan

[FestYboy]

it's Quaddog...

anywho, you need to do 2 things: stiffen the rear (cut stock front springs), and offset your tires to the front (skinnier to the rear). this will promote an oversteer condition, this unloading the outer rear tire and allowing the inner to stay in contact with the track. what you want to be able to do is nutral [it's neutral] drift the car (like you see in oval track racing). if your initial turn in is too tight, mash the gas (unload the front tires). if you're not tight enough to hit the apex, DON'T touch the brake, but rather just let off the gas. the car will tuck in on its own by loading the outer front tire thus providing more grip in the direction the nose is pointed which should always be slightly tighter than the actual corner (hence the drift).

[quaddawg]

That is about it.....

I find my car rotated just fine with no front to rear stagger though..... it was nice and loose.... drifted just fine when the speed was right... too fast and it always came around... pretty much neutral..

Your tires aren't sticky enough to worry about horrible understeer from the rear sticking too much.. perhaps it's understeering from not enough traction in front.. that's possible... not a problem I had with the R compounds... lol

.. it doesn't look like it's leaning too much either...

for now, my advice is SEAT TIME... and as much of that as you can get..

Maybe Silverbullet (Kyle) will speak up here... he is the most experienced and sucessful autox'er I have read about on this site... He even set FTD before... from what I can remember...

[neanderpaul]

Logan your car is straight gorgeous. Best of luck in the autocross!! Learn lots and post back with updates on what you learn (and who you kill!!) :twisted:

[m715]

I say the same^^^^^^ Drop dead gorgeous car Logan, and it looks like you are putting it to good use!

Michael

[Gforcefd]

Well a lot of the looks goes to Simon, but I like how the paint is right now, with black highlights. My car is on really heavy ebay coilovers, but transitions really nice in the slolom, if I have a chance I will post the pictures of the slolom, I was hauling butt through it, and the car looks dead flat. Thx for all the advice, I will put it to use.

[IL4Festiva]

Very nice car.. i notice you have no door handles to open the doors with, how do you get in?

[SimonTuffGuy]

IL4 - Remote actuated solenoids that sit in the door. It's like the key fobs for cars with power locks? But it pops the door open basically.

Logan - Seeing the car like that makes me REALLY miss it... Haha. Glad you're getting into autoX with it. Don't pull a Quad though... The car is too nice to end up on its roof. (Sorry quad - lol... )

[Gforcefd]

Actually how I get in the doors most times is with a clothes hanger and some patients. I really hate the door poppers, if its too cold out they won't pull hard enough to open the doors. One froze up completely so I can only get in the drivers side and hatch now. I love the way the car looks, but some days I wish it had door handles.

Logan

[Aroihkin]

Wow, that color looks awesome on your car, too. Black and orange for the win.

[gothguydante]

looks nice without the handle tho gives you a clean cut kinda feeling.. and kudos on the paint it complements each other and the car really well.. maybe some thing in the middle side cause without the handle kinda looks bigger on the side then what it really is... just what i think... but awesome car what upgrades have you done to it?

[SimonTuffGuy]

Haha... I never used a hanger. I remember when I first had the car out in the winter with snow and ice... I got in the hatch from work EVERY morning because the doors would be frozen shut. The hatch never once froze up on me.

The body is fully shaved, gas filler (usually on the drivers side) has been relocated to behind the tail light. The tail swings out to the side to show the filler. Add in euro tails, the ragtop, molded lower hatch spoiler, the hatch is flushed out with a recessed plate (the plate hides behind a piece of plexiglass that's molded in)... I believe that's all Logan got when I sold the car to him a few years back...