Post 11-13 SPC Event

[garage west]

People who don't own Triumphs don't understand. If you're DRIVING the car, it's an awesome day!

Every day you drive a British sports car is a 'Triumph' over the prince of darkness (Lucas).

[Charles]

It seems fairly common to see people changing tires without jackstands. This isn't isolated to this club. I never personally understood it, but figured everyone is an adult and it wasn't my place to say anything. If you are going to sit on the ground with legs under the car while you lift the wheels on and off, stands should be there as a backup. I know I've raised my car up on the jack without stands to visually check something, but my rule is any limbs under the car, stands go under it first. I always keep a pair in my toolbox anyone is welcome to borrow. For the newbs, just look for the big silver Tundra with a trailer attached.

[Charles]

Fun course, great event overall. Thanks to all that helped push my car when the battery pooped. To the best of my knowledge prior to Sunday, once a car was running, it would run strong off of the alternator even if the battery was done but apparently not when your battery is really jacked and you have 10 feet of cable between the battery and alternator. Pretty sure the damaged battery was stealing all of the juice from my alternator trying to heal itself leaving the car down on power at times. Every time we kicked on the electric fan the car would stumble and tach flutter.

I was just happy with the fact I wasn't the one spewing coolant all over the place(at least if the JB weld continues to hold)

[Native]

Safety StuffThe first of the two incidents this weekend was the car that spewed coolant all over the course (no biggie, it happens). When repairing it, someone saw fit to be under the car supported by a jack. I spotted this from a picnic table 250 feet away, so surely a dozen or more people who were closer HAD to notice it!

They had an air tank under the car as their "safety", but I'm sorry an air tank is not a jack stand. And before the "we didn't have a jack stand" excuse comes up again, I'm pretty sure someone made a run to the store to get parts to fix the car. Right? Remmber, if something goes wrong, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. If that car falls on you and you get hurt, we've got insurance problems to deal with, and I wouldn't be surprised if we lost the site over it. The chain of questions would probably skip all the way to "why was work being done on the car here", and to eliminate their own liability, the school's legal department would either come down on us with "any car that needs work must be towed", or more likely "this is too much liability, go away".

So, if you need to work under a car at an autocross, find a jack stand. Can't find one? There's a Wal-Mart across the street. Need a ride? Come find me. I'll even loan you $20 to buy a pair of jack stands. There are NO excuses for being under an unsupported car on a jack at a FAST autocross. None.

You're right.
I'm guilty.

The second incident was the car that blew smoke profusely all around the course, and then had smoke coming from under the hood for another 5 minutes in the grid. When questioned about it, the story I heard was that they refused to open the hood to let anyone look, insisting that it was okay. Well, I'm sorry, but just like we have the right (responsibility) to do a tech inspection on your car to ensure your safety and the safety of everyone else at the event, we also have the right (and responsibility) to look at your car if we suspect there is something wrong with it... such as IT MIGHT BE ON FIRE. For anyone who can't deal with that in the future, be ready to head for the gate. If we think your car is unsafe and you won't let us verify it, we have to assume that it IS unsafe and get it out of the event.

If that was an Acura, I did see them under the hood later. If that was a Subaru, I actually did speak to the owner, who denied the smoke was from a fluid leak. I politely suggested he look closer and fix it before the next event.

[Native]

Well said!! I know I am a novice at Auto-X and this was my first FAST event but being a new person I saw plenty of things that shocked me on Sunday.

I am not here to call people out or point fingers but I will say this. The GRID area needs some clean up IMHO, at one point it looked more like a parking lot car meet. Lots of people lacking wrist bands walking around and hanging with their friends near their cars (I even saw someone have to back down lane to pull into another row because so many people were standing near a car they couldn't fit in lane). I know when I was coming in from 2 of my runs I had several people standing in the road so I had to wait till they saw me and moved and once someone walked in front of me driving back without looking.

Just my two cents

This is correct too. The only people who should be in grid are drivers in that run group and any "students" or "instructors" who may be riding with them. Everyone else is supposed to be behind the barrier. It would have been ok for the Course Marshal (or someone) to grab a bullhorn and politely clear everyone out.

[Native]

Championship Points Thanks, Jeremy.

[Loren]

It seems fairly common to see people changing tires without jackstands.

I have no problem with tire-changing on a jack as long as no body parts are under the car. If the car falls, somebody's brake shield gets dinged up, big deal. But, the key is, as you stated, to be religious about NOT being under the car in any way if it is not supported.

Good to know you have jack stands if we need 'em!

[Jeremy]

Here is Charleseses video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrNxQbQschw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All my runs sucked, so no need to post them.

[Charles]

P.S. - Your car sounded awesome as always out there Tim, the 240 needs a V8.

Did you do the whole course in 1st gear?

[Loren]

All my runs sucked, so no need to post them.

I wasn't paying attention when you ran, was the car acting up, or were you just having an off day?

[Jeremy]

I think it was just an off day. I thought the car was messed up, but it ran fine for Charles.

I think I just didn't get the course. After watching his video, it looked like it just suited his style better. Point to point driving, early apexes, early throttle. I was doing exactly the opposite. Wide lines, ending up in gravel, understeer, late getting on the throttle, then turbo lag.

[Loren]

I think it was just an off day. I thought the car was messed up, but it ran fine for Charles.

I think I just didn't get the course. After watching his video, it looked like it just suited his style better. Point to point driving, early apexes, early throttle. I was doing exactly the opposite. Wide lines, ending up in gravel, understeer, late getting on the throttle, then turbo lag.

Idunno, I took pretty wide lines (I think everybody who rode with me commented on it) and did okay. Definitely found some understeer, but I think that was due to my current setup. Turbo lag... imagine being in constant turbo lag, that's a 1.6 Miata!

[yamaha731]

Im having 2nd thouts about the ta do you think its worth springs and tires or should i get something diffrent?

[Charles]

While the event is still fresh on the teardown crew's minds, how did our water/soda inventory look ?

[Loren]

Im having 2nd thouts about the ta do you think its worth springs and tires or should i get something diffrent?

Only you can decide. The car certainly has potential. But, if you don't have a "love" for it...

[buddy bodean]

Im having 2nd thouts about the ta do you think its worth springs and tires or should i get something diffrent?

Only you can decide. The car certainly has potential. But, if you don't have a "love" for it...

I agree.

Pros: 1)Its different.
2)There are a ton of mods and cheap parts.

Cons: 1)Its different, has anyone else had success with them?
2)Its wicked heavy.
3)It seems like it may be more complex to work on (than the Fox Body).

I guess it's your call. Sell the round-n-round car, invest in the improvements you talked about, see where you are, then decide. I am sure that you won't lose money in the end.

[76-TR6]

While the event is still fresh on the teardown crew's minds, how did our water/soda inventory look ?

Sodas: 6 or so Sprite (?)
Water: 7 or more cases

Robert

[Charles]

While the event is still fresh on the teardown crew's minds, how did our water/soda inventory look ?

Sodas: 6 or so Sprite (?)
Water: 7 or more cases

Robert

Thanks, for sodas I assume you mean 6 cans of soda and we had 7 full 32 pack cases of water left?

[Loren]

Thanks, for sodas I assume you mean 6 cans of soda and we had 7 full 32 pack cases of water left?

I saw a stack of at least 6 unopened cases of water at the end of the day. Whether they are 24 or 32 packs, I'm not sure... but I always thought they were 24.

[garage west]

Thanks, for sodas I assume you mean 6 cans of soda and we had 7 full 32 pack cases of water left?

I saw a stack of at least 6 unopened cases of water at the end of the day. Whether they are 24 or 32 packs, I'm not sure... but I always thought they were 24.

I saw 24-packs of water.