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Making a musclecar turn - 1st time autocross!

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  • Making a musclecar turn - 1st time autocross!

    Just did a 1st time autocross at the Brooksville, FL airport. What a blast! I wasn't competitive, mostly due to lack of driving skills. The car did way better than I was expecting. My 275 60 15 MT DRs on the back don't seem to be too big a problem. The CPP big brake kit on the front worked great! I'm hoping to do the NMCA race in Bradenton this weekend with only changing shock settings. If I get my driving skills caught up to the car capabilities, I might consider getting a 2nd set of back wheels for the autocross.I have been thinking about trying something besides the drag strip for many years and can't believe I waited so long. Click image for larger version

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    Last edited by MadmanMark; March 17, 2015, 03:39 PM.
    Tampa, FL

  • #2
    HahhahAhAH!!!!!! That's FUN ain't it Mark? I don't know how to make a muscle car turn around cones, but I've tried it (only in Red) until I finally just gave up on that. Red and I are just no good at it. Tell the truth, that's a whole lot harder to do (well) than it is to stand and watch ain't it?

    EDIT: Watching those videos, the gig at the airport looks a lot different than in a big mall or school parking lot. It looks like the airport thing is about out-and-back. And it seems easier to spot the cones pointing to the cones (the which-side-of-the-cone spots), and it looked like a whole lot MORE cones, like close together in a straight line denoting the "straightaways."

    In the big parking lots the course crosses over itself three or five times and there are fewer cones in general, farther apart. So it's all just a whole big parking lot full of cones and you're supposed to know where to drive. Even after walking the course two or three times, when you go in a parking lot, cone blindness sets in real quick.

    And I think you have to drive in one of those things to know what it's about. The ones I did, most everybody there was running or with somebody who was running, but yeah other folks were just spectating. The casual spectators could never know or see how huge a 4-second difference is on a short course, unless they had tried it. Yeah, that's a hard game.
    Last edited by pdub; March 17, 2015, 04:30 PM.
    Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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    • #3
      I am dying to try Autocross! As an aggressive, fighter pilot driver I think I might have a chance. Loren says I can use "the Camaro" when it is finished...Hope he doesn't regret saying that!
      That awkward moment when you realize it IS your circus and those ARE your monkeys!

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      • #4
        It was such a blast, I already signed up for the April race! My noob problem was at the finish line, which I blew by the first few runs. I got told to slow it down at the end for the 4th run (2nd video), but I obviously didn't slow down enough since they put stop cones at the end for my last run (1st video). This was better than my 1st drag strip appearance. One of the workers kept yelling at me and making a spinning motion with his finger. Each time I would back up and do another burnout. After a few burnouts, he ran up to my car and told me to roll my god-damn windows up!

        After watching others run and my videos, I think my big problem is lack of smoothness. It's hard to modulate the gas/brake to keep the car right at it's limits. At least I never needed reverse!
        Tampa, FL

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        • #5
          Originally posted by MadmanMark View Post
          At least I never needed reverse!
          I sure did at least once. And the ignition key, too. Got lost on the course and stalled Red with a cone mashed flat under the car. Dragged it the rest of the way to the finish line, wherever the finish line was.

          My favorite one of all, it might have even been that same day, Team Ferrari showed up. No kidding, some rich guy with a Ferrari on a trailer and driving gloves and ... three or four people in support. "Team Ferrari" got disgusted and packed up and LEFT after a 90-pound woman in a Miata beat their time by 9 seconds. YES, 9.
          Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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          • #6
            I love that cars color.

            I am hoping to do autocross with a 5 speed manual z71.

            I got the donuts down pretty good. 141 inch wheelbase...no problem.

            I actually have a ten geared subaru that just got the rare dual port engine. Not even burned in yet. It should be a little can of mechanical diff whoopass.
            Previously boxer3main
            the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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            • #7
              I have a bunch of corner parts laying around, WS6 stuff mainly. I figure the yellow 65 GTO would be a hoot with a better front suspension, a big sway bar out back, and a fast ratio box whipping some 17" wheels around. If I practice enough maybe I can embarrass the Subaru guys I know.

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              • #8
                First autocross I ever did about 30 years ago was in the 72 Cutlass I had at the time ... stock 350 Olds / TH-350, KYB shocks, big Addco bars, and 255/60 and 265/60R15 Uniroyal Tiger Paw radials on Olds 7" Rallye wheels. Tight course, I basically palmed the wheel with my left hand while holding myself to the bench seat with my right.

                Actually didn't do too badly, an experienced guy there with a Corvair came up to ask what the wheelbase was on the car, I guess he thought I was doing OK to make it through the course in such a big car without crushing every other cone. LOL


                Try it again with a matched set of wheels and tires all around, way more fun than drag racing IMO.


                cheers
                Ed
                Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
                07 Mustang GT with some stuff
                88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed

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                • #9
                  sure looks like a lot of fun. i didnt know they did that in brooksville. do you have info or a link to up-coming events?

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                  • #10
                    Here's a link of the event schedule: http://drivefast.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2074

                    The races called "Championships" are the ones for noobs. The others all require experience.
                    Tampa, FL

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by MadmanMark View Post
                      . My 275 60 15 MT DRs on the back don't seem to be too big a problem
                      A while back when PHR editor Johnny Hunkins was running his heavyweight '75 (or so) Chevelle around autocross courses, he was doing very well (even winning) with Nitto P275-60R15 Drag Radials all-around. Food for thought.

                      I have never ran an autocross...I rode along w/ my insurance agent in his Porsche Cayman, at San Diego's Qualcomm baseball stadium parking lot which has big concrete light post supports that the course had to run through, and was cr@pping bricks, being headed straight toward one of those things w/ the throttle wide open then darting off to the side at what seemed like the last instant. I might be happier in a fully-open area... Anyhow, as Gail says, we'll see when the Camaro gets done.
                      Last edited by Loren; March 19, 2015, 08:18 AM.
                      ...

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                      • #12
                        Autocross is a blast. My 4400 lb Jensen on 65 series street radials is quite a hoot on the course. My wife (Leo) is obviously having a great time doing it! Just don't get too attached to your tires. The heavier the car, the faster they go away...Gail/Loren we ought to hook up at Fontana some day for a good autocross session with the Hotchkis crew!
                        Click image for larger version

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                        Last edited by BKBridges; March 19, 2015, 05:47 PM.
                        www.FBthrottlebodies.com
                        Bruce K Bridges

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                        • #13
                          I'm usually drag racing, so I never get attached to my back tires. Fronts last forever, don't they?
                          Tampa, FL

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by MadmanMark View Post
                            ...This was better than my 1st drag strip appearance. One of the workers kept yelling at me and making a spinning motion with his finger. Each time I would back up and do another burnout. After a few burnouts, he ran up to my car and told me to roll my god-damn windows up!...
                            Yup, been there...boy did I feel like a dunderhead. At least everyone else got a good chuckle out of it.

                            Autocross has always intrigued, but I understand the big brakes are a must and you have to make friends with your local tire dealer. Either way, sounds like you're having a blast.
                            Michael from Hampton Roads

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by MadmanMark View Post
                              It was such a blast, I already signed up for the April race! My noob problem was at the finish line, which I blew by the first few runs. I got told to slow it down at the end for the 4th run (2nd video), but I obviously didn't slow down enough since they put stop cones at the end for my last run (1st video). This was better than my 1st drag strip appearance. One of the workers kept yelling at me and making a spinning motion with his finger. Each time I would back up and do another burnout. After a few burnouts, he ran up to my car and told me to roll my god-damn windows up!
                              That's a good one Mark - made me think of this video.


                              Phil / Omaha

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