The road to Optima Challenge 2021

[BBR]

Ok, so how about a synopsis of the trip?

[Monster]

Ok, so how about a synopsis of the trip?

https://bangshift.com/forum/forum/bangshift/project-cars-update/1143405-plastic-fantastic-tew/page162#post1295088

[SuperBuickGuy]

The synopsis isn't done.... I ran Willow Springs (parked?) but part 2 is July in Utah. At this point, it's a FiTech discussion - and we'll see where it goes from there (also, that's a partial story at this point, stuff breaks but the story is always how the company reacts - I've asked for them to replace the current system with a port system.... but we will see).

But the story so far. I drove 2450 miles to get baked and blown in the desert and averaged 17 mpg.
Willow Springs is a way cool track that I got to run at 70%.
The Optima people are very welcoming and run a good event.
The competitors are all very nice people who really help each other out.
I confirmed what I think racing is - moments of fun, moments of terror, hours of fixing (or driving for parts).
If you have Verizon at Willow Springs, sorry. They utterly suck for reception, which isn't really a big deal except one of the communication methods for Optima is by text and if you're having trouble with your EFI, you get to fix and play Statue of Liberty all at the same time.
The mine is called Tropico because of the street the investors lived on in San Francisco and could be a very productive mine even now.
The mine started as a material supplier for a pottery company in LA. On a whim, the owner tested the clay and found it was full of gold - so there are clay pots out there which have several hundred dollars of gold in the clay that made them.
Order L-208 is interesting and really explains a lot of things about California.
I think the police in California drive 85 mph to just show off...

The drive....
my goodness that's a lot of bugs on the front of my truck (going south). 1173 miles which I completed in 18 hours and change (which is an average of 63 mph).
Going north 1137 miles - 395 is the far better route except where it descends from Monmouth (and maybe the 2 lane in Lassen county).... there the idiots with the trailers .... they drive 25 until a passing zone then they floor it to keep people from going around them. I nearly ran one of those into a ditch, I'm not sorry.
I call the people who try to maintain one speed in rush hour traffic 'floaters' and I mean that in the most derogatory of definitions.
Also, did you know your truck reduces power when it starts picking up air? On the back route, don't push the distance on a tank because many stations in that area don't carry diesel. I filled a 22 gallon tank with 21.9 gallons of diesel... then had to do a air-bleed to get it started again (really, really easy in the Colorado).
Google maps puts the people who pay them first on their recommended stops, which may (or likely) may not be the closest fuel.
My truck runs the same whether the diesel costs $5.69 or $3.29.... weird, no?
Oh and I finally found a county in California I like... Lassen. Pretty sure the rest of California has no idea it exists.
BBQ at some random small town restaurant is really really good.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm a decision point about whether or not to attend UMC. I scored poorly in the design and engineering (I think dead last 63 out of 100 possible), no idea how the score was calculated - so no idea what I'd need to do to be competitive (okay, there's my complaint about that part of the challenge). Further, the car doesn't run and it's not likely I'll get my EFI back within 2 weeks. On top of all of those things the reality is I need to buy racing seats, and a new set of harnesses... which may or may not be here before the end of the month. Add the uncertainty about FiTech (who I'm not thrilled didn't bother telling me on Friday what their timeline is).

When I made the 2 reservations, it was with the presumption the car was still running... now? I run the very real risk of it being another paddock ornament. IF I still run Optima, I may simply get an already done C5.... because no running is not a lot of fun.

[silver_bullet]

[Monster]

[pdub]

[Beagle]

I'm a decision point about whether or not to attend UMC. I scored poorly in the design and engineering (I think dead last 63 out of 100 possible), no idea how the score was calculated - so no idea what I'd need to do to be competitive (okay, there's my complaint about that part of the challenge). Further, the car doesn't run and it's not likely I'll get my EFI back within 2 weeks. On top of all of those things the reality is I need to buy racing seats, and a new set of harnesses... which may or may not be here before the end of the month. Add the uncertainty about FiTech (who I'm not thrilled didn't bother telling me on Friday what their timeline is).

When I made the 2 reservations, it was with the presumption the car was still running... now? I run the very real risk of it being another paddock ornament. IF I still run Optima, I may simply get an already done C5.... because no running is not a lot of fun.

Aaron, it's a brotherly love thing here... I'm not hacking on you. BUT... put a damn carb on it, slap the factory 3 point seatbelt back in it, and run it. It's always been an underdog, I think by your design. Unless you just want other peoples approval, run it because you built it to drive it.

Your EFI fuel pump is already deadheaded right? It's not going to change if that's 5psi or 50psi. Change the regulator and fire away. Best of luck with whatever you choose, but after the hours you have put in it, you should at least knock some cones down with it . Going through the braking challenge sideways or backwards will always score big style points here, almost as many as just making the show!

[SuperBuickGuy]

return style. dead head and more then around 600 hp - you're asking for trouble.

and to be clear, racing, absolutely, driving 800 miles with a static display, no.

at least I didn't hit the wrong button.....

[Beagle]

I think BBR has run an A1000 both carbed and EFI on a mill making close to or over 700hp during Drag Week. Maybe he'll chime in here. Not pushing, again, just thinking there is an "Easier" button that keeps you on the track this year. It would suck to get this far and C5 the teething problems.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I think BBR has run an A1000 both carbed and EFI on a mill making close to or over 700hp during Drag Week. Maybe he'll chime in here. Not pushing, again, just thinking there is an "Easier" button that keeps you on the track this year. It would suck to get this far and C5 the teething problems.

let me put this in simpler terms (and hope my wife isn't reading this)

If I continue to have problems, I can make the argument that I 'need' a reliable race car. I don't need her permission, but I respect her input and if I take the step every good husband takes - she may actually come out racing with me.... she's already tentatively agreed to go to Utah (ostensibly to look at places to live).... so I do want to go, but I'm not going to be in a car with her all the way back if the car didn't (again) perform. And let's remind, last year, when I decided to do this - I said "I do not want to be working on the car just before I leave".... I could make a solid argument that I was still working on it because I think the signals and grills were the cause of my overheating issue.... never got to test that locally....

As the Corvette Challenge and Optima Challenge are functionally owned by Corvettes... I can purchase another Corvette. This will get solved eventually, but I'm not going to force the issue and create even more trouble. Let's not forget that I still have a mild overheating problem that I need to solve too.... if not too much heat, I would have likely been just fine at Willow Springs.

in other news, UPS store got me. They said my EFI would be delivered Monday, but actually put in Tuesday.... which means I won't have my FI back for (likely) 2 more weeks.

[BBR]

I think BBR has run an A1000 both carbed and EFI on a mill making close to or over 700hp during Drag Week. Maybe he'll chime in here. Not pushing, again, just thinking there is an "Easier" button that keeps you on the track this year. It would suck to get this far and C5 the teething problems.

FWIW - My A1000 has been the best pump I have ever bought, hands down. I have run it for years. It has been in the original Blue Ranger (2008?), the 83GT and now it is in the 73 F100/250. Knock on wood.

When it was carb'd I ran 2 regulators. 1 return and 1 dead head. More out of necessity than anything. My return line was too small so I could not get the fuel pressure below ~12 psi. So, I just put the dead head reg between the return reg and the carb. Worked great..That kept the pump happy with around 12-15 psi and it kept the fuel circulating.

[Beagle]

let me put this in simpler terms

Ah, got it. Justification... You don't really have to do that here, and your secret is safe with us. Carry on.

[Deaf Bob]

I well know the “work on until time to leave” thing. Very tiring and kills alot of the fun factor.
Hope you find a replacement soon!

[silver_bullet]

let me put this in simpler terms (and hope my wife isn't reading this)

If I continue to have problems, I can make the argument that I 'need' a reliable race car. I don't need her permission, but I respect her input and if I take the step every good husband takes - she may actually come out racing with me.... she's already tentatively agreed to go to Utah (ostensibly to look at places to live).... so I do want to go, but I'm not going to be in a car with her all the way back if the car didn't (again) perform. And let's remind, last year, when I decided to do this - I said "I do not want to be working on the car just before I leave".... I could make a solid argument that I was still working on it because I think the signals and grills were the cause of my overheating issue.... never got to test that locally....

As the Corvette Challenge and Optima Challenge are functionally owned by Corvettes... I can purchase another Corvette. This will get solved eventually, but I'm not going to force the issue and create even more trouble. Let's not forget that I still have a mild overheating problem that I need to solve too.... if not too much heat, I would have likely been just fine at Willow Springs.

in other news, UPS store got me. They said my EFI would be delivered Monday, but actually put in Tuesday.... which means I won't have my FI back for (likely) 2 more weeks.

Just waiting on the merger to get Fed-UPS.... Fully understand your direction... BTW Love the new stress reliever(Puppy)!