ok, in an effort to make sure I actually use the car, and because I've always wanted to do it, I've signed myself up for this year's TimeAttack. I'll be in Club RWD class, and I imagine against some very stiff competition from what i can see from previous years.

Never done anything like this before, just a couple of track days, so it's going to be a huge learning curve :crying:

 

Dates are below, and if you can make it then please come along and say hi, and if you're unlucky I'll rope you in to help too!

 

I'll keep this thread updated with progress

 

Wish me luck!

Went to Jimmers last night to pick up a few things, did't get there till around 7:30 and we decided to fit my new brakes that have sat in his workshop for the last 5 months (were waiting on new bells for the rear disks). Jimmer did an excellent job, we got the fronts fitted, but rears wouldn't go as the caliper bracket still needs some work. Left his unit after 11 so many thanks again to Jimmer for the dedication to the cause! I then bedded the brakes in on the way home :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travelling down the M4 after stopping for some food my rear screen decided to pop out (at speed) :scared: One corner was loose and I'd been to a windscreen place on Tuesday to fix, but they told me to come back today - never mind! Thankfully a small strip still stayed attached at the bottom, however it tore the skin of the boot and split my spoiler when it flipped back :( pulled over, tore the rest off and drove home in a slicktop convertible! the joys of running a modified car :whistling:

 

the damage

 

Car is at a bodyshop tonight to repair, new spoiler arrives tomorrow, ready for Snetterton at the weekend

Time attack Update.

just spoken to James/Jaffa. He has had a trying but successful day at last.

Finished up 3rd in RWD Club class and 16th out of 24 overall in club class.

He had another turbo oil line fail due to excess heat.

Hopefully he will be able to do another full day tomorrow on the final round.

Time attack Update.

just spoken to James/Jaffa. He has had a trying but successful day at last.

Finished up 3rd in RWD Club class and 16th out of 24 overall in club class.

He had another turbo oil line fail due to excess heat.

Hopefully he will be able to do another full day tomorrow on the final round.

 

It's a fantastic result for James and deservedly so after all he's been through this season! Hope he does well again today that would be the icing on the cake. I'm gonna have to pull my finger out next year if I'm going to keep up with him lol. Then again two 300ZX's in time attack for a full season :) now that would be fun!!!

Hi guys, thanks for the well wishes. The turbo line failed again after the final and not able to get a replacement, having one spare was lucky enough! Going to have to get a longer one made up so I can route it away from the turbo and downpipe

So, picked up the car on Friday with screen back in and partial repair to the boot, new spolier arrived from Knightracer, and picked up my spare wheels with fresh tires mounted in case it rained. Hired a VM California for the weekend so we could stay at the track and off we went! Got to the track at about 11pm on friday, found my garage and unloaded the car before settling down for the night.

 

 

Saturday morning came round pretty quickly, got up around 6:30am to finish putting the new spoiler on, mounting gopro and a few other bits and bobs. Did the briefing and the other admin before the warm-up at 10am. First time at Snetterton so warm-up was spent just trying to learn this very fast track, best time from that session was a 2:35 on the 300 layout which is just over 3 miles long. My impressions were that this was a very fast track, couple of long sweeping corners, few hairpins and chicanes, plenty to think about with 2 long straights to hook it all together. Also discovered that my new brakes work very well, but bias is a bit too much to the front with ksports on the rear, as shown by a spin under braking at brundle corner- oops!

 

Checked the car when I came in and all looked good, temps were fine, and just a small amount of coolant coming out the overflow as I'd topped it up in the morning but clearly it didn't need it! Chilled out for a bit in the van, cup of tea, watched some of the other racing with the family etc and returned to the car at 12pm for Practice. Got in the car, was turbing it around and one of the Pro drivers signalled to turn the engine off asap. Turned out it was busy pissing oil everywhere and quick bit of investigation uncovered the drivers side turbo line failed again! Clearly too close to the downpipe and it can't cope.

 

Thankfully, I had the new pass one with me since they come in paires, so cue the next 2 hrs under the car, swapping the lines and trying to keep it aways from the downpipe, bit of a mission as that line was shorter. Qualifying started by the time I was done, so quickly changed into race gear and out I went (forgetting to turn the gopro on in my rush which is a shame).

 

Did a slow lap round, then gunned it for the next one which got me a 2:19 lap, went for another flyer but ran out of track at Agostini. having spoiled that lap I took it easy for the next 2 to cool down (me, not the car!) and then gunned it for another flyer only to see the chequered flag as session was over. Still, my time was good enough for 3rd place in class which wasn't bad for my first flying lap and only my 5th of the track ever!

 

 

 

Finals came around at 5pm, same story, slow out lap, then go for it, got one flying lap in, half way round the next and had to be abort for a red flag. A mini had caught fire so needed to be recovered. Was in the pits and one of the guys told me I'd done a 2:19 again (so wasn't a fluke the first time!) but was 4th in class, with Ronnie Amis in the Sierra having done a 2:18.

 

 

Session was restarted, slow out, a fast lap, attempted another fast lap but got a bit too carried away, sideways around Agostini (again) and lost it half way up the following straight. Stalled car and couldn't get it started again. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, figured my lights were on which was enough of a drain to stop me restarting :( No footage as I'd left the gopro on all day and the battery was flat.

 

 

Got recovered back to the pits at the end of the session, and some smoke from the front again. Thought it was just oil from earlier burning off but I could also see the new line was starting to weep from all the heat :(

 

 

 

Later found my time out, I bagged a 2:17 which got me into 3rd in class :cool3: Still more time to be found as I learn the track but promising results no the less. Car is down on torque, and my speeds through the traps were generally lower than others so my cornering speeds are goods to make up the difference. The only speed trap I was showing good numbers in were at the back straight were the trap is at the very end and I was benefitting of braking very late.

 

Overall very happy with the result and shows the car can do well, be nice to turn the power back up. FYI this was all done on a stock short block ie standard rods & pistons.

2nd place was Umar Massod in his rx-7 with a 2:13 which I think I could do with more track time with current spec, and winner was Mike Cantello in his VX220 with a very fast 2:07

 

Edited September 27, 201213 yr by jaffa

Couldn't get another turbo line on Sunday so no more racing, but still enjoyed the day at the track with the other guys, got soaked loading the car up to go home though.

 

Have got another line made up today which is much loger so I can route it away from turbos and downpipe. Also ordered a heat resistant sleeve for it so hopefully that should be enough to protect it in future.

My Warm-up spin so you can have a laugh at my expense

 

[video=youtube;oTM5-hrX_XQ]

 

and some other pics