jpasterjak

Hi everyone...

Happy Holidays.

I posted a new video update on the Vette project at our website. Nothing too performance oriented this time—we recovered the seats and replaced the foam with one of Mid America's rebuild kits. I was really shocked how completely trashed the stock leather and foam was after only 36K miles. So, if you're looking into doing this, there's a step-by-step video to guide you along.

Gary's Hardbar also makes a guest appearence and gets a well deserved two GRM thumbs up for being so freakin' good and well made.

I still have corner-weighting video to edit and post. Hopefully that will be up by next week if I get some time to put it together.

And it looks like the print version of the project will start in the June issue of the magazine.

In the meantime, you can check out the web updates and videos at
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new...olet-corvette/

Thanks.

J.G. Pasterjak
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine

VetteDrmr

Can't watch the vids today at work, but am looking forward to them when I get home.

BTW, if GRM is ever on a road trip to the DFW area, we need to coordinate our autox schedules. I run with the local BMW group, we get 8 timed runs plus fun runs at a great location!

Have a good one,
Mike

Bill Dearborn

All I got when I downloaded the file was audio no video.
Bill

Superbock

Nice video's, thank you. I just took on a subscription at the end of 06 last year to the magazine because I always liked it. I was very surprised to see a C5 in there, I cannot wait for the rest of the coverage. I wish you could add a nice coil over set up with some double adjusti's but I see your trying to stay close to stock. Try and add the alter ego rad street suspension as a little extra if you could. Good luck with the project and welcome to the forum.

jpasterjak

Yeah, the mp4 compression doesn't work for everyone. I'm exporting a Quicktime version now. It's going to be big, but it should work for anyone.

I'll holler when it's up.

J.G. Pasterjak
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine

VetteDrmr

Just finished watching the vid; good demo on how to swap out the leathers. Only one question:

Are you sure SCCA wouldn't allow you to modify your existing seat and stay in stock class? If that's the case, then I'm even more glad I'm not trying to compete with those folks. Using a harness with the stock seats is better than nothing, but I always had the shoulder straps loosening up.

And, after watching your autocross video, you really need to come run with us. Here's a link to a video that one of the BMW group did from one of last fall's events (running a Miata):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...95129804&hl=en

About 1.3 miles, and I clicked the rev limiter in 2nd at one part (about 1:45 in this vid), running Toyo RA-1s.

Have a good one,
Mike

jpasterjak

There's a low-res Quicktime file up for those folks who had trouble with the mp4. I'll have a hi-res QT up soon, it needs some time to cook and I'll probably let it run overnight.

As for the seats, SCCA won't allow you to create a model that never existed and stay in stock. Since the FRC didn't come with sport seats, you can't make the switch and stay legit. If you had a regular coupe, however, you'd be allowed to upgrade and stay legal since the sport seats were available as an option. On one hand, it's a stupid rule, but it's there to keep folks from mixing and matching truly important pieces (like engines and suspension pieces) and creating things that the factory never intended.

The site we've been running in Green Cove Springs is actully a lot better than it looked on that video. That was the first shot at setting a course up there and it was pretty marginal. Subsequent courses have been far better, and nearly a mile long. Not Texas-sized, certainly, but not bad for Florida these days.

I'm not 100% sure of my travel schedule this year except I kow I'm going to the convention in Nashville in June. Aside from that, I'll probably squeeze in a couple of road trips to bigger NCCC events here and there. We're really trying to get some exposure in the NCCC. It's a seriously hardcore club and I think a lot of the members would really dig the magazine if they knew about it. It's also a club that we've definitely neglected over the years in terms of coverage, so I'm trying to make up for that a little.

J.G. Pasterjak
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine

ErnieN85

Nope can't get apple to install. media player ?

96CollectorSport

I've looked over the articles in the magazine and am really glad you have a C5, it is a truely popular car at DE's and could use the exposure.
One thing I would like to add though is how much better you will LOVE the car once putting a set of non-run-crap's. I'm not sure how this works for autocross, but a set of Z06 wheels and tires will completly transform the car.
I would have liked to see the results of the lap times for the gas guzzler article with some decent tires and a little more rubber under the car, as someone who is currently looking for a FRC I'm awaiting every issue to see how you tackle your car.
Keep up the good work, love GRM!

jpasterjak

Thanks for the nice words. I finally got some decent rubber on the car for the street, actually. The car is now wearing 275f and 295r Kumho MX runflats on 8.5 and 9.5-inch Z06 replica wheels. We had originally wanted to run a Z06 setup for the street with 9.5 and 10.5-inchers, but we couldn't get the right wheels sourced through the right people and I got tired of looking at the car sitting on jackstands in my driveway. So we have Z06-sized rubber with regular rims. We're still looking for some 9.5 and 10.5 wheels so we may eventualy go to that setup.

The tires seem awesome so far. In talking with John Rastetter at the Tire Rack, he says that the runflat MXs perform as well or better than the "regular" MXs in their testing, possibly due to the stiffer sidewall.

As of this past weekend, the car is also wearing a set of Koni FSD shocks. They're non-adjustable, which means they're legal for NCCC group 1, but they still have that awesome digressive-valved Koni feel to them.

I'm hoping to get to our test track on Monday and get some updated lap times. Between the corner weighting, alignment and now the new shocks and tires, the car feels really dialed. I wouldn't be surprised if it moves into the top spot on our test course rankings for a street-tire car (currently held by Tim's old E36 M3). Although it's all in the name of science we do like to fight a little bit for office bragging rights.

J.G. Pasterjak
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine

Bill Dearborn

Watched the video. I would like to make a suggestion on the new covers. If you don't mind taking the seat back cover off again you could add some abrasion protection to the seat frame. On the 97 through 99 cars it wasn't so much cheap leather that was the problem but a sharp edge on the bolster part of the frame and the fact that every driver hits this spot with their butt when they get in the car. Within 2 days of car delivery I noticed the bolster leather wearing on my 97 and using my hand pushed on the bolster edge to feel the frame coming up through the foam and rubbing against the leather. It was repaired by replacing the worn section and under the foam adding a felt bolster sleeve that fit over the edge of the frame. The seat never wore there again. I just converted my Z06 seats over to Sport Seat covers and the first thing I did upon re-assembly was add felt bolster sleeves for the frame.

You mentioned in the video how the stock belts weren't very good at holding you in place during an autocross and I was wondering if you had used the Cinch mode on the belts? Before I added my harnesses I used Cinch mode all the time and found it was quite useful.

Bill

TedDBere

Great videos! Thanks.

Bill you reminded me of a funny story.

I was co-driving an SS Z06 at an autocross event and when I got in the car there was an extra lap belt. I buckled in the stock belt to prepare for the 1st run and the owner, leaning in the driver's window, told me I should use the extra lap belt because the regular belt doesn't hold you in very well.

I pulled the stock belt out to cinch it to see if it was broken and it worked fine. And said, "It seems to work OK." With a look of puzzlement in his eyes he reached in and gave the belt a tug only to find it locked down like it should be. He looked at me and said, "Well knowing that would have saved me some money!"

Sorry for the hijack, great videos and I'm looking forward to future installments.

jpasterjak

I'm right with you on the sharp edges on the seat frame. They're basically just unfinished fiberglass. If I were reusing the stock pads, I'd definitely put something there to reduce the friction, but the replacement foam is actually thicker and harder in that area to compensate.

And as for the cinch feature, mine worked fine on the lap belt, but not on the shoulder belt. The shoulder would lock with a quick tug, but then loosen as soon as the slightest bit of tension was taken off. Was I doing something wrong?

J.G. Pasterjak
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine

VetteDrmr

Nope, the shoulder strap doesn't have a cinch mode.

Have a good one,
Mike

ghoffman

Thanks for the kudo's! I have some more goodies (aglinment tool) to send you too!