HandsomeMike

It was a test and tune (I wanted to be listed as CAM but it isn't in their computer yet so they gave me SS just to class me). I haven't had the 89 Vette on a track since buying it last May so I decided to give her a solid beating. The car has open lid, 1.6 roller rockers, stronger valve springs, y-pipe back exhaust, FE1 springs, lowering kit, horrible KYB shocks and a VBP 32mm front bar. I only got two runs in while it was dry at 70 sec followed by a 67 sec run. The next two were wet at 69 sec and a DNF due to a spin. The car handled great overall. I have a bigger rear bar waiting to go on that will make it turn better. The stock brakes got better when hotter but still were a C+ at best. I was able to get into the ABS but braking distances were LONG! Upgrading to Hawk HPS and Bilstein Sports soon. Thanks for reading as I thought I'd share some handling thoughts with you folks.

vette6500

car looks great! what kind of tires?

HandsomeMike

Continental DW.

BrianCunningham

Cool

Looks like the CAM class is really going to take off

HandsomeMike

I was just looking at the results and we could have had a field of 8 cars in CAM yesterday. I would have been 6th. My crappy brake pads left a lot of time on the course. 1st place would have been a new Camaro SS that was 6 seconds faster. I'm waiting till they find some better track surfaces. That parking lot was so bumpy and chopped up and there was a bump before the finish line that felt like I was getting air off of it and I had to brake way too early for all turns. All that complaining should be good for at least 5 seconds, right? ;-)

HandsomeMike

Here is an in car video of one of the runs. I had to stay in second gear for fear of spinning all over the place in the rain. Sorry for the poor quality.

vette6500

agreed, that's a horrible lot for autocross, safety and surface wise, not to mention the weather
i can hear your suspension getting thwacked multiple times...

mountainbiker2

It would be another 8 years if I had to Autocross that lot.

HandsomeMike

They have another lot they use at Music City Raceway that I will try in April. If that's not any better I will be a corvette event only in Bowling Green until my SCCA region gets dates locked down for the museum track autox area. The KY region already has a date booked for Oct that I will attend. That lot was abusive.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

If you want a real Auto x pad that will out perform the Hawks, take a look at the Carbotech AX6. The AX6 is specially designed for Auto X.

The AX6™ is specifically engineered for Autocross applications. A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range of 50°F to 1000°F + (10°C to 537°C+). The advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Many drivers use the AX6™ for street driving as well, even though Carbotech™ doesn't recommend street driving with AX6™ due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise. AX6™ is NOT recommended as a race compound in most applications.

HandsomeMike

What is the price for AX6 for an 89? For only doing a handful of autox a year, the HPS looks like a great option at $73 for a front set.

froggy47

Also take a look at hp+ for autox/street.

kimmer

I paid $312 for the front and rear

HandsomeMike

For AX6?

I think I'll give the HPS or HP+ a try before paying that much for pads. I won't be racing enough to make that kind of of investment in pads.

93Rubie

Good God and I thought we had small lots to run on. That is just painful and down right crappy. I'd be looking for a better lot. SEA OF CONES!!!! HOLY MOTHER OF CONES, that is confusing. Less=More. Someone needs to go back to auto-x course design school.

http://www.houscca.com/solo/courses/...sign_4-1-2.pdf

HandsomeMike

It was horrible. I'm not going to another event until April when they will be at their other site which I hear is similar to this one. I'm hoping the other lot is more fun and at least a little bit smoother. There are plenty of better sites around Nashville but the region doesn't want to pony up the cash. They will be using the Vette Museum Motorsports park starting next year and I will go to those events. The lot we were on in the video had so many surface changes (as you could hear in the video).

spro2395

How did you mount your camera?

HandsomeMike

With an iottie windshield iPhone 5 mount I bought in Amazon for $19.99. Works great.

spro2395

My wife bought me a gopro camera for Christmas and I mounted it on the roof.
The video quality is great but you hear nothing but wind noise. I wish I could figure out how to post it here...
Joe

HandsomeMike

Well to top off my crappy day I came home for lunch and decided to drive the Vette the rest of the day since it's sunny and 53 in Nashville. The brake pedal is hard as a rock and almost won't stop the car. The MC is brand new as of November and there is no leak from the booster and the reservoirs are full. The brakes were fine on the way home from autox on Sunday and now this. I took a few photos of the fluid. It is an amber color now instead of clear like it was. Do I need a brake bleed? Is there air in the lines? What else could it be? I don't know how they would go from fine to this after just sitting in the garage for four days.