Autocross event today.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Autocross event today.
The Vapor Trails Vette Club of Santa Maria, CA. held an autocross today. It was my first Autocross in years. I had a blast. The car ran and handled great. Everyone had postive comments about my car especially the exhaust note. There were on two C3s including mine. The really fast guys were in a wicked hot rodded 944 turbo (36 seconds), a 240Z (37 seconds), and a Subaru WRX and Mini Cooper S. There was a really wicked 930 looking 911 with a TPI L98 engine. There were some trailered in cars on slicks. The fast time of the day went to a apparantly stock RX7 Turbo. Great car, fantastic driver. The 944 Turbo with obviously modified engine and turbo and slick tires took second I believe. The 240Z was third. The BMW M3 was damn quick too. Yes, it was a very tight course and small cars were quickest. The fastest Corvettes were a C6 Z06 (39 seconds) a really fast C4 (about 39 seconds) and a few C5s and C6s. I ran a 40.6 and I'm proud that had a faster time than some C5s and C6s. I'm looking forward to doing this again. One thing for sure, I'm going to an electric water pump. That would have been nice to cool the engine between rounds.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay
Last edited by Bee Jay; Nov 1, 2009 at 11:08 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
No need for an electric WP. Just wire your fans so you can run them in between rounds. Let them run for a few minutes then fire the engine for about 30 seconds. This will get the cool water from the rad into the motor and the hot water from the motor into the rad. Then keep the fans running for a few more minutes with the motor off. This will keep it somewhat cool.
If you run an electric WP you will need to run the fans also. Make sure your battery and charging system are in good order.
It is fun to beat some of the C5 and C6 cars in the autoX with an old school C3.
If you run an electric WP you will need to run the fans also. Make sure your battery and charging system are in good order.
It is fun to beat some of the C5 and C6 cars in the autoX with an old school C3.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
No need for an electric WP. Just wire your fans so you can run them in between rounds. Let them run for a few minutes then fire the engine for about 30 seconds. This will get the cool water from the rad into the motor and the hot water from the motor into the rad. Then keep the fans running for a few more minutes with the motor off. This will keep it somewhat cool.
If you run an electric WP you will need to run the fans also. Make sure your battery and charging system are in good order.
It is fun to beat some of the C5 and C6 cars in the autoX with an old school C3.
If you run an electric WP you will need to run the fans also. Make sure your battery and charging system are in good order.
It is fun to beat some of the C5 and C6 cars in the autoX with an old school C3.
I have two electric fans already, and I did the crank for a minute and leave the fans on while staging. I plan to upgrade to a CS Alternator when I install the electric water pump. I kinda wanted to do this anyways when I do my serpentine belt conversion. Yesterday just convinced me more. The only problem, I overdrove my power steering in a couple of turns and in the slalom. It didn't happen every run, but when it does, you have manual steering for a couple of seconds. The brakes were fantastic. Competition benchmarks where your car is compared to others. I will not mess with any RX7 Turbos. That dude was practically stock and was kicking everyones ***.
Bee Jay
Last edited by Bee Jay; Nov 1, 2009 at 11:09 AM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 1
From: Atascadero CA
At the last VTV autocross I attended, I recall that BJ cracked his oil pan...bummer.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Bee Jay
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 147
Likes: 2
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
BeeJay, where was this event held at? I live in SM, so I figure I would have heard about that or the club, I guess I should try to be more active on that stuff. Where's the Pic the of the RX-7? I sold mine not too long ago to buy the C3
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
The race was held at the Allan Hancock College parking lot. We got kicked off the airport. Even the go-kart track is getting kicked off of the airport property. Vapor Trails Corvette Club of Santa Maria has a web site. Google it. I'll try to post a picture of the RX7. I thought I did.
Bee Jay
Last edited by Bee Jay; Nov 2, 2009 at 01:33 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
There used to be a race each year in the old days called the "North/South Challenge" where the So-Cal autocrossers raced their Nor-Cal counterparts for bragging rights in Santa Maria. Maybe we could put something toghether for 2010 along these lines, I will guarantee a Top Time of Day by a Nor-Cal Vette based on photos of car running the event. Where is the site you are using? I heard in the old days it was an airfield. Email me at zeohsix2002@yahoo.com if you think there is a possibilty of doing a 2010 event. Eric B.
