The Phoenix - The GP Roadster Project

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by BlimeyCabrio, Jun 24, 2014.

  1. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    It happens. I'm actually kinda glad to get that out of the way. Because I knew it was inevitable - if you're gonna drive the car (and yourself) to the limit, you're going to do that sooner or later. I don't have to worry about it anymore, now I can just DRIVE IT.

    I definitely found the limit of both me and the car on that particular day. :)

    Video is priceless. I see EXACTLY what I did wrong, and know how to correct it. It's not at all what I thought before I analyzed the video.

    In case you're curious, the car went into understeer coming out of that corner because I wasn't unwinding the steering early enough. When it understeered I failed to go ahead and straighten out and take the "off" on the right side, if that's what it meant... I instinctively fought it and tried to pull it back on... which doesn't work when you already have no front traction.

    I have really good instincts to deal with oversteer, because that's what MINIs do in the mountains all the time. But I rarely push the car hard enough on the street to make it understeer, with sticky tires and lots of front camber. I don't have those instincts tuned in quite yet. I was practicing this on other corners earlier in the day and doing it right... but I failed on this one.

    Learning is hard, sometimes. :Thumbsup:
     
  2. GreyLens

    GreyLens New Member
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    Yes...a good run going. I did the same thing but had lots of open space, no grass and no barriers...so no ding. You're right...driving on the edge for any length of time will always lead to finding out what happens at just over the edge...no other way to learn what that means.

    Good driving.
     
  3. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    These just arrived...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    These rotors are massive... only 11.6" diameter, but 1.2" wide. The whole OEM rotor would fit in the vane width of this rotor.

    [​IMG]

    Will not have overheating issues with these. My Carbotech XP12/XP8 combo did very well on my current brakes last weekend... but it wasn't a hot day, and I'll be pushing the car much faster at VIR next month.
     
  4. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Oh, Dave... this is after I plowed the field sideways... I suspect it will make you cringe. :D

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    ^^^^ That's not bad and at least you had a run off unlike Tim did at the Dragon a few years ago.
     

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  6. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    #66 Dave.0, Aug 12, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2014
    The last picture above is what epic failure looks like. :eek:

    FYI ~ he slid off (Hellbender) facing the road to towards Fontana and went airborne and hit a tree with his passenger rear quarter panel. That spun him 180 degrees as he went over the edge and hit a tree ( 20 + feet down) head on 6 or 7 feet up with his hood scoop and slid down the tree.

    He was not hurt and was only wearing OEM seatbelts and none of the airbags went off.

    He did drink a whole bottle of Patr'on that night.

    I ran him down to MINI in Atlanta a few days later and the guys at Helix (Eric) got the car up and running and he drove the Dragon a few times and drove the car home to PA on Saturday.
     

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  7. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    #67 cct1, Aug 12, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2014
    Rotors will hold up, but those calipers (outlaw) are going to flex big time--no center cross-member, and a long distance of thin metal in the middle until you get to the more rigid ends. if you hit the track, make sure to flip your pads every now and then to even out the taper.

    I had horrible support from Outlaw, I hope your luck is better, Chad probably had an in with them, but at the end if the day I'm done with that company.
     
  8. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Yep, I expect that. Everything's a trade-off.
     
  9. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Yeah, that's not gonna buff out.
     
  10. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    It did ! His insurance paid over 15 or 16K or more when it was all said and done to have it fixed. :frown2:

    He traded it for a WRX. :Thumbsup:
     
  11. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Some ride, glad you take it so well.

    I had a good laugh at the Woo Hoo!
     
  12. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #72 BlimeyCabrio, Aug 12, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2014
    Any time you can drive the car home from the track, vs. call the wife to come get you 3 hours away, it's a WIN. :lol:

    But anyone thinking about taking their daily driver or their show car to the track should first answer the question: If I crash it, will that be OK?

    If not... you're probably not doing something rational. Luck will only take you so far.
     
  13. GreyLens

    GreyLens New Member
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    I now have the GreyLenz because the last time I called the wife to "pick me up" I was at the Uvalde Emergency Clinic following an encounter with a buzzard just east of Leakey Texas. The buzzard won. He flew away. I lost, especially when I slowly scuffled out of the clinic with my right arm in a sling...I lost the Triumph and a whole lot of good will.

    The Lenz was the closest feeling I could get to the motorcycle and still have the four wheels decreed as essential for any further wondering about the hill country for "fun."
     
  14. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Yeah, my wife proclaimed "no motorcycles"
    So I'm making my car as dangerous as possible. :devil:

    Kidding... it's actually pretty frickin safe currently. I think I could even roll it at the track and likely walk away. But I don't plan on trying that. :nonod:
     
  15. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    It's why I'm really seriously thinking of buying trailer--Dan makes a fantastic one specifically for the MINI.
     
  16. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Yeah, I've looked at that trailer... if it weren't $$$ I'd be all over it. It's awesome, though.
     
  17. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    When the flag drops I don't think about my rally Mini being a daily driver!
     
  18. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Care to share please?
     
  19. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    THIS

    Dan's Mini Trailers

    If I was going to have him build one, I think I'd want to add some additional length in front of the bed for a wheel rack and storage box...
     
  20. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    There's a used one for sale, if I had the room I'd already have bought it. I'm thinking about renting storage. I'm getting to the point where I'm avoiding far away places, I've already had to limp the car home once because of a torn IC boot.
     

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