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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    No doubt. I've waved off Jan trying to upgrade me to the 400HP TVS setup, happy to stick with 325-350 for starters. I can upgrade later, if I decide I can handle it.

    Doing some things to fine tune suspension, alignment and aero before next trip to the track. And next outing will be pretty focused on more suspension tuning and burning a few skill improvements and disciplines into my firmware.

    But I needed that spin (if you can call 90 degrees a spin) to learn and confirm a few things. It was timely and necessary. And I was pretty happy to stop short of that tire wall.
     
  2. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    In for thread rename: Undeterred.



    Glad you're in one piece.
     
  3. Red Bull

    Red Bull Active Member

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    +1, going through the grass at that speed sideways could easily have ended in several rolls if the wheels caught an edge :nonod:
     
  4. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    That never occurred to me. :cornut:

    84002EB8-9D8F-4EE9-866C-9B99C5414A7C_zpsodz0kk4k.jpg

    There's a reason the car has a 6 point cage. And I just bought a $1000 halo seat...

    Grading in run-off areas at tracks is pretty important. Luckily, 15" NT01's with the shoulders worn off slide pretty well, sideways, once you break traction.

    A guy put a stock car off the other edge at about the same spot last fall, going a bit faster, and did about 7 end-overs.
     
  5. UKCoopeR

    UKCoopeR Active Member

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    Have you seen Mark's video of his slide in the lotus during the rain down that straight from last Nov? You both know how to cut it close! If you ever switch to AiM setup, let know and I can share all my telemetry. Any plans for summit point this year? I probably won't be at VIR till fall :( but am at Summit 3 out of 4 weekends lol
     
  6. Red Bull

    Red Bull Active Member

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    I know you made sure your car is plenty safe in case of another mishap, but I was thinking rebuilding so soon, and the $$$, would make you go :crazy:.
     
  7. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Actually, no I haven't. Funny, Mark doesn't like talking about his goofs :arf:

    I'm planning to do the Trackdaze Shenandoah October event.

    Oh, indeed. I'm not trying to destroy it. Hoping I don't. But also realistic about it... It's a track car, and I'm gonna drive it at the limit... Stuff happens... I buy trackday insurance for a reason.
     
  8. UKCoopeR

    UKCoopeR Active Member

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    Haha, all you can see out the front windscreen is the barrier for the pit lane divider and him at full oppo, it's a save i would be proud of! It was really slick that whole event, here is some of my video from that day: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQtq_uWHrSE"]Trackdaze Nov 9 2015 Instructor Group Highlights - YouTube[/ame]

    Awesome I love the Shenny circuit :D it's a blast (assuming you don't have crazy hard springs) the high hp cars have nowhere to hide :devil: See you there!
     
  9. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #1429 BlimeyCabrio, Apr 14, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2016
    When I stuck the landing with the old car, on the rear end, one casualty was the rear section of my Milltek exhaust. The pipes out of the mufflers, to the tips, were badly bent, and one tip was mangled. I was waiting until the car was otherwise operational, to take it to the shop and get that fixed. Finally, the planets aligned, and there was a dry day, when I had time, and the shop had 1.75" stainless pipe.

    [​IMG]

    First, chop out the mangled stuff.

    [​IMG]

    Then fabricate some new pieces of mandrel-bent 1.75" stainless, slip-fit over the existing pipe so it could be rotated to the perfect position. TIG weld in place, with a brace, and add the original GP0769 JCW tips.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I intentionally had them protrude a bit more than they do on the OEM JCW exhaust, because I like the way it looks. The tips are affixed with set screws like the JCW exhaust, so I can adjust them later, if I change my mind.

    Kudos to RJ's Custom Piping in Raleigh, for doing a great job salvaging a mangled exhaust. They also built my custom center section that mates up to my RMW race header.

    While the car was on the lift, I played around with the battery box skid plate / diffuser. I scored a set of new Group4 diffusers, but I know they won't fit with the current exhaust configuration. As I looked at things back there, I thought I could probably fabricate something that would improve the airflow, short of a true "diffuser" setup. Playing with the OEM battery box plate, I think I can make something perfectly functional out of three of them, that will create smooth airflow from the underbody panels back to the rear bumper.

    [​IMG]

    I'm going to get a couple more of these plates and see what I can do. Stay tuned.
     
  10. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    Subaru has a similar piece that is finned like a diffuser on the '06-'07 STi...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  11. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #1431 BlimeyCabrio, Apr 19, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2016
    When I bought the OMP HTE-R XL halo seat, I thought I might also get an OMP WRC-R XL, which is basically the same seat with no halo. Then I could use that as the passenger seat on the track (for when I have an instructor), and swap them to drive in the WRC-R on the street.

    But, after driving around for several days on the street in the halo seat, I decided that I LOVE it. And the halo is really no big deal on the street, given that the car is definitely not a daily driver.

    So then, I thought I might just keep the Corbeau LG1 passenger seat. But I really wanted another high-back seat like the OMP, and really wanted another OMP. But, to accommodate the broadest range of passenger body types, I wanted an XL seat, and OMP only sells a couple of styles XL track buckets.

    And this probably won't pass tech inspection at the track...

    77C12F22-79EE-4E16-AE02-AF7B8685FE78_zps7dm8aiow.jpg

    Then I stumbled upon the OMP "Style" tuner seat. A nice, affordable, high back, supportive, reclining tuner seat, that compliments the race seat, and will fit more body type / size passengers than any bucket seat. And is 6-point harness ready. Sold.

    Ordered last week from RacingSeatsUSA.com, and it arrived today.

    62415014-F914-437C-B655-D1C8B4CAF456_zpss1cmnp35.jpg

    These are REALLY nice. Not as "cushy" as my Corbeaus, but plenty comfortable. A nice combination of "airtec" fabric and microsuede. Looks pretty. Micro-adjustable reclining mechanism. Integral slots for shoulder harnesses and anti-submarine belt(s). Tubular steel frame, much lighter than an OEM seat. Made in China, but nice.

    I decided to rob the OEM sliders off my original Blimey cabrio passenger seat. Just had to fab some simple brackets to attach the seat to the sliders, and to raise it up and tilt it a bit. Made these from a couple of 3/16" steel straps from the hardware store, cut, bent and drilled to mate the seat bolt arrangement to the sliders. Worked great, first try.

    83003D4B-1A33-4FEA-9D1B-7D7FD40DDCE8_zpsfgv1q8o5.jpg

    11601E5D-280B-4D1A-A038-91160A402EDE_zpshlphkrsm.jpg

    I think the pair looks fantastic. Now I can sell the Corbeaus. I think I already have a buyer lined up...
     
  12. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    As always a very nice install.
     
  13. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    very nice!
     
  14. vetsvette

    vetsvette MINI Alliance Ambassador

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    Looks great Paul. Just when I think you couldn't make it any better...
     
  15. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    #1435 cct1, Apr 19, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2016
    Cough cough...Some instructors consider it common courtesy to have a seat offering the same amount of protection as the students, and won't sit int the passenger seat unless it's the same safety rating as the students, cough cough....

    Most instructors will probably be ok with your setup, but I know a few that definitely won't. And if you're in a run group that requires tech, a few clubs I know wouldn't pass you to run with a passenger. Just sayin'...
     
  16. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Groups I run with only care about equal harnesses. But I know some clubs and instructors are prissy like that.

    They're safer in that seat, with a six point harness and a six point cage, than they would be in the same car with a four point bar, my old seats and factory belts, which would have passed (if I had used the same).

    I've ridden in instructor cars where there definitely wasn't equal seating.
     
  17. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    And I know some big boy instructors who can't even fit in an XL bucket. They'd be cussing me for a skinny racing seat on the right side, and will thank me for having a decent seat they can fit in. I've seen a bunch of dedicated track cars set up similarly in the groups I run in, for the same reason. Definitely need a supportive seat with a proper harness setup, that will work with their HANS or Simpson Hybrid or whatever they come with.

    But yeah, I know that's not good enough for some people...
     
  18. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Ask yourself this: why did you buy a Halo seat for yourself? Why didn't you but the passenger seat for yourself?

    There's nothing "prissy" about an instructor, who is literally putting his life in your hands, and has a wife and kids, refusing to sit in a car with a halo on one side, and an ok seat in the other...Some day you may be instructing. You're on that path. Your perspective is going to change.

    You have a high HP to weight ratio car. You've flipped it. You've spun it. If you wreck with an instructor, and you walk away with scratches, and your instructor is a paraplegic, are you gonna be ok with that? Last year an instructor was killed...

    When Jan did my seats, I put halos on both sides. Easy to remove one when you're solo, and piece of mind for your passengers when you're not.

    Post a pic of your setup on HPDRE. Tell that what speeds your car is capable of. Ask if instructors are comfortable with this setup. Some will be, some won't. It will be an interesting discussion...

    But what I can tell you is this: even the instructors that ride with you are going to notice it. Some will purposely keep you dialed back because of it. Others won't say anything, but will pass you off solo as quick as possible to get out of your car. Others won't care at all, and proceed as normal. Others won't get in your car (call them prissy to their face, see how that turns out).

    Yes, you can run it that way and get an instructor in your car. But you're moving into tiger country now, you're not advanced yet but getting closer--this is when people make the most potentially catastrophic mistakes. With a Pro driver, yeah, I'd be fine sitting in that passenger seat. But we aren't. I used to be a lot more cavalier about safety than I am now.
     
  19. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    A fair perspective.

    Things I know:
    * I need a passenger seat, for the street, that will accommodate lots of riders. And it doesn't need to be a halo. This will be 90% of the days the car is on the road. Check, got that covered.
    * Half the track events I'll do this year are pure solo, no instructors. Doesn't matter what's over there for those. This will be 50% of the 10%. Check, got that covered.
    * Some of the instructors I'll encounter will need a fat boy seat to fit. This will be 20% of the 5%. Check, got that covered.
    * For other instructors (~4% of the days the car will be on the road), I think it's very fair that they have a halo seat. I'll get another one that I can drop in for those days.

    Sold.
     
  20. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    #1440 cct1, Apr 20, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2016
    Fair enough.

    Sold. Lol...

    Not trying to break your balls, but I see where you're heading, I've been down that path, although not that much farther ahead. You're perspective is going to be different in a year or two; you're heading down the path of this not just being fun (although it always will be), but you're hitting the serious side of it now, and your responsibility is going to increase accordingly.

    I was you a few years ago. Pushed the car too hard, too fast, made a lot of mistakes. But I had more than one instructor tell me they can't make a slow, cautious driver fast, but they can make an overly aggressive driver more cautious and faster. It's cool to watch you work through this...

    You're pushing the car, finding the limits. You've spun with an instructor in your car; I have too. More than once, you still have some catching up to do, lol.You're not the guy babying the car, who's going slow enough that there's never going to be an issue.
     

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