Karman Sutra

[Fiatdude]

Man, I had a good time last night, only did the first session. Found a few issues with the car (AND DRIVER) and didn't want to just keep abusing the chit out of the car.

1st issue -- NO LSD -- Man, it really sucked coming out of a corner and just lighting up the rear inside tire, there were 3 corners that I really needed that rear lock up to get out of cleanly -- -- I was hazing the tires about the first 1/4 of the way down the straights in run 1.

2nd issue -- Gearing -- this is a pretty tight track and I was hitting the limiter in 2nd gear at about 3/4 down the four main straight-a-ways -- (Think of this course as racing around the outside of the letter U with few S-turns added here and there.) If I shifted gears at redline in 2nd then I'd be in third for a heart beat and then having to downshift back to 2nd quickly to setup for the corner -- my www.weak-ass.com brain just couldn't wrap itself around those actions to do it very smoothly, so I started short shifting into 3rd at about half way down those straights and the car responded real well to that. Would of been nice to have enough legs to just keep it 2nd the whole time.

3rd issue -- Front end dive/roll -- the front end was really diving down going around the corners (this might of added to the rear tires breaking loose) I felt it happening and it was confirmed by a couple of different guys. The PO gave me a front sway bar but it is missing all the strapping and a few of the rubbers to install it. The car defiantly needed it.

4th issue - The innercooler was working great ----- but the radiator I'm using just didn't dissipate the heat good enough (probably need to get it more airflow) -- during the 3rd run It over flowed into the car --

5th issue -- trans linkage or clutch - it just wasn't smooth down shifting and I found myself having to fight the downshifts a lot,,, up shifts were positive and OK -- but dropping a gear sucked 50% of the time -- I just didn't have the ability to feel/figure out (BRAIN PROCESSING SPEED lol) if it was the weight of the dual disc clutch not letting to spin up to mesh or the linkage was binding.  Something to ponder and play with while I'm out driving around on the streets in the future.

6th issue -- Tires/Freaking Driver -- -- This was a nice tight/quick/busy course to learn and it has been a long time since I've went around corners in anger LOL. IF I was in a gocart and all I had to do was stab the throttle and steer, I'd probably of been a lot cleaner,,,, but shifting,,,, trying to sort the car,,, blah blah blah,,,,, I think there was a couple of the corners that I felt the did right/good once or twice.... And there was defiantly no repeating lap to lap LOL -- So basically ,,, I was www.weak-ass.com lol  -- --- BUT I'm going with the TIRES being the biggest problem -- --  yeah that's the ticket LMAO

OK -- Here are the times:

run 1     54.28     54.65
run 2     53.73     53.63
run 3     53.17     53.11

I was the third slowest car on the track, just in front of a Honda Fit (60's) and a BMW X3 (63's) -- The bad news was I was slower than a Prius -- GAD -- but there were several Mustangs slower than this Prius -- Turned out the driver/owner was a Hacker and had modified the programing for full time electric/gas engine for performance. The quickest cars were running in 44's -- Most of the mustangs/Camaro's were in the 48-49 sec range, unless they had TIRES then they would drop into the 45-46 range -- but since this was the 'finals', I figure that all the drivers had playing there all summer and been sorting their cars out for a while......

Overall, great time, pretty busy during the session, probably 10-15 minutes between runs..... I was running around with my head cut off trying to do stuff and the other drivers were standing/walking around BSing with each other. They had their routines and I had a cerebral anal implant... I highly recommend trying it......

[Fiatdude]

Recv'd this late last night from Mr Burkdoll:::::::::::

Harold: 

   I also have done also done extensive research on E85 and do understand the pros and cons in the use of the fuel. 

  However when it comes to policing the available fuels for the 100/130/150 mph classes for the USFRA it is a lot more complicated than it seems.  For example.  E85 falls in the Alternitive fuels category for almost all racing venues.  Its considered a power adder.  It's properties are more similar to methanol than they are to pump gas.   Even by the SCTA's standards running E85 switches you from the gasoline class, to the fuel class. 
   So by definition of alternitive fuels if you allow one, you have to allow them all.  Which includes methanol, wood gas, hydrogen gas, nitrous oxide, nitromethane, ext,ext!  I have even had request to run Everclear liquor. 

  So fire safety is just a small piece of the pie.  There is much more involved! 

  I would like to see the USFRA allow E85 in the future.  With the increase of federal mandates, and availability of E85 or pump gas. I think a change in the future will have to occure. 

[Fiatdude]

Burly continues to be the man --  Just received this email from him------

Good morning Harold

I spoke with BJ last night at the USFRA meeting. I have asked BJ to consider opening up the 130/150 Club to E85 only (along with normal gasoline) for future competition and he has agreed to look at a proposal I will send him.

The three concerns he expressed to me were:

1. Any percentage of alcohol provides greater performance than straight gasoline and gives a decided advantage to the racer using alcohol. This becomes an "unfair advantage" relative to other racers "in the same class" who only run on straight gasoline. This is why the land speed racing community (SCTA/BNI/USFRA/ECTA) has separate classes for cars running on gas and separate classes for cars running on fuel (i.e., alcohol, nitro, NOX, etc.). Since a performance advantage with alcohol is acknowledged, allowing it's use means records set with a properly tuned alcohol engine will always be higher than similar cars running gasoline, thus the unfair advantage aspect.

2. If E85 is allowed to be used, then other racers will ask why can they not run pure alcohol, nitro, NOX, and others.

3. In the ten or more years E85 has been available, you are the only prospective 130/150 MPH Club racer to request an exemption to the rule.  Therefore is it really necessary to open up the two "amateur" classes to E85? That being said, he can visualize other folks who might wish to run E85 in the future.

I advised him the following referencing each concern:

1. 130/150 Club top speeds are not records under any sanctioning body (USFRA/BNI/USFRA) so are not affected by one car running on gas and one on E85. The only goal of the 130/150 MPH Club concept is making it easy to introduce folks to land speed racing and recognizing the fact some cars achieve certain goals. Comparing the use of E85 versus pure gasoline to gain membership in the 130/150 Club listings would be similar to one person using a Volkswagen to gain membership and one person using a Ford Mustang V8. Obviously the Mustang has the advantage over the VW , as would E85 over gas. The only true goal of these amateur classes is making two passes within the speed windows set by the USFRA. That being said, only the VW Challenge recognizes 130/150 Club top speeds as records and our guidelines (rules) do not distinguish between gas and non-gas (fuel) cars so allowing the use of E85 "would be acceptable" for our record keeping. The VW Challenge is not a sanctioning body, just a clearing house for recording Volkswagen top speed history, which is where we distinguish top speed records by dedicated car categories. That is where the VW Challenge records come from.


2. In the near future I will draw up a proposal for BJ to present to the 130/150 MPH Club technical rules committee this fall for consideration at next years USFRA 130/150 MPH Club events to include wording to allow E85 to be used while still preventing the use of Nitro, NOX and others non gasoline based fuels. This request will be based on the fact that E85 is now a standard acceptable and common fuel for everyday production street cars, available nationwide. That, combined with the fact street/production cars are the reason for the existence of the 130/150 Club, this might encourage additional beginner participation in land speed racing (the USFRA's goal !) with everyday vehicles. With this beginner participation, the USFRA hopes folks will enjoy the land speed racing experience and later build true race cars to full competition specs and safety guidelines. This is already occurring in 36hp and VW Big Block Challenge racers with numerous cars now at or close to full competitions specifications.

3. He already recognizes that E85 is a common everyday fuel and it may become necessary to expand the 130/150 MPH Club rules to include it's acceptance for additional folks to take advantage of this starter category.



Wish me luck with this request. I will continue to keep you informed on any progress I might see.


Burly

Burly Burlile
VW 36hp & BB Challenge
burlybug@comcast.net
www.facebook.com/groups/36hpvw.challenge

Freelance Photo Journalist
Society of Land Speed Racing Historian (SOLSRH)

[Fiatdude]

Notice my torque reference marks on the CV's at the trans?? The bolt marked near the 6.75" did a little self clearancing on the tire,,, no rubbing anywhere else -- -- Found about 10 90* angles in my oil lines -- gonna clean that up......

[Fiatdude]

From Burly :::::::::::::::::::::

G'day Challengers






Over the next couple weeks keep a close check in your email for my update's on the upcoming World of Speed (Sept 6 thru 9) and the VW Challenge Maxx Speed Nats. Recent rains have caused concern regarding the racing surface and I will do my best to keep you aware of the status of the event. You can also "Friend" request the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association at the site below for direct updates:




https://www.facebook.com/pages/Utah-Salt-Flats-Racing-Association/100630516712955







CONTACT INFO REQUEST: With just 21 days (3 weeks) till racing begins, my ability to call you in case of a delay or                                                                              cancellation will be critical to minimizing both travel and hotel/motel expenses. If you are planning to                                                            attend the WOS "as a racer or spectator", please email me with the BEST phone number to reach you                                                          "on the road" (U.S. residents only!) and/or at home. In the event of cancellation, I will try to call                                                                  everyone on the notification list as quickly as possible. My home phone number is 435-752 4359 and I                                                          would invite you to call me as we near our travel dates if this will work better for you. I will be                                                                      assessing weather updates to keep you abreast of any changes in the last few days. Thanx..Burly








As of today, the conditions have changed dramatically for the better as seen by the photo below:






This photo was taken by the USFRA yesterday (Saturday the 16th) at the 2 1/2 mile marker.




World of Speed celebrating 100 years of racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats begins in just 21 days. The dates are Sept 6-9 with tech inspection's beginning Sept. 5. Gate open each day at 8:00AM  until close at 6:00PM. The last day of racing will close early Tuesday afternoon.


Invite your friends and family to enjoy some great racing and make 2014 the best year yet.




Gonna be fun. See you on the salt...............................




Burly




Burly Burlile
VW 36hp & BB Challenge
burlybug@comcast.net
www.facebook.com/groups/36hpvw.challenge



Freelance Photo Journalist
Society of Land Speed Racing Historian (SOLSRH)

[Fiatdude]

Road Racing/Rally/NASA cage requirements === general good info

http://www.nasarallysport.com/rules-forms/2012-NASA-Rally-Sport-GRR-Appendix-B.pdf

[Fiatdude]

Finally got the correct bushings and installed the front 19mm sway bar

[Fiatdude]

Well,,,,, I've had the Ghia on Jack stands for about 2 weeks now and trying to solve a couple of issues -- over heating and turning -- When I got the car in the air and pulled the tires, found ALL the bolts holding the CV's were loose, inner and outer on both sides,,, So maybe it was a good time to pull it down and do a complete inspection -- -- Been whittling down the list of to-do items -- retorqued the CV bolts and added some ultra locktite this time (strength is just short of welding them in place LOL) -- Installed the 19mm front sway bar --  I was going to move the oil cooler to the front of the car,,, but didn't like any of the different ways of running the lines to the front (going thru the cabin vs. going under), then it was suggested trying to mount it under the trans on the fork tubes for better air,,, so going to try that as the first option -- -- might add a second cooler, going to play it by ear,,,,,,, --- --- Had one side of the engine exhaust temps running a lot hotter than the other,,, so pulled all the intake pieces off that side, thinking it was a possible intake leak,, spent a few hours sanding them all flat (they were all warped),, reinstalled them and now the other side is running hot ---- go figure LOL -- Front wheel bearings were loose on both sides, tighten up the drivers side, need to finish everything else up and get the car back on the ground so I can move the car to get to the passenger side.... While all the tires were off,,,,, string lined and measured and aligned everything,,, rear end was 1/8" off,,, not bad

I'm wanting to go to the local Yucaipa car show Friday night at 5pm,, so I need the bitch back rolling -- -- LEFT TO DO :::::: going to run the valves one more time -- need to make one hard line to finish the oil system -- repack the passenger front wheel bearings -- wash all the freaking greasy hand prints off the bastard LMAO --- Chit -- gotta run down and get some E85  too

[Fiatdude]

If you have a few bucks to spare, please consider donating to this good cause:::::::::::

I know a lot of people read this thread so I thought this was a good place to post this for a good friend of mine greg banfill as his sister needs all are help.

My sister Stephanie has been fighting cancer for 4+ years.
When she was first diagnosed we raffled off a RHD Standard Bus to help her with the financial burden associated with treatment, travel, etc.

That money is long gone, so it's time to do it again.

This time we are raffling off this 1964 Convertible



















Here are the details on the car -

Older respray in the original red color
NEW 6" narrowed beam, with dropped spindles and disk brakes.
NEW ProStreet Rancho trans
NEW rear drum brakes
NEW freshly built Big Bore 40hp engine from the guys at Paradise Motorworks (previously VW Paradise)
NEW Black stayfast canvas top, padding, and wood
NEW TMI interior in Grey / Offwhite
NEW 4.5 / 5.5 Chromed Fuch replicas from EMPI with new Firestone 125's up front and 195/65's in the rear.

This car is a turn-key driver ready to use and enjoy built by the good folks at Vintage Warehouse.

More info can be found in this thread - http://lowbus.com/BB/index.php?topic=583.30

How to buy tickets -

We will be selling 1000 tickets @ $50 each

December 7th we will be having a BBQ / Car Show / Cruise in Santa Rosa, CA

Zane Cullen @ Cotati Speed Shop has offered to let us piggy back on his December 7th "Caffeine and Gasoline" car show / cruise event to do the drawing.

We will be hosting a BBQ with hot dogs, sodas, chips, etc ($10 donation) for those you who are able to attend.

Somewhere near 12 noon we will be pulling a winning number, but feel free to come out early (9 am start time) to check out the other cars and participate in other drawings.

Cotati Speed Shop
3651 Standish Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95407

You DO NOT need to be present to win.
Shipping of the car worldwide at the winners expense is no problem.

Tickets can be bought via PayPal ($52 each to cover fees) by sending money to steppinupforstephanie@gmail.com

Or by sending a check for $50 per ticket made out to Stephanie Bettiga to me at the address below.

Greg Banfill / Vintage Warehouse
1225 Comalli Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95407

If you are local, drop us a PM and we will set up a time to meet with you, otherwise we will be scanning the tickets and emailing you a .pdf of them.

Facebook users can find more info here - https://www.facebook.com/sufsvertraffle

For non FB users, keep an eye on this thread or check out the Steppin Up For Stephanie page here - http://www.steppinupforstephanie.com

[Fiatdude]

Cool Bug at Atlanta

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]

[Fiatdude]

Took the Ghia to Irwindale last night for it's first pass down the quarter mile --

car 1 -- Driver 0 LOL

Track was really slick early (that's my story... sticking to it),,, ended up racing Irwindale regular Miguel in his street bug and I had my track tires on the car (basically street tires LOL) --

I launched at 3500 at the second yellow and immediately was in tire spin
[reaction time: Miguel .037 - Me .412 -- at the second yellow even -- damn]

So I'm going down the track tires spinning, bouncing off the limiter and Miguel is just freight training me,,, but I'm thinking -- This is OK -- I've got the turbo gods on my side,,, I can run him down
[60' times: Miguel 1.743 - Me 2.692]

What to do, What to do -- So I'm trying to decide if I should just short shift, pedal the damn thing or let the tires spin -- My right arm evidently makes a decision that the rest of me wasn't ready for and pulls the trans out of first gear -- God damn it -- Now,,, I can't get angry at my right arm because it has been carrying my girlfriend around for the last 60+ years,,, So I go ahead and drop into second and immediately bog -- -- Miguel is GONE -- So I'm setting there trying to get back on boost -- and thinking this is really sucking LOL
[330': Miguel 5.499 Me 7.350]

So things finally start cleaning up and I roll into 3rd gear Miguel is already through the lights (stick a fork in me, I'm done LOL) and I'm finally coming onto boost. I roll through the traps at 5000 rpm.......
[1/8: Miguel 8.729/76.18 Me 10.858/72.77]

So I'm feeling pretty good,,,, HEY, I've got the Ghia into the 10's,,,,,,, then somebody had to go and burst my bubble and say that is suppose to be for the quarter, not the eighth,,,,,,,, Well, I've got the 10 down, I've just got to figure out how to get the other eighth mile of track added into the equation LOL

So I put the car onto the trailer because I not feeling to good about the pulling the trans out of gear event and spend the rest of the evening BS'ing (took me an hour to tie the car down it was such a huge bench racing event LOL) and talking up just how slow my POS is LOL... It was all the cars fault, I nothing to do with it LOL

[Fiatdude]

Was one of about ten VW's representing at the Long Beach Veteran's car show yesterday,,, only Ghia out of about 350 cars,,, tons and tons of spectators  --- my Porsche rims had a lot of idiots confused LOL -- -- and who was I to correct their wrongful ways ,,, Had a couple of old guys next to me cracking up at some of my explanations,,, and by the end if the day even had a few others offering more "insightful" musings to add to my ramblings LMAO -- it was a great day at the beach -- This shot was taken EARLY in the morning during setup before the marine layer burned off -- by noon you could hardly walk down the isles





Planning on taking the car out to Fontana (Cal Speedway) for a SOLO practice (lots of cones and lots of parking lot LOL) on Saturday 11/15/14 -- gonna try and see if any on my modifications are gonna help getting this thing to go around some corners...



.

[spanners]

Nice amusing post flat, great pics, sounds like your doing it right and ENJOYING it all, can I ask what that is ^^^^^^^ first one up?

[Neil Davies]

The stars and stripes roadster with the flat four up front? Its a Jowett, can't remember the model, but could be a Jupiter? Dates back to the early 50s IIRC.

[spanners]

Great, thanks, Jupiter would make sense, as the Jowet Javaline is a Saloon.

[Fiatdude]

You guys are good -- I had never seen one before either -- -- There was another car there I had never seen before also a MGC GT with an in-line six -- this one was an auto trans model too -- like one of 250 or so

[Neil Davies]

Harold, I've only ever seen one before, and it just stuck in my mind with that mad engine up front! The MGC is a cool car, I'd like to see one with a modern Japanese 6-pot in it!

[Fiatdude]

Took the car out to the parking lot of Cal Speedway today -- -- What a fun time -- again not having a anti-slip diff was killing me in the corners, but installing the 19mm front sway bar made a huge difference -- car was super flat around the corners which was nice -- the 240 tread wear tires I've got on the ghia left a lot to be desired out there too -- the class that my car fit in was called California Street Touring (CST) and you are allowed a 140 TW or higher (has to be stamped onto the tire) -- While I was out doing my shift of track worker it was very observable which cars had the sticky tires and which didn't -- In the Miata class it was about 6 seconds difference between the cars with stickies and the ones without -- --

Here's my times --



There were a couple of 90 sec ones where I looped it around but I'm pretending they didn't happen LOL -- -- I was running about 4 sec slower than a Carrera with semi stickies, and the fast s2000's and Miata's were in the 64 range --

CalPoly Pomona Engineering students out there working for donations for their club (they would do your 45 minute track shift for $15) -- But they were really all over the Ghia and I think most of them were digging the old school beast LOL -- I tried my best to answer their questions LOL a nice bunch of girls and guys -- -- One kid (OK he was 27) asked for a ride along and I said OK -- So I loaded him and got him strapped in -- Now let me say, for me to get the ghia around this course required a ton of throttle input mixed in with a little steering wheel input  -- and letting the ass end hang out there -- this was a 2nd gear course -- so you Launch hard in first gear and immediately shift to second and then it was hang on from there with the engine coming on boost and then off the throttle and the pop off coming off hard -- rinse and repeat from there -- so I had the kid laughing and giggling the whole lap -- the final corner was a long right hand sweeper and with his added weight I was actually getting some good traction and I ended up drifting the car all the way around it with the kid laughing and going hell yeah the whole turn (a course worker came over later and said he could hear him laughing over the noise from the car LOL)

It is times like this when you get to share your passion with the next generation and they end up appreciating it, that makes it all worth while...... Oh Yeah, He had a death grip onto the Oh Chit bar the whole way LMAO

[Fiatdude]

It is getting close to the drawing for the vert -- -- If you have a couple of extra dollars to help out

http://www.steppinupforstephanie.com/

[Fiatdude]

Holy crap,,,,, am I sore today -- my freaking ribs are done LMAO -- --

Haven't felt this beaten up since I did 12 rounds with Fraiser LOL

[Fiatdude]

Something left over from last weekend

[andy198712]

Looks brilliant! i found a huge difference in installing the front Hd bar too, a lot more direct into the corners i felt..

When you say you bob weighted and measured the car, can you give a little more info on that? as i want to look into tracking and camber setup a little better now too.

Thanks for sharing!

[Fiatdude]

Hey Andy -- -- I didn't notice your reply/question -- I apologize for that -- -- What I did was center the steering wheel and then start straight edging everything on the front end -- then when I thought I had it close I would pull a measurement from like spots on the tire in the front and then on the rear of the tire -- This gives me my toe in and out -- I try to set it so the front measurement is about 1/8"/3mm smaller than the rear measurement -- -- I then measured across from the front right to left rear and then fl to rr and compared these measurements to see how close the rear end is set up -- I then did the comparing measurement from front of tire to rear of tire again shooting for the 1/8" difference ---

I haven't put the car on the scales yet to see how all the corners weigh/balance in yet -- it is something on my list of future things to do

--

Getting ready to pull the engine and trans -- I think I've got enough money saved up for limited slip 3rd member -- --- Whoopie

[Fiatdude]

Some old videos I found that show the old gang -- -- you guys recognize anyone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjJiLB6sf0&list=UUNSj5gLup8f07pckbqUneyQ&index=14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGS5eoquHIk&list=UUNSj5gLup8f07pckbqUneyQ&index=15

[andy198712]

Hey Andy -- -- I didn't notice your reply/question -- I apologize for that -- -- What I did was center the steering wheel and then start straight edging everything on the front end -- then when I thought I had it close I would pull a measurement from like spots on the tire in the front and then on the rear of the tire -- This gives me my toe in and out -- I try to set it so the front measurement is about 1/8"/3mm smaller than the rear measurement -- -- I then measured across from the front right to left rear and then fl to rr and compared these measurements to see how close the rear end is set up -- I then did the comparing measurement from front of tire to rear of tire again shooting for the 1/8" difference ---

I haven't put the car on the scales yet to see how all the corners weigh/balance in yet -- it is something on my list of future things to do

--

Getting ready to pull the engine and trans -- I think I've got enough money saved up for limited slip 3rd member -- --- Whoopie

Cheers for the details. i need to get mine sorted to really, i have half a turn extra on the wheel in one direction then the other i noticed.
what do you use to measure that accurately over that distance?

Thanks

[Fiatdude]

Two ways I can think of doing that -- --

1. -- Count the turns and find the center that way, or

2. -- Check the arm on the steering box and get it pointing straight up and down

[spanners]

Centred steering is key to correct steering action due to the designed in free play gain with added angle, in other words, you will have free play driving straight ahead if you just clock the steering wheel to suit, O/E German s/boxes are in fact registered for centred steering by aligning a notch on the input shaft locking collar with a raised seam on the 'box casting, but all this is missing on TRW and other after market boxes. Another factor may be the 'box is off centred on the beam if a replacement beam has been fitted, again, quality is missing in detail with most, the location spigots for the 'box are missing, the tie rods and pitman arm get fitted exactly as they were removed track wise, bingo, off set steering.

[Peter]

where's the ghia going Harold?
back to a fiat?? 

[Fiatdude]

Ghia is here to stay -- -- ((unless someone has two boat loads of cash to offer LOL))

Fine tuning the car for the rally/autocross stuff and figuring how to go a little faster... I have two things I want to do immediately -- I want to put a Posi/locker in the trans and I'm going to pull the Kirky seats out and get something a little more suited for the corners (MY RIBS NEED MORE PADDING lol) -- -- Just have a ton of spare stuff laying around on the shelves that I've decided not to use and now is time to get rid of them to fund the changes

[andy198712]

Two ways I can think of doing that -- --

1. -- Count the turns and find the center that way, or

2. -- Check the arm on the steering box and get it pointing straight up and down

i'll investigate