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S197 BOSS 302 Race Car Build Thread Build Thread

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I get it, you guys are aiming for the podium (as you should). The guise behind points for DOT vs non-DOT tires doesn't seem to incent/reward the racer the right way though.

What non-DOT slicks are out there that are faster than fresh Hoosiers?
 

captdistraction

GrumpyRacer
1,954
1,698
Phoenix, Az
I get it, you guys are aiming for the podium (as you should). The guise behind points for DOT vs non-DOT tires doesn't seem to incent/reward the racer the right way though.

What non-DOT slicks are out there that are faster than fresh Hoosiers?

Fresh Michelin’s or Pirellis (or almost any). They cost significantly more though. Scrubs are attractive if those last couple seconds don’t matter


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
There has been a lot going on lately. I took on a new role at work and have been super busy. Fortunately the car has generally been stable, but I doubt I'll have time to summarize in a full report. However, in general, everything is alive and well here in Mustangland.

I went to Buttonwillow in early April and myself and my other fast ST2 AZ guy thought we would be 1-2 in a field of 6. We got our butts kicked (my first time on CW13 config) and I just couldn't get it together (drove off the track a lot) but survived the weekend and had a good time regardless, mostly due to the evening BBQs and beers with the other AZ guys that made the trip. I sent my fast lap to @Racers360 for some constructive criticism from Mike Skeen so when I go back, I'll be better prepared. I was having some fuel pressure loss issues at high RPM late in the race on Sunday, thought it might be a fuel heating issue, but as it turns out, my in-cell pump was crapping out (wouldn't be able to confirm until next event).

Blooper Reel from Buttonwillow Weeekend:

Best race I had from the weekend w/ E90 M3 ST2 car:

Best lap from CW13 (1:52.3). Think I can still get into the 40s when I go back.

After that I was ready for a weekend at my "home" track of Wild Horse Pass East, on Bondurant's site in Chandler AZ. I am usually dominant here but I had issues with my fuel pressure that caused me to retire from each of the weekend's 3 races. After having issues on the green flag lap of the final race, I knew the fuel pump was the culprit. I got some advice from a local Factory 5 Cobra shop owner and decided to order up a couple Aeromotive 340lph pumps to replace the in-cell pump from ATL, but my goal was to leave the car in the trailer until I rolled it off for the next event at INDE Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ only a week away.

Once I arrived at INDE, we partied hard the first night (Thursday) and then I got to work pretty quick on the pump replacement on Friday AM. I had the swap completed in about 90 mins and everything looked good. I was able to get a test session in that day where I ran the car hard for 30 mins straight with no fuel pressure issues--problem SOLVED!
For the weekend's actual races, I ended up winning overall in every single one of them out of a field of 26-33 cars, with 6-7 cars in-class each time. Some of that was luck due to a really fast Stock Car guy breaking down, but that is racing (and my experience from the prior week).

PASA-119.jpg

The Friday Qualifying Race was probably the best race I have ever been in, with close racing between myself and 3 others for the overall lead. It was a ton of fun and I got a little lucky with traffic and managed to get to the lead with a lap to go!



Also since I won the weekend's final "Willcox Cup" Race, I got this sweet trophy!
PASA-871.jpg

Lots to do this summer. This weekend I am starting to refurbish the interior of my enclosed trailer (will post pics later) and I also pulled the trigger on the SLA conversion kit from CorteX for the front of the car. Next event is Labor Day right back at INDE Motorsports Ranch again, so if I can get the SLA and my shocks dialed-in early in the weekend, I should have some good data to compare the strut car vs. SLA car performance!

Stay tuned...
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Drew I recall something about being dinged pretty hard in points for changing the K member. Are you going to be dealing with that when you go SLA?

CorteX is making bracketry that will allow me to install the SLA while retaining the OEM K-member; as a result this does not run afoul of any of the "non-production vehicle" rules at NASA and doesn't affect my classing.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
CorteX is making bracketry that will allow me to install the SLA while retaining the OEM K-member; as a result this does not run afoul of any of the "non-production vehicle" rules at NASA and doesn't affect my classing.
Wow, that's surprising since it fundamentally changes the design of the suspension, but if it flies, good for you! Looking forward to the results.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Not secret, to my knowledge, but not advertised. I didn't find out that my route was an option until I was inquiring directly. I'll get some photos when everything comes in.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Some really pretty CorteX SLA parts have arrived to Phoenix. I'll be picking everything up on Friday and getting the rest of the existing front suspension off of the car, and sending the front and rear shocks/struts off for rebuild at Ultimate Performance.

x3RFQsZ.png

GKL5qKP.png

pOwbJl5.png

When I get some more free time, I'll do another data comparison of my 2017 non-camber axle setup on Hoosier A7s to my 2018+ setup with CorteX JRis and cambered rear + Hoosier R7s at INDE Motorsports Ranch. The plan is to also feature a follow-on data comparison of my existing setup vs. the SLA setup at the same track. It will be another learning experience for me as well as hoping to get the setup dialed in quickly, but we will see how it goes! Part 1 to come in the next week or two, Part 2 to come a week or two after Labor Day.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Also, as promised, here are some photos of what has been consuming most of my time while that SLA kit was in-production: trailer renovation!

The trailer is a 30' gooseneck with 20' on the floor. It is a homemade trailer made by someone at least 20 years ago. The interior carpet was already stained when I got it and the whole interior is pretty beat. Functionally, it has served its purpose well for me for the last 6 years, but it was time for a refresh!

Starting point. Old, gross carpet, walls all beat to hell, 8x powerful (but power-sucking) T8 tube lights, fenders rusted/damaged from any number of blowout incidents.
Xnhk2IC.png

This fender was particularly bad. The lap joint that held the fender back to the frame separated on my way to Fontana a few years back and rubbed the tire, causing a rather dramatic blowout. I had ghetto-rigged the original plate in-place with some zip ties for too long...
gsFk9ZS.png

56U9qCJ.png

The other fender was just in poor shape in general, I ended up re-riveting most of the joints with exploding rivets to make sure it was still sturdy.
NQ1w547.png

Removing the flooring carpet. What was underneath was GROSS.
q6c4Ypy.png

Wi6FmfE.png

O3eUN36.png

I spent the better part of an afternoon with a respirator on using a leaf blower, shovel, and hand scraper to remove the dirt and most of the loose glue. I also re-riveted about 50 fasteners in the floor that had become separated over time, causing the aluminum floor panels to flap over bumps. Rock solid now!

3xk6Hl4.png

Mhgse8i.png

The next step was to replace the blown-out fender back plate. Original back plate removed and zip-tie holes filled with Steel Stick epoxy, then sanded flush.

MNqkYGV.png

I got a sheet of 16-gauge steel to work with and cut it to fit. New plate was thin enough to drop down below the floor and fasten to the frame directly, eliminating the need for the lap joint that caused the earlier blow-out.

xSTB0jv.png

5dF3HG2.png

IiUYKOy.png

I painted the outside of the new fender plate satin black. Then I painted the "good" fender (other side of trailer) "dark steel" to match the incoming flooring.

HLOz0Dy.png

e9RZXQI.png


(to be continued)
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Also, as promised, here are some photos of what has been consuming most of my time while that SLA kit was in-production: trailer renovation!

The trailer is a 30' gooseneck with 20' on the floor. It is a homemade trailer made by someone at least 20 years ago. The interior carpet was already stained when I got it and the whole interior is pretty beat. Functionally, it has served its purpose well for me for the last 6 years, but it was time for a refresh!

Starting point. Old, gross carpet, walls all beat to hell, 8x powerful (but power-sucking) T8 tube lights, fenders rusted/damaged from any number of blowout incidents.
Xnhk2IC.png

This fender was particularly bad. The lap joint that held the fender back to the frame separated on my way to Fontana a few years back and rubbed the tire, causing a rather dramatic blowout. I had ghetto-rigged the original plate in-place with some zip ties for too long...
gsFk9ZS.png

56U9qCJ.png

The other fender was just in poor shape in general, I ended up re-riveting most of the joints with exploding rivets to make sure it was still sturdy.
NQ1w547.png

Removing the flooring carpet. What was underneath was GROSS.
q6c4Ypy.png

Wi6FmfE.png

O3eUN36.png

I spent the better part of an afternoon with a respirator on using a leaf blower, shovel, and hand scraper to remove the dirt and most of the loose glue. I also re-riveted about 50 fasteners in the floor that had become separated over time, causing the aluminum floor panels to flap over bumps. Rock solid now!

3xk6Hl4.png

Mhgse8i.png

The next step was to replace the blown-out fender back plate. Original back plate removed and zip-tie holes filled with Steel Stick epoxy, then sanded flush.

MNqkYGV.png

I got a sheet of 16-gauge steel to work with and cut it to fit. New plate was thin enough to drop down below the floor and fasten to the frame directly, eliminating the need for the lap joint that caused the earlier blow-out.

xSTB0jv.png

5dF3HG2.png

IiUYKOy.png

I painted the outside of the new fender plate satin black. Then I painted the "good" fender (other side of trailer) "dark steel" to match the incoming flooring.

HLOz0Dy.png

e9RZXQI.png


(to be continued)
Very impressive repair, especially for someone who isn't a fabricator with a shop full of special tools. In my business I see a lot of home repairs...none of which are as nice as this one.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Once the fenders were mechanically sound and painted, I started installing the new flooring. I used the "Garage Trac" brand from Amazon. This stuff snaps together pretty easily (with help of a good mallet) and cleans up quick. I was able to get a trim/transition set for the rear that adds a nice finished look.

a22etfJ.png

c8TuGH0.png

GyMmZKt.png

Then we removed the ancient T8 fluorescent lighting and heavy ballasts, and replaced with some daylight-temperature LED fixtures:

bfLnVJO.png

First wall panel removed. This stuff is called "Melatile". It's some sort of pressed wood/cardboard organic sheet. Most of them were water-damaged from leaks from the roof many moons before I re-sealed up-top. It is getting replaced with .090 FRP sheet from Home Depot Motorsports, so that won't ever be a concern again.

gfmwaCO.png

First new wall panel up. I also installed two new outlets on a fresh circuit to support TV, soundbar, and multiple laptops/device chargers.

bI5bORc.png

Here you can really see the difference in color new sheet vs. old wall.

XDw0Ibk.png

I skipped about 6 days worth of work between this pic and the last pic, but here is one side of the trailer basically complete. I also removed all of the old aluminum joint trim and replaced with fresh 1.5" wide trim. I still need to cut new panels and trim for the angled sections near the ceiling. I added this 4' whiteboard and also a timesheet/schedule holder that my wife made for me :)

Tg7V7HK.png

Passenger side of walls completed from side door back. Replaced ancient 4-gang switch panel with two-gang, single switch with night light and triple-switch.

qkngF6y.png

ESRPJbs.png

TV and soundbar mounted and ready. The two silver "sticks" below are folding shelf brackets that I need to make a top for. This will allow enough room to put down a laptop and mouse or a bunch of phones or beers or whatever, and be close to the TV to plug in (to watch race videos or movies etc), and also have power from the new lower outlet. The TV is also a smart TV so I can watch Netflix etc. if I use my phone as a mobile hotspot for streaming.

BvFijiQ.png

"Finished" product. Again, I still need to re-panel and re-trim the upper angled portions. I also bought a bunch of aluminum angle to trim the floor edges. There are two panels up at the front of the trailer where the "bench" to the upper area sits, these will be very difficult to replace but will have to get done as they are both pretty beat up. Also I'll construct a new enclosure for the electrical breaker box at front. All done for now...more to come later this summer!

LSyBeIW.png
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Very impressive repair, especially for someone who isn't a fabricator with a shop full of special tools. In my business I see a lot of home repairs...none of which are as nice as this one.
That means a lot coming from you, Sal. Thank you. I put off this repair for a long time as it seemed very intimidating for a shadetree fabricobbler but I finally got sick of looking at it and got it done :)
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
BTW the whole "Trailer Renovation" experience only served to reinforce my feeling that my best tool purchase of 2018 was an air-riveter. Saved me a LOT of time and hand-aches.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Some really pretty CorteX SLA parts have arrived to Phoenix. I'll be picking everything up on Friday and getting the rest of the existing front suspension off of the car, and sending the front and rear shocks/struts off for rebuild at Ultimate Performance.

x3RFQsZ.png

GKL5qKP.png

pOwbJl5.png

When I get some more free time, I'll do another data comparison of my 2017 non-camber axle setup on Hoosier A7s to my 2018+ setup with CorteX JRis and cambered rear + Hoosier R7s at INDE Motorsports Ranch. The plan is to also feature a follow-on data comparison of my existing setup vs. the SLA setup at the same track. It will be another learning experience for me as well as hoping to get the setup dialed in quickly, but we will see how it goes! Part 1 to come in the next week or two, Part 2 to come a week or two after Labor Day.

Pics like these, are ....Arousing, for lack of a better word.... I feel dirty....
 

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