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[jchady]

I'm an autocrosser with only a few track days, and haven't driven this track, and I read you're struggling with brake capacity, so take this all with a big grain of salt.

After watching your first couple of hot laps, I noticed that often the nose was coming up rapidly right about the time you turn in, especially for heavier-braking corners, and you're getting onto the throttle well before the apex on several turns. That makes me think of the newbie mantra "brake in a straight line, then turn" and also indicates you're probably overslowing for corners. When the nose pops up at turn-in, you're unweighting the front tires just when you're asking them for the most grip, creating understeer.

My recommendation would be to work on trailbraking - get most of the braking done in a straight line, but then gently ease up on the brakes as you turn in (one smooth coordinated motion of foot and hands) but don't come completely off the brakes. The more you turn the wheel, the more you ease up on the brakes. You completely release the brakes as you reach the maximum steering angle. And then it's another smooth coordinated motion of unwinding the wheel as you apply the throttle, until you are at full throttle (ideally just as the steering wheel centers).

The line you want to make is a parabola, not a constant-radius arc. As a car slows while turning, the lateral g-force reduces, allowing for more turning angle for the same tire grip (with high-downforce cars, aero load reduces with slowing, so grip reduces as well). As a multi-time national Solo champ told me, "Turn, then turn some more." This can mean your turn-in point becomes a little later, as you'll be turning harder in the middle of the corner.

If you're getting on the throttle early because it feels like you need the weight shift of acceleration to keep the back from coming around when you turn in, that's a balance problem that should be addressed with sway bars and possibly roll-steer on the axle (and/or aero if it's only at high speed, but the video didn't seem like it).

You are 100% correct in your comments about my current braking style. With the recent upgrade, I have been trying to learn the threshold of them. Yes, I am currently getting 95% of my braking done in a straight line. I am trying to drive deeper into the brake zone before braking so I can learn where my new "oh sh*t" points are. But I've driven the car for so many years with the factory brakes my muscle memory is still thinking of those. I did have a few laps with some trail braking going into Turn 1 as I was getting very comfortable there.

I do appreciate the comments as I know there is still more left in the car (and myself).

 

[D Streever]

You are 100% correct in your comments about my current braking style. With the recent upgrade, I have been trying to learn the threshold of them. Yes, I am currently getting 95% of my braking done in a straight line. I am trying to drive deeper into the brake zone before braking so I can learn where my new "oh shiznit" points are. But I've driven the car for so many years with the factory brakes my muscle memory is still thinking of those. I did have a few laps with some trail braking going into Turn 1 as I was getting very comfortable there.

I do appreciate the comments as I know there is still more left in the car (and myself).

Hi.
You and I both bought same brake kit with larger hubs from foxbodybrakes.com early this year. I have found them to be a great improvement as I see you have also.
You told me you had the hubs turned down to so that your wheels would fit. I am wondering if you had any issues with the hubs. I had the center bore enlarged and that worked for me.
I have bought a set of wider wheels and trying to decide if the path you took would be more cost effective. Cost me $50/wheel and had all done so I can rotate the wheels.
Thanks for any input you can provide.
DS

 

[jchady]

Hi.
You and I both bought same brake kit with larger hubs from foxbodybrakes.com early this year. I have found them to be a great improvement as I see you have also.
You told me you had the hubs turned down to so that your wheels would fit. I am wondering if you had any issues with the hubs. I had the center bore enlarged and that worked for me.
I have bought a set of wider wheels and trying to decide if the path you took would be more cost effective. Cost me $50/wheel and had all done so I can rotate the wheels.
Thanks for any input you can provide.
DS

I haven't had any issues with the hubs after having them machined down.

 

[jchady]

Here's what I've been working on so far this fall. I wanted to continue removing wiring under the hood that I was no longer using and change the locations of some things for future projects. Now the only wiring in front of the strut towers is the headlight harness. I also upgraded to a high torque starter and rerouted all that wiring.

 

[jchady]

And now that the wiring is done (and the car still starts and runs). I'm on to my radiator relocation project. I still havent' found the perfect placement but the goal will to have it completely boxed in from the intake to the opening in the hood. I'm pretty certain I will have to go with a pusher fan for clearance issues. I will be lowering the alternator and power steering to give more clearance for the back wall of the radiator box to try and give it a good shape to reduce any turbulence.

 

[mrw2442]

Hey Chad! Just wanted to pass along a congrats for making the TMO Calendar. Also, great to see the progress!