Hello!!
Thanks for the great replies and tips! Let me respond a bit - and my first name is Steve, Steve Spano.
To Rick:
1 headlights need to be taped
I've seen a few people doing this, guess this is to prevent broken glass on the track? Sounds like an easy one - and of course makes you look like a real racer
2 loose front hub bearings, need to be greased and tighten the bearing until there is no play then back off to closest hole and install pin.
Just did this one, one had a little play before an autocross event. So I checked them all again.
3 Helmets, most events will not allow motorcycle helmets, they are not the same as sa helmets. Some tracks will not allow open face helmets. I like them over full face because of eye sweeping on the track.
Right! I have an SA2010 helment, so i guess i am good there
4 no loose stuff in trunk or glovebox.
Check on that one! I got some chuckles at the track on Monday. I took my 2011 BMW there as a comparison to feel how its suspension worked. My wife left a bunch of cookie cutters and other crap in the trunk that I had forgot about! Tech guy asked if I was baking enough for everyone.
5 tape over + side of battery cable and battery tight in location.
Good catch, I will do that!
6 Start at the front of the car and check EVERY nut and bolt for tightness. I run aircraft nylocks and still check them. Check for any rearend play in back of car from mounts or bushings.
Right, in my down time between runs, I have been checking around and before tracking it too. Lots of vibrations in these cars!
7 Wheel alignment of what you use on the street is not going to work well on the track. Higher camber and caster with toe maybe out instead of in. Street setup is ok but will not get the most out of the car for handling.
This is something I need to do. Now that I have changed my suspension, I want to get new tires over the next week and then see if I can get some negative camber like was suggested.
8 15" wheels verse 17" wheels. I started like alot of other people here with 15" wheels. To start with BFG tires are poor for track running . The only thing you will learn from them is the point of loosing traction and sliding the car. They are fun for burn outs. They will teach you how to learn better control of the car. One of the fastest cobra racers ran 15" wheels, Dick Smith. His driving style allowed the car do drift and slide through the turns. He used to pass guys with 18" wheels and tires at speed. He said "he drove by the seat of his pants". I believed him. I like my 17" wheels, but down side is no prewarning of when you are loosing traction, the car just whips around. You will run faster IMP with 17" over 15". We have had winners in street class running 15" AVON's with a 200 wear. These tires are one of the best in 15".
You will need to check rules on classes.
I am torn here on tires. I would like some 'warning' so perhaps the 15's. I am not going to try to push everything to their limits, so maybe i don't need the 17's yet. I really like the goodyear 'billboard' tires - some people say they are better than the avons? I am trying to research the friction vs. side loading of bias-ply vs. radial tires. Billboards are bias, avons are radials. I like the look of the 15's too, I figure if I am going somewhat slower, I should at least look good while doing it!
9 If you have an expensive paint job, tape or spray protective shield on both rear fender flairs to prevent damage and stone chips to car.
Already picking up chips! Oh well :-O
10 Motor, overfill the
oil by 1.5 quarts when racing. These high "G" turns will kill the
oil pressure and
oil from returning to pan. A cheap way to help this problem is to add a 3 quart accusump to the system and have it set at 45 psi for track racing. Less if using it for a preluber. Long sweeping turns kill oil pressure. This applys to ALL cars and motors.
ACCUSUMP!! I was trying to remember what that thing was. I saw one on another car. Need to get one asap.
11 fuel setup in tank, I run over 1/2 tank of fuel to not have a lean out with the FI system, it's not a fuel cell, but has foam in it to stop splash. Make sure you know you have enough fuel in tank for 20 minute run. Nothing worse than almost getting hit from behind because of loosing fuel to motor.
Good call here. I was getting low on one run time and started to get the lean-out/sputter.
12 Last on the info, 98% of the cobra guys at meets are helpful, nice, will lend tools and even parts. This is about having a GOOD time, meeting new people and even learning some things about how to drive your car better. Most events have pro drivers that will go out with you and run a couple of laps and make pointers for better driving. Ask questions.
Everyone at the track has seemed nice so far, even if I am slowing them up and they have to wait for the straights to pass me :P
On tommy's comments
Use high temp brake fluid and replace it before every event. ATE makes fluid in two colors so you can tell when the old fluid has been replaced with the new.
Didn't know there was a colored fluid. I will flush are replace with that shortly. I am running 4-piston wilwoods on all four wheels with a street/track pad. They seem to be working well, but I am not doing alot of hard braking yet.
Use arm restraints.
Yep! Already have them. Needed them for a drag race I went to.
Beware the urge to exceed your capability when either catching or being caught by another car. That's when I usually step over the line.
Look at the track and decide which corners you can and cannot afford to misjudge. Sliding out of some corners just kicks up some dust and grass with no damage. Others can flip the car. Don't press the dangerous corners before you know your car and yourself very well
Now that is the trick right
There are guys running faster than me, and that is just fine. I don't want to be first, but I dont want to be dead last either. I figure there must be a happy medium in there that limits my risk and still gets me a fun time.
Mr Bobcat:
Spring selection ... unless you have talked to someone who is/has run your setup and told you what he is running , you might want to spend some time doing motion ratio , suspension frequency and wheel rate calcs . Might save you some money on buying many different springs ... however , probably a good starting point might be just go about 30% higher on spring rates .
I have found a few websites for other race prepped cobra that described what they were running. I also bought this suspension book and came across a few detailed excel spreadsheets for suspension setup. I took a few days - just this week - and measured the entire suspenion, calculating motion ratios, measuring un-sprung parts, center of gravity, roll centers/etc. I just finished putting my new suspension, based on my calculations, on the car today. I also bought a longacre scale kit and balanced the entire car to within 50.7% cross-weight.
Took it for a drive on my 'street test track' and it is like a completely different car now! Seems almost attached to the road and when I turn the wheel, no body roll yet. Just seems to go exactly where I point it - very excited to try it on the track.
Other than safety equipment , the scales will be your best friend , as will be a really good alignment .
Listen to Rick and Tommy , they have been doing this a long time .
BTW , I have the Avon`s and to get the most out of a radial , I found that the camber settings have to be much greater than what you run on the street .... in the order of 2 to 2 1/2 degrees negative . Also , watch your brake pads ... if they say street and limited track , understand that they mean LIMITED track as they will overheat and then glaze over .
And you are running the Avons! So that is good, and 2 to 2.5 negative camber. How does that do on the street and/or straight line driving? Still okay?
Overall: Sounds like I am on the right track!
I need to get better tires and some more safety gear.
And make sure that my 'improvements' do NOT make me overreach my skill level - that is probably the most tricky part here.
And Rick--- What is hallet in october?! And how do I get to attend