Ran into Highlord at 411

[benji]

hey man, it was nice talking to you out there at 411. I have a blast every time I go.

My car is teh slow. Yours makes me jealous.

[Highlord]

Thanks Ben, mine was slow, or at least I was. That course is all about the driver. Tony Bolton would have beaten us all badly on a bicycle out there lol.

You would think with 620+hp I could beat one of those taxi cab Impalas out there! I really missed having race rubber on the front of the car. Breaking wasn't effective on the F1's as it would have been on Nitto 555R2s or Victoracers. I did manage to flat spot all four corners on that back turn three slide I had. When I drive it now it feels like it is in a parking lot full of speed bumps. Gotta get the tires shaved again

I didn't ask but were you on street tires? Those will REALLY hurt out there! Your car is GORGEOUS BTW...love the DSG.

Were you still there when Yeller was driving my car and the throttle stuck in turn 1?

[benji]

Heh, my car is silver. I wish they offered DSG in 2001 when i got mine, but no dice. Its the one on the left here.



I don't have a spare set of wheels so I just run on street tires (yokohama ES100s).

I've done a bit of suspension work to the car, but that doesn't help my crappy driving.

My wife filmed my last run and it looked like I was driving a lawnmower around the track.

And no, I didn't see that run you mentioned. I was dead last in our heat so I was scrambling to get back to the car and then work the track. I did see you lock up your right front about three times when you hit the last chicane before the finish.

[THEPAT24]

You have a sweet ride Benji.

[Highlord]

Yes, I am paying for the lock up now lol. But Ted Russell parkside has a shaving machine, so they can save the tires. The car is there now getting some rear end work done to it.

Sorry about the color, I knew it is a GT with bullitts on it (I like the combo) but I got the color confused with Eric's (Cobraboy) and I was thinking there was a DSG GT there too...or maybe it was the vert cobra.

Don't worry about the driving, it just takes practice. That was only my second time to the 411 AX, but I have a little experiance on Road Courses. The cars will hold in the turns MUCH better than you think they will because of the banking. I bet you can stand on the gas on the banks and keep it between the cones.

I am not familiar with that tire, but sticky tires make ALL the difference in the world for sure!

There are three more 411 events this summer, are you coming to them too Ben?

[benji]

Thanks for the compliments Pat! Here's other crap I've done to it.

Yes, I will be there for sure. I'm hoping to rig up another camera mount for inside the car so I can watch how bad I drive later on.

Are you still running IRS? When I was still in nashville, there was a guy in clarksville with an 03 asking to swap my axle with his IRS, and I almost went for it.

[Highlord]

Yeah Ben, still on IRS. The guy in Nashville wanted to swap with you for drag racing purposes. The live axle is much better stock for stock than IRS. The IRS is great for handling though. If you are not big into drag racing, the IRS would be a neat mod for you (because usually you can find a cobra guys willing to trade even and do the labor). The Cobras make so much power that they can break their stock rear ends if they are not beefed up (which is why mine is in the shop right now). Unless you plan on making near 600rwhp/torque. the IRS is good. After that, you have to throw some money at it. The live axle is a lot cheaper to beef up, and it won't wheel hop, which is 90% of the problem with the IRS.

Have you got a panhard bar on your live axle?

[benji]

Yeah, I've never drag raced only been in autox's and one hot laps day at the super speedway in nashville, so I was pretty interested in the IRS from the guy.

He had already bought a borla catback, and he wanted me to buy one that would clear the solid axle. I wasn't interested in doing that. He had the car for about three days before he bought the catback. I thought if he was serious he wouldn't have bought it and passed that cost on to me.

Anyways, No i dont have a panhard bar. I'd love to drop about four grand at maximum motorsports on a full coilover setup, panhard, torque arm, k member, front a arms and their special bilstiens. But all that won't improve my driving, unfortunately.

[Highlord]

Well, I don't know that it is necessary to go all out on the suspension. I DO think the panhard bar is a great upgrade, and makes a tremendous difference. Tony Bolton nearly ripped out his torque boxes running without one for so long. It will keep that live axle from swaying. I am not sold on coil overs for anything short of an exclusive track car. I have a k-member to go in, but haven't gotten there yet. The main reason I want it is to get a little weight off the front in. Your car is already balanced better than mine since youp have an aluminum block.

I would look at just doing a panhard first. See what kind of difference it makes. They say it is VERY noticable.

[benji]

Mine is an iron block too Only the N/A 4v cars got aluminum blocks.

They did put an aluminum 2v motor in the Exploder, go figure.

[Highlord]

benji said:

Mine is an iron block too Only the N/A 4v cars got aluminum blocks.

They did put an aluminum 2v motor in the Exploder, go figure.

DOH!

Well don't sweat it...the car can definitely be made fast relatively easy. Again, I hate to keep pointing at him, but Tony B's car is not THAT modded...and that guy is amazing. A lot is his talent, but that will come with practice ;D

BEfore you spend majopr money on anything, get some stickies and a panhard bar! I think you will be thrilled.

A 125 of nitrous won't hurt either for 411 or road courses...but won't help in the parking lots.

[THEPAT24]

Guys this would be great for the hobby board. Any objections to my moving it? I'm trying to build it like the Tech Talk and Books, shows, Movies threads.