A bunch of ED mods and updates!!

So that loud bang I mentioned in my last post after I loaded the civic onto the trailer...that was the hairline crack in the rotor turning into a massive split!! So didn't realise this until 2 days before I was meant to be at Phillip Island for  John Bowe driver training day!!

 

In the mean time, I had ordered and installed a new set of tyres. Went for 225/50/15 this time over the 205/50/15's I was running last time, and this time decided to try out the Advan A050's. Also to help these fit a bit nicer in the guards I did a spacer for them pushing them out an inch or so. Fits nicely over the tyres now with plenty of clearance, will also allow for some good ventilation and airflow. The rears didn't fit so nice, but I have someone coming to help flair out the guards in the next week or so, so they can fit a little nicer. The suspension has been adjusted giving more preload to the front and rears for a firmer ride, while raising it up slightly to allow for the slightly higher sidewall on the new tyres.

 

On top of this I finally started some aero work. The rear bumper has been cut down so not to trap as much air in it, and I have designed and installed a front splitter that will allow for quick and easy removal with the brackets I had made up for it too. Pretty happy with the results actually, and works in nicely with my front lower arm tie bar. Hopefully the results on the track will reflect some good results as I am pretty happy with it's stiffness and design. Also I have installed my J's Racing rear wing, which will hopefully give me a bit more downforce at the rear to assist with the additional front downforce.

 

And as of this week, it looks like I have sold my KW suspension setup...something I had been thinking about for a bit, and AMR had offered me a great price on a custom setup which I will be getting made up a lot stiffer to assist with the splitter and soon to be made rear diffuser. Only one more track day until a lot of changes happen.

 

Basically I am planning on, AMR coilovers, change from 4-2-1 to 4-1 headers and retune to E85, a ton of maintenance and bushing upgrades, rear diffuser which also means a new exhaust layout, and a lot of weight reduction. Planning on loosing about 50kg from the car to get it into the 800's, so far door trims have been taken, new lightweight fuel tank is on the cards as well as replacing glass for lexan windows which I will make up myself and some new aluminium fixed seat rails. On top of this I will be getting a front strut brace made up to fit in with the ITB setup, as I think this might be the key to my turn in issues and the car feeling a little lazy to turn in sharply.

 

 

Honda Nationals - 20/04/2013

So the week after the VSSC R2 at Sandown it was the Honda Nationals. Like Sandown, not much really happened to the car. Basically ran it as it was.

Winton is a track I still really am not used to. Felt like I was doing all I could, but the times just didn't reflect how I was feeling in the car. Previous best was 1.43.2 which wasn't that great and ended up walking away with a 1.42.2. It's a second off, but really I think I am still at least 2 seconds off where I should be, and about 4 seconds off where I want to be.

Think more time and a better setup is needed here...But there were also a few things on the day that held me back a little. Upon arriving at Winton I realised my rear tyres were basically bald...not great for traction. Then combined with a fairly averagely run day (but not bad for first go and the amount of first timers on the track), but this meant that a lot of oil was spilt on the track, not a good thing on a good day, but even worse when running tyres with no tread. The amount of red flags happening that day meant getting a good run was impossible, I didn't get one session that didn't get a black flag, and then finally on my last run where I had a bit of free air ahead of me, my tyres told me they had enough by sending me flying mid sweeper shooting me over the grass, then back over the track and into the dirt.

But being at a Honda specific day was great fun and it was great to see all the awesome Honda's there. It has given me a bit more motivation to get a good car setup for next year and get some more practice at Winton so I can get a much better time!!

Also mid day I noticed a hairline crack in my front rotor...the main reason why I didn't want drilled rotors, but didn't have much choice when I was purchasing. As I was loading it up on the trailer and strapping the car down I heard a massive bang...check the straps and all looked ok...so went home...but more on that in the next post...

Best time: 1.42.2 (new PB)

Very late, but Sandown 14/04/2013

So it's been a long time since this has been updated...so here come a few updates for a few track days I have done since.

So for this day, not much really happened to the car...basically ran it as it was run at Phillip Island but finally got a cover sorted out so no more water into the engine as before!!

Was a good day, about a year since I last ran at Sandown and was never really fully happy with my times and never felt I had a good day there. So was trying to get a good improvement over my last time of 1.32.5. Car felt good and drove well...still a few things as per the Phillip Island post that I need to address, but everything worked as it should.

Ended up with a time of 1.29.5

Nice and short this one....