Rounding “Error”? ....

However, if I remember correctly is was an error in units that crashed the Mars rover. I know we are not dealing with rocket science here, but that 0.2 difference in conversion is 10 lbs/in per kg/mm. Or you could be off 100 lbs on 10 kg/mm (ok, I rounded a bit here). And I have seen springs listed in N/mm.

Feel free to check my math here... My brain isn’t what it used to be...

At any rate, I like this conversation as it has me thinking about what to do with my R56. I like the Bilstien B8s, but not being adjustable is leaving me a little loose on my shorter track.

 

I deliberately not to be that precise as it is so much easier to remember. At my level of driving I won't crash into Mars. The error is from ignoring G is 9.81 m/s^2 rather than 10.

I was the highest achiever in hi skool physics especially in the subject of kinematics. Me, no worry of being 18% off. Also the actual wheel rates are much lower.

You can be more precise if you want to wear you your fingers typing: more accurately G = 9.80665 m/s^2

Most springs are far from this accurate and I really mean it.

 

Yah, I read that post by the guy who tested the Swift springs. Maybe we can start to worry about accuracy in spring rates when we start setting up DPi cars for IMSA ...

 

I cannot help but to want to show this most impressive review video of the DSO that I bought. He is so concise and put in tireless work, with planning and attention to details, and should be a reference of what an excellent technical review should be. He is better than any professional equipment salesmen that I have encountered. This man deserves a free scope from the company.

 

You really need a local gravity survey at the track to get it right. At least correct for altitude and distance from the equator, which can be around 1%.
https://www.isobudgets.com/how-to-ca...local-gravity/

 

OK. You got me going for more precision. At ORP track here is what I calculated.








ORP in high plateau




that is 9.80450 +/- 0.00009 m/s^2


Never heard of milligals until today. Keep thinking it must mean little girls.

The mind bender is given the set of springs one will have equivalent higher spring rate driving at higher elevation.

 

I believe there's only one way this line of thinking can end.

 

Nice cut and paste conceptual diagram.

Actually you want a variable spring rate device, not changing the ride height. Variable air bladder as a supplemental spring is one option.

 

I think there is more thinking going on in this thread than in most of this country....
MIT or Cal Tech would be proud if they ever saw this...

 

Or go with Magnetohydrodynamics. A little AI added to the controls so it anticipates the change in altitude.

Or we could just “wing-it”...

 

Did not get to meet phil wicks he could not make it to the event. VIR south is a gocart track perfect for minis. People drove from across the country to do this event,even one from Utah.

Best run, fwiw my supercharger HATED this course, I was over 150f most of the time with methanol

 

Nice driving there. I only just looked up VIR S track map and it is not that large @ 1.6 miles. Was that a time trial event, as you are the only one on track?

 

Yes, nice driving. That course is a lot like our Lime Rock park, except you have a couple of more left turns. LRP only has one left turn. But the MINIs do love these shorter courses, although those hairpin turns do eat up tires. A short course like that does take the Hp out of going quickly around them and it is fun to romp other cars in a MINI. I also like your data overlay. Next week I take my granddaughter to LRP to see the IMSA races. She is 6 and we gave her a kid’s battery powered MINI JCW that she loves. Now she wants to see real race cars. Maybe another Christina Nielsen in the making...

 

May be soon she would be driving go kart. Good to get her excited with driving and the skills, arts and technologies associate with it, and not grow up to be another typical don't give a crap driver as they think they can multitask. A lot of young race car drivers now came from go kart from tender age.

I should mention here that all my siblings are clueless about cars, let alone driving; or should it be the other way around?

 

With the discovery of the axle problem Desire has to miss the three day extravaganza at ORP the coming weekend. Instead her sidekick will be the stand in. The Porsche is as ready as it can be. DIY paint protection is done and after a few days at ORP all would hardly matter with the sharp gravels and aggregates from the track. I took it out for a drive on the road after finishing the wrap and I thought to myself I don't care if I never drive it on the free for all roads again. On the track I feel infinitely safer.

I will be preparing meal for 40+ people in this event so a lot is riding on my shoulder. I need to remind myself not to overdrive this beast as I have very little seat time with it.


this was the last photo I took at the beginning of the last panel; I need to investigate if the rear wing has been set for the max angle of attack

This tread just passed 100k views yesterday. I know it means little compared to the hay days of NAM a decade before "social".


just before reaching 10k



I couldn't capture the exact moment at 10,000, evidently it is how NAM updates the page statistics - grouping it and you can refresh your web page all you want and it will not show the instantaneous page-views

 

And MrBlah and I are likely a good part of getting to that number....

 

for sure and Oldboy Speedwel too. Even the best of soliloquy attracts no eyeballs.

 

HPDE but the groups were small we only had 10 or 12 cars in advanced, and later in the session instructors came out into our group. They did a single lap standing start time trial at the end of the day, then open track for an hour. It was a ton of fun none the less, I did over 80 laps by the end of the day. It was not ran like other HPDE events here, I'll leave it at that and will save my criticism to PMs if asked.

anyone with a mini needs to get to one of these events at least once

 

One reason I look for the BMW club run events around here is because of how well they are run. I also can get instructor for a session if I want. They almost always find something for me to improve upon or to try differently to see if it works better for the MINI than it does for other cars.

Glad to hear you had a ton of fun!

And about karting... I know; I’m a fan of Louis Hamilton. I just wish there was more of it up here. The closest real karting place to me is 3.5 hrs south. Something about the NE that just doesn’t like outdoor kart tracks... Ugh, tough to get a kid started with that limitation.

 

Due to the unexpected DDS axle CV boot puncture Desire is unable to attend her three day social functions. All the guest would be disappointed only to see Desire's sidekick being the stand in.


Desire didn't know she would be staying behind to watch the castle



the track team arrived early to stake our spot



I made a test sample of a dish that I prepare for the organization

The broadband connection here is flaky so I have to break up the post in multiple posts.

 

a nice Lotus in the enclosed trailer; it has 300 HP



the Porsche corner



waking up to the panoramic view of distant mountains of the PNW

It is going to be a sunny hot day and I dread the solar gain in the RV. It may be an opportunity for endurance testing of the roof top AC being powered by a Honda generator running in Eco mode. We have the smallest RV here, and may be the lightest trailer too.

Driver's meeting in 30 and there is plenty of time for another cup of home roast.

 

We had the most drivers and cars on Saturday - the day that I prepared lunch for the entire organization. I drove one session first thing in the morning and onto preparing a five dishes lunch. There were a lot of noteworthy cars in the three day club event. My main driving goal was simple, not to go off track while driving at 9.5/10 peak of my capabilities. More of that to come later but first all the glorious and interesting cars.


this is another GT3 RS that I have not seen until now







my new friend likes all sorts of toys and he is a neighbor too; I disallow myself to start lusting one of these






purpose built Subaru race car



this was Friday and Saturday would be the biggest turnout

 

this Lotus Exige is very fast and so are two other Lotus's



those pesky green grasshoppers



I could tell this is a Ferrari from miles away



it is a 488; I didn't bother to test how fast the car and driver as it wasn't in my event's goals; I did play with my friends though

 

there were 3 Caterhams with a few other very fast cars like Lotus's and Vettes but the group stuck with themselves



I really like this Pantara owner and I played with him with my Porsche; I respect what it must be like driving a 40 years old Italian supercar with Yankee powertrain on track



he sorted this car out and most of them are suspension, brakes, and tires and wheels






them Wilwoods

 

there were 5 Porsches there including mine



I like the simplicities of these type of track cars but I think I prefer a charged Lotus






this one has inboard coilovers










there were these 2 of 3 badass Cameros and one that tired to kill me and my GT4 didn't show this time



this has to be the biggest petroleum reserve I've seen on track