Thanks man. I def recommend the 86 as a daily. Tons of fun easy to get sideways but slow enough that I dont get pulled over as much as with my WRX which I traded in.
The only problem is ... once you got rwd .... you never go back ... maybe. It is tough. But fwd is tons of fun to drive once you get a big rear sway bar and trick it into being a rwd kind of.
Anyway ... I wish i had the technical knowledge and experience you do and access to tools.
I must admit that I am very very useless in a garage. My main skill is on the driving side and even there I need a lot of work. It is a work in progress and I am learning something new everyday. Glad you enjoy. Maybe we can meet up one day stateside!
I've done several auto-xing with 86 in Canada, so I know how capable they are!
Compared my team members, my knowledge and skill is still needs lots of work.
I hope we can meet up someday! If I can keep my mini safe during the stay in Korea, I will bring it back to Canada.
Thank you; glad you enjoyed. Sorry they weren't in the video for very long. Trust me, I was trying as hard as I could to stay up with them. You saw how well that worked...
Yes, these cars are all privately owned. There are actually a few of them in this area. People race these cars in vintage racing events and I believe the Porsches were there doing test and tune for one of those events. At the end of the video you can see the 2 Porsches in the pits and you probably noticed, as I was pitting, the tow truck on the track for the stock car that was off the track at turn one (he lost his brakes...). The trailers you see in the paddock are typical of this type of event.
This was an invitation only HPDE event that is put on so people can get track time to do race car test and tune without the fear of having someone else wrecking them (one rule - Play nice!). The cost is modest to do this for 2 days and a lot cheaper than renting the track by yourself. I am not sure I can list all of the cars that were there but besides the 2 Le Mans Porsches there were 2 stock cars, 3 stock trucks, a Mustang endurance race car, that blue car in the video (not sure what was wrong with it) a few open wheel cars and a race prep'ed GT3 with 2 turbos, each about a foot in diameter and an intercooler the size of a MINI's engine .
Nice! It's good for you to have that kind of chance to be on track with historic cars! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..
So the Green Turtle's journey goes on...
Thx for those waited for the updates!
March 6, 2016.
I was excited and nervous because I didn't know if my new tire setup will do good or harm.
225 mm at the front
205 mm at the back
and carefully choosen wheel for front and rear. (Especially interms of offset and width)
After the winter break, Frogs coming out. (My friend's new 991 GT3RS)
I only booked 2 sessions since it will be enough to see if my setup is worth or not.
Sometimes I feel my car looks like war plane from WWII.
So the crash.
Here is what happened at the very first session of my test.
Yes.. the girl with HANS and bling bling racing wear said..
She "kind of saw my car but the mirror was bla bla bla..."
It wasn't a race day, it was a ordinary HPDE for everyone.
Unfortunately, there is no such a protocol on passing at track, and no session seperation as per skill levels.
It's a chaos..
Damage:
My brand new ADVAN wheels got scars and my Green Turtle got some fender damage...
I got front left tire toe-out (mis aligned),
After self inspection, I thought it is okay to take another session...
But I wanted to make it short and effective this time, since there were too many cars and too many novice drivers who can't see what's coming from their back.
Sadly, I don't have my onboard cam from the attack lap,
But I got the lap log data.
I staged my car 2nd place before entering the course, (first guy was Porsche Cayman S) and let the Cayman go first and then waited like 1 minute to make space.
Then I launched from the end of the pit lane, warmed up the tires in a lap and shoot.
As you can see from the data log, I made my best lap from the first lap(I intended), then I met the Cayman(that's why Section 3 & 4 is slow at Lap 2),
and I met the back markers on the following lap. no more chance to attack.
The track was crowded with too many cars.
So, That was it.
My last lap record was 1:56.12
This time, with weight reduction and Wheel/Tire setup, I made 1:54.67
1 second and half. Which is almost unbelievable.
1:54.67 is the fastest lap time in Korea for FWD cars with street tires.
I'm sure I can do better since I made that lap time with mis-aligned wheels and not-enough-warmed up tires.
*But you shouldn't take this "Staggred tire setup is the way to go".
My tire track biasing(offset combination at the front and rear) and aerodynamics, shock and spring setup is not just from the shelves...
I don't know how it will affect to other minis if they choose to try "Staggered" setup.
Time to repair.. the season is coming...
Bloody hell................
-----------------------------------------------
Before the season comes, I wanted to do couple more updates to make my car competitive under regulations.
Under the regulation, I need to compete with 300+ hp Sciroccos and other high-powered FWD cars while my car is only making 190 whp.
I still feel thirsty on weight saving...
Braille AGM is not the lightest battery option, but trust me, I've been through LiFePO4 Lithium batteries and other options for my mini,
This AGM battery is the way to go.
Lithium type will make issues.
Temporarily mounted for initial test.
Soon to be mounted in the cabin. To make the center of weight lower.
JB+.
Because I want to keep the stock ECU and both cat converters.
Time Trial regulation allows my mini to have up to 220 whp, (High powred Sciroccos/F56 Minis gets weight penalty)
So the JB+ was my choice.
Power with simple and easy way.
Boost gauge tells me that JB+ is helping me to utilize a little highter boost and using higher boost on more occations(ie: on partial throttle)
in the mean time, my boss' IS200 demo car came back from winter update engine work, Here you will like the sound.
3 cars. Taking rest in the office...
My Mini is holding the fastest laptime among the three so far. :D
Getting ready for the Round 1.
Hope I can survive from the chaos this time.
Too bad, the regulation forced me to discard my secret wheels/tires setup,
I had to use 17" wheels all around with 215 45 17 Kumho Tires.
I am not sure I could do what you do. My MINI is my daily driver and chaos would not be good.
No passing rules; mixed skill level participation
I really do appreciate the rules the groups have around here, even if it is only one rule ("play nice"). Of course, they screen out the "undesirable" before they ever get to the track.
It seem the modifications are working for you and that staggered wheel setup is very interesting. However, the thing that I am most interested in is the brake duct work you did. How did that work for you? Using the back side of the dust shield is an idea that I also have had but I have not figured out how the route the hose from the front of the car. I see what you did for the front (the rapid prototype is really cool ) and for the wheel. Could you snap a few more pictures of how you got the hose around the engine on both sides? That would be greatly appreciated.
Ok, a driving skill comment, if I may. Your skills have greatly improved since the first track videos I saw of you. You definitely have talent. At your current track you have great curbing to work with, much like Watkins Glen. There is an optimum for how much of the curbing you run over at the apex. In a street car it is less than how much you would take in a race car. However, on a few of the turns you were wide at the apex (this was before you got slowed up by the bling girl). Of course this is lost time. Try hitting the apex curbing with about half the car on it. You did this for a few turns after you got behind the girl and the car seemed to behave well at that point. Later you took a couple of curbs with the full car and you can see the car was less well behaved. If you back over that video without thinking about the girl and the thing she did you can see some great exploration of the track and its features.
Lastly - Ooooooh, "track frustration" - this is a big nemesis of any track event. But it is one that you have direct control over. In my experience, you can't let it raise its ugly head as ugly things will likely happen if it does. If I see or start to get in a situation where frustration could come to be, I will pit or even come in. Your accident was very minor, but it might not have been. Please take care out there.
I am not sure I could do what you do. My MINI is my daily driver and chaos would not be good.
No passing rules; mixed skill level participation
I really do appreciate the rules the groups have around here, even if it is only one rule ("play nice"). Of course, they screen out the "undesirable" before they ever get to the track.
It seem the modifications are working for you and that staggered wheel setup is very interesting. However, the thing that I am most interested in is the brake duct work you did. How did that work for you? Using the back side of the dust shield is an idea that I also have had but I have not figured out how the route the hose from the front of the car. I see what you did for the front (the rapid prototype is really cool ) and for the wheel. Could you snap a few more pictures of how you got the hose around the engine on both sides? That would be greatly appreciated.
Ok, a driving skill comment, if I may. Your skills have greatly improved since the first track videos I saw of you. You definitely have talent. At your current track you have great curbing to work with, much like Watkins Glen. There is an optimum for how much of the curbing you run over at the apex. In a street car it is less than how much you would take in a race car. However, on a few of the turns you were wide at the apex (this was before you got slowed up by the bling girl). Of course this is lost time. Try hitting the apex curbing with about half the car on it. You did this for a few turns after you got behind the girl and the car seemed to behave well at that point. Later you took a couple of curbs with the full car and you can see the car was less well behaved. If you back over that video without thinking about the girl and the thing she did you can see some great exploration of the track and its features.
Lastly - Ooooooh, "track frustration" - this is a big nemesis of any track event. But it is one that you have direct control over. In my experience, you can't let it raise its ugly head as ugly things will likely happen if it does. If I see or start to get in a situation where frustration could come to be, I will pit or even come in. Your accident was very minor, but it might not have been. Please take care out there.
Thx for the reply,
I will take some pictures when I go under the car next time (proly soon).
Routing the hose is very tricky especially on minis, I even shaved some metal off from the sub frame(a little on the edge to make the hose path through easier).
For the curbing, you are right, I always want to put my car on the curbing just right amount.
On that specific track, it has many hidden humps and deeps at/around curbings, and some curbings will make your car jump about a feet(ie: T3 right high speed hander)
As I remember now on the computer screen,
T3 - I need to be away from the curb about 3 feet, (there is a huge deep 3 feet away from the curb)
T5 - I need to be away from the curb about 2 feet (there is a deep near the curbing)
T8 - high speed right hander - I need to just put less than half of my tire width on the curbing. it will make my car jump and slow me down
It's always fun to try different things to shave extra 0.1 second here and there~
And I totally agree on what you say about frustration on track. In the video, I yelled at the car, but I should have go back to pit and cool myself down.
(But again, there are so many drivers like that in Korea, so I can't come in everytime that happens. haha.. I will link an interesting video for that, too)
Thx for the reply,
I will take some pictures when I go under the car next time (proly soon).
Routing the hose is very tricky especially on minis, I even shaved some metal off from the sub frame(a little on the edge to make the hose path through easier).
For the curbing, you are right, I always want to put my car on the curbing just right amount.
On that specific track, it has many hidden humps and deeps at/around curbings, and some curbings will make your car jump about a feet(ie: T3 right high speed hander)
As I remember now on the computer screen,
T3 - I need to be away from the curb about 3 feet, (there is a huge deep 3 feet away from the curb)
T5 - I need to be away from the curb about 2 feet (there is a deep near the curbing)
T8 - high speed right hander - I need to just put less than half of my tire width on the curbing. it will make my car jump and slow me down
It's always fun to try different things to shave extra 0.1 second here and there~
And I totally agree on what you say about frustration on track. In the video, I yelled at the car, but I should have go back to pit and cool myself down.
(But again, there are so many drivers like that in Korea, so I can't come in everytime that happens. haha.. I will link an interesting video for that, too)
I guess that I should not have assumed that you needed help there. I didn't think about the track being a factor. "My hat is off to you" and your attention to details.
Thanks for helping with the brake ducts. There are some of us who have been struggling with how to route the hose. I may need this as I have just downsized to 15" wheels from 17" and this may cut air flow to the brakes. On the plus side I will be cutting 40+ lbs of unsprung weight off the car.
I guess that I should not have assumed that you needed help there. I didn't think about the track being a factor. "My hat is off to you" and your attention to details.
Thanks for helping with the brake ducts. There are some of us who have been struggling with how to route the hose. I may need this as I have just downsized to 15" wheels from 17" and this may cut air flow to the brakes. On the plus side I will be cutting 40+ lbs of unsprung weight off the car.
I am always welcoming advice on my driving, cuz everyone have their own way to see things and I believe I can find valuable in there. That specific track just have weird details.. making things confused. hehe.
CUtting 40+ lbs would make your car fly. (and way more road holding)
Came back from an event run at a season opener race, it was hot.. As the weather gets hotter, It is clear that it was a good choice to revise/repair the brake ducting during the winter.
So, in this year, I am preparing my car to achieve two goals :
Becoming a season champion in the amatuer time attack event (FWD class)
And setting up my own best lap times in major tracks in Korea. (With my own wheel/tire setup)
JB+ was my choice, As you all know, My mini has been keeping stock ecu map so far, but since I had to face Scirocco R and F56 JCW in the race,
I wanted to have some power up to match them.
I dialed the power output to "middle" setting, I always want to have predictable&continuous power rather than dyno queen setup.
Way to the track.
There are 4~5 active tracks in Korea, all in a day trip distance.
Our squad.
All others in my team driving FR cars. My mini is the only FWD car.
Too bad, I can't use my "OPTIMIZED" wheel/tire setup in the time attack race.
Kumho tire is a major sponsor, I borrowed a set of 17x7.5 TWS race wheels and V720 tires from my buddy.
That really changes lots of things with my mini's optimized performance.
Nice wheels, but that wheel/tire setup changes following things:
1. Gearing (diameter difference / about 4 % or more)
2. Front/Rear grip biasing
3. Front/Rear vehicle height setup changes
4. Heavier rotational/unsprung mass
5. Tire itself is inferier than RE71Rs. (in most of aspects)
One good thing was it was raining all day,
And I love rainy track.
Taken in the middle of the 2nd session, #704 is my mini.
I was able to take 1st place in the last lap,
but I wanted to avoid possible contact with the other mini(Black F56S),
So I had lifted my throttle, and I got lost by 0.02 seconds to the guy who won the race.
Picture above is showing that moment.. At the last corner, F56S was losing the rear, and I didn't want to give him more stress(He could lose more..),
I lifted... I would do the same thing if I get to the same situation.
BTW, I got a nice video how slippery it was on that day. (Video below)
Have a look from 0:39, you will see everyone else are dancing in the rain and my mini is passing through the traffic.
So, the race has ended like that,
And I wanted to have further weight reduction...
Hood from Japan.
for Lightness and Cooling
Stock hood (+my own body)
DuelL hood (+me again)
-> 7kgs weight reduction. That is almost equal to light weight battery or A/C compressor+Condensor removal.
Installed right away, since another track event was approaching.
it resembles...
I guess the cars ahead of me could spot my car easier now on track.
Wow...You did well to keep the car sort-of under control. Those are some wicked turns; down hill and the rear getting light. No wonder the back end slides. Congrats on the finish and a plus to finishing in one piece
Wow...You did well to keep the car sort-of under control. Those are some wicked turns; down hill and the rear getting light. No wonder the back end slides. Congrats on the finish and a plus to finishing in one piece
Is that a fiberglass hood? Not carbon fiber?
Thx for the reply!
The hood is made with fiberglass, but as you know most of the "carbon" hoods are actually fiberglass underneath(and not lighter than fiberglass version of same products)
The hood vents are making hugh difference in terms of under hood temperature, I will update that too.
). The trailers you see in the paddock are typical of this type of event.
: