MoodDude

SilverEight - you don't plan on putting coilovers before Barber - do you? Cause, you are going to want to play with them on the street before driving on track. Plus, don't forget to corner wieght your car - or you might as well leave the factory suspension alone!

All - Some of you have not been to Barber so here are a few item I think you might want to know:
- they are **** about everything, as they should be. So if you plan on bringing a jack - you have to plan on having something to put under it (like wood). They will charge you if you drip one drop of oil in the paddock, unless you come and tell them imediately. You will understand once you get there why they are so **** about everything.

-They do have power there, but there is like a $25 fee/day to use it. Althought I found an outlet without a lock and used it and didn't have to pay any $.

-They have great bathrooms and showers in the paddock, so it might be a good idea to bring a towel to shower after the track!

-Expect to drive a track with only 1 bump in it, amazing!

-Get a ride along with someone so you can see all the other weird track items hidden.

TorqueAholic

Hi Silver, here is the skinny on your stuff:

Tracking number : 379188061005077
Ship date : Nov 9, 2006

Estimated delivery :Nov 15, 2006 (Tomorrow)

Status : Arrived at FedEx location in EllenWood Georgia

I called Charlie's earlier and everything is lined-up for your install

All, as mentionned earlier I had an Awesome time at Barber earlier this summer and for us, they were not so ****. As Mood mentionned they did ask to immediately report spills, but I also used my floor jack / jackstands as usual and had no issues.

I also (Along with a lot of other guys) dropped a wheel in the grass on corner exit at a couple places and again, no flags, no fuss. Your actual mileage may vary but the concensus as of this summer is that they realized that the **** attitude is not very popular with racers and they do need to rent the track


YOU'RE GONNA LOVE Barber!

SilverEIGHT

Thanks TA2! I appreciate the feedback.

SilverEIGHT

Well, actually yea! My Coilovers will be installed at Mazcare then I'm headed to Gran Turismo for an allignment.

I suspect my first day will be just learning the track line and getting used to a completely different tracking atmosphere. With the excitement of new things I think it will be most important for me to take it at a comfortable pace to get used to everything. I'm sure my instructor will appreciate that as well. I've been told from a couple people that the coilovers should be driven for a while to get them settled. So... I guess I will consider Saturday to be my brake in period. You've passed me at Road Atlanta so you know I'm not going to be pushing it to the limit. Thanks for the info and I look forward to seeing you pass me again. This time I will get you on video when you come around me. I plan to have plenty of tape and batteries, as I want to remember this event for a long time.

MoodDude

SilverEight - now that you will have coilovers - you are going to need adjustable end-links! Or else your cross wieghts will be off when they put your sways back on. No need to go out and rush and get them, just plan on replacing them soon. You will also need to dial in your sway bars if you have adjustment on them, and if you don't - you need to get some of those too.

See - I said that once you make one mod - it creats a snowball effect with other parts.

Also - about your alignment, use your corner weights to determine the ideal set up on your car. My 2cents would be to start with zero toe, and add more camber on the front or rear (which ever one is heavier, if it is 50/50 then go the same camber all the way around). If you want a more track set up, use 1/32 toe out in front, and 1/32 toe in on the rear, and add about 1 to 2 more degrees of camber. Just don't expect your tires to last.

SilverEIGHT

Hey, I bought the tires to track. I have street tires to last! Track is track and a habit is a habit. I have a habit to feed.

Now, I remember reading something about required fire extinguishers... is this true or is it just for the racers.

SilverEIGHT

L8APEX

OK, I have a couple of questions. I am trying to plan my photographic attack for you guys that will be driving this. I would like to know a couple of things.

1-Have they releases a schedule yet?
2-Let me know who is driving, and what run groups they are in.

I want to try and figure out which part of the track i want to shoot from, and how much moving around time I will have, to get setup for different spots.

Mood, it sounds like you have gotten some good knowledge on suspension tuning. I just wish I had the resources to do things like replace lots of parts, for every new mod I wanted. For the average guy in our group, I don't think we are going to be trying to get the maximum amount out of the car, at any given point. Replacing endlinks and sways, for most of us has already been done, to go back and do it again after coilovers, would be not only costly, but not so easy for us who drive the car daily. A dedicated track car on the track is one thing, but to have to drive it home, that is something else all together. A happy balance has to happen.

SilverEIGHT

L8, thanks for the attention to detail for shooting for us on Sunday. The schedule is in the first post of this thread but here it is again.

Intermediate
- MoodDude
- Silvereight
Solo
- TrackAddict
- TorqueAholic

L8APEX

sorry, i have not looked at the first post in ages. now, what groups are you guys in?

SilverEIGHT

look above. I added it to the post.

Stop&TurnFreak

You guys have fun, and think of your fallen heros (maybe not heros) . Anyway, be VERY safe, and have fun.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

Silver
Dont worry about your suspension. Our OEM is pretty darn good-the weak link being the shocks. Our corner weights are also pretty damn good without adjustment. Ask the Roebling boys that did theirs. The main thing you will really notice on the track(since you are not running R compunds) is that hard braking/trail braking will be MUCH improved. The tail end will no longer get a little squirrely.
Your dsc may get a little more sensative(especially with sudden transitions) but with us smooth drivers it is not a real factor.
Dont go crazy with adjustments--pick one and stick with it.
The 8 is a much differant animal than Mood's beast(beatiful car!). Suspension changes in his car is probably much more noticable due to all that power he has. His corner exit and our corner exit is 2 differant worlds etc.
My tires wear even(indication of good alignment and corner weights etc) and dont overheat/heat ranges from side to side is good. We are blessed to have an OEM chassis that has these good characteristics from the get go.
I would love to come up and watch you guys but the daughters soccer games prevail(recruiters will be there!)
Please post if anyone is having any fuel starvation issues OK--dont wish it on anyone but am looking for company to share my misery!
Be safe guys!!!!!
Olddragger

SilverEIGHT

Thanks STF, drive over and join the fun!

Can't wait to go back to RA and enter turn 10A without getting squirrelly. That is probably the main reason I wanted to get the coiloivers. Approaching that turn is wickid squirrelly, ask L8, he was riding with me.

I'm really focusing on the smooth driving.

That is good to know, OD. I was beginning to wonder if I made the correct choice.

Wish you were going to be with us. We will see you at Road Atlanta in the spring, right?

L8APEX

The coilovers will not get rid of that rear end dancing under really hard braking, it will just allow you to adjust the dampers, to a point where that motion is controlled to your liking. I had to do it at Roebling, and got much more comfortable trying to compress my braking zone. It may not have been compressed as TA would have liked it, but I did compress it a good bit compared to my old braking points.

SilverEIGHT

TA2, Charlie got the package today.
A pleasure doing business with you, my friend.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

My rear end dancing days are over(both car and my own!
Mine is solid
OD

Herblenny

I live like 10 minutes from the track. Can some of the local rotary guys come out and watch?

SilverEIGHT

Yes! It is required to enter that you be very specific about who you are coming in to join. They will probablly think you are running your car when you pull in with your RX-7. Look forward to seeing you. Are you driving the Black? Sending a PM.

MoodDude

PBOC (Porsche, BMW, and Other Cars) will only let piston engines into Barber

TorqueAholic

Silver, glad to hear everything went pretty much as planned.

My rear end is solid and used to dance too. No more wiggle to speak of though with my new Titanium Johson Rod and all..

Just a couple more days folks, cant' wait to get back down the corkscrew!

SilverEIGHT

Yea, I think I'll have a johnson rod after driving my new set up too!

1 Day!

L8APEX

so when i get there on Sunday, I need to be clear that I am with teh GA RX-8 Club, to take their pictures, not to drive? They will let me in right? Someone that gets there on Saturday, if you can, ask to make sure it will be ok, and give me a call, I would really be dissapointed if I drove all the way over there to take pictures, and got turned away at the gate. That would not be good.

SilverEIGHT

They just want you to be specific about who you are coming in to see, help, crew for or what ever you are doing. They said something like, a simple "I'm here to see John" will not get you in. Other than that, you should not have any problem. I'll say something to them when entering and let you know what they say.

L8APEX

ok good, I am glad. Because I really want to take pictures, Barber is a great track for it, lots of good places to hang out and get some good shots, and I have one that I am going to do for everyone, that I really hope turns out well.