Quote:
Originally Posted by Norm Peterson
Ditto.
Couple questions for Pete, though.
Around 8:00 into the first video there's some sort of discussion going on. Care to share? Brake pads. Another 'expert' underestimated the performance range of a dialed in 5th Gen. The brake fade was horrendous. We have that fixed 
In the second video there seems to be a consistent buzzing noise under braking. Any idea what that was?
We tuck the in car microphone between the the seat back and bottom. It slipped out and was against the seat track.
Believe me, I'm trying. The cornering and handling performance levels are amazing.
What's a bit difficult for me is resolving that with the same characteristics of cars weighing barely half that, which is ultimately the comparison I keep coming back to because that's what sports cars used to weigh. I came this >| |< close to buying an MGB in 1970.
Back in the mid 1970's a friend of mine owned a 39xx lb big-block 2nd Gen Camaro. Mildly modified for autocross and brisk TSD rallye driving it was pretty good for its day. But these cars would all eat it for lunch at any venue you'd care to choose.
Further, I can't help but think that over a 20 minute track session there's still a bit to be had from a little less weight per mm of tire tread width. Particularly if the laps are being timed for Optima or similar purposes.
Norm |
Norm,
Our quest is motivated by our affection for the 5th Gen. Anyone can buy a Vette or Porsche and be fast on track
We think and have done this
to those cars. The OPTIMA is based on ONE lap. We have to run above 200 tread wear tires. After the third hot lap the tires are going away and not getting better. To do well, your car and driver must be prepared to lay it down hot and fast. I watched a $450,000 Porsche with a pretty damn good driver run multiple sessions and laps trying to catch the L/28 time at Road America. He was very consistent, but as the day grew warmer the track starts to slip away, his tires never recovered and he never caught the L/28. His lap times fell by just the slightest tick each time he ran. By the end of the day he was just over a second slower than his best lap run in the first session.
A tiny ballerina can effortlessly perform gracefully. We are asking Dick Butkus to perform like that ballerina. Last ear Danny Popp drove Todd Rumpke's Vette to a stunning victory at the OPTIMA following SEMA. I think his road course time was over 4 seconds faster than #2. Danny and Todd have had the Vette at several OPTIMA events. The Vette has been refined and tuned since last year's OUSCI. We are running 3 to 4 seconds behind that car or good enough to have placed 2nd in 2011. We know that other cars will come back faster. We are still tweaking setups on the L/28 and Bruce Raymond's Camaro. We haven't put a finished car on track and yet we are close. It is up to me to get the best possible suspension under both cars. There are some 'special' pieces underneath both of them. I guess I have to make them more special