I'm looking to AutoX a bit, despite the fact that my car couldn't be setup any worse for AutoX. I just want to do it to have fun, and get better at driving the car since it is a particularly difficult car to drive. Also, they say that AutoX will also help improve your normal driving as well, which it's clear that I may need seeing as my car is missing its front half.
They run AutoX about once a month in town here, and although it's fairly expensive, a lot of people show up. There are a number of Miatas, MR2s, and S2000s, and your typical pool of Vettes and stuff, but no Fieros that I've seen. I'm hoping to be faster than the 1976 Toyota pickup though...Browsing through looking at what class I'll be in, I have no prayer of even getting out of last place. The engine swap, then the turbo. I'm fucked!
I'm going to join the SCCA
Moderator: Series8217
I'm going to join the SCCA
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
That's the same problem I have. Once you go the forced swap route, your in modified, and next to 40k plus cars with some serious mods. Oh well, all in good fun! Good luck... and you'd better get some vids.
Justin
Justin
1988 Fiero Formula-3400 60trim Haltech SOLD
1990 Eclipse GSX-parted out
1991 Galant VR4- #108 Alum Rod 2.0L AMS-750R
2003 Kawi KLX400R Legal Motard
2004 Honda TRX450R #33W mx
2001 GMC Sierra C3 AWD
1990 Eclipse GSX-parted out
1991 Galant VR4- #108 Alum Rod 2.0L AMS-750R
2003 Kawi KLX400R Legal Motard
2004 Honda TRX450R #33W mx
2001 GMC Sierra C3 AWD
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THE PUNISHER
- Posts: 623
- Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:30 am
Usually reccomended to go higher. When I had my P215/60R14 tires on my Fiero, I used to run them at the recommended 32PSI, max on the tire is 35, but I was told to bump them to at least 40-45. I ran them at 42 front, and 40 rear, and it made a huge improvment, I felt way faster and more responsive in corners, also helped with the understeer problems prone to fiero's. I run my 17's at 52PSI. If you run lower pressure, your tires roll over and you corner on your sidewalls, and it also slows down your steering responce as your car has to do that before it can turn.
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Shaun41178(2)
- Posts: 8371
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Ben Phelps is an alleged scammer
I DID NOT FINISH IN LAST PLACE.
Oh my God. I had the time of my fucking life. At the end of the run, I had to take deep breaths, my hands were shaking, and I had a bigger smile than I've ever had in my entire life. I could have done that in a Geo Fucking Metro and been the happiest man alive. I cannot explain how completely satisfied I was. There was nothing I wanted more, than to go again, go again, go again. I'm hooked. I'm addicted. I want more. Now. I want to go tomorrow. And the next day. I could do this for the rest of my life (And I fully plan on it). I will AutoX every car I own from here on out. I can't fathom all I was missing all these years. This is what cars are meant to do.
Ok, enough about that. Did I mention how fantastic it was? You go to a track, and drive your car to, and past, its limits and your limits. It's a fucking blast and a half.
On to my car. There were 3 of us in SM2. I was put in SM2 because of my engine swap. It's a pretty competitive class (The only one higher is X). However the cars in SM2 were still tame, they just had the certain mod that puts you in SM2. There was a S2000, who was in SM2 because of his suspension and CF hood, a MR2 (Upgraded turbo, 310whp), and me. I beat the S2K by 1.5 seconds, which was really weird. I rode with him, and he can drive. I'm not sure why he was so slow. He was between gears, but so was I. The MR2, despite me blowing him away power wise, was a best of 7 tenths quicker than me. I wanted to switch cars, but he was trying for actual times (Despite his attraction to the cones). Everybody commented on how much of a rocketship my car was. I wore my "I love my GT35R" T-shirt, and the starting guy asked if what was on my shirt had anything to do with me out-launching every car there.
How my car did. Well, I owned the entire event until the first corner. From there on out, I got my ass beat. I think most other cars beat me. I know a suspension/brake modded Scion beat me, as did a drag radial Mini Cooper, as did all of the Miatas/WRX's, etc. I beat the Acura, the two Honda Civic Type Rs (Lost to a CRX tho), a VW Bug, an old Nova, etc. It is very clear that RWD, or AWD, owns the AutoX. The FWD cars were by and large slowest. My car handled really well. Although I was down grip (Stock street tires), and on stock brakes/suspension, it did really well. It was very balanced, correcting the turn in/off throttle oversteer was easy and comfortable, and it performed really well. My biggest complaint was that I was between gears, the entire time. I was either bouncing off the limiter in 1st, or sitting at 2500rpm in 2nd. A bad place for my car. I tried downshifting before the corners, but it's hard to do that, and drive into the corner. Plus the back end liked to go out on the downshift. My fastest time was when I downshifted in 2/4 places that I was really between gears. The other two were high enough in speed, and too difficult, to go down to first. The last problem, was that I could not get on the power in a corner. It would lift the front end, and just push (Not turn). So I pretty much had to be off, or just mildly on the throttle through every corner. I couldn't gas it until I was almost out. I really need bigger tires, stiffer rear springs, and a suspension drop to be good at AutoX.
I only spun once. I hit a few cones, but only spun once, and it was sorta on purpose. I finally convinced my Mom to go along, and I showed off in the last corner, before the ending slalom. I held the perfect drift around the corner in first, (It was rolling smoke), then as I exited the corner I hit 2nd hard, but I was beginning to turn in to the slalom, and the weigh shift plus the power changes caused the back end to go out, and so I back and forth-ed a bit till I just let it go. It was fucking sweet!
So overall. My car is brutally fast. My car is fucking slow on the track. I absolutely love AutoX.
"Racing makes a heroin addiction look like a vague craving for something salty."
Oh my God. I had the time of my fucking life. At the end of the run, I had to take deep breaths, my hands were shaking, and I had a bigger smile than I've ever had in my entire life. I could have done that in a Geo Fucking Metro and been the happiest man alive. I cannot explain how completely satisfied I was. There was nothing I wanted more, than to go again, go again, go again. I'm hooked. I'm addicted. I want more. Now. I want to go tomorrow. And the next day. I could do this for the rest of my life (And I fully plan on it). I will AutoX every car I own from here on out. I can't fathom all I was missing all these years. This is what cars are meant to do.
Ok, enough about that. Did I mention how fantastic it was? You go to a track, and drive your car to, and past, its limits and your limits. It's a fucking blast and a half.
On to my car. There were 3 of us in SM2. I was put in SM2 because of my engine swap. It's a pretty competitive class (The only one higher is X). However the cars in SM2 were still tame, they just had the certain mod that puts you in SM2. There was a S2000, who was in SM2 because of his suspension and CF hood, a MR2 (Upgraded turbo, 310whp), and me. I beat the S2K by 1.5 seconds, which was really weird. I rode with him, and he can drive. I'm not sure why he was so slow. He was between gears, but so was I. The MR2, despite me blowing him away power wise, was a best of 7 tenths quicker than me. I wanted to switch cars, but he was trying for actual times (Despite his attraction to the cones). Everybody commented on how much of a rocketship my car was. I wore my "I love my GT35R" T-shirt, and the starting guy asked if what was on my shirt had anything to do with me out-launching every car there.
How my car did. Well, I owned the entire event until the first corner. From there on out, I got my ass beat. I think most other cars beat me. I know a suspension/brake modded Scion beat me, as did a drag radial Mini Cooper, as did all of the Miatas/WRX's, etc. I beat the Acura, the two Honda Civic Type Rs (Lost to a CRX tho), a VW Bug, an old Nova, etc. It is very clear that RWD, or AWD, owns the AutoX. The FWD cars were by and large slowest. My car handled really well. Although I was down grip (Stock street tires), and on stock brakes/suspension, it did really well. It was very balanced, correcting the turn in/off throttle oversteer was easy and comfortable, and it performed really well. My biggest complaint was that I was between gears, the entire time. I was either bouncing off the limiter in 1st, or sitting at 2500rpm in 2nd. A bad place for my car. I tried downshifting before the corners, but it's hard to do that, and drive into the corner. Plus the back end liked to go out on the downshift. My fastest time was when I downshifted in 2/4 places that I was really between gears. The other two were high enough in speed, and too difficult, to go down to first. The last problem, was that I could not get on the power in a corner. It would lift the front end, and just push (Not turn). So I pretty much had to be off, or just mildly on the throttle through every corner. I couldn't gas it until I was almost out. I really need bigger tires, stiffer rear springs, and a suspension drop to be good at AutoX.
I only spun once. I hit a few cones, but only spun once, and it was sorta on purpose. I finally convinced my Mom to go along, and I showed off in the last corner, before the ending slalom. I held the perfect drift around the corner in first, (It was rolling smoke), then as I exited the corner I hit 2nd hard, but I was beginning to turn in to the slalom, and the weigh shift plus the power changes caused the back end to go out, and so I back and forth-ed a bit till I just let it go. It was fucking sweet!
So overall. My car is brutally fast. My car is fucking slow on the track. I absolutely love AutoX.
"Racing makes a heroin addiction look like a vague craving for something salty."
Last edited by Aaron on Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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crzyone
- JDM Power FTW
- Posts: 4654
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 12:40 am
- Location: Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada
Welcome to autocross. My first time was in my GTR and it was a life altering event. All I can think of is make it lighter, stickier and more responsive. It will change the way you think of your car.
My fiero was also brutally fast in the short straights, N* has torque everywhere. It's the corners that it let me down but in its defence I didn't play with any settings. My GTR is my track day car.
You will eventually get a little bored of autocross. Seems you spend an entire day at the track for less than 10 minutes of actual racing, 1 lap at a time.
Get good at driving your car in a safe environment and move to a larger track for hotlapping. You don't know what fun is until you are pulling off 10 lap races and really pushing your car. You will find a lot of weak spots, like the crappy fiero brakes.
Damn, I wish I could race in December! It's a regular winter wonderland outside... If I was smart I would join a rallycross team with my wife's neon...
My fiero was also brutally fast in the short straights, N* has torque everywhere. It's the corners that it let me down but in its defence I didn't play with any settings. My GTR is my track day car.
You will eventually get a little bored of autocross. Seems you spend an entire day at the track for less than 10 minutes of actual racing, 1 lap at a time.
Get good at driving your car in a safe environment and move to a larger track for hotlapping. You don't know what fun is until you are pulling off 10 lap races and really pushing your car. You will find a lot of weak spots, like the crappy fiero brakes.
Damn, I wish I could race in December! It's a regular winter wonderland outside... If I was smart I would join a rallycross team with my wife's neon...
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Unsafe At Any Speed
- Posts: 975
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:29 pm
- Location: Washington, DC / Kabul, Afghanistan
Where are you? I'm in Ft Collins.
Second the going to a road course. I really haven't autocrossed yet, but the road course was probably the most fun I've ever had.
Second the going to a road course. I really haven't autocrossed yet, but the road course was probably the most fun I've ever had.
Fiero Build Thread here:
http://realfierotech.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=5947
http://realfierotech.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=5947
Colorado Springs. The track was at The World Arena, on the south side. The next event is on Jan 11, at PPIR. But being in Ft. Collins, you'd be in the northern class, and they run at different places.
http://www.rmsolo.org
They are supposed to be building a new road course in Genoa Colorado, wherever the fuck that is. Looks promising though. I'm hoping to get to PMI at some point (On their road course).
http://genoamotorsports.com/
http://www.rmsolo.org
They are supposed to be building a new road course in Genoa Colorado, wherever the fuck that is. Looks promising though. I'm hoping to get to PMI at some point (On their road course).
http://genoamotorsports.com/
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
Yup, who knew cones in a parking lot could be a man's perfect world?
I used to laugh at it too. Not after today. I never knew how boring my car used to be. It's amazing how little time you spend actually driving. What a shame. To be on the edge of the car, and the driver's, limits, safely, and legally, is the highlight of my automotive days so far. I don't think I'll ever go to another 1/4mi in my life. I could own an NHRA Top Fuel drag car, and I'd autocross it.
You probably go to the Nurburgring. But PMI about an hour south of me has a road course (Though I've heard it's bumpy, to say the least). The Gonoa link above is also building a 6mi road course.
I used to laugh at it too. Not after today. I never knew how boring my car used to be. It's amazing how little time you spend actually driving. What a shame. To be on the edge of the car, and the driver's, limits, safely, and legally, is the highlight of my automotive days so far. I don't think I'll ever go to another 1/4mi in my life. I could own an NHRA Top Fuel drag car, and I'd autocross it.
You probably go to the Nurburgring. But PMI about an hour south of me has a road course (Though I've heard it's bumpy, to say the least). The Gonoa link above is also building a 6mi road course.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Series8217
- 1988 Fiero Track Car
- Posts: 5980
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Sounds like fun. Get vids, post times.
I haven't done autocross, but I have been on a road course for 15-minute sessions spread throughout the day. It's insanity. Unfortunately it's also expensive. Still working on getting my red car to the point where it's worth bringing out there... now that I have a job, hopefully that will be soon.
I haven't done autocross, but I have been on a road course for 15-minute sessions spread throughout the day. It's insanity. Unfortunately it's also expensive. Still working on getting my red car to the point where it's worth bringing out there... now that I have a job, hopefully that will be soon.
Re: I'm going to join the SCCA
I'm going again the 14th, this next Saturday. This event is at PPIR, an oval track originally built for NASCAR. I guess we run through the infield or parking area, I'm not sure.
I haven't done much to the car, but I've added a reservoir tank to my IC system, so that I can finally have it completely bled and operating correctly. I can also put ice cubes in it. May not help much, but it can't hurt. I think I'm going to bump the boost up to 12-14psi for the AutoX. It won't help my times at all, but it should make the car a little more fun (Or scary), to drive. The 1/4mi strip opens up in May, I'm looking forward to that, though I hope they let me past tech.
I haven't done much to the car, but I've added a reservoir tank to my IC system, so that I can finally have it completely bled and operating correctly. I can also put ice cubes in it. May not help much, but it can't hurt. I think I'm going to bump the boost up to 12-14psi for the AutoX. It won't help my times at all, but it should make the car a little more fun (Or scary), to drive. The 1/4mi strip opens up in May, I'm looking forward to that, though I hope they let me past tech.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.