My autocross win, Video inside

[Earthworm]

Download and install divx

www.divx.com

[Phast SVX]

Originally posted by TE1221
Can you post pics of your custom cold air intake?

sure, ill do it next weekend, just pm me a riminder and ill take some pictures for ya
phil

[newsvx]

Originally posted by Earthworm
Download and install divx

www.divx.com

David,
It worked like a champ! Thanks much!

Phil,
A couple of comments / questions.

First, very impressive. I think people in general underestimate the SVX in the handling dept. We do autocross a little differently here in N. Virginia, although autocrossing on a track as ya'll were on makes it very interesting. We use a large parking lot with a "course" set up using the cones. The lot is large enough where we sometimes get to 60 MPH. Note that I always put the car in 1st gear and leave it there - it will upshift at just before redline and downshift back to first when needed (sometimes this has to be "encouraged". The courses are usually quite complex, starting out simple at the beginning of the season and becoming more complex as the season (March thru Nov) goes on. One of the major challenges is to remember the course (and it is different every month). I wish I had a clip or two, but the only thing I have is some video tape. Works great on the VCR .

A couple of questions: Is the course on the clip typical of the courses you run? Were you on street tires? From the sound the tires were making, I would guess so. How about air pressure? We run about 10 pounds over on street tires. Many of us run the soft rubber, racing tires. With those, I run 50 LBS front and 40 LBS rear. Racing tires will give you few seconds faster on a course, where in autocross, a 1/10th of a second is forever. Do you shift gears as you go thru the course?

Good job in driving. The slalom was quick. Do they ever use "decreasing" slalom's where you have to "reduce" your speed going thru them? And "increasing" slalom's, where the reverse is true?
Great show!
Harry

[Pure_Insanity8]

Originally posted by newsvx


Earthworm,
Thanks for the resend. Unfortunately, my computer does not have the correct "decompression" software and I could only get the audio. Even then the sounds are great! Wish I could see the actual visual sights.......
Good job, Phil. I know you had fun. We do here in Northern Virginia!

Harry

Go to www.divx.com/divx and download the latest DivX software bundle. It will install the player and the codecs. The player can only play certain file types like avi's (DivX files better than other players, though), but it should allow Windows Media Player (considering you're using Windows) to play just about everything out now. Give it shot.

[Pure_Insanity8]

Oops, I'm a boob... didn't see the second page on the thread. I see I'm just redundant.

[Phast SVX]

Originally posted by newsvx

David,
It worked like a champ! Thanks much!

Phil,
A couple of comments / questions.

First, very impressive. I think people in general underestimate the SVX in the handling dept. We do autocross a little differently here in N. Virginia, although autocrossing on a track as ya'll were on makes it very interesting. We use a large parking lot with a "course" set up using the cones. The lot is large enough where we sometimes get to 60 MPH. Note that I always put the car in 1st gear and leave it there - it will upshift at just before redline and downshift back to first when needed (sometimes this has to be "encouraged". The courses are usually quite complex, starting out simple at the beginning of the season and becoming more complex as the season (March thru Nov) goes on. One of the major challenges is to remember the course (and it is different every month). I wish I had a clip or two, but the only thing I have is some video tape. Works great on the VCR .

A couple of questions: Is the course on the clip typical of the courses you run? Were you on street tires? From the sound the tires were making, I would guess so. How about air pressure? We run about 10 pounds over on street tires. Many of us run the soft rubber, racing tires. With those, I run 50 LBS front and 40 LBS rear. Racing tires will give you few seconds faster on a course, where in autocross, a 1/10th of a second is forever. Do you shift gears as you go thru the course?

Good job in driving. The slalom was quick. Do they ever use "decreasing" slalom's where you have to "reduce" your speed going thru them? And "increasing" slalom's, where the reverse is true?
Great show!
Harry

Harry,
For most of our events we use UW lot 60, but 2 times a season we go out to 151 speedway and have a semi high speed, the slaloms were adaquate in slowing me downbut i somewhat had it mastered by the time rob started taping(my first few runs were pretty rough), it kept me from getting out of 2nd gear, you cant tell on the video but my avg speed was probably 40. I was hitting 65 at the end of first on the back straigh, if i got out of the little curve they had setup on exiting the 2nd turn.
Im running kumho Ecsta MX's, i was pushing the car to its limits, and its behaviors were absolutly neutral, the back end would pull out a little but it was controlled sliding, i would have been faster if id gotten the line down better, but as you know you cant always go around teh course as you plan to in your head espeically with a fast course like this.

We will being going to miller park in a week, so i probably wont be doing as good and the more experienced drivers will take over :| incredible fun though.
phil

[newsvx]

Originally posted by Pure_Insanity8
Oops, I'm a boob... didn't see the second page on the thread. I see I'm just redundant.

Not a proble, Aaron. Appreciate the reply..
Harry

[newsvx]

Originally posted by Phast SVX


Harry,
For most of our events we use UW lot 60, but 2 times a season we go out to 151 speedway and have a semi high speed, the slaloms were adaquate in slowing me downbut i somewhat had it mastered by the time rob started taping(my first few runs were pretty rough), it kept me from getting out of 2nd gear, you cant tell on the video but my avg speed was probably 40. I was hitting 65 at the end of first on the back straigh, if i got out of the little curve they had setup on exiting the 2nd turn.
Im running kumho Ecsta MX's, i was pushing the car to its limits, and its behaviors were absolutly neutral, the back end would pull out a little but it was controlled sliding, i would have been faster if id gotten the line down better, but as you know you cant always go around teh course as you plan to in your head espeically with a fast course like this.

We will being going to miller park in a week, so i probably wont be doing as good and the more experienced drivers will take over :| incredible fun though.
phil

Phil,
Thanks for the reply. I too run Kumho's, but I run the Victor Racer 700 for aurocross. On the street, I am running the Yokohama's AVS db's. Love'um.
Check out the Mercedes Club site (they allow us "foreign makes" to run their driving events) at >www.gws-mbca.org< for some pics in the "Galleries" and my locker for some others.

BTW, I think we are a couple of the few that "really" enjoy the SVX to its max. No, that's not true - "there are different strokes for different folks"! Keep on enjoyng it!

Harry

[Chicane]

I thought you did great Phil!

I will say I think suspension is what you should go after though man. It seemed to have lots of grip, but at the same time you could almost 'feel' the weight of the SVX going around those turns.... you were still hauling ass though!!!!

- Rob

[SVXtasy]

One question, what class do you run in? I run in SM (street modified, I think that is what it is called)

[longassname]

Phil,

Do the cones ever damage your car?

[Trevor]

Great Phyl. that you have been really trying out our/your car. Down this way we would call such an event a " bent sprint." Much, much, more fun than straight line stuff from which one learns very little. When you find yourself in a tight spot on the road you will to stay safe through knowing your car and this IS a VERY worth while safety factor which so few possess. The skill you possess will at some time in the future save you and other lives be certain of that.

It would appear that the car is pretty well neutral as I expected, is very couth and does not come unstuck with a rush. It should be possible to set it up on brakes when entering the sort of corner you had to cope with, so as to get over that bit of understeer towards exit and be faster right round. Talk to a FAST rally driver who CAN drive but not one who is all talk.

Try turning and getting into the corner really early just before coming off the brakes and break the rear away just a very little using a bit more speed on entry to provide the innertia required to get over the all wheel drive problem, just as should be done when driving a FWD car. ( I do not suggest you should start playing with the hand/emergency brake at this stage of your career ! )

NOT easy or for the feint hearted and you must go to the point of losing it a few times in practice to get the feel of the point at which thr car breaks away completely. A bit of opposite lock stuff to teach the SVX who is boss ! It can be a good idea to tell those officiating that you know what you are doing and intend to possibly go past the limit so that they don't get all up tight and accuse you of being reckless a dangerous.

I have always thought that the rather low geared steering would be the first limiting factor in throwing the SVX about. Do you drive straight arm and if so did you have to cross arms to get enough lock at some points ? The way to drive an old " yank tank " with traction engine steering used to be to sit jammed well back in the outside corner of the seat and twirl on with one hand, opposite lock as required, but the SVX would certainly not require those extremes.

I think your efforts result in possibly the most interesting post I have viewed here so far. Rob's efforts are also acknowledged.

Rob, don't get too up tight about the SVX showing some roll in corners. I once switched cars in a production race series to get on the front of the grid. Starting with a pedigree European I went to a cooking old Ford which was most ungainly, often being on three wheels, but it WAS faster round a road racing circuit when driven to the limit. What is more the Italian was unpredictable and nearly killed me, where as the tin trap ford was forgiving to the extreme and put up with any amount of torture without biting back. I would expect a Neeeeooooon to react the same way !!!!!!

Great stuff Phil. More please. Trevor.

[Earthworm]

Originally posted by longassname
Phil,

Do the cones ever damage your car?

(you don't hit the cones)

I never noticed any damage caused to my car as a result of hitting cones.

[Phast SVX]

Originally posted by Trevor
Great Phyl. that you have been realy trying out our/your car. Down this way we would call such an event a " bent sprint." Much, much, more fun than straight line stuff from which one learns very little. When you find yourself in a tight spot on the road you will to stay safe through knowing your car and this IS a VERY worth while safety factor which so few possess. The skill you posses will at some time in the future save you and other lives be certain of that.

It would appear that the car is pretty well neutral as I expected, is very couth and does not come unstuck with a rush. It should be possible to set it up on brakes when entering the sort of corner you had to cope with, so as to get over that bit of understeer towards exit and be faster right round. Talk to a FAST rally driver who CAN drive but not one who is all talk.

Try turning and getting into the corner realy early just before coming off the brakes and break the rear away just a very little using a bit more speed on entry to provide the innertia required to get over the all wheel drive problem, just as should be done when driving a FWD car. ( I do not suggest you should start playing with the hand/emergency brake at this stage of your career ! )

NOT easy or for the feint hearted and you must go to the point of losing it a few times in practice to get the feel of the point of where the car breaks away completely. A bit of opposite lock stuff to teach the SVX who is boss ! It can be a good idea to tell those officiating that you know what you are doing and intend to possibly go past the limit so that they don't get all up tight and accuse of being reckless a dangerous.

I have always thought that the rather low geared steering would be the first limiting factor in throwing the SVX about. Do you drive straight arm and if so did you have to cross arms to get enough lock at some points ? The way to drive an old " yank tank " with traction engine steering used to be to sit jammed well back in the outside corner of the seat and twirl on with one hand, opposite lock as required, but the SVX would certainly not require those extremes.

I think your efforts result in the most interesting post I have viewed here so far. Rob's efforts are also acknowledged.

Rob, don't get too up tight about the SVX showing some roll in corners. I once switched cars in a production race series to get on the front of the grid. Starting with a pedigree european I went to a cooking old Ford which was most ungainly, often being on three wheels, but it WAS faster round a road racing circuit when driven to the limit. What is more the Italian was unpredictable and nearly killed me, where as the tin trap ford was forgiving to the extreme and put up with any amount of torture without biting back. I would expect a Neeeeooooon to react the same !!!!!!

Great stuff Phil. More please. Trevor.

trevor,
first of all thanks alot for the feedback. I know exactly what you mean by getting the back around in the setup they had going on our track. As you can see in the later videos i was "throwing" the stearing a bit to get through, growing my balls a bit bigger each run.
The turning radias was an annoyance, i had to "pull the wheel with the opposite hand as you expect for the turn 3 slolam, but 1 i could straight arm. Turn 3 seemed to be the most crucial as that is where i could shave alot of time off, coming off turn 2 at 60ish mph was really hard for me to judge the proper breaking.
I really am a better driver i think, i recamend this to everyone!plus i needed a rush like that, life lately has left me a bit lacking in emotion, i think you all know what im talking about

once again thanks alot trevor, im going to use my next event as an experiment on getting more of a nuetral slide into the corners and see if i cant get a feel for that.

BTW, this car is incredibly forgiving and neutral. You can hear my tires as i got more aggresive at which point the judge told me"you will put it into the wall if you keep that up" but i was in complete control of my car, and getting the car setup for a tightened turn 2 i had it nuetrally sliding a bit(front and rear) and lining up perfectly without loosing much speed at all. I guess i really would have to drive another car around to tell if all cars react the same way

phil

[Trevor]

Thanks Phil,

I raised so many questions because of the many posts suggesting that the SVX does not handle and with which I can NOT agree. However my opinion is based on my Japanese manufactured car and I had assumed that the US version must be much softer and a different animal in the suspension department. Your experience would indicate otherwise.

Are there any others able to advise re possible variations from other models in respect of the US spec. suspension ?