Summit Point Raceway, 8/9 March 03 - Page 2

Earthworm · #16 03-08-2003, 09:48 PM

Sounds like a ton-o-fun!

I'd like to try my luck on a road course. I've done auto-x but I want a bit more speed now.

SVXphile · #17 03-09-2003, 02:20 AM

Oh....that hurts!

Ron, old buddy....you need to write for Road and Track.

Ya gotta be careful when you're out "hotdoggin"!

Once you get your sealegs back, give me your honest (!)
impression of the SVT at (reduced due to breaking-in) speed.

I know Harry and his SVX were lapping the place like crazy....

(shaking head....wishing I had been there...

)

Don

newsvx · #18 03-09-2003, 07:06 AM

Great Time, Ron and Mike - John, what happened to you????

Fun time today too when I replace the brakes on the front. I made the mistake of not having new pads at least on the front, but the tech inspection indicated about 1/2 to 1/4 of the pads were left. Well, after a hard Saturday, there is NO MORE PAD on the front. But it was still stopping at the end, wasn't it Mike! I'll need another couple of race tires too - this is actually the second season for them, so a new set is sorta planned.

The WX could not have been better, although the initial 24 degrees in the morning was a little stiff.

Attached is a pic of, "the guys" yesterday. Great time. I'll post some more pics from the digital in my locker. Film from the other camera goes in today.

Thanks again for coming down, Ron and Mike. Super time!
Harry

newsvx · #19 03-09-2003, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SVXphile
Oh....that hurts!

Ron, old buddy....you need to write for Road and Track.

Ya gotta be careful when you're out "hotdoggin"!

Once you get your sealegs back, give me your honest (!)
impression of the SVT at (reduced due to breaking-in) speed.

I know Harry and his SVX were lapping the place like crazy....

(shaking head....wishing I had been there... )

Don

Don,
Here is what you would have looked like at speed at Summit

.
This is a pic of Tom half way down the 1/2 mile straight - consistently hitting 110 - 111 MPH at the end of the straight. Ron was riding with Tom at the time. Tom was very impressed with the little Focus and absolutely loves it. Never thought that would be the case with his previous car being the 1996 Firebird Formula.
Great time, Don. We missed you and Jean!
Harry

newsvx · #20 03-09-2003, 07:16 AM

OOPS, How about the PIC .......

SVXphile · #21 03-09-2003, 08:00 AM

Reaction to the first picture:

"Ron has whiskers....Ron has whiskers!"

(good pic!)

Reaction to second picture:

"Gee ma nee.....the SVT is faster than I thought. The little thing is in "warped" drive!!!! (musta been the shutter speed)

OK, there are tears in my cereal bowl.....

WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE HARRY ???????

Don

newsvx · #22 03-09-2003, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SVXphile
Reaction to the first picture:

"Ron has whiskers....Ron has whiskers!" (good pic!)

Reaction to second picture:

"Gee ma nee.....the SVT is faster than I thought. The little thing is in "warped" drive!!!! (musta been the shutter speed)

OK, there are tears in my cereal bowl.....

WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE HARRY ???????

Don

Yep, and the whisters are gray too

.

Yes, the little Focus is pretty fast, but handles better than it is fast. 7.5 sec to 60 MPH isn't great, but it is about what the SVX does. But it is faster than the average.

Missed a good time, Don. But we understand. Maybe next time, which is likely to be next March. Summit Point is VERY busy. It is difficult to get a club date. But there is always autocross - up for it?
Harry

newsvx · #23 03-09-2003, 05:06 PM

Just got a call from Tom from Summit (7:00 PM). He is awaiting a tow truck for the Focus. It appears that on his last run for the day, the drain plug of the "new" transmission came out ant oiled up his rear wheels going into turn 10. The back end flipped around and he hit the tire wall. No body damage, however, it did bend one of the rear axles.
Tom is okay - only shaken up a bit. Really angry, as one can imagine. I can not believe that the drain plug was not sufficiently tightened! Fortunately, he had an instructor in the car with him and this was a "driver's education" event for the club.

I'll keep you posted as to the dealings with the dealer...
Harry

SVXphile · #24 03-09-2003, 05:49 PM

What rotten luck!

<I'll keep you posted as to the dealings with the dealer... >

Since it was technically "driver training" instead of actually racing, there shouldn't be a problem. There is some disclaimer in my SVT addition to the Focus owners manuel, that says they don't cover anything done during competition. Of course, what they don't know....won't hurt them anyway...

<but handles better than it is fast>
That is what I have said on several theads. 170 hp is not going to break any speed records.....but when you don't have to slow down as much for the turns...

Wheeeeeee! Don

<But there is always autocross - up for it?>

When and where?

Ron Mummert · #25 03-09-2003, 08:59 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by newsvx
[B]

Yep, and the whisters are gray too

.

That's funny, they were perfectly dark before my two carnival rides.

Bummer about Tom's axel, Harry. It's always the LITTLE things (loose plug) that lead to big things. I hope all the parts are covered under warranty. Let us know how Ford treats it.

Ron (Now feelin' good enough to crack open a fresh Box'o).

newsvx · #26 03-10-2003, 04:27 AM

Thanks, Guys. Appreciate your thoughts.

I hope Ford will do Tom right on this, since, as you know, this isn't competition at all. It truly is getting out on the track and leaning to drive your car better. While Tom instructs there from time to time with the club, I am glad he had an instructor in the car with him at the time. But I just can not believe the drain plug was not put in tight........
Harry

rufus · #27 03-10-2003, 06:28 AM

Hey Harry-

Thanks again for for letting me ride along. That was a real blast. It was also pretty cool to see how well the SVX (with you at the wheel, at least) was able to keep up with some "really" fast cars through the curves. I'll be there as a driver next year, for sure (assuming the beginner pace is a little more...relaxed)

newsvx · #28 03-10-2003, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rufus
Hey Harry-

Thanks again for for letting me ride along. That was a real blast. It was also pretty cool to see how well the SVX (with you at the wheel, at least) was able to keep up with some "really" fast cars through the curves. I'll be there as a driver next year, for sure (assuming the beginner pace is a little more...relaxed)

Mike,
Really glad to see you and Ron come down. I knew you would enjoy it. For sure, next time for you. There are usually multiple groups from beginner to advanced, so don't worry about that.

Yes, I agree re the SVX. No, it's not the fastest thing out there, and neither does it handle as well as some. But for almost 4,000 lbs (4450 gross vehicle weight), it doesn't do badly. And it is such fun. And I will never have the ability to see the full capability of the car. Just too old and slow, but I do enjoy it.

BTW, I found out today that the Spec Miata (the gray one) that was running it my group had a little "off road excursion) at Turn 1 (at the end of the straight). Seems he went off the track at better than 80-90 MPH and ended up in the gravel pit (that gravel does a GOOD job of stopping a car!). Did't hurt the car, except there was a lot of gravel to pick out of brake and suspension parts. And, a red-faced driver. Pretty fast car overall. I don't know why he ran out of track, unless his brakes overheated and just went away.

Also, I completely reworked the SVX's front brakes yesterday - new rotors and pads. The pads (starting out at 3/4 thickness) were total gone - no material. I knew better and should have started out with brand new pads - another lesson learned. Yet another lesson is when the brake fluid goes down significantly, there probably is also significant brake pad wear to go along with it. But as you saw, even with extended hard use (there was some hard braking, wasn't there!), the SVX's brakes do VERY well.
I continue to be impressed with the SVX! As I have said before, it capabilities far exceed my abilities!
Looking forward to seeing you at Reading AND autoX.
Harry

SVXphile · #29 03-10-2003, 06:24 PM

<But I just can not believe the drain plug was not put in tight........>

Boy, that line had a faint ring of familiarity to it.....

Randy?????

Don

Trevor · #30 03-12-2003, 08:24 PM

I have just been sent here by Ron to have a look. You guys have me GREEEEEN with envy.

The SVX is one of the few cars I have owned which I have not tried on a road circuit. I have always taken my road cars out for a bash when racing as knowing what a car will do when driven at 10/10 is such a safety factor which can save ones life in a bad situation on the road.

Harry did you break the SVX loose and set it up for corners ? Did it over or understeer ? Was it slow to break away or unpredictable ? I have been told they break loose in a flash but have by doubts as to whether this is so.

Interesting that the brakes performed OK. Thought they would and can't understand some of the posts re poor brakes. Further advice in this regard would be interesting.

Down this way drain plugs MUST be wire locked in place before running on a racing circuit. There can be very bad news for the poor guys following behind and this has caused fatal prangs here.

Regards to you lucky buggers, Trevor.